VA: Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours Vol. 1–3 [2021-2025] (3 x CDs)

FOLK FUNK

VA: Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours Vol. 1–3 [2021-2025] (3 x CDs)

Curated by UK selector Paul Hillery, the Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours trilogy, released by BBE Music between 2021 and 2025, is a landmark series for archivists of obscure folk, mellow psych, and groove-laced singer-songwriter material. Each volume is a deep dive into private press rarities, lost 45s, and genre-defying tracks that blur the lines between folk, funk, AOR, and cosmic soul.

Volume 1      introduced Hillery’s curatorial voice with a warm, pastoral mix of acoustic textures and gentle funk rhythms. Standouts include Robb Kunkel’s “Whispermuse” (originally on Tumbleweed Records, 1973) and Severance & Cassidy’s “Morning Light.” The compilation leaned heavily on US private pressings and lesser-known UK acts, many appearing on CD or digital formats for the first time.

Volume 2      expanded the palette with jazzier grooves and deeper psych-folk cuts. Tracks like Gary Boyle’s “Sunlight” and John & Beverley Martyn’s “Summer Days” added sophistication and emotional depth. The mastering retained analog warmth, and the liner notes offered detailed provenance for each track, making it a valuable archival tool.

Volume 3      is the most eclectic and expansive, featuring 21 tracks across CD and triple vinyl formats. Highlights include Sheila Chandra’s “One,” Robin Frederick’s “Night Blooming Thing,” and Franciscus Henri’s “Friendship.” The set includes previously unreleased material, lo-fi folktronica, and ultra-rare DIY recordings, sourced from global archives and private collections. 

Together, the trilogy is more than a compilation it’s a curated resurrection of artistry once buried in obscurity. Hillery’s selections reveal a hidden history of introspective, groove-rich songwriting that defies easy categorization. For archivists, it’s a goldmine of cleanly sourced, fully credited material. For listeners, it’s a journey into the soulful margins of folk history. (B)

If you haven't visit the FFTT website, then click on this link to hear much, much more...

https://paulhillery.co.uk/category/audio/folk-funk-trippy-troubadours/

ALSO Listen to Paul Hillery's Folk Funk Top Forty

https://www.mixcloud.com/paulhillery/paul-hillerys-folk-funk-top-forty-part-1/

https://www.mixcloud.com/paulhillery/paul-hillerys-folk-funk-top-forty-part-2/

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Track lists

Vol. 1

01 Duncan Pryce Kirk - Space Out 4:14

02 Eik - Mr Sadness 3:22

03 Joe Hall & Eyeball Wine Co. - Movable Feast 2:31

04 Christian Besa Wright - Cherry Blossom Oak 3:24

05 Ruth Finlay - Deep Calls to Deep 2:53

06 Will & James Ragar - Clouds Lift Away 3:22

07 Scott Seskind - I Wonder 3:14

08 Timm Mckenna - Where Are You? 3:57

09 Jeb Loy Nichols - Sweet Sweet Stay A While 3:30

10 Gary Boyle - So Many Times Before 5:22

11 Peter Wale - One Quiet Sultry Sunday 10:44

12 Sorahan - With His Siller in His Hands 4:17

13 Cindi Titzer - All for You 5:15

14 Smokie - Topaz 2:32

15 Geoff Bartley - Don't Want to Know About Evil 4:27

16 Robin Woodland - One Golden Moment 5:30

17 Richard Pahigian - We'll Find Love 2:50

18 Kip Carmen - That's Enough for Me 4:18

Vol. 2

01 Grand Union - Morning Brings The Light 2:42

02 Tasha Lee McClunney - Undone 6:34

03 Len Udow - Beauty Raise The Tree 5:48

04 Dan Donahue - Wild Canada 4:30

05 Mike Glick - The Ballard of Ho Chi Minh 8:14

06 Chris Rawlings - Song of Creation 3:34

07 Gary Lapow - Bamboo in The Wind 4:30

08 Summer Rain - Turn on Your Lovelight 2:26

09 Jennie Rylatt - Rainfall 3:00

10 Lucy Kitchen - Olivia 4:00

11 Henry Parker - Prospect of Wealth 2:27

12 Findlay Brown - Teardrops Lost in The Rain (Stallions Remix) 8:02

13 Harris & Crane Band - Change is Me, Change is You 3:29

14 Frank Pyne & Loon Saloon - Waco 4:56

15 B.B Jackson Band - Theme IV "A Detective" 4:38

16 Cascada - Weepin' 6:04

17 Peter Campbell - Let Me Ride 4:26

Vol. 3

01 Sheila Chandra - One 4:36

02 Tim Green - Got More Love 3:05

03 Stephen Whynott - What Have You Seen 3:19

04 February Montaine - Seven Letters 3:26

05 Gil De Ray - Something About Nothing 4:34

06 Robin Frederick - Night Blooming Thing 4:02

07 Bobbi Keith - Give Me Time 4:38

08 Jeff Putterman - Beside You 3:08

09 Kirk Edwards - Provincetown 3:40

10 Soapstone - You Brighten Up My Day 3:34

11 Jerry Thomas - Love Strain 3:53

12 Janelle Richey - Rainy Day Dreams 2:52

13 Dave Smith, Judy Dinning - Sail Far 4:07

14 Dwight Druick - Joshua 3:21

15 Franciscus Henri - Friendship 3:00

16 Tom Wasinger - Montse’gur 3:27

17 Charmer - Movin' On 2:35

18 Dennis Siren - Take it If You Try 3:43

19 Rhythm & Bliss - Love is The Sun 4:16

20 Robert Carlton - Going All The Way 2:38

21 Roger Ekman - Motivationen Måste Vara Stor 2:38

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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