POET Vinyl Records and CDs

A long-running Funk outfit from Germany, the Poets Of Rhythm are masters of the groove, crafting addictive, often instrumental jams that revisit the gritty, soulful recordings of the 1960s and early '70s. Unlike Breakestra, who recreate specific segments of older songs, the Poets' music is 100 percent original, but it sounds like it's just been unearthed from the vaults after thirty years. Employing old school analog gear and some amazing musical chops, the style oozes funkiness through rock-solid drum action, hypnotic basslines, humming organs, mellow guitars, and boisterous horns. They've released a myriad of singles (12-inch and 7-inch) overseas, appeared on several rare groove compilations, and put out their first LP, Practice What You Preach, in 1993. They also backed Quannum emcee Lyrics Born on "I Changed My Mind" off Quannum Spectrum. They released their long-awaited second album, Discern/Define, in 2001.