Great news for funk fans, reissues of all six albums with bonus tracks out on October 22nd and I'm sure some of these haven't been available on CD before now.

Apparently these are being released on Rhino and distributed by Cinram Logistics although something doesn't quite ring true about this as I can't find anything about them on the Rhino site and they're listed on Amazon.com as imports. I've never known Rhino release something in the UK and not the US before, so things may not be quite as they seem.

Also, I believe the last album, Rhythm & Poetry, is actually a Charles Wright solo album after the 103rd St. Rhythm Band dispanded.

Tracklists are:

Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band

Hot Heat And Sweet Groove (Remastered & Expanded)

1 Caesar's Palace (stereo)
2 Yellow Submarine (stereo)
3 Brown Sugar (stereo)
4 Soul Concerto stereo
5 Fried Okra (stereo)
6 Spreadin' Honey (stereo)
7 Little Class And A Little Trash (stereo)
8 103rd St Theme (stereo)
9 Girl From Ipanema (stereo)
10 Bring It On Home To Me (stereo)
11 Whole Hog Or None At All (stereo)
12 Watts Happening (stereo)
13 Caesar's Palace (mono)
14 Yellow Submarine (mono)
15 Brown Sugar (mono)
16 Soul Concerto (mono)
17 Fried Okra (mono)
18 Spreadin' Honey (mono)
19 Little Class And A Little Trash (mono)
20 103rd St Theme (mono)
21 Girl From Ipanema (mono)
22 Bring It On Home To Me (mono)
23 Whole Hog Or None At All (mono)
24 Watts Happening


Together (Remastered & Expanded)

1 Sorry Charlie
2 Something You Got
3 65 Bars And A Taste Of Soul
4 Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
5 I Can't Get No Satisfaction
6 Dance A Kiss And A Song
7 Phuncky Bill
8 Get Ready
9 Stormy Monday
10 Giggin' Down 103rd
11 My Summer's Gone
12 Knock On Wood
13 I Wake Up Crying
14 Do Your Thing
15 Bottomless bonus track
16 65 Bars And A Taste Of Soul (mono single)
17 Do Your Thing (mono single)
18 Dance A Kiss And A Song (mono single)
19 Poverty Stricken Chicken (previously unreleased)
20 Happy Feet (previously unreleased)
21 Do Your Thing (long version/previously unreleased)
22 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' (previously unreleased)


In The Jungle Babe (Remastered & Expanded)

1 Till You Get Enough
2 I'm A Midnight Mover
3 Light My Fire
4 Comment
5 Everyday People (In The Jungle)
6 Must Be Your Thing
7 Love Land
8 Oh Happy Gabe (Sometimes Blue)
9 Twenty Five Miles
10 Joker (On A Trip Through The Jungle)
11 Radio Spot
12 Till You Get Enough (mono single version)
13 Light My Fire (mono single version)
14 Comment (mono single version)
15 Must Be Your Thing (mono single version)
16 Love Land (mono single version)
17 Comment (1970 version/previously unreleased)
18 I'm So Tired (previously unreleased)


Charles Wright & Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band

Express Yourself (Remastered & Expanded)

1 Road Without An End
2 I Got Love
3 High As Apple Pie Slice I long version
4 Express Yourself
5 I'm Aware
6 Tell Me What You Want Me To Do
7 High As Apple Pie Slice II long version
8 Radio Spot A
9 Radio Spot B
10 Express Yourself (mono single version)
11 Living On Borrowed Time (mono single version)
12 Solution For Pollution
13 High As Apple Pie (single version)
14 People Get Together (previously unreleased)
15 Jam #4 (previously unreleased)
16 Love Land (1970 version/previously unreleased)
17 Road Without An End (alt. version/previously unreleased)


You're So Beautiful (Remastered & Expanded)

1 Express Yourself II
2 Let's Make Love Not War
3 Just To Settle My Nerves
4 What Can You Bring Me
5 Your Love Means Everything To Me
6 You're So Beautiful
7 I Got Your Love
8 Wine
9 Nobody (Tellin' Me 'Bout My Baby)
10 I've Got Love (single version/previously unreleased)
11 Keep Saying (unissued version/previously unreleased)
12 Nothing To Write Home About (previously unreleased)
13 Day Of The Wedding (June) (previously unreleased)
14 Henry Beasley (previously unreleased)
15 Just To Settle My Nerves/Wine (previously unreleased)
16 Express Yourself I And II (previously unreleased)
17 Radio Spot (previously unreleased)


Rhythm And Poetry (Remastered & Expanded)

1 Soul Train
2 Run Jody Run
3 Good Things
4 Here Comes The Sun
5 Girl Don't Let Me Down
6 Just Free Your Mind
7 Soul Train single version
8 Run Jody Run single version
9 You Gotta Know Whatcha Doin' (non-album single version)
10 Here Comes The Sun (single version)
11 Good Things (22 minute version/previously unreleased)
12 Stand For Something Or Fall For Anything (previously unreleased)

Charles Wright expanded remasters at Amazon USA

Charles Wright expanded remasters at Amazon UK

Yes, I believe this is the first time the whole run is reissued, and I'm getting all six! They were a very tight band.

While I don't know about these reissues per se, Rhino UK has actually become very active in releasing titles to the UK that never see the light of day on the American arm. The recent compilations from the Electric Prunes and Nico are just two examples; Rhino UK has also created a number of themed compilations (CREME DE LA CREME for Philly soul; THE LEOPARD LOUNGE for lounge/vocals), all of which adhere to Rhino's deluxe standards. If these are Rhino UK titles, fans are in good hands!

In the past Rhino has remastered CD's and then licensed them out, such as the Electric Prunes stuff on Collector's Choice. I look forward to picking up the Charles Wright and the 103rd St. Rhythm Band reissues!

BUMP ~ these releases ended up being delayed until November 20th, but are now all available.

Charles Wright expanded remasters at Amazon USA

Charles Wright expanded remasters at Amazon UK