Lonnie Smith ‎– Keep On Lovin'

In terms purely of drum sounds and straight-up groove, this is one of the tightest jazz-funk records that I know of! Whereas jazz-funk can become a bit wishy-washy or over produced at times, or perhaps too focused on musicianship and virtuoso solos, this record proves to have a much more gritty, bare-bones sound. The drum hits in "Lean Meat", for example - that sh*t is right down the 90s hip-hop sample fodder alley (think D.I.T.C, Primo, Pete Rock). The snare hits on this track simply have that compressed-to-perfection MPC toughness, and the groove is monotonous, relentless and uber tight.
Vocals are used sparingly throughout the album, and add to the haunting minimalism. A great little gem of a record! Jazz-funk as it should be.