After 25 Years, Uni¦o Black is re-launching their career as BANDA UNIAO BLACK with a full album of new songs.

This NEW album has been recorded in Brazil and features a style that remains close to their original heavy funk sound with a strong tropical flavour.

This new album has been produced by Daniel Collas, whose last project was the acclaimed "Call My Name" LP from Joe Bataan, and Sean Marquand, one half of the long running DJ team Brazilian Beat Brooklyn.

Uni¦o Black was one of the most important bands of the Black Rio Movement in Brazil in the 1970s.

Truly a supergroup, they stormed stages and even stadiums in the late '70s. They were 13 members strong with a style that evoked James Brown, Ohio Players and Mandrill but with lyrics in Portuguese and a sound that was unmistakably Brazilian.

They have recently been featured on Strut Records' successful Black Rio compilation, and their original 1977 Polydor album is a highly sought-after (and expensive) collector's item.

The Black Rio phenomenon was short lived, but it left a strong presence in the minds of the musicians who followed.

Today interest has been revived with a compilation from DJ Cliffy in England, a movie called Brasilintime featuring Black Rio musicians with DJs Cut Chemist andMadlib, as well as numerous new artists from Brazil and elsewhereclaiming its influence on their music.

Now using the word Banda before their name, Uni¦o Black has the same spirit and love of American soul as they always have had.

They consider themselves an American soul band first even though they've never been stateside.

Check out "Africa Hot Band" on the record. It has the hard funky sound of their original recording from 1977, and it was written on the spot in the studio.

"Been So Long" is their take on disco, and the Hot Chocolate cover of "Everyone's a Winner" is a nod to Parliament and a prime mover on the dance floor.