With so many wars being fought, you can be forgiven for forgetting that we’re apparently facing a war on history. But, before the world’s historians take to the battle trenches – black armbands on one side, black blindfolds on the other – there’s some important historical excavation that needs to be done. The vital answers are to be found in the crates of vinyl that once rocked clubs in the 70s only to be forgotten, left to gather dust in obscurity. Thankfully the esteemed historians working at the University of Soul Jazz are leading the current debate. Their latest research is an investigation into The Sisters Love and will certainly fuel the ongoing war to find the greatest, sweetest funk and soul grooves.

The Sister Love were a four piece girl group who tragically never released an album and have been reduced to cult status. The singles they released – for Motown and A&M in a six year career – have become scarce and are highly sought after by the crate digging historians who are carrying on the traditions set by Nicky Siano and Larry Levan. As well as being a favourite of the early disco DJs, the Sisters Love worked with producers such as Willie Hutch and Leon Ware, toured the world with The Jackson Five and made an appearance in the Blaxploitation movie The Mack. Their changing lineup also included many former member of Ray Charles’ backing singers, the Raelets.

These tracks were thought to be as rare as dodo teeth, but thanks to the tireless work of the Soul Jazz team now everyone can get themselves educated with this advanced course in early disco and classic funk. The required listening opens with ‘Give Me Your Love’, a cover of the Curtis Mayfield tune from the legendary Superfly album. The Sisters Love step up the song’s pacing and energy till it’s bursting with horn stabs, funky flute trills and heavy breathing percussion breakdowns. It’s near sacrilege to suggest that this tops the original, but the Sisters deliver a punch that will put anyone on the dance floor. Maybe we could have a ‘war’ to decide which version is the best. For further listening students should seek out the extended eight-minute cut-up released in 1980 by New York’s DJ Danny Krivit.

There’s no let up, the funky rhythms, hard soul vocals, and soaring harmonies ignite on nearly every track. In fact the Sisters basically demand your full attention on tracks such as ‘Ring Once’, ‘You’ve Got To Make Your Choice’ and ‘Forget It, I’ve Got’. When they’re not dragging your sorry ass to the dance floor, they’re lulling you into a seductive haze. ‘You’ve Got My Mind’ purrs like a choir of Minnie Ripertons, while ‘Ha Ha Ha’ laughs off your advances over a bassline that is as fine as anything Bootsy Collins ever slapped. The Sisters even make the Beatles civil rights anthem, ‘Blackbird’, as their own with an impassioned lead vocal tearing it up over the silky backing vocals. The lesson ends with ‘The Bigger You Love (The Harder You Fall)’ complete with the beautiful soaring strings of the finest Philly soul.

Soul Jazz have again delivered a superb collection that unearths the finest music that unfortunately been neglected, don’t let the Sisters Love slip away again.