Ultimate Breaks and Beats

Ultimate Breaks and Beats (also commonly abbreviated as UBB) was a series of 25 compilation albums released from 1986 to 1991 by Street Beat Records edited by Louis " BreakBeat Lou" Flores. The tracks featured on the albums featured music from 1966 to 1984 that featured drum breaks.

The albums found high popularity with hip hop producers, with the release of a new volume in the series usually leading to many various hip hop records featuring samples of the breaks.

Re-releases of the LPs, some packaged in pairs for DJ scratching and mixing convenience, became available and are currently found in many record stores. CDs of some of the volumes may be found as well, including a 2-CD and DVD box set featuring nearly all the tracks on the 25 albums.

Releases

Complete tracklisting, taken from [1] and updated with performers' names, missing in the tracklists of volumes SBR 499, SBR 500 and the first version of SBR 508

An asterisk after a track name indicates that the song was remixed for inclusion in this compilation.

Not official

SBR 499

1. The Limit - "She's So Divine" (from CP-721 12" single) (1982)
2. Kashif - "I Just Gotta Have You (Lover Turn Me On)" (from CP-728 12" single) (1982)
3. Kenton Nix featuring Bobby Youngblood - "There's Never Been (No One Like You)" (from WES 22130 12" single) (1980)
4. Mr. Magic - "Magic's Message (There Has to Be a Better Way)" (from POS-1213 12" single) (1984)

SBR 500

1. Tia Monae - "Don't Keep Me Waiting" (from CART-320 12" single) (1983)
2. Cloud One - "Flying High" (from HS-1010 12" single) (1982)
3. Ednah Holt - "Serious, Sirius Space Party" (from WES 22138 12" single) (1981)
4. Conversion - "Let's Do It" (from S-12336 12" single) (1980)

Official start of the series

SBR 501

1. The Monkees - "Mary Mary"* (from More of the Monkees) (1967)
2. Wilbur "Bad" Bascomb - "Black Grass"* (from PAS-6048 7" single) (1972)
3. The Winstons - "Amen, Brother"* (from MMS-117 7" single) (1969)
4. 7th Wonder - "Daisy Lady" (from Climbing Higher) (1979)
5. D.C. LaRue - "Indiscreet" (from The Tea Dance) (1976)
6. Rufus Thomas - "Do the Funky Penguin" (from STA-0112 7" single) (1971)

SBR 502

1. Wilson Pickett - "Get Me Back on Time, Engine #9"* (from Wilson Pickett in Philadelphia) (1970)
2. Juice - "Catch a Groove"* (from DGD-108 12" single) (1976)
3. The Rolling Stones - "Honky Tonk Women"* (from Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)) (1969)
4. Funkadelic - "You'll Like it Too" (from Connections & Disconnections) (1981)
5. Roy Ayers Ubiquity - "Boogie Back" (from Change Up the Groove) (1974)
6. Orchestra Internationale featuring Sal Conte - "Chella Lla" (from Disco Italiano) (1974)

SBR 503

1. Cheryl Lynn - "Got to Be Real" (from Cheryl Lynn) (1978)
2. Incredible Bongo Band - "Apache" (from Bongo Rock) (1973)
3. Herman Kelly & Life - "Dance to the Drummer's Beat" (from Percussion Explosion) (1978)
4. Incredible Bongo Band - "Bongo Rock"* (from Bongo Rock) (1973)
5. Upp - "Give It to You" (from Upp) (1975)
6. Jackie Robinson - "Pussyfooter"* (from I'm Different) (1977)

SBR 504

1. Syl Johnson - "Different Strokes"* (from TM-2242 7" single) (1967)
2. Bobby Byrd - "I Know You Got Soul"* (from I Need Help) (1970)
3. Z. Z. Hill - "I Think I'd Do It"* (from The Brand New Z.Z. Hill) (1971)
4. Gaz - "Sing Sing" (from Gaz) (1979)
5. Isaac Hayes - "Break Through" (from the Truck Turner soundtrack) (1974)
6. Tom Jones - "Looking Out My Window"* (from Help Yourself) (1968)
7. Dynamic Corvettes - "Funky Music Is the Thing Part 2" (from ABET-5459 7" single) (1975)

SBR 505

1. Johnny "Hammond" Smith - "Shifting Gears"* (from Gears) (1975)
2. Bo Diddley - "Hit or Miss"* (from Big Bad Bo) (1974)
3. The Wild Magnolias - "(Somebody Got) Soul, Soul, Soul"* (from The Wild Magnolias) (1974)
4. Melvin Bliss - "Synthetic Substitution" (from SU-527 7" single) (1973)
5. Freedom - "Get Up and Dance" (from Farther Than Imagination) (1979)
6. 20th Century Steel Band - "Heaven and Hell Is on Earth" (from Warm Heart, Cold Steel) (1975)
7. Banbarra - "Shack Up Part 2" (from UAXW-734Y 7" single) (1975)

SBR 506

1. Please - "Sing a Simple Song" (from Please) (1975)
2. James Brown - "Cold Sweat" (from Cold Sweat) (1967)
3. The Cecil Holmes Soulful Sounds - "2001" (from The Black Motion Picture Experience) (1973)
4. Dennis Coffey - "Son of Scorpio"* (from Electric Coffey) (1972)
5. The Magic Disco Machine - "Scratchin'"* (from Disc-O-Tech) (1975)
6. Fat Larry's Band - "Down on the Avenue" (from Feel It) (1976)
7. Uncle Louie - "I Like Funky Music" (from Uncle Louie's Here) (1979)

SBR 507

1. James Brown - "Give It Up or Turnit a Loose" (from Sex Machine) (1970) (Note: The original version has the guitar hook, while both the remixed version and the live version have the drum breaks.)
2. Funky Constellation - "Street Talk (Madam Rapper)" (from FUNC-369 12" single) (1979)
3. Pleasure - "Let's Dance" (from Accept No Substitutes) (1976)
4. John Davis and the Monster Orchestra - "I Can't Stop" (from Night and Day) (1976)
5. John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra - "Planetary Citizen" (from Inner Worlds) (1975)
6. Funkadelic - "Good Old Music" (from Funkadelic) (1970)
7. William Ray - "You Are What You Are" (from DMT-1001 12" single) (1977)

Discontinued (see notes below)

SBR 508

1. The Puppets - "The Way of Life" (from the QUS-055 12" single) (1983)
2. Wish & Fonda Rae - "Touch Me (All Night Long)" (from RHR 3376 12" single) (1984)
3. Up Front - "Infatuation" (from SC-16 12" single) (1983)
4. Stacye Branché - "Precious and Special" (from BO-03055 12" single) (1983)

Continued

SBR 509

1. Ingrid - "Easter Parade" (from POSPX-529 12" single) (1982)
2. ESG - "UFO" (from ESG) (1981)
3. Billy Squier - "Big Beat" (from Tale of the Tape) (1980)
4. Liquid Liquid - "Cavern" (from Optimo EP) (1983)
5. Mountain - "Long Red"* (from Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On) (1972)
6. Tyrone Thomas and the Whole Darn Family - "Seven Minutes of Funk" (from Has Arrived) (1976)

SBR 510

1. James Brown - "Funky President" (from Reality) (1974)
2. Dexter Wansel - "Theme from the Planets"* (from Life on Mars) (1976)
3. Rhythm Heritage - "Theme from "S.W.A.T.""* (from Disco-Fied) (1978)
4. The Jackson Five - "It's Great to Be Here"* (from Maybe Tomorrow) (1971)
5. The Brothers Johnson - "Ain't We Funkin' Now" (from Blam!) (1978)
6. La Pregunta - "Shangri La" (from GNP-12001 12" single) (1978)
7. Esther Williams - "Last Night Changed It All (I Really Had a Ball)"* (from Friends & Co.) (1976) ¹

¹ - Note that all versions of this track are different from one another.

SBR 511

1. The Honey Drippers - "Impeach the President"* (from AL-1017 7" single) (1973)
2. The Headhunters - "God Made Me Funky" (from Survival of the Fittest) (1975)
3. Lucy Hawkins - "Gotta Get Out of Here" (from S-12455 12" single) (1978)
4. Orange Krush - "Action"* (from MDS-4018 12" single) (1982)
5. Funk Inc. - "Kool Is Back" (from Funk, Inc.) (1971)
6. Fausto Papetti - "Love's Theme"* (from 18a Raccolta) (1975)

SBR 512

1. Junie - "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce" (from Freeze) (1975)
2. James Brown - "Funky Drummer"* (from In The Jungle Groove) (1970)
3. The Mohawks - "The Champ" (from PM-719 7" single) (1968)
4. Aerosmith - "Walk This Way" (from Toys in the Attic) (1975)
5. Thin Lizzy - "Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed" (from Johnny the Fox) (1978)
6. The Soul Searchers - "Ashley's Roachclip"* (from Salt of the Earth) (1974)
7. Chicago Gangsters - "Gangster Boogie"* (from I Choose You) (1975)
8. T-Connection - "Groove to Get Down" (from On Fire) (1977)

SBR 513

1. Babe Ruth - "The Mexican" (from First Base) (1973)
2. Babe Ruth - "Keep Your Distance"* (from Kid's Stuff) (1976)
3. Coke Escovedo - "(Runaway) I Wouldn't Change a Thing" (from Comin' at Ya) (1976) ²
4. Eastside Connection - "Frisco Disco" (from AFT-1001 12" single) (1978)
5. In Search Of...Orchestra - "Phenomena Theme" (from AVID-12146 12" single) (1977)
6. The Meters - "Handclapping Song" (from Struttin') (1970)

² - "(Runaway) I Wouldn't Change a Thing" is actually two songs by Coke Escovedo put into one track: the ending of "Runaway" and "I Wouldn't Change a Thing".

SBR 514

1. Stanley Turrentine and Milt Jackson - "Sister Sanctified" (from Cherry) (1972)
2. J. J. Johnson - "Willie Chase" (from the Willie Dynamite soundtrack) (1974)
3. Kid Dynamite - "Uphill Peace of Mind" (from Kid Dynamite) (1976)
4. Ralph MacDonald - "Jam on the Groove" (from Sound of a Drum) (1976)
5. Experience Unlimited - "Knock Him Out Sugar Ray" (from VMT-25 12" single) (1980)
6. Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s - "Blow Your Head" (from Damn Right I Am Somebody) (1974)

SBR 515

1. Donald Byrd - "Change (Makes You Want to Hustle)" (from Places and Spaces) (1976)
2. Roy Ayers - "Brother Green (The Disco King)" (from Mystic Voyage) (1975)
3. Grover Washington, Jr. - "Mister Magic" (from Mister Magic) (1975)
4. David Matthews - "Star Wars" (from Dune) (1977)
5. John Cougar Mellencamp - "Jack and Diane" (from American Fool) (1982)
6. Pleasure - "Bouncy Lady" (from Dust Yourself Off) (1975)
7. Jefferson Starship - "Rock Music" (from Freedom at Point Zero) (1979)

SBR 516

1. Commodores - "The Assembly Line" (from Machine Gun) (1974)
2. Johnny Jenkins - "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" (from Ton-Ton Macoute!) (1974)
3. Le Pamplemousse - "Gimme What You Got"* (from Le Pamplemousse) (1976)
4. Marvin Gaye - "T Plays it Cool" (from the Trouble Man soundtrack) (1972)
5. Lyn Collins - "Think (About It)"* (from Think (About It)) (1972)
6. The Galactic Force Band - "Space Dust"* (from Spaced Out Disco) (1978)
7. Steve Miller Band - "Take the Money and Run"* (from Fly Like an Eagle) (1976)

SBR 517

1. Baby Huey - "Listen to Me" (from The Living Legend) (1971)
2. Bobbie Knight & The Universal Lady - "The Lovermaniacs (Sex)"* (from Earth Creature) (1974)
3. The Pointer Sisters - "Yes We Can Can" (from Pointer Sisters) (1973)
4. Monk Higgins - "One Man Band (Plays All Alone)" (from Dance to the Disco Sax) (1974)
5. Kool & The Gang - "N.T." (from Live at PJ's) (1971)
6. Dyke & the Blazers - "Let a Woman Be a Woman, Let a Man Be a Man"* (from Greatest Hits) (1969)
7. Bram Tchaikovsky - "Whiskey and Wine" (live version from "The Girl Of My Dreams" 7" E.P.') (1979) ***note The song "Whiskey & Wine" was originally covered by the group The Motors and Bram Tchaikovsky was an original member. Their version from the album "1" is a studio recording and has no drum break***

SBR 518

1. Bar-Kays - "Let's Have Some Fun" (from Flying High on Your Love) (1977)
2. Lafayette Afro Rock Band - "Conga" (from Malik) (1976)
3. Yellow Sunshine - "Yellow Sunshine" (from ZS72511 7" single) (1973)
4. The Jimmy Castor Bunch - "It's Just Begun"* (from It's Just Begun) (1972) ³
5. Marva Whitney - "It's My Thing" (from It's Just Begun) (1969)
6. Kay Gees - "I Believe in Music" (from Find a Friend) (1976)
7. Dennis Coffey - "Ride Sally Ride" (from Goin' for Myself) (1972)

³ - Note that the intro used the beginning of the song is taken from the group's track "Troglodyte (Cave Man)".

SBR 519

1. The Blackbyrds - "Rock Creek Park" (from City Life) (1975)
2. KC and the Sunshine Band - "I Get Lifted" (from KC and the Sunshine Band) (1975)
3. Brother Soul - "Cookies" (from LS-105 7" single) (1975)
4. Foster Sylvers - "Misdemeanor" (from Foster Sylvers) (1973)
5. Wild Sugar - "Bring it Here" (from the TS-2004 12" single) (1981)
6. Miami - "Chicken Yellow" (from The Party Freaks) (1974)
7. The Olympic Runners - "Put the Music Where Your Mouth Is" (from Put the Music Where Your Mouth Is) (1974)
8. Lightnin' Rod - "Sport" (from Hustlers Convention) (1973)

SBR 520

1. Roy Ayers - "Lonesome Cowboy"* (from Everybody Loves the Sunshine) (1976)
2. Duke Williams - "Chinese Chicken" (from Monkey in a Silk Suit is Still a Monkey) (1973)
3. Joe Quarterman - "I'm Gonna Get You"* (from GSF Records 6915 7" single) (1974)
4. Friend & Lover - "Reach Out of the Darkness"* (from Reach Out of the Darkness) (1973)
5. The Chubukos - "House of Rising Funk" (from Soul Makossa) (1973) ⁴
6. Eddie Bo - "Hook & Sling" (from Scram Records 117 7" single) (1969)
7. Bill Withers - "Kissing My Love" (from Still Bill) (1971)

⁴ - The group was called The Chubukos for the 7" single, but they were called Afrique for their LP Soul Makossa.

SBR 521

1. The Politicians - "Free Your Mind" (from The Politicians Featuring McKinley Jackson) (1972)
2. Joe Tex - "Papa Was Too"* (from ATL-70199 7" single) (1966)
3. The Village Callers - "Hector" (from Live) (1967)
4. Sound Experience - "Devil with the Bust" (from Don't Fight the Feeling) (1974)
5. James Brown - "Soul Pride" (from The Popcorn) (1969)
6. All the People - "Cramp Your Style"* (from Blue Candle 1496 7" single) (1972)
7. Johnny Pate - "Shaft in Africa" (from Shaft in Africa soundtrack) (1973)
8. Barry White - "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little Bit More Baby"* (from I've Got So Much to Give) (1973)

SBR 522

1. Barrabas - "Woman" (from Barrabas) (1972)
2. Creative Source - "Corazon" (from Migration) (1974)
3. Southside Movement - "Save the World" (from Movin') (1974)
4. The J.B.'s - "The Grunt (Part 1)"* (from Food for Thought) (1970)
5. Rufus Thomas - "Do the Funky Penguin (Part 2)"* (from STA-0112 7" single) (1971)
6. Shotgun - "Dynamite (The Bomb)"* (from Shotgun) (1977)
7. Gary Numan - "Films"* (from The Pleasure Principle) (1979)

SBR 523

1. Rufus Thomas - "The Breakdown (Part II)"* (from Stax Records 2025060 7" single) (1971)
2. Jim Dandy - "Country Cooking" (from Flash Fearless Versus the Zorg Women Parts 5 & 6) (1975)
3. Pleasure - "Joyous" (from Joyous) (1977)
4. Solomon Burke - "Get Out of My Life, Woman"* (from I Wish I Knew) (1968)
5. Alphonse Mouzon - "You Don't Know How Much I Love You" (from Funky Snakefoot) (1974)
6. Delegation - "Oh Honey" (from Promise of Love) (1977)
7. Freda Payne - "The Easiest Way to Fall"* (from Band of Gold) (1970)

SBR 524

1. Lowell Fulsom - "Tramp" (from Tramp) (1967)
2. Freddie Scott - "(You) Got What I Need" (from S233 7" single) (1968)
3. Lyn Collins - "You Can't Love Me, If You Don't Respect Me" (from PE-650 7" single) (1973)
4. The Emotions - "Blind Alley" (from Untouched) (1971)
5. Lonnie Liston Smith - "Expansions (Part 1)" (from Expansions) (1975)
6. Otis Redding - "Hard to Handle"* (from The Immortal Otis Redding) (1968)
7. The Grass Roots - "You and Love Are the Same" (from Feelings) (1969)
8. Tom Scott - "Sneakin' in the Back" (from Tom Scott and the LA Express) (1974)

SBR 525

1. Southside Movement - "I've Been Watching You" (from Southside Movement) (1973)
2. Lou Donaldson - "Pot Belly" (from Pretty Things) (1970)
3. Samba Soul - "Mambo #5" (from Samba Soul) (1977)
4. Five Stairsteps - "Don't Change Your Love"* (from Love's Happening) (1968)
5. Lamont Dozier - "Take Off Your Make-up" (from Out Here on My Own) (1973)
6. Ike White - "Love and Affection" (from Changin' Times) (1976)
7. James Brown - "The Payback"* (from The Payback) (1973)

Oddities

There are some oddities in the collection, with releases SBR 499 and SBR 500 discontinued and now considered "unofficial", while SBR 508 was released with two different track listings. The later, alternate track listing for SBR 508 is as below.

SBR 508

1. Incredible Bongo Band- "Sing, Sing, Sing" (from The Return of the Incredible Bongo Band) (1974)
2. J. J. Johnson - "Parade Strut" (from Willie Dynamite soundtrack) (1974)
3. Blowfly - "Sesame Street" (from Blowfly on TV) (1974)
4. Manzel - "Midnight Theme" (1979) (from the Fraternity Records 3745 7" single) (1979)
5. Mike Curb Congregation - "Burning Bridges" (from the Kelly's Heroes soundtrack) (1970)
6. Johnny Jenkins - "Two Pigs and a Hog" (from the Cooley High soundtrack) (1975)
7. The Fatback Band - "Fatbackin'" (from People Music) (1973)
8. Jesse Green - "Flip" (from Flip) (1976)

Later volumes

Also, two later volumes were released, both as SBR 526. The first version was re-released as Strictly Breaks 1, and the second version was actually mixed and re-edited by Louis Flores.

SBR 526

1. Joe Tex - "You Said a Bad Word" (from the Mercury Records 6052156 7" single) (1972)
2. Johnnie Taylor - "Ever Ready" (from Ever Ready) (1978)
3. Coal Kitchen - "Keep on Pushing" (from Choose Your Flavor) (1977)
4. Graham Central Station - "The Jam" (from Ain't No 'Bout-a-Doubt It) (1975)
5. Trouble Funk - "Let's Get Small" (from the RC-501 12" single)
6. Tony Alvon & the Belairs - "Sexy Coffee Pot" (from Atlantic Records 452632 7" single) (1969)
7. Hank Carbo - "Hot Pants Pt. 2" (from the A-1172 7" single) (1971)

Other notes

The earliest track on the Ultimate Breaks and Beats series is Joe Tex's "Papa Was Too", released in 1966, with the latest being Fonda Rae's "Touch Me (All Night Long)", released in 1984.

The rarest track to be included on the Ultimate Breaks & Beats series is Manzel's "Midnight Theme", originally released on a Fraternity Records 7" record in 1975, though multiple reissues have been released and the song is available on many websites, including YouTube. However, for unknown reasons, the track was the only track left off a CD of all the tracks ever released on the Ultimate Breaks and Beats albums, possibly due to copyright issues.

DJ Superix, a British DJ, is the first DJ known to have compiled every single break from every volume of Ultimate Breaks and Beats into one mix, entitled "Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate!", released in 2008. DJs Harry Love and MK originally released a mix CD as a tribute to the series entitled Beats Per Minute. While this CD did not feature every break, it was the first in the UK dedicated to be the Ultimate Breaks & Beats series.

Other similar breakbeat compilations

Many drum break series compilation albums followed Ultimate Breaks and Beats, including:

• Diggin' (19 volumes)
• Strictly Breaks (18 volumes)
• Dusty Fingers (17 volumes)
• Soul Beats (9 volumes)
• Super Breaks and Beats (8 volumes)
• Argo/Cadet Grooves (7 volumes)
• Drum Crazy (6 volumes)
• Schoolyard Breaks, Rhythm Madness, and Circuit Breaks (all 2 volumes)

External links

• Street Beat Records Discography at Discogs