Groove Merchant: The Funky Treasure Chest of the 70s

If record digging had a holy temple, it would be called Groove Merchant. Founded in 1969 by jazz producer Sonny Lester, this New York label didn’t chase radio hits—it bottled raw groove energy and pressed it straight to vinyl. Jazz, funk, soul, disco before it had a name—Groove Merchant was the meeting point for musicians who didn’t care about genres, only feel.

This was the home of rare grooves before anyone called them that. Artists like Jimmy McGriff, Lonnie Smith, Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers, and Buddy Rich laid down tracks that would disappear for decades—only to re-emerge as goldmines for hip-hop producers and beat hunters. Sampled by everyone from A Tribe Called Quest to Beastie Boys, Groove Merchant became a secret weapon for DJs.

And let’s not forget the cover art—bold, mysterious, dripping with 70s attitude. If a Groove Merchant record turns up in a dusty crate, you don’t think—you grab it. Because chances are, inside that sleeve is a beat waiting to change your night.