The music of Motown has created a lot of fans in Britain and Europe.  This was evident when the Beatles recorded several Motown label songs in the mid-60's and released them.  That was the beginning of a European love affair with Motown music that has never died. 

Mid 2005, Qubico, an Italian Internet record label, discovered some of the rich Motown Heritage in Jazz and commissioned Motown Heritage Club member Muruga Booker to produce an album called Free Funk for a fall, 2005 release on it's label.

Quibco does limited vinyl LP releases on artists (350 copies) along with "collector item" copies with individually hand-painted jackets (30 copies per release).  The release of "Free Funk" completely sold out in three weeks.  The album, Muruga and the Global Village Ceremonial Band was commissionrd for October, 2006 release on the label, and only a handful of copies are left.

Liking the Motown Jazz, Qbicoi also is scheduling releases on two other area Jazz acts, Frauq Z Bey w/Northwinds Improvisers (end of November, 2006) and the Odu Afrobeat Orchestra (early, 2007).  To celebrate these upcoming releases and to familiarize fans with all of the Motorcity groups being released on Qbico, the record label held a Qbico Unite party in Detroit on November 16th.

The Qubico Unite Party

The party was held at the Bohemian National Ballroom, a structue that is over 100 years old, in the Corktown area of Detroit.  BNB has two rooms that musical acts perform in and the party was in the first floor room. 

By 10:00PM the place was packed and Frauq had finish performing.  There more more people standing then sitting.  Muruga and the GVCB began perform, (along with jazz clarinetist, Perry Robinson, and several guests from P-Funk - Tracy Clinton, Belita Woods and Louie Kababbie).  The audience threw back the chairs and started a dance riot, as shown in pictures below. 

Muruga, Qbico President Eugene, Belita Woods	Fraou Z. Bey blowing strong despite the use of oxygen
The Northwinds Improvisers	Perry Robinson
Tracy Clinton	Belita Woods
Muruga	Dance Riot

We enjoyed Faruq Z Bety's opening set and stayed for most of Muruga GVCB's performance, but has to leave before The Odu Afrobeat Orchestra took stage (well after midnight).