At the turn of the 21st century, Strut ranked among the coolest reissue labels on the planet. Dedicated to celebrating overlooked pockets of dance music, their catalog burst with well-appointed anthologies and fat 12”s showcasing funky African grooves, Brazilian soul, underground disco, library music and hard-to-find Danny Krivit edits. Like Soul Jazz and the now-defunct Nuphonic, almost any record bearing the Strut logo was a savvy purchase.

And then one day—in 2003, to be precise—Strut went away. Some fans thought they might die. But they didn’t. As fortune would have it, neither did Strut. Now part of the !K7 family, the label re-launched earlier this year, with founder Quinton Scott back in charge of A&R duties.

While that first act taught Scott some tough business lessons, the new incarnation of the label has not only remained dedicated to excavating noteworthy music, but presenting it in grand fashion: each release features extensive liner notes, unpublished photos and eye-catching package design that reflects the particular project.

“That has always been the bedrock of what Strut is,” Scott underscores. “Each album that comes along is trying to serve as a document of a time, or a style of music, and hopefully they will always stand up. Attention to detail is worth it; people definitely respond to that.”

The 2008 release schedule for Strut has included a third installment of Disco Not Disco, with more of a funky post-punk slant; Kid Creole: Going Places, a comprehensive overview of the early career of tropical gangster August Darnell and his myriad side projects; a second set of vintage Dark Continent dance jams under the Nigeria 70 banner; and Funky Nassau, a mind-bending set of reggae, funk, disco, and new wave tunes produced and/or remixed at the legendary Compass Point Studios.

Next up? Disco Italia, a set of Italo Disco classics and rarities cherry-picked by Steve Kotey of Chicken Lips, and a new studio album from turntable innovator Grandmaster Flash. Scott is also in talks with Krivit about a roller-disco-themed anthology. (Previously hinted at records spotlighting Eddy Grant and Giorgio Moroder are on temporary hold, but still on deck.)

Even with so many balls in the air, Scott still has fantasy projects he has barely begun. Top of the list: the complete musical extravaganza that accompanied the 1974 Ali vs. Fraser “Rumble in the Jungle” bout in Zaire, featuring James Brown, Hugh Masekela, B.B. King, the Pointer Sisters, Celia Cruz and the Fania All-Stars, and many more. “Even though some of it is covered in [the documentary] When We Were Kings, there’s a whole DVD and CD project to be done with that day-long concert,” he sighs. “I’ve been banging on the door about that one, but the logistics are very complicated.”

But getting music, and knowledge, into the hands of the public is what Strut does. Obstacles be damned. And that goes double for snobbery. “Strut always tries to be very accessible, and not elitist,” concludes Scott. Why keep secrets? “Most of these artists aren’t making a penny off their records any more. If they just got a few licenses, they might be able to buy a new carpet.”