April 25, 2004
It's not a problem that I can't fix, coz' I can do it… IN DA MIX ISSUE≠51
NU GROOVE (SOUL, JAZZ, BREAKS, BROKEN BEATS+ MORE…)
Starting this column like the former one of the name with another wink of an eye to the great Groovement parties (monthly at the Rex club in Paris, thanks to Eva Gardner and Gilles Peterson) who are about to host a dream team formed by DJ's Pone, Lil’ Mike & Crazy B.
The French champions behind the turntables and their next project which is set to be a big event in the ever expanding world of turntablism. From the words of one of their closest partners, DJ Damage (Jazz Liberatorz), they’re about to give each and everyone a good run for their money, including the (supposed) unbeatable Ill Skratch Pikls (absolute legends in this discipline !). We’re talking about real compositions moving towards jazz/funk played totally live (armed with a pure feeling and not just a boring technique !) with decks as only instruments. Needless to say we can’t wait to experience this revolutionary show live and direct…
While Damage and his Jazzlib’ crew are also making us proud with their last releases in the deepest tradition of hip hop with a soulful twist. Whether it be their two last 12’s on Kif - the latter with appearances by Declaime and T-Love is definitely too cool - or their Rotation Result compilation proposing “la crème de la crème” of American independent hip hop from Jurassic Five to Wildchild or Asheru (Double H).
Another producer constantly expanding his horizons … Wajeed (discreet member of Slum Village). Just listen to his techno-logic "Tron" tune, gliding on an endless track like in a ghost train lost somewhere between Mad Mike, Jay Dee and Kraftwerk !
Our man (who calls himself boldly “Detroit’s best kept secret") not happy with driving mad all the beat freaks with dozens of fat and sticky instrumentals available on his own label, Bling47.com, has now signed an album - as Platinum Pied Pipers - for Ubiquity records. With the help of a versatile cast of people (mostly neighbours from the D) like the sweet soul singer Dwele, the absolute genius architect of the Beatdown sound Theo Parrish, the Philly poet Rich Medina or Jay Dilla (his alter ego in Slum Village). Not forgetting the participation of a collective hidden behind two syllables we’ve not finished to celebrate : Sa Ra…Also known as Sa-Ra Creative Partners (when they’re working for top dogs in hip hop/soul such as Bilal, Pharoahe Monch, Erikah Badu…even Dr Dre or G-Unit !). First of many heavy productions to come soon from their camp, let’s note the promptly named "Glorious", powerful title to be found on the excellent compilation from Mancunian label Fat City, Hip Hop Loves Soul…
Do we still have to spell it out for you, most of the artists here are true iconoclasts in their own right, each playing with and fusing many styles to reinvent the content… And which best example of a modern chameleon than the lord of Porto Rico, mighty priest of the deep groove ? Osunlade !!!. His Yoruba imprint comes back chanting the spring with a lot of good surprises. From the massive "Mr President" (a burning letter to Bush Junior…who said house didn’t had strong messages anymore ?) and the moving "Macao" to many deep house jewels with an infectious afro-latin vibe by Sin Palabras, Djinji Brown and a remix signed by new Parisians rookies, Hi Perspective (…already responsible for an elegant remix of Astor Piazolla, a 12’ with the breathtaking Marylin David on Nekho records and a great afro beat 7’ by Frank Biyong).
Ending up this hit list with a good old broken fix for the headz. Because if calm is apparent at the surface , there’s an arsenal of supersonic weapons of mass funktion waiting to burst out the labs to heat up the sound-systems worldwide. One out of many being the “killa ragga bruk song” going by the name of "Yin Yang" produced by Seiji with a bouncy vocal featuring by Spoonface, half of the dynamic duo called Ear Dis (which second 12’ on their Wunnademwunns imprint via Goya is also very explosive indeed !).
And if you desperately can’t wait to get your hands on those tunes… Only one solution to hear them : get to the Co-Op events…twice a month at the ultimate temple of sound, Plastic People, in London (England not Canada of course…).. IRIE
NU GROOVE HOT 10
JAZZ LIBERATORZ featuring T-LOVE “?” (Kif)
ISLEY BROTHERS & MOS DEF "?" (CD-R)
FRANCK ROGER & CHRIS WONDER “No More Believe” (Kenlou)
OSUNLADE "Macao" (Yoruba)
THEO PARRISH "Split Me Open" (Sound Signature)
EARS DIS “" Feel" (Wunnademwunns)
DOMU "The Long Way Up" - Nu Era Remix (Neroli)
SA-RA “Glorious” (Fat City)
TCHOK "?" (Astral Vibes)
DJ RELS "Broken Soul” (Stones Throw)
April 18, 2004
It's not a problem that I can't fix, coz' I can do it… IN DA MIX ISSUE≠50
Who said house music was dead ??? Although many things remind to be done, this first third of the year has brought us a hudge amount of goodies an dit hopefully looks that it's not finished. Meanwhile NYC looks like back on the blocks clubwise with an increasing amount of not to be missed parties (see our agenda section). Not to mention some exciting events to come, from the next Southport Weekender to Santa Lucia Jazz Festival and the Detroit Movement all due to happen next month…
What ever happened to the wonderful Tapis Rouge's "Emballa" remixed by Louie Jega featuring Jaffa ??? A cut said to be released by the middle of next month with a distribution by PP Sales outside North America. No really heard a bloody word about this. Looks like the promo campaign around it has failed on both sides of the Atlantic so far as we haven't heard much of it on the DJ playlists. A big shame at the end of the day as this rework deserves far more than that, folks (more info : cirquedusoleil.com). This, by the way, having added to the current jewels provided by the MAW clan, should it be that new collab between Louie Vega and Blaze called "Love Is On The Way" awaited on Vega Records or the revamp of their famous "I Can't Get No Sleep" by UK pair Copyright released in a fortnight on the newly formed Defected imprint ITH.
Remember talking to you about a brand new approach from Yam Who leavin' their downtempo usual atmospheres for some more groovy kinda stuff. Well, looks like the track in question, Damn!'s "Leaving This Planet" has received a pretty good welcome from a lot of DJ's worldwide, taking us into some afro vintage soul/jazz territories (Raw Fusion). Have to say it's about the same regarding RSL's "Wesley Music" although released even earlier, melting gospel and latin jazz/funk big band elements, featuring a Danny Krivit Edit (Giant Step).
Also talked pretty much about Alan Smithee these last weeks. Well our bootlegger of the moment is back on action, following his wonderful rework of Natalie Cole's "Tell Me All About It" with Basha's "1 Note" and what definitely looks like a (bossa) revamp of a ol' song by Polish singer Basia (Trzetrzelewska) (remember her days with Matt Bianco ???) and the funny thing is that the famous pair is to resurface next month with a new album after nearly fifteen years of silence (white). On that same old school vein (and you'll soon know what I'm talking about" is the first single to be taken from The Sunburst Band soon to be released new LP. A cut called "Fly Away" which could have pretty much taken from Earth, Wind & Fire's repertoire back in the days although being an original creation from UK disco don, Joey Negro and his pals (Z Records).
What da hell happens to N°6 ? Looks like there's some more. Following Patrick McGohann's TV adventures as The Prisoner back in the seventies is the new installment of the Ferrer & Sydenham's "Sandcastles" series. A cut called "Timbuktu - Pan-African Electro Dub" made of trancey techno approach melted with afro tribal minimalistic elements (Ibadan). Meanwhile Dennis Ferrer who's currently working on his debut-album goes solo to remix S.U.M.O.'s "Stay" on Sfere providing us with the infamous afro-latin jazzy "Stay" around an instant keys/strings hook (Sfere). S.U.M.O. themselves brilliantly retouching Lonesome Echo's newie "Sprit Of Drums" featuring vet poet Mutabaruka for those in search of Afro-beat. In search of some good ol' Afro-house classic ? UK label Black Vinyl have just had the good idea to re-release the unmissable "Roots" by Tedd Patterson (no doubt his best cut to date) alongside that Groove Assassins "House Fantasy" which is another not to be missed classic from yesteryear on their Re:cuts vol.4 series.
Looks like the bootleggers tend to labellize their works today. The latest one being Rotgut Records with some unoffical rework of "Jagged Edge" for R&B diva Alicia Keys and it works bloody damn well. So question : what da f*** are these A&R guys working for the majors doing??? In the meantime, Stevie Wonder sees two of his songs re-released. On under his own name called "Paradise" using a 4X4 beat line which, although not too bad, doesn't bring that much new on Poolboy (appearently another one of those bootleg labels around) ; the other one being awfuly retouched by German pair, Kneep Deep on their own (white). Better leaving you one some more positive topics with a song that a friend of mine told me about. A cut called "Sentimento" by Simon Airston on Mainline melting some brzilian jazz influences over a 4X4 beat looking like a possible most wanted tune in the near future. Ate logo, MFSB
IN DA MIX #50 TENNERZ
MAW featuring INDIA I Can't Get No Sleep - Copyright Remix (ITH)
ALICIA KEYS Jagged Edge - MuthaFunkin' Keys Remix (white)
TAPIS ROUGE Emballa - Louie Vega featuring Jaffa Remixes (Cirque du Soleil)
S.U.M.O. Stay - DF's Carnival Dub (Sfere)
N°6 Timbuktu - Pan-African Electro Dub (Ibadan)
DAMN! Leavin This Planet - Yam Who Remix (Raw Fusion)
BASHA 1 Note - Cmaw Dub (white)
LONESOME ECHO PRODUCTION featuring MUTABARUKA Sprit Of Drums - Rebounce (Disorient)
SIMON AIRSTON Sentimento (Mainline)
THE SUNBURST BAND Fly Away (Z Records)
April 11, 2004
It's not a problem that I can't fix, coz' I can do it… IN DA MIX ISSUE≠49
What da hell about the albums ? Haven't had that much space to talk about the latest in this format around over the last weeks, due to the big amount of the WMC' and post-WMC' releases. So this time this is it, from a brief reminder of our current Album of the Month (the Mzansi House compilation hailing from South Africa) to its April follower being French pair Oscar's 2nd elpee. Also to be featured on this selection, music from UK including disco don, Joey Negro's and his partners The Sunburst Band, much sought after songstress Vanessa Freeman's making her debut for Chillifunk label, a new collection called Dois - Japan Connections on Disorient + the much awaited NSM (New Sector Movements) second effort from broken beat wizzard IG Culture on Virgin this time. Back to SA, we have Brenda Fassie back in action with some revamps of her classics on the same label. Meanwhile, the US scene provides us with Frankie Knuckles's newie (his first album in 7 years) and the third installment of the Deep & Sexy series by the likes of Matthias 'Matty' Heilbronn. German outfit, Intuit completing the whole while giving Munich-based Compost Records label what has to be taken as their more organic album to date...
Thanks again to the various talents united in this Issue # 49 for keeping up the good work and providing us with some space whereas we may find a consistent alternative to feed our minds, boddies and souls. This is what gives us the faith to believe in a better future, while displaying signs of true quality and real talent as opposed those numerous pre-formated clones heavily supported by the major companies in their obsession of makin' fast money…
Got the chance to be given a copy of that double-CD Mzansi House comp by House Afrika Records and B.O.P. member, Vinny Da Vinci while in Miami and it's an absolute corker and also a revelation in some ways (see our current Album of the Month). Here, you may find some genuine Africanism kind of concept as brilliantly shown by DJ Fresh with the festive "Comme si, comme ça" amongst others), but also true deep soulful house music that has nothing to suffer in comparizon to the NY production A very good purchase if you happen to be able to make it, although I would suggest you to go to their website and order directly from them as this may not be distributed everywhere (houseafrikarecords.com).
Stucked on "existential" problems for a while, Cape Town born songstress and local phenomenon, Brenda Fassie deserves a strong welcome back with The Remix Collection album seing some of her best songs relifted with some true pieces of beauty by the likes of Dubtribe Sound System, Gerd, Ashley Beedle, 4Hero, Groove Chronicles and Howie B to keep the best + rhe original version of her mythical "Vulindlela" (Virgin). Don't quit as the same label provides us with the much awaited second effort from NSM (in other words : New Sector Movements).As you would normally expect, broken beat guru, IG Culture's outfit delivers some serious pieces of groove, from soul/funk to sort of afro R&B ("Big It Up"), nu soul… broken beat and other futuristic approach of hip hop/soul, seing Turn It Up having all the ingredients to compete with its American counterparts in the genre.
As promised (see our Compost Records profile) as today done… Was more thinking of a jazz album when Michael Reinboth told us about the release of Intuit's offering. Guess he wanted to point out the fact that the aforementionned is more organic as compared to its previous releases… Loads of thangz in here as you also may expect from a Compost release, from latin to soul/jazz and afrobeat vibes featuring a whole bunch of prestigious guests like Fiora Purim, Airto, Andy Bey, Doug Carn and Ray Obiedo to name but a few. Would suggest you to have a careful listen to "Western Sunrise" (if you're into Jon Lucien's kinda stuff), the post Roy Ayers-ish "A Hard Night's Day", their already classic "O Preguiçoso" on some bossa tip or the infectious "Weva" for the Fela's crowd to be released on May 25 (compost-records.com).
Your attention please as the forthcoming one might well reach a much wider crowd than than expected. Wanna talk about a French pair called Oscar whose 2nd album entitled Portrait robot is due for release at the end of this month. An album that somehow marks a radical change from the twosome who've dropped the organic phonk jazz influences for some more electronic perspective and the result ain't bad, reachin' a level we'd have liked ro see Daft Punk being at after their first LP. More to read about this as it's our forthcoming Album of the month (Denote Records).
Dave Lee aka Joey Negro looks like being at the epicenter of the post-disco revival we've noticed a while ago as is, in the opposite direction former Radio Nova broadcaster Ivan Smagghe with his electroclash deliriums. A guy that is awaited as one of the highlights of the (very) next Southport Weekender in UK at the beginning of May who, after a couple of recent mixes which have made some waves in the charts, delivers his new album alongside The Sunburst Band. Needless to say that the references to the past are numerous, from Nick Straker Band to Mike G, Chic, Earth, Wind & Fire and the likes (zrecords.ltd.uk).
On a far more serious perspective is Vanessa Freeman's Shade debut-LP for Chillifunk, twisting hip hop, R&B, soul and jazz vibes, where Restless Soul's Phil Asher has definitely put more than a finger. An album in the true tradition of what is usually called the Brit soul, full of delicate downtempos and cool grooves (chillifunk.com).
Another quite active mate of ours is NYC based Matthias Heilbronn, doing the do on almost every front, from DJing with an international upcoming tour, productions for French singer Hanna Haïs and featuring Monique Bingham and that issue #03 of the Wave Music's Deep & Sexy series. Expect there song strong mixwork blending afro, latin and… deep grooves featuring Said, Eric Kupper, Onda, Tom & Joyce, ChiChi Peralta, MKL, Sarah Devine, Solu Music and Antonio Ocasio amongst others (wavemusic.com). Meanwhile Brighton-based label Disorient provides us with their new selection called Dois - Japan Connections with some more goodies including Lonesome Echo Production featuring Byron Stingily, Kenny Bobien, Monday Michiru, Jephte Guillaume and a (big) couple of japanese producers starring Jazztronik and Calm to name but a few (mrbongo.com/disorient).
On a strictly house fan point of view, the event of the month might well be Frankie Knuckles's return with a new album after some seven years of silence. Entitled A New Reality although seing our man surrounded by his usual team (David Sussman, Danny Madden, Eric Kupper, etc) + vocalists CeCe Rogers and Jamie Principle as well as Nikki Richards the thing in question hailing from this sensuous and plaintive atmospheres that have been a part of Frankie's reputation ("Journey") to some more progressive territories and a bit of R&B (defmix.com).
Leavin' you for now with a couple of x-tra albums worth to check out from Stephanie Cooke's Everything gathering some of her best singles to date (kingstreetsounds.com) and Dutch lounging champion, Monte La Rue with another of those smooth collections he's best known for called… Deluxe (unitedrecordings.com/deluxe), not to mention the killing Soulfuric In The House and its cohort of much sought after material mixed by Brian Tappert and John 'Julius' Knight which has just hit the shelves this Monday on Defected (defected.co.uk)…
Peace, MFSB
IDM Album Tracks TENNERZ
DJ FRESH Comme si comme ça - from Mzansi House (House Afrika)
BRENDA FASSIE Vulindlela - from The Remix Collection (Virgin)
INTUIT Western Sunrise - from Intuit (Compost)
LONESOME ECHO PRODUCTION featuring BYRON STINGILY Sweat Dream - from Dois - Japan Connections (Disorient)
OSCAR Lovely Eyes - from Portait Robot (Denote Records)
NSM Big It Up - from Turn It Up (Virgin)
MKL Her Song Her Song - from Deep & Sexy 3 (Wave Music)
FRANKIE KNUCKLES Journey - from A New Reality (Def Mix)
THE SUNBURST BAND Twinkle - from Until The End Of Time (Z Records)
VANESSA FREEMAN Downing A New Day (Chillifunk)
April 4, 2004
It's not a problem that I can't fix, coz' I can do it… IN DA MIX ISSUE≠48
NU GROOVE (SOUL, JAZZ, FUNK, BREAKS, BROKEN BEATS + MORE…)
First of all, props to the moving nights Groovement (each first Thursday of the month at the Rex club in Paris with residents Eva Gardner and Gilles Peterson). Surely becoming a real institution for good groove in our capital ! With quite a tasty line up till the summer with the likes of Norman Jay, the great British singer Allison David live, Parisian DJ's such as Roy, Betino, Chateauflight (Gilb’R & I : Cube) or also our allied from Marseille DJ Oil from Trouble Makers (whose album / movie-out soon on Blue Note / MK2 round the end of May - should be a great event to the glory of films scores).
Sir Peterson who always has new compilations under his elbow. After Southport Weekender and Impressed Volume 2 (dedicated to the British jazz in the 60’s), it’s time for the fourth instalment in his excellent Worldwide Exclusives series on Talkin’ Loud featuring mongst others an exclusive track from IG Culture and his muse Eska, "The Show", under the NSM (former New Sector Movements) moniker whose second album - Turn It Up onVirgin - is indeed one of this year’s absolute musts (while waiting for the answers from Theo Parrish, Kenny Dope, Umod, Pete Rock Marc De Clive-Lowe, Bembe Segue, Eska etc) ! And yours truly should also cross the Channel to witness the first concert of IG & Co at the Jazz Café in London. So more to come soon in these pages…
Another exclusive tune to appear on Worldwide 4 is: Jazzanova's"Boom Clicky Boom Clack (It's Wot We Do)". with the mighty vocals of Shaun Escoffery (on that noisy broken tune about to make noise) Berlin’s super combo who is not afraid of anything… Not even ridicule. As a matter of fact, following the path of their pals Slope from Sonar Kollektiv (who took with few effort and even less talent the sublime voice of Yolanda from a Detroit classic , the very first 12’ from Mad Mike alias Underground Resistance) Jazzanova dared nothing less than remixing the so unique Patrice Rushen ‘s "Let Your Heart Be Free" (an absolute masterpiece of jazz funk from the 70’s). A hard task… for a weak result compared to the seminal original version ! A work which still stands as a lot more creative than the infamous Will Smith’s take on "Forget Me Nots" ( the horrific Men In Black). But still, we expected more from them !
The Jazzanova lads do not let us down completely though… judging by their great contribution to the fierce Blue Note Revisited compilation alongside La Funk Mob (aka Cassius, the French duo back in effect on a funk tip after almost ten years!), J Dilla, Kenny Dope, Madlib, Osunlade and many more. For all vinyl junky and those who don’t have enough patience to wait for the album release (a double-CD also displaying the original songs by Eddie Gale, Bobby Hutcherson, Brother Jack McDuff, Gene Harris etc, watch out for the "Blue Label" 12’s. Also we cry the death of Occitan poet and musician Claude Nougaro (RIP) whose new record made alongside jazz luminaries such as Herbie Hancock should be out soon (Blue Note)
To close the tricky chapter of remixes of soul classics, big up to the BBE label crew who never falls in vulgarity. Even if we prefer the syncopated vibe of Osunlade ‘s version of Roy Ayers ‘s “Searchin’ “ to the “clubby hammering” style of ever efficient Joey Negro on "Sugar", the best is still to come such as Soul Survivor Volume 2 by Pete Rock.
Last but not least, if there was only one album to own this spring it would most definitely be the fabulous collection of remixes by and for 4 Hero out on their own new independent offshoot, Raw Canvas. If it was only for the jazz version made by Visioneers of an old track from their Two Pages album entitled "The Action" (featuring Butterfly, leader of hip hop outfit Digable Planets).
IRIE
STOP PRESS
Thanks to Sarah at UK PR company, Favouritizm who's just mailed us a copy of Vanessa Freeman's forthcoming LP on Chillifunk with an impressive array of producers and guests. But also to our man in London, Nik Weston (get ready for his new Japan's Corner section anytime now) for sending us a couple of CD-R's including Da Lata's newie on Palm Beats with a killer remixer from much in-demand Spiritual South outfit + another brand new cut by Lizz Fields receiving some masterpiece remix treatment by the likes of Yam Who. Not to mention some killer rework from our Swedish brothers, S.U.M.O. for Lonesome Echo Productions with a new cut featuring vet poet Mutabaruka on Disorient. More to follow soon.