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Picks of the Week
Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell "Un.Chained Rhythums Part 1" (Sacred Rhythm Music Records 12" Promo)
Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell "Un.Chained Rhythums Part 2" (Sacred Rhythm Music Records 12" Promo)
Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell returns in a big way with this two limited 12" on his new label Sacred Rhythm Music, availably only as expensive Japan import but it is worth the money you've got to pay for it. It's all about spiritual vibes here, featuring all live instrumentation, ranging from melodic chill out tracks over hypnotic drum grooves to the two standout tracks "Mafungo" and "Maringa". "Mafungo" is an incredible percussion driven track featuring an outstanding saxophone with male chants, while "Maringa" features a wonderful jazzy piano line over a deeply stormin', smooth percussive groove. There will be a US release of "Mafungo" coming soon with more releases to follow.
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Picks of the Week
Cassio Ware with Working Underneath "Grows and grows" (Haus'Flor Records CD Promo)
Working Underneath return with "Grows and grows" that features the incomparable vocal talents of Cassio Ware. This project comes in four different flavors, kicked off by the 'jEzus bAkflip Hi-Tech Mix', an uptempo affair for peaktime play based on a thumpin' groove with sharp drums and techy keys. Next is the 'Underneath Mix', a deep house interpretation in classic New Jersey style spreading a warm feeling. The 'Miss-Me Mix' features a sexy spoken word vocal over a deep, percussively stormin' groove featuring melodic keys. Finally, the 'Grimy Blue Skies Mix' comes with laminar keys and jazzy piano over a smoothly stompin' groove, spreading an irresistible vibe. A great package with something for everyones taste.
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Picks of the Week
Exclusive Preview: Stacey Mallory "My rhythm" (CD-R)
While "What is housemusic..." will be released on Jellybean Soul Records soon, Stacey Mallory has the next bomb ready to drop. "My rhythm" is a wicked instrumental track based on a deeply rumblin' bassline, phat beats and sweet percussion. On top of it are jazzy keys, an organ solo and a fantastic piano line that create an irresistible feeling. This is one of those rare tracks with a groove that won't get out of your head for a long time to come.
Jon Cutler & Michael Watford "Watcha gonna do" (MN2S Records CD Promo)
New York based DJ and producer Jon Cutler delivers a killer vocal production that took this years Winter Music Conference in a storm whenever it got played. Featuring the legendary Michael Watford on vocals, "Watcha gonna do" comes with a raw edge in its original form that is a fierce yet smooth stomper featuring melodic keys and a wonderful vocal. Reel Soul rework it into a deeply thumpin' groover with laidback keys that lets the soulful vibe take center stage, while Kings of Soul accentuate the bass and add some sweet guitar licks and a magical flute, creating a funkier interpretation.
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Picks of the Week
The Shadow Kings featuring David Walker "Soul music" (Undo Records 12" Promo)
Undo Records bless us with a truly soulful release courtesy of The Shadow Kings and featured vocalist David Walker. The original take is spreading an organic live feeling through the instrumentation that includes guitar and saxophone together with a deep and funky bassline, with the passionate lead and background vocals creating an incredible feeling. Richard Earnshaw's interpretation makes just subtle changes to it by adding a jazzy piano line and a smoothly stompin' groove, while the Native New Yorkers use a deeply stormin' groove together with melodic keys and a wicked guitar riff.
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Picks of the Week
Exclusive Preview Scott Grooves "Journey Collection Part One" (Studio of Scott Grooves Records CD Promo)
Scott Grooves, who has been regularly featured on this website over the past few years with his fantastic productions, will release the long awaited longplayer "Journey Collection" this year, divided in two parts: part one focusses on instrumental productions, while part two will be all about vocals. Part one features six track, kicking off with "The journey", a percussion driven track with strings and spheric keys that create an anthemic feeling. Next is "Moog sensation", a deeply stompin' track featuring spaced out keys together with an outstanding moog solo. "Riddum" features wicked piano lines over a percussivley bumpin' groove with phat drums, while "Room to breath" is a thirteen minute extravaganza taking you on a journey into deep house grooves with warm keys over a deeply stormin' groove, creating a harmonic vibe. "Lights out" is a lovely track featuirng spacey keys over a deeply rumblin' groove, while the closing track "Old skool" smoothes things down, featuring a wonderful jazzy piano line over an old school styled groove that features jazz-funk flavors, bringing back memories of the disco era. Don't miss to check out Scott Grooves own music show where he takes you on a ride through various styles of black music.
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Picks of the Week
Dino and Terry "Music EP" (Crash Records 12")
Dino and Terry Demopoulos return in fine form with the "Music EP" that features the two tracks "Music" and "Liberty". "Music" is as deep as it gets, featuring a deeply rumblin' groove that is topped with a spoken word message by Kingdom and melodic chords, with a jazzy piano line coming in half way through. The dub mixes replace the chords and piano with jazzy keys and stripps the vocals. "Liberty" is on a sligthly rougher edge, featuring a deeply stormin' groove and jazzy xylophone together with spheric keys. Both tracks take you on a journey into deep house music.
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Picks of the Week
Jihad Muhammad featuring Carolyn Victorian "Reflections" (UK Basic Records CD Promo)
New Jersey based producer Jihad Muhammad is going from strength to strength at the moment with his releases, and now he unleashes another bomb for new label UK Basic in form of "Reflections", a marvellous deep house track that is based on an irresistibly bouncin' groove that features infectious vocal hooks from Carolyn Victorian together with a jazzy instrumentation that includes piano and saxophone. Toronto's John Kumahara is currently working on a remix that will be included on the vinyl release.
SUMO featuring Rigas "Tribute" / "Factory" (HEYA HIFI Records CD Promo)
After kicking off their HEYA HIFI imprint with a selection of their best remixes, SUMO return with two fresh productions, both featuring an electrifying spoken word performance by Rigas. "Tribute" is best described as a homage to the classic jazz band sound, being driven by an incredible piano bassline that gets topped with a wicked horn section and fantastic saxophone solo along the spoken words, creating an irresistible vibe. On the second track "Factory" SUMO enter a different territory, creating a rhythmic affair based on seriously bouncin' beats and featuring spoken words together with wicked keys with a spacey edge that give the track a bit of a techy edge.
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Picks of the Week
Jessica Williams "Faith, friendship & love" (Paradax Records CD Promo)
Paradax Records is one of those small labels that can do no wrong, each and every one of their releases is dope. Their latest offering "Faith, friendship & love" features the soulful voice of Jessica Williams and continues this tradition. The 'Main Mix' by Aaron Arce is driven by an ultra funky bassline and features laminar keys together with sweet percussion, creating a funky house jam. Soulato take the track really deep on their dub, adding a wicked organ line to it. Lars Behrenroth provices both a vocal and dub, giving it a slight techy edge but always keeping it soulful. For an eletrofied interpretation, check the Frankie Medina remix, while Teddy Q's reworking is a funktified, percussive groover. The last mix is courtesy of Artie G. Dorian who delivers a stormin' affair with wicked keys. An oustanding package that should not be missed!
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Picks of the Week
Working Underneath featuring Vanita Wilson "Don't wanna be set free" (Haus'Flor Records CD Promo)
For their fourth release on the Haus'Flor label, Working Underneath have chosen Vanita Wilson to be the featured vocalist. "Don't wanna be set free" is a fantastic garage production featuring a passionate vocal by Vanita Wilson, coming in three different flavors. The 'Amped Original Mix' has an organic sound to it, featuring a deeply rumblin' bassline together with warm keys. The 'Underneach Mix' is a truly soulful affair, featuring sweet percussion together with a jazzy piano line and lovely xylophone solo. The 'New Jersey Nite-Life Mix' has an underground feel to it, using a deeply stormin' groove together with swinging percussion, rolling horns and spheric keys that create an irresistible vibe.
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Picks of the Week
Melba Moore "My heart belongs to you" (SoulFuric Records CD Promo)
The legendary disco diva Melba Moore ("You stepped into my life" is probably her most famous classic) returns to the scene with the Ron Carroll produced "My heart belongs to you", a track that has been huge since it premiered at this years Winter Music Conference in Miami. Ron Carroll's 'BMC Vocal Classical' is an uplifting affair featuring Melba Moore's intense and passionate vocals over a poweful Chicago style track. Jon Cutler reworks into a smoothly stompin' deep house groove that is driven by an irresistible piano line you can't stop to dance to, while Polish duo WaWa heat things up for peak time on the dub that is fueled with extra ingredients to rock the crowd.
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Picks of the Week
Bah Samba featuring the Fatbak Band "Let the drum speak" (BKO Records CD Promo)
Hot on the heels of "Calma" comes a revisited version of the Fatback Band's 1975 classic "Let the drum speak", with the original version recorded in a jam session between Bah Samba and Fatback's Jonny Flippen on bass and Bill Curtis on drums. This is a faithful interpretation of the classic full of funky vibes, spreading a soulful vibe. Phil Asher gives the song a soulful house outfit, drizzled with funky guitars, classy brass and superb vocal harmonies courtesy of Alice Russell. In contrast, Harvey turns out a downtempo groover reminiscent of the old school funk and soul days, with extra instrumentation added, spreading a timeless vibe.
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Info on the "Lost Grooves" series
"What is this series all about?" you might ask. The idea of this series is to bring to you exclusive and unreleased joints that deserve to be heard. The reason they are exclusive and unreleased are various - sometimes the labels reject or simply don't release a production or remix they ordered, sometimes the producers did it for fun, sometimes the release is planned far away in the future, sometimes...
Picks of the Week
Lost Grooves 2005: Tania Maria "Come with me" (Louie Vega & MAW Remixes)(Concord Records CD-R)
"Come with me" is the title track from jazz/funk singer Tania Maria's 1983 longplayer that gave her worldwide recognition as this song became a big hit. Masters at Work give it a reworking perfect for clubs, preserving the uplifting jazzy vibes from the timeless original, subtly enriching this great song with additional instrumentation. In contrast, the 'Louie Vega Remix' turns it into a dreamy affair, adding an organic chill-out vibe to it. Simply a wonderful reworking.
Lost Grooves 2005: Kenny Bobien "Through the rain" (Bassclef Records CD-R)
Jose Burgos & Duce Martinez aka Soul Creation produced this beautiful song that is running for a full twelve minutes and features the legendary Kenny Bobien who delivers an outstanding vocal performance over a fierce groove that is driven by an irresistible piano line and wicked guitar riff, with percussion elements enhancing the irresistible vibe. Garage music as soulful as it gets.