The Perfect Beats, Vol. 4 [Amazon US]
1. One More Shot - C-Bank
2. Body Mechanic - Quadrant Six
3. Pack Jam - Jonzun Crew
4. Clear - Cybotron
5. Automan - Newcleus
6. Stone Fox Chase - Area Code 615
7. It's Just Begun - Jimmy Castor Bunch
8. Give It Up Turn It Loose - James Brown
9. Rock Creek Park - Blackbyrds
10. Expansions - Lonnie Liston Smith
11. Jingo - Candido
12. Woman - Barrabas
13. Date With The Rain - Eddie Kendricks
14. Dance To The Drummer's Beat - Herman Kelly + Life
15. Looking For The Perfect Beat - Afrika Bambaataa
On the fourth and final installment of the Perfect Beats series, there are plenty of meat-and-potatoes electro hits (like C-Bank's "One More Shot" and Afrika Bambaataa's "Looking for the Perfect Beat"), but there are also lots of oddities to add flavor. Leading the weirdo pack is the harmonica-happy "Stone Fox Chase" by Area Code 615, which inexplicably mutated its way out of Nashville in the early '70s. Also deviating from the program: the raucous and rockish "Woman" by Barrabas and the mellow, flute-accented "Rock Creek Park" by Blackbyrds. --John Sanchez
2001, dec 30; 20:34:
The Perfect Beats, Vol. 3 [Amazon US]
1. Give Me Tonight - Shannon
2. If This Ain't Love - Jay Novell
3. On The Upside - Xena
4. 99 1/2 - Carol Lynn Townes
5. Release Yourself - Aleems
6. Din Daa Daa - George Kranz
7. Emotional Disguise - Peter Godwin
8. Let Me Go - Heaven 17
9. Renegades Of Funk - Afrika Bambaataa + Soulsonic Force
10. Al Naafiysh (The Soul) - Hashim
11. Remember What You Like - Jenny Burton
12. Honey To A Bee - Tina B
13. All Night Passion - Alisha
14. Do You Want It Right Now - Seidah Garrett
More ass-shaking artifacts from the early-'80s dawn of electro, hip-hop, and freestyle. This might be the least distinct disc in the set, but in such great company, that's hardly a put-down. Of all the volumes, number 3 hews closest to the strictures of the compilation's subtitle, "New York Electro Hip-Hop + Underground Dance Classics, 1980-1985," though Heaven 17's "Let Me Go" came out of England and was in no sense underground. The excellent liner notes by Brian Chin don't mention it, but this also seems to be the diva disc of the bunch, with high-volume output from Shannon, Tina B, Carol Lynn Townes, Alisha, Seidah Garrett, and Xena (no, not that one!). --John Sanchez
2001, dec 30; 20:20:
The Perfect Beats, Vol. 2 [Amazon US]
1. Let The Music Play - Shannon
2. I.O.U. - Freeze
3. Dancing On The Fire - Jellybean
4. Crash Goes Love - Loleatta Hollaway
5. My Love Is Alive - Chaka Khan
6. The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight - Dominatrix
7. For The Same Man - B Beat Girls
8. Infatuation - Upfront
9. Hip Hop Be-bop - Man Parrish
10. Set It Off - Strafe
11. Moody - Esg
12. Cavern - Liquid Liquid
13. Together Forever - Exodus
14. Confusion - New Order
15. Slack - Slack
Following the history lesson of volume 1, The Perfect Beats, Volume 2 reaches a little wider in its selection of electro-boogie, hip-hop, and freestyle oldies. This seems to be the set's unofficial "happy" disc--some of the fastest cuts are on this volume, as well as the lightest and most playful. (Even the monochromatic series package design adds to the effect--this volume's a sunny orange.) "Let the Music Play" by Shannon (one of the highest-charting records in the collection) appears in a livelier-than-life remix, and just try to resist the bubbly synth-vibraphone on Dominatrix's "The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight." Lots of these cuts will be familiar as the source of samples that fueled bigger hits, especially Liquid Liquid's "Cavern," which formed the basis for Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel's huge rap record "White Lines." --John Sanchez 2001, dec 30; 20:15:
The Perfect Beats, Vol. 1 [Amazon US]
1. Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa/Soulsonic Force
2. Play At Your Own Risk - Planet Patrol
3. Don't Go - Yaz
4. The Mexican - Jellybean
5. Bostich - Yello
6. Trans Europe Express - Kraftwerk
7. Numbers/Computer World - The Perfect Beats Volume 1
8. Don't Make Me Wait - Peech Boys
9. Just An Illusion - Imagination
10. Starchild - Level 42
11. A Little Bit Of Jazz - Nick Straker Band
12. Dirty Talk - Klein/M.B.O.
13. Love Money - T.W. Funkmasters
14. Bonus Track - The Perfect Beats Volume 1
Part 1 of Tommy Boy's comprehensive compilation of early electro, hip-hop, and freestyle hits concentrates on the fundamentals. The collection begins as it must, with Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force's epochal "Planet Rock," a sort of Rosetta stone for producers in the decade that followed and beyond. Loved (and sampled) to this very day, "Planet Rock" cleared the way for all the tracks that follow it here (arranged chronologically), including "Walking on Sunshine" by Rocker's Revenge and Jellybean's timbale-mad upgrade of Babe Ruth's "The Mexican." But despite the limitations implied in the compilation's subtitle, "New York Electro Hip-Hop + Underground Dance Classics, 1980-1985," the set reaches back to earlier sources, inevitably including Kraftwerk's bleats, blips, and beats. --John Sanchez 2001, dec 30; 19:28:
Street Jams: Electric Funk, Vol. 4 [Amazon US]
1. Don't Stop The Rock - Freestyle
2. I Wonder If I Take You Home (Extended Version) - Lisa-Lisa & Cult Jam
3. White Horse - Laid Back
4. Rock Me - Connie
5. Rock The Planet - The Megatrons
6. Computer Power - Jamie Jupitor
7. Technicolor (Long Mix) - Channel One
8. How To Be A Zillionaire (Wall Street Mix) - ABC
9. Dance - Egyptian Lover
10. It's Automatic - Freestyle
11. Juice - The World Class Wreckin Cru
12. Rockberry Jam - L.A. Dream Team 2001, dec 30; 19:21:
Street Jams: Electric Funk, Vol. 3 [Amazon US]
1. Skanless Electric Funk Megamix (Phase 2) - Steve Yano/Juice 'The Electric Wire'
2. White Lines (Don't Don't Do It) - Grandmaster & Melle Mel
3. Take A Chance - Nuance
4. Looking For The Perfect Beat - Afrika Bambaataa & SoulSonic Force
5. Jam The Box - 'Pretty' Tony
6. Taste So Good - File 13
7. Naughty Boy - Uncle Jamm's Army
8. All Night - Trinere
9. The Party Has Begun - Free Style
10. Calling On The Dream Team - L.A. Dream Team
11. Celebrate! (Everybody) - Globe & Pow Wow
12. Surgery - The Wreckin Cru
13. Dubb Girls (The Ultimate Mix) - Egyptian Lover
2001, dec 30; 19:24:
Street Jams: Electric Funk, Vol. 2 [Amazon US]
1. Siberian Nights - Twilight 22
2. Computer Age (Push The Button) - Newcleus
3. Egypt, Egypt - The Egyptian Lover
4. Pack Jam (Look Out For The OVC) - Jonzon Crew
5. Reckless (Club Mix) - Chris 'The Glove' Taylor And David Storrs; Rap By Ice-T
6. R-9 - Cybotron
7. When I Hear Music - Debbie Deb
8. Young Ladies - Fast Lane
9. 122 B.P.M. - Jive Rhythm Trax
10. Jam On It - Newcleus
11. Funky Little Beat - Connie
12. Let The Music Play - Shannon
2001, dec 30; 19:20:
Street Jams: Electric Funk, Vol. 1 [Amazon US] 1. Skanless Electric Funk Mega-Mix - Juice
2. Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa/The Soul Sonic Force
3. Electric Kingdom - Twilight 22
4. Play At Your Own Risk - Planet Patrol
5. Mirda Rock - Reggie Griffin/Technofunk
6. Who Are You Stealin' From - Guru
7. Al-Naafiysh (The Soul) - Hashim
8. Clear - Cybotron
9. Release Yourself - Aleem
10. Rockit - Herbie Hancock
11. Megamix II: Why Is It Fresh? - D.ST.
12. Jam On Revenge (The Wikki-Wikki Song) - Newcleus
13. Crazy Cuts - Grandmixer D.ST.
-- excellent liner notes by [Brian Chin2001, dec 30; 19:06:
Kurtis Blow Presents The History of Rap: Vol. 3 [Amazon US] 1. Rock Box - Run DMC
2. Friends - Whodini
3. Five Minutes Of Funk - Whodini
4. Jail House Rap - Fat Boys
5. Roxanne, Roxanne - UTFO
6. The Bridge - M.C. Shan
7. Rebel Without A Pause - Public Enemy
8. Criminal Minded - Boogie Down Productions
9. Raw - Big Daddy Kane
10. It Takes Two - Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock
11. Vapors - Biz Markie
12. Just A Friend - Biz Markie 2001, dec 30; 19:03:
Kurtis Blow Presents The History of Rap: Vol. 2 [Amazon US] 1. Rapper's Delight (Short 12' Version) - Sugarhill Gang
2. Funk You Up (Short 12' Version) - The Sequence
3. Rappin And Rocking The House (Album Version) - Funky Four Plus One More
4. Christmas Rappin' - Kurtis Blow
5. The Breaks - Kurtis Blow
6. Monster Jam - Spoonie Gee Meets The Sequence
7. Jazzy Sensation (Short 12' Bronx Version) - Africa Bambaataa & The Jazzy Five
8. Feel The Heartbeat - The Treacherous Three
9. The Message - Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five
10. Starski Live At The Disco Fever - 'Love Bug' Starski
11. One For The Treble (Fresh) - Davy DMX
2001, dec 30; 18:57:
Kurtis Blow Presents The History of Rap: Vol. 1 [Amazon US] 1. Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose (In The Jungle...) - James Brown
2. Get Into Something - The Isley Brothers
3. Melting Pot - Booker T. & The M.G.'s
4. Listen To Me - Baby Huey
5. Scorpio - Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band
6. It's Just Begun - The Jimmy Castor Bunch
7. Apache - Micheal Viner's Incredible Bongo Band
8. Hum Along And Dance - The Jackson 5
9. Love The Life You Live - Black Heart
10. Theme From S.W.A.T. (Extended 7' Version) - Rhythm Heritage
11. Dance To The Drummer's Beat - Herman Kelly & Life
12. King Tim III (Personal Jock) - Fatback Band2001, dec 30; 18:54:
The Best of Enjoy Records [Amazon US] Enjoy was Bobby Robinson's label. This Harlem label had been home to saxophone legend King Curtis, and in 1979 it put out its first hip hop record, "Rappin' and Rockin' in the House" by The Funky Four (Plus One More).[more on Enjoy Records]2001, dec 30; 10:00:
Deep Grooves, and MFSB compilation [Amazon US][more on MSFB]
1. Sexy
2. Cheaper To Keep Her
3. Back Stabbers
4. K-Jee
5. Family Affair
6. Freddie's Dead
7. Love Is The Message (Love Groove Bonus)
8. Love Has No Time Or Place
9. Human Machine
10. Lay In Low
11. MFSB
12. Love Is The Message (12-Inch Version)
2001, dec 28; 22:22:
I'd Do Anything to Get the Chance To Go Bang - I Wanna Go Bang”
“I will not deny that Arthur Russell was an absolute visionary, but I don't think he really knew how to sort out what he created. when I remixed “go bang”, I really focused that record. stripped it down. I spent hours and hours going over it.”
Faze Action - Plans & Designs [Amazon US] Could the producers, arrangers and song-doctors of Philly and Salsoul have ever, in their wildest, most self-aggrandising dreams, imagined that one day there would be such a thing as "classicist disco"? That's what Faze Action's Robin & Simon Lee (brothers, not a typo) are. Like Brian Jones and Keith Richards poring over their blues records, Faze Action are purist scholars of the form -- for them the Salsoul Orchestra is Howlin' Wolf and Walter Gibbons is Muddy Waters. Plans & Designs's near eleven-minute title track-- an art-disco percussadelic symphony of tremor-rendous timpani and melodramatic violas, violins and cellos--is the best thing of its ilk since Dinosaur L's "Go Bang" (Arthur Russell at his Van McCoy-meets-Steve Reich peak). -- [more on Faze Action]2001, dec 27; 14:41:
First up, Letta Mbulu's "What's Wrong With Groovin'", which I remember hearing in a Gilles Peterson mix a few years ago. It's hard to believe there's a more affecting piece of music out there. The groove is almost primeval in it's simplicity and sureness. In texture, it sounds like a gently loping, street-walking, Bacharach version of Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance". Immense piano chords dropping out of the sky, pinned down by crashing cymbals. A Hugh Masekala song, there's only one thing of real distinction here. Singing that is so attention-grabbing it derails the song, and the listener, utterly. It's almost phenomenological, such is its physical hold. A performance of such strength, charisma and character that you can do little else but smile in amazed beatification. From the start, she's in total control. Letta Mbulu issues a command more than a question: What is wrong with groovin'. Her voice, after lifting each second line with a rocket's trajectory, audibly shifts up gears into the bridge, becoming the most beautiful foghorn you never heard. A contradiction, sure, but wait 'til you hear it. Delicacy and power alternating from one phrase to the next, floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee. John Coltrane one minute, Miles Davis the next. Her shift out of the chorus back to the verse is as subtle as the preceding entrance is raw. An instinctive angular phrase, it's effectively beyond verbal description. It's a truly remarkable piece of improvisation - it actually does remind me of the way Miles would play across changes. For me, this is up there with Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man" as a piece of soul singing - not actually virtuosic, simply a beguiling mixture of natural technical genius and heartfelt expression. It lasts for almost 3 minutes, but it actually lasts about half-an-hour, because you'll just lift the needle back to the start again, such is the fascination this track inspires.
2001, dec 27; 14:25:
Academics are intrigued by the fact that the DJ makes a living by filtering information; he makes sense of the confusing mass of musical information that bombards us (there are well over 200 dance singles released each week). There's no way that we could find all the great music within our favorite genre, so we rely on DJs to do it for us. They are like personal shoppers who sift through the hundreds of crap records and find the ones we like. These days, fewer and fewer people buy singles; instead, we decide on our favorite DJs and let them buy them for us. Why spend your life obsessively searching for obscure records (in which case you're probably a DJ anyway) when you can buy a DJ-mixed compilation CD made by someone who does that for a living? You could say that these days we don't buy particular records, we buy particular DJs. -- Bill Brewster, Frank Broughton [more on Last Night a DJ Saved my Life]
2001, dec 27; 11:30:
Anthology Volume 1 - The Voice - Leroy Burgess [Amazon US]
UK compilation for the prolific soul singer/keyboardist/songwriter/arranger/producer. Featuring nine tracks including solo work & collaborations with Fantastic Aleems & Logg. Tracks, 'Heartbreaker', 'Heavenly' with Jocelyn Brown & Melissa Morgan, Fantastic Aleems 'Get Down Friday Night' & 'Hooked On Your Love', Logg 'You've Got That Something', 'Dancing In The Stars', 'I Know You Will' & Aleem 'Get Loose' & 'Release Yourself'. Soul Brother Records. 2001.
1. Get down Friday night - Fantastic Aleems
2. You've got that something - Logg
3. Dancing in the stars - Logg
4. Heartbreaker - Burgess, Leroy
5. Get loose - Aleem
6. Hooked on your love - Fantastic Aleems
7. I know you will - Logg
8. Heavenly - Burgess, Leroy & Jocelyn Brown/Melissa Morgan
9. Release yourself - Aleem
[Leroy Burgess]2001, dec 26; 17:14:
Back in the mid 80's alot of the clubs I would go to in Texas played a song I am assuming was called New York..... Mainly all that was said was New York New York New York... in a deep voice. It also had a driving/repetative Keyboard. At one point in the song, I think they mentioned places in new York, but i can't honestly remember..... I'm old now, and don't remember much :o). Anyway would you happen to know who sang the song??? [[answer to the question]2001, dec 26; 16:32:
When British producer Adrian Sherwood started his On-U-Sound label in 1980 as an outlet for scruffy punks and righteous rastas infatuated with reggae and its experimental spectrum of dub, he just wanted to make good records. In the process, he influenced a legion of producers, decimated the boundaries of funk, noise, and reggae, and as a member of Tackhead, made the position of the live mixing engineer a viable band member in terms of creative input.
Welcome to my World - Marshall Jefferson [Amazon US]
1. Can You Feel It - Mr Fingers
2. Plastic Dreams - Jaydee
3. The Cow - Marshall Jefferson
4. Needs Not Wants - Mood Life
5. I'll Be Your Friend - Robert Owens
6. Generate Power - Photon Inc
7. Where Love Lives - Alison Limerick
8. Move Your Body - Marshall Jefferson
9. No Way Back - Adonis
10. Give It To Me - Bam Bam
11. Tracks U Lost - Farley Jackmaster Funk
12. When You Hold Me - Master C&J
13. Thank Ya - Sweet D
14. CD Rom Interview - Marshall Jefferson
Disc: 2
1. Finally - Kings Of Tomorrow (Cosmic Dub)
2. Love Is Not A Game - J Magic feat. Kathy Brown (Julius Vocal Mix)
3. Love Me Or Leave Me - Delicious Inc. feat. Sabrina Pope (15.000 Dollar Mix)
4. Gotta Thing - Foreal People (Vocal Mix)
5. Bel Amour - Bel Amour (Rhythm Masters Mix)
6. Body Music - Jesse Saunders (Angel Alanis Mix)
7. Indispensable - Massimino Lippoli Les Hommes
8. Mushrooms - Marshall Jefferson VS Noosa Heads (Mazi's Mix)
9. Star Dance - Telly.Bi.Giordan Mind
10. All U Gotta Do Is Love Me - Will Bates
11. Muzikizum (Part One) - X Press 2
12. I Ain't Got No Soul - Paul Johnson
13. Celebrate - Demetrios feat. Ana (Joey Musaphia Remix)
14. Do You Love What You Feel - Raw Essence feat. Maxine McClain (Cleptomanic's Remix)
[more on Marshall Jefferson]2001, dec 26; 16:20:
Studio 54, the Underground Classics - Kenny Carpenter[Amazon US]
1. 3 million synths - Jankel, Chas
2. Magnificent dance - Clash
3. I'll do anything for you - Morgan, Denroy
4. Love sensation - Holloway, Loleatta
5. Can't fake the feeling - Hunt, Geraldine
6. You're the one for me - D-Train
7. Let's go dancin' - Sparque
8. Take a chance - Pleasure
9. I'm in love - King, Evelyn 'Champagne'
10. Paradise - Change
11. Haven't been funked enough - Extras
12. Candidate for love - Monk, T.S.
13. Mysteries of the world - MFSB
14. Can't keep holding on - Second Image
[more on Kenny Carpenter]2001, dec 26; 11:42:
ESG - A South Bronx Story [Amazon US] Early eighties New York No Wave. Compilation on Soul Jazz records. Moody is the track and the bassline you all know.
2001, dec 26; 02:47:
Mateo and Matos - Classic Inspirations [Amazon US]
1. Blaze "We All Must Live Together" -Timmy Regisford Mix- (Motown Records)
2. Two Man Sound "Que Tal America" (Amc)
3. T Connection "Do What You Wanna Do" (Emi Records)
4. Billy Ocean "Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)" (Sony Music)
5. Carlos Santana "Mudbone" (Sony Records)
6. Divadip Carlos Santana "I Am Free" (Sony Records)
7. Cat Stevens "Was Dog A Doughnut" (Universal)
8. Brick "Living From The Mind" (Sony Records)
9. Mandrill "Yucca Jump" (Emi)
10. Mongo Santamaria "Cloud Nine (Sony Records)
11. Kasso "Key West" (Universal)
12. Montana Sextet "Heavy Vibes" (Philly Sound Works) --
[more on Mateo and Matos]2001, dec 26; 01:56:
Robert Mello UK producer and DJ has a new single out called 'Fantasize', which is a new version of Laid Back's 1984 'White Horse'.
2001, dec 25; 14:04:
History of House Music, Vol. 1: Chicago Classics [Amazon US] Low budget cover art, nice selection, only 5.97$. [more on Chicago]
1. Move Your Body - Marshall Jefferson
2. Love Can't Turn Around - Farley & J.S.
3. Jack Your Body - J.M. Silk
4. Music Is The Key - J.M. Silk
5. Can't Get Enough - Liz Tores
6. Devotion - Ten City
7. Work It To The Bone - LNR
8. Someday - Ce Ce Rogers
9. Mystery Of Love - Fingers, Inc.
10. Fun With Bad Boys - Screamin' Rachael
2001, dec 25; 13:49:
History of House Music, Vol. 2: New York Garage Style [Amazon US] Low budget cover art, nice selection, only 5.97$. [more on Garage]
1. Set It Off - Strafe
2. You're The One For Me - 'D' Train
3. You Don't Know - Serious Intention
4. Can You Party - Royal House
5. Music Is The Answer - Colonel Abrams
6. Love Don't Live Here Anymore (Zanz Mix) - Basement Boys
7. Don't Make Me Wait - N.Y.C. Peech boys
8. If You Should Need A Friend - Blaze
9. Drifting - Jomanda
10. Mystery - Phase II
2001, dec 24; 09:59:
The "Main Street Records" story is what this really is. Starting with a pretty conventional house record in Andy Caine's "I'm Your Brother", this CD traces a gradual morph in sound from that, to the ultra-deep trippy dub of Tikiman's "Na Fe Throw It", which sounds like it was mixed at the bottom of a heavy-water pool reactor. And all in between, starting with the Basic Channel remix/redux/reconstruction of "I'm Your Brother" as "Quadrant Dub II" (which was actually released on Basic Channel), this disc charts a course that leads through some of the deepest, most dusted dub this side of the ghost of King Tubby. By the time you get to the end, it's obvious that the dub wins out totally over the house that starts the disc off, and there's tracks on here you'll likely just want to put on repeat over and over again. Much to dig massively here... -- DAC Crowell
Jumpin' vol.2 - Various Artists[Amazon US] on Harmless records.
1. You Can't Hide From Yourself - Teddy Pendergrass
2. Moment Of My Life - Inner Life
3. I Was Born This Way - Carl Bean
4. Life On Mars - Dexter Wansel
5. Groovin' You - Harvey Mason
6. Saturday - Norma Jean
7. Sweet Tears - Roy Ayers
8. Disco Circus - Martin Circus
9. Look Ahead - Aquarian Dream
10. Over And Over - Sylvester
11. You've Got Me Dancing In My Sleep - Frisky
12. Mainline - Black Ivory
2001, dec 22; 14:28:
Last Night a DJ saved My Life [Amazon US] Fabulous CD
1. Handel's Largo (Intro)
2. Red Alert Chant
3. I Got to Get Away
4. True True
5. Funky Donkey
6. Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
7. It Really Hurts Me Girl
8. Vicious Rap
9. Get Ready (Looking for Loving)
10. Love Is the Message (Danny Krivit edit)
11. Glad to Know You
12. Weekend
13. Snakecharmer
14. Bird in a Gilded Cage
15. Frequency
Super Ape - Lee Perry [Amazon US] From top to bottom, this album is full of haunting melodies and flowing riddims. If you think reggae music begins and ends with Bob Marley, play the Upsetters for yourself, and enjoy. This album never gets old. If you purchase only one reggae CD in your life, make it Super Ape.
2001, dec 18; 22:37:
Cinematic Orchestra [Amazon US]
Motion, the debut album from DJ Jason Swinscoe's Cinematic Orchestra, is a future jazz classic. Each track perfectly marries mood and substance, mixing shuffling percussion and galloping drum breaks with chilled pianos, melancholy strings and live jazz horns. Heavy acoustic basslines mingle with samples of old blues singers and twinkly electric piano solos. It's a dark, late night brew that conjures up images of smoke-filled jazz clubs and dimly lit concert halls. But this is no exercise in jazz pastiche-Swinscoe genuinely loves the genre, and it shows. On Motion, he never slips into pointless jazz noodling opting instead for rolling breakbeats, moody soundtrack sounds and deft horn touches. Consequently, Motion is a brilliant album of dark, soundtrack jazz that'll make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.--Matt Anniss2001, dec 17; 22:12:
Serge Gainsbourg - Couleur Café [Amazon FR] [Amazon US][Amazon UK] Contains most of the material of the 'Percussions' album, with added liner notes in French
The first 2/3 of the disc consist of smooth cha cha lounge material with a campy twist here and there. The last 1/3 really picks up when it throws some congas at you. Those congas are a nice surprise and those backing female vocals only add to the smooth yet funky atmosphere. This is a slick and fun album and definitely one of my favorites. I really love the use of bubbly sounds and laughter on many of the tracks.
2001, dec 17:
Best of Ten City, Ibadan 2001 [Amazon US] [Amazon UK] No tracklisting yet. For background info on Ten City, check Ten City [Comment] When Byron Stingily, Byron Burke and Herb Lawson got together to form Ten City in 1985, they created a legendary and revolutionary group. By introducing live music and songwriting into an electronic sound that was then at a nascent stage, they helped set the scene for the development of vocal Chicago house. This compilation presents 10 of Ten City's best tunes from over the years, spanning their early Atlantic years and beyond with massive singles like "Devotion" (from their debut album Foundation, co-produced with Marshall Jefferson) and evergreen classic "That's The Way Love Is" which managed to get into the UK top 10. Elsewhere, cuts such as "Right Back To You", "Whatever Makes You Happy", "Deep Kiss", "Suspicious", "My Peace Of Heaven", "All Loved Out" and "Nothing's Changed" all highlight the band's way with arrangements and knack of writing catchy and spiritual tunes. Many of the tracks featured are rare demo versions and extended remixes previously only available on vinyl, and there's a couple of remixes from veterans Joe Clausell and Kerri Chandler that help bring some material up to date. This is a truly essential snapshot of a truly influential band. --Paul Sullivan 2001, dec 16:
Just discovered that Roy Davis Jr's 'Something Inside Me' on King Street records samples Skull Snaps' 'My Hang Up Is You'.
'Do You Know House? Vol. 1' is the debut 12-track album of continuous mix, classic House singles compiled and mixed by Stefan Prescott, the owner/founder of Dance Tracks NYC, 'the best underground dance music store' as voted by Billboard Magazine. This is the definitive house celebration and a ready made party in a jewelcase. Enjoy.
TRACKLISTING: 1) Pacha - One Kiss / 2) Gypsy - Funk de Fino / 3) Club Ice - Manhasset / 4)Model 500 - Starlight / 5) Larry Rauson - Stop we need each other / 6) DJ Rasoul - Let Me Love / 7) Norma Jean Bell - Nobody's Gonna Love You / 8) Bob Holroyd - Afican Drug / 9)Simponia - Can't get Over your Love / 10) A Man Called Adam - Techno Powers / 11) Leslie Joy - What is Happiness / 12) Arnold Jarvis - Inspiration
Do You Know House?: Dance Tracks [Amazon US]
2001, dec 11:
There are new pages on Miguel Migs aka petalpusher and Naked Music. Been listening to Radio Nova http://www.novaplanet.com all evening; REALLY good music shows, broadcast live over France as well. If you follow the Naked Music link, be sure to click through to their site.
2001, dec 10:
Strictly speaking, 'Deep House' is the name give to classic house from Chicago and New York in the same vein as Frankie Knuckles' 1987 LP 'Deep House' from which the name originates. Though I am undoubtedly venturing into highly controversial waters, I will venture to say that currently, deep house has meaning mostly as a counterpoint to more aggressive house sub-genres like hard house. As a name referring to a stand-alone genre, I therefore find 'Deep House' quite meaningless.
2001, Dec 08:
I have started selected CDs from Amazon ot my site. The recommendation engine is fun to play with.
2001, Dec 02:
I might as well open this place as a weblog. Artist of the moment is Moondog. I was introduced to his 'Bird's Lament' by Radio Nova's last compilation. Can, Suicide, Zappa, Funkadelic, Art Ensemble of Chicago are other featured artists on this compilation. Their website is http://www.novaplanet.com.
Saw two really good movies recently: the Japanese Odishion (1997) - not for the faint of hear - and Wonderland by Michael Winterbottom. (for all hearts)
Danny Krivit has got an excellent compilation out on Strut recordings, in the Grassroots series, which also had Ashley Beedle listing his biggest tracks of all time.
Bought Ester Phillips 12" on CTI records, mixed by Vince Montana, mid seventies.
Impressive websites for fast connections: http://www.heavy.com, a subscription based online magazine with cool Flash footage and http://www.screenblast.com, a Sony initiative to create, listen, play and look online.
