Winter warmers Vol. 1

This is a spontaneously put together mini-mix. I chucked in the Erykah Badu in the last few seconds. Still with a lot of care.
Possibly suitable for your bus ride during these darker months (unless you live on the other side of the planet or walk for that matter). No clever idea behind the programming, just great tunes basically. I actually did left some jazzy bits out from this one. Just to save for later.
Starting of quite dark with the Harry Whitaker(!) produced 'I can see the sun in late December' by Roberta Flack. Then into one of the best releases of old unreleased music, from the last few years; 24-Carat Black. Check that LP! Some moody psych-ish stuff from Spirit and then into some top-class and slightly more joyfull soul music.
The idea is to try to make a few more, therefore the volume bit in the labelling.
Hope you'll enjoy it!

Tracklist:

• Roberta Flack - I can see the sun in late December
• 24 Carat Black - I want to make up
• Spirit - Ice
• Clark Sisters - Ha-ya
• Erykah Badu - Bag lady
• Dionne Warwick - You're gonna need me
• Odyssey - Our lives are shaped of what we love
• Marvin Gaye - Where are we going

Winter Warmers Vol. 1 (Download)

Deirdre Wilson Tabac - I Can't Keep from Cryin' Sometimes

When your record consuming gets close to collecting habits, one of the great rewards is when you get a good bargain. Sometimes it's like a sport. Your skills such as knowledge and patience are well needed when looking for records. Obviously you need some luck to score that particular record. And when you do win, or in this case find the record, it's a great feeling.
A had a bit of that moment today finding the Deirdre Wilson Tabac LP. Sure, it's quite an easy find as long as you're willing to pay the price. But getting it for less than a dollar is great. So to celebrate this moment i'll share the best track from it. It also has a quite cool version of Beatles' 'Get back' on it. Both available on a Jazzman 45.
So here you, tomorrow the search goes on for another victory.

Deirdre Wilson Tabac - I Can't Keep from Cryin' Sometimes (320)

Willis Jackson - Nuther'n Like Thuther'n

Just bought some fluids* to clean my wax and making them sound even better. One of the first old bits that needed a bit of polishment was my copy of Willis Jackson's 'More Gravy' on Prestige. Provided here is obviously the classic jazz dancer - Nuther'n Like Thuther'n.
Still sounding a bit rusty, but hey - it's an old record which sometimes tastes even better with some dust. Enjoy!

Willis Jackson - Nuther'n Like Thuther'n (256)
*The magic formula for cleaning records is 3/4 of isopropanol and 1/4 of distilled water and a nice old, soft cloth. And trust me on this one, I got the tip from one of the finest in the business.

Heatwave - Goin' Crazy

This is a superbaad track. 'Goin' crazy' from Heatwave's Candles LP. Nothing ellusive or valuable moneywise in collectors circles. None the less fantastic music and a must have track due to its superior musical class.
I guess that's about it for this time. Well, keep looking back. I've had some good finds lately (think I need to slow down my bying a bit) and I'm planning a mix or two.
Till then - Enjoy the track!

Heatwave - Goin' Crazy (320)

Wallifornia Soul

I always find it great to hear stories on passionate people. This one is about a Belgian soul fan and crate digger. A nice little documentary by the people from Laidback.

Wallifornia Soul from Laid Back on Vimeo.

Colors - Am I Gonna Be The One

I got interviewed by a local paper today. It was a sort of '10 quick questions' for an article portraying some dj's from the area. Even though I knew the writer since before, and he's got some cool musical references, it's a bit tricky to describe what my dj'ing is about. And especially what I think makes good dj'ing. A bit arbitrary question to get into, but I'm not sure many get the idea for the passion of music. For me great dj's are really passionate about what they do, that's the foundation. A bit like Bill Brewster says in 'Last night a DJ saved my life': "you have to develop the hunger" (in the book referring to vinyl records which could be transfered to just music in this digital age).
Anyway, from my slightly 'constructed' intro for this post, to the essentials. Still to illustrate some of the hunger that I believe great dj's need. Colors - Am I gonna be the one, on First Take Records from 83' - a fantastic piece of boogie.
So here you go, enjoy:
Colors - Am i gonna be the one (320)

Jean-Luc Ponty - Computer incantations for world peace

Now to something slightly different content, compared to the stuff I normally post, this time from Jean-Luc Ponty. The french jazz violonist, possibly most known (at least within my circles) for the jazz-funk track 'In the fast lane'. This one, 'Computer incantations for world peace' from the 'Individual choice' LP, is a bit hard to define when it comes to genre.
None the less a great track which Underground Resistance sampled on one of my favourite UR tracks 'Journey of the dragons'.
The track was also recently comped by the Sonar Kollektiv camp, still nothing hard to find if you want the original LP. So for all of you who might be pleased with a digital version - here you go. Enjoy!

Jean-Luc Pony - Computer incantations for world peace (320)

Gene Harris - Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong

That's a great title. And certainly a fantastic song by Gene Harris. Today I had the pleasure to attend and speak at a 'DJ camp'. A local thing clearly inspired by the Redbull Music Academy, but very well executed. A cool venue, a nice setup with gadgets and things. I think they've been doing it for the whole week, and quite a few hours a day.
My role in this was to speak about the history of dance music, vinyl records, collecting etc. Obviously a quite big challenge to try to communicate with teenagers (mostly), who I don't share any musical references with. Whatsoever. Still I believe, or what i've heard, I managed to spark some interest for the roots of dance music.
So here's for all the young dudes (no girls i'm afraid), Gene Harris from the Astral Signal LP on Blue Note.

Gene Harris - Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong (320)

Doc Severinsen - I wanna be with you

Continuing my musical mission. This time with some funky soul-jazz from the old jazzer Doc Severinsen. I can't say I know much about him, or his back catalogue. This is from his 1976 LP - Night Journey and the track is 'I wanna be with you'.
I think he share his story with some other old school jazz players, I'm thinking of Webster Lewis, Benny Golson etc., going from straight jazz to more contemporary sounds in the seventies. I can recall when speaking with some hardcore jazz-dudes (in their sixties), and they were moaning about their favourite artists starting to play disco and other stuff. This don't dissapoint me though.

Doc Severinsen - I wanna be with you (320)

Woods Empire - Universal Love

Time for some sweet boogie-down-action. A biiig tune, one for the old school ravers. The title track from the 1981 Woods Empire LP. Well...can't really come up with anything more to say. Not really necessary, it speaks for itself.
Enjoy!

Woods Empire - Universal Love (320)

The Charles Stepney story

This is a trailer for, what I believe is an upcoming documentary of Charles Stepney. He's one of those characters that I tend to forget about, but when looking (or primary listen) back on music he's been involved with - he's one of the greatest. For me, one of the greatest all time. Top 5 easy.
He's been involved in so much great music; Rotary Connection, Minnie Ripperton, Marlena Shaw and Terry Callier to name a few. Reflecting on those artists and their music and you find some of the greatest LP's ever done. In his roles as composer, arranger, producer and musician he's influenced loads of contemporary artists and producers.

As a bit of bonus I'll give you a mega-mix from some Bavarian Nu-Jazzers (don't quote me on that though). This is from a bit shady 12" with some of the best pieces of Stepney's greatness. The strings (Chicago Symphony Orchestra apparently), the rhythms and drums, and the overall arrangements. Music doesn't get much better than this. Enjoy!

Stephnew (196)

Bob James - Westchester Lady

If your'e into your sexy R'n'B and house, read no more. If you have the slightest interest in new or older dance related, and...good music, you need this. You might actually be well aware of Bob James. Even though it's not the rare and elusive stuff, this is essential in many ways. It's the blueprint, the heritage. Heavy!
I particuraly like Westchester Lady. I can't really evolve why, it's just a complete song in all ways - the melody, the drums, the strings. Obviously he's behing several other great and heavily sampled tracks, but this one it it(!). Still goose bumps.
Hearing this vinyl rip, I realise I might need a second copy myself. Sorry about this, but enjoy anyway.

Bob James - Westchester Lady (320)

It's a Jazz thing

You know what is said - Jazz is the teacher. It was time to pull out some Jazz bits, and I thought I'll create a mini-mix out of some favourites. Starting of with the sample friendly Gap Mangione trio - 'Boy with toys' from the Diane in the autumn wind LP. Bit of Stereo Konitz, some Coltrane related (or tributes rather) from Billy Gault and Lateef. Some slamming drums on the Afreaka track, and speaking of drumming, there is only one. Art Blakey from the Holiday for skins volume 1 LP, together with Sabu Martinez amongst others. Heavy!
Finishing of with the always incredible Dee Dee Bridgewater. The title track from the classic LP, it's so nice to pull out that one now and then. So here you go; it's all good.
Enjoy!Tracklist:

1. Gap Mangione trio - Boy with toys
   
2. Lee Konitz - Five, four and three
3. Billy Gault - Mode for Trane
4. Yusef Lateef - Brother John
5. Lee Morgan - Afreaka
6. Art Blakey - Mirage
7. Dee Dee Bridgewater - Afro blue

Download mix

Happy birthday John Coltrane

A day late on this, it was actually on the 23rd.

Louie Ramirez - Barrio Nuevo

I'm quite a lot...a sort of 'periodic' when it comes to my music consumption. Occassionally i get the crawings for certain musical styles. Obviously, at least according to my own mind, with a stringency that relates to anything soulful and qualitative. Practically this means I've got some latin records laying about. I do play them at the right occassions, and they usually never fail to rock the party. This is one of those tracks, actually a bomb on any discerning dancefloor. Louie Ramirez - 'Barrio Nuevo' from the 'A different shade of black LP on Cotique, which I believe was an offshot from the Fania label at the time. Enjoy!

Louie Ramirez - Barrio Nuevo (320)