The Rare Groove Show: Recent Episodes
Rare Groove Show
A series of eclectic mixes from my vinyl record collection- check for regular updates and downloadable classics.
Part two of The Rare Groove Show's feature on the productions of Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams. Vinyl only.
The Rare Groove Show selects favourite tracks produced and performed by Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams, as The Neptunes and NERD. Every track is played from vinyl collected over the past 20+ years. The Neptunes are some of my favourite producers and masters of the bridge and chord change. I see them as heirs to producers such as The Mizell Brothers, although thay have operated in a more populist sphere. This show was first broadcast on www.shoreditchradio.co.uk during July 2021. Part 2 will follow.
An hour of James Brown focusing on the period 1968- 1972 when The JBs were his house band and Bobby Byrd was his hype man. Enjoy!
Among the tributes to Phil Asher-many by his close friends- mine will not stand out for any reason other than I loved what he represented and the infectious vibe he created. He has been taken from us too soon. I didn't know Phil but he was clearly very approachable and I spoke to him a few times in record shops. He had a massive influence on me as a record collector, clubber and fan of London's culture. I first encountered him at 'Off Centre'- Patrick Forge and Ross Clarke's club at 333 in London's Old Street. Then came Inspiration Information at The Notting Hill Arts Club which defined our scene. I have been buying his records since the 90s and even have a box dedicated to 'Restless Soul' Productions which I treasure. Phil played what he called 'vintage and prototype' on his Push FM shows, podcasts and on his show on Mi-Soul. He was the only DJ who ever prompted me to get records pressed. If he loved something he hammered it. Sometimes the tunes were so great I had them pressed to play in sets myself. A few of those are in Part 2 which will follow this mix. This is a vinyl only set. RIP Phlash. x
Part 2: Another hour long mix of music inspired by the artist Keith Haring, Paradise Garage, Club 57, The Loft, Wild Style, The Mudd Club, Jean Michel Basquiat, the vibe and artists of 80s, Lower Manhattan, New York
An hour long mix of music inspired by the artist Keith Haring, Paradise Garage, Club 57, The Loft, Wild Style, The Mudd Club, Jean Michel Basquiat, the vibe and artists of 80s, Lower Manhattan, New York
My favourite jazz singer- beloved of the underground and UK jazzers- is Mark Murphy. Here is my selection of Mark Murphy's best in an hour long show for www.shoreditchradio.co.uk
Founded by Gene Russell in Oakland, California, in 1971 and very much revived during 1996 by UK label, Universal Sound Records, on their retrospective compilation, Black Jazz Records released a sum total of 20 recordings. These LPs- mostly by independent, little known players- had a strong, instantly recognisable identity in their cover art and have become highly collectible over the decades. This is not to underplay their musical excellence. Players such as keyboardist Doug Carn (with Jean Carn), Walter Bishop Jr, The Awakening and bassist Henry Franklin produced music which is still enjoyable, influential and relevant today. Excellent 'Best Of's have been compiled by Universal Sound, Theo Parrish and Gilles Peterson. My take serves as an introduction at a time when some of the 20 are being reissued on vinyl. Recorded during March 2020 in Kent.
Since owning their intriguing LP 'The Apple' on cassette back in the early 90s A Man Called Adam have been bubbling away in my consciousness and I've got slowly deeper into their music.
My interest in their excellent label, 'Other Records' began with 'Planet Jazz 2' a stunning compilation of sophisticated music where blissed out balearic meets dub disco and house. That album introduced me to Blaze by featuring their stunning track Moonwalk. It also featured sun drenched tracks such as a dub version of 'Dancin' by Loose Baggage and another dub of Good Times by Roger Sanchez and Kathy Sledge. The rest of Other's output had a strong look and a highly collectable appeal.
A long hiatus began & the duo ( Steve Jones and Sally Rodgers) turned to other projects and academia.
They are back with a new LP, Farmarama- which features in this hour long show with some of their classic tracks.
The show is laced with a few other tracks which seemed to sit alongside their work nicely.
Stuck for something non controversial and popular to play this festive season? What better than all the Peanuts Christmas Songs in one mix! All tracks composed and performed by the late cool jazz maestro, Vince Guaraldi.
I credit Vince Guaraldi with inspiring my love of jazz. As a kid I was a fan of Charles Schulz' 'Peanuts' in the versions produced for TV by Lee Mendelson & written by Bill Melendez. Guaraldi's cool yet melancholic jazzy licks permeated those cartoons creating the perfect muscial backdrop to the colourful goings on of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Woodstock & pals. Going back to them as an adult I realise just how perfect they are- not just incidental music but something deeply connected to the Cool Jazz of Guaraldi's native San Francisco. Although unique, you can hear in Guaraldis themes the influence of his mentor, Cal Tjader & fellow players such as Mongo Santamaria, Django Reinhardt, Willie Bobo and Bola Sete. Vince Guaraldi passed away suddenly in 1976.
This mix of unsung music has taken years to hunt down in vinyl form. Some of the songs have been privately pressed by me. It's been a long held ambition to record this mix so do enjoy listening to it & if you do, please take time to give feedback!
I have wanted for some time to record a definitive artist focus on Blaze-also known as Josh Milan & Kevin Hedge, the house legends from New Jersey who make up a cornerstone of my record collection. Chris Herbert- a third founding member and lead singer- left after their Motown LP '25 Years Later'. Despite that blip, Blaze have been big in the house game since the mid eighties producing a consistently rich flood of releases which include genuine house classics such as 'If You Should Need a Friend' (not featured here). Their productions and collaborations are sublimely soulful- later work has often featured Louie Vega of Masters at Work, who is clearly a kindred spirit. From early, independent releases and further beginnings at Motown, Blaze always manage to keep their sound relevant and fresh. Their focus on production quality and instrumentation has given them a rare longevity. There is simply so much to cover in their illustrious career from early days with major labels to Josh Milan's latest project; Honeycomb Records. This hour focuses on some of the better known releases. My plan is to return to Blaze soon to revisit the remainder of their back catalogue.
The music I listen to most at home is the brilliant jazz produced independently on several key labels of the 1970s: Strata from Detroit, Black Jazz Records from Oakland, California, Strata East of New York and of course, Tribe Records, also from Detroit.
Five talented ex Motown session musicians were the driving force behind the Tribe collective: Phil Ranelin (Trombone), Marcus Belgrave (Trumpet), Wendell Harrison (Clarinet) and Doug Hammond (Drums) and finally Dave Durrah (piano and synthesiser). As well as releasing music, Tribe released a magazine which concerned itself with Black consciousness, Black economics, political issues and activism affecting the black community and advertisements. Tribe delivered a rounded cultural experience alongside its wonderful jazz.
Between 1973 and 1975 Tribe issued just ten releases and these have become legendary among record collectors. I hope you enjoy my introduction to the label from a fan's perspective.
Leon Ware passed away on February 23rd 2017.
My first introduction to his music was when my Dad put Marvin Gaye's album, 'I Want You' on cassette for me. That C90 meant a lot. It was impossible for an 11 year old to understand that Leon Ware was the undisputed master of sensual soul, I just liked the music and Marvin's voice. Leon wrote and produced most of that album and although not a success on the level of Gaye's 'What's Going On' its reputation grew and Ware's legendary status was secure. Soul fans revere the man.
Now, my record collection extends to many Leon Ware LPs and his sonically smooth productions. His work on Minnie Ripperton's 'Adventures in Paradise' is memorable and still sounds very fresh. He worked right up until his death- most recently on the Omar LP, 'Love in Beats' but in recent times also co-wrote with Maxwell; together they produced the hit song 'Sumthin' Sumthin'.
Many folks introduction to Leon Ware is the classic 'Why I came to California, featured here.
6th October 2016
Rod Temperton: Where can I begin? His own biography on Twitter states 'From Cleethorpes, destroyed the World'. This is a great statement because the songwriting genius of Temperton literally took the world by storm. From early career hits in the band he led- Heatwave- to Thriller, Rod Temperton left an indelible mark on black popular music. He wrote not just songs but genuine mega hits for George Benson, Michael Jackson, The Brothers Johnson, Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones, among many more. His sound is unique, immediately recognisable and dripping in pure groove.
Rod Temperton is a complete hero to me- a modest man with talent to spare- just how it should be. Quincy Jones recognised the value of a songwriter of such scale and worked with him continually. At 66 his death is so unfair but his legacy is guaranteed. When we're all gone people will be doubtless dancing to Rod Temperton's songs. I imagine his music is everywhere from the moon to the Antarctic- such was his genius. The greatest man you never heard of.
Daniel Bouquet
The Rare Groove Show
www.shoreditchradio.co.uk
Not initially designed as a mix, this is a showcase, for a friend, of new and not so new music from Chicago & Detroit. My friend was lamenting the lack of quality music in the vein of Underground Resistance and the Detroit/Chicago originators. I just had to prove him wrong. The first hour is mostly by 'new school' producers from these two influential cities. Features Aybee and his label Deep Blak, Patrice Scott and his Sistrum Records, Kai Alce (NDATL Music) , Byron The Aquarius (Sound Signature), Glenn Underground (Strictly Jaz Unit) among many others. I got carried away and mixed in some much loved classics at the end.
Everything is played from vinyl using a Pioneer DJM 750 though Wharfedale speakers. I'd love your feedback here and on Podomatic/Soundcloud/ Enjoy!
This is the Rare Groove Show tribute to one of my biggest influences, Maurice White: outstanding vocalist, arranger, producer, drummer, kalimba player, friend of Charles Stepney and Skip Scarborough, businessman, he changed my life and the life of countless others. Dance music as it is would not exist without Maurice White. Earth Wind and Fire were the first soul band I really appreciated and I was awed by their number, image, and what I heard about their live shows. Maybe they were the tightest band instrumentally that ever existed in black music. Listen to find out why Maurice White was a towering figure and to hear the legacy this great man leaves behind.
Mo' Wax + 4 is a mix for a friend who's moving away. I dug out a load of my Mo'Wax vinyl and played it- no preparation and perhaps in a couple of places that can be heard. Many of these records, which I collected between 1993 and 1998 haven't been played in those intervening years. It was nice to get back to them and the culmination of an idea gestating since the Mo'Wax exhibition and James Lavelle's 2014 Meltdown Festival. 'Trip Hop' could, of course, be a little slow so I sped every tune up to a minimum pitch of +4. There are many more songs I could have thrown in but 77 minutes felt ample. The idea is that this will stand the test of time and be an enjoyable listen as well as esoteric enough for anyone remotely interested in the culture created by James Lavelle and Mo'Wax. Enjoy!
Equipment: Technics 1200 x 2, Pioneer DJM 750 Mixer, Sony CD recorder, Bang & Olufsen Headphones, Maxell CDRW, Vinyl.
I'm not a house DJ but now and then I like to round up a selection of records I've acquired - mostly for my own listening pleasure. This is a group of records I've been playing this year- most of them would be classed as house, although they go beyond 4/4 beats into jazz and soul territory. Most tracks here are 2015 releases with a few classics thrown in. Labels featured are Prescription, Yoruba, Strictly Jaz Unit and Soul People. Feedback very welcome!
Equipment used: Technics 1200 turntables, Pioneer mixer, Shure styli, Sony CD recorder, vinyl records.
More music less chat. This 80 minute selection features some of what I'm listening to at the moment, featuring soul and jazz rarities and new music from Kaidi Tatham and Dego (4hero)
Since 1995 when 'Jerusalem EPs' was released on Peacefrog Records I've followed the progress of Glenn Underground and collected his vinyl. Not that I know a lot about him, other than what he creates. That is a superior form of house music, tinged with jazz and soulful elements. Complex live sounding drum patterns which feature lately an African influence are also guaranteed to get the dancefloor moving. Glenn, however, remains a true underground stylist, despite being a go to artist for DJs.
Anything on the GU/Boo Williams label Strictly Jaz Unit is worth seeking out and check out GU's Re-Edits of classic disco and boogie- a series which contains something like 8 releases to date (May 2015).
Glenn Underground is undoubtedly in that class of house artist led by musicianship that soul and jazz fans can relate to:- a group which includes Moodymann, Theo Parrish, Masters At Work, Kerri Chandler and Larry Heard. He is one of the leading innovators in his field and in 2015 seems at the height of his musical powers.
I initially made this short mix for a friend who knew Gil Scott Heron only as a spoken word artist. This version is tweaked a little. I'm a big fan of Gil's work with Brian Jackson and of both as vocalists. Gil's honeyed world weary tones never sound better than with Brian as his foil. Their work with the Midnight Band is some of the most cherished in my record collection- starting with WINTER IN AMERICA on Strata East Records and giving us a succession of mighty albums from the Mid Seventies to early eighties- FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO SOUTH CAROLINA, MIDNIGHT BAND, IT'S YOUR WORLD, BRIDGES, SECRETS and 1980. Jackson's Fender Rhodes playing and arrangements across these releases mean that their work together treads the apex of the jazz/soul crossover. To quote Brian Jackson: 'We loved jazz. But we also loved soul music, funk and R&B. There was always an Isley Brothers or a Stevie Wonder or an Earth Wind and Fire or an Al Green album about to make an appearance on one of our turntables'.
There are days when I'd rather listen to no-one if it's not Gil and Brian and I hope you too enjoy their inspirational music.
February 2015 took me back to New York and to a whole other group of record stores. I'd missed out the fantastic Turntable Lab the last time we visited and this time also got to check out the exciting, if daunting, Brooklyn Flea Market. Although flea market digging takes work it can often be rewarding. This mix includes two fantastic $5 finds- Freddie Hubbard's Red Clay from 'The Baddest Hubbard' a mint CTI LP from 1975 and Donald Byrd's 'The Baby' from The Blackbyrd's 'Flying Start' As with the previous New York mix the songs are based more on a vibe than strictly created in New York- that's obvious when you hear Dr. Dre's West Coast classic 'L'il Ghetto Boy with it's wonderful Donny Hathaway sample. I bring it back to NYC, however, with the Jungle Brothers 'Doin' Our Own Dang' & Gza's 'Liquid Swords' Enjoy this, the third in my New York series and write for further tracklistings.
A selection of records I bought on a Christmas trip to New York at the end of 2014. This is the result of much traipsing around the grids in the bitter cold and snow. With thanks to Good Records, A1, In Living Stereo, Other Music, Academy Records and Ear Wax Records. The Journey goes from Gil Scott Heron to the sumptuous sounds of Raphael Saddiq's Instant Vintage LP. Not all the music originates from New York: It's more of a journey through the racks designed to give a flavour of what appealed to me and the gaps in my record collection which needed to be filled. Volume 3 is in the works. Enjoy!
Partly in celebration of this year's World Cup I' ve dug deep to give you the only Brasilian Mix you're ever going to need. There's mambo and conga here not just Samba and bossa nova- I wanted an overall vibe instead of absolute purity. I envisioned a mad house party with this making everybody dance- maybe after an England win over Brasil in the World Cup Final!! Wishful thinking.
This will probably be the last Brasilian World Cup in my lifetime and this mix is built to last. If you like what you hear why not seek out some of the artists on vinyl instead of a compilation. It will sound better and you'll have a possession to cherish. Classic Brasilian albums can be picked up for a song if you look hard enough. If you're a beginner looking to build a collection I suggest as a starting point you look up Edu Lobo, Jorge Ben, Milton Nascimento, Elis Regina and Elza Soares. Soul Jazz Records also compile excellent compilations from their Soho store.
Many of the tunes on this mix are jazz/ bossa crossovers which emanated from New York City in the 1960s-here you'll find Kenny Dorham, Duke Pearson, Grant Green. The only tune I was sad to leave out due to lack of time was Horace Parlan's Congalere- please dig that one out.
For more information about artists, songs or about curating personalised playlists please feel free to leave comments on this page.
Enjoy and samba till you drop!!
An eclectic trip around the world, as usual. From Theo Parrish and Kerri Chandler to Father's Children and Patrice Rushen. All vinyl. Most of these records were bought in Paris, at Superfly Records. Check out a track from Chapter 8- with a young Anita Baker on vocals.
Not an easy one. It took some months to gather the tracks during a busy period in my life. On the spur of the moment I threw them all down. Excuse the rough cut nature of the mix. Perfection can be boring and I like to select tracks as they come to mind. I guess this mix is influenced by listening to DJs such as Dez Andres and Rick Wilhite over recent times. Finding out that Matthew Herbert lives near me made me seek out his Secondhand Sounds LP- which was in my DJ bag, as always being a solid staple. Ultimately this got me in front of the decks. Since my last mix, sadly, East Village in Old Street, London has closed. I have many happy memories of the place which encouraged eclecticism and good music.
For the second Rare Groove Show of 2013 I dip into a box of records that contains only boogie. This selection is only the tip of a very big iceberg so I hope to follow up with Volumes 2 and maybe even 3- depending on reception, of course!
A quick mix made up of tunes from an artist I've been checking by the name of Fred P. P records under his own name and under the name Black Jazz Consortium creating dark but jazzy deep house with strings of the kind I love. It seems we share a few influences as Fred P has mentioned a love of the West London Broken Beat scene and 4hero.
Check the Black Jazz Consortium Soundcloud Page here:
http://soundcloud.com/black-jazz-consortium
New things in the Rare Groove Show camp. A new home by the sea, a new record room, many many new pieces of hot vinyl and a new way of pressing my own things via www.dubstudio.co.uk. New Directions! This is a mix I did on the soulful house tip- with the emphasis very much on soul after being reunited with a part of my collection from storage. As ever everything is on vinyl and unedited.
To find more mixes from me try http.//danbouquet.podomatic.com, follow RARE GROOVE SHOW on Soundcloud and @raregrooveshow on Twitter.
In the mid-nineties the ‘Soul Jazz Records’ label quietly released a series of compilations which were a huge influence on fans of black music, jazz dance and provided a summation of the time after seminal club events, such as Gilles Peterson’s Dingwalls Sunday Sessions in Camden Town. The excitement of Acid Jazz had faded and these songs had come out of a club context and into people’s homes and onto serious playlists. A large list of songs had somehow become related to each other and come to define the jazz scene in London. They had something to say to clubbers and ex club goers. Most had been discoveries of influential Djs like Peterson, Paul Murphy, Chris Hills and Baz Fe Jazz; all names- with the exception of Peterson- that have been lost to some extent in more recent times. Soul Jazz had begun to have a major influence from its shop in Ingestre Place, Soho, London and would go on to release the influential 100% Dynamite Series, compilations from underrated labels such as Tribe and Black Jazz and a great deal of overlooked Latin and Nu Yorican music from the likes of Papete and Ocho. The ‘London Jazz Classics’ series, however, was defining for label and shop. London Jazz Classics consisted of 3 albums of disparate songs and styles from the laid back jazz grooves of Michel Sardaby and the UK’s Robin Jones 7 to the urgency of Patsy Gallant. Soul Jazz also threw in some songs of heavy relevance to those from the hip hop scene such as the Brooks Brothers ‘Forty Days’. All the songs were cool, virtually impossible to find on vinyl and the packages cleverly gave you curated information about recording sessions and musicians. These three LPs have become a touchstone for DJs and are long deleted. This mix involved pulling down the LPs and simply playing a selection from all three- something which gave me great pleasure over the hour. If you like the mix please do check out Soul Jazz Records and their shop- still in Soho but moved to Broadwick Street and renamed ‘Sounds Of The Universe’ www.soundsoftheuniverse.com
This is a little mix with some records that have been on my mind of late. As ever it's all vinyl.
Duke Ellington and John Coltrane- In A Sentimental Mood
Pharaoh Sanders- Astral Travelling
Michael White- The Blessing Song
Marcus Belgrave- Space Odyssey
Yusef Lateef- Hellbound
Grover Washington Jr- Loran's Dance
Breakwater- You Know I Love You
Chico Hamilton- Mysterious Maiden
Wornell Jones- It Must Have Been Love
Dionne Warwick- You're Gonna Need Me
A preview of the next Rare Groove Show.
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Tracklisting appears at the end of the show.
www.shoreditchradio.co.uk
Here's a show I did for Shoreditch Radio (www.shoreditchradio.co.uk) to see out 2011. For those of you who listen regularly you'll notice that this is quite a departure from the usual RARE GROOVE SHOW playlist.
There's always room for good hip hop which acknowledges its own soul and jazz roots. My favourite hip hop generally comes from the period 1993-1996 when sampling by A Tribe Called Quest, Pete Rock, DJ Premier and their contemporaries was at its best.
Listen, enjoy, comment!
At www.shoreditchradio.co.uk each presenter was asked back in May 2011 to record an 'Artist Analysis' of someone who had been an inspiration to our respective shows. Four obvious names sprung to mind for THE RARE GROOVE SHOW: James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Roy Ayers and Marvin Gaye- the bedrock of jazz influenced soul music.
James Brown and Stevie Wonder went pretty quickly to other presenters. I didn't feel I could do something new with Roy on my turntable and mixer set up and I was also missing one or two rarer tunes. So I went- very happily- with Marvin Gaye who, of these four, was the singer I started listening to earliest. Marvin also reflected the melancholy mood I was under at the time due to 'flu and I knew which of his songs I'd start the tribute with. You'll hear in my voice that I was suffering with a heavy cold.
Here it is: Do tune in to THE RARE GROOVE SHOW- every other Wednesday on Shoreditch Radio and download other shows at www.shoreditchradio.co.uk
A few summer vibes that inspired me one Sunday.
Enjoy, donate if it moves you and find me fortnightly on www.shoreditchradio.co.uk for The Rare Groove Show
This is a recent 'RARE GROOVE SHOW' from Shoreditch Radio presented by yours truly and recorded on 25th May 2011.
Please support and click onto www.shoreditchradio.co.uk a new start up radio venture with a fantastic mix of chat, comedy and music from dubstep to boogaloo.
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Tracklisting:
Voices of East Harlem- Can You Feel It
Bob Dorough- Three Is A Magic Number
Steely Dan- Peg
Brass Construction- Time Is Running Out
Donna McGhee- It Ain’t No Big Thing
Ronnie Laws- Always There
Harvey Mason- Till You Take My Love
Gene Ammons- Jungle Strut
Michael White- Let Love Be Your Magic Carpet
Melissa Morgan- Fools Paradise
Raw Silk- Do It To The Music
Patrice Rushen- Number 1
Howard Johnson- So Fine
A short mix of some favourite house records on the soulful tip to see you into the weekend sunshine.
Masters At Work- I Can't Get No Sleep
Norma Jean Bell- I'm The Baddest Bitch (Moodymann mix)
Elements of Life- You Brought The Sunshine Into My Life
Blaze- Wishing You Were Here- Joey Negro Mix
Blaze- Time For Love
L'il Louis- Do U Love Me?
Byron Burke- Harmattan
Nikki St Nicholas- Music Is My Life
Barbara Tucker- Beautiful People
Wall of Sound- Critical
Peven Everett- Burning Hot
There is a lot of music around that borrows from traditional forms of jazz and soul. Some people are put off by a tag of 'techno', 'house', 'Hip Hop', 'dubstep' or 'broken beat' as they feel by listening to it they are betraying the jazz, soul, rare groove, that first inspired them. But these tags mostly originate from journalists and djs eager to find a catch all phrase for a new style of music. If you are discerning enough, it's possible to find deeply soulful new and innovative forms of jazz and soul in contemporary music.
This mix is about new forms of jazz and soul and includes tracks by James Blake, Lone, Sa:Ra Creative Partners and Andreya Triana. I've thrown a lot of new music in here. If you love it or if you hate it email me through the Rare Groove, Soul and Boogie podcast Facebook Page or via Twitter.com/@raregrooveprops
This is a show that went out on Shoreditch Radio (www.shoreditchradio.co.uk) back in February 2011.
Larry and Fonce Mizell are two of the most talented and inventive producers ever to set foot inside a recording studio. Sadly at the end of the 1970s they became elusive and virtually inactive in music.
Renowned for their work as Sky High Productions on Blue Note Records throughout the 70s and on collectable and important labels such as Milestone and Fantasy- they are probably best known for their collaborations with jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd and the LPs PLACES AND SPACES, STREET LADY, STEPPIN INTO TOMORROW, CARICATURES and BLACK BYRD. The Mizells successfully moved Byrd from his established hard bop base to a form of challenging jazz fusion- alienating much of Byrd's fan base but allowing him to reach a new spectrum of listeners. They also produced the seminal LPs- Gears by Johnny Hammond and Music Is My Sanctuary by Gary Bartz- both groundbreaking in their field and as relevant today, 40 years later, as when released.
Before their 70s golden period Larry and Fonce were part of the The Corporation production and house writing team at Motown and had a hand in hits like I Want You Back and ABC for the Jackson 5. Edwin Starr's Hell Up In Harlem soundtrack was a collaboration between Starr, Freddie Perren and Fonce Mizell. Their less is more philosophy meant getting the best from the studio and the way instruments were miked and recorded. The best of their productions generally stretch to no more than 8 tracks.
The Mizells found a new generation of listeners who discovered them via samples used by A Tribe Called Quest, Stetsasonic and Black Moon among many others. The Mizells resurfaced in 2007 with a compilation on Blue Note and Larry Mizell guested on 4Hero's album Play With the Changes- his sound seemingly unchanged and as strong as 30 years before. Sadly Fonce Mizell passed away in 2011.
My advice is clear a space in your diary, get some good headphones and turn off your phone. This selection of tracks deserves undivided attention.
Saturday Night in London and I was thinking about a inspirational DJ set I saw during the week. A very stylish looking Femi Fem, formerly of the Young Disciples, played a lovely eclectic set at the National Portrait Gallery. Nice vibes. Check out the Thursday night late shift in this wonderful venue for guest DJs and exceptional acoustics.
With that in mind I dug through some old crates and pulled out a few favourites. There's nothing new on this mix but I like to think the music has a certain quality to it.
For those of you who've been watching carefully you will know that I have been hosting 'The Rare Groove Show' on www.shoreditchradio.co.uk The first show is now available as a download. Show 2 was broadcast on March 3rd and will be available to download soon.
Please follow and support this new radio venture managed by the irrepressible man about Shoreditch, Delroy Philogene.
Daniel
I've been listening intensely to music from across the spectrum over the last month but two things have stood out among it all: mixes by Dego and Domu. These two unsung UK DJs with enviable record collections have the ability to leave the competition standing. I've personally witnessed them both turn club nights delirious with their innovation- playing unusual and often hard to find music. Domu sadly retired from the music scene at the end of 2009 (http://work-ethic.net/blogs/music/domu-retires) but fans hope he will return.
Dego- also of 4hero- is a long standing influence on me and now appears more regularly in New York than London. He was the first DJ I heard play Richard Evans 'Capricorn Rising' which is an important record in my collection.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho0QH34R4to
With all this in mind I dug out a few records that I haven't played in years and which I hope you'll appreciate. This mix was done on September 6th on a rainy night in London with these two DJs in mind.
24/08/2010
A mix of Jazz I've been listening to recently- much of it from the Tribe, Strata East and Flying Dutchman labels from the 70s.
Doug Carn, Billy Parker, Dee Dee Bridgwater, Marcus Belgrave, Pharoah Sanders, Leon Thomas: deep jazz with groove out of(mostly) New York and East Coast USA at a time of social and political upheaval. That is what excites me right now. Of course there has to be light and shade so I've included Vince Guaraldi's piece for Peanuts- 'Skating'- and Freddie Hubbard's wonderful jazz dancer, Gibraltar. Enjoy!
Expect follow up mixes in this style- maybe deeper.
Tracklisting:
Travelling Man- Stanley Cowell
The Edge- David McCallum
Chant- Donald Byrd
Mystic Brew- Ronnie Foster
Smiling Billy Suite Part 2- The Heath Brothers
Little B's Poem- Doug Carn
Dance of The Little Children- Billy Parker
Get With It- Billy Parker
Beautiful Woman- Lonnie Liston Smith
Forty Days- Billy Brooks
The Loud Minority-Frank Foster
Theme De Yo Yo- Art Ensemble of Chicago
Tite Rope- Harold Alexander
Space Odyssey- Marcus Belgrave
Maria Domingas- Gato Barbieri
Gibraltar- Freddie Hubbard
Skating- Vince Guaraldi Trio
Let The Sun Shine In- Sons and Daughters of Life
A mix of breaks and futuristic beats with a soulful or jazzy edge. Includes tracks from Cooly G, Madlib, Moodyman and Underground Resistance.
19th August 2010.
This mix, of Latin and Brazilian music reminds me of a favourite South West London bar- simple as that.
TRACKLISTING:
Yatra Ta- Tania Maria
Tereza Saba Sambar- Elsa Regina
Aledia De Ogum- Joyce
Tamba- Tamba Trio
Sambinha- Sambalanco Trio
Things We Said Today- London Jazz 4
Samba Blim- Tamba 4
Coro Miyare- Fania All Stars
The Bottle- Joe Bataan
Socrates- Arakatuba
Na Batida De Agogo- Osunlade
Nem O Mar Sabia- Luis Carlos Vinhas
Te Caliente- Patsy Gallant
Check Mate- Marc Mac
Ole Ola- Fauna Flash
Smile- Alessandro Da Ninha
Shine- Kyoto Jazz Massive
Thank-You- Shuya Akino
You may know Leroy Burgess for his vocal on 'You and I' by Black Ivory, recently sampled by Q Tip on his track Gettin' Up.
But from Black Ivory aged 17 to The Universal Robot Band, Aleem and Logg, Leroy Burgess is the man behind many records you know and love. His partnership with Patrick Adams in the late 70s and early 80s produced classics such as Barely Breakin' Even, Heartbreaker, Weekend by Phreek and Hustling by the aformentioned Black Ivory.
Leroy Burgess is undoubtedly the link between 70's soul, disco, boogie and the modern Chicago house of today and his groundbreaking influence can be heard in much of today's popular dance music. Listen to any Aleem track and you'll hear his influence on house producers.
It's been noted that Leroy's voice is the sound of happiness and positivity and hopefully that comes across in this mix. I've included mostly tracks with Leroy on vocals but he is also an ace writer, keyboard player and producer of female vocals for Phreek, Class Action and Fonda Rae among others.
Leroy Burgess is an unsung genius and is still recording. Go out, find out about him and buy his records.
Thanks to Laurence at Soul Brother Records for hooking me up with some of the hard to find cuts.
If this doesn't say summer's on its way I don't know what does.
Originally mixed for a special lady....
Enjoy!!
Everybody Loves The Sunshine- RAMP
Peace Go With You Brother- Gil Scott-Heron
I Can't Help It- Michael Jackson
Free- Deniece Williams
Perfect Angel- Minnie Ripperton
Sweet Thing- Rufus & Chaka Khan
Move Me No Mountain- Love Unlimited
A Dance Turned Into A Romance- The Jones Girls
You Can't Turn Me Away- Sylvia Striplin
This is a tribute to the sound created by Maurice White for Earth, Wind and Fire.
I bought my first Earth Wind and Fire album in 1988 and then found the rest at a yard sale- treasuring them all since. I've tried to pick out tracks that fall into the rare groove category and avoided any of the big commercial hits. No track-listing this time as I hope to encourage you to go out and find out about their music but let's give a nod to the production of Charles Stepney on Can't Hide Love. Check out Marc Mac's page on this site for a mix of Charles Stepney produced music.
Feedback welcome.
Records from the Philadelphia International label form one of the cornerstones of my record collection. When Motown was in its death throes during the seventies, Philadelphia- founded by two genius musicians- Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff- filled the void in both quality and output. Gamble and Huff wrote most of the songs on this mix and nurtured talent such as Teddy Pendergrass, The O'Jays and Dexter Wansel. They wrote for the great Lou Rawls and gave The Jacksons a home after they departed Motown. Their influence on soul music cannot be overstated.
The expert of the day on the Philadelphia Sound is Norman Jay and you'll often find Norman dropping hard to find Philly Tunes into his radio show. He has compiled brilliant compilations of music from the Philadelphia label which should be sought out.
This is the first of a series of mixes from Philadelphia. Nothing here is especially difficult to find so go out, show love and stock up on the Sound of Philadelphia.
Tracklisting:
The Jones Girls- NIghts Over Egypt
The Stylistics- What's Your Name?
Jean Carne- Was That All It Was?
The O'Jays- Darlin' Darlin' Baby
Lou Rawls- See You When I Get There.
The Intruders- I'll Always Love My Mama
Teddy Pendergrass- Close The Door
The Jacksons- Show You The Way To Go
The Jones Girls- When I'm Gone
Philadelphia Allstars- Let's Clean Up The Ghetto
The O'Jays- I Love Music
Heavily influenced by djs such as Toshio Matsuura and Raphael Sebbag this mix pays tribute to the modern club influenced jazz out of Japan over the last 20 years. Most of it has something to do with United Future Organisation (UFO) who were vastly underrated and are now sadly defunct as a group, although still active as individuals. The mix is bookended by two tracks by Shuya Okino.
If you like this then check out Raphael Sebbag's recent, excellent LP El Fantasma De La Libertad.
Write for tracklistings.