Check out the mini-documentary on Gilles Peterson’s Havana Cultura – The Search Continues (Brownswood) and download the free track, “Vida.”

“Throughout my years of digging for records,” says DJ Spinna, “I’ve always been particularly drawn to music that is heavily influenced by the electronic revolution. There was a long stretch where I would specifically hunt for Moog, new age, jazz fusion, and experimental records…anything that involved synthesizers but still had a groove. Upon the inquiry from 101 Apparel to come up with a concept for a mix, my initial thought was it has to be unique. It was the opportune time for compiling tracks from past to present that capture the electronic experience. Future Shock is born and is without a doubt one of the most brain-crushing mixes I’ve ever done! I hope you dig it.”

Buy the T-shirt from 101 Apparel and get the mix for free.

Check out a snippet:

While the rest of the country was celebrating Labor Day, Brooklyn—as usual—was doing things a little differently, closing down several miles of Eastern Parkway for the annual West Indian Parade, a carnival that can proudly match excesses with London and Rio’s versions. Along with Soca and Calypso from Trinidad, a major component of the day’s music is from Haiti, with bands like Scorpio, DP Express and the mighty Tabou Combo getting lots of love. For those who might’ve missed the festivities, the dedicated diggers at Secret Stash Records have just reissued a firecracker of an LP from Tabou Combo, 1973’s Respect. A blinding mix of intertwined guitars and fierce percussion that balances heavy Haitian Kompa with a strong dose of American funk, it’s irresistible psychedelic island party music.

Secret Stash, a group of diehard wax fanatics from Minneapolis, have been creating gorgeous vinyl-only releases for several years now, quietly constructing high-quality, limited edition pressings of some tremendous unheralded music. Afrofunk enthusiasts shouldn’t miss their recent George Danquah reissue Hot And Jumpy (“New Dimensions in African Hustle!”) while the upcoming release of the landmark Peruvian Cumbia LP Constelación from guitarist Enrique Delgado’s group Los Destellos is an absolute must for anyone who picked up the great Roots of Chicha compilations or simply can’t get enough acid-drenched guitars and tight percussion.

When a group of rare-groove fanatics rave over the same album but each cite a different song as the “must-hear” track, there’s something special going on. Brighter Days by Stanton Davis’ Ghetto/Mysticism band is not your run-of-the-mill, late-’70s jazz-funk recording. Flugelhorn player Stanton Davis, a New Orleans–born transplant to Boston who studied at Berklee and the New England Conservatory of Music, certainly has his jazz chops together, but the influence of soul, funk, and disco that flavor the production bring to mind the further reaches of a Mizell Brothers production (or the more in-the-pocket grooves of Sun Ra, if you like).

Part of the infamous band that recorded as Stark Reality, Davis first came to the attention of the contemporary beatdigger scene when the Soul Cal division of Stones Throw Records plucked the opening cut from Brighter Days for a 12-inch single reissue in 2008. That track, “Things Cannot Stop Forever,” may be the best-known tune from the album, but it’s far from the only highlight. The Gilles Peterson favorite “Space-A-Nova” as well as “High Jazz” are too out to call disco but far too groovy to qualify as straight jazz, while “Funky Fried Tofu” could be a lost Kool & the Gang outtake. Lush, moody pieces “Play Sleep” and “Nida” evocatively fill out the album.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rEb2W0B7lo

Only three thousand copies of the LP were pressed in 1977 on the folk label Outrageous Records, most of which quickly disappeared with little fanfare. Enter Boston-based label Cultures of Soul, who have done a loving job with their homegrown reissue, including detailed liner notes and a careful reproduction of the original artwork.

After a slew of EPs and singles, International Feel releases its first full length, Gatto Fritto, an eponymous Balearic beat blend that lays out like a breezy summer L.A. day.

It’s said that Ben Williams, the creator of Gatto Fritto “emerged from the suburban witchcraft and hard drug fallout of the late ’90s, the bastard offspring of John Dee, the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, and the Parachute Regiment, with the sound of Terry Riley, the Belleville Three, and Glenn Branca ringing in his ears.” And it shows, as Williams stretches out in fine fashion conjuring up ghosts of electronic music’s past.

After branching out beyond underground hip-hop, with the jazz-inspired Liquid Crystal Project and soul collaborations with singer Middle Child and Stones Throw crooner/rapper Dudley Perkins, J Rawls rekindles his love affair with boom-bap rap, releasing The Hip-Hop Affect on Green Streets Entertainment.

Rawls, a habitual custom contradictor (see The Essence of J Rawls), once again takes independent hip-hop over the edge with a few unheard-of collaborative formats, including a twenty-four-person track (“We’re on Top (#OhioTakeOver)”) and a number including Oh No, Diamond D, and Kev Brown entitled “Best Producer on the Mic.”

Proclaimed by J Rawls to be an aural trek from the beginnings of his growth with music, The Hip-Hop Affect also features appearances from Rhymefest, Sadat X, Tanya Morgan, J Sands (of Lone Catalysts), Copywrite, Bad Azz, Edo G, Stalley, Casual, Count Bass D,Wise Intelligent (of Poor Righteous Teachers), El Da Sensei, John Robinson, and more.

Check out the tracklisting and listen to a free track here.

Below is the official vid for “Face It (ft. Sadat X and Wise Intelligent).”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHHd571Xljw

Stateside, African music is all the rage. From Congotronics to Nigeria’s FELA! on Broadway, the revival of sounds lesser known to eurocentric cultures in their heyday have become commonplace. On an inter(net)connected globe where revolutionary ideas are a tweet away, one could imagine that no new sounds have been left untapped.

Let’s keep in mind, though, Africa is a huge continent with not only fifty-two countries, but a countless number of less cartographically defined, yet still important cultures within each border that all have traditions, customs, and rituals of their own. For example, Kenya’s Luo nation is known not only as a people who created America’s current president, they are also the creators of the nyatiti, an eight-stringed V-shaped lyre-like instrument.

And when a small group of London-based musicians led by Jesse Hackett (Gorillaz/Elmore Judd) traveled to Nairobi to be part of a voluntary music organization called Art of Protest, they culture-clashed with Joseph Nyamungu, a traditional nyatiti player, and Charles Owoko, a heavy-backbeat percussionist. The result was a four-song demo that made its way to the ears of BBC Radio 1′s Gilles Peterson, who describes OSB’s debut as “a phat, wayward dance record with African leanings (that feels) completely right.”

The eponymous full-length is set for a May 3 release on Gilles’s Brownswood Recordings.

Rainy days, great coffee, and grunge rock are all obvious cornerstones of the Pacific Northwest’s largest city, Seattle. Some would argue that the Emerald City’s rarest undiscovered gem is its 60’s/70’s soul scene, until now.

Director Jennifer Maas and Light In the Attic’s Wheedle’s Groove, is a visual and aural trek through a record collector named Mr. Supreme’s Seattle Soul 45’s. Supreme digs deep into his hometown’s supposed graveyard of soul, R&B and funk to resurrect somewhat forgotten bands such as The Black (on/and) White Affair, Robbie Hill’s (Sly & the Family Stone inspired) Family Affair, and Cold, Bold and Together, a band whose roster included Philip Woo and Kenny G. Yes, Kenny G.

A host of sound savants from other musical genres, including Mudhoney’s Mark Arm, Soundgarden’s Ben Shepherd, Death Cab for Cutie/Postal Service’s Ben Gibbard, Quincy Jones and The FastBacks Kim Warnick, all weigh in on why Seattle’s soul scene was as potent as, but less prosperous than others, contributing the lack of major success to segregation and the absence of an industry structure.

Warnick remarks that Seattle natives like Quincy Jones, Ray Charles and Jimi Hendrix all had to “go away to get anywhere,” a sharp contrast to the 90’s Seattle grunge scene, when “you just had to play at the Off Ramp, and you were on Interscope…for at least one record.”

Check the trailer for Wheedle’s Groove below…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuxdJNNlKZk

Shout! Factory is releasing long-lost footage from a 1982 Teddy Pendergrass concert on DVD today, March 29. Teddy Pendergrass Live in ’82 depicts the legend in his final concert before becoming paralyzed in a devastating accident later that year.

Pendergrass performs several of his biggest hits on this DVD, including “Close the Door” and “Love T.K.O.,” as can be seen here in all its smooth splendor.

Featuring three new joints by Atkins himself, this EP summons Detroit techno’s golden age hybrid of outer space foot-stomped dance floors. Supplementing these originals are remixes by three of today’s most respected musicians in the genre: fellow Detroit native Terrence Dixon, Worthy of San Francisco, and DJ Oliver. Short and sweet, this EP thumps your shit.

Available now in your local record store and online March 29, you can stream and download the Scion A/V Remix: Juan Atkins now here.

To learn more about Juan Atkins and the history of Detroit techno, pick up Wax Poetics issue 45  Buy Now

For more information, head to Ubiquity.

Back in 2001, Detroit garage outfit the Dirtbombs (showcased in our Rock Issue) released their seminal Ultraglide in Black, which had Mick Collins and crew performing cover versions of soul songs. Now ten years later, they’re releasing a sort of companion piece to that record titled Party Store.

But this time around the album is dedicated entirely to covers of classic Detroit Techno tracks, including a twenty-two-minute version of Innerzone Orchestra’s “Bug in the Bassbin.” With a tip of their hat to the creators of techno and fellow Detroit musicians we covered in our Dance Issue, the Dirtbombs pay homage to their hometown and its enigmatic musical past. They’ve teamed up with Scion as part of Scion A/V’s remix series, and complicated things further by releasing an EP of remixes. You can stream and download their remake of the 1981 classic ”Sharevari” and a few remixes from Scion, then purchase the entire album here. Check the original “Sharevari” video from the legendary Detroit dance show, The Scene, below.

Now available, new 101 Apparel “Afro Freestyle” t-shirt/mixtape combo honoring CChico Mann‘s syncretic approach to music history. Filling the gap between Afrobeat, Afro-Cuban, Latin freestyle, and electronic music, Chico Mann’s style is a hybrid beast of culture and tone. And with the Afro Freestyle Mixtape featuring exclusive Tkat re-edits and Caito “el Gallo” Sanchez on percussion, “Afro Freestyle” is doper than the average bear.

Pick up 101 Apparel’s “Afro Freestyle” here.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssu9PE20RvE

Dubspot’s innovative electronic music production and DJing courses are now expanding to the internet. Dubspot Online teaches cutting edge music software like Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and Reason & Record through hands on experience. Now you can get the same mixture of technical education and creative encouragement on your own time.

Register now for classes starting at the end of January. Additionally, get 10% off Dubspot courses (including online courses) through February 1.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqvyW_LXC04

James Brown talked a lot of shit.  And pretty much all of it was awesome. With music that wild and funky, its hard for anybody to hold back from dancing or keep in shouts of joy. Least of all Mr. Brown. Famous for grunts, cries, and yelps, James Brown showed the world how a front man was supposed to behave. “Get on the Good Foot” (sample heard at 0:03) provides an excellent example. Hip-hop artists have further immortalized this legacy by sampling his iconic shouts.

Mr. Lee “Pump that Body”
0:18, 4:00

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAFR6Qj3byg

Buckshot LeFonque “Breakfast @ Denny’s”
0:12

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMrKGkKdKYU

The Mixmaster “Grand Piano”
1:55

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRNYtTriYTs

Coldcut “Say Kids What Time Is It?”
3:09

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V3-X6Bl_WM

Label Love Vol. 2 out today, December 16.

In the contemporary generic soundscape of multinational corporate labels, small indie outlets recall a past of unique labels that shape a signature sound through their artists. After the success of the previous Label Love compilation, Tru Thoughts’ Jasmine De La Paz comes with Vol. 2. Featuring tracks from Plug Research, Melting Pot, Ubiquity, One-Handed, and, of course, Tru Thoughts by artists like Bilal, Maddslinky, and Paul White, Label Love Vol. 2 is a must download.

Cop it here.

German filmmaker Florian Gaag’s critically acclaimed, award-winning film Whole Train is available on DVD. Following the lives of four graffiti writers, though fictional, the film provides an authentic look into the graffiti subculture and, as KRS-One has said of the film, “really captured hip-hop’s culture.” Additionally, Whole Train sports a soundtrack of great hip-hop. Featuring original material from the likes of Planet Asia, Tame One, and, of course, the Teacher, it’s worth hearing.

Peep the trailer to Florian Gaag’s Whole Train here.

Celebrating twenty years of providing choice records to the savvy vinyl-buying public, Groove Merchant releases an excellent compilation of rare grooves on Luv N’ Haight Records. Listen and purchase today!

This fall, Sony is celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the founding of CTI Records with a slew of reissues, from Freddie Hubbard’s Red Clay to Stanley Turrentine’s Sugar (album cover above!). Collect them all.

Last month, Sony reissued Chet Baker’s She Was Too Good to Me, Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Stone Flower, Hubert Laws’s Morning Star, Kenny Burrell’s God Bless the Child, Hubbard’s Red Clay, and Turrentine’s Sugar. A second set of CTI classics, including Milt Jackson’s Sunflower and Deodato’s Prelude, are due on January 25.

Red Clay, Sugar, Prelude, and George Benson’s White Rabbit were re-released on vinyl.

For more on CTI, pick up Issue 34, the Jazz Issue.

London-based jazz singer Sara Mitra released her debut album, April Song, November 1 on Impossible Ark Records, with a U.S. release of December 7.

A collection of originals and covers, April Song, produced by Ben Lamdin (Nostalgia 77), showcases Mitra’s dynamic, intimate vocals accompanied by a slew of smart and tasteful musicians from the U.K. underground jazz scene, including her husband and co-arranger Tim Giles (drums), Riaan Vosloo (bass), James Allsopp (sax), Fulvio Sigurtà (trumpet), Ross Stanley (Hammond organ), and Lucy Railton (cello).

A student of both Indian music and Caribbean folk, Mitra’s approach to singing stretches beyond cool jazz clubs to folk sensibilities with rich harmonies on “April Song.” Her covers (Bobby Cole’s “You Can’t Build a Life on a Look,” Nat Adderley’s “The Old Country”), however, solidify Mitra’s image as a swingin’ vocalist. Without question, she has established her unique voice in the genre.

Pick up Sara Mitra’s April Song here.

On October 19, Numero Group released a four CD/six LP collection of the music of Syl Johnson. Complete Mythology features eighty-one songs spanning Johnson’s entire career, plus a forty-eight page booklet detailing his life and sessions.

Download the Syl classic “I’m Talkin’ ’Bout Freedom” here (for free!).

Stay tuned for an interview with Syl in the next issue of Wax Poetics…

Musician/producer Adrian Quesada recently launched a website for his Austin-based production facility, Level One Studios. And, to celebrate, he’s giving an album away for free on the site.

In Your Right Mind: Beats and Instrumentals, Volume One, a collaboration with Brainchild (aka James Pants on Stones Throw), was completed more than eight years ago, and only saw a limited release (one hundred copies!). Best known for his work with Grupo Fantasma, Brownout, and Ocote Soul Sounds, Quesada hits listeners with hard, jazzy beats on this album. Mind also features Antibalas/Ocote Soul Sounds saxophonist Martin Perna.

Download In Your Right Mind: Beats and Instrumentals, Volume One here.

]]> http://www.waxpoetics.com/blog/the-nod/adrian-quesada-and-brainchild-in-your-right-mind/feed 1 http://www.waxpoetics.com/blog/the-nod/kabanjak-climbing-the-tree-of-mystery?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kabanjak-climbing-the-tree-of-mystery http://www.waxpoetics.com/blog/the-nod/kabanjak-climbing-the-tree-of-mystery#comments Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:31:10 +0000 Wax Poetics http://www.waxpoetics.com/?p=10692

Introduced to the music community through his work with Ancient Astronauts, the DJ, producer, musician, and ESL Music artist Kabanjak will release his debut album Tree of Mystery on November 2. In the meantime, stream his More Mysteries mix here.

Ancient Astronauts are known for their blend of hip-hop, funk, and dub, and Kabanjak continues these themes in his solo music. Playing a wide range of instruments, from guitar to melodica, Kabanjak shows that he’s got plenty of musical muscles to flex, and, with tunes like “Rhythm,” from the forthcoming Tree of Mystery, he provides a tasteful listening experience.

On the DJ side of things, More Mysteries offers insight into Kabanjak’s inspirations for his compositions. As Kabanjak spins artists like Dudley Perkins, Letta Mbulu, and label mate Ocote Soul Sounds, his tastes for hip-hop and dub come together in a cohesive, head-nodding collection.

Pick up Tree of Mystery on November 2.

Stream More Mysteries here.

Below, Kabanjak relaxes with a good read.

Juilliard dropout Bruce Haack began making experimental, electronic country-pop for children in the early ’60s. To call him ahead of his time is an understatement. Farad: The Electric Voice, a new compilation featuring Haack’s work from 1970 to 1983, drops October 19 on Stones Throw.

More creative tinkerer than electronic engineer, Haack often made his own instruments including a vocoder called “Farad.” Predating Kraftwerk, Haack’s electro-pop music and melodic vocoder singing brought him to the public eye with features on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, where he demonstrated his unique invention the Peopleodian, which one plays by touching another human being to produce sound.

Farad: The Electric Voice features released and unreleased tracks, dating from 1970 to 1983, that demonstrate the range of Haack’s music and highlight the “Farad” vocoder. Songs like “Electric Turn to Me” and “National Anthem to the Moon,” from his only major label release, The Electric Lucifer (Columbia, 1970), illustrate his psychedelic trips into computer circuitry. Other tracks, like “Rain of Earth” and “Rita,” for instance, speak to Haack’s penchant for catchy melodies and fun lyrics that sound like a mix of They Might Be Giants and MGMT; it’s clear that Haack was an influence on both acts. The compilation contains surprises even to the last song: the 1982 Russell Simmons collaboration “Party Machine” shows Haack flexing his b-boy muscles with a hip-hop/electronica/robot-funk jam.

Pick up Farad: The Electric Voice here. Out October 19 on Stones Throw.

Also, look out for a remix EP organized by Peanut Butter Wolf. Here’s a video for Prince Language’s remix of “Party Machine.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVRpXGGS8DQ