relief from muscular pain

seb, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

SEBASTIEN TELLIER
L'ENFANCE D'UN CHIEN
UNE VIE DE PAPA
L'INCROYABLE VERITE
record makers, 2001
first recording launched on RECORD MAKERS, electronic pop superduo AIR's own label, L'INCROYABLE VERITE was marketed as some innovative postmodern musical artefact: no drums, some kazoo and obsessive piano playing. hum, which sounded rather frightening. on the sleeve art, sebastien's beardie-dandy looks weren't helping much in terms of seduction and then there was so much hype around, i totally blacked it out.
however, a few months later the album landed home as a gift and with such titles as "l'enfance d'un chien" (a dog's childhood) or "a daddy's life" (une vie de papa), it couldn't be that bad. fact is, some true magic and poetic moments are to be found here.
later on, one of his tracks, "fantino" even found its way to the "Lost in translation" soundtrack; how about that as hype goes by?
in 2004, seb's 2nd opus POLITICS raised tacky cover art at even higher stakes (in a good way) and a classic track found its way in all the major league DJ bags worldwide: LA RITOURNELLE.

before france burns down (it's about time, baby), grab your own copies of these weird gems
at your favorite music dealers.

are you going with me?

m&m, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

MAMANI KEITA & MARC MINELLI
N'KA WILLY
ELECTRO BAMAKO
emarcy, 2001
palm, 2003
a sunny one from the heart, for your souls and feet. play on repeat mode until the neighbors drop in, with a smile on their face and party all night long.
you'll get all the info you need about this band
HERE
and i hope you'll hop THERE to do yerself a big favor. luvs

in your own sweet way

kenny&pete, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

KENNY WERNER
IN YOUR OWN SWEET WAY
SWEET SOUL
peter erskine
novus, 1991
in my wonderland of piano players,KENNY WERNER holds a special place. i discovered him on THIS very good peter erskine album and fell for his very personal take on dave brubeck's standard, full of surprises, fun and puns.

we got by

al, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

AL JARREAU
TAKE FIVE
WE GOT BY
LOOK TO THE RAINBOW
warner bros, 1977
so it's been a year now since i launched this musical blog. i hope some people grabbed here a little fun and a few musical discoveries, just as i did myself wandering across the everchanging blogosphere. there's so many of us now i admit i kinda lost track of everybody and stopped updating some ridiculous never-ending linklist but i'll try to behave, someday...
dedicated to whom it may concern and took time to share (you know who you are), here's some classic favorites of mine from an outstanding moment by AL JARREAU, one of the true last jazz singer.
i confess i'm not a fan of all al's past and current efforts but his first albums were cool and this early live recording sums up his talents, offering the right balance of funky grooves, jazz jams, ballads and vocal acrobatics, provided by one of his best back-up bands: tom canning on keyboards, abe laboriel on bass, joe correro/drums and lynn blessing on vibes.
one of the show's highlights is al's inspired version of paul desmond's "take five"-probably the ultimate scat xtravaganza, while "we got by" is one of my def classic fave song and the perfect closing track for any reverie set, hence the right one to celebrate together our 1-year anniversary online.
do yourself a favour and indulge in a birthday present HERE
much love to everybody.

the sweetest things i know

sweeties, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

SWEET SABLE
OLD TIMES SAKE
street life, 1993
LAUREN HYLL
THE SWEETEST THING
ruffhouse/sony, 1997
as late summer vibes, two very special musical and soulful memories:
with a few years in between, i first heard both tracks on the radio while drivin' around the atlanta area, which make them very special to my heart and soul.
SWEET SABLE's track was featured on the def classic "above the rim" soundtrack and uses a catchy portion of eddie kendrick's "intimate friends". production is by NIKKE NICOLE and i really dig the relaxed/phat/muffled scratch sound that underlines the breaks.
same kind of laid-back scratchism and cool guitar chords on LAURYN HILL's track, it just gave me goosebumps then and i remember making a detour up to wax'n'facts where that cool heavy dude gave me a promo copy!
xcept for a featuring on GURU's Jazzamatazz vol.2 back in '95, miss sable seems to have vanished in nu-soul divas' mist but you can get lauryn's track on the very good LOVE JONES: THE MUSIC SOUNDTRACK , which is a soulful goldmine compilation featuring MAXWELL, DIONNE FARRIS, LARENZ TATE, MARCUS MILLER & ME'SHELL (yes, the rush over track), KENNY LATIMORE among others.
btw, i realize this blog is almost 1-year old! i'll try to be back real soon (next week) in order to celebrate.

you must believe in spring

sweets, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

SWEETBACK
GAZE
w/AMEL LARRIEUX
AU NATURAL
w/BAHAMADIA
CHORD
sweetback
sony/epic,1996
well, as summer seems to fade away, sweet sounds are requested to carry on and ease our move into these sudden early evenings and scattered leaves.
one of my all-time classic albums is
SWEETBACK 's first opus. STUART MATTHEWMAN, ANDREW HALE and PAUL DENMAN form a trio mostly renowned as helen folaSADE adu musical partners in crime. that should tell you a lot but it's not even close to the beauty of it. i envy you if you don't know this album yet because you're about to be blessed. mostly instrumental, the album's line-up includes maxwell, amel larrieux and bahamadia, offering pure gems of sultry vocals. just click HERE and feel an ultimate chill experience.
unfortunately, i was sadly disappointed by their 2004 second effort, STAGE 2. it's been almost 10 years between the two albums and believe me i gave it a good try but didn't find that ol' black magic.
speaking of new albums, thanks to AURGASM who reviewed CLOSER, BEADY BELLE's latest album on jazzland: i'm joining the choir for praise.
relax, sit back and close your eyes.

precision on the cut

rob, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

ROB SWIFT
ROB SWIFT MEETS CHARLIE PARKER
SOME MAX OUT SHIT
WHO SAMPLED THIS?
day by day, 2003
here's one to start the week under a groove and a smile on yer face, taken from a not-so-fresh mixtape-style cd by turntable wizard ROB SWIFT
for obvious copyright reasons, the cd has the particularity of revealing absolutely no info about the original material "borrowed" by rob: a shame for both sound diggers and lazy lawyers. the gold nuggets' titles are replaced by funny or blank descriptions such as: funk time, fraudulent fakes or shady beats (jacques loussier's/eminem breaks).
it's a very creative hip-hop block party album with enuff scratching xtravaganza to keep the serious fans focused and plenty of heart &soul grooves to cruise or chill at home.
i thought the "who sampled this?" was part of a concept series but it's not, maybe the cool guys at DBD should jump on the idea and send their BUDDIES back on tracks to deliver the goods. nod and enjoy.

wood is a pleasant thing to think about

pat, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

PATRICIA BARBER
ODE TO BILLY JOE/gone<
w/michael arnopol (b), mark walker (d)
from CAFE BLUE, blue note,1994
THE BEAT GOES ON/gone
w/michael arnopol (b), eric montzka (d), john mclean (g)
from COMPANION, blue note,1999

well, lately i've been listening to some of patricia barber's records that fit my summer moods perfectly, then i used to feel the same way comes winter, fall or spring. of course you'll find all the info you want HERE
signed on the prestigious blue note label; though i'm not sure it means anything anymore: french singer keren ann being a labelmate now... critically speaking, i'm not sure she gets the props she deserves compared to the norahs, dianas, etc. maybe a hard-boiled dedicated jazz fan hopefully will give me his feedback (hi, nick francis!). found this nice info online about her : "critics can't always agree on the genre patricia barber falls into, saying she fits somewhere between billie holiday and joni mitchell, but barber knows exactly where she stands."i would define it as jazz. i'm going to insist that my years of sucking in smoke and playing for $100 a night entitle me to assert this is jazz".
patricia's discography is impressive and she probably tours a lot so be sure to catch her live in a club nearby. her own material is great but i really like her standards covers. SUMMERTIME is one of her early gems and a favorite (visit HERE). hope these few classic tracks will make you want more and go shopping at your local sound dealer, hey, these guys need to make a living too. cheerz.

softly as in a morning sunrise

bulleplays, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

NU SPIRIT HELSINKI
ORSON/GONE
MONTANA ROHA JAZZ e.p
JCR, 2000
here like everywhere else, it's kinda hot and lazy, sorry then for lack of posts...
most of the time i make a fool of myself trying to handle some indoor renovations, then we have to watch carefully our new baby cat BULLE (bubble). enid isn't too cheerful about this tiny intruder in her world but maybe we're overprotecting parents. reading is a major part of the farniente schedule, too: george p.pelecanos, elmore leonard, lee childs have been leading the nap's way.
to cool it down, here's some beautiful music by finnish uberband NUSPIRIT HELSINKI.
DISCOGS, as always give a fine glimpse of the band's ambitions and plenty of info, there's of course more to grab at NSH home HERE
listen to these strings and watch the stars in the summer skies. be back soon... or later.
peace

urban blues project

soulfurics, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

MICHAEL PROCTER
&URBAN BLUES PROJECT
LOVE DON'T LIVE/GONE
soulfuric, 1996
SOULFURIC
as i keep repeating here, vocal house/garage music used to be sooo exciting in the 90's.
there was something very uplifting and almost spiritual in vocal tracks played in good clubs. of course it was just about love, sex, dance, sweat and getting lost in music but at the end of the night, what else are you asking for? as far as house garage go, any serious lyricist soon or later had to endorse the magic soulfuric touch of BRIAN TAPPERT and MARC POMEROY.
these florida guys endlessly produced hits under so many monikers they probably stopped counting but pick anything by JAZZ'N'GROOVE, URBAN BLUES PROJECT, SOULSEARCHER or MOTHER OF PEARL and you'll be fixed with more funky bass, rhodes/clavinet and horns your feet can cope with. among these, some of my faves are MICHAEL PROCTER's tracks.
he sure knows how to carry a tune and the live jam session gives the extra soulful edge.
just listen end learn. very interesting article by the man itself about the downfall of the vocal house garage genre, killed by the club owners' greedHERE
i confess i didn't catch up with michael's or soulfuric productions lately. if any garage fan shows up, current info will be very welcomed. again and again, try your closest vinyl dealer first to grab the classic stuff, they need you more than ever. peace.

going, going, gone

streetscene, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

adios to my former naugahyde life, welcome to A BIGGER SPLASH!
in order to feel free from any further action by nice corporate people, i'll change the blogspot URL too in a few days so you'll have to update your bookmarks.
ciao.

love me or leave me

r&p, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

ROY DAVIS jr.
GABRIELLE/GONE
Large records, 1996
one of the few real genuine deep house music anthems, "gabrielle" had the distinctive flavor of true crossover soul hits, hitting it big on both radio and club circuits.
interesting info about the manHERE and then 19-years-old vocalist PEVEN EVERETT.
this one is a classic so turn it up and jump around, this is summer music!
oh by the way, i got a message warning me that i "was using the Naugahyde Trademark in an unauthorized way", so i should cease and desist asap.
though i think it's a little absurd i won't take any chance on that. so, the naugahyde life will be history very soon...
i asked blogger if there's a way i can change the name but save its contents rather than terminate the whole thing. if any of you out there have some tips or info about that move, thanks to keep me posted.
guess it's ime to move on to new blog adventures, i'll let you know ASAP.
cheerz

a desert road from vegas to nowhere

bagdad, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

A:XUS
CALLIN' U/GONE
guidance, 1999
one for these early stormy summer days/nights, another from my golden house years and another classic from the Guidance recordings stables. austin bascomb a.k.a ABACUS a.k.a A:XUS cut off the cheese from the original version and delivered a fine slice of deep jam featuring naomi n'sembi's sultry vocals. lots of samples from this interesting producer (and many others) on guidance's playground so enjoy the ride.
love and joy to all of you out there.

for you

net men, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

CHARNETT MOFFET
NET MAN
blue note, 1987
FOR YOU/GONE
this track's been a favorite for 18 years now so there's little i can add.
the beautiful piano solo is by the late KENNY KIRKLAND. you'll learn plenty about the main bass man
HERE
try first your local record store to grab a lp or cd copy of NET MAN or shop online.
i'll try to be back here on a more regular basis. luvs.

one from the heart

apple enid, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

enid, marsou's baby-sister, is joining us to thank y'all for the warm support and sweet words you expressed here. much love to everyone...

we loved him madly

marsou, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

marsou R.I.P
june1989
june,15th 2005
8:45 a.m

house of blues

GU, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

GLENN UNDERGROUND
HOUSE OF BLUES/GONE
Secrets of CVO E.P
Guidance,1997
GLENN UNDERGROUND is one of Chi-town best-kept secrets and a sure choice when it comes to deliver the beats. this moody track feat. STEVE ISRAEL's guitar licks isn't a proper floor filler but a mellow jazz-fueled housey jam i used to blend in the mix back in the days. it builds up brick by brick of funk in true oldschool house style. hope it will brighten your sunny side up and turn your disco side on.

honey bring it close to my lips yes

professionalwidow, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

TORI AMOS
PROFESSIONAL WIDOW
ARMAND'S STAR TRUNK FUNKIN' MIX/GONE
Atlantic, 1996
when i arrived in Los Angeles in 1996, california just fell under the spell of the dance music phenomenon via GROOVE RADIO. tori's remix was blastin' everywhere, next to WAY OUT WEST's "THE GIFT". it was the perfect soundtrack of my early cruises in the L.A. area... the STAR TRUNK is the epitomy of remixing: take an obscure or average track, keep very few original elements, add a killa sampla or a monster beat and give it heavy radio rotation. after a while you're DYING for that special intro to kick in, you keep pumping up the volume 'til you damage your auto speakers. more about a baad motherfunker HERE
special shout out to the L.A people out there and much love to lena, rose, eduardo's car, the people at Disney and the very beautiful, gifted and talented nic.

d'amour à volonté

mfcover, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

MYLENE FARMER
SOUVIENS-TOI DU JOUR
ROYAL G'S CLUB MIX/GONE
SWEET GUITAR MIX/GONE
PEPPERMINT JAM PRODUCTIONS REMIXES
universal, 1999

as a friendly wink to our Tofu Hut friends and their recent infamous mylene farmer post: here's a couple of remixes of a late 20th century MF track.
xcept maybe for her first ambiguous and controversial teenage hit (1: maman a tort 2: c'est beau l'amour 3: l'infirmière pleure 3: je l'aime) and despite her gay-friendly cult/icon status, i hardly shared any vibes or crossed musical paths with ms.farmer.
a few years ago, a friend's girlfriend and aspiring singer offered me this MF 12", as she knew i was into house music and remixes stuff. i probably thanked her with a warm, hum, sneer... and hurried up to bury it deep under the crates. then it somehow surfaced later and i gladly realized the remix treatment was signed by peppermint jam's ROYAL GARDEN SOUND team, which could mean quality stuff. on this 12", both club and downtempo remixes make ms. farmer sounds amazingly good, production enhances its cheesy melody and chorus with minor chords with an edge, the kind to mess with both your head and butt.
actually, i know nothing of ms. farmer's taste or policy for remixing choices. it's probably on the crest of MOUSSE T's hits wave that some cubicle A&R at universal dance pool submitted the track to the peppermint guys (along a phat eurocheck of course). no idea if the sales or clubs feedback made a difference between these babies and regular average eurodance poop (of course there's one of a kind on the 12", too). listen here: there's no way i'll ever get caught dancing my ass off in a club on these tracks but i have to admit i quite like them... now you'll make up your own mind.
NEWS FROM THE EDGE: to the bands who sent messages on a regular basis to offer their sounds to be pushed here eventually: i had little time lately to indulge in this kind of explorations but i will. give or take, it's harder to keep up with the blogworld everyday but i'll try. to all naugahyde fans: your comments and feedback are the backbone of our dedication and enthusiasm to share favorite sounds here, so stay cool and leave a message after the tone.

everybody is trying to get down to the aaaaah

disco, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

WHIRLPOOL PRODUCTIONS
Ladomat, 1996
in 1996, german house music was hardly regarded as the leading scene it is today.
sure a few labels were already rockin' das beatz, firmly paving the path of the future: K7! in berlin or peppermint jam studios (feat. mousseT and boris dlugosh ( i'll be back to these guys in a future post). it seemed the whole eastern europe club scene was overshadowed by uberdubbers KRUDER & DORFMEISTER and countless related austrian posses. not a bad thing per se of course... then i heard this funnyfunky track on heavy rotation on the couleur 3 radio station: i peed my flared pants down then repolished my mirrorballs.
first i got a hard time finding the 12" and just cherished it for that. later, the track went huge and granted its classic discohouse anthem status. more on the artists and the ladomat label
HERE and HERE

them that's got shall get

a&b, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

ALEX GOPHER
solid, 2000
long before the intoxicating "french touch" phenomenon, ALEX GOPHER was already famous as mastering wizard at parisian Translab studios since 1985. on top of that, he had legendary formed ORANGE, a versailles pop band starring xavier jamaux, jean-benoît dunckel and nicolas godin, the two dudes who will later mutate into superduo AIR. in many ways, gopher helped moldering the future sound of paris by laying hands on the Translab boards for many french pop singers while elaborating his own style. check his cool biography and original mix of THE CHILD HERE
about billie holiday and her "god bless the child" sample, gopher confessed being quite ignorant of her musical legacy (...) except her rhymes sounded cool. he bought a cheap cd compilation to extract the gem and housed it up to classic status. jérémie mondon a.k.a DEMON was about 20 when he got house virus. his take on gopher's classic has a strong david axelrod flavor, mixing both soothing and devastating dancefloor qualities.

UPDATE: thanks to captain planet from the wonderful CAPTAIN'S CRATE to let us know the above link was still bougie soliterre's... sorry 'bout that ...now' the child is finally fixed

bougie soliterre

bougie, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

BOUGIE SOLITERRE
from simple things lp
Flipside, 2000
sorry for unplugging the beats during vacation time but actually there's life growing outside the blogosphere and in order to get cherries, apricots, salads, tomatoes, etc. the garden is needing full attention these days!
back on the dancefloor with a soulful/old school jam signed by bettina constanzo a.k.a bougie soliterre (now that's some weird mispelled french pseudo...meaning "lonely candle").
less than very few girls been shakin' the house and most of them are dj's (or djettes) but female talented producers come as rare as a tasty eggplant. betty came from montreal, canada and moved to london where she banged the decks with the early brokenbeat scene and UK house heavyweights BUGZ IN THE ATTIC CREW or PHIL ASHER and top notch u.s house wonderboy KERRI CHANDLER. finally, she created her own imprint FLIPSIDE to promote jazz, house, disco & soul music by kerri, victor davies, blak beatniks, fred everything and herself, of course...
BESIDES YOU is a fave track with a classic 70's soul flavor thanks to the vocals talents of former P-funk vocalist STEF FRANK and a killer bassline. originally only available on 12" and 2lps; it made its way to classic status and CD formatwith remix treatments by uberhot german duo TIEFSCHWARTZ. hear samples of these remixes here and add this nice one to your record collection HERE

too much too soon

faze action, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

FAZE ACTION
IN THE TREES
nuphonic,1996
SIMON AND ROBIN LEE are the funky brothers behind the FAZE ACTION concept. as bona fide disco music connoisseurs, their sound was an instant blast: lush strings and heavy bass bringin' the dancefloor back to the best undeground disco years, without the cheese or the rollerskates.
it was luminous and sensitive dance music, the epitomy of deep house that you could actually get lost into in da club and listening at home on a rainy sunday. it was the golden era of UK house music at its best and all early NUPHONIC releases were amazing: FREE CHICAGO MOVEMENT, BLAZE, ESG, YELLO SOX, BLACK JAZZ CHRONICLES... for a year or two, you just had to grab the new nuphonic release to stay on the edge of the best music world/clubwise, as featured on their first comp NUPHONIC VOL.1
but from1999 on, the whole thing grew out of proportion: the label parted from the 12"s only politics and added a lot of artist's full-length albums to the release list: FAZE ACTION's 2nd opus, BLACK JAZZ CHRONICLES, SOUL ASCENDANTS, BLOCK 16, FUG, ADAM GOLDSTONE, and prestigious compilations like David Mancuso's THE LOFT vol.1 &2, NORMAN JAY's GOOD TIMES vol1&2 and XPRESS2, LAST NIGHT A DJ SAVED MY LIFE, etc... almost all of these were beautifully designed/packaged albums classics but very costly projects, too. the tough turning point of the new century hit hard both the UK house music/club scene and its derivated record industry and nuphonic got flushed away as a leading label. thank god the music still remains and all dicography is available on cd thru amazon or your favorite record dealer.

do you want to jerk?

jerichojerk, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

PIERRE HENRY/MICHEL COLOMBIER
JERICHO JERK
PHILIPS,1967
ST GERMAIN MIX,1997
when PHILIPS label realized a brand new generation of hipsters held the two avant-garde composers' MESSE POUR LE TEMPS PRESENT (mass for the present time) as the ultimate 70's french cult opus, a remix project was launched: METAMORPHOSE
A-league producers were invited to mess with the1967 original ballet (created by maurice béjart) score. among the likes of COLDCUT, FATBOY SLIM or WILLIAM ORBIT, a solid team of frenchies stood up: DIMITRI FROM PARIS, CHATEAU FLIGHT, THE MIGHTY BOP, KRISS THE FRENCH KISS (aka BOB SINCLAR) and LUDOVIC NAVARRE a.k.a ST GERMAIN. most of the guys concentrated on the 3 funkier cuts of the opus: PSYCHE ROCK, JERICHO JERK and TOO FORTICHE, except Dimitri who took on TEEN TONIC.
frankly, i never really got into all these remixes. the original album is a classic and the last thing i felt i needed was a fatboy "malpaso remix" or an "invisible mix" by william orbit.
but to me, st germain's track was another story. first time i heard it was in a club and i witnessed it building up very slowly from loose jazz jam to dancefloor mayhem. people were really getting down on it: everybody was chillin', drinking like they just don't care... next thing i know girls start shakin' that ass and guys are losin' it brett sinclair style (me included)! a few months later, i'm playing a stylish outdoor warm-up/open bar set where dancing is usually the very last thing trendy people are thinkin' about. for an hour, i'm stayin' alive with bossa nova and cal tjader jams scattered with jazzanova sounds. i feel like i'm in the Antonioni "La Notte" movie which is great, but just to a certain point...then i dropped the jericho jerk and let these keyboard licks spreading over as a dancing virus... it went on and on and grew kinda ibiza free for the rest of the night, thanks to the bombs bag i had packed, too (more of this selection to come)...

you could fly away

sense of danger, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

PRESENCE FEAT.SHARA NELSON
SENSE OF DANGER
ATTABOY REMIX/GONE
1998
the always impeccable london lee at THE NUMBER ONE SONGS IN HEAVEN posted recently the original version of this absolute classic gem of a track, so you'd better go back to his cool writing to grab all info about CHARLES WEBSTER 's PRESENCE album and great featuring by ladysoul diva SHARA NELSON
to my knowledge, at least 4 different sets of 12" remixes were released thru pagan records : one by pepe braddock/furry phreaks (one of many webster's aliases), another one by attaboy/stephane mandrax, a third set feat. dave sears/future shock and a final delivery by le bustafunk/kings of tomorrow... frankly, all are pretty good, thanks to the track's potential but my fave's always been ATTABOY's. it's a quite simple effective mix but there's something about these drums, THAT bass hook, the synths, the way shara's voice sounds in the mix and the chorus girls whisper in my ear... and here i am, lost on the dancefloor again: it's moist, sensually funky and i wish that night never ends.

best things in life are free

janet, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

JANET JACKSON &LUTHER VANDROSS/BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE
S-MAN SALSOUL VIBE/GONE
AM:PM 1995
JANET JACKSON/WHEN I THINK OF YOU
DEEP DISH CHOCOLATE CITY MIX/GONE
AM:PM 1995
in the mid-90's janet jackson was runnin' the charts thanks to hitmakers JAM & LEWIS. but to push it to the limits of dancefloor experience, A-list dj/remixers were needed on the boards. traditionally, it was a new york thing: every major player had a NYC club residency and competition ruled between them for saturday night fever supremacy.
for years, FRANKIE KNUCKLES, DAVID MORALES, DANNY TENAGLIA, MASTERS AT WORK, TODD TERRY, ROGER SANCHEZ, JUNIOR VASQUEZ used to share between them the soul/r'n'b/pop divas' megabucks pie.
since the golden days of the paradise garage, clubbing was mainly a gay thing and the sound was clearly on the vocal/garage tip. but clubs started to gather a different crowd and therefore needed new sounds and new faces. drafted by danny tenaglia, newcomers DEEP DISH entered the game and put washington DC on the club map, showing the way for a new generation of remixers with darker, technoid sounds that reached the younger heterosexual/gay-friendly audience.
by the end of the century, the DAFT PUNK revolution 909 and DJ craze phenomenon blew up the whole scene to absurdity.
both tracks here are pure 90's dancefloor classics. they were mixed for clubs so you probably won't get any of it on computer speakers or earplugs...but hey, think about friday night, dress up, put your patrick cox shoes on and rush to your favorite club!
roger sanchez claims its SALSOUL influences on his S-man version of janet and luther's duo but doesn't reach any VINCE MONTANA orchestral standards here... his mix keeps it pretty simple and effective but for a nasty clavinet that brings the house down and of course with such a cast, leaves it to the singers to bring it home...
the chocolate city remix is an early dd trademark reconstruction based on a simple hypnotic hook and a live sax that slowly build up until the drums finally kick in for maximum dancefloor effect.
both were issued on the AM:PM label as promo DJpacks so get lucky at your favorite used record stores.

let's get naked

naked, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

AQUANOTE
ONLY
Naked Music 012, 2000
ORIGINAL VOCAL MIX/GONE
WEEKENDER VOCAL/GONE
NAKED MUSIC is probably one of the few contemporary music labels that succesfully established its identity both musically and visually. but where other house imprints tended to keep it abstract and minimal with faceless software design patterns, label founders BRUNO IBARRA and MIGUEL MIGS brought back the tradition of the great sleeve cover genre, thanks to the talents of uberartmeister STUART PATTERSON.
a cool INTERVIEW with the guys will tell you everything you want to know about the label. i expected to be delivered instantly an exhaustive gallery of all them sexy covers but google just left me in the ropes instead. patterson seemed to have relocated from SF to barcelona where he set up his new studio COLOROLA. a place to check out ASAP.
since then, naked music's releases got the generic photo treatment which is a shame but makes the previous series even more desirable. since the downfall of house music sales globally and before record dealers stock the early naked babes in the vaults, you still have a chance to find these gorgeous releases in some dollar bin. to me, any naked12" is worth the greens, even full-price, not only for the art sleeve but because the quality of the music is very consistant on the deep soulful/jazzy tip.
one may object that the naked style layed the foundations of the lounge/coffeetable house music genre, the sexy good looks adding a wallpaper* quality to the listening experience...
i could agree with that but still will stand for it. if house is meant to be heard very loud on amazing sound systems and in sweaty nightclub atmosphere, naked music sounds great with early morning coffee or at the office, works perfectly for sleazy naps inspiration and eventually makes you dance, if that's what you're after.
one of my favorite releases is AQUANOTE's ONLY 12". both vocal mixes reach my inner feelings and became instant classics. don't expect to turn any dancefloor upside down with this one but let it grow on you. as lady kier said once : groove is in the heart...
GET NAKED

take me to the garden

kd, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

now people i'd like to tell you about the way we used to do it, at the paradise garage... everybody was freakin'... people from all over the world...
early spring reminds me that once i was younger... and that on friday nights, usually around 1 or 2 a.m, i kinda loved to lose myself on a dancefloor. how about that?
for a series of next posts, i'll share a selection of favorite house tracks from the late 90's/early 21st century. some were pretty big in the clubs, some weren't-and guaranteed you'll be kicked out the dj booth if you play them! others were just part of intimate trips but all have a specific echo in my heart, body and soul.
i won't follow any chronological path, so put yer dance boots on and find your way on this journey into sound.

KARDEK
">SECRET GARDEN/GONE
fiat lux, 1998
in 1998, the so-called "french touch" phenomenon was ridiculously hyped out: all the majors that had previously overslept on the club scene now wanted their own house act, with dreams of daft punk grandeur. consequently emerging labels flourished like mushrooms in every parisian backstreet and basement, pushing homestudio dj's beats to feed the beast.
among them FIAT LUX chopped its teeth on numerous acts before hitting it big with SUPERFUNK's discohouse hit "lucky star" in 2000. meanwhile, french duo KARDEK layed this deep melancholic number as Bside of an otherwise club formatted 12" (fiatluxO8) that got lost on the dancefloor but this track remains as a delicate flower in the garden of my record bag

DEEP DISH/ELASTIC REALITY
CASSA DE X/GONE
Yoshitoshi/Tribal america, 1994
DEEP DISH are another duo but based in washington, DC. early on they created their own label (deep dish records) and produced countless tracks under many differents names or monikers. though mostly renowned for their deep dark, tribal and almost technoid beats and dj sets, they sometimes indulged in very soulful compositions. CASSA DE X is one of the kind, building up slowly from amniotic ambient to hypnotic bliss.
since then, the grammy-award duo mutated into a flourishing business in DC, with three record labels and a DJ agency, remixing everybody that counts and your sister. i remember one semi deserted pre-olympics gig in '96 Atlanta, then a more relaxed set in Santa Monica a few months later where they played some drum and bass i hated... instead of my favorite dish.

you and the night and the music

new directions, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

well, just found this one online and can't resist to share it with you...
amazing band: jack dejohnette, eddie gomez, john abercrombie, lester bowie
beautiful smooth jazz recording on ecm, 1978. enjoy
NEW DIRECTIONS

update: that link's gone now... back soon with new music

swinging in the rain

repac, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

NICOLAS REPAC
SWING SWING
no format! universal jazz, 2004
thanks to everyone who showed support and left comments in the last post: it's good to feel this blog so alive and people caring for true inspired soul music. if meshell is playing live with her band anywhere close to you, do yerself a big favor and run to her show!
lately i had some amazing feedback from sam menter of the band CITIES OF FOAM:
he witnessed a cool 300 downloads of their single generated by our post!
it's very rewarding for me and i hope the record sales will follow...
today's post is about another very good album that emerged recently on these shores.
i must confess that because of early reviews that put me off at first, i slept on it for months instead of checking the music (here's one thing audioblogs and online music prevents us from now ). music mags unanimously celebrated NICOLAS REPAC's mix of electronics/samples with "swing jazz", an "imprudent marriage" that seemed scary as hell.
to me the formula began and better ended with mr.scruff's hit GET A MOVE ON. based on MOONDOG's "bird's lament", scruff's genius track was a very cool idea but generated on its wave monsters of 4th to the floor irritating cab calloway reprises.
though nicolas repac's credentials prevented us from such faux-pas, it took me some time to get curious again about his album (enjoy the cool cover art by swiss artist NOYAU, long-time collaborator of VIBRATIONS MAGAZINE), released thru the quite new and adventurous NO FORMAT! label (an unexpected experimental extension of universal jazz).
i'll leave it to your ears to decide but "swinging in the rain" will sure bring a smile to your face and feet, that billie holiday minimal groove reconstruction is a gem and the sensually haunting reverie of "la nuit mene une existence obscure" just goes to my head.
get the move on and BUY IT ONLINE

suhaila's dance

me'shell, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO PRESENTS
THE SPIRIT MUSIC JAMIA: DANCE OF THE INFIDEL
Verve, 2005
well, i must confess i'm a little disappointed by the poor feedback we got on the last posts, especially after the mike brecker sessions that seemed to please many of you.
don't get me wrong: i'm not desperate about contact or communication but i thought the great pieces of music shared here deserved some love or reactionzzzzzzzz&zeeeeeeeeees - oops, this is one of my cats walking on the keyboard here! is it a sign that i should stop complaining? whatever... are y'all so busy tracking music online? is it the perverse effect of rss that feeds your musical HD cravings without stopping by the blogspot itself?
anyway... spring is here and to prove you i have no hard feelings i'll share some piece of a new opus by MESHELL SUHAILA BASHIR-SHAKUR, formerly known as MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO.
"DANCE OF THE INFIDEL" strangely got an early exclusive french release one month ago and is only scheduled for the states for june, 21st. it's a beautiful mostly instrumental recording (well, the track "aquarium" features sabina on vocals&piano) where meshell deals with her deepest jazz and improvisational feelings, inviting the cream of contemporary music to:
"listen and hear
how musicians can take a seed and create,
grow,
build,
communicate with each other,
paint,
fly,
fall,
return,
then depart again on the unknown journey."
oliver lake, don byron, michael cain, kenny garrett, wallace roney, brandon ross, matthew garrison, jack dejohnette, mino cinelu, cassandra wilson, lalah hattaway... here's a few of this luminous line-up... i can tell you it's a pure gem and that's why i won't spoil too much of it here either: it's one of these rare records you must get ABSOLUTELY !
you can have a taste of the tracks here and place an early order for the digipack version:
DANCE OF THE INFIDEL
MORE MESHELL INFO

it's a beautiful day

citiesoffoam, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

CITIES OF FOAM
A GREAT DAY FOR THE RACE
dorado, 2005
track of the day: OUT OF REACH
part of the fun in musicbloggin' is to get spontaneous info from bands and enjoy the privilege of discovering their music firsthand (ok, probably next to the dozens other spots they probably contacted too...). as blogging is much about sharing, contacting me implies that if by any chance the music meets my kicks, i could spread the good word to my limited but faithful audience. that's usually how i know if the post went global or suffered basic target practice: UFOS of noisy pop, hardcore acts or postpunk logorrhea had been landing here with less than zero chances to be echoed.
for submitters who stand in the muddy waters of crossover genres between abstract hip hop, electronijazzica or more funkafied influences, i first feel like warning them that i mainly post "music from the past" and that the confidentiality of my crowd (compared to much more notorious blogs) won't probably reach their lower expectations by exposure standards.

anyway, last week i had the chance to be contacted by UK band CITIES OF FOAM and their music felt like i could break my own rules and show some support, even if it's a tiny drop in this virtual blogocean. actually, before i even hear them sounds, the fact that they were signed by the Dorado label aroused my curiosity.
for those who missed some action in the 90's, DORADO was one of the most exciting independant labels (along with Talkin'Loud) that blossomed out of the "acid jazz" scene, pushing upfront artists like JHELISA ANDERSON (niece of souldiva VICKI ANDERSON, cousin of CARLEEN), D*NOTE or OUTSIDE who contributed to put live jazz and soul back in the clubs or on stage. anticipating the evolution of home studio culture towards electronica and house formats, Dorado then launched sublabel FILTER MUSIC, which promoted acts like djQ, the Amalgamation of Soundz or Kid Loops.

CITIES OF FOAM are Sam Menter and Todd Wills, a Bristol studio band who took the time to polish songwriting and arrangment skills until Dorado's manager Oliver Buckwell noticed their music on a self-promoted website and loved it enough to reactivate the label's pressing plants. and all for the best as the album and first single "A great day for the race" shortly received heavy support from the likes of Patrick Forge, Gilles Peterson, Mr.Scruff or Daddy G...
COF's adventure seems to epitomize the realities and possibilities of online music, as Sam Menter explains: "the web is integral to what we're doing...the designer for the CD found us through our website and asked if he could design our sleeve.We found our deal through the web. We're selling through the web. We're building up a list of people who like our sound through the web and so it goes on..."
Cities of Foam 's new single "Out of reach" feat. Nia Lynn on vocals is currently "iTunes single of the week". check samples of the album on their WEBSITE or on Dorado's, then pay a visit to your fave wax dealer or BUY ONLINE

the great lazy post

WTby DR, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

WAX TAYLOR
TALES OF THE FORGOTTEN MELODIES
naive, 2005
ok, it's a lazy post but it's worth it. this wonderful album just hit the racks here and makes my day/week: it sounds like an instant classic...think dj shadow, rjd2, blockhead, herbaliser or handsome boy modelling school and you're right on tracks.
an exciting trailer and plenty of info, sounds, etc are available
HERE
do yourself a favor and BUY IT
be back soon...

slim, it's time to wake up!

rare moods, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

RARE MOODS:PEACE IN DA NEIGHBORHOOD
comet records, 2004
SILK/GONE
NUMBERS/GONE
sorry about lack of post recently but we've been swamped in both work and snow.
good thing about it is that good music got played continuously and especially THIS GREAT NEW ALBUM by one of my favorite musician/producer: LIAM FARRELL a.k.a DOCTOR L.
i wonder if many of you out there worldwide are familiar with the good doctor's work, as most info and shopping seems to be french-based.
living in paris, france, farrell first got recognition in production work for various french hip hop crews (assassin) or rock bands( wampas, FFF) until his first opus "EXPLORING THE INSIDE WORLD" dropped in 1998 and cause immediate buzz. as far as stupid marketing tags go "digital soul" is kinda accurate for his sound, as abstract beats, funk, soul, soundtrack reminiscence, electro and free-jazz are influences beautifully twisted and distorted in liam's music, that he once described himself as " free style hip hop spiritual instrumental music".
RARE MOODS is a new entity created with MANU BOUBLI, a sound system with turntables and sound effects, samples, live recordings used as cut-up elements reorganized through computer work, though the duo recently played two live gigs in shangai and hong kong with extra keyboards and flute players. more Doctor L. music to come...
former Doctor L.'s collaborations include TONY ALLEN on the very good PSYCO ON DA BUS and BLACK VOICES albums
more on DOCTOR L.

are you going with me?

pat&mike, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

PAT METHENY:80/81
1980, ECM records.
EVERY DAY I THANK YOU/GONE
in the early 80's, michael brecker's successful career blossomed on many fronts.
as his reputation found unconditional recognition in europe, his collaboration with munich-based ECM RECORDS seemed obvious and much anticipated by any true jazz fan. among his featurings on recordings by kenny wheeler or john abercrombie, his friendship with PAT METHENY, one of the most successful ecm artists, resulted in 80/81, a double album featuring CHARLIE HADEN on bass and JACK DEJOHNETTE on drums: a dream rythm section that allowed metheny to experiment different shades of improvisation with both brecker and DEWEY REDMAN on sax. to me, "everyday..." is one of metheny's most uplifting jazz track that builds up to give brecker a free ride to deliver maybe his most amazing and emotional chorus.
BUY THE ALBUM

the don

don&mike, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

DON GROLNICK : HEARTS & NUMBERS
feat. Michael Brecker
HipPocket Records, 1985
MORE POINTING/GONE
"don was my musical mentor, my trusted confidante, and my great friend. i turned to him for musical opinions because he had a marvelous ability to listen and determine what made music great. he profoundly influenced the way i listen to, play, and write music...and that will remain for the rest of my life"
michael brecker
that's a great quote borrowed from DON GROLNICK'S WEBSITE, where you'll find more brecker talking about his friend, plenty of info, pictures (incl. that very nice one above) and memories of the late great keyboards artist, composer and producer, sadly missed since 1996. don grolnick and mike brecker played together on many recordings, including some great sessions with supagroup STEPS AHEAD (feat. mike mainieri, eddie gomez and peter erskine). HEARTS &NUMBERS is one of my favorite grolnick album as the music ranges from very intimate and soulful pieces to more adventurous structures. "more pointing" is a short but beautiful improvised keyboards/sax duet, where brecker's style is particularly expressive. good luck at your local music pushers to buy this one.

god must be a boogie man

joni&mike, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

THE DRY CLEANER FROM DES MOINES/GONE
>HEJIRA/GONE
among the many outstanding contributions of michael brecker, a 1979 live recording of joni mitchell: SHADOWS AND LIGHTS is a very particular one. featuring maybe the greatest band ever: jaco pastorius on bass, pat metheny on guitar, lyle mays on keys, don alias on drums and brecker on sax, backing vocals provided by the persuasions. to give you an idea, i'll quote the wise words of a certain mr. o. dubhaight, who reviewed for cd now online :
"This is a terrific listening experience, rewarding from almost every conceivable perspective. The musicians here changed her and she herself responded with challenges to her own abilities. I wish I had caught this tour. Pastorious is possessed, Mays is at his impressionistic best and Metheny is a foil for Mitchell the likes of which she'd never again replicate. Becker brings that East Coast jazz vibe that only he can muster and he is incendiary, smokey, subtle and brilliant."
well, i kinda agree with that. please note that on the "hejira" track, brecker plays the soprano saxophone instead of the tenor, which is one of a kind to my knowledge.
IN THE NEIGHBOROOD
thanks for info to Herr K. from totally fuzzy, newcomer XANAXTAXI cruises the backstreets of "jazz, improvisation, fusion, funk (and the rest)" and great jazz covers of sade or bjork.
i particularly enjoyed a live version of jamiroquai's "space cowboy". mp3s are delivered at 256 kbps which is a real treat for music lovers. GATHERING DUST is another new daily stop ran by "a swedish guy of 38 named dan who lives in france". named after a ThisMortalCoil track, GD deals with early "white" electronic music. i think its TDK cassette visual is a great lo-fi symbol of our tape-to-mp3 full- circle music history. dan caresses the fantasy of running 3 musicblogs at the same time... THE NATION seems more focused on "emerging music" and is already on, the 3rd will be be about black music... good luck with such a task. like maybe many of you out there, i got a message from joshua ellis @ MPERIA.com
"Mperia is basically the Internet version of an indie record store.
We allow artists to upload, price and sell their music. We don't charge them any fees for this; instead, we take a 30% cut of each sale, for which we provide hosting and streaming and useful tools for indie artists, like free mini-blogs and the ability to post their upcoming gigs where fans can see them and optionally be reminded of them via e-mail..." i didn't get a chance to browse around here yet but it seems like artists cut a better deal here than with iTunes/iMusic...

to maceo

cityscape, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

CITYSCAPE/CLAUS OGERMAN & MICHAEL BRECKER
WEA, 1982
IN THE PRESENCE AND ABSCENCE OF EACH OTHER PT.1
you may come from outer space or don't dig jazz music but you probably heard mike brecker's sax before, as the man has recorded music with EVERYBODY in the past 35 years... trying to track all of his gigs is meaningless, as he and his older brother randy on trumpet were among the busiest of elite studio musicians who contributed to the sound of major 70/80's jazzpop artists: frank zappa, steely dan, michael franks, joni mitchell, etc. add frank sinatra, bruce springsteen, billy joel to the list, you name it... any major playa called in the L.A dream team:
steve gadd on drums, anthony jackson or abe laboriel on bass, larry carlton on guitar and the brecker brothers on horns. a cool biography of the main saxophone man is available HERE
among his extensive discography and my favorites recordings, CITYSCAPE holds a special place. don't get me started on CLAUS OGERMAN, eternally praised as ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM's arranger.
his musical genius deserves a full galaxy of dedicated posts. in 1978, seminal jazz pop producer TOMMY LiPUMA produced ogerman's GATE OF DREAMS, featuring gadd, george benson and mike brecker. he then felt the chemistry between the composer and sax tenor deserved further developments, achieved in CITYSCAPE. to me, IN THE PRESENCE... epitomizes brecker's style: his impro builds up on emotion and energy but keeps the introspective mood of ogerman's music. more brecker pieces in next posts BUY THE ALBUM

message to the messengers

gils, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

GIL SCOTT-HERON/SPIRITS
TVT records, 1994
WORK FOR PEACE/GONE
DON'T GIVE UP/GONE
i won't even try to sum up gil scott-heron's career and influence on contemporary music and politics. considered as the hip-hop godfather, he embodies, as mos def once said, "the elder statesman and the man on the corner at the same time." seminal albums path his way, starting with "SMALL TALK AT 125th AND LENNOX" (flying dutchman, 1970) up to "SPIRITS" (tvt,1994), his only studio album in the past 20 years (another example if needed, of the record industry's insanity). backed up as in many of his classics by brian jackson on piano and a bunch of jazz cats, it's an album to be rediscovered again and again for its pure musical genius and accurate analysis of modern issues. from his "message to the messengers": an indictment of the immorality in much of hip-hop's lyrics (still pertinent today), "give her a call": a beautiful introspective ballad, "spirits": based on john coltrane's music or "don't give up", produced by ali shaheed muhammed of a tribe called quest, the whole album is incredibly modern and what
strikes me the most is the power and beauty of the words.
"i'm addicted to creating" gil said, "i use other things from time to time"...
he experienced many bad trips, including lately a 2003 jail sentence in rikers island penitentiary for possession of illegal drugs. now 55 years old and released last summer, he's back on the harlem block. if he plays anywhere near you, don't miss your chance to catch his genius live, as his jams are the real thing and his future in music might be shadowed by his old demons.
BUY ALL THE ALBUMS

the octopus backyard

pj, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

BLACK OCTOPUS/PAUL JACKSON, Jr.
Toshiba EMI,1978
TIPTOE THRU THE GHETTO/GONE
T-BOLT/GONE
one for the grooveriders out there. try to hunt this lp on ebay and you'll have to reach deep pockets for a fresh japanese copy. thanks for the cool guys at platform records they reissued a cd format in 2000 with a few unreleased tracks. known as a "musician's musician" and founding member of the headhunters, bassist paul jackson, jr. recorded this beauty during a 1978 japan tour. personel includes herbie hancock, bennie maupin, webster lewis, alphonse mouzon, ray obiedo and jackson himself on vocals. it's not really a heads' album as it starts a little weird with some loose abstract jazz and bluesy jams 'til it mutates into a monsterfunka. too bad the cd reissue lost its hatori hanzo's sushi style for a blank 70's look but the funk still hits the fan anyway.
BUY

i see that now

avia, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

AVIA/REBIRTH/GONE
catalogue, 1998
rebirth is one of these tracks you hear once and then grow on you adlib. it comes as bare as the title suggests: synths, sampled jazz breaks, a walking bass and minimal house beats.
oh, and bob de niro's monologue from taxi driver, too. that's just what it takes for this epic ride.
BUY THE E.P
in 2002, avia released a full album "i see that now". production help was no less than the guys from alpha (of massive attack's melankolic label fame) but to me, no track stood up to this one. sit back, relax and close your eyes.

why did you do it?

Gregory1, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

STRETCH/WHY DID YOU DO IT?/GONE
ariola, 1975
well, i didn't find the dcbasehead live e.p. but i'm sure it's here somewhere and will surface someday. seems like anyone didn't get much into it anyway though i wish i had some feedback about these guys from the official hiphop blogheads, whatever.
today's track is a club classic. stretch was a seventies rock band formed by drummer jim russell and former curved air guitarist gregory kirby, who billed himself simply as "kirby" and signed this hit. plenty of info about that band british HERE
why did you do it?" charted number 16 in UK in november 1975. funny that their most successful track seems like an UFO in their discography. rated at their 1976 peak by critics as "the greatest british blues and boogie band of the era"... they "nearly blew ritchie blackmore's rainbow off stage", which sure means a lot to whom it may concern.
however, this track is a pure soulful gem and will rock any floor any time. originally issued on the "elastique" album BUY
it also appeared on the "lock, stock and two smoking barrels" soundtrackBUY

i need a joint

dc bassheads, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

dcBASEHEAD/NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE
imago, 1992
INTRODUCTIONS/GONE
I NEED A JOINT/GONE
THE POPEYE PHILOSOPHY/GONE
WANNA FUCK (OR WHAT)/GONE
as a follow-up to the successful PLAY WITH TOYS album, michael ivey reloaded the 4-track tape recorder batteries, invited his buddies over again, invested royalties on his favorite beer and tried to repeat the magic without taking himself or the whole thing too seriously.
as the "basshead" live intro tells: we're definitely not in kansas anymore. i guess touring the college radios and the indie circuit had some rock influence on the band but lo-fi and weed still rule. the whatdafuck philosophy keps it real all along the album with funny skits that give some edge to an otherwise hybrid patchwork of quite monotonous tracks that, to my opinion, don't reach the play with toys' album vibe. in france, dc basehead was suddenly the hype-thanks to les inrocks (see previous post) and a live e.p got released and was offered with subscriptions. i know it's here somewhere. i searched the basement for hours the other day, diggin' some forgotten gems i'll share with you asap. but i still have to grab that cd for the next post. enjoy the tracks and try to find the cd at your record store bargain bin or click here: BUY

play with toys

dcbasehead, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

dcBASEHEAD/PLAY WITH TOYS
imago, 1992
INTRO/gone
DC2000/gone
BRAND NEW DAY/gone
dcBasehead a.k.a MICHAEL IVEY dropped his first lo-fi hiphop album in '92 and created a buzz over alternative press and college radio. supposedly recorded at home on a four-track machine with various friends, it was a new landmark in DIY music long before the idea of homestudio emerged. "laid-back, stoned hip-hop rythm tracks, pop hooks, drawled raps and pseudo folky-guitar" is the perfect description mp3.com gives away and i can't beat it.
in france, dcBasehead was da shit according to LES INROCKUPTIBLES the french rock bible mag since 1986 and PLAY WITH TOYS stood up in their TOP 20 LPS OF 1992 next to nick cave, pj harvey, neil young, REM, etc.
i agree with THIS REVIEW but wonder what u.s hipbloggers think about dcBasehead (hellooo oliverW, noz...) or any welcome guest with attitude. listen online then buy the album at yer favorite record store if available... more on mike ivey and his "NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE" in next post.
da MOISTWORKS SITUATION
are we seeing the future of audioblogs here? by chopping one of the best blogheads they'll probably make their point. shall we organize resistance or duck down? to whom it may concern, let's talk about it.
post updated (kaotic links and blogger published it 3 times!) thanks steve for feedback and enjoy your uk trip.

jazz it up

beets cd, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

FRED FRITH/BOOTS/gone
MACHETE ENSEMBLE OF S.F/MEDICINE MAN/gone
from BEETS: A COLLECTION OF JAZZ SONGS, elemental music,1990.
this UFO of a cd landed in my collection many years ago. tracklisting includes sun ra, anthony braxton, sonny simmons and rova saxophone quartet but these 2 tracks still get regular airplay.
FRED FRITH needs no introduction as deus ex machina of contemporary guitar and offers here a short nuclear jam.
THE MACHETE ENSEMBLE OF SAN FRANCISCO features the magic of the conch shells as interpreted by master improviser,
STEVE TURRE
i've been a long-time fan of steve turre's music, especially his first albums with his wife, cello player akua dixon. i remember seeing his trio live in a NY club back in the 90's. i was shocked everybody was drinking, eating and making loud noise, for people atjazz concerts or in clubs in europe stay almost religiously silent. the place was so small the waitress had to calculate the perfect timing for her moves to avoid being nailed by the trombone and it obviously pissed her off.i have memories of a very percussive piano player, maybe don pullen., and being thrilled by the presence in the audience of another pianist i was fond of, mulgrew miller. lately, thanks to TOTALLY FUZZY i've been listening to amazing jazz mixes provided by FREEFORM.ORG
the strata east/tribe mixe is exceptional.

the hit list

best of 2004, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

JET SET SLAVE MIX/GONE
EVERTON SYLVESTER &Dr.JOHN
here's my top 20+1 albums for 2004, in no comprehensive order or preference.
all were played repeatedly, intensively even compulsively. my absolute best discovery is JET JAGUAR's music, thanks to Fat Planet for this one! and DWELE's SUBJECT remains my ultimate summer of soul album for 2 years in a row...
BEST OF 2004
blockhead/music by cavelight (ninja tune)
troublemakers/express way (blue note)
moodymann/black mahogani (peacefrog)
the album leaf/in a safe place (labels)
le coeur/suddenly (mental groove)
foreign exchange/connected (bbe)
boom bip/corymb (lex)
jet jaguar/is love (involve records 2003)/think about it later (capital recordings 2003)/self-titled (involve records,1999)
harold budd/avalon sutra (samahdi sound)
the brown bunny/j.frusciante &various (tulip records)
b.fleischmann/welcome tourist (morr music)
feist/let it die (polydor)
kings of convenience/riot on an empty street(source)
djkrush/jaku (sony)
the blue nile/high (sanctuary)
akira rabelais/spellewauerynsherde (samahdi sound)
arthur russell/the world of AR (souljazz records)
anja lechner/vassilis stabropoulos/chants, hymns &dances (ecm)
ocean's twelve/david holmes&various (warner)
dwele/subject (virgin)2003
ALL of these releases are available online but try first to hit your favorite record store to keep these guys in shape.

angie's nights

mister Q, originally uploaded by thebeathunters.

ANGIE'S NIGHTS
ANGIE'S SUMMER NIGHT
best wishes to everybody out there who enjoyed it there in 2004 : love, happiness and great health to take care of everybody you love and carry on with success whatever you plan or expect.
lookin' back, it was; as frankie sung, a very good year. it's just that time flies up so fast its kinda scary and as i guess we're all spending more and more time in front of a computer, i'm afraid it won't get any better 'til 2006...
for this first post, i wanted to share two of my own favorite "bootlegs/mash-ups/remixes" of 2004. maybe some of you grabbed them before on the net, thru GYBO or Fat Planet but i felt like giving them another exposure for naugahyde newcomers.
the 2 versions of "les nuits" recorded by NIGHTMARES ON WAX, from the albums SMOKERS DELIGHT(1995) and CARBOOT SOUL(1999) respectively, are very soulful reconstructions/variations of QUINCY JONES' masterpiece "summer in the city" (from "YOU'VE GOT IT BAD, GIRL" lp, A&M records,1973) and laid the foundations of my two alternate mixes.
edited vocals by r'n'b diva ANGIE STONE/"wish i didn't miss you" from her album MAHOGANY SOUL(2001) add another vibe to the instrumentals and strings arranged and conducted by claus ogerman, from BJORK's "hyperballad"/POST(1995) give a final melankolic lush.
music speaks for itself so i won't try too hard to sell these tracks to you (and you can object that with such awesome original material i couldn't really go wrong...) still, i think they work pretty well altogether. btw last summer in barcelona, i heard a very good balearic/guitar-driven remix of miss stone's track but couldn't trace it (any info?)
as these tracks are more personal than usual, comments, feedback and critics are more than very welcomed.