The most anticipated dubstep album of 2008

This is what Phoncia Records had to say "Limited promos of 'Diary Of An Afro Warrior, one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year. If Burial’s ‘Untrue’ dominated 2007’s end of year critics charts then it’s odds on ‘Diary Of An Afro Warrior’ will do the same in 2008. Dubstep’s trickle into the mainstream has been steady; Skream and Burial alike have nudged the door open. Benga is undoubtedly the force to smash it through and take Dubstep to another level. ‘Night’, the anthemic underground smash single lifted from the album has literally had ravers from countless club scenes, DJs and grandparents whistling and humming its infectious melody for months now with Gilles Peterson declaring it as his No1 track of 2007!!"

Here's a link to Gilles Peterson's most recent PODCAST with Benga.

For those who don't know, check his Website

Catch his latest Essential Mix HERE.

This album is truly awesome.....after buying Scream's album back in 2006...I've only been dipping into this genre of music now and then, however with this album and in particular the 'Night' track, which has crossed over into many different styles of DJ sets.....Benga's album sounds is a real fixture for 2008.

The Video to 'Night'

THEO PARRISH......A Detroit Masterpiece

I've recently had Theo's album Sound Sculpture Vol.1 on constant rotation on my iPOD and record player at home. I bought this album (3x12 Vinyl) last year and it wasn't until recently as I was listening to Gilles Peterson's 2007 All-Winners show, which voted this album....Best Album of the Year....that I thought to myself.....I never really got deep into that album.......

AND NOW I HAVE...... and all I can say is its amazing, go and seek....

Buy Here.

Theo Parrish Homepage.

Check this short video I came accross on You Tube...

"Nowadays, honesty is at an all-time low," says Theo in this short film documenting the producer gathering sounds around Detroit. "Everything is more style over substance, everything is more look over feel." Brought to you by, uh, Adidas

The Hard Sell - DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist Tour....Oh Yes got my tickets..

Got my Tickets for DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist's next installment of their 7 inch extravganza at The Roundhouse, Camden in London on 13th March 2008 @ 20:00.

Click here for MySpace site...





KID KOALA BOOKED AS WARM-UP FOR THE HARD SELL

Ninjatune Website says......"After a year-long, worldwide run of ALBUM LAUNCH DJ PARTIES in support of "Your Mom's Favorite DJ", Kid Koala has been invited to join the Hard Sell Tour on eighteen dates throughout North America followed by ten dates throughout Europe.

The Hard Sell Tour features DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist on 8 turntables, 4 mixers and 2 effects pedals, and showcases the third installment in their mix series which began with the now infamous "Brainfreeze" and "Product Placement" recordings.

See here for dates, and book early to avoid disappointment.

Kid Koala will be warming up the night with his own blend of record scratching, thumb wrestling and robot dance competitions!

Following this run, Kid Koala will be touring France before returning to the studio to complete his next graphic novel and soundtrack.So show up early! You won't want to miss any part of this legendary event!

Heliocentrics - Interview with Gilles Peterson

Click here for interview....

Just came across this interview with the Heliocentrics band, also aired on Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Show from Radio 1/BBC on 7th Februray 2007. The Heliocentrics album was one of my faourite albums from last year. Amazing beats in a psycadelic style....

Click here for Heliocentric Band Website

Quote from Stones Throw's Artist Website...."A listen to a song or two reveals no small influence from the funk universe of James Brown. But there's also the disorienting asymmetry of Sun Ra's music. The cinematic scope of Ennio Morricone. The sublime fusion of David Axelrod. But the Heliocentrics' music isn't retro. It's brand new. And it's timeless. They have well-placed fans in the likes of Madlib (Catto was featured on his Shades of Blue album and on various Yesterdays New Quintet releases) and DJ Shadow (the band backed him on the song “This Time I’m Gonna Do It My Way” from his The Outsider album), who will tell you that this band is really the next shit but that they have the consistency and musicianship that seems to have been lost somewhere in the analog to digital shuffle over the past thirty years".

Old School Hip Hop Videos.....More to come....

3d Bass - Gas Face



3rd Bass - Steppin' to the A.M.



Have always been a huge fan of 3rd Bass and these 2 video's bring it all back.....

More Live Old Skool Hip Hop.....

T La Rock & Mantronik - Breaking Bells (Live)

Mantronix - Who Is It (live)

Here's the first of three video's of Mantronix......For me, back in the day MC Tee was the don.... and along with Curtis Mantronix whose beat programming was amazing....they released three must have albums of old skool hip hop.

Discogs says...."Early years – 1984-1988
In 1984, while working as the in-store DJ for Downtown Records in Manhattan, Kurtis Mantronik, a Jamaican-Canadian émigré, met MC Tee, a Haitian-born, Flatbush, Brooklyn-based rapper (and regular record store customer).[1][2] The duo soon made a demo, "Fresh Is The Word," and eventually signed with William Socolov's Sleeping Bag Records.



Mantronix's debut single, "Fresh Is the Word," was a club hit in 1985, reaching #16 on Billboard Magazine's Hot Dance Singles Sales chart, and was featured on Mantronix: The Album which was released the same year.

Mantronix's efforts on Mantronix: The Album and its effect on early hip hop and electronic music is perhaps best summed up by music critic Omar Willey's observation in 2000:

“Featuring "Fresh Is the Word" and the new tracks "Bassline" and "Electro Mega-Mix," Mantronix defined the new sound of electro-funk. Mantronik used a polyrhythmic style, similar to West African log drumming, but instead of acoustic drums, the rhythm would be carried by the combination of electronic drums, synthesizer, vocoder and/or synthesized voice over a bass line completely played on the synth. No samples of James Brown here. This was truly electronic music: spare, funky and immensely danceable, an homage and simultaneous extension of old-school hip hop's electronic template that had started with "Planet Rock" in 1982. The feeling of Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Kraftwerk and Neu all combined in Mantronik's music. It was a neat tie between old-school and new jack, and Mantronix had the field to themselves.[3] ”

The influence of Mantronix: The Album is seen among other artists through the sampling of "Needle To The Groove" by Beck in the single "Where It's At" from the 1996 album, Odelay ("we've got two turntables and a microphone..."), as well as, "Fresh Is The Word" by the Beastie Boys in the single "Jimmy James" from the 1992 album, Check Your Head ("for all the Blacks, Puerto Ricans, and the White people too...")



Mantronix's second album, Music Madness, was released in 1986. While MC Tee's rhyming style on the album continued in the traditional b-boy fashion of the times, Mantronik's club-oriented production and mixing in Music Madness tended to attract more electronic dance music and electro funk aficionados than hardcore hip-hop fans.[4] During this period, while Mantronix was signed to Sleeping Bag Records, Mantronik was employed by the label in their A&R Department, while also producing other artists and groups, including Just-Ice, T La Rock, KRS-One, Nocera, and Joyce Sims.



Mantronix signed with Capitol Records in 1987, in what was one of the first 7-figure deals for a hip-hop group, and released In Full Effect in 1988, which was the first album to be mastered from DAT instead of reel-to-reel tape. In Full Effect continued in and expanded on the hip-hop/electro funk/dance music vein of its predecessor, eventually reaching #18 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, Mantronix's highest showing for an album.[5] In Full Effect marked the last Mantronix album with rapper MC Tee, who left the group to enlist in the United States Air Force."

Just seen a new compilation of Mantronix that's has been released..... Click here for link.

Mantronix - Simple Simon

Mantronix - Ladies (live)

More Mantronix for Ya....

Lakim Shabazz - Pure Righteousness Live !!

Here's a very dope performance of Pure Righteousness on Night Music with DJ Cee Just on the wheels, and Lakim coming correct on the mic. Not sure who the dancer is but he definitely provides some humorous running mans, shit who wasn't doing the running man in 89? Word.

Many Thanks to THE BREAK OF DAWN BLOG For this 'heads up'....

ELECTRO - ALL 33 ALBUMS (Streetsounds)

Thought I should remind anybody who thinks Hip Hop/Rap started with Dr Dre or Kanye West.........Back in 1983, I came accross a cassette being sold in a local record shop. It caught my eye and next....my ear.....WOW, I had never heard anything like it !!!!!!.....so for all of you who have never heard this genre busting, futuristic blueprint for modern dance music today, he is a posting of all 33 Streetsound's Electro Albums...and some other classic old school albums.

This is what the D.E.F. Momentum BLOG says "Streetsounds was part of the UK Streetwave stable of labels created by Morgan Khan. A Hong Kong-born Indian who grew up in London, Khan had worked in the UK record industry since the mid 1970's, working for such names as PRT Distribution (a division of Pye Records) and R&B Records, for whom at the time Imagination were the up and coming stars of the day.

Khan founded the independent Streetwave record label during 1981 to specialise in releasing Electro and Hi-NRG releases. Within a year of creation, Streetwave began the Streetsounds series of albums; compilations created from some of the hottest 12" imports of the day. These releases made available a selection of the most contemporary dance floor hits within the financial reach of those wanting to hear the freshest sounds. In the early 80's a 12" single was priced around £2 and you would pay over £4 for an import 12". The Streetsounds series offered usually 8 to 12 full-length 12" mixes for under a fiver. Understandably, the Streetsounds series was met with considerable enthusiasm and, some might say, mighty relief.

This series would run for over 6 years and contain over 50 albums. By far the most coveted of the Streetsounds releases were the Electro series. These albums introduced the UK to the developing hip-hop scene from America - a stroke of genius that brought electro and early hip hop from the underground to the UK high street and, one could argue, helped in the creation of the UK's hip hop scene.

The Electro series ran for a total of 27 albums (and one box set) from 1982 to 1988. The albums were initially labeled"Streetsounds Electro" with the title morphing into "Streetsounds Hip Hop" after release 12 in 1986.

All of the albums were competently mixed by a series of the best remixers of the day - predominately from the UK. A large proportion of the mixes on the early releases were completed by Mastermind, a London-based hip-hop sound system from the early 80s. Headed by "Herbie The Mastermind" (aka Herbie Laidley) the team also featured Kiss FM radio DJ's Dave VJ and Max LX who were also members of UK electro outfit Hard Rock Soul Movement, responsible for the massive "Double Def Fresh" release."

Click here for Link.

Many thanks to the D.E.F. Momentum BLOG site

ESSENTIAL ** Harmonic 313 - EP 1 ** (Limited 2000 Copies Only)

Harmonic 313 - EP 1

Long overdue and unbelievable new EP from one of the UK's most talented and overlooked producers, Mark Pritchard. Having ditched the Harmonic 33 guise, he returns after a few Troubleman releases and some even under his birth name with the more Detroit sounding Harmonic 313.

Track names are coded as colours, with the code breaker present on the spine of the EP. This release is limited to 2000 copies only......get it while you can !!

Warp Records says......"Mark Pritchard's latest incarnation is Harmonic 313. The EP is super fresh hip hop speed techno, offbeat drums, lots of bass, it simultaneously encapsulates the sound of J Dilla and Detroit techno in a style which you could describe as Hi-Tech Funk. The EP is limited and there is a fun element to the artwork, you find out the track titles via a secret code on the artwork in conjunction with the new site Harmonic 313 site, plus when you crack the code, you'll get a free mp3 of a non-single track."

Boomkat Records....."In short - SICK stuff. Across the 5 "problems" different variations on the theme are explored, ranging from the reverberating sublow of "Problem 3" to the shimmering strings and keys of "Problem 4", and the closing speak and spell solo on "Problem 5". Forever inventive and utterly impressive - "EP1" is an absolute MUST for followers of Pritchard and blunted Detroit Hip Hop alike. ESSENTIAL PURCHASE"

Fat City records......"This has to be the best thing to come out this year already, check.. wait, check all the tracks, as there's a puzzle on there to work out what they're called, so we ain't gonna spoil it for ya! Recommended

Tracklisting

A1 Problem 1: Word Problems (5:23)
A2 Problem 2: Neon (2:23)
B1 Problem 3: Call To Arms (4:39)
B2 Problem 4: Flashback (3:54)
B3 Problem 5: Solve It (0:24)

I've bought myself 2 copies......very limited and absolutely essential and also released on the classic WARP Label

February Purchases......

Middlewood Sessions - Red Waters/Astro Blue EP (Wah Wah)

Phonica Records state......"New 12'' from the Middlewood Sessions boys - a double-a sided single on Wah Wah 45s that shows off the boys´ penchant for a club jazz banger - "Red Waters" - combined with a sublime, string laiden, timeless vocal cut - "Astro Blue". 2008 looks like being a big year for these chaps as they´re surely poised to take the next steps in their mission to bring cinematic jazz to discerning music lovers"

Gilles Peterson 'In The House' Exclusive EP3 (Defected)

Phonica Records states.....The third and final EP of utterly exclusive tracks and remixes comissioned solely for Gilles Peterson's 'In The House' compilation. Features tracks from Kings Of Tomorrow, Zed Bias, Season & Sygaire and an exclusive house mix from Carl Craig of Tribe's 'Livin' In A New Day' that didn't come out on the Planet E release!

For me, its all about the Carl Craig of Tribe's 'Livin' In A New Day'......amazing.

Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife Afro Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-76 (LP 1)







Side 1
1. The Anambra Beats - "Ayamma"
2. Clestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National - "Okwukwe Na Nchekwube"
3. The Don Isaac Ezekiel Combination - "Amalinja"
Side 2
1. The Funkees - "Akula Owu Onyeara"
2. Dele Ojo & His Star Brothers Band - "Oja Omoba"
3. WMA The Harbours Band - "Koma Mosi"
Side 3
1. The Semi Colon - "Nekwaha Semi Colon"
2. Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maestros - "Osalobua Rekpama"
3. St Augustine & His Rovers Dance Band - "Onwu Ama Dike"
Side 4
1. The Sahara All Stars Of Jos - "Feso Jaiye"
2. Mono Mono - "Ema Kowa Lasa Lle Wa"
3. Tunji Oyelana & The Benders - "To Whom It May Concern"

Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife Afro Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-76 (LP 2)







Side 1.
1. Asiko Mi Ni - The Nigerian Police Force Band(The Force 7) (5:09),
2. Belema – Opotopo (Easy Kabaka Brown)(6:12),
3. Alabeke - Dan Satch & His Atomic 8 Dance Band of Aba (4:35)
Side 2.
1. I Want a Break Thru’ - The Hykkers (3:01),
2. Arraino - Popular Cooper and His All Beats Band (3:02),
3. Simini – Yaya - Collins Oke Elaiho & His Odoligie Nobles Dance Band.(3:39)
4. Buroda Mase - Bola Johnson & His Easy Life Top beats (4:55)
Side 3.
1. Business Before Pleasure - George Akaeze & His Augmented Hits (4:36),
2. Omo Yen Wu Mi - Shadow Abraham with Mono Mono Friends (3:28),
3. Blak Sound -Leo Fadaka & The Heroes (4:53)
Side 4.
1. Torri Wowo - Godwin Ezike & The Ambassadors (3:07),
2. Eguae Oba - Osayomore Joseph & The Creative 7 (4:29),
3. Akpaisong - Etubom Rex Williams & His Nigerian Artistes (2:28),
4. Ugali - The Tony Benson Sextet (5:21)

Nigeria 1970. Highlife, Afro-beat, Rock, Jazz & Native Blues rub shoulders and are turned out at an unprecedented level. New styles meet old styles. Newfound national confidence follows the near break-up of the nation following the Biafran war. New fashions meet old fashions, creating new fusions. Soundway present this 2x Double LP of original and previously un-reissued tracks from the time complete with extensive liner notes, rare photos and cover art.

'A magical collection of Nigerian recordings from the 70s' ***** (Observer Music Monthly)

'A deep selection that yields more with each listen, this is recommended for aficionados and passing fans alike' **** (Songlines magazine) 'Nigeria Special is an aural and design classic' ***** (Mojo)

QUANTIC/NICKODEMUS feat TEMPO & CANDELA ALLSTARS - Mi Swing Es Tropical (7 Inch)

New York's finest Nickodemus meets Quantic in San Juan for 3 days of music making with Tempo & The Candela Allstars. Here is the result. Released and cultivated by Pablo Rodriguez of Candela Records and Candela Bar.

Fat City Records say..... "Originally released back in 2005, Tru Thoughts have managed to re-release it which is good news because as well as being a scorching club track it has been in high demand since being used on Apple's I Pod TV adverts.Quantic goes latin with the this scortching number. The young super producer and musician Quantic teams up with Nickodemus and Tempo and the Candela Allstars to produce this track. Recorded in Puerto Rica, this is dancefloor dynamite".


QUANTIC feat SPANKY WILSON/DJ AEON SEVEN - Modern Funk Sampler 2 (Freestyle 7 Inch)

"Another sampler from the recent "Modern Funk" compilation, mapping the biggest players of 2007 in the funk world. Retaining the style and ethics of original funk compositions, but giving them a new millennial twist, these 2 tracks should see some action on the dancefloor. Kicking things off is living legend Spanky Wilson is responsible for the anthemic cover of "Sunshine Of Your Love" - an end of night classic at clubs the world over. Hooking up with the closest contender to claim James Brown´s crown as "the hardest working man in show-business" - Mr Will Holland (aka Quantic), this is one of the finest examples of old meeting new and it works a treat! On the flip, a relative newcomer to the funk scene, France´s Aeon Seven gives us a drum heavy workout with some fat horns and fresh Hammond thrown into the mix". Phonica Records


Philip COHRAN & THE ARTISTIC HERMITAGE ENSEMBLE - The Malcolm X Memorial
Dusty groove "A brilliant tribute to the late Malcolm X -- served up by Chicago's legendary Artistic Heritage Ensemble! The record's got an even farther-reaching sound than the group's self-titled effort -- a flowing style that unfolds as their tribute to Malcolm rolls on -- starting spare and earthy at first, then picking up a fuller, prouder, much more righteous groove as things really get going! As before, there's plenty of heavy percussion at the bottom of most tracks -- topped by complicated horn passages that often verge on the exotic -- and which have a tremendously captivating sound. The ensemble's led by the great Phil Cohran, who played with Sun Ra for a bit, and also plays cornet on the record -- the rest of the group includes Charles Williams, Don Myrick, Louis Satterfield, Pete Cosey, Henry Gibson, Willie Woods, and Aaron Dodd -- a lineup of players who also worked with Sun Ra, The Pharoahs, and Earth Wind & Fire! The LP's a suite of 4 tracks dedicated to Malcolm X, each capturing a period of his life, "Malcolm Little", "Detroit Red", "Malcolm X", and "El Hajj Malik El Shabazz".

Jose James In Concert Video

Click here for Concert Footage.

Tracklist Of Concert:

1. Velvet.
2. Blackeyedsusan.
3. Equinox.
4. Red.
5. Park Bench People.
6. Elecromagnetic.
7. Visions Of Violet.
8. Spirits Up Above.
9. Desire.
10. Moanin'
11. The Dreamer.

Rising star José James is defining a new direction in contemporary music, combining urban blues, hip-hop, soul, drum + bass, and straight-ahead to produce a sound that is fresh as tomorrow yet deeply rooted in the tradition of jazz.
His upcoming first release on international dj + producer Gilles Peterson's new Brownswood Label reflects his passion for diversity – singing the sanctified blues with legendary pianist Junior Mance on Rashaan Roland Kirk's "Spirits Up Above"; taking a contemporary view of Bill Lee's "Nola"; and adding a jazz sensibility to the hip-hop meets 70's soul groove of Freestyle Fellowship's classic "Park Bench People."

His own compositions range from the driving "Red" to contemporary modal + soul jazz explorations, "Velvet" and "Desire"; from the laid back drum + bass soul of "Love" to his lover’s rock anthem "blackeyedsusan"; on to the lyrical ballad poems "The Dreamer (for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)" and "Winterwind."

With tracks in constant rotation on BBC Radio 1 and Gilles Peterson Worldwide + with a recent feature in Straight, No Chaser - José James album "The Dreamer" is being heralded as one of the most promising jazz albums of 2008.

Click here for Artist Webpage.

Two Schema Comps for your delight.......

Two great compilations available HERE - both offer a insight into this outstanding label. The Schema. rosta runs like this: NICOLA CONTE, GERARDO FRISINA, MARIO BIONDI AND THE HIGH FIVE QUINTET, TOCO, THE INVISIBLE SESSION, S-TONE INC., THE DINING ROOMS, DOUBLE BEAT, SOULSTANCE, PAOLO FEDREGHINI, MARCO BIANCHI, ROSALIA DE SOUZA and BEAT OUT SHRINE.

For a more detailed look at this superb label CLICK HERE.

A History Of Schema, Wonderfully Fusion



Tracklist:

01. Was a Bee - On a Clear Day (you can see forever)
02. The Dining Rooms - Thin Ice (paolo fedreghini and marco bianchi remix)
03. Soulstance - Zenith
04. Fez combo - So Tired
05. Soulstance - Mutantes
06. Rosalia de Souza - Saudosismo (performed by povo)
07. Gerardo Frisina - Descarga
08. Soulstance - Special One
09. Paolo Fedreghini and Marco Bianchi - Nothing has to Change (a joungle jazz
portrait)
10. Rosalia de souza - Zona Soul
11. S-tone Inc - Arejar (soulstance remix)
12. The Invisible Session - I Knew the Way

A History Of Schema, Midnight Rendezvous



Tracklist:

01. Gerado Frisina - Open Up Your Mind
02. The Dining Rooms - Dreamy Smiles (radio edit)
03. Gerado Frisina - Mas Eu Quer Ser 04:49
04. Toco - Born Motivo (feat Rosalia De Souza)
05. Neos - G Bossa
06. Quintetto X - Esquerma Da Bossa
07. Gerado Frisina - Bloesnova
08. Mario Biondi and the High Five Quintet - A Child Run Free
09. Gerado Frisina - Descarga
10. Soulstance - Kickin Samba
11. Nicola Conte - Forma 2000
12. Nicola Conte - Jet Sounds
13. Gerado Frisina - Inviolation
14. South Copa - Delicado


Many thanks to SEGMENTO Blog.

Records for the Box

Fat City Records says......

The biggest tune of 2008 already! This tune has had serious support from the likes of Mr. Scruff , Daddy G, Richard Dorfmiester to name a few. The band’s web site has been swamped with requests for the tune and it has received over 30,000 plays on their myspace page, also one of the big tunes at the 2007 summer festivals like the big chill etc. The A side is the Overproof killer cover of the Kraftwerk classic followed by a brass driven dub. The B side see’s the re release of Overproofs World anthem ‘Watch What You Put Ina’. originally on a different drummer limited edition 12” since its deletion the vinyl has been passing hands for £70 and upwards.

Tracklist

The Model
The Model (Dub)
Watch What You Put Inna
Watch What You Put Inna (Dub)




Ooooh this could be massive, GAMM doing edits and remixes of James Brown!? Hell yeah! Sygaire and Defcon tackle 'Check Out Ya Mind', re-diting and remixing to pull out a sick soundtrack groover. Then next up is DJ Ayres, who gives 'Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose' the breaks treatment, Bomb Strikes style! But the most impressive out of the three, is Bloodfire's amazing mellow, broken house monster using 'Mama's Dead'... killer!

Tracklist

Check Out Ya Mind (Sygaire and Defcon Remix).
Give It Up And Turnit A Loose (DJ Ayres Remix).
Mama's Dead (Bloodfire Remix).



Soul Jazz Records Says.......

A1. The Carpenters - “All I Can Do”
Taken from the Carpenters first LP - “Ticket To Ride”.
A BIG jazz record for jazz heads around the world. Featuring a young Karen Carpenter on drums and boy can She play them !
This is a new extended version.

A2. Roger Simard - “P.S. Special”
Superb French Canadian library track now with an extended break
A full on Jazz Hip Hop break thats gonna make Madlib flip

B1. Jermaine Jackson - “Erucu”
Ultra rare Tamla Motown Larry Levan championed disco from 1976.
The original was just over 3 minutes long – it became one of the early tracks that Walter Gibbons used to extend with 2 copies
Also a big tune for the likes of Greg Wilson.

B2. Dizzy Gillespie and Lalo Schifrin - “O Zone Madness”
How ahead of its time is this title ! This record is nearly 40 years old and apparently in California back then there where issues with the ozone due to pollution that the government didn’t want people to know about.. (nothings changed there then..!)
Another big one for the likes of Greg Wilson, Francois Kevorkian and a tune that you also would have heard back in the day at Sunrise, Heaven or in Ibiza.



CD RELEASE.....
It all started with a phone call (or, in this case, a text message)…”would you want to do Freeze at the Hollywood Bowl?” Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow jumped at the chance to be the first-ever headlining turntablists at the legendary 16,500 capacity venue, the site of infamous concerts by everyone from John Williams to the Beatles to the Doors. In the process of preparing for the June 2007 show, Shadow and Cut recorded their rehearsals, allowing for this latest and greatest episode in all-45 mayhem: The Hard Sell.

THE HARD SELL (PART 1) VIDEO FROM THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL......



As with Freeze and Product Placement, the emphasis is on the eclectic; funk and hip-hop are present as is some rock. But Hard Sell is leaps and bounds beyond the expected, on a musical basis, as well as technical. Now utilizing 8 turntables and 2 loop pedals, new possibilities in live mixing are explored, as doo-wop mixes with punk, new wave with grime, and everything in between, all with taste and humor. Several classic hip-hop tracks are even “sampled” (via loop pedal) and reconstructed in real time, from their original elements.

THE HARD SELL (PART 2) VIDEO FROM THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL......



Now you can finally hear what all of the buzz has been about. Forget mash-ups, forget computers, and never mind the MP3s…this is real turntablism at its genre-bending, skills-dominated best. The Hard Sell CD comes in a beautifully designed, die-cut DVD-style case, with art by Paul Insect.

The Cheapest place i've found to buy in the UK is HERE.

Madvillain - Accordion. Official: from Stones Throw 102 DVD

Madvillain "Accordion" video. Made in 2004, but just released now.

Looking forward to the upcoming release of.....Stones Throw 102: In Living The True Gods DVD drops next month.

STONES THROW BOOGIE-FUNK 2008 PODCAST

1.THE ANTILLES - "I've Got To Have You" :: Creole / '83
2.GODMOMA - "Godmoma Here" :: Elektra / '81
3.CIRCLE CITY BAND - "Magic" (instr ver.) :: Circle City / '83
4.UNO - "Boogie Beat" :: Tryon Park / '80
5.RAH BAND - "Messages From The Stars" :: TMT / '83
6.SIDE ON - "Magic" :: Beggars Banquet / '83
7.SAVANNA - "Never Let You Go" :: R&B / '82
8.ZALMAC - "I Get Down" :: TSOB / '82
9.VAUGHAN MASON featuring BUTCH DAYO - "You Can Do It" (instr. ver.) :: Salsoul / '83
10.WIZARD - "It's On" :: Chocolate Cholly's / '82
11.GASTON - "Everywhere a Funk, Funk" :: Chocolate Cholly's / '81
12.CAROL CHINNETE w/ The Concrete Band - "Cyanide Love" :: Zilco / '84
13.AARON BROOMFIELD - "Polyphase (Instrumental Poly Rythums) :: Mountain / '83
14.WYND CHYMES - "Baby You're The One" :: Shakin' / '80
15.INDEX - "Starlight (The Break)" :: Record Shack of London / '81
16.FIREFLY - "Show Me Tonight" :: Emergency / '82
17.NEXUS - "Stand Up" (instr. ver) :: Mr. Disc / '83
18.JAMES PANTS - "Ka$h" (instr. ver.) :: Stones Throw / '07
19.THE VERDICT - "That's Where I Come In" :: Nuance / '8?
20.PEE WEE - "Be My Girl" :: Streetwise / '82
21.BARON ZEN - "Burn Rubber" (dãm-funk Remix / instr. ver.) :: Stones Throw / '07


Stones Throw Podcast #28# - STONES THROW BOOGIE-FUNK 2008

MIXED BY DÂM-FUNK Introducing DJ Dâm-Funk, producer of Baron Zen's "Burn Rubber Remix" and host of the weekly event Funkmosphere in Los Angeles.

Click here for Podcast Link.

OR ALTERNATIVELY DOWNLOAD FROM HERE

Jay Electronica - An Original Voice in Hip Hop......AT LAST !!

Came accross this guy via Gilles Peterson's podcast available from his Worldwide website. He performed live at the Worldwide Awards this year at Cargo, but more importantly he has just been signed to Erykah Badu's new label and a buzz seems to be growing.

So here's a sample of his output - LINK: Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind.

Check HERE for more.........

HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2008

Happy New Year to one and all.



Dance The Latin Funk (3x7 Inch)

Disc one: A: Tito Puente – Hit the Bongo B: Tito Puente – Black Brothers Disc two: A: Mongo Santamaria - Mambomongo B: Latinaires – Camel Walk Disc three: A: Al Escobar – Tighten Up B: Chollo Rivera – I’ve got the Feeling Our third excursion into the deep catalogue of world-renowned Latin labels Fania and Tico focuses on the sounds of heavy funk – with a touch of Latin! A selection of classics and rarities that have worked their timeless magic on dancefloors the world over for thirty or more years – all presented in a special package including informative liner notes and cover scans! The 3 record box set contains the two heaviest funk tracks from the master Tito Puente – ‘Hit the Bongo’ and ‘Black Brothers’, both on one loud pressed 45, plus rare JB covers from Al Escobar and Chollo Rivera, as well as mighty Mongo Santamaria’s ‘Mambomongo’ and the rare ‘Camel Walk’ from the Latinaires – all adding up to one bangin’ Latin funk party! (Jazzman Website)


Jungle Struttin 7 Inch

Prior to the release of their forthcoming debut album, The Lions drop a limited-edition 7” single that features the album title track “Jungle Struttin’” and a dub version of “Ethio-Steppers” that’s 100% exclusive to this 7” release only. “Jungle Struttin’” is a dj-friendly, dusty, Jamaican-funk joint in the vein of Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, and the flipside is a bass-heavy dub in the vein of Scientist or King Tubby but with an added Eastern/African/Ethiopique twist.
The Lions is a unique Jamaican-inspired outfit, the result of an impromptu recording session by members of Breakestra, Connie Price and the Keystones, Rhythm Roots All-Stars, Orgone, Sound Directions, Plant Life, Poetics and Macy Gray (to name a few). Gathering at Orgone's Killion Studios, in Los Angeles during the Fall of 2006, they created grooves that went beyond the Reggae spectrum by combining new and traditional rhythms, and dub mixing mastery with the global sounds of Ethiopia, Colombia and Africa. The Lions also added a healthy dose of American-style soul, jazz, and funk to create an album that’s both a nod to the funky exploits of reggae acts like Byron Lee and the Dragonaires and Boris Gardner, and a mash of contemporary sound stylings.The Lions are an example of the ever-growing musical family found in Los Angeles. There is a heavyweight positive-vibe to be found in the expansive, sometimes artificial, Hollywood-flavored land of Los Angeles. Many of the members of the Lions met through the LA staple rare groove outfit Breakestra and have played in many projects together over the past decade. It was through discussions about The Lions taking place between band conductor Todd Simon and Ubiquity that recent releases by Orgone and Connie Price came to be. (Ubiquity Records).


Earth Blossom LP


A beautiful session of spiritual soul jazz -- and one of the rarer albums on the legendary Strata East label! The obscure combo is led by drummer/percussionist John Betsch -- and instrumentation includes guitar, piano, electric piano, and reeds -- all used with plenty of warm touches, and a few sharp edges -- all very much in the best Strata East mode of the time! The tracks have a soaring sort of sound -- similar to some of the Keno Duke material on the label, but also touched with some trippier edges too -- a great blend that really brings a lot of depth to the session, and which has made this one of our favorite Strata sides over the years. Titles include "Song For An Untitled Lady", "Ra", "Get Up & Go", and "Ode To Ethiopia". (Dustygroove)



Ode To Ethipoia 7 Inch

To coincide with a wonderful re-issue of the legendary album, Earth Blossom, Heavenly Sweetness present this 7" that features the stunning 'Ode To Ethiopia' with a Carlos Nino (Build An Ark) remix on the filp! (Rush Hour).












Blue Note Street (Part 1) 12 Inch.

Blue Note classics, replayed here by some of the best artists on the Japanese groove scene -- including some of the key club jazz combos who've been inspired by the older work on the label! The collection is really wonderful -- proof that the Blue Note groove is not only alive and well into the 21st Century, but also has plenty of room for new interpretation and new modes of jazz expression! Some of the tracks here feature electronics, beats, and dancefloor production -- but just as many sparkle with the kind of spontaneous, acoustic instrumentation that Blue Note gave the world back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Part 1 of the vinyl version features 5 tracks that include "Maiden Voyage" by DJ Kawasaki, "Street Walkin Woman" by Jazztronik, "Oriental Folk Song Rework" by Robert Glasper Experiment, "Off & On" by Kyoto Jazz Massive, and "Avila & Tequila" by Sunaga T Experience, (Dustygroove website).

Blue Note Street (Part 2) 12 Inch

Blue Note classics, replayed here by some of the best artists on the Japanese groove scene -- including some of the key club jazz combos who've been inspired by the older work on the label! The collection is really wonderful -- proof that the Blue Note groove is not only alive and well into the 21st Century, but also has plenty of room for new interpretation and new modes of jazz expression! Some of the tracks here feature electronics, beats, and dancefloor production -- but just as many sparkle with the kind of spontaneous, acoustic instrumentation that Blue Note gave the world back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Part 2 of the vinyl version features 6 tracks that include "Afrodisia" by Muro, "Moanin" by Takeshi Nakasuka, "Mode To John" by Soil & Pimp Sessions, "A Night In Tunisia" by Toshio Matsuura Group, "Don't Know Why" by DJ Kaori, and "Cleopatra's Dream" by Home Grown

For those who are interested....check this MP3 being offered free from Tru Thoughts.....


LINK: Me&You - Sneaker Thief (Hint Remix)

TM Juke (solo artist and producer & co-writer of Alice Russell) and Robert Luis (A&R and Co-Owner of Tru-Thoughts) are the joint force which is me&you, a multifaceted musical outfit producing a wide range of stomping dance floor breaks.
The duo first collaborated in 2005 to write a one-off track for their DJ sets, then in the summer of 2006 they were invited to play at Bestival and recorded a couple of extra tracks especially for the gig. After an astounding reaction from the crowd they were inundated with enquiries through MySpace and the Tru Thoughts website so decided to record a full-length album together. The unique, encapsulating mix of me&you sounds will instantly entice you into a head-nodding, toe tapping dance floor stomping trance and deliver you on a journey through an eclectic spectrum of influences from break beat, soul, jazz, dub step, broken beat, reggae, disco to drum and bass. (Tru Thoughts Blurb).