First off, Happy New Year's Eve! I hope everyone has had a chance to check the Best of 2010 entry I posted earlier this week. If not, please check it out and let me know your thoughts about the list and your favorite releases of the year. Also if you haven't already, please check out my new Best of 2010 Chart that I posted over at the Juno Records website. Lots of great records to be snatched up over on that site!
Well, it's the last day of the year and I thought I would end 2010 with an edit I had recently finished of Larry Page Orchestra's 1978 disco-stomper "You Do It Good". I thought this re-edit might be the perfect last minute edition for all those NYE disco sets that will be going off later tonight. This will also be the first of the many new edits I will posting in the next couple of weeks, which will also include the first track off the new Cabana Disco Vol.05 twelve. So stay tuned...
Anyways, have a happy and safe New Years! See everyone in 2011!
It's been awhile since I posted anything from Prins Thomas, and with the Norwegian producer being one of my favorite artists, I thought I would post a re-edit he did this year of D.I.T.'s (aka Destiny In Time Band) 1981 disco cut "Long Gone". The funky re-edit was featured on a twelve-inch single released by Chicago's Past Due Records that featured a number of the group's previously released material. Other tracks featured on the record include "Dance", "Get It Together", and the original version of "Long Gone". Even though I find that this record has been a bit of a "sleeper", I feel it's one of this year's strongest twelve-inch releases. I highly recommend snatching up a copy of the twelve, before you get stuck throwing down a hefty price for the original. Plus, Prins Thomas' re-edit is a nice added bonus that doesn't exist on the original release. Point of the story...Don't sleep!
You can purchase the twelve-inch single by Clicking Here.
Today, I thought I would post something a little different than usual due to the exciting fact that I will be seeing spiritual jazz legend Pharoah Sanders perform for the first time tonight at Yoshi's in Oakland. This will be Pharoah's first of three consecutive night's in which he will grace the stage at Yoshi's.
Over the past two years, my love for jazz music has sky-rocketed as I've continued to dig deep into the music's culture, artists, and releases. The unfortunate thing that I have come to realize, which is somewhat similar to disco, is that many of the artists that I have been drawn to like John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, and Max Roach are no longer with us, therefore I will never get the opportunity to experience what it must of been like to see them perform live. With that being said, I try to make it an absolute priority now to see "the far too few" surviving legends of jazz that have made an impression on me like Pharoah Sanders, Randy Weston, Yusef Lateef, and Hugh Masekela, whenever I get a chance.
As I've already mentioned, this will be the first time that I will be seeing Pharoah perform, which feels like an early Christmas gift. I first became interested in the saxophonist when I heard him playing with Coltrane on records like Cosmic Music, Expression, and Live At The Village Vanguard Again!, with then later enjoying Pharoah's own releases like Tauhid, Summun Bukmun Umyun - Deaf Dumb Blind, Thembi, and Black Unity. What I enjoy the most about Pharoah's music is the many sophisticated layers that his compositions are made up of and the overall spiritual trance those layers tend to put a person in as they listen to them. Pharoah's musical achievements and milestones are far too great to be listed here in one blog entry, therefore I won't go into a long biographical rant. I find the best way to capture the essence that is Pharoah's music is go out and purchase one of his many extraordinary brilliant albums and listen to it over a bottle of wine. I think from there you'll be able to start to understand the sophisticated beauty of Pharoah's music. As the late great saxophonist Albert Ayler once said about Pharoah's music, "Trane was the Father, Pharoah was the Son, I am the Holy Ghost."
So as I get my chance to finally hear Pharoah Sanders and all those spiritual layers that his music always tends to express, I plan to take it all in and appreciate the moment of being able to hear a jazz legend like Pharoah Sanders
Need a little "spice" on a Tuesday afternoon? Here is the funky 1977 break-heavy track "Jungle Melody" by Pierre Dalmon. This Euro groove cut starts off really laid back and then works it's way up into a full blown cosmic gem with a slight touch of erotic undertones that sounds like it came from the vaults of a European Library music record. Roger Tokarz and Pierre-Alain Dahan from European disco heavy-weights Voyage and Arpadys also appear on the track. Overall, a solid dose of funky breaks from another one of those hard-to-find Euro groove albums. Enjoy!
NOTE: The above image isn't the actual LP cover. I was feeling a little creative today, and therefore went ahead and came up with a graphic that I felt went along with the music.
First off, I want to say thanks for all the kind birthday wishes that everyone sent me on this site and on facebook. I certainly appreciate all the love. I also want to send an extra special thanks to my wife Stacy, for throwing me an amazing party Friday night. It was one of those parties that makes you wish you could turn thirty every year.
Anyways, on to the music...
It's been kind of a long an exhausting day, therefore I think I'm going to brighten the mood a bit with the Brazilian boogie gem "Estrelar" by Marcos Valle. This funky tropical track was featured on Valle's self-titled album, which was released back in 1983. When it comes to raising mid-day spirits, there might not be anything more perfect than a funky tropical classic from one of Brazil's greatest artist. Enjoy!
Today is actually my birthday and I find myself entering my thirties. After a certain age, you realize that it's just another year and another number. It doesn't mean much outside of the fact that your one year older (at least that's what I've been trying to tell myself). That being said, it's nice to look back at the last ten years and remind myself of all the milestones and important memories that happened in my life during that time, including graduating college, getting married, the music & bands that I was apart of, the unfortunate passing of my grandparents, all the wonderful people and friends I met, the amazing places I visited, and all the hardships, laughs, and learning lessons that fell in between. Overall, it was a good run and for the most part, a period of time in my life that I can honestly say that I'm truly proud of. I find that the many bumps and bruises I often occurred along the way, have only really helped me become more comfortable in who I am, what I believe in morally, and what I hope to stand for as a person. It's safe to say that I'm looking forward to the next ten years and whatever comes along with it. I hope to travel and experience more, continue to be a better husband, person, and friend, while of course continuing my endless journey of creating and sharing music with as many people as possible. It's really hard to say what the next ten years will be like, especially when you find it's hard to predict what the next ten days will be like, however I'm definitely looking for to it and ready to tackle all the new challenges that might come along the way.
Since this wasn't really much of a music post, I thought I would just repost a couple of tracks that I found myself enjoying last night. Enjoy!
Here is a heavy-dose of Latin funk titled "Mambo Rock" by the group Seguida. This is just one of the many solid selections from the Chicano Spirit Vol.02 compilation that was released back in 2003 off of the French label Follow Me Records. The record features some rare Latin funk gems from the seventies including Harvey Averne Barrio Band's "Cucaraca Macara", Nico Gomez And His Orchestra's "Baila Chiquiban", Katunga's "Bailando Despacito", and Willi Bobo's "A Koko", among others. Even though it seems like this compilation fell a bit under the radar during it's initial release in 2003, the record is solid from start to finish and is a nice addition to any one's record collection. Enjoy!
When it comes to Euro library music, one of my all-time favorite tracks is Stringtronics' 1972 cut "Safari Park". This laid-back funky track was just one of the many great cuts off the group's classic "Mindbender" album, which remains to be one of the most sought after library albums by record collectors. "Safari Park", along with many of the other tracks on the album, blend together string instruments alongside electronics that help to produce funky Afro-styled grooves. The record as a whole, does contain some "sleepy" moments, however the funky cuts like "Safari Park" along with others, really help make the album a library music masterpiece. Enjoy!
It's safe to say that I've never been one for "mash-ups", however Gerardo Frisina has produced a superb mash-up titled "African Seeds" that consists of an unreleased Sabu Martinez track that is blended together with the baritone sax groove from Sahib Shihab's 1968 track "Seeds". This funky track is featured on the twelve-inch single Gerardo Frisina Blends Sabu Martinez & Sahib Shihab, which was released back in 2005 off the label Schema. The song has a heavy Afro-Latin groove while maintaining it's uptempo feel all the way through the track's last conga hit. Overall, the track represents a great example of how to bring together two funky Afro-Latin cuts and produce a brilliant new production. Enjoy!
You can purchase Gerardo Frisina Blends Sabu Martinez & Sahib Shihab by Clicking Here.
Let's end the week with the rare heavy-hitting Afro-flavored percussion masterpiece "Sangandongo" by the German group Niagara. This funky track was originally released off the group's 1970 self-titled album that featured both Kraut rock legends Klaus Weiss and Udo Lindenberg. The record consists of only two long tracks, both heavily focused around funky Afro percussion grooves and breaks. Simply put, the hard-to-find album is a percussion masterpiece that couldn't be any more primed for potential sampling material. Certainly, a solid addition to any record collection. Have a great weekend!
You can buy a nicely crafted limited-edition reissue of the Niagara's 1970 self-titled album by Clicking Here.
Just when you thought 2010 couldn't squeeze out another funky African compilation into the year, the French label Hot Casa has recently released one of the year's best Afro funk records in Ivory Coast Soul. This funky compilation features lost Afro funk grooves from the West African region Abidjan during the seventies and early eighties. The compilation is a result of nearly 3 years of hard diggin' by hardcore record collector Djamel Hammadi, better known as "Afrobrazilero", when he travelled throughout Côte d'Ivoire (where Abidjan is located) twelve different times to come up with this incredible collection of rare finds. With major labels like Decca and EMI focusing on the music that was coming out of other African regions like Nigeria and Ghana during the seventies, most of the tracks that appear on the record were originally released by small labels who were only able to issue their releases in very limited runs. Some of the highlights from the record include the very Fela Kuti-inspired track "Kalabuley Woman" by Pierre Antoine, Nguessan Santa's Afro boogie gem "Mammy Nia", Jimmy Hyacinthe's disco masterpiece "Yatchiminou" and the funky "La ilaha illalahou" cut by Ali Ibrahim. Overall, Hammadi along with the help of the label Hot Casa, have done a great job here putting together a superb Afro funk compilation that in turn pays tribute to some of Abidjan's forgotten music roots. Certainly one of the year's best releases!
You can buy the Ivory Coast Soul compilation by Clicking Here.
Here is a rare funky gem titled "Blue Jeans" by Alberto Baldan. This track was featured on Balden's 1974 album The Soul Of Ali 'Ben' Djamballa, which is a much sought after LP by record collectors worldwide. The good grooves from this record don't just start and stop with "Blue Jeans", as the album features a number of other great tracks including "Black Coffee", "Take Six", and "Niger", which all tend to blend euro "library music" grooves together with a touch Afro-flavored funk. As you might imagine, the record features a number of solid breaks and worthy sampling material. Overall, the hard-to-find album represents a fine dose of funky rare grooves. Enjoy!
I've been busy lately putting together my "Best of 2010" blog post, which will appear at the end of the month. As we start to wind down this year and look ahead to 2011, we already have some superb upcoming new releases to be excited about. One of those releases, as I've mentioned before on this site (SEE Sofrito: Tropical Discotheque), is Sofrito's upcoming compilation titled Tropical Discotheque off of Strut Records. This album doesn't make it's way onto record shelves until January 25th, however DJ Hugo Mendez of Sofrito fame has cooked up a great new mix featuring tracks from their upcoming compilation. Think of it as a little "tropical sunshine" to help de-frost the current cold winter days. Enjoy!
And if that isn't enough, here is Frankie Francis and Simbad's superb edit of Victor Uwaifo's funky tropical gem "Ohue", which is featured on the compilation.
Let's end the week on a high note with one of my favorite tracks of all-time in "(Oh, No! Not) The Beast Day" by Marsha Hunt's 22. This Afro-funk gem was released as a seven-inch single back in 1973. The funky track never made it's way onto any of Marsha Hunt's albums, and it represents just one of two singles that were released under the "Marsha Hunt's 22" name. As time has gone on, the original seven-inch single has become a much sought after item among many record collectors. Even though the funky track is a bit of a departure from Hunt's other soul and disco material, "(Oh, No! Not) The Beast Day" is an Afro-funk gem well worth being included on any record collector's wishlist. Enjoy your weekend!
First off, I want to thank everyone for coming out last night to Grow Up. A special thanks goes out to LeBaron, for taking a break at the wineries and throwin' down an amazing set full of disco and boogie gems. As always, it was great to see all the usual suspects as well as some new faces make it out for our last Grow Up party of the year. That being said, we are already looking forward to the new year as the Grow Up crew continues to plan for some more great upcoming parties. So Stay Tuned...
Now on to the music...
Here is another great track from the Latin percussion legend Sabu Martinez in "The Polyvox Jam Pt.2". This funky Latin jazz gem was included on the CD/Digital version of the Mellotronen Records' released album Burned Sugar: The Swedish Radio Recordings 1973. The album, as the title suggests, is just one of a series of releases that the Swedish label Mellotronen Records put out in order to highlight Sabu's rare radio recordings while he was living in Sweden. I highly recommend checking out all the releases in this collection. Overall, "The Polyvox Jam Pt.2" represents just one of the many great tracks that were contributed by this Latin-jazz legend during his much accomplished life. Enjoy!
Just a quick reminder that Tonight is Grow Up (See Previous Post), therefore I hope to see all the usual suspects as well as hopefully a bunch of new faces as it should be a great party. That being said, it's my turn this month to deejay the opening set (so get there early!). With that being said, I thought today it would be appropriate to post the funky laid-back gem "Get It Up For Love" by Ned Doheny. I often enjoy dropping this left-field cut during the early hours of a party, giving everyone something more relaxing to listen to while they enjoy their first (of hopefully many!) drinks of the night. The song might sound a bit familiar, as Tata Vega released a more uptempo disco version of the track on her 1978 album Try My Love. Doheny's version of the song was originally released two years prior on his 1976 album Hard Candy. The song has most recently been included on the BBE compilation Strange Games & Funky Things Volume 5, which was compiled by DJ Spinna. Overall, when it comes to classic Balearic cuts, "Get It Up For Love" is a solid gem. One that is just primed perfectly for more of those "laid back" settings. Enjoy!
This Wednesday night(TONIGHT!) is another monthly installment of Grow Up at Madrone (500 Divisadero Street @ Fell). This month's party is the last of the year, therefore we are planning on going out with a bang. The night will include a special guest deejay set from Beat Electric's very own LeBaron, who alongside resident deejays' Hotthobo, Fenstar, and myself (Pat Les Stache) will be droppin' the disco gems all night long. It should be another fun night, therefore I look forwarded to seeing everyone!
First off, Happy New Year's Eve! I hope everyone has had a chance to check the Best of 2010 entry I posted earlier this week. If not, please check it out and let me know your thoughts about the list and your favorite releases of the year. Also if you haven't already, please check out my new Best of 2010 Chart that I posted over at the Juno Records website. Lots of great records to be snatched up over on that site! 
