Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Breakout : Planet Rock Pt 1.

The first official single release by Breakout came out in September 2006:
The famous Melting Pot Music label from Cologne, Germany released a dirty funk version of "Planet Rock" on 7" produced by Breakout.
3500 vinyl copies got sold within a few weeks, lots of people all around the world showed some love for the release and it went straight into the crates of some of the worlds most renowned djs.
The single got played on the radio by Pete Tong (BBC Radio 1), Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 1), Kev Beadle (Basic Soul/ Solar Radio), DJ Day (Eastvillage Radio/ USA), Andrew Jervis (Ubiquity – 90.3 KUSF/ USA), B-Side & Suzi Wong (Coke DJ-Culture On Air/ JamFM; BigFM; 89.0 RTL) and by Michael Rütten (Soulsearching/ Compost Radioshow/ FM4) among others.
Afrika Bambaataa was asking for copies so that he "CAN JAM THIS MUTHA FUNKER OUT ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THEN THE UNIVERSE!". And he let Breakout know that "BREAKOUT ROCKS TO THE PLANET ROCK DON'T STOP!"
In November 2006 a 12” featuring the 9 min. funk version of “Planet Rock” known from the 7” plus the Planet Rock Bonus Beats, a Jazz version with strings & flute and a brand new track written and produced by Breakout called “Planet Funk” came out on Melting Pot Music! Up to now it sold around 3000 vinyl copies!
In December 2006 the members of Breakout decided to go seperate ways so in June 2007 the last 7" of Breakout called "Lyve Wire" was released on Melting Pot Music!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Lack Of Afro : Roderigo

As a multi instrumentalist, in-demand producer and re-mixer, a DJ with his finger on the cutting edge of contemporary sounds, and an ear tastefully cocked to the hippest soul, jazz and funk music from the 60´s and 70´s, Adam Gibbons, the young man at the centre of the Lack Of Afro phenomenon, has already established an unrivalled reputation as one of the most crucial names at work in funk and dance music today.
The Lack Of Afro story began back in 2006 after excited word spread to the Freestyle Records offices about the sounds Adam was creating, Freestyles´ head honcho DJ Adrian Gibson instantly signed him and released the stunning debut single “Wait A Minute”. One of the labels fastest selling 12”s ever, it has gone onto sell massive numbers worldwide and appeared on countless compilations. The subsequent 2007 album “Press On” fulfilled his early promise, with Adam playing nearly all the instruments himself. Hailed by iDJ magazine as “one of the greatest albums of the modern funk era” the release passed into contemporary music folklore.
In 2009 “My Groove, Your Move” was released, Lack Of Afro dispels the´difficult second album’ syndrome without even breaking a sweat. Featuring vocal contributions from the amazing Roxie Ray (Dojo Cuts) on the suitably sultry numbers “Closer To Me” and “Tell Me What Happens Now”. In addition You Tube MC prodigies Wax & Herbal T bust out all over the slamming club killer “International” and the superb “Suspicious Glow”

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Black Machine : How Gee

Released in 1992 on the German label BCM Records and samples "Soul Power 74" by Maceo Parker.
Brown performs "Soul Power" on the live albums Revolution of the Mind: Recorded Live at the Apollo, Vol. III (1971) and Love Power Peace (1992; recorded 1971).
An instrumental version of "Soul Power" was created in 1974 by adding new overdubbed horn parts by Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley to the rhythm track of the original recording. Sound engineer Bob Both added random sound effects at several points to conceal where the horn track from the original recording had bled through into the rhythm parts. Titled "Soul Power '74" and credited to "Maceo & the Macks", the new version was released as a single on People Records and reached #20 on the R&B charts. It also appeared on the album Us!.
A re-edit of "Soul Power" was included on the 1986 compilation album In the Jungle Groove.
Both the original recording of "Soul Power" and "Soul Power '74" have been extensively sampled by hip hop producers. "Soul Power '74" was also sampled on Jennifer Lopez's 2005 song "Get Right".
"Soul Power" was covered by the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins on their 2000 album Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Nuyorican Soul : Nautilus

Original is from Bob James, the man who played a major role in turning fusion jazz more mainstream. "Angela", the instrumental theme from the sitcom Taxi, is probably Bob James' most well-known work to date. He is also well-known for the fusion classics "Nautilus" and "Westchester Lady", the latter from the album Bob James Three.
Nuyorican Soul is the project of Little Louie Vega and Kenny Dope Gonzales, also known as Masters at Work. With Nuyorican Soul they worked extensively with top musicians like Roy Ayers, Vincent Montana Jr, George Benson, Tito Puente and Jocelyn Brown in a variety of styles including latin, jazz and disco.
This unique combination of musicians resulted in a masterpiece, a self-titled album under the name Nuyorican Soul, including original tracks as cover versions of the performers the duo were working with. A must have !

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings : Tell Me

Jones and the boys have grown quite well into their spot at the forefront of the old-school soul revival, ahead of fellow travelers like the Poets of Rhythm, Lefties Soul Connection, Nicole Willis, the Budos Band, and Amy Winehouse, who's become the movement's commercial and tabloid face. They follow their muse across the soul map, cutting a sublime Motown groove on "Tell Me", jumping on a nasty funk vamp on "Nobody's Baby", slowing things down for a burning southern soul ballad on "Humble Me", and going back to Jones' gospel roots on the jaw-dropping closer "Answer Me".
From the first notes of 100 Days, 100 Nights, it's apparent that Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are in a different mood than the one they were in when they made their first two albums.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Mary Love : Born To Live With Heartache

There were many soul singers like Mary Love in the 1960's & very talented, competent performers who were nonetheless pushed to the back of the pack because they lacked exceptional material, or enough personality to truly distinguish them from a crowded field.
After doing some session work as a teenager in Los Angeles, she got her chance to cut half a dozen singles for the Modern label in the mid 60's.
These included 'You Turn My Bitter Into Sweet', I've Got To Get You Back', Let Me Know', Lay This Burden Down', 'Baby I'll Come', Talking About My Man' and Is That you?'.
These were decent, commercial soul records, nothing more, nothing less, somewhat less pop-oriented than Motown, but not much.
She managed to get hold of some material by noted writers Frank Wilson and Ashford & Simpson, but only managed one minor R & B hit for Modern, 'Move a Little Closer,' which made number 48 in 1966.
Love revisited the lower reaches of the R & B Top 50 with 'The Hurt Is Just Beginning' for Josie in 1968, mysteriously, she only issued one more 45 for the Elco label, 'Born To Live With A Heartache', and that didn't come out until 1971.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

The Spinners : It's A Shame

Written by Stevie Wonder, this is about a breakup he had with his girlfriend at the time, Syreeta Wright. Wonder wrote the song with Lee Garrett, a songwriter who also co-wrote Wonder's hit "Signed, Sealed, Delivered."
G.C. Cameron had joined the band as lead singer at the time of this song's initial release. In 1972, The Spinners switched record labels and moved from Motown to Atlantic. Cameron stayed with Motown as a solo artist, and was replaced in The Spinners by Philippé Wynne, who sang lead on most of the group's hits in the '70s.
Jazz guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. made a smooth Jazz version of this song for his album Still Small Voice. Paul's version was also featured on the compilation album Blue Note Plays Stevie Wonder, a series of covers that was a tribute to Wonder.
In 1990, British-born singer and rapper Simone Wilson, the artist better known as Monie Love, sampled this as part of her song "My Sister," a song that also talks about the emotions of a breakup after the accusations of an alleged love affair. (thanks, Annabelle - Eugene, OR, for all above)
Lethal Bizzle, a former member of More Fire Crew, sampled this on his 2005 song "Fire."
The Jamaican Rock Steady singer Alton Ellis recorded a version of this song that appears on his album Darker than Blue: Soul from Jamdown.