The Before Party

This Saturday night at 8 Track, Sunset Sounds is having it's monthly party there in St.Kilda, and yours truly has been added to the bill for a rare sighting behind the decks. I'll be joining Cooper and Square Cut, so get down for a few warm up drinks and some quality tunes, where i will be playing a little bit of everything that i may have posted here, or picked up on some of the other fine blogs in my links. Here are some of new tracks i might give a spin.

MP3's

On The Bus - All Good Funk Alliance feat. Swamburger&Alexandrah

http://download.yousendit.com/1D5147CB66D3B3C4

Messin' Around - Wild Sugar

http://download.yousendit.com/AEE8BEE064006E16

Back - Lorenz Rhode
http://download.yousendit.com/8E1079BE26BB3519

Glancing At Alice

Alice Russell is probably best known for her work done on the Tru Thoughts label, and in particular with Quantic. This Brighton soul singer is a very busy girl indeed and seems to pop up all over the place on various collaborations, as well as releasing her own solo albums. Here is a sample of some of her work done outside the obvious.

MP3's

Slack Society - Dublex(feat. Alice Russell)

http://download.yousendit.com/693E5F402E51F9C4

Hurry On Now (TM Juke's Hurry Home Mix) - Alice Russell

http://download.yousendit.com/106DEDBB4DB34AB6

Gabrielle (Alternate 12" Take) - [re:jazz] feat. Alice Russell

http://download.yousendit.com/3CA98560432ADC5D

Cadillac Funk

Atlanta based funk band "Cadillac Jones"have released a remix EP on Jazz Space + Bass. Here is a track from it.

MP3

K-tel (All Good Funk Alliance remix) - Cadillac Jones

http://download.yousendit.com/C4C026AD2F76F62B

Sick Music

I have been battling the flu all this week, so i thought i would post a fave tracks that you can lay around and be happily sick to.

MP3's

Rock Steady - Aretha Franklin (Aretha Queen Of Soul)

http://download.yousendit.com/5DEA9C7812B6127E

High & Dry - Pete Kuzma feat. Bilal (Exit Music EP 2)

http://download.yousendit.com/6D7BBD3C59F9F7E3

To Know You Is To Love You - Greyboy (Soul Mosiac)

http://download.yousendit.com/72653FDC14653F5E

Can we Go Back - Hi Tek feat. Talib Kweli & Ayak (Hi-Teknology, Vol.2)

http://download.yousendit.com/60A8F99E3C8C1CC4
He's Gone - DJ Cam feat. China (Soulshine)

http://download.yousendit.com/A36259784DF3740D

Reel Funk

I haven't posted any funk for a while, so i thought i would give you a couple of tracks off a compilation released last year called "Fallin' Off The Reel". Enjoy.

MP3's

Feelin' Good - Bama And The Family

http://download.yousendit.com/20E726EB4F4FE2F3

K.C.Stomp - Timothy McNealy

http://download.yousendit.com/3ED53F813D613A77

Old Sydney Sounds

Andy Rantzen was once one half of Sydney electronic outfit Boo Boo & Mace(formerly Itch-E & Scratch-E), the other half being Paul Mac(Paul McDermott). Paul, since the parting of their outfit, has had a successful transition into the commercial music scene here in Australia, and has most recently worked with Daniel Johns, forming The Dissosciatives, and then working on Silverchairs latest offering.

Andy meanwhile, has been a bit more low key, with various remixes, scores and working with The Pelican Daughters. Here is a sample of some of their work from years gone past.

MP3's

Velcro Duck - General Elecktrik vs. Andy Rantzen

http://download.yousendit.com/1E014E4F3E14A2BB

Flowers In The Sky - Boo Boo & Mace

http://download.yousendit.com/B3AEFA4944AEFB95

Gotta Move On - Boo Boo Mace n Nutcase

http://download.yousendit.com/390F40F64C3B86AF

Dope Disco Selection

I have been struggling for time to post over the last few days, but here is a couple of disco tunes off a double CD release(1 mixed, 1 unmixed) called "Kenny Dope Vs. P&P Records". Obviously compiled and presented by the master Kenny Dope, it is filled with some quality disco cuts.

MP3's

Dance Freak - Chain Reaction

http://download.yousendit.com/FA6CC1A5611C15AE

African Rock - Licky

http://download.yousendit.com/108DE5D347511AF8

Shuffle Hog

Do you ever get a song that just continually gets played when you have your MP3 player on shuffle, whilst others are neglected? I have one such song that has been red hot lately, fortunately i love it.

MP3

Keep On Movin - Soul II Soul

http://download.yousendit.com/E901E8117DDAD974

Remix Sessions

The funky Dutchmen that are Kraak & Smaak, have just released a double CD called "The Remix Sessions", and as the title suggests, an album of remixes filled with the Kraak & Smaak funky breakbeat sound stamped over them. I have picked out a couple of the lesser known artists for you to hear, including Australia's own Resin Dogs. I am a big fan of these guys, so enjoy these, and check out the album.
MP3's
Its All Good (Kraak & Smaak Remix) - Zeroleen
http://download.yousendit.com/6452BBE804F908E1
She's Gone (Kraak & Smaak Remix) - Resin Dogs
http://download.yousendit.com/31413E852921BE37

Picnic Attack

Here is a couple of cuts off the I:Cube album Picnic Attack(1997). An interesting listen from an artist around the start of the whole French filtered house scene blowing up with the success of Daft Punk's Homework, released for the second time the same year. One of the tracks in this post(Disco Cubizm), reminds me a lot of the Cassius track "Feeling For You", which was certainly a big success here in Australia.

MP3's

Picnic Attack - http://download.yousendit.com/F601E3EC426C708E

Disco Cubizm - http://download.yousendit.com/32AED6DC29D9679C

Brothers On The Slide

Just a quick post of the classic Cymande track, "Brothers On The Slide", and a couple of housey remixes of the funky tune.
MP3's
Brothers On The Slide(Original) - Cymande
http://download.yousendit.com/0C321EA5571B4BFF
Brothers On The Slide(Brooklyn Mix) - Patchworks Ginger Express
http://download.yousendit.com/9966698566BE54D5
Bros On The Slide - Joey Polpette
http://download.yousendit.com/4407BBFD3FCCD3F8

Nuphonic

When i first started purchasing music, i really had no idea about record labels and the role the played, especially in the underground music market. One of the first labels that i really got into was the now defunct label Nuphonic. I especially enjoyed their compilation series, of which i have a few of, so here are five of my favourite moments from Nuphonic.

MP3's

My Beat (Swag's Spiritual Mix) - Blaze(Nuphonic 02)

http://download.yousendit.com/1F6F92BF45B13CE9

Palais Mascotte - Rollercone(Nuphonic 02)

http://download.yousendit.com/225D0C793437C471

Supersweet - Pablo(Nuphonic 03)

http://download.yousendit.com/5FD3E34F33F99F79

Electrokution - Block 16(Nuphonic 03)

http://download.yousendit.com/0478A69F5CC80B31

Tronic - Cosjam(Nuphonic 04)

http://download.yousendit.com/18FA5F463B634631

Ooft

I am a big fan of the work that the Glaswegian boys do over on the Ooft Music blog. And if you head over there at the moment they have a retrospective of some of their favourite edits they have posted this year, so if you haven't already, check them out.

If you dig those bugged out, funky house edits, you will enjoy this track from Mooch. As the title suggests, sounds good.

MP3

Sounds Good - Mooch

http://download.yousendit.com/E1567D5E3552CF7B

Funky Covers

I have a couple of funky covers for you from two artists that i have previously featured. The first is a remix of The Kashmere Stage Band off a compilation released by Stones Throw called "Now-Again Re:Sounds Vol. 1". The second is off The Bamboos latest album "Rawville". Enjoy.

MP3's

I Wish (Todd Terry Remix) - Kashmere Stage Band

http://download.yousendit.com/D9DDEF0E055BD69E

Happy - The Bamboos

http://download.yousendit.com/52807870131E7A28

A Singer And Their Piano

There is something i have always found mesmerising about the piano. Out of all the instruments, it is the one that probably speaks to me the most, and that my ear tunes into above all other sounds when it is played on a track. So, here are three of my favourite songs, just a singer and their piano.

Little Girl Blue - Nina Simone

http://download.yousendit.com/B8C14D4F2751CB31

I couldn't do the post without having a track from the great one herself. A beautiful , sorrowful tune which in small parts showcases Nina's classical training, as well as her always amazing voice.

Lifted - John Legend

http://download.yousendit.com/F4969A354BB0249D
I could have easily had "Ordinary People", but as that was flogged on commercial radio here, i have taken this amazing version of "Lifted", taken off his Solo Sessions(Live At The Knitting Factory) CD.

Never Felt This Way - Brain McKnight

http://download.yousendit.com/482E96032BD0943C

I know what your thinking, Brian McKnight? But i actually loved and still do his debut, self titled album from 1992. The man can sing, and the slow build of this track with the playing and vocal delivery, still sends shivers down spine.

Grafitti

I must admit, i had not heard of keyboardist Carlos Franzetti until stumbling across this reissue of this apparently once rare 1977 (i did find one source that stated 1970, but most say 1977) release "Grafitti". Upon further digging, you find this Argentinian born musician has a long list of impressive credits listed here. This album has a fusion of 70's jazz, funk, disco and latin, and on the whole, is a pretty good listen.
MP3's
Cocoa Funk
http://download.yousendit.com/23F4FF7A038EC1D9

Lady Soho
http://download.yousendit.com/A9516A2D2A569BF6

Take Me I'm Yours

Just a quick post on a nice disco reissue from a while back called "Take Me I'm Yours" by Mary Clark, originally released in 1980 on La Shawn Records.

MP3

Take Me I'm Yours - Mary Clark

http://download.yousendit.com/665144F12C768B54

Nuyorican Soul

A favourite album of mine from the late nineties was Nuyorican Soul's(1997) self titled album. Essentially an effort of the Masters At Work production team of Kenny 'Dope' Gonzales and Little Louie Vega, this album boasts an impressive list of collaborators with the likes of Jocelyn Brown, Roy Ayres and George Benson making appearances.

It is very hard to pick out a couple of tracks, due to this being such a well put together album in the sense that each track flows into the next and is best listened to in its entirety, a rare thing these days. However, i have gone with the bookends(excluding intro), with the last George Benson featuring track, being an all-time personal fave of mine. It has quite a long solo guitar intro, then slams into a storming jazz dance tune, with Benson scatting over the top of his amazing chord work. This album is a must have for any collection.

MP3's

I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun(feat. Jocelyn Brown)

http://download.yousendit.com/381F84F6639E7818

You Can Do It(Baby) feat. George Benson

http://download.yousendit.com/D3CA1AB01C585EF6