I’ve been wishing for a while now that members of the Dap Kings or El Michels Affair would branch off and do a rocksteady side project using all their vintage analogue recording gear. Clearly, someone down in Jamaica was scheming something similar. Instead of trying to recreate that classic sound in a studio today, why not just sing new songs on top of old records? Simple but genius. To be fair, Bitty McLean has already been doing this for a while- with his 2005 album “On Bond Street with The Supersonics” as a perfect example of this very concept. But there’s something so classic about Courtney’s voice that I rarely hear today. So tender and vulnerable that it almost seems frail.

The chorus on “Lucky Man” usually has a way of staying with me all day after I listen to it once. I don’t have any problem with that, but I thought it only fair that I give you warning. And remember the rocksteady version of The Beatles “Blackbird” that I posted here back during Summer? Well he took that record too and turned it into a salve that should help heal even the most shattered heart. I’m also throwing in a couple older Bitty McLean hits for any of you out there who may have missed these when they first came out. Is this a new trend? Neo-rocksteady? I hope so.

Courtney John :       Lucky Man &       Win Some
taken from the album Made In Jamaica on Jamaica Records (2009)

Bitty McLean :       Walk Away From Love &       I've Got Love
taken from the album On Bond Street on Peckings (2005)

It’s about freakin time! This lil baby side project took so long to finish that I was honestly beginning to wonder if I’d ever put it out. I started the first of these songs almost as soon as I finished my Gumbo Funk EP back in 2005! They’ve changed a lot since then, slowly coming into shape in random broken pockets of time, usually late nights alone- too tired or broke to go out. Big shouts to my boys Billy White (who plays piano on Fumando & Speakin’ Nuyorican) and Leo Mintek (who drops the nasty guitar lick on Lagos Speedway). Huge thanks to my brother from another, Ixley, for once again lacing me with super fresh artwork. And also to DJ DRM who runs Bastard Jazz records and continually pushed to get this done.

It is now officially available digitally on iTunes, and for those of you who are vinyl heads like me, get it at Turntable Lab, Bastard Jazz, or wherever good records are sold!

The title track has been available for a while now on RCRDLBL.com, so I’ve decided to share the last track that I finished (which, interestingly, was also the first of these that I started back in 05) “Lagos Speedway”. It’s a funky Afro-electro dancefloor killer that has been getting really good responses every time I play it. If you watch MTV, you very well might hear some of these tracks in the background on classy shows like The Real World Cancun or Styl’d. But what I really hope is that you hear these songs out a club near you- talk to your local DJ and make sure they get familiar with my funky alter ego Captain Planet.

Captain Planet :       Lagos Speedway
taken from the Speakin’ Nuyorican EP on Bastard Jazz (2009)

Extra-special limited-edition CMJ dub-version, extended-dance-mix! It’s jumping off tomorrow night once again at SUTRA. The line-up is kinda crazy, so forget all the 200 other CMJ shows going on that night, and come to ours because IT’S BETTER!  Even though it’s not an “official” showcase (wamp wamp). Remember Joya Bravo who I posted here a while back? Yeah same Joya is coming through. Have you heard of Soundwavve yet? Probably not, so let me introduce you with a fresh MP3 of theirs that samples a rock song I like (I forget, is that White Stripes?). We also have a lil cameo spot from Monica Rush. And as always, the Mixtape Riot family will be representing to the fullest with Soul Imperial DJ sets to flip your lid and a Beatards romp through the room to shake shit up. We’re shooting a video of the whole night, so come through and make a cameo if nothing else. Check the lil promo video by our homies Money Mitch and Bruno to get a taste of what’s on the way…

Soundwavve :       Touch Me

Sorry for lack of recent posts, I travelled to Philly and Baltimore on separate trips for shows and have been planing a bunch of parties here in NY too (more on that soon). Good thing I have amazing music to come home to. This week I was turned on to something extra special when the founder of Akwaaba Music personally hit me up with all their latest releases- an entire discography of brilliant, soulful and dancefloor friendly material. There was so much that it took a while to go through it all, but the long bus rides back and forth out of the city made for prime listening sessions, and the spirit in these songs immediately transported me back accross the Atlantic to the sunnier and warmer places that I remember in West Africa.

Benjamin Lebrave, the founder of Akwaaba, has made it his mission to spread music that rarely makes it out of Africa and he’s staying busy. With 13 diverse releases already, I’m looking forward to a steady stream of new music in the near future. There’s a whole gaggle of different styles and countries represented on the playlist I’m sharing today. I’m not the expert, so check out the links to album details for more info. And if you appreciate the music, please purchase these albums in their entirety to support the artists and Akwaaba – you’ll thank me later when you have all the rest of the music too!

Kedjevara :       Bas Tuyau Bas Serré (this one’s for the dancefloor!)
taken from Le Meteorman

Quabena Philip :       Wadaade Me
DJ Menza :       Coup de Tête de Zidane
both taken from Move It Chaley!

Noite e Dia :       Tiramakossa (Angolan Kuduro music for your ass!)
taken from Akwaaba Sem Transporte

Onyeze :       Ndi Osita Osili (son of highlife legend Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe)
taken from Livin Dey Highlife

Kofi Sammy :       Maame
Rahmane Diallo :       Sira
both taken from Akwaaba wo Africa

Carlos Lamartine :       Ã“ Dipanda Wondo Tula Kiá &       Ene
both taken from Historias de Casa Velha (probably my favorite album of the bunch!)

A long while back (in the old Captain’s Crate blog) I posted a cut off a soundtrack by the Greek groover Mikis Theodorakis and someone commented that it was clearly an interpolation of a song by French composer Pierre Henry (that went on to be interpreted again as the theme song for the cartoon Futurama). After pretty much forgetting about all that, I finally got my hands on the original version which really is an ahead-of-it’s-time futuristic synth bugout- peep the video for the full craziness. I’ve heard a few moog records in my day, but this one really goes beyond novelty.

One song always leads me to another, and right after stumbling upon “Psyche Rock” a friend shared this great French 60’s beatnik compilation with me- Atomic Cafe. The supremely bouncy Charlotte Leslie cut and Jean-Jaques Perry‘s moog monster “E.V.A.” both come from that collection. Sounds like Perry was ripping off Pierre pretty heavily on this one, even down to the church bells, but I like his addition of trippy processed vocals and that ghostly keyboard that floats around in the background. The Fatboy Slim remix is just a little something extra I found while digging around online- I suppose it might be possible to drop this into a set somewhere, just gotta find the right party.

Charlotte Leslie :       Les Filles C'est Fait

Jean-Jaques Perrey :       E.V.A.

Pierre Henry :       Psyche Rock

Pierre Henry :       Psyche Rock (Fatboy Slim Malpaso Mix)

A groggy morning search through cheap Brooklyn record bins, coffee in hand, shades protecting my swollen shut eyes, lead me to yet another highly rewarding discovery this past Sunday. The fleeting thrill of finding good music from an unknown artist is the force that fuels my never-ending, wallet-breaking record digging quest- a nerdy odyssey of the highest order. However, stumbling upon an entirely new scene or style of music (new to me at least), is a seldom joy that comes with a headrush of self-realization and humility. And what strange new world did I discover this time around, dizzying me with the recognition of my own blinding ignorance? British Jazz-Funk! I must admit, prior to Sunday, I was clueless. This single compilation has changed all that (I’ve already tracked down volume 1 too).

To be fair, I lingered on the highly cheesy cover art because I did recognize one name- Freeez, who will be getting their own dedicated post here soon – but all the rest of these artists were new to me. Even Freeez I thought of more as an 80’s New Wave-ish electro group ala I.O.U. But I had no idea they were part of a whole Euro contingent who were laying down slap bass lines and warped synth stabs to make Nile Rodgers and dare I say it, even Cheryl Lynn nod in approval. So here’s a few premium cuts off this excellent double LP which I encourage you all to track down in full. If you lack an appreciation for cheese, then it’s probably best you steer clear today’s selections. But for those that can funk with this, stay tuned for some more heavy British business from Freeez coming soon.

Linda Taylor :       You And Me Just Started

Cool Runners :       Play The Game

Direct Drive :       Time's Running Out

all taken from The Best Of British Jazz-Funk Vol. 2 on Beggars Banquet (1982)