I’ve been waiting so long for this one and it’s WORTH IT! The video for NASTY FUNKY (Directed by the legendary Christine Turner of Say It Loud! Productions) is done and looks amaaaaaaazingly fresh. Come out tonight and rage with us at Beauty Bar with 2 for 1 drinks, a live Beatards performance, and VIDEO SCREENINGS ALL NIGHT! Bound to get rowdy on the dancefloor with me and DJ O providing mixmaster services as well. At some point throughout the night, I promise to drop my new anthem as of 3 hours ago… “MY MUSIC” by Mr. Johnson (shouts to Never Not Working crew for the revelation). 

Yes Jadakiss heads, this is the sample source for “We Gon’ Make It” (wait for it!), but more importantly, it speaks to those of us who actually think about the plausibility of marrying music. Listen to the album if you seek more of the good shit.

Samuel Jonathan Johnson : My Music
taken from the album “My Music” on Columbia (1978) 

I recently dug up this Shirley joint and was reminded of just how simple the recipe is for a timeless dancefloor banger.  Double-dutch rhymes, handclaps, and the obligatory pounded-by-caveman drums. Still works for plenty of artists today. First thought: this is screaming to be remixed and I will do it. While allowing the record to linger in my “to be remixed” crate, I finally gave a listen to the Kizzaland mixtape that people had been telling me about (sometimes I’m slow). First thought: that bastard Timbaland protege beat me to it! The rest of the mixtape is definitely worth a listen too, but this one made me smack the back of my head. Also check these Izza Kizza videos if you got a second. Continue reading…

Watch out for this group! I found out about them when Murphy and O-Dub put out their “Ritmo Del Camino” mixtape a couple months ago and included “Baby” as the second to last song. Handclap actually reached out to us since their name was spelled wrong on the mixtape tracklist (“Handclapping”- blame it on dufus, not me), and asked for a correction and a myspace link. It’s taken me way too long to catch up, but here’s their myspace and their blog, and more photos from their last show at the Williamsburg Music Hall– what was I doing that night and why did I miss this?

Daniel Collás and Sean Marquand make up Embassy Sound Productions (ESP) who are responsible for putting this latest project together. If their names sound familiar perhaps it’s because you have the albums they produced for Uniao Black and Joe Bataan in recent years (comeback albums rarely ever sound this nice). Sean also happens to be one half of the DJ Duo that has been holding down Brazil Beat Brooklyn at Black Betty for years now- still my favorite Sunday night party. Psychedelic, funky, retro-futuristic- I’m eagerly awaiting the full album.

Continue reading…

So the homie Ballantino hit me up and let me know that my track Speakin Nuyorican was the MP3 of the day over at RCRDLBL.COM (one of the cooler, and most groundbreaking blogs out there in my opinion). I knew the song was going to be on the BKLYN compilation (alongside some of my FAVORITE funky artists) put together by my other good friend DJ DRM, but I don’t have a copy and didn’t even know it was released yet! This is the second time this year that I’ve discovered one of my unreleased tracks inadvertently on a compilation- O-Dub at Soul-Sides.com put me on to this Japanese comp that features a rough draft of my song “Fumando”. Both of these tunes will be on my upcoming (and still unfinished) EP on Bastard Jazz, with a remix from Sweden’s own Freddie Crugar/Red Astaire. Coming soon, I SWEAR!!!!

Also, heard through another homie that The Beatards “Big Bad Beat EP” is finally up on the iTunes store, so if you still have been sleeping, or are just opposed to having physical CDs in your life anymore, then cop yer copy now from Apple.

And yeah, The Slits are the SHIT.  Continue reading…

 

Churchill’s : Open Up Our Eyes, Debka, 
Sunshine Man, & Subsequent Final 
taken from their self-titled album on Hed-Arzi (1968)

Matti Caspi & The Group : Let’s Go Back & Felicidade 
taken from the album Pais Tropical on CBS (1977)

The Platina : Kishoof & 11;13
taken from the album Freedom on Israel (1976)

The Platina : D.J. Dori 
taken from the album Live At The “Bar Barim” on Israel (1973)

Here’s a few more things I discovered in Israel. From these crazy hard psych-out nuggets by the Churchill’s (supposedly one of the most in demand psych records), to the impeccably well borrowed Brazilian swag (sung in HEBREW no less!) of Matti Caspi & crew, to the heavy alternate time signature funky fusion jazz of The Platina– Israeli has heat. Back in the frigid NYC environs where it’s dificult to motivate myself to step outside without whiskey running through my veins, I’m in dire need of this warmth. 

Be forewarned as well- Murphy’s Law and I accrued an insane stack of mind melting Turkish pysch and funk records at the end of our trip while wylin’ in ole Istanbul.  Expect a new FUNK BROS mix soon, and a post with some particularly audacious tunes from the bunch. 

Apocalypse :  Under The Eucalyptus Tree & No Place For Two On The Pole
taken from their self-titled album on NMC (1972)

Shlomo Gronich & Mathi Caspi : Kvinta & Opening & Elohim Merachem
taken from the album Behind The Sounds on Hed-Arzi (1972) 

Soulico & Axum : Pitom Banu (Wido Remix)

Sabbo (Soulico Crew member) :  Booty Bounce

Your loyal captain here, aka Chuck Wild, with the first check-in from Zion (I’m hoping there will be more, but it’s always a lil hard on the road). Young Murphy’s Law and I came here together in a brotherly burst of Jewish frugality- taking advantage of the most secular of Birthright trips- at the begining of the new year (still hung over, the both of us). 

Despite rockets flying and bombs dropping (on the UN building!?!), we’re managing to explore the mellow maintained by Israelis even in the eye of the storm. We’re meeting genuinely great people in throngs and even finding some new music. I posted a few jew grooves back in Captain’s Crate (see: Soul Messengers, The Platina and Mordechai Ben David) but it’s been a while, and now I’m actually walking on their turf for the first time. 

I was told that Apocalypse is kinda like the Israeli Led Zeppelin, and while they can’t really hold a torch to Page & Plant, we’ve been bumping this while cruising through the desert in our rented Fiat. On the quieter, more introspective side, I picked up this cool “experimental” record by two of Israel’s bigger musical names, Shlomo & Mathi. I like the cover they do of “Rocky Raccoon” on here as well. 

Also, big up to Ido Wido (who I met in Tel Aviv) and the whole Soulico Crew! They’re a sick DJ/music making/party rocking collective who produce fly remixes and have a new album coming out on JDUB records soon… 

If you’re looking for more of those old school 70’s rare Middle Eastern cuts, peep the that Soulico did a while back for the Mad Decent blog.