Edikanfo : Nka Bom
taken from the album “The Pace Setters” on Editions EG (1981)

Black Soul : Africa Africa
taken from their self-titled album on Beam Junction (1977)

Sorry to all of you who missed the extreme jump-off last wed., soooo righteous. Sky Hy definitely freaked the funk out, I’m looking forward to more from that dude. Big up to the other performers too, and the sponsors, and all the pretty faces I saw (ugly ones too). Looks like it will definitely happen again, so stay tuned…

As spring slowly comes into being around me, with cherry blossoms and sunsets at 7:30, I figured it might make sense to drop some fast paced joints in an attempt at speeding the whole process a bit. If it is possible for mother nature to get hype and shake a little faster, then Afro-disco is the thang that will make it happen. Organic pounding drums meet synths and soaring horns. Gotta love that phaser action on the high hats too.

Edikanfo came out of the thriving scene in 70’s Ghana. Faisal Helwani, who produced this record alongside Brian Eno (yup, totally random, he was on a trip and just kinda ended up in the studio), also produced for Fela and Hugh Masekela among other notables. What little I know about this group and the making of this record I learned by reading this book, check it.

As for Black Soul, I can’t say much other than that they originate from Dakar, Senegal and were making moves in the French scene at the time of this recording. Try doing a google search with “Black Soul” and see how much luck you have. It’s always funny to see the one smiling long-haired white dude in the group, reminds me of the Lafayette Afro-Rock Band. This whole record sizzles at about the same tempo and ferocity, moog and disco breaks abound, which makes sense since this is a “TOM MOULTON MIX”. What little I know about that dude I learned reading this book, check it.

Also, I updated the blogroll finally! There’s some new sites I’ve been finding out about… see for yourselves.

Jaime Foxx ft. Ludacris : Unpredictable (Captain Planet Remix)
Crate exclusive… you know.

Me and my boy DJ O (Beatards / Sway) have been planning this event for a minute now- it takes some serious effort to pull off a night with 4 turntables and 2 serato’s (yeah, that’s right, I’m hoppin’ on that digital hover-wagon) doing all LIVE remixes with 100% ORIGINAL BEATS. We make lots and lots of beats all the time, and this is where we get to put them to the test. The above track is one of the myriad concoctions that came together during our hazy-brained experiment sessions. A bunch of live acts that you want to see too, showcasing all kinds of sickness- it’s like the STD segment of Sex Ed, but fun, and with everybody dancing.

So if you’re in NYC this upcoming Wednesday night, then come out, show your face, and give us the thumbs up by wiggling it to a booty beat we probably made last night. It will be many bonfires of hotness.

The Beatards and Via Present:
MXTR6! MIXTAPE RIOT 6

Wednesday, April 5, 2006
@ SOHO:323
323 West Broadway (b/w Canal & Grand)
21+ // $5
Free beer from 10 – 11

The monthly scandalous notorious shocking dumb large girl meets boy boy meets girl party til dawn event, with on-site remixing by DJ O & Captain Planet. Live performances by Sky Hy, Lisa E, Louie Bricks & Nest, and Loot.

Grady Tate : And I Love Her, Work Song and All Around The World
taken from the album “Windmills Of My Mind” on Skye (1968)

In a bit of a different bag today, this is some of that sophisticated soul. I always knew to look for a Grady Tate drumming credit on the back of CTI records and whatnot, but I had no idea about the man’s musical story. Someone by the name of Kristian St. Claire has already written the review that belongs here, so I’ll just tell you to head over there for more info. Really beautiful arrangement by Gary McFarland on the Beatles cover- if, like me, you get impatient with anything that doesn’t start right off with a fat back open break, please push yourself on this one. It gets better, and better, and BETTER. (It’s Pretty Purdy behind the kit if that makes the wait sound a bit more rewarding to you). And when the humming drops at the close of the track, I’m pretty sure you’ll be sold on this tune as well. This is McFarland’s own start-up label, the same one that put out the ridiculously ill Armando Peraza record that I blogged a while back. Sadly, the man passed in ’71 and the label was no more…

Sly, Slick & Wicked: Love Gonna Pack Up (And Walk Out)
Taken from the 7″ on Bad Boys (197?)

Today I present a real treat. Discoverd deep in dollar bin at the Pasadena Flea Market, this song has been playing non-stop chez moi for the last two months. To my taste, this is very nearly a perfect soul song. Period.

I would put this alongside Darondo’s recently re-discovered and much-hyped “Didn’t I”, as a 70’s soul music masterpiece. The fact that, like Darondo, Sly, Slick & Wicked is a certifiable mystery, only makes the record that much jucier.

Not to be mistaken with a lesser, Cleaveland-based Sly, Slick & Wicked (also a 70’s R&B group), the geniuses in question hailed from none other than my own glorious backyard: East L.A. And that’s about all I know. Supposedly SS&W released a single uber-rare LP (cerca 1975) which fetches a very pretty penny whenever it surfaces. Deservedly so.

Listen to those rolling drums, the languid keys work, the emotive vocals. The call and response break downs for Chrissake!!! Leave me on a desert island with nothing more than the memory of this song, and I would die a happy man.

Los Angeles represent!

(p.s. If anyone has further information about these cats, please share it in the comments section.)

Gnarls Barkley (Cee-Lo & Dangermouse) : Smiley Faces and Crazy
taken from the upcoming album St. Elsewhere on Downtown/Atlantic (2006)

Cee-Lo : I’ll Be Around and All Day Love Affair
taken from the album Cee-Lo Green… Is The Soul Machine on Arista (2004)

Cee-Lo : Gettin’ Grown
taken from the album Cee-Lo Green And His Perfect Imperfections on Arista (2002)

First off, I was really really really having a good good good time watching this movie. I think I would be happy just watching Questlove drum for 2 hours straight, but seeing all these cats together was just outta control. It was so good that it almost made me not be mad at myself for missing the concert in person- where was I?

Perhaps the only person missing was my man CEE fuckin’ LO to the mutherfuckin’ GREEN! If you haven’t been travelling through the Siberian backcountry for the past 5 years, then you’ve heard his music. You very well might have all these songs in your iPod already, but on the off chance that somehow you have missed the absolutely brilliant career of one of our greatest contemporary soul music geniuses (yup, I ain’t afraid to say it!) then you will be thanking me for this revelation.

From Goodie Mob to Dungeon Family to solo steez to countless sideprojects (“Sugar” by Trick Daddy or “Don’t Cha” by Tori Alamaze if you need to be reminded), this man has never ceased to deliver TOP quality music while still managing to actually make it sucessfully (at least somewhat) in the industry. “All Day Love Affair” can bring me to tears, no joke. Plus, dude writes mad songs that make it to the Billboard charts without most of us ever knowing it. To me, that’s genius.

As much respect as I had for the Cee, I really didn’t think I could be as blown away as I was when I first heard “Crazy” a while back. But there’s just nothing else like it. Not sure how or when Cee-Lo first hooked up with Dangermouse to form Gnarls Barkley, but the match seems to fit just right. Simple, haunting, raw, organic… the man has a voice worthy of delivering the gospel. Then just this week I got my hands on “Smiley Faces”, holy crapoli. I’m really feeling tunes at this tempo right now, it’s that ole’ tyme side to side sway shizzz. Makes you clap your hands and bounce and bob yer freaking head and shake your hair and just WILE OUT! I’ve heard some other songs of theirs on the internet (including a really interesting cover of Violent Femmes’ “Gone Daddy Gone”), check it out for yourself. You know I don’t usually post music that is easily available for download from any file sharing network, but this is an exception, this needs to be everywhere. This needs to be what gets played non-stop on the top 40. This needs to go triple platinum. Sadly, it’s very unlikely that it will. Thank you Cee-Lo. and Dangermouse too.

Natalie Gardiner: Trouble In Mind
Taken from the Trouble In Mind EP on Ramjac (2004)

Natalie Gardiner: Can’t Quit You Now
Taken from the 12″ on Ramjac (2005)

It’s easy to get lost in old soul tunes. (When I say lost, I mean literally lost. My living room looks like the forgotten underbelly of the New York Public Library.) Part of it owes to the high quality of the music that came out of the 60’s and 70’s, and part of it, as any wax fiend knows, is the hunt itself–the quest for that hithertofore unknown or long forgotten gem that will set the heart and/or dancefloor afire.

But every now and again it’s important to remember–and I believe this deeply–that we are living in an immensely rich musical period right now. Truly great (and innovative) soul music is being created as we speak. Steve Spacek, J*Davey, Badu–this is the real deal ish. So what if it’s not getting radio play. It’s our jobs as music lovers to seek it out for ourselves. You wouldn’t blame a crack dealer for not reaching his market; the onus is on the fiend to get his fix.

All this is just to say that, dipping back into some of my more contemporary finds, I rediscovered these Natalie Gardiner tracks and was reminded like WOAH! This is some heavy soul music.

These tracks come from two separate 12 inches released prior to her debut LP (which dropped last year, I believe). I haven’t actually heard the whole thing, but I think it’s pretty safe to say it’s well worth your $15–that is, if you can find it. Sadly, few publications (print, internet or otherwise) have offered much in the the way of hype.

The producer, a Swede by the name of Ramjac, obviously knew what he was going for with Ms. Gardiner: super stripped-down, moody, broken beat instrumentals that accomodate the purity of her melancholy vocals. Just plain good stuff.

Dig on!