Geraldo Pino: Africans Must Unite
Taken from the album Let’s Have A Party reissued on Soundway (2005)

Geraldo Pino: Power To The People
Taken from the album Let’s Have A Party reissued on Soundway (2005)

Man, I done fell off. Apologies all around. Murphy has been working like an absolute hound dog on a new mix which, having just finished it, I can safely say is pure fire. Query: what you know about some 22nd century soul, jazzy hip hop, mid tempo disco stepper cuts, and funk break bombs sprinkled with a bit of latin sum’tin sum’tin? Seriously, whatchoo know about it? The as yet untitled mix will be available very soon on The Crate.

In the meantime take in some Geraldo Pino to satisfy the funky African in you. Brought to you courtesy of the folks over at Soundway, the above tracks are taken from Pino’s second release, originally recorded in 1974. I learned of Pino via Michael Veal’s Fela Kuti bio, in which Fela remembers his early encounters with Pino’s pioneering Afro-funk. Particularly evident in the keys work of “Africans Must Unite”, the influence seems pretty undeniable. Fela later recounted to another biographer, “After seeing this Pino, I knew I had to get my shit together. And quick!”

Born in Sierra Leone, Pino spent most of his musical career touring through West Africa with his heavily James Brown-influenced band, the Heartbeats. Eventually, they settled in Accra, Ghana, where, according to the record’s liner notes, they basically owned the music scene. It was there that Fela first took in the fatback American-style funk drums that Tony Allen would later transform into Afro-beat.

Earl Zero : Home Sweet Home
taken from the album “Visions Of Love” on Epiphany (1979)

Cultural Roots : Age Of Creation
taken from the album “Revolutionary Sounds” on Germain (1980)

Wayne Wade : Poor And Humble
taken from the album “Poor And Humble” on Live & Learn (1982)

Even the most high spiriterd folks need a little upliftment now and then. When the wallet is empty and the relationship is all fuss & fight, and the work is hard, and the future is hazy (or even glum)- for these trials and tribulations I thank the highest for the healing forces of roots reggae music. The bass and skank speak nostalgia for a Zion lost, sing acknowledgement of the brutality and injustice of Babylon, but low… within the void between the spaceous delay there too exists the room for change. Proudly prounounced with each hitting horn burst and throughout every wailing verse glimmers that promise of a brighter future for all righteous creatures. Feeling low myself, I dug out these forgotten gems- too many records to keep track of- and I’m starting to feel like I’m doing alright. Also helps to eat proper ital.

Earl only has 2 records by his own name, but it looks like he’s still keeping active by the will of Jah. “13 Months of sunshine all the time” sounds pretty nice to me right now (water is currently boiling for hot cup of tea #6). Really love the work from one Agustus Pablo on the melodica here. Guitar and musical production by Chinna. The album ends with a highly danceable steppers cut called “None Shall Escape The Judgement”, but you’re gonna have to dig for that one.

I like how Cultural Roots manage to rebel against scientific reasoning by saying that scientists “are only surmising”. No concrete evidence for the big bang? Sometimes I feel that fed up with the whole thing as well. Musical backing here by one of my all-time favorite reggae bands- The Revolutionaries. Another hot track on here is “Jah No Partial”.

Wayne Wade really speaks to me right now. Not just broke, but in debt (sorry gui), and the holidays are here and I got to get presents for people or else I look (and feel) real shmucky. But I’ll scheme up something, always do. I don’t know if I can claim to be humble- can anyone? It kinda seems like calling yourself humble is oxymoronic. But I’ll try… (cough, cough)

If you haven’t peeped the Defibrillator remixes we did, do so now, ’cause they’re SIIIIICK. Also, this party on Thursday night is gonna be really fun for all ye music lovers in the NYC vicinity. Spread love and get loved.

Trick Daddy, Big Boi, Cee-Lo, Vaughn Mason & Crew :
In Da Wind (Captain Planet Remix)
taken from the remix CD that we’re giving out at our party, so come out!

Yup, we been putting off our seasonal to the point where Fall is just about over, but the party is on nonetheless. If you live in the NYC area, then get your ass to Williamsburg this Saturday night for another proper Bashment- VIA stylee. Peep the flyer here.

We’ve got dope mix mastery from extended fam members Caps & Jones who have been making big moves recently. If you’ve never heard one of their mixes, then consider yourself inexperienced. Seriously, these guys have the artform DOWN! Also on the decks will be compadre DRM – ill cat and the Bastard Jazz overlord.

Hope to see you there!

Dengue Fever: Tip My Canoe
Taken from the album Escape From Dragon House on Mimicry (2005)

Dengue Fever: Sleepwalking Through The Mekong
Taken from the album Escape From Dragon House on Mimicry (2005)

A contemporary treat for you all today. While the A.W.O.L. Captain hibernates through the ever-colder New York winter days, things in the City of Angels are heating up, in no small part owing to a smoking local band that caught my attention at an in-store performance at Amoeba Records a few weeks back.

With a five pieve backing-band heavy on crisp, break-laden go-go drumming (from Beck collaborator Paul Smith) and soaring organ work, Dengue had a lackadaisacal Tuesday night record-shopping crowd in full-on boogie mode. Front woman, Chhom Nimol (who could probably attract a sell-out crowd just by showing up) dropped a forty-minute set that swept the Hollywood crowd away. Suddenly, Sunset Boulevard seemed a very distant memory. And here we were, en masse, in a banging Cambodian discoteque cerca 1970. Woah!

The tracks I’ve posted for you guys are teasers; honestly, support these cats. Check out their website, see them live, buy their record. This is homegrown Gumbo Funk. Show love.

Little Sister: Stanga
Taken from the 7″ on Stone Flower (1970)

Little Sister: Somebody’s Watching You
Taken from the 7″ on Stone Flower (1970)

The holidays are upon us. Family disfunction, overeating, et al. A time to celebrate the sometimes tenuous linkage of blood. A time to revel or wallow in the ties that bind.

For those of you who don’t know, The Crate is curated by brothers. This post is in honor of the good Captain: a gentleman, a scholar, an inspirational beat-hunter, and a fine brother. Now if only we could get our funk collabo on, Stone-style!

Little Sister was a flash in the pan in their own right, but owing to their familial and sonic connection to one of the great funk outfits of all time, they will have a secured place in musical history. It doesn’t take much in the way of abstraction to hear the Older Brother’s influence on Lil’ Sis. After the tremendous success of There’s A Riot Going On, Sly Stone created Stone Flower records and released a handful (four, to be exact) of tasty singles recorded by his younger sister, Vet Stone and two of her cohorts, Mary McCreary and Elva Mouton. In addition to their limited solo material, the trio made notable contributions to some of Sly and The Family Stone’s classic tracks: “Everyday People”, “Stand!”, “I Want To Take You Higher”.

The tracks are solid and bear the inimitable imprint of Sly, who wrote and arranged all of Little Sister’s material. (“Somebody’s Watching You” would later be re-recorded by Sly and released on Stand!). In its initial incarnation, however, “Somebody’s Watching You” will go down in the books as the first charted song in history (!) to used programmed drums. Eat your heart out Timmy Thomas.

You can check out Vet’s website here. Give your fam a hug from Murphy; spread the love. Peace y’all.