My recent trip to London was just that... a mental voyage - England is unique! The British know their music and enjoy exploring the outer reaches of what's permissible on wax. Bar Rhumba on Monday nights proves that. One week it was James Lavelle and my tour guide Ben Wilcox, the next it's Gilles Petersen and guests, Kruder and Dorfmeister. Anything and everything goes, from some loud jungle tracks and Josh Wink's "Higher State of Consciousness" to The Specials, Roberta Flack, Herbie Hancock and Method Man. The best part about That's How It Is - dancing. People go to shake and sweat and they trust the resident DJs to take chances. Maybe that's why L.A.'s Marques Wyatt was camping out in London for a month flexing house gigs, on holiday from Brass.
Another party that represented what's good in urban music today was the Clean Up Record's Collide-A-Scope party at the Ormonds. Bongo Record's Kevin Beadle spun some intense, wierdo music - on a great sound system in the basement of some church or warehouse. Standout DJ selection - Dark Globe! Hi-hop beats weave techno through a dub filter. Lovely, loud and fat! Kruder and Dorfmeister came on and kept the dancefloor going. Check their new remix for Knowtoryus, "Bomberclad Joint" (hip-hop in slow motion) and the latest Multidirections II "A Tune For Us" featuring a phone message of UFO DJ Raphael Sebbag.
B&W has come strong out the box lately following up the enchanting sounds of Flora Purim's album with the debut "Sound Advise" from one of England's finest trumpet and flugal players, Byron Wallen. This is surely another fine anecdote to all the weak records on the shelves. "Let Go (and Embrace)" slithers along the back alley of a rain covered neon stip, while "Rhythms of Vision" envokes electro beats and Smif-N-Wesson samples to the etheral voice of Marcina Arnold who asks,"What shades do you see?/What sounds do you hear?/What feelings do you fear?". Richard Ajileye plays the clay pot and Byron flexes both horn and keys. Speaking of Flora Purim, check out the Guy Called Gerald jungle remixes that I heard in the offices of Dorado Records - a wild tribute to a wild fan.
And speaking of Dorado Records, how do you top brilliant label talent like Jhelisa Anderson (new 12" remixes of "Friendly Pressure"), Matt Cooper ("To Give But Not Forget" is classic!) A.P.E. and D*Note? How about Charlie Lexton, a. k.a. Cool Breeze? Not only did his Assimilation album receive critical acclaim, but the new 12" will surprise. "Can't Deal With This" gets reworked by Kid Loops (remember this name!) into a drum and bass frenzy where someone went a little hay-wire with the drum machine. Play loud and buckle up! Check out more of Kid loop in the fall on Dorado's first offshoot, Filter Records - being championed by Charlie Lexton and Mr. Mellow Ross Allen. Also check Charlie's track "27 years of Solitude" on the up-coming Mo'Wax venture "Headz II".
Aceyalone, All Balls Don't Bounce 10/24
Pharcyde, Delicious Vinyl The Labcabincalifornia 10/24
Group Home, Payday, Premier-produced out late Nov. Primo is working with DJ Krush on tracks as well as doing some music for Spike Lee's next film, "Clockers" about street hustlers. Jeru Tha Damaja is in the studio currently working on his 2nd LP. Payday has also signed production deals with The Roots, Black Moon's Evil D. and the beat man of the moment, DJ Buckwild. Fellow Diggin' In The Crates kingpin Diamond D. has a new record out on London called Flavortism...The Sophmoric Effort - a flavor name for what will become another classic record.
Large Professor got picked up by Geffen after the greed hounds pulled the plug on the original underground hip-hop label, Wild Pitch, which gave birth to Chill Rob G., Gang Starr and Main Source. Still looking at the front door are the uniquely talented O.C. and Oakland's The Coup.
Recently situated in the Big Apple via DJ Swingsett, the eclectic jazz, funk trio Slide Five has finished their debut for Ubiquity Recordings, due out in October. Guests include bassist Jonathan Marin of The Groove Collective and Repercussions, veteran Jacko Peake on sax and New Breed and Giant Step don DJ Smash providing "live atmospheric sounds". Also DJ Andrew Jervis and saxman Paul Scriver are the core of a new Ubiquity project called Better Daze, whose EP "First Flight" should hit by October. On The One Magazine and Luv 'N Haight have put out Feeling Good, a dancefloor jazz, rare groove platter.
Ex-Disposable Hero of Hiphoprisy drummer Simone White is set to put out his quartet's independent debut, Day and Night. Wonderfully dark, funky, compelling jazz with orchestration for strings, oboe and children's vocals from The San Francisco Music Conservatory. Strictly for people who want to hear great music! Michael Franti has gone on to Spearhead, Charlie Hunter to his debut on Blue Note, Rono Tse to a hiphop production company in the Bay Area and now Simone's time has come to shine. Label heads: wake your tired asses up and sign some real musical talent!
From the lab rats at Solesides comes word that Blackalicious has already recorded 18 tracks for their debut long player, set for December. Expect verbal dopeness and intense, meticulous production by DJ Shadow, Asia Born and Chief XCel. A nice follow up to the hip-hop medicine of "The Reckoning" from Lateef the Truth Speaker, out now also hooked by Shadow. Buy this record today! With every member deep in studio mode, expect polific material to emerge throughout '95 and into '96. Musical madman, Bill Laswell was caught recently admiring Shadow's studio capabilities.
In San Diego, peep the upcoming independent debut from the addictive groove of the Bside Players, as well as more hip-hop hypeness from Chop Shop, whose Representin' Lovely LP delivered hype, uncut product to underground turntables the world over.
From L.A.'s Moonshine Music comes the American release of Wagon Christ's Throbbing Pouch, plus the long-awaited debut from The Cleveland Lounge, one of the more talented young soul, jazz outfits in the flourishing S.F. Jazz Flow. Look for possible remixes of The Broun Fellinis on Moonshine and a drunken, stoney video.
CK Smart
August 95
