Summerbreak almost there but for now still in action with 4 shows to go. Expect new music by Lee Fields & The Expressions (very good album on Truth & Soul label), of course J Dilla’s new album coming soon with great music on there, Jose James w/ Mitsu The Beats, love that cat called Finale, he’s fresh! A new M.E.D. aka Medaphoar produced by Madlib that’s right (how was the show in London?), from the same crew a new Dudley Perkins and a new Onur Ergin on Ubeat. Just click on the picture to listen/download and enjoy the sounds.
Headed out to Lyon on Thursday night after Mulatu & the Heliocentrics at Koko… (I thought it was a wicked show, and for those who haven’t already picked up the album it was a true example of how different musical cultures can co-incide..)
Anyway, Phil Asher, Ashley Beedle, Gilles, Ramandanman, MC Motet and Shea Soul dropped in on the Nuit Sonore Festival to deliver a Carte Blanche Worldwide Soundsytem Session… was absolutely huge!!!
DJ booth backing onto the River, 1500 people, 8 hours… killer tune after killer tune…
a more thorough rundown can be found on whoisthebpm along with a recording of my set.
Worldwide coming to Paris next Sunday (31st) for the Parisian version of the Worldwide Festival launch party at the the Nouveau Casino.
Respect to everyone that made it down to The Arches on the 15th for the London Edition, was a really good party in the end… bug up Peter Kruder, Stereotyp and jimpster for holding it down….
hear what happened to Kruders laptop…? mashed up by a mash up punter… more evidence on why DJing via Laptop don’t work!!
Last night I had a gig in Leuven and Selah Sue was also on the bill. I finally met the 20-year old lady from around the corner (she’s from Leuven, Belgium)and it was good talking to her. She’s incredibly talented, (loves drum ‘n bass and related music) and that’s why I wanted to post it here. We talked about her future plans for a minute and I can tell you (without dropping a name) that the artist who’s about to work with her is a huge name in the world of music. I’m really looking forward to that. In the meantime I invited her to my radioshow and that should be pretty soon; check this one out: Remember the name, she might come in a town near yours soon or later. Check her myspace.
Episode 29 already for this season, it’s The Hop five more to go. Make sure to check the playlist, download by clicking on the picture and leave your thoughts.
As an official Brownswood Recordings artist I had to post this video with Jose James by Jazzy Sport’s finest producer Mitsu The Beats. I really love the concept, reminds me of Pharcyde’s “Drop“; This track is featured on Mitsu’s album “Word To The Wise” coming out on Jazzy Sport next week. Beautiful black & white video and isn’t it nice to see people dance like that? Enjoy this video and big up to my Jazzy Sport family in Tokyo:
Hot on the heels of the Sugar Hill Gang and co., Joe Bataan dropped this disco rap jam on Salsoul in 1979. Classic material. A true legend of the Latin soul scene and a forerunner of the disco sound, Bataan’s career spans 40 years and has incorporated club sureshots such as ‘Latin Strut’, ‘Aftershower Funk’, ‘The Bottle’, ‘Riot’ and ‘Subway Joe’. Somewhat bizarrely, this Cargo gig on Thursday 11th June will be Joe’s debut UK show and consequently a pretty momentous occasion both for Joe and his UK-based fans.
Sharing the bill will be Stones Throw’s OG boogie monster – James Pants – and Lex Records’ UK Launch Party for a new collaborative psych hip hop project – Willie Isz (Jneiro Jarel and Khujo Goodie). Those of you with a taste for soulful hip hop bumps may well be familiar with Jneiro Jarel (aka Shape Of Broad Minds and Dr Who Dat?) – his 2005 LP ‘Three Piece Puzzle’ on Kindred Spirits was dope-as-hell. Khujo Goodie is one quarter of the legendary Goodie Mob, which also includes Cee-Lo Green (Gnarls Barkley). That spaced out, soulful, Atlanta-inspired sound runs through the heart of what Willie Isz are all about – so if that’s your bag, then this party is a no-brainer.
Legendary DJ, percussionist and now author, Snowboy, passed by the Brownswood Basement to talk about his new book ‘From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz – The History of the UK Jazz Dance Scene’ and play some old records. Mighty fun was had by all.
While the London show has been rescheduled, the tour stopped in Antwerp, Belgium…yeah the diamond city. I opened for J.Rocc & Madlib, it was good to see the guys again…always nice. A massive crowd came down to see the Beat Junkie aka the Funky President and the Beat Konducta Madlib perform, whoever said hiphop is dead is probably the one who’s dead now … I won’t talk about it for hours, I made a little movie of the night, the atmosphere, the music… you know. See it as a teaser for Benji B’s Deviation gig @ Fabric London on the 19th. Word!
It was all on purpose but didn’t use much of the internet the last couple of days, enjoying a bit of my total freedom in the other parts of Singapore, a lovely area with a beautiful mix of cultures. I think I even prefer the old and more traditional side of Singapore, didn’t feel the buildings, malls, doesn’t sound right for me, it’s like the only thing they do is shop… but I know there’s more…. I’ve put some pictures up on the net right here.
Worldwide Festival 09 Singapore was live this year and all of us, artists need to show respect for the people behind this concept. We’ve had a great time thanks to Kinemat, lovely hard working guys, Don is the man (you know it right?! btw, happy bday...) and thank God he had his team behind. Also great to see Gui from France in the place, I love this guy, he’s so generous and down to earth, we need people like him around us, it’s all about positivity, good vibes, that’s what makes a festival like Worldwide so unique. Franck, probably resolved a bunch of problems and always there to tell jokes, he has this special sense of humor in him that makes me laugh all the time, always there to make fun of me, little Belgian guy… You know, I had this strange feeling when I saw everybody leave, saw Gilles leave first and then homeboy Kentaro and Taylor McFerrin, I had a good time with the guys… Jose James was one of the last ones to leave, guys; I’ve heard crazy stuff from the man, really looking forward to the next album; there was that one track, damn, the whole room was quiet in 2secs, spread the rumor, it’s gonna be dope. Asia is moving hard and they don’t care about anything else, the future is definitely in Asia. The people I met here (from Asia) are really down with the music and that’s dope, big up to the boys from Jakarta and Hong Kong… As for me, I just got home… I left as last I think, I should’ve stayed longer, we’ll see what’s up, that’s a whole other story.
Wow and it just don’t stop! Man, jetlag struck me hard tonite (and Jose as well!) so we headed back to the hotel while the rest is still rockin’ the beach hard. Nah, I’m not a pussy, it’s just that when you tired, dead, you can’t really get into it; at least we’ll be good tomorrow while Simbad will probably pass out until monday haha (or maybe not, you never know with him..). Day started early as we got 3 wake up calls, really, i felt like the Office Space movie, the dude with his 6 bosses!! And the thing is, we actually stayed one more night in this room haha; anyway, it was 1pm and right before the driver gets Simbad to the beach we had to eat something.. man, i’ve never tasted it before but these toasts with melted coconut butter was ridiculously good, I started by one because I don’t like coconut normally, well, finished with four of them . I’ll buy some before going home, definitely, I need that in my life from now on.
Then we got a ride to the beach, Sentosa, it’s actually an artificial beach next to a resort, incredible building, rooms with a view on the waterfall, tv’s outside, swimming pools, the whole nine… everything and in the middle of palmtrees and tropical plants, woooord! Simbad played kinda early, around 4pm, not much people but he told me he would go on again around 4am or so, hustlin’ spinning time Simbad, go go… haha.
But what a beach, I can’t wait until it’s crowded…really looking forward to that.
Saw Stereotyp doing a great job on the dubstep, bass music and Arabyrd rockin’ it… she’s about to record a whole album with Stereotyp, I think he might be the right person to produce her album, totally her style. Was funny to see Kentaro again, him and his brother are supacool people, they always come mad early to install their stuff and make sure everything works, the true Japanese spirit, Kentaro ichiban!!! Todd Terje rocking the second stage, I think that was a great set for that time of the day, early evening, sun about to set, perfect. Then came Gilles, taking the mic, you know how he is, love it… spinned a couple joints to set the mood and passed the mic to Jose James, he performed the tracks he recorded with Flying Lotus, chiiiiill, I knew the tracks, very enjoyable. Then came Taylor McFerrin for a special appearance, little set, beatbox, dr.sample, he should get back in the studio soon, recording some music because he’s fresh…
Then it was my turn, did my thingaling, i’m very critic about my sets in general, don’t think it was my best set, did my thing, had a hard time with the sound, won’t get into details, next…. the Nextmen of course. Going back to back from hiphop to drum ‘n bass, while on the other stage Christian Prommer was doing his thing… yeah man, sometimes you just don’t know where to go…
I started to feel really tired, needed some food, thank you Maya-Lynn, she saved me with a supadupa chicken sandwich!!! That, right before Kentaro starts his set, I know what kind of killer he is, I knew his performance would tear the roof off and that the Singaporians would love it, they did, massive crowd came to see DJ Kentaro… that’s when I decided to leave back to the hotel with Jose James and Arabyrd mom, she’s adorable! Worldwide Festivals are really dope events, if it comes around your city in the near future, make sure to come down, it’s worth it and probably the best place to meet your favorite deejay without trying to sneak in the backstage area. Haha. Up to tomorrow, the aftermath!!! Nite Nite.
… I won’t talk about it for hours, I made a little movie of the night, the atmosphere, the music… you know. See it as a teaser for Benji B’s Deviation gig @ Fabric London on the 19th. Word!
