Disco`s Not Dead.

Or Disco Nouveau as they are calling back in the UK. Disco fever is back in the article by Hanna Hanra, she interviews Jim Stanton, who started the iconic Horse Meat Disco in South London. Who says “When times are good, you could argue that people get turned on by darker, edgier music, such as drum’n’bass or electro. As soon as life gets harder, people look for something more uplifting, which is where disco comes in — it’s an escape....And i guess he could be right with all the huge uncertainties facing people all over the world.

But back in the late 70`s, when the times was so much harder, to us hip West End kids the dedicated followers of everything funky, we disliked the term disco. Disco was that light, cheesy, camp sound that we disliked, but disco also had a more harder percussive & edgier bass sound that was more to our taste, we called it Boogie.

At clubs like Crackers, Global Village - under the arches in Charing Cross, DJ Greg Edwards "The Best Disco in Town at the Lyceum, they played that sound. Import American 12" extended mixes, invented by Tom Moulton with longer instrumental beat sections especially for the DJ's to mix on their Technics SL-1200 , could be heard thumping around these dancefloors. From record labels like WestEnd, Prelude, SalSoul, T.K., AVI, Vanguard and Casablanca. From artists like Odyssey, Dynasty, Fat Back Band, Teena Marie, Brass Construction, Crown Heights Affair, Earth Wind and Fire, GQ, Shalamar, The SalSoul Orchestra, Chic, the list is endless!

So if this New Years Eve, your getting ready to glam & glitzy up to party, here`s a couple of tunes to bump too. One track that was massive on the Crackers dancefloor in `77 was this fine specimem of Boogie heaven. The name El Coco was in fact a cheeky drug reference to the stimulent of the time.

El Coco - cocomotion


And another outstanding track that is so very hard to find these days on Vigor records from `76, Rhythm Makers went on to become the band GQ. (shame it cuts off at the end)

Rhythm Makers - zone



Hope you all have a great time, and mytea@om wishes you all a very happy New Year....I`m off to the country for a few days, so see you all in 2009.

El Coco - 'cocomotion' (mp3 download)

2 Step Killers!

A couple of mid-tempo 2 step killers for your sunday....first up is a beautiful track by Walter Jackson titled "Its Cool", pure Chicago smoothness ....Normally known for his R&B Soul tracks on the Okeh label , this was his last ever recording in 1983. WJ passed away only 3 days after Chi-Sound released the tune.

Walter Jackson - "It's Cool"


And then the unmistakable Mr Gene Harris with a jazz/funk stomper of a tune, lifted from his Blue Note album Astral signal recorded in `74 later to be reworked by Bugz in The Attic.
Enjoy!

Gene Harris - "losalamitoslatinfunklovesong"


Gene Harris - "losalamitoslatinfunklovesong" (mp3 download)

Tribute: Eartha Kitt R.I.P.

January 17th 1927 – December 25th 2008

There always seems to be some sad news over christmas time and the passing of sultry jazz singer and actress Eartha Kitt on Christmas day aged 81, is no exception..For those that have never heard of Ms Kitt she was the self-proclaimed 'sex kitten', who was famous for her catlike purr of a voice. Escaping a humble childhood in the cotton fields of North Carolina, the sultry singer rose to international fame for her sensuality, elegance and forthright views. While filling in for a cabaret singer in Paris her raw talent was spotted by Hollywood legend Orson Welles. He called her 'the most exciting woman in the world' and cast her in the starring role of Helen of Troy in his 1950 production of Dr Faustus. Broadway stardom led to a recording contract and a succession of best-selling records including "Love For Sale""Folk Tales of the Tribes of Africa" ,"Lets Do It Baby" 'Under the Bridges of Paris' and 'Santa Baby'. I remember watching her as Catwoman in the 60`s TV show Batman.

mytea@om pays tribute to a outstanding talent the world will find hard to replace..R.I.P. Eartha

C'est Si Bon - 1962


Portrait of a Catwoman

Its Christmas!

To all you lovely people, have a great holiday.

"Remember before you go
Eat da chicken and the ri-ice, eh
Waiting pon da table also, eh
Full yo' belly fooly bo-oy"

Eek a Mouse - christmas a come


Eek A Mouse - "christmas a come" (mp3 download)

"The Way Of The Dub" Vol.3

As we all get busy over this time of year, i wanted to offer up Vol. 3 of TWOTD as a special little chrissy present from me to you. Hope you all enjoy it and play it over your holidays no matter where you are. I also wanted to thank you all for continuing to revisit the blog since we started and hopefully will continue to do so into 2009.

So big up yo`self.

Wishing you all a peaceful, loving and enjoyable holiday with your family & friends.
The things that really matter, life, love and unity!

(download 151.26mb)

TRACKLISTING
crusher dub - vex'd
plan b version - dub terror all stars
shining dub - aswad
tense pon a bench - winston mcanuff
revolution solution dub - thievery corporation featuring perry farrell
life, love and unity - dreadzone
prophecy dub - selassie i rockers
police in helicopter - john holt & congo natty
rockers remix - matty g.
anambra dub - prince far-i
travelling version - all nation rockers feat roots
hooligan stew - junior delgado
far east - barry brown
words, sounds & dubwise - king tubby

Hunting Up Wind!

I was reminded of Sadao Watanabe the other night whilst in a jazzy conversation with a japanese friend of mine and he was amazed i actually had this track back in my library in London. So here`s the classic jazz/funk monster that was such a groover on that scene in the late 70`s in London Town. Released on Flying Disk Records in`78, it included the likes of Dave Grusin on Acoustic & Rhodes Piano, Harvey Mason on Drums and Paulinho DaCosta on percussion......Niceeeeee!!

So dust off those dancin` shoes and have a jig around the kitchen!

Sadao Watanabe & Hiroshi Fukumura - "hunt up wind"


Fukamura Hiroshi & Sadao Watanabe - "hunt up wind" (mp3 download)

Ice Cream Love!

Watch this, its just great. Bringing Jah sounds to the masses inna mobile ice cream van....nuff respexxx!





Johnny Osbourne - "ice cream love" (mp3 download)

Soul Sistas!

Lifted from her 1971 Album "I Love The Way You Love" on Alston records.
Betty Wright delivers here a classic track of quality soul. It reached number 5 on both the Billboard hott 100 & R&B charts and sold over a million copies....top class!!!

Betty Wright-"clean up woman"


Betty Wright - "clean up women" (mp3 download)

"Gimme That Funk" # 10

Reaching number 10 in the GTF series, here`s the backing band to the sadly departed Grover Washington Jr ..This track was from their 1980 Arista Records release of the same name, produced by the excellent drummer Mr Harvey Mason who was considered by many as one of the finest jazz/funk drummers of his time. A tight funky jam that you`ll ever find. The LP also includes "Far Beyond" which is mostly known for being tranformed into a sampled bassline for Basement Jaxx, 1999 club anthem "Red Alert".

Locksmith - "unlock the funk"


Locksmith - "unlock the funk" (mp3 downlaod)

Rockers Galore.

Something to chill with on a sunday afternoon. Josh Cheuse is an incredible photographer who in the 80's shot everybody from The Clash to Run DMC. This little doc was made after he came out with his coffee table book "Rockers Galore."

Run DMC and Teddy No Neck at Silvercup Studios, Queens, NY 1985 by Josh Cheuse

I fancy!!!

A little bit of weekend disco...how about you?

Quality lyrics.



Cherelle with Alexander O'Neal - "saturday love"(mp3 download)

The Beginning!

The Beginning came and went and i`ve only just got over it! Last saturday evening kicking off @ 10pm the first event of Club PI took place. The venue reverberated to the sound of Ska, Rocksteady, Northern Soul, Funk and all kinds of 60 & 70`s British Beat music.... A taster of what dropped on the night from my DJ set...



It was a great first night for the Club PI, the crowds enthusiasm for the sounds dropped by all the dj spinners was so refreshing, so a big thank you goes out to all the guys and girls who rocked the spot!!
Another track that caused a small amount of mayhem on the dance floor was this classic!!


Club PI vol.2 "Blue Beat Magic" has now been finalised and will take place on the 31st January 2009 with very special guest DJ BLUE of PureReggaeLondon fame.
So if your in town come and check it!

More info here:

Barbara Lynn - "movin on a groove"(mp3 download)