Bajka

photo courtesy of leftlion

It was about that time i felt mytea@om paid homage to the absoulutley stunning vocal talents of one young lady from Germany by the name of BAJKA pronounce Biker. She has obviously been compared to a certain LADY DAY. I first came across her voice on the Bonobo LP "days to come" released on the UK`s Ninjatune label in 2006 and was immediately taken with her unique voice.

A bit of background.

"Bajka Pluwatsch is a poet and singer, currently based in Munich, Germany. Bajka is the daughter of J. Pluwatsch, a member of the German Krautrock band Embryo. She was born in India, and has lived in Afghanistan, Nepal, Pakistan and South Africa. She attended schools in Goa, Bangalore, Lagos, Portugal, Seattle, Durban and Cape Town. Bajka studied music in Prague. Her relationship with Asia remains the main theme of her poetry. She has performed spoken word poetry on several projects, including Transglobal Underground's "Instinctive Traveller", Radio Citizen's "Radio City (feat. Bajka)", and South African Zulu Nation's "Bubblegum". She has also performed with Noujum Oazza and his band Urban Dervish, and for the Royal Moroccan Orchestra. In recent years, her role has moved from poet to singer. Her voice is described as jazz/soul and she has appeared on a number of chill out and electronic dance tracks".
Source .

Here are 3 different tracks featuring Bajka.....enjoy!

Bonobo - between the lines (nostalgia 77 alternate unreleased mix)
(from 'One-Off`s - Remixes & B-sides' album, 2008/ Tru-Thoughts)


Aaron Jerome - way of life
(from 'Time To Rearrange' album, 2008 / BBE Music)


Eastenders - capitalism
(from 'Capitalism' 12 inch, 2008 / Poets Club)

My Brother Craig.

Another slice of deep Funky Tech-House hitting the hot spot right now is this little groover on the French label TimeHasChanged The 12" is called "Circle" and its the A1 track called "My Brother Craig", that`s tickling my G-Spot. A sweet builder dropping into a spiritual vocal ("like craig i feel my dad looking down on us") and lifting off again......Nice!!

Tracklist:
Artist: Acumen
1. Circle (Original Mix) (8:03)
2. My Brother Craig (Original Mix) (7:35)
3. Circle (Milton Jackson Remix) (6:46)
4. Circle (Timid Boy Remix) (7:48)



available from Juno/beatport/traxsource

R.I.P Jacko

1958-2009

Wha him say?

Smiley`s big hit for the Saxon posse in 1984

"Cockney’s not a Language it is only a slang
And was originated inna England
The first place it was used was over East London
It was respect for the different style pronunciation
But it wasn’t really used by any and any man
Me say strictly con-man also the villain
But through me full up of lyrics and education
Right here now you a go get a little translation

Cockney have name like Terry, Arfur and Del Boy
We have name like Winston, Lloyd and Leroy
We bawl out YO! While cockneys say OI!
What cockney call a Jack’s we call a Blue Bwoy
Say cockney have mates while we have spar
Cockney live in a drum while we live in a yard
Say we get nyam while cockney got capture
Cockney say guv’nor. We say Big Bout here
In a de Cockney Translation!
In a de Cockney Translation"

Smiley Culture - cockney translation

Happy Sunshine Soul.

With the summer in full swing (well not for my pals down in NZ...don`t worry the Nabe sauce is on the way!) or here in Northern Japan for that matter. June so far as been a complete wash out, another BBQ cancelled on saturday and my fishing trip on sunday as well, damn when will the clouds break. So to cheer myself up I thought how about a bit of Happy Soul!

Dave "baby" Cortez and the moon people dropped this in 1968 no less on Speed records..a bit of a faster take on that Northern Soul classic by Archie Bell & the drells "Tighten Up".

"The Moon People were a group from New York, they were originally known as The Latin Blues Band. For their third album they were re-christened as Los Astronautas or for English speakers The Moon People. Their most popular track was originally called "(I'll Be A) Happy Man" featuring Luis Aviles and was released on their LP "Take A Trip Pussycat" (Speed 101) 1968. It was later released on their third LP "Land Of Love" (Speed 103) 1968 as "The Happy Soul". However, "The Happy Soul" was then edited and overdubbed with organ solos by Dave "Baby" Cortez and released as "Happy Soul (With A Hook)" by Dave Cortez With The Moon People. A few months later, in 1969, yet another re-edit of this track, this time titled "Hippy, Skippy, Moon Strut (Opus #1)" and credited simply to The Moon People, was released on Roulette."
Source


Dave Cortez And The Moon People - happy soul (with a hook)

Guest Mix - Ultimate Cookout.

We have something a little bit special for your weekend and beyond.
A Guest DJ mix with an eclectic overload of pure joys.....so get downloading and stick it on your ipod/zune or whatever tickles your earlobes!


The Ultimate Cookout mix is deliciously served up by an inspiring young gentleman from back in the UK, Jez Proctor...here`s what he says about himself.

"From early days hiding behind the sofa listening to 'A Day In The Life' with headphones on, to serving up Moodymann 12"s behind the record counters of many a central London record store, I have served a long a varied musical apprenticeship. Starting a blog at www.innersounds.co.uk to try and trace that journey, and share the contents of my record shelves with anyone who will listen; I have been playing at real and imaginary gigs all over the world for over ten years"

Jez`s view on the mix..

"With Summer peaking through the clouds in London I thought it was time to put together a little mix. This one is designed for driving around with the window wound down, for bumping along in your truck, or with friends around a pool or a BBQ. So get some ice in that glass and forget what is cool or rare or 'important' and just have fun, with a few tracks for Summer 2009, it might be your best Summer yet".

Ultimate Cookout (mp3 download - 127MB)
right click & save as

Tracklist
1. bobby konders & salaam remi - heads
2. man parrish feat. freeze force - boogie down bronx
3. mc lyte - i can't make a mistake (swing easy mix)
4. linkwood family - piece of mind
5. leo's sunshipp - i'm back for more
6. mega banton - sound boy killing (remix)
7. young mc - i come off (southern comfort mix)
8. asha puthli - right down here
9. bob marley - could you be loved
10. barrabas - woman
11. richard ace - stayin' alive
12. astrud gilberto - ponteio
13. don froth - foam (Innersounds exclusive mix)

Fred & Ted

The second slab of 4/4 jazzy techno, coming down the pipe this week. A double A sided Dutch released on the Rejected label finds Fred on the Trumpet and Ted on the Clarinet....The 12" is called "Hotlips" with Edwin Oosterwal and his buddy Warren Fellow penning the title track, but its the flip that`s touch my soul....The finger snapping & horn stabs are just infectiously funky and an oboe break slowly comes through the souk, riding the groove! If your also feelin` it support the artist/label and buy the vinyl here or direct from Rejected.......One for the belly dancers out there!

Fred Trumpet - rettektet (feat ted clarinet)

Brothers On The Side..

I was invited to do an interview recently with a top music blog Innersounds, go over there and check it out!

We will have an exclusive summer DJ mix from Mr Innersounds at the weekend...stay tuned!

Physical Sunset.

A couple of jazzy house/techno tracks that`s ringing my bells at the moment, courtesy of beatport.
First up (2nd in a few days) is this wonderfully sublime B-side bizniz that could easily be the sound of summer, could see this being huge in Ibiza...written & produced by Thomas Schumacher Outta Berlin. The tracks called "Sunset" from The Ooh EP, released on GetPhysicalMusic A very simple percussive, latin jazz groove with this mad Cuban style big band breakdown that`s off the hook....Enjoy!

Thomas is appearing at Barcelona’s International Festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art - Sonar 09, if your going to the festival make sure to check him out.



mp3 on beatport
vinyl - support your local record store:

Gotta get a job!

Some rare sister ghetto funk to start off the week....Vocalist Ann Alford made just one single, which came out on the LA label, Hy-Sign in 1972. The track was written by her husband Don Alford. It was re-issued by the Funky Forthy Fives label for their "Ultra Rare Grooves Vol. 3" Limited Edition to only 300 copies on 10"vinyl......Quality low down dirty funkiness.....Enjoy!


Ann Alford - got to get me a job

Motivation

For when you need that extra bit of energy to get ya shit done!..A piece of british cosmic jazz funk b-side bizniz, released on Elite Records in 1980 and given a remix 18 years later by the man from paris..dimitri...Over 8 minutes of boogie bliss, for the dancing in outta space crew...enjoy!

Atmosfear - motivation

Naked Urban Ruins..

A quite amazing piece of work. MiruKim A New York-based artist who has explored various urban ruins including herself naked in the work. Really courgeous and outrageous at the same time....Thought I`d share so as to spread her work , many thanks to kim thomas.




“Children of Darkness” by Ben Gibberd

"Gimme That Funk # 15

I`ve neglected the GTF for a while but were back slamming a large slice of obscure 80`s funk coming out of Chicago. Some lovely slapping bass with a harder feel. Lifted from their Lucky Cordell (The Baron of Bounce) produced LP "Hot Spot" on gec records.....Enjoy!

Royal Flush - funk power

Underground Resistance.

A great piece of insight into Detroit`s UR Label.




Here`s Jafrosax (aka kazuki katsuta) 2006 released brokenbeat cover version of Galaxy 2 Galaxy - hi-tech jazz (UR-025)

Mulatucentric

This has just popped through the letter box this week and is an outstanding collaboration between MA ,the father of Ethio Jazz and The Heliocentrics collective, released on Strut Records for their Inspiration Information series.
If you have seen Jim Jarmusch`s film Broken Flowers....Mulatu contributed prominently to the soundtrack. Believe me, if your into jazz and you only buy one album this year it must be this!

Interview with Mulatu and The Heliocentrics. "Inspiration Information 3".


Mulatu of Ethiopia album recorded in 1972


Tracklisting1.Masengo
2.Cha Cha
3.Addis Black Widow
4.Mulatu
5.Blue Nile
6.Esketa Dance
7.Chik Chikka
8.Live from Tigre Lounge
9.Chinese New Year
10.Phantom of the Panter
11.Dewel
12.Fire in the Zoo
13.An Epic Story

Get It on Amazon!

Funky Film Soundtracks # 3

Digging into the soundtrack crates again and coming up with some quality pimping soul from the man Edwin Starr. The US soul singer who had lived in the UK since around the time of this release until his passing in 2003 and is still a legend on the Northern Soul scene there. This track lifted from "Hell Up In Harlem" OST released on Motown records in 1973, "Easin`in" is a finger snappin`, infectious bad arse bass slappin`, stormer of a track! It was sampled by Tone Loc on his track "Loc`d After Dark" . Apparently James Brown was first asked to do the composition for this film, following on from his work on the previous "Black Caesar", but it was rejected, which led JB to release it as that Legendary LP "The PayBack"......Enjoy!

Easin' in (mp3 download)





Tracklisting
1. Ain't It Hell Up In Harlem
2. Easin' In
3. Big Papa
4. Love Never Dies (Helen's Love Theme)
5. Don't It Feel Good To Be Free
6. Runnin'
7. Jennifer's Love Theme
8. Airport Chase
9. Mama Should Be Here Too
10. Like We Used To Do
11. Ain't It Hell Up In Harlem (instrumental)