BORROWING PRIVILEGES: OMNIMUSIC’S PRIME TIME

Prime Time
Turnbuckle
Drag Racer
Superstix
From Prime Time (Omnimusic, 1978)

As I’ve said in the past, I don’t really collect library records since, as someone who doesn’t produce but I made an exception for Prime Time after hearing DJ Murphy’s Law play out “Superstix” at one of our old Boogaloo nights. That track kicks major ass as it builds its percussive layers; b-boy breaks for real.

Moreover, the Omnimusic series has the reputation as one of the better American library series out there (a territory more or less dominated by European labels, especially out of Britain and France). This disc – surprisingly solid for 1978 – has more than a couple good “moody loop” opportunities off it. “Prime Time” itself reminds me of something John Dankworth might have cooked up. “Turnbuckle” slides into a synth-heavy track that Jay Z might have rapped over in 1998 while “Drag Racer” is some solid countrified funk for you. Vrooom vrooom.