WE ARE THE WORLD, FAIL posted by O.W.

I hate to pick on something done for charity but can we just talk about how stunningly terrible this is? Four things off the top of my head (just so I don't explode in criticism):

1) It's been a quarter century since the OG "We are the World." Are you telling me no one could find a way to write a new ensemble song? Are you f----ing kidding me?

2) Bringing back video of the original artists - MJ for example - was tacky. And again, says something very poor about the current state of popular music.

3) Speaking of that current state...the train wreck of styles here was just painful. The original arrangement just was not designed to incorporate much of a hip-hop segment and then way they crammed it in here did a disservice to everyone.

4) Autotuned Lil Wayne? Really?

I could go on. But good god, next time someone asks for how the road to hell is paved with good intentions, please send them the link to this.

IN ROTATION posted by O.W.

T.R.O.Y. has Cypress Hill's demo tape. Seriously - this demo tells me that whoever A&R/exec. produced their debut deserves massive credit for improving the band's final product. The demo is cool as a curiosity but more rough than diamonds, if you follow me.

Just Matter and Roger Jao team up for a fun and impressively executed mix called Still Diggin' Disco, featuring the best in electro country house. (Ok, actually, it's all disco).

Late pass (#1) on my part but Jay Electronica's Victory mix-CD is a must-to-bump. Can I just marvel, for a moment at how good this sounds to me?
Jay Electronica feat. Talib Kweli, Jay Cole and Mos Def: Just Begun

I've read elsewhere this is actually a Reflection Eternal cut feat. Jay E, Jay Cole and Mos. That's less relevant than just appreciating how this is a real flash back to the turn of the 90s/00s, when people still presumably carried about a bunch of "dope" MCs "dropping" "hot lines" over a "cool beat." F--- if you can't feel this.

Weiss still has the mix.

Speaking of the Passion of Weiss site, DJ Sach has put together a Winter Mixtape, a concept I've been wanting to create for a long time but thankfully, someone got around to doing it first. Everyone needs a Winter mixtape.

Late pass (#2): DJ Numark live at the Do Over. This dude stays mad underrated but is still one of the most party rockin' DJs out there. And not just because he plays mooged out covers of the Mohawks. (It does not hurt though).

Funky16corners brings you their Forbidden City Organs. If you can't get enough of a fiery, funky bunch of organ vamps, this is for you. B3 me!

Last but not least, I probably should write a full post about this at some point but I'm hella behind on a ton of stuff and I'd hate to overlook at least saying a lil' something...Souljazz Orchestra are a Canadian ensemble who, true to their name, have kept the soul-jazz sound of the '60s and '70s alive and well. The album is heavily Afro-beat influenced but the cut that really stood out to me is more in the vein of Black Jazz than EMI Nigeria:

Souljazz Orchestra: Lotus Flower
From Rising Sun (Strut, 2010)

Loving the smooth, cool flavor here; absolutely takes me back about a dozen years to when I was trying to grip Strata East, Black Jazz and Prestige titles with the quickness. This drops in the next couple; sleep not.

The group also has a video for another song off the album:

GOOD MUSIC, BETTER CAUSE posted by O.W.

My man Chuck Wild has a great Haitian inspired mixtape for free with any donation of $5 or more to Partners in Health. See here for more info.

HAVE A SNACK posted by O.W.

As has become far too common, I need to apologize for the delay between posts. You'll be happy to know (at least, I hope you will) that part of why I haven't been posting as frequently is that I've been working on liner notes projects instead. I've already put to bed notes on the Joe Cuba Sextet's We Must Be Doing Something Right, am about to start notes on Kako's Live It Up and perhaps of most interest to folks here, track-by-track liners for Rhino's upcoming What It Is Vol. 2, the sequel to their massively well-regarded What It Is boxset.

As penance for my absence, I pulled this out of the archives - the full ¡Boogaloo! set from March 19, 2009. I think I might have made this available to a few folks last spring since it's probably one of my favorite overall sets of the last year (our incredible MJ tribute night notwithstanding). At nearly 4 hours (and 200MB, so just be forewarned), hopefully this'll tide ya'll over until I can compose my next regular post.

Enjoy!

XMAS COMES EARLY - THE ARETHA TRIBUTE SOULCAST posted by O.W.

As promised, my Aretha Tribute Mix is now up for download. DJ Phatrick's link already hit its limit so I just decided to host it as a podcast instead.

Here's the tracklist.

Enjoy!

To listen:

Option 1: Direct link/download
Option 2: Soulcast Feed (click here, then click on "Subscribe With iTunes" or just copy and paste this link into iTunes --> Advanced --> Subscribe to Podcast)

EDAN: HE'S BACK posted by O.W.

Edan: Echo Party (snippet)
From Echo Party (Five Day Weekend, 2009)

Answering the question of "what's Edan been up to?" my favorite rapper/producer/DJ/collector from Boston whose name is an anagram of "Dane". No, seriously, Edan is awesome and on this new 30 minute mix, he really outdoes himself in assembling a creatively executed, sonically compelling mega-mix that's in the best traditions of cut n' paste mixes of the past (Steinski, holler) but with Edan's particular taste in echo boxes, fuzzed out effects, psych-meets-old school aesthetics and all else that make Echo Party as ambitious (and enjoyable) a project that I've ever heard from him.

Stonesthrow still has LP copies available for pre-order, sold-out of their CDs but the album doesn't actually officially drop for another week or so.

DJ EMSKEE: I TRADE THE WORLD posted by O.W.

First off, I hope Jared doesn't mind that I'm reposting this; it was originally an email - about as close to blogging as Mr. Boxx gets. (I should note that Jared may very well be #1 on my life of "people who don't have a blog but really should" but I'm not holding my breath this will ever come to pass). Jared - if you do mind, holler at me and this is ghost.

---

(The following was written by Jared Boxx)

_I I_
None of us will forget the day the Twin Towers fell, & the surreal days, weeks & months that followed in NYC. All of us have our own unique story to put in perspective, a difficult time, that has never really come to make any sense.

One of the few things that made sense for me at that time, was a mix tape titled "I Trade The World" given to me from local friend/customer and talented DJ, Emskee. A DJ we look up to in New York, all the us that have had the chance to get to know & especially hear him mix.

Emskee was generous with passing along cassettes of his mixes to me back then, & it was no surprise that Emskee had immediately, upon this horrible event taking place, just a small distance from his home in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, turn to his turntables to work the whole mess out.

Emskee had his own unique history with the WTC, his frequent sets on WBAI's "Underground Railroad" were widely transmitted around the tri-state with the needle atop the Towers.

Upon their destruction, all radio stations suffered, due to signals being shortened from that irreplaceable reach of height.

I had a feeling this mix was special even before I listened to it, and upon pressing play, to the sound of Bill Withers "Lovely Day." I quickly understood we gotta keep pushin' on & we gotta keep dancin', that's the only way for us to see better days.

"I Trade The World" was a gift to me, and now a gift for you to download.

A time capsule of sound, where you can faintly hear, someone trying to make sense of a senseless moment in time for this city.

Given the tools of voices from the past, working through their own messed up moments in time, with music.

I can imagine for Emskee, this mix was not an attempt at sanity through mixing, but a must.


---


On this Friday September 11th in the basement of Q-Tip & Rich Medina's "Open" party the Lost & Found crew have invited DJ Emskee to do what he does best, and show us the message in the music.

This mix is something to get you ready, we all sincerely hope to can be apart of this special night.

-Jbx & the Lost & Found crew.
(Old Chris, Boogieman, Honeydripper & Mix Greens)
Santos is located at 96 Lafayette Street right below Canal Street

We will begin at 10pm, $15 cover.

-----> DJ Emskee "I Trade The World"

FREE PROMO MIXES OF RECENT COMPILATIONS posted by Eric Luecking

Last week, we posted about the Horse Meat Disco compilation recently released on Strut. They sent me a 30-minute promo mix to share with all of you. Download away!!! Only the Empire Projecting Penny track is on the actual album.

Tracklist
Hot Chocolate - Disco Queen
Queen - Dancer
World Premier - Share The Night
Empire Projecting Penny - Freakman
Cerrone - Hooked On You
Charanga 76 - Music Trance
Fonda Rae - Heobha
Melba Moore - Standing Right Here

Additionally, another 30-minute promo mix encompassing tracks from the Black Rio 2 Samba Soul comp that they sent me is now available to download. My apologies as I meant to post this a few weeks ago.

Tracklist
Sonia Santos – Poema Ritmico Do Malandro
Emilio Santiago – Bananeira
Pete Dunaway – Supermarket
Os Diagonais – Nao Vou Chorar
Avan Samba – Ibere
Zeca Do Trombone E Roberta Sax – Coluna Do Meio
Balanca Pova – Novo Dia
Renata Lu – Faz Tanta Tempo
Bebeto – Princesa Negra De Angola
Cry Babies – It’s My Thing
Guimaraes E O Grupo Som Sagrado – Our Sound

No guarantees as to when these links may die, so grab them while they're available!

MIXES GALORE posted by O.W.

Phil Da Soulman: The Truth is Forever

DJ Soul: Big L Tribute Mix

Matthew Africa: The Best of DJ Quik

All are recommended!

THE BAY IS DEEP MIX posted by O.W.

This promises to be an awesome mix of Bay Area soul records.

soul persuasion: The Bay Is Deep

JBX: FILLMORE REMIXES posted by O.W.

JBX (Jared Boxx): The Fillmore Remixes

Recommended!

TASTE OF HONEY MIX + A TRIBUTE TO ISAAC HAYES + TWEE FUNK REDUX posted by O.W.

Big City's Jared Boxx puts together a nice little Latin mix for the UK's Jazzman Records. Recommended!

Tracklisting:
1. El Green Hornet ~ Mauricio Smith (Mainstream) (Latin Jazz)
2. Cat Fish Bag ~ Johnny Zamot (Grande) (Latin Jazz)
3. Mia's Boogaloo ~ Ozzie Torrens (Decca) (Boogaloo)
4. Going Nowhere ~ Freddie Rodriguez (UA Latino) (Latin Soul)
5. Drag Sway ~ Jarito y Su Combo (True) (Shing-a-Ling)
6. Kush ~ Antonio (Chocolate) Diaz Mena (Audio Fidelity) (Latin Jazz)
7. De'se Mismo Trago ~ Pete Bonet & Louie Ramirez (Fania) (Salsa)
8. La Banda Llego ~ Orlando Marin (Fiesta) (Mambo)
9. Echa Pa' Aca ~ Gilberto Sextet (Ansonia) (Descarga)
10. Oh That's Nice ~ Pete Rodriguez (Alegre) (Boogaloo)
11. You've Been Talking About Me Baby ~ The Latin Souls (Kapp) (Latin Soul)
12. La Bruja Negra ~ Joe Torres (World Pacific) (Latin Jazz)
13. Wild Horses ~ Joe Cain (Time) (Latin Jazz)
14. Quiere ~ Jack Costanza (Clarion) (Mambo)
15. Congas Callejeras ~ Conjunto Sensacion (Tropical) (Conga)
16. Descarga A & J ~ Johnny Rodriguez & Angel Rene Orq. (Mardi Gras) (Descarga)
17. Cacumen ~ George Guzman (Fania) (Descarga)
18. Taste of Honey ~ Willie Rosario (Atco) (Boogaloo)

---

Also, the folks at Truth and Soul have a special Tribute to Isaac Hayes EP they put together, with the El Michels Affair covering songs such as "Shaft," "Walk on By" and "Hung Up On My Baby." Check for it!

---

And just to complete a trio - Matthew Africa has re-uppped his awesome "Twee Funk" mix of children's soul/funk records again. Don't sleep!

Matthew also links to this killer performance of "Hot Pants" by Jimmy Briscoe and the Beavers which has to be seen to be believed. Straight from Soul! (damn, that show was good).

YOU WANTED SONGS WITH FOOD THEMES? posted by O.W.

Someone had requested "songs with food themes" and I was in the middle of brainstorming such a post only to realize: Cool Calm Pete beat me too it with his new "The Food Theme" mix. Trust me, his is better than what I was planning to "cook" up (rimshot please!)

(Oh, and by the way, Soul Sides celebrates our 5th birthday this weekend. Guess that means we're ready to enroll in kindergarten, yah!)

JUST IN TIME FOR VALENTINE'S DAY posted by O.W.

My man Beto puts together a small V-Day Latin mix: 8 Canciones Del Amor (songs of love).

CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY posted by O.W.

Jared Boxx, one of the nicest record dudes east of the Mississippi, has just put together an awesome "Soul Santa" podcast mix for Daptone.

1. Jing Jing A Ling ~ Honey and the Bees (Chess)
2. Merry Christmas, Baby ~ Otis Redding (Atco)
3. This Christmas~ Donny Hathaway (Atco)
4. Stevie Wonder Drop (Motown)
5. Snowflakes~ Betty Lloyd (Thomas)
6. What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas? ~ The Emotions (Volt)
7. The Gift of Giving ~ Bill Withers (Sussex)
8. Eddie Kendricks drop (Motown)
9. Soul Santa~ Funk Machine (Creative Funk)
10. Silent Night Chant~ Rotary Connection (Cadet Concept)
11. Christmas in Vietnam~ Private Charles Bowen (Rojac)
12. Let's Make This Christmas mean Something This Year ~ James Brown (King)
13. Without The One You Love ~ The O'Jays (Neptune)
14. Gwendolyn Berry (The Sisters Love) Drop
15. Let's Get It Together This Christmas ~ Harvey Averne Band (Fania)
16. Gee Whiz, It's Christmas ~ Carla Thomas (Atlantic)
17. Back Door Santa~ Clarence Carter (Atlantic)
18. I Wanna Spend Christmas With You ~ Lowell Fulsom (Kent)
19. Mr. Santa Claus (Bring Me My Baby)~ Nathaniel Mayer (Munster)
20. It's That Time of the Year ~ The Manhattans (Starfire)
21. Santa's Got A Bag of Soul ~ The Soul Saints Orch. (Jazzman)
22. Pull My Sled ~ Raindeer Runners (Soul Fire)
23. Merry Christmas Baby ~ Charles Brown & Johnny Moore's 3 Blazers (Hollywood)
24. Smokey Robinson Drop

Tastier than spiked egg nog.