Who Knew?

It appears that ‘radio’ is still relevant in other places of the world. Listen to Basement Jaxx take over Gilles Peterson’s BBC show with material from a new EP (Zephyr, a follow-up to Scars):

(be patient for it to load, it’s 2 hrs long)

Tracklist:
Pharaoh Sanders – Ole (Theresa) [New York]
Grupo Fantasma – Bacalao Con Pan (Freestyle Records) [Cuba]
Pedro Luis Ferrer – Operacion Sitio (White) [Cuba]
Unknown – Empty Without You (White)
Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo (Darkestral) [London]
Unknown – Fire (Rusko Remix)
DJ Nasa – Love Birds (White)
St Germain – Rose Rouge (Remix) (White) [France]
Buddy Rich – Nutty (White) [New York]
Bachelors of Science – Match Point (Horizons Music) [California]
Calibre – Let Me Hold You (Signature) [Belfast]
N.Moore – Who La La (Firecracker)
American Standard – Mr Chinn Gets It Together (Disco Edit) (White)
Dorian Concept – Tropical Hands (Wonky) [Vienna]
Janet Lawson – So High (unknown) [Baltimore]
Winston Marseilles – Recessional (unknown)

Zephyr EP Exclusive
Basement Jaxx – Intro (XL)
Basement Jaxx – Peace Of Mind (XL)
Basement Jaxx – Alkazaar (XL)
Basement Jaxx – Hip Hop Hooray (XL)
Basement Jaxx – Walking In The Clouds (XL)
Basement Jaxx – Where R We Now? (XL)
Basement Jaxx – Check The Fuse (XL)
Basement Jaxx – Sunrising (XL)
Basement Jaxx – Ascension (XL)

St Etienne – Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Masters At Work Dub) (Warner Brothers) [Croydon]
Steel Grey – Do You Want To Dance? (Joe Smooth Mix) (DJ International)
Basement Jaxx – Feelings Gone (Floating Points Remix) (White) [London]
Airto Moreira – Samba de Flora (Montuno) [Brazil]
Brenda Russell – A Little Bit Of Love Can Go A Long Way [New York]

Gold Dust

Ellie Goulding – “Under the Sheets” (mp3)

Ellie Goulding – “Black & Gold” (mp3)

I want to post different music here than what’s on my Twitter feed, but for now, it’s the same. A lot of Ellie Goulding, the new darling of Neon Gold Records. Plus Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez just came out, so you know I’m listening to that. And I’m so thrilled to see Nneka in the States, even if they’re just rehashing her old material for us.

 

 

Besides that, it’s all about Fat Freddy’s Drop!

Listen to samples here.

 

 

Bonus MP3: Sia – “You’ve Changed“

Solar

I always want to write a “Dad Post” when it comes around to Father’s Day, or my father’s real birthday, or for no reason other than the fact that he shaped my music taste so much. And he did a damn good job. I feel the need to thank him for playing artists like these non-stop in our home and car: Sam Cooke, Bob Marley, Curtis Mayfield, The Impressions, Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey, Horace Silver, James Brown, Sly & The Family Stone, Funkadelic, Stevie Wonder, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, and my personal favorite of the dad-post-list, Gene Ammons. These records give me warm happy nostalgia now, like comfort food and The Simpsons. I’m pretty sure that I would be a very different person without the soundtrack backing my development since birth.

So today I’m wishing dad a Happy Birthday! Through the years, I’ve already posted “Song For My Father” and later, another jazz song I knew had some meaning for him: “Chelsea Bridge” by Ben Webster.

“Solar” – Miles Davis (from Walkin‘)

“Solar” by Miles Davis was how my dad formally introduced me to the world of jazz musicianship. For you jazz musicians out there, you know how “Solar” is one of those fun songs with very slow easy chord changes, a beginner’s song. It was 1997 or so, and I had recently traded in my clarinet for a tenor saxophone. My school music teacher requested this switch for me, because a) he was convinced I was another golden child like my genius sax-playing older brother, and b) he needed a sax in his marching band, which was very weak.

One night, my dad opened the Fake Book to “Solar” and played a simple bluesy lick on my horn. (It was his horn before he gave up. He gave up when my brother surpassed him in skill.) Encouraging me to try improvisation, he said, “just find something that works, and play around with it.” It was very simple advice, but it worked and it was the start of my whole experience playing jazz.

But it was not the start, nor the end, of my dad teaching me how to do basically everything.

One last thing in honor of my cool cool Dad’s birthday: Here’s one of my favorite things he’s ever published online. Imagine my reaction when you read #7. Manny’s Place / Weird Things

[[[ I expect some kind of punishment if mom doesn't get a plug too now. Here you are: My mom has a blog too! She wants you to Stumble Upon her, so do it! Stumble Upon Diary of a Heretic. She also contributed to my musicality with one word: Prince. That's for another post ]]]

Who Loves Basement Jaxx Videos and Dancing Bears?

This girl.

Hot Sh*t

via Blacksmith music. Go there for a free download of the Idle Warship album, Party Robot, plus this mixtape by Shalonda.

Shalonda- “Fever” from Just Go…

Diego Bernal

Artist is Diego Bernal, album is For Corners, and it’s available for free download in it’s entirety here. I’m still having a hard time understanding the concept, because usually just the shitty albums are available for free download.

“Dusty Sanchez”

Counter Culture

It’s cool to hate CMJ: If I were an aspiring musician in the city, I would desperately want to get a CMJ gig. It wouldn’t be hard because there are a zillion showcases per night, and I would feel real big about it. But of course the reality is often these tiny sparse shows which are just depressing; I think that’s true for the artists and the industry drones alike. The ‘up-and-coming’ CMJ artists are expected to put on more than a show.  They have to compete with every other venue in the city (many many), handle every obstacle that might come along with live performance, and ultimately they have to make an impression on the stone-faced industry representatives.

Unsurprisingly I missed (or will miss) most of CMJ because it’s impossible to enjoy a show with a migraine, and I try to avoid agonizing pain when possible. But I did catch Reni Lane gracefully tackle an an early set, a tiny venue, and a boring, sober crowd Thurs night at The Delancey. Reni had a single on The L Word called “Place For Us”, which recently got even more love when RAC remixed it. [Download the remix here]. She also put together this video series based on the “10 random things” application on Facebook- renilane.com/10things. If you know me well …the marching-band-nerd video makes me a little competitive. One or two of you know I carried the IHS marching band. So I could definitely challange Reni Lane to a John-Philip-Sousa-off. Let’s go!

Tommy T

Tommy T is the bass player for Gogol Bordello.  His new solo album, The Prester John Sessions, is just one of those CDs that I can’t explain… but I’m sure you, whoever you are, you will like it. The free download avails now from Easy Star Records is the track called “The Response”, but there are so many different, fantastic songs on here, you really should just buy the whole thing on iTunes now.  If you still don’t believe me, listen to a few more tracks here: tommytmusic.com.

Tommy T – “The Response” from The Prester John Sessions

No Sleep Til CMJ Is Over

Two more singing UK imports: V V Brown and Alice Russell. Alice Russell’s new video from Pot of Gold doesn’t exactly live up to the perfectly tailored US standards of a music video (and consequently has soul), and V V Brown’s video, on the other hand, looks like it was made for exactly that. But now I really want tights with my name written down the legs.

Bonus Downloads:

The Heavy – “Short Change Hero” via URB

Wayna- “Billyclub ft Wale” Remix via Okayplayer

Oddisee- Odd Autumn EP via Oddisee

Jukebox Melange mix (Part 1 | Part 2) via Aurgasm

Surprise

I didn’t expect to like a single song on John Forte’s EP Stylefree. But

John Forte- “Best That Love Could Be” ft Ben Harper