TWO NEW MIXES

I put 2 new mixes online, chuck full of funk, soul, deep soul and breaks.

Check 'em out. Hope you dig them!

Cold Sweat - The soul of a man by Coldsweat on Mixcloud

ColdSweat - Feed me good (a lil' bite into my funk collection) by Coldsweat on Mixcloud

the 2010 LOVE mix: Happy New Year!

Looks like this year’s gonna be soulfull & funky! Sultry grooves and pleading voices, all inspired by that one thing which keeps this world going: LOVE. Kicking off with two funky tunes by the Black Moses, also Smooth Soul by Terry & Marvin, lots of Sister Funk and a couple of genuine southern soul ballads. Happy new year and may the LOVE be with you.

Isaac Hayes – Ike’s Mood
Isaac Hayes – Hung up on my baby
John Lucien – Do You Believe in Me
Terry Callier – I Just Cant help myself
Marvin Gaye – I want you
Sisters love – Gimme Your Love
Althea Spencer – Take Me Baby
Wendy Rene – After Laughter
Aretha Franklin – I never loved a man
Otis Redding – You Made a Man out of me
Mary Jane Hooper – I’m in a loving groove
Gloria Williams - Sister funk
Irma Thomas – Ruler of My Heart
Elsie Mae - Do you really wanna rescue me
Patti & Jo - You keep me hanging on
Fontella Bass – Hold on
Inell young – What do you see in her
Betty Barney – Momma Momma
Betty Davis – Anti lovesong
Barry White – Love theme
James & Bobby Purify – I’m Your Puppet

FUNKY CHICKEN FOR CHRISTMAS

Like most people, I kinda dread the Christmas holidays. Although it's nice to get together with the family for diner, two days often proofs to be too much. Singing christmas carrols by a fake tree, that's decorated with, err with what exactly? That's really not for me...Basically Christmas is just two days of hanging about, waiting for it to be over again. Indeed, that doesn't sound like a party at all. To make christmas a bit funkier and more alive this year, Strut has compiled a collection of holiday themed funk jams that will be sure to keep your spirits bright this season. Thank God for that. Merry Christmas, y'all!

Tracklist
1. J.D. McDonald – Boogaloo Santa Claus
2. Jimmy Reed - Christmas Present Blues
3. Electric Jungle - Funky Funky Christmas
4. Funk Machine - Soul Santa
5. Milly & Silly - Getting Down For Xmas
6. The Harlem Children's Chorus - Black Christmas
8. Isaac Clarke - Santa Claus Is Coming To town
9. Captain Elmo McKenzie & The Roosters - Home On Christmas Day
10. Soul Saints Orchestra - Santa's Got A Bag of Soul
11. Zebra - Christmas Morning
12. Harvey Averne Band - Let's Get It Together This Christmas
13. Jimmy Jules - The New Year
14. The Black On White Affair - Auld Lang Syne

For More Information, check out: http://www.inthechristmasgroove.com/

Rumble in the Jungle: Soul Power documentary

One of my all-time favourite documentaries is When We Were Kings (1996), co-created by Leon Gast, telling the story about the The Rumble in The Jungle, the epic 1974 meeting between George Foreman and Muhammed Ali in the Central African country of Congo (formerly known as Zaire). Even if you don't like boxing, surely you will appreciate Ali's charisma. And not the mention the music festival, which accompagnied the boxing event. A small part of this legendary festival (coproduced by Hugh Masekela) is already featured in When We Were Kings. However, Leon Gast recently released his new pic, called Soul Power, this time focussing solely on the musical events during Rumble In The Jungle. Appearing artist include James Brown, BB King, Celia Cruz and the Fania All-stars, Bill Withers, The Spinners, Sister Sledge and African superstars Miriam Makeba, Manu Dibango, Franco and Tabu Ley Rochereau. An amazing line up, and amazing footage of an event in which afro-american performers returned to the motherland, and celebrating it with their gift for music. If you enjoyed Woodstock and Wattstax you gotta dig this! Be sure to check out the trailer of Soul Power. Earlier, Leon Gast already created three terrific pieces of musical cinema: Our Latin Thing, Salsa the Movie and Celia Cruz and the Fania All-Stars in Africa (all re-issued on dvd by Vampisoul, but sadly already out of print).

SACRILEGE?

You know the feeling when a plan, that looked so great and absolutely invincible on paper, is finally unleashed and set in motion only to come back as a huge disappointment and completely different than what was expected? Ofcourse you do, and so do I, but the other day I sadly experienced this emotion in the quickest way ever.

While checking a list of up and coming tunes, my eye immediately focussed on the name Nneka. Not only because it was a bit strange to see this Lock it Down and personal fave "new queen of soul" appear on a list of dubstep releases, also because the name was linked to Chase & Status, who, apart from also charting our fave list for many reasons, apparently have remixed her epic "Heartbeat" tune. Quite an exciting combination!

Or is it?
On paper the link-up seems like a match made in heaven. Nneka is doing very well on the soul 'n 'pop circuit and is succesfully touring the continent, spreading her positive message through songs that emerge from her ever growing songwriting talent. Chase & Status recently succesfully reinvented themselves by drifting away from their crushing raggajungle anthems, releasing hit after hit (with influences taken from both dubstep as well as rock and everything in between) and firmly establishing themselves as a "hype to watch and be cool with."

Unfortunately, as you might have expected from the introduction, the final result "isn't all that." No, let's be honest: it's horrible. And no one is to blame, really, because a tune like "Heartbeat" really can't be remixed without damaging it. It's one of those rare tunes that is complete. It's a finished product, just the way it is. Any alteration means damage. Sure, it doesn't help much that Chase 'n Status decided to give the tune a "rock feel" that completely robs the tune of its swing , funk and air. Topping it of are the corny synth parts and the screaming guitarsolo's that intersperse with Nneka's singing which are simply devastating to what was left of the tune. That said, I must say I do like Chase 'n' Status idea behind it. I'm always pro "thinking outside of the box" and that is exactly what Chase 'n Status did with this remix: they took a different approach. Come to think of it, that is what I always liked about them, really: you never know what to expect from these chaps. And let's face it, how can a collab by two faves ever turn out out any good? It seems impossible. Moreover, both parties can prove me wrong whenever they want to, since the song is doing its rounds succesfully on the dubplate circuit and is rapidly becoming a fave among both the bigger dj's as well as the ever growing horde of dubstep fans.

So was this remix really such a bad idea? No, it wasn't. I personally don't like the result and would rather listen to the original at any time and at any dance, but the tune does spin its rounds and gathers both Nneka and Chase 'n Status some more interest from both camps, which is always a good thing. Musically speaking, however, I'd have to say it wasn't worth the effort. I wonder if a remix done by Joker, 2000f or L.D would have made a better match. I think it would have...

New Vampisoul releases: Sensacional Soul Vol 2 and La Nueva Banda De Santisteban

Various - Sensacional Soul Vol 2
32 groovy Spanish soul & funk stompers from 1965-1972! Soul turned Spanish pop into the fuel that ignited the dance floors and parties of Spain. Spanish soul became hugely popular, and during the second half of the 60s was the dominant music genre in a country still under Franco’s dictatorship. Apart from artists that imitated the purest sounds from the US, others took risks and tried subgenres such as progressive R&B, freakbeat soul, sunshine soul or psych-pop with soulish influences. This new volume offers a fantastic selection of all of them, including tracks by hit acts such as Los Bravos, Los Pekenikes, Manolo y Ramón (aka Dúo Dinámico) and obscure bands such as Jae’s Soul and Conjunto Brillant’s.
Tracklist: Hey, Hey Bunny (Los Gatos Negros), Sintonía En Soul (Jae's Soul), Bugulú (Los Albas), Las Bellas Ilusiones (Conjunto Brillant's), Abandonado (Karlo Y Su Conjunto), Tú Lo Tienes, Mi Amor (Los Go-Go), Soul 2 (Chus Martínez), Higher & Higher (Ossie Lane),Rudy’s In Love (Los Bravos), Perdóname (Las 4 Monedas), El Saltamontes (Los Roberts), La Vida Es Un Juego De Azar (Gino), Limón Y Sal (La Nueva Banda De Santisteban), Donkey (Henry C Martin), Stone Free (Los Brisks), Camino Cortado (Los Roller), El Sol Es Una Droga (Los Kifers), Lo Que Puede Ocurrir Con El Café (Henry), No, No, No (Los Pops), La Máquina Infernal (Lone Star), I Don’t Know What To Do (Conexión), I’m Walkin´ High (Evolution), Para Siempre (Wagon), Polución (Los Pekenikes), (Los Ros), Lágrimas, Sonrisas (Manolo Y Ramón), Darkness (Joe Cogra Group), Pilé Beat (Ritmo Pilé), Boom Boom (Peter Soto), East Side Story (Los Talismanes), El Fuego (Los 5 Diablos), Es Mejor Dejarlo Como Está (Alex Y Los Findes).

La Nueva Banda De Santisteban - Sabor a Fresa
Reissue of this 1971 classic. An exotic cocktail of jazz, Brazilian music, flamenco influences and spaghetti-western soundtracks. Born in Madrid in 1943, raised on copla and popular Spanish song genres, with a solid classic formation, initiated in jazz and in love with Brazilian music, Alfonso Santisteban is, among many things, different. He was a session musician and composer for hire from the early 60s for stars of flamenco pop, author of countless soundtracks, many of them patchy, some remarkable. Santisteban also wrote innumerable melodies for an incipient TVE (Spain’s public TV broadcaster) hungry for a liberal modernity. He decided to pay this pleasant toll in order to gain moments of total creative freedom. The Sabor a Fresa album (Belter, 1971) is re-released by Vampisoul under its original title for the first time, with the addition of an extra track from an ultra-rare 45 of the Enseñar a un Sinvergüenza soundtrack.
Tracklist: Sabor A Fresa, Brincadeira, Zorongo, Persecución, The Suitcase, Manías De María, No Te Acuerdas De Mí, Tierra Mojada, Un Día De Lluvia, Nuestro Ayer, Vuelve A Tu Ciudad, Limón Y Sal, Soledad (Bonus track not on original LP).

Text ripped from the Vampisoul website...check it here for more info.

DJ Cliffy - Black Rio 2 Promo Mix

Summer is finally upon us! And while the BBQ fumes from the holiday weekend may be dying down, one can never have enough tunes to serve as the soundtrack for outdoor summer fun. With Black Rio 2, DJ Cliffy digs deep into his crates of samba, soul, funk and more to bring you a selection of overlooked Brazilian jams that will be sure conjure images of a tropical setting no matter where you are. For a taste of the flavor, check out this half hour mix featuring tracks from the compilation. To top it off you can also head over to http://www.blackrio-2.com/ to download the track "Our Sound" by Guimaraes E O Grupo Som Sagrado. Black Rio 2 is out now on Strut.

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

Download here or here

Soulfull Folk: Terry Callier on Cadet 1972-1973

Chicago-born Terry Callier (may 24th, 1945) was a childhood friend of Curtis Mayfield and recorded his first album in 1963. However, this debut for the Prestige label, The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier, was not released untill 1968 because supposedly the producer (including the master tapes) disappeared for a few years, staying in an Indian Yaki reservation. At the beginning of the seventies, Callier signed with Cadet (a sublabel of the Chess powerhouse) and released three stunning albums which mixed soul, folk and jazz with Chess producer Charles Stepney's tastefull orchestration. Stephey already produced the experimental sound of The Rotary Connection and would later have massive succes with Earth, Wind and Fire. Guitar hero Phil Upchurch plays on all three Callier recordings and the overal sound of the albums is deeply melancolic but sweetly transcendental. This is not music you listen while doing something else, for the poetic truth and beauty of this work reveals itself only to the attentive listeners. Imagine Marvin Gaye meeting up with Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley and there you go........

Terry Callier's first album for Cadet, Occasional Rain was released in 1972. All originals, including the classic Ordinary Joe. Backing vocals by Minnie Ripperton.

Tracklist: Segue #1 - Go Ahead On, Ordinary Joe, Golden Circle, Segue #5 - Go Head On, Trance on Sedgewick Street, Do You Finally Need a Friend , Segue #4 - Go Head On, Sweet Edie-D, Occasional Rain, Segue #2 - Go Head On, Blues for Marcus, Lean on Me, Last Segue - Go Head On

Terry's second album, What Colour is Love, was released on Cadet in 1972. Again all original songs, including You're Goin' Miss Your Candyman, as sampled by Urban Species in Listen. Also one of my all-time favourite album covers ever.

Tracklist: Dancing Girl, What Color Is Love, You Goin' Miss Your Candyman, Just As Long As We're In Love, Ho Tsing Mee (A Song Of The Sun), I'd Rather Be With You, You Don't Care.

Terry Callier's final and most soulfull 1973 album for Cadet, called I Just Can't Help Myself. Sounding like a stripped-down Marvin Gaye, including a splendid version of Duke Ellington's Satin Doll and the John Coltrane tribute Can't Catch The Trane (together with Alley-Wind Song already recorded in 1969).

Tracklist: (I Just Can't Help Myself) I Don't Want Nobody Else, Brown-Eyed-Lady, Gotta Get Closer To You, Satin Doll, Until Tomorrow, Alley-Wind Song, Can't Catch The Trane, Bowlin' Green.

Terry Callier continued to record and release records till 1982, when he took over resposibility of raising his 12 year old daughter and started working as a computer programmer at Chicago University. Musically dormant during most of the eighties, he was rediscovered in the nineties and started releasing albums again. His latest effort, Hidden Conversations, was just released on the Mr Bongo label.

Mitty Collier - Shades Of A Genius (Chess LP 1965)

Although I love their cocktails, Milano is actually way to much fashion for me. Lots of posh shops that is, however, there's also Via Padova. A street with lots of people hanging around and police patrolling heavily. And it is here where I found Dischi Metropolis, an old basement filled with second hand vinyl, also equiped with very helpfull personell. Browsing through the bins I encountered Mitty Collier's 1965 album Shades of a Genius on Chess Records for 7 euros. Earlier this year I already noticed the Ace/Kent compilation Shades of Mitty Collier (focusing on her 15 singles for Chess), and was impressed with the powerfull soul-gospel voice of Mitty. Chicago’s Chess label hosted a whole bunch of great female soul voices, eg Etta James, Fontella Bass, Jackie Ross and Sugarpie de Santo. Somewhat more obscure is the here featured Mitty Collier, best known for her hit I Had a Talk With My Man Last Night, released in 1964 on Chess. Mitty was born in 1941 in Birmingham, Alabama, sung in church and toured with gospel groups The Hayes Ensemble and the Loyd Reese Singers. In order to earn some money for her college education, Mitty started singing r&b in the local clubs. In 1959, she won Al Benson’s Talent Contest and a year later, she got signed by Ralp Bass for Chess records at age 20. She stayed with Chess for eight years, releasing 15 singles and the here featured album, 1965’s Shades Of A Genius, a set comprising songs originated by or associated with Ray Charles (three songs are written by him). The album includes her first 1961 single Gotta Get Away From It All, arranged and produced, by Riley Hampton and Roquel “Billy” Davis and the 1964 classic I Had a Talk With My Man Last Night, a gospel song written by James Cleveland (and produced by Billy Davis), substituting the word “God” for “Man”. No Faith, No Love was another 1965 minor hit inspired by James Cleveland’s No Cross No Crown. Shades of a Genius provides us with excellent mid sixties soul, with a deep gospel undercurrent. Most tunes are slow, but things also get funky with Willie Dixon’s My Babe. As usual, the Chess production created tastefull brass sections and bluesy guitar licks. The woman on the album cover is not Mittie Collier, and although it was a withdrawn album cover, it managed to be pressed and released in Italia. Her highest charting single was released a year after the album, Sharing You, also covered by Dusty Springfield, Inez Foxx, Shirley Brown and Marva Wright. Her Chess swansong, released in 1968, was a new version of Gotta Get Away From It All, recorded at Fame Studios in Alabama with producer Rick Hall. Mitty left Chess after releasing Everybody Makes A Mistake Sometimes, a song recorded at Muscle Shoals. She then recorded five singles for William Bell's Peachtree label, in 1969, releasing True Love Never Comes Easy and You Hurt So Good. In 1972, Mitty departed secular music and began singing gospel music, releasing veral albums : The Warning, featuring I Had A Talk With God Last Night (1972), Hold The Light (1977) and I Am Love (1987). She is now the pastor of the More Like Christ Christian Fellowship Ministries, Chicago.

Listen To: I Had A Talk with My Man Last Night

Listen To: My Babe


Tracklist:
1. Come Back Baby
2. I Had A Talk With My Man Last Night
3. Would You Have Listened
4. I Gotta Get Away From It All
5. My Babe
6. Halleluja (I Love Him So)

7. Drown In My Own Tears
8. No Faith, No Love
9. Together
10.Let Them Talk
11.Little Miss Loneliness
12.Ain't That Love

Mittie Collier with the Bar-keys on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPcKJSw92a0 (introduction by Otis Redding)

R.I.P NORMAN WHITFIELD

Legendary producer and songwriter Norman Whitfield died on september 16th at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 67 years of age. Whitfield had struggled for months with complications from diabetes, and his prognosis had been day-to-day for several weeks. He had recently emerged from a coma. With collaborator Barrett Strong — himself in a Detroit hospital recovering from a stroke — Whitfield co-wrote many of Motown’s biggest hits, including its single most successful song, “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” recorded by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips. (source: freep)

Norman Whitfield first came to my attention listening to the Impressions' "Pyschedelic Shack" lp. The song that most notably "did it" for me on this album is called "Take a stroll through your mind," an epic, psychedelic and ganja flavoured musical epos, clocking in well over 8 eight minutes. Surely, that was not something I expected to hear from a Motown group with sweet hits to their name such as "It's allright", but dammit, this song struck me! It got to me big time and I just kept playing it over and over again. Soon I discovered that it was the producer, not the group, who was responsible for my newly beloved sound and I found myself digging for more of those psychedelic Norman Whitfield productions. Some were good, some were great and some dazzled me: I still remember the day my fellow Lock it Down writer Elephant Soundz put on the Jackson 5 version of "Hum along and dance" for me, which simply left me in awe...

Although certainly not all his productions are my cup of tea, Rose Royce's "car wash", for instance, is really a step too far for me, but it is without doubt that Norman Whitfield was a true talent. One of the kind that don't come up too often. A remarkable sound originator, a very gifted songwriter and, on a more personal level, one of the few producers who managed to create a signature sound that keeps me digging for more and more. His musical input is still greatly appreciated over here at Lock it Down. Think I'm gonna play the Velvelettes' "Needle in a haystack" some more....or "Ball of Confusion" or "Cloud Nine" or...

SHARON JONES UNLEASHES NEW ALBUM

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings will release their latest full length, 100 Days, 100 Nights, on October 2nd on Daptone Records. 100 Days, 100 Nights is the group’s third full-length since they burst on the scene with their 2002 release, Dap Dippin’ With Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. Since that time, the band has released 2005’s Naturally, and The Dap-Kings became sought after by artists ranging from Amy Winehouse (performing as the backing band on Winehouse’s Back to Black album and tour), Kanye West, Mark Ronson, Public Enemy’s Hank Shocklee, Lilly Allen, and more. In addition, Sharon contributed vocals to projects with Lou Reed, Rufus Wainwright, and They Might Be Giants. 100 Days, 100 Nights was recorded in the same Bushwick, Brooklyn Daptone studio as its predecessors, using all analog equipment to achieve the signature hard-hitting funk and soul sound that has made the band so in demand among musicians and fans alike.

Here's a taster of the upcoming album.

Thanks to Chris Tams of the Orchard for the info and the taster.

OH MY....IT'S THE DANSETTES!

By far the finest, most danceable, most retro, most remarkable and, above all, funniest 7" I encountered recently is courtesy of vocal trio "The Dansettes." This strictly limited edition 7" (500 copies worldwide) called "Oh my!" is a wonderfull piece of music that is both appealing as it is impressive. The New York based Dansettes smoothly combine early Stax hammond grooves with the typical Tamla/Motown vocal trio sound, blend it with sugarcoated pop and also manage to put some of that fine New-Orleans drum patterns into their music. The result is an ultra poppy, "where did I hear this before" sing-along that is utmost pleasing, but play it some more and you'll discover the sheer brilliance of it. They make it sound so easy but the way they mix, switch and blend styles in this song is far from easy. I read somewhere that the best popsongs are the ones that are easy listening but hard to play. Indeed they are and this 7" is a fine example of a truly great pop/soul/funk song.

The Dansettes owe a heavy credit to the The Bourbon Dynasty, who layed down the rhythm (instrumental is on the b-side) and the mighty Daptone who recorded the song in their infamous studio, but as long as they can keep it together I'm eagerly awaiting more 7"s. Untill then, I'll just play this gem over and over and over again..

Go have a listen here

The Soul Snatchers: Funky Dordrecht!

Check out The Soul Snatchers from Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Founded rock solid on the well oiled rhythm section of clean drums and thumping bass, the dangerously growling Hammond organ and the reverbing sounds of the Gretsch guitar find their way to your soul blindly. Add to that the two- or threeheaded horn section and the tormented throat of female singer Jojo (or a guest vocalist) and one nearly orgastic climax after another rolls out of the speakers. For everybody who already enjoyed the Lefties Soul Connection from Amsterdam........

In the spring season of 2006, the Soul Snatchers first 7 vinyl record will be released on the german Social Beats label, containing Get Yourself To Get Her on the A-side and Sniffin & Snatchin on the flipside. Later that year, the band is planning to record a full album with lots of self written songs.

check out their Myspace and listen to more tracks:

http://www.myspace.com/soulsnatchers

Encounters of the Dutch Rare Grooves: Tony Sherman

I always loved the band WAR (with or without Eric Burdon), and was very pleased to encounter this seven inch (on the BASF label) with Tony Sherman's version of WAR's Slippin' into darkness on the flipside...Tony was born in Haarlem, Netherlands (his parents hailed from the Antilles) and made a few recordings under his own name, later he formed a band called The Shermans. Tonight is his second single (1974) and the A side is allright, but Slippin' ... really hits the spot. Funky Funky Holland! Definitely a candidate for the next Dutch Rare Groove compilation!

for more info on Tony check the NPI website: http://www.popinstituut.nl/

check the sample down here: http://elephantsoundz.castpost.com/403617.html

>

THE HOUND

The Hound was a radioshow that ran from 1985 to 1995, broadcasted in the New York area. All shows from that era have now been ressurected on the web, and we thank God on our bare knees, whilst praying our haaaaaaaail Maries, for that. The Hound is a superb, easy acces archive of great music, spanning from Hasil Adkins to Bo Diddley and ongoing via Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band to the Chantels (the girlgroup, not the reggae combo.)You can download complete shows, or single tracks as mp3's. Even more interesting is scrolling through the database by artist. In doing so, the true magnitude of this internet site is revealed in all its simplicity and it'll leave you downloading for hours! Don't say we didn't warn you!

here you go!

thanks to soulgeneration for the tip

NEW ORLEANS IS HOME OF THE GROOVE

The proud history of New Orleans is by now somewhat overshadowed by recent disasters, but to many, including yours truly, the city is and always will be the home of the groove. The city where jazz was born, R' & B' flourished and the upcoming sound of funk was treated with a typical "New Orleans Roots" point of few, and in the process creating the most exciting sounds in funk ever to see the light of day. The city also, where a lot of pioneering Jamaican producers got their influences from throughout the years.

One of the most interesting sites on the subject is Home of the Groove. A weblog that features rare, hard to find or just plain good New Orleans-related R&B and funk tracks with interesting background stories. While reading you can listen to the commented tracks as well. A great source of info indeed!

Check the Sample: Amen, Brother by the Winstons

The "Amen break" is one of the most frequently used sampled drum loops in jungle and drum and bass music. It consists of 16 beats of the drum break lifted from the song "Amen, Brother" as performed by the 1960s funk/soul outfit The Winstons. The song is an uptempo instrumental rendition of an older gospel music classic. The Winstons' version was released as a B-side of the 45 rpm 7" vinyl single "Color Him Father" in 1969 on Metromedia. The Amen break can be found in many different forms: looped straight as in old-skool drum and bass, or entirely dismembered and rearranged as in some tunes by artists like Squarepusher and Aphex Twin; it is used in literally thousands of drum and bass songs and (notably) many hip hop tunes, such as NWA's "Straight Outta Compton". The Amen break has also been used by more well-known musical acts including Perry Farrell and Nine Inch Nails, and can even be heard in the background of car commercials and television shows such as The Amazing Race and Futurama. The Winstons were a Washington D.C.-based soul act led by Richard Spencer, signed to Curtom in early 1968 and lasted there for one single, the rousing "Need a Replacement." They had a sound that was somewhat similar to the Impressions, but were unfortunate enough to have signed with Curtom before the label had national distribution, and the single never got the play it should have. A year after leaving Curtom, they hit for the Metromedia label with a huge single called "Color Him Father," which became a Top Ten R&B and pop hit, just missing number one on the R&B list, and also earned a Grammy for Best R&B Song. It was both a great tribute number and outstanding lead vocal from Richard Spencer, along with Ray Maritano, Quincy Mattison, Phil Tolotta, Sonny Peckrol, and G.C. Coleman. Mattison and Coleman were veterans of Otis Redding's band. The Winstons eventually toured as the backup band for the Impressions, but never again made any noise on the charts. And never got paid for their break.

Check http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Agency/3263/ for what they are doing at the moment.

Some of the tunes using the Break: 2 Live Crew - "Feel Alright Yall", 3rd Bass - "Wordz of Wisdom”, 4 Hero - "Escape That", Amon Tobin - "Nightlife", Aphex Twin - "Boy/Girl Song", Atari Teenage Riot - "Burn Berlin Burn”, Brand Nubian - "The Godz Must Be Crazy", Deee-Lite - "Come on In, the Dreams are Fine",Dillinja - "The Angels Fell", Eric B and Rakim - "Casualties of War", Funky Technicians - "Airtight", Goldie - "Chico: Death of a Rock Star”, Heavy D - "Let it Flow", Heavy D - "Flexin'", Heavy D - "MC Heavy D!", Heavyweight - "Oh Gosh”, J. Majik - "Your Sound", J. Majik - "Arabian Nights", Lemon D - "This is Los Angeles", Level Vibes - "Beauty & the Beast", Lifer's Group - "Jack U. Back (So You Wanna Be a Gangsta)", Ltj Bukem - "Music", Maestro Fresh Wes - "Bring it On", Mantronix - "King of the Beats”, Movement Ex - "KK Punani", Nice & Smooth - "Dope Not Hype", NWA - "Straight Outta Compton", Oasis - "Do Y'Know What I Mean”, Roni Size - "Brown Paper Bag", Salt-N-Pepa - "Desire", Scarface - "Born Killer", Schoolly D - "How a Black Man Feels".

Information was lifted from the excellent sites Allmusic.com and Wikepedia.org

RECOMMENDED: Click here if you are interested in elevating your consciousness & understanding of music as it is today, then listen to Nate Harrison's oral history of the Amen break, placed into his cultural background!

THEM DUTCH......THEY GROOVE!

Since I'm from Holland, it wouldn't be fair to rate this record, now would it? So I won't (pssst...it's very good...) Not convinced yet? Read the Dusty Groove review:

Forget all your visions of windmills and wooden shoes, and get set for the sound of Funky Funky Holland! This package is a long-overdue look at the budding Dutch groove scene of the 60s and 70s -- a place where jazz players were letting their hair down, rockers were jamming on the drums, and surprising appearances by American and African artists were having a strong impact on the overall sounds coming out of the Netherlands. The tunes here are surprisingly funky -- not fake funk or kitsch funk, but really great little tunes with a heavy heavy bottom and lots of strong instrumentation served up in a variety of different ways throughout the set. CD 1 features a whopping 23 tracks from vintage years -- most of which were totally fresh to our ears -- with titles that include "Funky But Clean" by Vitesse, "Houseparty" by Houseband, "Relax (Before Doin Sex)" by Oscar Harris & The Twinkle Stars, "Soul Party" by The Free, "Dynamite" by Fred Van Zegveld, "Snoopy" by The Playboys, "Let's Go Randstand" by Rogier Van Otterloo, "Passage To Prerov" by Jack Van Poll Tree-oh, "Hunky Dory" by Rob Franken Organization, "Funky Limbo" by Dutch Rhythm Steel & Show Band, "High Winds" by Reality, "De Glazen Stand" by Hans Van Hemert, and "It's An Ill Wind That Blows Nobody Any Good" by Swingin Soul Machine. CD 2 is totally cool too -- with remixes of older tunes from the first disc, but often done in a fairly straight way that retains all the classic funky touches, and even adds in a few more bits of instrumentation! Booklet is nice also -- with notes on every track, and even images of old records used on the set!

More info:

the remixing is done by none other then: C-mon and Kypski

Info on featured artists: Dutch Rare Groove