Why I Love Blends – New Philly Rap vs Old Philly Funk Edition

Jean Carn – ‘What’s On Your Mind’ (Soulseek Edit)
Jean Carn – ‘What’s On Your Mind’ (Original LP Version)
Amanda Blank – ‘Might Like You Better’ (DJ Hoff ‘Jean Carn’ blend)

Listen, I used to scour record stores just like everyone else for funk records, but I always found I was looking for something specific, maybe some P-Funk, etc. That means, since I’m not a DJ, a crate digger etc., many many great funk records have escaped my knowledge over time. And that’s of course why I read Earfuzz.com (which you can also follow here on Facebook now).

Another great funk discovery resource – DJ Blends. Our friends at the great music blog Discobelle.net turned us on to DJ Hoff’s ‘Jean Carn’ blend of Amanda Blank’s ‘Might Like You Better’.

As soon as I heard this blend of Mrs. Blank’s jam, I had to rush over to wikipedia to read Jean Carne’s biography / discography and find the original source material that DJ Hoff used.

The source material is Jean Carn’s ‘What’s On Your Mind’ from ‘When I Find You Love’ LP, the Jean Carn 1981 album put out on Philadelphia International Records.

So with the DJ Hoff blend, you have Philly’s Amanda Blank rapping over an instrumental funk edit from Philly signed soul artist Jean Carn. And Dexter Wansel, a Philly based power funk producer – read his bio here – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dexter_Wansel – really is driving this jam, with solid gold funk.

Sure I love this Dexter Wansel produced jam ‘What’s On Your Mind’. Unfortunately, you have to sit through about 1:40 of syrupy disco soul before Wansel drops the uber tight, congo and synth laden break for the song. Expect some mighty tight bass ripples in here too, unfortunately in this digital world, I can’t find the player credits, so I don’t know who from Philly International is dropping in this amazing bass line. Any thoughts? Leave it in the comments.

At 3:00 minutes into the song, again, we hit the disco syrup, strings and Dexter Wansel’s orchestral work. It’s nice, but it’s not that banging break, with the vocal ‘ooohhhs’ (which also work nicely in the ‘Might Like You Better’ blend against Amanda Blank’s sassy rhymes).

So I provided an edit I found on Soulseekthat focuses in on the tightest part of the Jean Carn / Dexter Wansel jam. Enjoy the edit, it makes me just freak out it’s so on the one.

Funny, SoulExpress.net totally ripped ‘What’s On Your Mind, they wrote:

the track is a truly awful uptempo dancer with a fast metronomic beat perfect for people with no sense of rhythm.

Are you kidding me? I got plenty of rhythm and I’ll be dancing to all three versions above for the next few months! I hope you do too.. #funkyfriday.