Darondo Vs Rene Costy: Didn't I Scrabble

Darondo: Didn't I Scrabble

Quickie today with a blend that hasn't left my playlist for a week now. If you don't know about Darondo by now you must get familiar as a matter of urgency. The original Didn't I is undoubtedly one of the sweetest soul songs I've ever cupped my ear to and is night on perfect in itself. What makes this blend work so well is that the constructor recognises that less is most definitely more in this case and matches the song beautifully with Rene Costy's Scrabble to deliver a slightly faster Darondo perfect for the dancefloor. So simple and yet so good.

I've been asking around about where this originated from but no one seems to want to own up for it. Happy to give credit if someone wants to step up (and a higher quality mp3 wouldn't go amiss either).

In Memory Of J Dilla

Rene Costy: Scrabble

Jackson 5: All I Do Is Think Of You

Stan Getz and Luiz Bonfá: Saudade Vem Correndo

The Cyrkle: The Visit

The Three Degrees: Maybe

Ahmad Jamal: Swahililand

A year to the day of Jay Dee's untimely death and the blog world is rightly filled with tributes to the brilliant catalogue of beats the producer left us with.

Not having anything unheard to add to the tributes out there I thought instead I'd just share a few of my favourite tracks that Dilla reinvented for his beats. It may just be a coincidence but to me what many of these originals share is a deep rooted soulfulness similar to the great beats that the man delivered time and time again during his lifetime.

While I tend to shy away from breaks posts the quality of tracks produced from the great songs above is justification in it's own right. May his music be celebrated for many years to come.

James Dewitt Yancey (February 7, 1974–February 10, 2006)

Doing The Cha Tach Ka Slide

Bernard Estardy: Cha Tatch Ka and La Gigouille
From: La Formule Du Baron [CBS, 1967]

I was flicking through my stash at my planned posts here and realised that 99% of it was either a) Deep fried jazz or b) Soul/funk groups so decided that it was time to mix things up. It is by this logic that I lead on from J.'s post with some more French goodness.

Sometimes you hear a track and it's so far ahead of it's time it's heard to believe that it isn't some canny modern musician selling his work as some lost classic. Bernard Estardy's work certainly falls into this category. A sound engineer by day, compositional genius by night, Estardy put together the album as more of a sideline project than anything else, which partly explains the wonderfully diverse themes and ideas that ricochet round the album. From jazz, to funk, to synthesised library sounds to easy listening grooves.

You can read a recent, damn fine, interview with the man himself over at the French Attack website. Probably even better in the original french but it's a long time since I was taught it at school.

So what about the music then? Cha Tatch Ka is like some crazy proto Neptune's record with staccato drums accompanied by what seems to be a baby beatboxing over the top before the vocal melodics build and build harmonising the bass and tenor vocals. Um, I'm not selling this well am I? Just download it and hear for yourself, by the time the warping synths come in you'll be nodding your head in uncontrollable spasms to this gem.

La Gigouille is a more straightforward funk number with a big brass section, reverberating bassline and tinkling pianos. When Estardy add Hammond organ to the mix you wouldn't feel too shamed if you were fooled into believing that this was some experimental Bar-Kays 45 - no mean feat by any means.

There you have it, something different to treat your ears to. Back to the soul, jazz and rap later in the week but for now I'm rocking it with La Baron......

Take The Pepsi Challenge

The Mohawks: Pepsi
From: Pepsi/Mony Mony (KPM, 1969)

Back with some more library flavour today. Not just any old library sound either but a group of session musicians fronted by a legend among library musicians, Mr Alan Hawkshaw.

Most famous for the sampled to death The Champ, the Mohawks produced an album's worth of heavy Hammond organ funk in the sixties which rivals many of the big name artists of the day and there's no better example of their sound than on the follow up to The Champ, Pepsi.

Pepsi comes at you like a whirlwind of hammond funk. Check out the sublime bass and bongos introduction before Hawkshaw's trademark organ playing takes over proceedings. The rising horns then help build the songs momentum until it becomes an absolute dancefloor monster. What really gets me every time with this track though is the brilliantly sparse use of the vocals, these guys were funking hard but enjoying it immensely.

Originals of this cost around $400 so thank god for the reissue of this killer piece of funk. You now have no excuse not to buy it.

Freesound: Part 1

Jacky Giordano and Yan Tregger: Rieka and Old Timmy
From: Schifters (Freesound 4, 1974)

Philippe Briche and Lenoeud: Petrol Flowin
From: Ovation (Freesound 2, 1974)

Back once again with more library music wisdom we have guest poster DJ Mawhie from da Loft Crew.

Freesound was a French library label that ran from the early to mid seventies. The Freesound label's discography has to be one of the shortest in the world of library music, only six were ever released, although there have been rumours of a 7, 8 and 9. Even though their output was so small they seem to have had one of the most individual and striking sounds out of all the other library labels from around that time.

All six of the Freesound LPs were arranged by Yan D'ys, who he was is a mystery. The big name behind Freesound that many of you will know is Jacky Giordano, a prolific session musician from France. Its Jacky's funky keyboard work you'll hear on all of the Freesound Records. For me, through out the Freesound catalogue you can hear all different kinds of styles, folk, funk, weird, easy listening etc... What Jacky and friends have cleverly done is taken all these styles and brought their own distinct sound to them.

For part one of my Freesound post, we're concentrating on the Funk and we start with two tracks from Freesound 4 Schifters. This has to be one of the funkiest libraries out there, you got a dirty and raw wah-wah guitar, gritty drum breaks, and then you got Jacky laying down some funky synth/clavichord. The third track is from Freesound 2 Ovation. Although it doesn't mention Jacky's name on the back cover I'm sure he was involved in this one, the track is a very blissed out thing, just some cool piano and synth accompanied by an awesome guitar solo, check it and enjoy.

Part II will be coming soon when we'll venture into the Electronic...

Muppets and Masterpieces

Piero Umiliani: Open Space , Tropical River and Coast To Coast
From: To-Day's Sound (Omnicron, 1971)

Coming with the slickness today we have a guest post from library music maestro DJ Mawhie.

Right, most of you will know this guy for writing the tune used on the muppets 'Ma-Na Ma-Na' by far Umiliani's most famous piece of music. The song 'Ma-Na Ma-Na' was initially written as part of a dodgey 70's porno soundtrack to the film 'Sweden, Heaven & Hell' the title says it all eh?. Piero Umiliani was one of Italy's most predominant soundtrack composers through the sixties and seventies, unlike fellow composer Morricone he had never really got international commercial recognition, as he only really penned music for non English films. As well as scoring soundtracks Umiliani was a very prolific library musician.

Library music? What? A brief explanation, A library record is an LP of songs that are written and released non commercially for TV and film makers to use. They are not written for a specific film but are often themed e.g. 'drama & suspense' or 'science and industry' so you could pick and choose what piece of music would be appropriate for your film. To-days Sound is one such album released in 1971 on Umiliani's own label Omnicron. OK on to the music

Open Space Is the first tune on the album, a groovy bassline and tight shuffling uptempo drums kick of the tune reminiscent of Quincy Jones They Call Me Mr.Tibbs theme. Then come the guitar, organs electronics, watch for the big jazzy breakdowns and brilliant piano work, lovely stuff.

Next is one of the moody downtempo tunes Tropical River which to me sounds like Umiliani's take on Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon very much on the exotic tip, nice vibes and crashing cymbals and look out for the nice electronic noodlings that come in around 2.50, yeah man!

Last but not least is Coast To Coast more up tempo drum work, an all out crime thriller electronic funky workout, Enjoy. Well that's my first post for this site hopefully I can post up some more stuff and venture into some other library labels like De Wolfe, Freesound, Peer, Telemusic etc...

Soul Impressions

Janko Nilovic: Hippocampus and Drug Song
From: Soul Impressions (Montparnasse 2000, 1975)

Back with that library flavor today with an album from the legendary Janko Nilovic. Born at the beginning of the forties in Montenegro, Janko moved to Paris in the sixties and never looked back, putting his multi instrument talents to use on a variety of projects often working for up to ten hours a day. Prolific even by library musician standards, Janko produced over 30 albums in the seventies so really see this as the tiniest taster of this man's vast output but hopefully it'll give you an idea of the range of music he produced.

Hippocampus is his most famous offering from this particular album. Beginning with some downright dirty guitar the track is a good illustration of Janko's fondness for mixing up proceedings as the early trumpets slowly start to dominate the guitar riffing. The track then mutates into a supremely funky bass riff halfway through before then building up momentum to it's epic conclusion, a full on onslaught of blasting horns and distorted guitar.

Drug Song has to be one my favorite Janko songs ever. Starting with a throbbing bassline the track is pure funk with a flute thrown in for good measure. Whether Janko was on drugs when he recorded this remains unknown but it suddenly feels like it halfway through when the track breaks down entirely into a beautifully chilled harmony before getting downright sleazy for the final bars.

There are definite touches of that man Axelrod with Janko's use of multi layered instrumentation on both these tracks illustrating the great talent at work.

Harlem Pop Trotters

Harlem Pop Trotters: Penwick and Plongee Synthetique
From: Harlem Pop Trotters (Les Treteaux, 1975 / Kif/Melodie En Sous Sol, 1994)

So, back to my neighbours across the pond with another classic French funk release, this time from the mysteriously mustached bikers that called themselves the Harlem Pop Trotters. Bizarre name, bizarre front cover, but a great album of jazz/funk fusion.

I won't even pretend to have got my hand on an OG version of this as everything has it's limits including my bank account. This is from a French reissue by Kif/Melodie En Sous Sol from 2004 which is very reasonably priced and definitely worth picking up. The original version appeared on the highly collectible Les Treteaux label home to many much sought after records including the legendary Godchild.

To my shame I know pretty much nothing about this band apart from that this appears to be their only album and that it was released in the mid seventies. I have also been led to believe that the men behind it are Library musicians Jean-Claude Pierric and Francois Rolland though I can't back that up with proof. I like to think that this adds to the legend of the album but that could just be me being lazy.

The first tune I have for you is their most famous track, Penwick. Breaking straight in with a sublime bass groove, the track builds on this with the lightest of guitars and proper seventies synthesizers. None of those lame ass delicate strings here this is pure and beefy electronic noise. Add on a playful guitar accompaniment and you have a real summertime headnodder of a track

The second tune, Plongee Sythentique, is (as the title helpfully suggests) way way way more out there. A warped bassline throbs throughout the track with true space age chords layered over the top. The beats too are more like early Aphex Twin than something you would expect on a jazz/funk album, scattered randomly throughout and made up of layers of crashes and chimes. In fact, the whole track sounds more like a precursor to early Detroit techno than anything else. Despite all this, the track is resolutely funky to the end. Great stuff.

Props to DJ Mawhie from Da Loft Crew for introducing me to this record.

Eddie Warner - L'Illustration Musicale

Eddie Warner: Devil's Anvil and Brutas Drums
From: Le Jazzbeat - Vol 2 (Phantom, 2004)

While sounding like a new wave arthouse movement, L'Illustration Musicale was actually nothing more fancy than a French library label, brought into being in the 60's by Jazz pianist Eddie Warner to provide the requisite funk for film and tv soundtracks.

However, as the many gems produced by the BBC Radiophonic recordings have proved, never judge a book by it's cover as the music that was produced by Eddie during this period is a cutting edge blend of funk and electronic experimentation. What Warner's tracks had in particular though was a sense of fun that is perhaps missing from more contemporary funk - an ability to make you nod your head and smile at the same time.

Long the desire of beathunters, some of the best of this music is now available on the compilation album Le Jazzbeat - Vol 2 and I've got up two funky french zingers for your listening pleasure.

Devil's Anvil kicks in straight away with an absolute killer of a headnodding break quickly coupled with a cheeky bassline, a harpsichord(!) and then tops all this with a guitar riff of pure sci-fi dimensions. You really can't believe that he could fit so much into a track that barely lasts two minutes.

Brutas Drums is perhaps the most aptly named track ever, offering, as it does, pure unadulterated drums of extreme high quality coupled with the most simple of organ accompaniments. This track really is all about the drums and what drumming it is. Eddie once again avoids any chance of the track outstaying it's welcome by wrapping it up within two minutes.