Nippon Ho!

Shinjuku, I'll see you soon!

Conroy
Cake
B-Sides and Rarities
Upbeat Records : 2007
[Listen] [Buy]

68 State
Gorillaz
D-Sides
Virgin : 2007
[Listen] [Buy]

Earth Changes
Jack High
Beatnicks Vol 1
Rush Hour : 2007
[Listen] [Buy]

B.E.A.T [extended version]
Justice
D.A.N.C.E/B.E.A.T [Vinyl EP]
Ed Banger : 2007
[Listen] [Buy]

Onde Anda O Meu Amor
Reminiscience Quartet
Thievery Corporation's Jet Society
Eighteenth Street : 1999
[Listen] [Buy]

Clipper's Discotheque Break
Yoshinori Sunahara
Pam Am: The Sounds of the '70s
Bungalow : 1999
[Listen] [Buy]

And there it was - it had been a while since his last FmGT-post. He found himself overworked, underslept and strangely enough - talking about himself in the third person. What?

Where was it? The crossroads baby - the motha fuckin crossroads. Remember those New Years resolutions that each of the FmGTeam wrote last year? It's time to check one of those off the list. I'm finally headed to Japan tomorrow. That's right, gonna pop my Tokyo cherry.

For the first time, in what seems to have been ages, I've reloaded my mp3 player with a slew of tunage - you know, because I got something of a 15 hour flight to endure (no worries, I've got a great Murakami book and Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass to keep me company ^_^). This will be a time of intense music digestion and not to mention the rising anticipation of kissing that sweet Japanese soil upon arrival.

Unfortunately I'll have to miss out on BlipFest 2007 - but if you're in New York City and you're fan of the ChipTune scene, don't miss this three day event of 8-bit breakdowns. Hopefully I'll be able to make up for it by reporting on some new sounds from Japan - we'll see.

In the mean time, your daily download today has a few tasty bits from my Jetset playlist: Enjoy these select h'orderves, compliments of Silent K...

Cake's recent B-sides release isn't anything astounding, but it's nice to have a few new tracks from these guys, even if there are like 3 different versions of 'War Pigs' on there - good track though. 'Conroy' - the instrumental of the track-list is much more my style though. In this instance, the Cake isn't a lie!

The Gorillaz too have released a selection of offbeat tracks that were either never released or never put onto their full LP releases. '68 State' is the lead-off track for this set, and it's surely the one that I've had on repeat the most - are you surprised that the second track from my post is an electronic-leaning instrumental? Loop it, dig it.

The Beatnicks compilation sort of dropped in my lap and I didn't even know it. It had been sitting in my inbox (read: tunes that need digesting) since July. I finally found it at the bottom of the crate last week and fell in love. All varied tracks that you'd only expect to find on vinyl. Jack High's composition is a left field, electro-jazz gemstone.

Justice, Justice, Justice - I know that everyone loves their sound, and even though the big cross thing sorta creeps me out, I can't resist the urge to shake my ass to their beats either. This 'B.E.A.T' is a re-edit of sorts of 'D.A.N.C.E.' done by the boys themselves. I don't think that it's as good as the original, but it's a great variation on something that dance-heads have been obsessing over since the beginning of the year. Yes, yes, I know that this track has been posted on every music-blog known to man since early July - But I don't care. I'm posting it because I love it as well as for the benefit of those who might have missed this one.

Here's another track that's been collecting nothing but dust since I acquired it in 1999 - sadly too, b/c this solid Thievery Corporation compilation is something extra special - and will surely be blasting in my Pioneer cans all the way to Japan. I've zoned in on the Reminiscience Quartet's upbeat track to promote this sweet compilation of yester-century. The entire thing is just as jroozy. Lap it up.

And we might as well end it with Yoshinori Sunahara's disco-funk track 'Clipper's Discotheqe Break' - a bouncy electronic groove that will surely find itself in the middle of my first dance floor set when I touch back down in the states in 3 weeks - but let's not get ahead of ourselves...

That's it! Add these tracks to your playlist, blast 'em and check out my Flickr page for updates on my adventures in Japan (and Hawaii). Damn, now that's a vacation.

Stay tuned...
-- Silent K

Bringing in the new week.

Kwajilori [Sir Piers rmx]
Roy Ayers
Virgin Ubiquity Remixed [unreleased promo]
Rapster : 2007
[Listen]

Sugarloaf Mountain
George Duke
A Brazilian Love Affair
Epic : 1979
[Listen] [Buy]

Lonely for You Baby
Sam Dees
Need You Girl/Lonely for You Baby 12"
SSS International : 1968
[Listen]

Another week begins, and I thought there'd be nothing better than a quick-hit trio of fast tunes, full of bright beats and enough energy to make the mondays just another antiquated notion.

Roy Ayers made some incredible music, and thanks to the soulful superstars over at Rapster Records, we have a bangin' remix cd of some of Ayers' jazzy best. Solid, smooth grooves; here, Sir Piers flips Kwajilori on its head, pushing it to a classic on-the-1s dance beat.

Up next, a quick hitter from my favourite George Duke jazz-funk LP, A Brazilian Love Affair. It's 4+ minutes of cracking up-tempo fusion, complete with the big horn section, slap bass and indefatigable rhythm.

Finally, a smoother edge to nudge you towards the lunch break from the great Sam Dees. Primarily known for his writing and production credits behind the scenes [including Gladys Knight, George Benson, Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston], he recorded a fair bit for Chess and Atlantic between '68 and '75. This is one of his earliest singles, a glorious piano-driven slab of soul. Set to a simple, sparse bassline and beat, Dees' voice shines.

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More tomorrow. Hopefully this three-pack will replace that morning trip to Starbucks.

Remembering.

Ghost Ship in a Storm
Jim O’Rourke
Eureka
Drag City : 1999
[Listen] [Buy]

Muscle Cars
Mylo
Destroy Rock n’ Roll
Breastfed Records : 2004
[Listen] [Buy]

Gut Feeling
Devo
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We are Devo!
Virgin Records : 1978
[Listen] [Buy]

Iambic 9 Poetry
Squarepusher
Ultravisitor
Warp Records : 2004
[Listen] [Buy]

I’m Tired of Giving
Spinners
Spinners/8
Atlantic : 1977
[Listen] [Buy]

Evil
Howlin’ Wolf
Moanin’ in the Moonlight
Chess : 1965
[Listen] [Buy]

Have you ever hurt someone?

Have you ever made another person cry? Have you ever pushed someone who didn’t want to budge? Or, let words slip your mind and mouth without thinking twice? Have you ever knocked someone down and never let them get back up?

Have you ever cast someone aside without ever knowing quite why?

More importantly, have you ever been hurt?

I’m sure you can remember the feeling well. It is the simplest emotion or memory to dial up, to recall. Of all the happy, joyous things we’ve experienced in life, there are those dimmer moments that jut out awkwardly, rub against the grain, irritate and agitate the senses to the point that they can never be ignored.

Some of us have done it more than once, done it many times, made it a habit, a reflex, a part of the unconscious. It often happens without prior knowledge, but always leaves a mark.

These memories come back easily to me, from both perspectives. The caustic sting of pain being inflicted upon me, the harsh sensation sinking in, the slow realization of what’s going on. It takes a few moments for the mind and body to synchronize and transmit that sensation throughout, until you feel nothing else but that acute force flowing through your heart, your brain, your limbs.

It’s inescapable, unavoidable, a necessary chapter in life.

I’ll never forget – the slip and fall on Pamplona’s wet cobbled streets, and watching the bulls charge past me, just inches from my vulnerable, prostate body. The methadone dreams while under the knife for yet another 6-hour surgery, imagining the scalpel easing through the layers of skin and viscera, and watching my organs get tugged out of their niches one by one.

The first girl who broke my heart, behind the Science Buildings at school, telling me I was too good for her or some other playground bullshit. Saying goodbye to my father at the airport more times than I can remember, as I boarded yet another plane back to the US and away from him.

The first time I went to prison and saw D. in the jumpsuit, and the guard who yelled at me for shaking D’s hand. The doctors’ stern words, the liability waivers, the chemo drugs, the vomit, the Christmas I spent huddled on a couch away from my family, struggling alone.

No matter what I do in my lifetime, these few fleeting moments inevitably rise to the surface, a counterpoint to joy, the balancing force that keeps me grounded and makes me realize I’m still human.

We’re all still susceptible to the cycle of life, the ups and the downs regardless of where we end up or how much money is in the bank, or whether we live in a palm tree-shaded paradise or another inner-city row house with astronomical rent.

Walking around town, the people we pass in the streets experience the same peaks and troughs, just like us, no matter how bleak things seem there’s always worse to be found. Remember to breathe, take stock, focus. Remember those feelings well, if for nothing else than to make the bright times feel that much brighter.

Look at how far you’ve come, know that the road up or down is the same distance either way, and we’re better for it. Humility is such a lost art in our saturated world.

These songs, for better or worse, keep me grounded. Atmospheric, some with lyrics that make you laugh and acknowledge their truth, some with instrumental crescendos that help you open your eyes and remember both the good and the bad.

---
More tomorrow.

Afrobeat/Afrofunk Treats

The Same Blood
Tony Allen
Black Voices
Comet Records : 1999
[Listen] [Buy]

African Hustle
Mombasa
African Rhythms & Blues
Intercord : 1976
[Listen]

Racubah
Ice
The Afro-Instrumental LP
Musidisc : 1970
[Listen]

Eyi Su Ngaanga
The Sweet Talks
Adam & Eve?
???? : 1975
[Listen] [I think it's on Adam & Eve... if someone can verify, please let me know in the comments?]

New Bell
Manu Dibango
Soul Makossa
Atlantic : 1972
[Listen]

Hot and Jumpy
George Danquah
Hot and Jumpy - New Dimensions in African Hustle! Reggae! Native! Soul!
Quami : 1970
[Listen]

Afrobeat is music of the body. It is sound and rhythm that appeals to each and every sense, regaling the spirit with joy, passion and positivity. It's the beat to keep, the beat to pick you up after a difficult time, or a prolonged spell of tough living.

For its creators and first proponents, Afrobeat was the bridge between all types of African music, uniting people in sonic solidarity and providing a platform for lyrics and sentiments of profound change and political context.

Today, as we turn the corner into full-on winter and FmGT is preparing for the cold, I thought I'd present a variety of afro-beat and afro-funk for the ears. It's the best music on the planet; unhindered by tragedy, it flies defiant as a celebration of the human spirit against any and all obstacles put in our way.

And to be honest, that's where I find myself currently. Trying to turn things around. Looking to make changes, transitions, take on new challenges and shed all remnants of spiritual stagnation and woe. There's a lot of dust to beat out of the closet, a lot of voicemail to sift through and a lot of correspondence to be completed.

This soundtrack should help you all get back up to speed as well, with anything and everything you've been slacking on in your own worlds.

From the top....

---
Tony Allen is the rhythmic godfather of afrobeat. His polyrhythms and percussion mastery helped to define the genre and anchor it to spirit of dance. Allen's command of syncopation on the snare drums and frenzy behind the kit are synonymous with the movement, and this track, from his LP Black Voices, is as good as it gets.

It's all to do with that unmistakable beat, the one that roots you, props you up and drives you forward. It's dark, it's futuristic, it's funky. It's sexual, irresistible, seductive.

---
Next up, a funky cut from Mombasa, a European afro-funk band led by US trombonist Lou Blackburn [who was perhaps best known for his collaboration work with Mingus during the Mingus at Monterrey recordings]. Comprised of mostly African musicians, the band recorded and made a home in Germany, pressing this amazing LP during the mid-70s.

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By contrast, Ice was an entirely different outfit. The band was born as the Bobby Boyd Congress on Long Island in 1966, but the band relocated to France shortly thereafter due to the abundance of US funk acts around that time period. When Bobby Boyd decided to head back to the USA, the band changed their name to Ice and worked on refining their sound. The end results were fantastic, thanks to the infusion and influence of African immigrants to Paris [particularly the Barbes district, where Ice had a huge following] throughout the 1970s.

Their funk became heavy with African rhythms and textures, and in 1973, after the release of their LP Each Man Makes His Own Destiny, the band changed their name to the Lafayette Afro Rock Band.

By this name, they are of course well-known throughout the hip-hop/funk world.... their songs have been sampled extensively by everyone: Jay-Z, Nas, the Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy and De La Soul to name but five.

This cut from their 1970 pre-Lafayette-era French release is a fantastic snippet of Afrofunk. Big, bold horn arrangements and flawless funk bass slammed together at a high tempo, signaling the beginning of a prolific, influential catalog.

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The Sweet Talks were a Ghanaian highlife band, known for their jazzy, up-tempo arrangements and layered guitars. Led by the legendary A.B. Crentsil, they put out two or three records in the mid-70s before going their separate ways, and this is undoubtedly one of the highlights.

The beat is relentless, anchoring the rhythm section and the shimmering layers of funk guitar. Once that horn riff hits and Crentsil's voice kicks in, you're hooked. It's simply gorgeous music that grabs you by the collar and transports you back in time to the heyday of Ghana's music scene, the Talk of the Town club.

---
Next, Manu Dibango. Arguably one of Africa's most prolific musicians and ambassadors, the Cameroonian saxophone master has enjoyed great success in the jazz-funk world. His first LP, Soul Makossa, is one of my all-time favourite albums, and this track is its highest point. Thick with percussion and horns, Dibango's music is captivating.

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To close out today, a little George Danquah, bringing in the gentler side. There isn't much on the web about Danquah, with a few of his tracks popping up on some West African funk compilations, but his music definitely belongs in this little collection. Led by a funky, countrified guitar, this song is fantastic. Look out for the monster funk break right in the middle, which catches you totally unawares.

---
And so I've returned. And the good form will continue with some treats on sunday, and then on into next week with some regular action. It feels good to be back.

Bringing in a new Era

Once again, another three weeks have blown by. Living back in the city has consistently and constantly pulled me away from the computer, to the extent that I almost forgot how to run this place. I'm getting the mojo back though, although I'm thinking of switching it up a little, and changing the focus a little bit.

The Oatmeal Bandit is living it up in semi-retirement, Codec's playing the work game insanely hard lately, and Silent K's been equally busy. Me? I've been working on more than a few offline opportunities, including some serious work on the turntables to get back up to speed. As a result, something has suffered, and it's been this place. I can't tell you how sad it's been to see it dwindle over the last couple of months. For a good while, we were swinging along, writing a lot, posting an insane amount of music, and keeping up a breakneck pace of 6 articles a week.

I would love to get back to that, and I'm working on it, maybe bringing in some new people to the FmGT family or something, but in the meantime, baby steps.

I've got some treats for tomorrow, and we'll take it from there. I owe all of you out there so much more, because you've been loyal, dedicated, thoughtful, insightful readers, commenting up a storm on our bigger features and wading through the morass of our minds the rest of the time.

FmGT is still here, FmGT still has the desire and the content to poke its neck back above the sand, and I'm working hard on that. Some new graphics would be a start, and those are in the pipeline.

Music writers out there? Drop me a line and let's get a dialogue going, maybe some collaboration. You know what we do here, and it's time we got back to that.

I've some long-term series I want to produce, and those are being combed through slowly in order to bring some regularly-themed content to the table. More depth, more thought, more literary content.

I've a ton of music sitting here to be shared with the world, one tune at a time.

Please stick with us just a little longer, and we'll be back on our game.

Much love,
JT.

Tomorrow: a hearty dose of Afrobeat to soothe the soul and usher in the weekend.