Monday 29 December 2014
Sunday 28 December 2014
The Impellers - You Did It
The Impellers tear up the Joe Cook-penned, Ann Robinson-sung, Fatboy Slim-sampled 'You Did It'.
Taken from their 2014 album My Certainty.
www.theimpellers.com
Taken from their 2014 album My Certainty.
www.theimpellers.com
Sad Eagles Dictionary - Soul & Funk Mix Y'All
First in a five part mix series from longtime South London DJ and collector, Sad Eagle.
Some serious heavyweight selections on this to see you on through into the New Year!
Catch more from the man himself here:
http://www.mixcloud.com/sadeagle/
https://twitter.com/sadeagle
Sunday 26 October 2014
Sunday 19 October 2014
Sunday 12 October 2014
Saturday 11 October 2014
Crystal Palace Soul, London (22/11/2014)
I'll be guest DJing at Crystal Palace Soul, a great night alongside Ollie Lailey, Jake Lingwood and Miss 45s (aka Corrina Greyson).
Expect Funk, Soul, Disco and everything inbetween, don't sleep!
More information on the Crystal Palace Soul group page HERE
Expect Funk, Soul, Disco and everything inbetween, don't sleep!
More information on the Crystal Palace Soul group page HERE
***REVIEW*** The Gastronome Presents The Kerouac Shack, London (04/10/2014)
Last Saturday saw the Pace garage on the Highgate Road in North London turned into The Kerouac Shack, a secret 1950's pop up American diner and Blues showcase curated by The Gastronome, a creative trio of friends, Ian, Ash and Joseph.
They created a bespoke 5 course Americana inspired menu for the event and accompanying the excellent food from Chef Joseph Curtis was Beat poetry, Bourbon, and music from Kitty, Daisy & Lewis and Dollar Bill & His One Man Band.
Dollar Bill dropped an absolutely astounding set of stompers which woke the crowd up and had the whole place up and jumping in between courses.
I've seen him live before but his performance at The Kerouac Shack surpassed that as he seemed to feed off the crowd and the quirky venue which really suited his style down to the ground!
Following Dollar Bill were local group Kitty, Daisy and Lewis who have been making waves across Europe recently with their sell out shows. This was the first chance I'd had to catch them live and they certainly didn't disappoint as they played old and new material and took us on a journey across several genres of music including Ska, Rockabilly, Indie and Jump Blues.
Definitely one to look out for!
I was privileged to have been asked to guest DJ at the event which was an intimate affair with a fantastic crowd. I dropped a short set of 50s R&B and Rock 'n' Roll 45s which got the crowd up and dancing before everyone headed over to my night, Shake! for the after party.
On hand to document the night was local photographer Lucy Williams who captured the energy of the night perfectly. She continued her ongoing project NOWportrait on the night which involves meeting strangers, getting their story and capturing a photographic portrait, all of which get posted HERE. Be sure to check it out!
The Kerouac Shack was a perfect evening and it really felt as if you were part of something very special!
Props to The Gastronome crew for the effort and detail they put into making the event go off and rumour has it there is a 1920's Great Gatsby night already in the planning!
As this is a secret pop up you'll need to follow The Gastronome HERE for details as and when they become available. One to watch!
(All photos by Lucy Williams)
Sunday 28 September 2014
***REVIEW*** Cymande - Koko, London (25/09/2014)
My last minute realisation that Cymande were playing just down the road at Koko in London last week saw a swift scrabble to secure a ticket. For the first time since 1974 all the founder members of Cymande were back to play together again for a special London one off show! Must see stuff!
I'd been lucky enough to see a reworked Cymande II at the Vintage Festival several years back on the open air Soul Stage which was a real pleasure. However the show on Thursday featuring the entire 9 piece was truly astounding and the band performed as if the last 40 years apart were irrelevant. It was a pleasure to see such accomplished musicians performing so effortlessly!
Patrick Patterson humbly thanked the crowd for the support that had led to 'The Message' being such a success and had given the group their break. A track which arguably now is a Funk standard. They literally blew the roof off of Koko and had entire venue singing along.
Cymande - Brothers On The Slide
Similarly 'Bra' and 'Brothers On The Slide' also stood out as big crowd favourites with bass legend Steve Scipio holding down the grooves faultlessly.
The group bought the show to a crescendo with a nod towards Bob Marley with a reworking of 'Get Up Stand Up' making this arguably one of the best live acts I've had the pleasure of catching!
Some of today's acts could do well to catch Cymande at Band On the Wall in Manchester on the 10th October. School's in session!
I'd been lucky enough to see a reworked Cymande II at the Vintage Festival several years back on the open air Soul Stage which was a real pleasure. However the show on Thursday featuring the entire 9 piece was truly astounding and the band performed as if the last 40 years apart were irrelevant. It was a pleasure to see such accomplished musicians performing so effortlessly!
Patrick Patterson humbly thanked the crowd for the support that had led to 'The Message' being such a success and had given the group their break. A track which arguably now is a Funk standard. They literally blew the roof off of Koko and had entire venue singing along.
Similarly 'Bra' and 'Brothers On The Slide' also stood out as big crowd favourites with bass legend Steve Scipio holding down the grooves faultlessly.
The group bought the show to a crescendo with a nod towards Bob Marley with a reworking of 'Get Up Stand Up' making this arguably one of the best live acts I've had the pleasure of catching!
Some of today's acts could do well to catch Cymande at Band On the Wall in Manchester on the 10th October. School's in session!
Thursday 18 September 2014
***NEW*** The Blue Beaters - Toxic - Record Kicks
Release date 22 September on LTD EDITION 45 and Digital Download. Pre order the LTD EDITION 45 vinyl (600 worldwide) now.
Record Kicks proudly presents Italian Ska/RockSteady/Soul giants The Bluebeaters. Active since 1994 with 4 studio albums for King Size Records, V2 and Universal Music and several gold records under the belt, The Bluebeaters are top musicians in love with vintage Jamaican sounds: Ska, Rock Steady, Rhythm Blues and Soul. Blessed by Ken Booth, during the last 20 years of their career they've headline festivals like Rototom Sun Splash and International Ska Fest in 2012 and extensively toured around Europe, including a legendary sold out show at Dingwalls in London in 2011. Amongst their fans, there are folks like David Rodigan and the legendary late lamented Lloyd Knibb (The Skatalites).
The Bluebeaters lands on RK with two brand new tracks "Toxic (one drop version)" and "Catch That Teardrop". Produced by The Bluebeaters and mixed by Tommaso Colliva (Calibro 35) at Toomi Labs studio in London, this double-sider 45 features a storming early Jamaican cover up version, of pop single Toxic by Britney Spears (yes that Toxic!) able to set every dancefloor on fire. On the flip side the band keeps the pressure very high, bringing back to JA roots, Catch That Teardrop, a Northern soul/R&b single originally recorded in 1962 by The Five Royales from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Welcome Bluebeaters!
http://recordkicks.com
Tuesday 16 September 2014
***NEW*** Lee Fields & The Expressions - Just Can’t Win (Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band Remix) b/w Just Can’t Win (Marco Polo Remix)
Truth & Soul Records are proud to present the "Just Can't Win" Remixes. Marco Polo brought his signature slamming drums to the table balanced out by the smooth keys and the raspy delivery of the man himself, Mr. Lee Fields. Marco Polo has done production for the who's who of Hip Hop music including Pharoahe Monch, Masta Ace, M.O.P., and Large Professor to name a few.
Truth & Soul were really excited to see what he would do with Lee's tune and to put it lightly we are not surprised. Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band are set to release their full length debut on Truth & Soul Records in 2015. Here they lend their unique blend of steel drum melody and pounding drums to Lee's unmistakeable raspy tone giving the tune an upbeat sunshiney vibe.
Coming soon to a 45 near you on Truth & Soul Records.
Saturday 13 September 2014
DJ Eops Presents Black Wax Solution
Fellow collector and all round nice guy DJ Eops is hosting a new Funk, Soul & Disco night called 'Black Wax Solution' at The Miller every second Friday of the month.
This guys crates run seriously deep so I would strongly advise you to add this night to your "to-do" lists for next month!
Tell 'em Mo' Soul sent you!
Check out DJ Eops on Mixcloud HERE
'Like' the Facebook page HERE for more information on the night
This guys crates run seriously deep so I would strongly advise you to add this night to your "to-do" lists for next month!
Tell 'em Mo' Soul sent you!
Check out DJ Eops on Mixcloud HERE
'Like' the Facebook page HERE for more information on the night
The Kerouac Shack Pop Up Restaurant / Shake! 45rpm Launch Party For Smith & The Honey Badgers
Saturday 4th October sees an exciting new music & food pop up from team behind The Gastronome at a secret location in North London.
"The Kerouac Shack" will be taking over a 1950's garage for an evening of fine dining propelled to you by some of the best blues music modern day London has to offer.
I'll be guest DJing at the event in support of not one but two massive acts who will be performing live on the night at this great venue!
First up is Dollar Bill & His One Man Band, an act that has been making huge waves across Europe on the R&B, Blues and Rockabilly scene with his innovative act and stage presence.
His recent live album "Live At The Shake'Em On Down Club" released on a lovely shiny 10" Vinyl & CD through Rollin' Records showcases what a talented musician and excellent showman he is!
Grab the LP from Rollin' Records HERE
Next up, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, a crossover R&B, Country & Jump Blues influenced outfit from North London who have been causing a big stir recently having supported the likes of The Stereophonics, Billy Bragg, Mark Ronson & Razorlight.
They've just finished a successful festival program and are now back in the studio recording a new LP which should hit the racks in January 2015.
Pick up their LP through The Sunday Best label HERE
As if the musical treats weren't enough, Chef Joseph Curtis will be laying on a 5 course Americana inspired meal to ensure it's not just your ears that are filled with goodness!
Amuse Bouche
Spiced confit chicken leg/Truffled wild mushrooms with sweetcorn puree and pea shoots
Grilled Bavette steak/Squash and allium Wellington with mac'n'cheese, watercress, pickled shallot and peppercorn sauce
Orange and bourbon granita
Blueberry cheesecake
Limited tickets for this one off event are £50 and can be picked up from The Gastronome event page HERE.
My bi-monthly Funk & Soul night, Shake! will be hosting the after party at The Buffalo Bar in Islington. We'll be keeping the party rolling on until 4am. All Kerouac Shack ticket holders will get free entry on the door!
This month Shake! are pleased to host the launch party for Smith & The Honey Badgers new 45rpm “The Honey Badger Strut / Lets Pretend”. The 8 piece Funk outfit from East London will be joining us on the night to perform a LIVE set.
Like the band here:
http://www.facebook.com/Smithandthehoneybadgers
Preview the new 45 here:
http://smithandthehoneybadgers.bandcamp.com/album/the-honey-badger-strut
Band member and long time record collector, DJ Ferj Gainsbourg will be joining us at the controls on the night as well.
Check his recent mix here:
http://m.mixcloud.com/ferjgainsbourg/shake/
9pm - 4am
£5 on the door or Facebook/WeAreShake for special Two for One Guestlist (Free to Keerouac Shack ticket holders)
Don't sleep on these two great events!
Ben
Sunday 7 September 2014
Friday 5 September 2014
***REVIEW*** The Lost Brothers / St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Camden Electric Ballroom, London (03/09/2014)
I had the pleasure of catching The Lost Brothers and St. Paul & The Broken Bones at The Electric Ballroom in London this week. This was a show that I had been anticipating for several months since the tickets went on sale and the 7 piece headlining outfit from Birmingham, Alabama certainly didn't disappoint me!
Warming up the huge ballroom in Camden and kicking off proceedings were a band I'd regrettably not heard of before. The Lost Brothers are an acoustic Irish duo consisting of Mark McCausland and Oisin Leech.
After their captivating set I went straight home and bought their LP and can now count myself as a fan! Be sure to catch them live as they are doing the rounds in London shortly!
St. Paul & The Broken Bones are really only in their infancy in the grand scheme of things, having been founded just 2 years ago by singer Paul Janeway and Bass player, Jesse Phillips. They have already made a serious splash on the scene and watching the way that they captivated and engaged with their audience, you would have thought that this was a veteran group in the twilight years of their career!
The tightly honed band took to the stage and after a rousing intro were joined by singer Paul Janeway who has an astounding vocal range and a level of delivery as good as any, his affable and humorous banter also had the crowd smiling throughout!
St. Paul & The Broken Bones led us through an hour and a half of solid Soul mainly comprising of tracks from their recent LP, 'Half The City', an album which comes highly recommended round these parts. Stand out tracks were crowd favourite "Broken Bones & Pocket Change" and the Stax tinged "Call Me" which had the whole venue moving.
The band also threw in a good nod to the Soul greats that have obviously influenced and shaped their sound. Rousing covers of "Shake" by Sam Cooke and "I've Been Loving You" by Otis Redding kept the audience on tenterhooks but for me it was a tightly rocked up version of fellow Alabama legend, Wilson Pickett's "99 & A Half (Won't Do)" that was the standout from the selection of covers they chose.
It was a highly enjoyable evening and I would strongly urge anyone to catch both these acts while they get a chance! Great stuff!
Warming up the huge ballroom in Camden and kicking off proceedings were a band I'd regrettably not heard of before. The Lost Brothers are an acoustic Irish duo consisting of Mark McCausland and Oisin Leech.
After their captivating set I went straight home and bought their LP and can now count myself as a fan! Be sure to catch them live as they are doing the rounds in London shortly!
St. Paul & The Broken Bones are really only in their infancy in the grand scheme of things, having been founded just 2 years ago by singer Paul Janeway and Bass player, Jesse Phillips. They have already made a serious splash on the scene and watching the way that they captivated and engaged with their audience, you would have thought that this was a veteran group in the twilight years of their career!
The tightly honed band took to the stage and after a rousing intro were joined by singer Paul Janeway who has an astounding vocal range and a level of delivery as good as any, his affable and humorous banter also had the crowd smiling throughout!
St. Paul & The Broken Bones led us through an hour and a half of solid Soul mainly comprising of tracks from their recent LP, 'Half The City', an album which comes highly recommended round these parts. Stand out tracks were crowd favourite "Broken Bones & Pocket Change" and the Stax tinged "Call Me" which had the whole venue moving.
The band also threw in a good nod to the Soul greats that have obviously influenced and shaped their sound. Rousing covers of "Shake" by Sam Cooke and "I've Been Loving You" by Otis Redding kept the audience on tenterhooks but for me it was a tightly rocked up version of fellow Alabama legend, Wilson Pickett's "99 & A Half (Won't Do)" that was the standout from the selection of covers they chose.
It was a highly enjoyable evening and I would strongly urge anyone to catch both these acts while they get a chance! Great stuff!
Friday 22 August 2014
OB Summer Party - Queen Of Hoxton (23/08/14)
I'll be guesting in the Soul Room so come and say Hello!
CLICK ATTENDING OR NAMES ON THE FACEBOOK WALL FOR £3 CHEAP LIST
Back from their summer holidays in Croatia and bringing you an extra special line up to make up for their absence. Friendly Fires man and Deep Shit co founder JACK SAVAGE.
Joining him will be World Unknown man JOE HART and The Daniel Avery approved JÄGERVERB joins the boys in the basement with friends and residents playing soul all night up stairs.
Room 1
Jack Savidge
Joe Hart
Orlando Boom DJs
Jagerverb
William Earl
Room 2
Tors Beedles
Benny & Gain
Ben Gibson
Matt Frye
Joseph Halligan
https://www.facebook.com/events/787232021327315/
Room 1
Jack Savidge
Joe Hart
Orlando Boom DJs
Jagerverb
William Earl
Room 2
Tors Beedles
Benny & Gain
Ben Gibson
Matt Frye
Joseph Halligan
https://www.facebook.com/events/787232021327315/
Tuesday 29 July 2014
***NEW*** Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens - Cold World (29/07/2014)9
With Gabriel (Bosco Mann) Roth at the helm, Naomi and company went into the studio Summer 2013, and cut onto tape what can only be described as bonafide Soul Excitement of the highest order!
At the heart of it, Cold World is a Soul record but the cross section of sub-genres the album weaves through makes it difficult to label it plainly as such.
There are tracks like ‘Sinner’, ‘Heaven Is Mine’, and ‘Humble Me’ that capture the group’s penchant for Soul grooves, seasoned with Naomi’s tough vocal delivery, and the Queens melodic interplay, which captures perhaps better than any of the other tracks, NSGQ’s live show. Then there’s some hard funk by way of ‘Bound for the Promised Land’, ‘Cold World’, and ‘Thank You Lord’ - the percolating church rave-up of ‘Get Up, Child’, the country heavy ‘One Day’, and ‘I Earned Mine’, and the bouncing rumba of ‘Everybody Knows.'
This album is a menagerie of Soul music at its finest, untied by the strong message-laden lyrics. Trust us, the wait was worth it.
www.daptonerecords.com
***NEW*** Get On Up - The James Brown Story (Soundtrack) - 04/08/2014
Music taken from the Tate Taylor directed 2014 bio-pic. 20 Live & studio versions of hits from across his career including 2 previously unreleased concert recordings.
Click HERE To Pre-Order
Monday 28 July 2014
Neal Birnie (Suncut) - Everything Is Everything Live DJ Mix
Collector and all round pool of knowledge, Neal Birnie steps up to the plate with a cracking mix of solid soulful goodness.
You can catch more from Neal HERE
Tuesday 22 July 2014
Gentleman Rudeboy Featuring MC D'Oxman, Ramrock Records sampler
Respected black dance music DJ Jo Wallace was commissioned to create a bespoke track to accompany this summer's must see exhibition 'Return of the Rudeboy' by its creators, Dean Chalkley and Harris Elliott.
In order to deliver the track in a limited vinyl format, Jo had to create a label....thus, Ramrock was born. Tipping the brim of a pork pie hat in the direction of the glorious heyday of Jamaican rocksteady, Jo tailored the sound to fit the flavour of the exhibition - more Argyle socks than on the rocks.
Gathering together the production skills of the legendary Ashley Beedle, the talents of musical supremo Darren Morris and the mighty MC D'Oxman, Jo oversaw the whole project in the studio even lending a hand on backing vocals and percussive teacup.
'Gentleman Rudeboy' is a track that will continue to fill dancehalls for many years to come....welcome to the world of Ramrock
In order to deliver the track in a limited vinyl format, Jo had to create a label....thus, Ramrock was born. Tipping the brim of a pork pie hat in the direction of the glorious heyday of Jamaican rocksteady, Jo tailored the sound to fit the flavour of the exhibition - more Argyle socks than on the rocks.
Gathering together the production skills of the legendary Ashley Beedle, the talents of musical supremo Darren Morris and the mighty MC D'Oxman, Jo oversaw the whole project in the studio even lending a hand on backing vocals and percussive teacup.
'Gentleman Rudeboy' is a track that will continue to fill dancehalls for many years to come....welcome to the world of Ramrock
Shake! Summer Special at The Buffalo Bar, London (02/08/2014)
Shake! returns to The Buffalo Bar in Islington, London on Saturday 2nd August for our Summer Special.
Joining Shake! residents Jay, Alena & Ben behind the controls this month will be special guest DJ Karl Costello.
Karl has co-hosted the long running Hook & Sling club nights on the South Coast as well as the Double Down nights in North London.
He's a longtime established collector of Deep Funk, Sister Funk, Northern and Memphis Soul 45s and we're really looking forward to seeing him bringing the heat to Shake! this time round. Definitely not one to be missed!
You can catch some of Karl's mixes here:
http://m.mixcloud.com/Ironleg/
Click HERE for the Facebook Event page
Monday 21 July 2014
Wednesday 25 June 2014
Tuesday 17 June 2014
Eddie Piller's Eclectic Soul Show - Soho Radio
Eddie Piller’s Eclectic Soul Show Episode 1 – Soho Radio
Eddie Piller’s Eclectic Soul Show Episode 2 – Soho Radio
Eddie Piller’s Eclectic Soul Show Episode 3 – Soho Radio
Eddie Piller’s Eclectic Soul Show Episode 4 – Soho Radio
Eddie Piller’s Eclectic Soul Show Episode 5 – Soho Radio
Eddie Piller’s Eclectic Soul Show Episode 6 – Soho Radio
First Soho Radio Record & Tape Exchange Challenge Featuring DJ Yoda
Soho Radio’s first ever ‘Record and Tape Exchange Challenge’ on the Soho Social was accepted by DJ Yoda. With £30 in his pocket to spend, he was given an hour to go to Berwick Street’s Record and Tape Exchange to purchase a selection of tracks to make a 30minute mix, which he performed live in the studio, putting his DJing prowess to the test.
Duncan Beiny aka DJ Yoda is no ordinary scratch DJ. Q Magazine have declared him “one of the ten DJ’s to see before you die”, whilst Hip Hop Connection voted him as “one of the top three DJ’s in the world.” Trail-blazing into the world of the audio-visual, he is a pioneer of a new art form, using cutting edge technology that he has been instrumental in developing, to scratch and mix visuals on top of his DJ sets in the clubs transforming the average night out into a fusion of clubbing and the movies.
Sunday 8 June 2014
Saturday 7 June 2014
***REVIEW*** Lee Fields & The Expressions - Emma Jean (Truth & Soul Records)
Lee Fields' fifth studio LP, Emma Jean was released on Truth & Soul this week. Named after his late mother, this is another shining step in a career that has spanned just short of five decades. Lee Fields relentless touring schedule has truly honed his vocal and writing skills and in my opinion Emma Jean is his best LP to date.
'Emma Jean' has a clean and polished feel across the album whilst still holding onto the pure raw Soul sound that other artists would struggle to emulate.
Standout tracks such as 'Just Can't Win', 'Talk To Somebody' and 'Standing By Your Side' are surely set to become recognised standards on the Soul scene. Musically the level of playing across the entire album from The Expressions is also effortlessly accomplished.
There is a nod to the Oklahoma Tulsa sound with covers/reworkings of both JJ Cale's 'Magnolia' and Leon Russell's 'Out In The Woods' (Retitled here as 'In The Woods' The first single released off the LP, 'Magnolia' has a slightly uptempo pace, which alongside Lee's soulful injection give this classic a new lease of life.
Considering that the quality of his last three albums from Truth & Soul has only gone from strength to strength, it's a very exciting thought as to where Lee Fields & The Expressions will go next as I don't think we've quite reached the peak of this soulful mountain just yet!!
Buy Lee Fields & The Expressions - Emma Jean HERE
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