Printable Liner Notes/CD Booklet

cover design by sharon mizota (www.sharonmizota.com) • booklet layout by eugene kuo (www.226-design.com)
A
scatapella scorcher that bops along
This brings us to the title track off
Keeping it funky, it’s back to Mem-
something lovely. From the UK comes
of the Quartette Tres Bien’s, Boss
phis with Stax’s studio band, the MarKeys chomping in with their massive
the Organ Mix of A Tribe Called
Tres Bien album. Simply put, this is
Quest’s “Oh My God,” from an im-
one of the greatest jazz dance songs
instrumental blaster, “Grab This Thing
port 12" feat. four whopping remixes
I’ve ever heard, starting off beautifully
Pt. 1” from their Stax 45. The SD50s
must have liked what they heard since
of the Tribe classic. There’s only one
but then pumping the rhythm all the
ncient Shaolin-Meets-Holly-
vocals gives the song an entirely dif-
for Rasco almost a decade later. That’s
mix of “Cabbage Patch” by the World
way, taking it back down for a rest and
they liberally sample “Grab This Thing”
wood dialogue on the Intro
ferent feel.
followed by the Wicked Mix remix of
Class Wrecking Cru but Dr. Dre (who
then vamping back up again for a killer
for their remix of Grand Puba’s first
leads into the funktastic “El
Dialing up to more modern times,
Special Ed’s “The Mission”. Yeah, I
produced this pre-NWA blaster) nails
closer. Unlike many of the other songs
solo single, “360,” a slept-on classic
Soul Condor” by Soul Con-
the UK’s Aim brings us “Just Pas-
know a lot of DJs think Wicked Mixes
it the first time out. Featured on the
on this mix-CD, I play it all the way out
from 1992. Equally ignored that year
dor, a German jazz group lead by Art
sin’ Thru,” a gorgeous number that
are cheating but I like how they flipped
Cru’s “Turn Off the Lights” 12", this is
and it’s worth every minute.
is the horn-heavy remix of Big Daddy
Farmer, Peter Harbolzheimer and Herb
liberally samples Harlem River Drive.
the extra intro on this one.
one of the great, unsung dance cuts
The only way I could follow up
Kane’s “Get Down,” snuck onto the
Geller. Though not credited, this 1970
It originally appeared on the group’s
from the Left Coast. “Cabbage Patch”
with a song as killer as “Boss Tres
B-side of “The Lover In You”. Kane
might have been starting to slip into
Dippin’ briefly into 45 land, the
jam of off Soul Condor’s one and only
scarce Downstate EP from 2000 and
Mod Singers and Mod Lads bring us
might sound archaic (why isn’t there a
Bien” is to drop arguably the greatest
album, Certain Lions and Tigers is ob-
was more recently comped by the
one of my favorite dance cuts, “Let’s
dance called the Pokemon?) but it still
boogaloo cut ever recorded, the Joe
his Chocolate Prince decline but on
viously a cover of Simon and Garfun-
good folks at Mystic Brew for their Fat
Have Some Fun,” a swinging 7" cut on
rocks like a mutha.
Cuba Sextet’s “Bang Bang,” from his
this cut, he still keeps it r.a.w.
kel’s “El Condor Pasa” but Simon and
City Sound LP.
Garfunkel never sounded so funky.
Wand. It’s not funky in a conventional
“Funky Drummer” comes courtesy
Wanted Dead or Alive album. Original-
Ending the CD are two dedications
This opens up the door for a clas-
way but if you can’t feel this, you just
African drummer Rim, from a disco-
ly released on a Tico 45, “Bang Bang”
to musical legends lost in 2002. Run
Speaking of rock covers, Austra-
sic from the Bay Area, the Souls of
can’t feel. James Brown gets that
flavored, late ’70s album Rim Arrives.
went on to sell over one million copies
DMC’s “Peter Piper” rightfully gives it
lia’s Southern Contemporary Rock
Mischief’s “That’s When Ya Lost”. I
feelin’ going even more with one of his
The drumming is indeed funky, but
and helped ignite an already popular
up to one of the greatest DJs in hip-
Assembly comes blazing in after with
still remember first hearing this mon-
many insanely great jams, “It’s a New
it’s that swinging bassline that makes
boogaloo craze from the mid-60s. Af-
hop history, Jam Master Jay. That’s
their sizzling take of the venerable
strous cut, sitting in my dorm room at
Day” from the album (and 45) of the
the song work as well as it does. This
ter all these years, it’s still as infectious
followed by a sweet, melancholy pia-
a groover as they come.
no solo called “This Is Where I Came
hit “C.C. Rider”. This is off their lesser
UC Berkeley as DJ Beni B played the
same name. Straight up no one does
segues into the beat barrage from Or-
known SCRA album on Metronome as
12" on his KALX radio show. Still in the
it better than James.
ange Krush and their mid-80s dance
Back on the 45 tip, the sizzling
opposed to their more popular Ship
Bay, ’90s KMEL mixer Alex Meija is re-
Of course, hi s former band, lead
12" “Action,” produced by a pre-Def
“Love-Ray” is fired by Caution from a
incorporable Weldon Irvine, whose
Album which came out in the States
sponsible for the ragga-tinged remix of
by Maceo and All the Kings Men do
Jam Russell Simmons, who I assume
1974 7" recorded for Estelle Axton’s
genius spanned generations of black
on Atlantic.
Arrested Development’s “Tennessee”
a pretty damn good imitation with “Got
is voicing the chipmunk-like paramour
Fretone imprint, a Memphis label that
musical production. The song is from
which was featured on a promo-only
To Getcha” from the *** album they re-
featured in the middle of the song.
was an off-shoot of Axton’s far better
his Sinbad LP, one of the handful he
12" along with two other remixes.
corded after bolting Mr. JB over labor
Taking it back a little more old school
known Stax. If the love-ray beams are
recorded for RCA. Listen to how he
And hell, let’s just toss in one more
cover for good measure, this time, Hi
In,” composed and played by the
Records’ honey Ann Peebles does
The next two songs are courtesy
issues. Super slinky, you can see that
is the 12" edit of Blondie’s “Rapture”.
too much to take, Sharon Jones and
holds that last note until he takes his
her thing by recording a fantastic ver-
NYC rappers, beginning with “Wild
it wasn’t Brown alone who perfected
Not only was Blondie a dime, but peep
the Dap-Kings jump in to “Cut the
foot off the pedal. Good night Weldon,
his sound.
her ill lyrics, talking about this Martian
Line,” one of the many nuevo-funk jams
good night.
who eats cars and bars. What was she
they bust out on Jones’ recent Dap Dip-
sion of the Isley Brothers’ classic “It’s
Pitch” by Chill Rob G off of one of his
Your Thing”. Recorded for her 1971
several 12" for the label of the same
From the excellent When Shapes
album Part Time Love Peebles stays
name. Cutmasta Curt would resurrect
Join Together 3 compilation comes
smoking back in the day? And can I
pin With album. Ironically, new funk never
loyal to the original but her screaming
this memorable horn-hittin’ track back
Theva
get some?
sounded so old (and that’s a good thing).
Whateva’s
“Singalong,”
a