This week’s Big Ups takes us to the Left Coast with DJ Platurn. The 45 Sessions and Oakland Faders DJ and producer has been rocking the Bay Area for more than a minute. It is our pleasure to have him in this installment of the Big Ups series.
Check out more information about DJ Platurn on his site.
A decade old mix Flea Market Treats by Spair and DJ Platurn that still bangs!
Keep Diggin’!
A while back I put out the 45 shirt design, but just couldn’t get a collaboration that was quite right. However, as like minded individuals seem to always get together, the collaboration between Flea Market Funk and Listen Clothing begins. I have been a fan and supporting this company since their inception, and when I was on tour a few years back, my man Renz sent me a box of Listen stuff that has been worn on countless gigs, tours, and the like. Listen Clothing has been preserving the music, culture, and quality artists for over 10 years through their clothing and accessory lines. I am proud to announce the first (of many hopefully) Limited Edition tee shirt collaborations between Flea Market Funk and Listen: The 45 shirt.
Here’s a shirt that all you 45 heads have been fiending for: a nod to graphic design and typography combined with some great Funk and Soul 45 bands. There are some easy finds on here as well as some Holy Grails. We all have some of them, we all want some of them, but the bottom line is that these records are appreciated. I wanted to help preserve these artists in one of the most creative ways I could think of, the tee. We’re also working on some limited edition prints as well. After all, it’s “The Way We Live”.
Stay tuned for more details about buying this design in shirt and print form.
Click here to enlarge the graphic.
Keep Diggin’!
I promote a bunch of East Coast Funk and Soul and music events on these pages, but I need to give a shout to the left coast. I have been a fan of this series of different music nights for a long time. When it was the Root Down, I would try and get my friends in LA to send me the promo flyers because they were so dope. I know I have a few around somewhere. Funky Sole has definitely evolved in the past eleven years. They have had a who’s who of guests at all incarnations of the party (Keb Darge, J-Rocc, Adrian Younge, DJ Nu-Mark, Quantic, Chairman Mao, DJ Shadow, Skeme Richards(among others) and official DJs Clifton, Music Man Miles, DJ Chico, the gang of DJs known as the Soul Travelers, a rotating cast of LA DJs, and unofficial residents Cut Chemist and Egon who have blessed the turntables while opening people’s minds to all kinds of new, funky music from all over the world. Not commercial music. Not radio music. REAL MUSIC. The best part about it? It’s free, every week, and right smack in the middle of all the action.
“It wasn’t like Cut Chemist playing hits, or Egon playing hits, we were experimenting with different types of stuff. It wasn’t just Deep Funk, it was Ethiopian Soul, Psychedelic, Ghanaian, Salsa, Cumbia, Funk, Old School Hip Hop and obscure Cosmic Disco, twisted, dusted, psychedelia. Whatever we wanted to play. ”
I definitely wanted to shout out Miles and the Funky Sole crew, as they have been doing parties the way they should be done since day one. They do it and do it well. If you are out in LA and haven’t been to this party, I urge you to get there and get turned on to a whole different vibe. Miles describes the party itself as “A dance party where we celebrate mostly 60′s to early 70′s Funk Soul music, whether it’s instrumental or vocal. If it’s funky and it moves people on the dance floor, that’s what works at Funky Sole. And vinyl.” Sounds like my kind of place. Hit ‘em up when you’re in the LA area.
Funky Sole
Every Saturday
The Echo
1822 Sunset Blvd
LA, CA
Weekly Special Guests and Surprises
Funky Sole 11th Year Anniversary video directed and edited by Giovanni Solis
Keep Diggin’!
Follow Funky Soul on twitter.
Dope flyer by Soulmarcosa
For all you Funk and Soulsters in the Tri-State area, the good people over at Dig Deeper have got another hot show for you. In the past, they have brought you artists like Syl Johnson, Winfield Parker, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Willie West, Kings Go Forth, Marva Whitney, Darrow Fletcher and more. On January 28th they bring back Soul Sister Eula Cooper for the second time since 2008. Eula Cooper, known for her small string of sides released on Tragar and Note Records, as well as Atlantic, will be bringing her Georgia heat to the stage at Southpaw, backed up by The MAP Legends. Meah Pace will be the opener, and as usual, Mr. Robinson and DJ Honky will be spinning the Funk and Soul 45′s in between acts and late into the night.
Dig Deeper does a great job bringing these sometimes long forgotten Funk and Soul artists to NYC, many who have never performed here during their early careers. Their events have grown pretty huge, getting spotlighted in magazines like The New Yorker, and drawing audiences from pretty far. So if you’re in the market for some real, live, Funk and Soul, Dig Deeper have got your fix this weekend.
Dig Deeper
Southpaw
125 5th Ave
Brooklyn, NY
2,3 to Bergen/ B, Q to 7th
718.230.0236
Buy tickets to this event here.
Keep Diggin’!
Eula Cooper Live! at The 5 Spot in Brooklyn, NY 2008
I find that the best cover songs are usually in the Funk and Reggae realm. Early Reggae that was covering Motown and R & B that they heard on American airwaves, or from the records that were brought back from the States just can’t be beat. In the modern sense, it seems like a lot of Funk and Soul bands were resurrecting the sounds of artists like JB and Marva Whitney, but also dabbling in covers of Rock songs. Adam aka Lack of Afro has a cracker of a cover of Arctic Monkeys “When The Sun Goes Down”, and now our friends in Germany at Our Records have released a little Rock cover of their own. The most well known Blur song, “Song 2″, or the Woo Hoo song if you will, has been “reinvented as an uptempo Deep Funk tune by Diazpora with tight horns and featuring the vocal talents of Hamburg’s Nora Kinga Becker, who gives the song the soulful edge it deserves.” It’s the second record produced by Our Label’s own Gu, and it’s a belter.
Nora Kinga Becker channels N’Dea Davenport via Damon Albarn’s lyrics, while Diazpora’s tight drums, wah wah guitar, and horn section move your body and shake your ass to the groove. Lest we not forget the bass line, which will keep you dippin’ for the entire 2:12. As Keb Darge once said: “I play fucking records that I think are great, and that’s my style”. I couldn’t agree more with that statement in terms of this record.
Snippet of Diazpora – Song 2 on Soundcloud
Hear the full length on Our Records You Tube Channel
Buy this record here.
Keep Diggin’!
Grant Green, JC Moses, and Larry Young Courtesy of George Heid
This morning we have some haunting Jazz organ originally from New Jersey, but reissued beautifully from the good folks over at Sticky Records in the UK. Larry Young Jr aka “The John Coltrane of the Organ” and Harold Martin originally released this floating 45 on an obscure NJ label London House Records out of Newark. Apparently this side was part of a concerto called Black Fantasy, although we have no other information if said concerto, master tapes, or anything even exists. If it does, it would be a major come up for some rare NJ organ Jazz.
Larry Young was an accomplished organist, and whether he was a band leader or sideman, made heads turn. He was known primarily for his side work with Grant Green on Verve and Blue Note, and Miles Davis on Bitches Brew. He had his starts on Prestige, and was a solid Jazz player. Young also released his own records, notably six Lps on Bluenote, which included the much applauded Unity record. Working with the aforementioned giants, he also played with John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana, as well as Lou Donaldson, Hank Mobley, and many more. Young died very prematurely at age 37 in 1978. It’s hard to say what kind of magic he would be working on these days if he was still alive. Suffice to say, this reissuing of the original early 70′s side with Harold Martin is a great discovery.
With a short run of only 400 being pressed, this is one side you may not want to let slip away. Sticky have been reissuing the best of Dub, Jazz, Sister Funk and more since 2005. It’s quite obvious these guys are serious about what they do, and they do it well. Reissued with permission by Harold Martin and Larry Young III (who owns a killer Jazz club in Newark, NJ), again, the lads at Sticky do it right. If some haunting organ Jazz is your bag, then this obscure Larry Young gem has your name written all over it.
Hear a sample of the record here.
More information about Larry Young here.
Keep Diggin’!
This just in: someone finally made a poster for all us diggers, beat heads, collectors, and record nerds. Dave over at Rare Byrds out of Brooklyn has put together this gorgeous poster, which will be framed and on my wall before this post is up. Side A or Side B, you choose the Soul label. With the likes of King, Smash, Tico, Bang, Stax, Revue, Kent, Brunswick and many more, get this item before he sells out.
You can purchase this item here.
13″ x 9″ and printed on matte paper, this thing is begging to be put over your turntables. Viva la Soul!
Check out DJ Gu mixes every Wednesday from 10pm til midnight (cet) over here.
More info about DJ Gu here.
DJ Gu co-owns Our Label Records. Don’t Sleep!
Creative Source was a short lived band out of Los Angeles, California. Comprised mostly of mostly unknown musicians, the band put out four Lps, 2 on the mighty Sussex label, and 2 on the equally big Polydor Records. Here’s their biggest hit, a cover of Bill Withers’ “Who Is He And What Is He To You” on Sussex Records from 1974.
Bill Withers, when he wasn’t assisting the whole of the country procreate with his music, was writing solid, Soul music. There is no way you can deny “Use Me” or “Just The Two Of Us” (among others). However, Creative Source took his song “Who Is He And What Is He To You” and elevated it to something else. Members Barbara Berryman, Barbara Lewis, Don Wyatt, Steve Ranagan, and Celeste Rose went the funky Disco route and hyped up this side. Although they would make the move from Sussex to Polydor after Migration, clearly a bigger record label, they didn’t find the success they wanted. In fact, after just two more records with not much promotion, Creative Source would be put back onto a dusty shelf. Even though they would reach the top fifth of the US R & B charts with several of the records, it seems like it’s the same old song and dance with the old record industry. No money, no promotion, and in a world where there was no social media let alone computers or Twitter, you actually had to rely on radio stations, A & R, and a record company to push a certain record or band. While they had a good run, Creative Source faded back into normal life as quickly as they came in.
Creative Source’s version of “Who Is He And What Is He To You” is something special. What I’m bringing to you today is the instrumental, which I think is the best version. The Lp version is well over 10 minutes long (imagine that playing on FM on a Saturday night), but the single version packs a punch too. A wah wah guitar, some fuzzed out guitars, plus some fantastic horn stabs will keep your head nodding (and the dance floor movin’) until the end of the night. They may have been a flash in the pan, but if Creative Source kept putting out belters like this, they might have had a little longer shelf life. In fact, this has Blaxploitation car chase written all over it. Black Dynamite, get on it will you? FYI, this band also did a great version of “Magic Carpet Ride” from the S/T first LP which I have included on a past FMF mix. Here’s to a funky MLK Day. Keep Diggin’!
Download or Listen to Creative Source – Who Is He And What Is He To You from the Sussex 45
After a short break for the New Year’s holiday, we’re back here at FMF. I’ve got a special treat for you. I did this mix at the end of 2011 for a special podcast, which should be out shortly on another site’s series, but since it’s the new year, I thought I would throw it up here to see what you guys think. I was particularly feeling some Soul 45′s that day, most of these records I haven’t used before on a mix (with the exception of a snippet of the the Willie Hobbs tune that was used on the first FMF mix ever in 2007, the Witches and the Warlock, and the Lee Williams I believe). If I’ve repeated some tunes, I apologize, but they are so good!
This mix is a tribute to all the lovers, the fighters, the heartbroken, the love struck, and those that still believe in this thing called love. Please enjoy and pass it on to a friend by spreading the love if you’re feeling this mix.
Shirley Brown – Love Is Built On A Strong Foundation/ abet
Willie Hobbs – My Goodness Yes/ Silver Fox
Brenton Wood – I Think You’ve Got Your Fool’s Mixed Up/ Double Shot
Unlimited Four – Walk Away Lover/ Chanson
The Gaslight – I’m Only A Man/ Grand Junction
Gloria Taylor – Loving you and Being Loved/ Silver Fox
The Ethics – There’ll Still Be A Sweet Tomorrow/ Vent
Sherry Pye – Gimme A Break/ Match
Thelma Jones – Souvenirs of a Heartbreak/ Barry!
The Ambers – Don’t Go/ Jean Althia Records Ltd.
Gene Burks – You Got It/ Calla
The Omystics – (I’m So) In Love With You/ Castle
Witches and the Warlock – Behind Locked Doors/ Sew City
James Carr – Love Attack/ Goldwax Records
Lou Courtney – What Do You Want Me To Do/ Rags
Ed Townsend – Don’t Lead Me On/ Tru-Glo-Town
The Charmetts – Breaking up Again/ Philomega
James & Bobby Purify – I Don’t Want To Have To Wait/ Bell Records
Lee Williams and the Cymbals – I Love You More/ Carnival Records
Sam & Bill – For Your Love/ Joda
Download or Listen to FMF presents Lost Soul: Forgotten Soul 45′s Mixed By DJ Prestige
Keep Diggin’!
In 2005, DJ Gu and Brother Tom decided to form their own record label. Gu, a DJ since age 12 had discovered that he loved rare Funk, Soul, and Jazz sometime in the mid 1990′s. His involvement with Urban Jazz Groove in Bremen, Germany (his hometown) put him on the international DJ circuit. One of his stops was in London, with Keb Darge and his Legendary Deep Funk night. Gu decided that in order to be more well recognized as a DJ (as well as a producer and composer), the two would start a record label. With intentions on bringing new and unheard Funk and Soul to the masses, Gu wrote a song, which was performed by the Leeds, UK band The New Mastersounds. The result, after a two hour studio session was a mobile recorded “Give Me A Minute Part 1″. The brothers describe the end result in their words: “… and all of a sudden we were on the train from Leeds to London with a very rough recording of The New Mastersounds on an old mobile.” Our Label Records was born.
“ When Our Label Records releases the Funk, I take note ”-Professor Groove, WEFUNK
Six years and six releases later, Our Label Records have absolutely made a name in the Funk world. Case in point: the first Osaka Monaurail 7″ and two exclusive Keb Darge productions sold out quickly. After a two year hiatus, Our Label Records is back, and they return with a new side: “ABX”, by Swiss multi-instrumentalist Sir Ali Bengali released in November, as well as four new releases slated for 2012. They have also parted ways with Unique Records who handled their distribution, to take over it themselves. This two year hiatus was used to get back to grassroots and will ensure that they will be able to oversee the whole operation, ensuring better international delivery and distribution and gain full control of the business. Their international artist roster so far has bands from the UK, Japan, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Canada, Italy and is growing.
Their stable of artists is very strong, the aforementioned Osaka Monaurail, The Magnificent Freedom (which is a great record btw), The Inmates, Wake and Bake!, as well as The New Mastersounds, and the addition of Sir Ali Bengali no doubt will raise eyebrows throughout the Funk and Soul community, if not the rest of the world. Our Label Records is another great example of a label that is putting out great music, even if it’s a bit under the radar. If you’re in the Funk and Soul community, most likely you have heard of these guys. I’ve featured releases on past FMF mixes, and they have gotten considerable airplay in the UK, Europe and Japan. If you’re not in the know, get familiar. It seems that the time out revamped the whole company, the philosophy, and expect to hear a lot from Our Label Records in 2012.
Check out Our Label Records Soundcloud Page.
For Updates, Merchandise, and more info, visit their web site.
Follow these funky brothers from Germany on Twitter.
Snippet of the latest release from Our Label Records, Sir Ali Bengali – ABX
If you like what you hear, sign up for the Our Label Records news letter.
Keep Diggin’!
Jonathan Toubin and I have never met. We’ve been in the same circles, played the same clubs, and spun similar records. This past year we both had residencies at the Ace Hotel in NYC, Jonathan on Tuesday nights, me on Friday nights. He was a guy who I always said, “man we have to hook up and do a show, of course, all 45s”. It was one of those things that is on my list, but hasn’t happened yet. Even though we don’t know each other personally, we are brethren in the record sense, and he needs your help. In a complete and utter crazy event, while on tour in Portland, OR, Toubin was injured when a taxi crashed through his hotel room. A one in a million chance. Apparently the cab driver had a diabetic seizure, which caused the driver to lose control and plow through the first floor room Toubin was staying in. He was scheduled to play at the club Rotture on Thursday for the 5th Anniversary party I’ve Got a Hole In My Soul, and was listed in critical condition after the accident.
Tonight at the Motor City Bar & Home Sweet Home, they will hold benefits to help Jonathan and his medical bills. Here are the details:
HOME SWEET HOME
8PM – 9PM Ethan Miller
9PM – 10PM Andy Animal/Danny Goldshtein
11PM – 4AM Josh Styles/Billy & Miriam of NORTON RECORDS
There will also be a raffle for a bunch NORTON RECORDS merchandise!
$10 suggested donation! ALL MONEY GOING TO JONATHON!
——————
MOTOR CITY
10PM – 4AM Drew Redmond/Jerry Lee
Suzanne Rogaleski will be donating a private trapeze lesson to raffle winner!
MORE STUFF TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Here’s the Facebook page with more details.
Here is the Pay Pal e mail to donate to Jonathan directly.
Also, his booking agent released this message:
“Hi, this is Michelle, Jonathan Toubin’s friend and booking agent. If you are interested in organizing a benefit for Jonathan as I’ve been hearing a lot of people are, please direct your emails/ideas/ requests to this e mail address. We’ll be organizing benefits via that email account. Thanks for your support.”
We here at FMF are keeping Jonathan Toubin in our thoughts and wish him a speedy recovery.
Keep Diggin’!
Hot Damn ho here we go again! If you thought that the Hot Peas and Butta Crew were just about spinning records (and dropping heat), well you are partially right. If you have been following them around the world, you may have heard of a little documentary project called Wheedle’s Groove, documenting the Seattle Funk and Soul scene in the 60′s and 70′s. Chief Rocker Supreme La Rock has put his heart and soul into this project, and along with Light In The Attic Records (who continue to be one of the best record labels around) have come up with a limited edition, all vinyl box set of the music. It’s one of the nicest, put together packages I have seen in a while. Here’s what you get:
* Only 2,000 hand-numbered copies worldwide
* Ten 45rpm singles featuring original label art and housed in a gorgeous custom made magnetic flip-top box
* 96 page book with new liner notes interviewing the musicians and key players, unseen photos, endless ephemera, replica Seattle SuperSonics trading card, countless photos, and loads of other archival gems
* CD of “lost” Robbie Hill’s Family Affair session, circa 1975
* Meticulously remastered
* Free Download Card for all songs
What’s even better, is that there is a release party on 12/13 with Supreme La Rock blessing the 1′s and 2′s lovely.
Tuesday 12/13
The Crocodile & Light In The Attic presents:
Wheedle’s Groove 45s Box Set Record Release Party
w/ DJ Supreme La Rock spinning all 45′s!
Artists in attendance signing autographs!
8pm / Free / 21+
at Crocodile Cafe (in Back Bar)
2200 2nd Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
This is what I call a good time. If you’re in the 206, you better be there. Keep Diggin’!
Here’s a bonus mix from Supreme La Rock courtesy of Hot Peas and Butta: Grab it!
Keep Diggin’!
Richmond, VA via Germany, DJ Pari is an all around Funk and Soul machine. Touring with James Brown, making records with Marva Whitney, and DJing every corner of the world spreading the gospel of 45 music is all in a day’s work. Here’s another person making a difference doing what he loves. Big Ups.
Check out DJ Pari on Facebook.
Tonight peoples, it goes down at the world famous Tillman’s in NYC. Hot Peas and Butta Crew representing all things 45 lovely. This time it’s the Nostalgia King Skeme Richards and Amir holding it down for yo’ ass on a Friday night. Expect all of the great things that come with HP&B: the 45′s, the filled dance floor, and the visuals. Last time my man Skeme took me way back with Channel 48 from Philly commercials, Marine Boy, and all the cartoons I watched as a kid. This is a great party people, so if you’re around NYC tonight, stop by, say hi to me at the Ace Hotel (I’ll be spinning from 8pm til late in the lobby), then head to Tillman’s and get your 45 groove on.
FREE w/ RSVP at info@hotpeasandbutta.com
Check out Tillman’s here
Keep Diggin’!
