I told you I was upping the ante this year, and if you thought last week’s Big Ups was dope, then you’re in for another treat. This week we have one of the hardest working DJs/ producers out there, Uncle NU, aka DJ Nu-Mark. Uncle Nu is known for not just being a dope DJ, but a producer and solo artist who pushes the envelope in his live shows. His last tour experimented with toys and toy instruments, and he constructed a live set around these toys. Always innovating and forging new trails as a DJ, we’re stoked to have DJ Nu-Mark in this week’s Big Ups.
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
I’m happy to announce our winner for the Flea Market Funk x Cultures of Soul contest. It was none other than David Lerner from Columbia, MD, who correctly identified Brother Jack McDuff “Oblighetto” as the first 45 I ever reviewed. Some were close and said Dennis Coffey “Scorpio”, but indeed the good Brother Jack was my first 45 I put up over 4 years ago. How much we have changed here at FMF, but I still remain dedicated to keep this music alive. In the upcoming weeks, I’m going to do another first, have a pledge drive here at FMF, (with some goodies to give away as well) so keep your eyes and ears peeled for that.
I wanted to shout out Jeff from Cultures of Soul for providing me with the give always, and of course to you, the reader for taking an interest in FMF. You guys keep me going every day and drive me to keep diggin’ deep. Cheers-
Today I have a special treat, I’ll be giving away a CD copy of the highly praised World’s Funkiest Covers from Cultures of Soul. I’ve written about it before, and it’s now finally available through better local record stores. The contest starts now, and will end on Tuesday December 6th.
All you have to do is follow Flea Market Funk on Twitter:
@fleamarketfunk
…..and check my Twitter stream for the question, then direct message me with the answer.
Here’s a track list of what the winner will be hearing:
1. Johnny Jones and the King Casuals – Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix)
2. Mighty Mo and the Winchester Seven – The Next Message (Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five)
3. Afrosound – Jungle Fever (chakachas)
4. Fruko y sus Tesos – Bang Bang (New Swing Sextet)
5. Nostalgia 77 – Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes)
6. Ray Barretto – Pastime Paradise (Stevie Wonder)
7. Mongo Santamaria – Cloud Nine (The Temptations)
8. Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra – I Turn My Camera On (Spoon)
9. Ebony Rhythm Band – Light My Fire (The Doors)
10. The Johnny Frigo Sextet – Scorpio (Dennis Coffey)
11. Antibalas – Rat Race (Bob Marley)
Heavy, heavy covers! With listening parties all over the US, including a West Coast with O-Dub from Soul-Sides, this record has been well received.
I will pick one correct answer at random, and that person will win a copy of this great piece of music history, plus a few FMF Jimmy Smith stickers. It’s that easy. Looking forward to this. Stay tuned and Keep Diggin’!
In the third and final chapter of the BMR mix series, we get serious folks (as if the two previous mixes weren’t serious enough). The duo have saved the best free mix for last: Latin Set. This set is special in the three. Not only does it show the diversity and range of both of these musicians, but it’s a style of music that is close to percussionist Eric Bobo’s heart: Latin music. It’s not surprising, as Bobo’s father was the Latin music master Willie Bobo. You know what I’m saying? Fried Neck Bones and Some Home Fries, son. Juicy. Bobo Do That Thing! and more. This is some serious music. While Bobo does his thing, adding the meat to this musical Pernil, Rhettmaic throws in the Sazòn and seasons the rice throughout. If y’all have hd some good Pernil, than you know food like that can transform you, just like their music does. With artists like Fruko Y Sus Testos, Bruno E Sexteto, and Willie Bobo among others on this set, it’s another sizzler from BMR. A really great finish to these pre-Ep mix releases. ¡La musicà calientè!
BMR LATIN SET
Eric Bobo: Percussion
Rhettmatic: Turntables
Cali De Rumba – Fruko Y Sus Testos
Rebellion – Joe Arroyo Y La Verdad
Haitian Lady – Willie Bobo
Urubu Jazz – Bruno E Sexteto
Aphrodite – Louie Vega & The EOL Band
BMR’s Cypress Junkie Mix Tape Ep is out November 3rd. You can see them perform on the release day at the Crosby in Santa Ana, CA on 11.03.11.
As part of their promotion for their upcoming release Cypress Junkies, percussionist Eric Bobo and DJ Rhettmatic have released the second of three mixes before the November 3rd release. Last week’s Funk Set was a scorcher, and this week’s mini break set has the duo playing off Earth, Wind, and Fire’s “Africano” and Manu Dibango’s “Funky Makossa”. These two run through both of these classics in about 11 minutes, with Bobo’s percussion lighting up like Kobe late in the third quarter while Rhettmatic is just plain nasty as usual: tight cuts and beat juggling like the Beat Junkies do. Of course this kind of stuff is always exciting to us at FMF. Like Cut Chemist pushed boundaries on his Sound of the Police single turntable mix, BMR continue to push the DJ/turntablism + live musician envelope as well. The fact that most people will not understand how this is pulled off is irrelevant, it’s the end result: it’s the groove that makes you move that is tell all. If you can’t move to this, check your pulse, you might be dead.
BMR – MINI BREAK SET
Africano – Earth Wind & Fire
Funky Makossa – Manu Dibango
Eric Bobo: Percussion (Cypress Hill)
Dj Rhettmatic: Turntables (Beat Junkies)
When percussionist/ musician Eric Bobo (Cypress Hill) and World Famous Beat Junkies DJ Rhettmatic came together on Bobo’s 2009 solo release Meeting Of The Minds, the idea for the DJ/percussion group was birthed. The rest is history. They released Bobo Meets Rhettmatic: The Mixtape to critical acclaim.
After loads of tour dates, the mixtape, and bridging the gap between Latin music and turntablism, the two have come together on another release, Cypress Junkies – a three-part mixtape series with a mini EP due November 3, 2011. With appearances by Dilated Peoples’ Rakaa Iriscience and Fitz and The Tantrum’s Noelle Scaggs, the mix features three new mixes as well as four studio tracks.
“ Both of these talented musicians take their superior talent, music knowledge and experience and go into uncharted territories combining Bobo’s percussion with the precision that is DJ Rhettmatic. Pure genius. ”
BMR kicks everything off with the “BMR Funk Set” and will release the “Mini Break Set” and the “BMR Latin Set” every following Thursday until release day. Not that live musicians and DJ collaborations are that uncommon, but BMR take it to a new level. Both of these talented musicians take their superior talent, music knowledge and experience and go into uncharted territories combining Bobo’s percussion with the precision that is DJ Rhettmatic. Pure genius. The two bring that personal feeling back to the music, a feeling of sitting in the park with your homies and your lady while you groove to the good music. Whether it’s Classic Hip Hop, Low Rider anthems, Latin Soul or dirty Funk, you had a good time. BMR brings that feeling back into the numb state of music that is 2011. They might not be the first to try live musicians with DJ’s, but they are certainly two of the best at it. Stay tuned for the next two mixes which I will be dropping each week.
Percussions: Eric Bobo (Cypress Hill)
Turntables: Dj Rhettmatic (Beat Junkies)
BMR FUNK SET:
Good Times – Chic
Square Biz – Teena Marie
Pumpin It Up – P-Funk Allstars
Brazillian Rhymes – Earth Wind & Fire
I’m Ready – Kano
Planet Rock – Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
