This week we travel to Paris to Big Up Djouls from Paris Djs. Paris DJs is a team of creative music strategists monitoring emerging music trends. They produce Reggae, Afro, and Soul, among others things. Djouls runs the website and the record label itself, and is an accomplished record digger and DJ. Paris DJs are on the cutting edge of good music, and promote it through their very popular podcast as well as live gigs throughout the world. They caught my ear with a remix of Jungle Fire, and since then I have been checking up on them regularly to see what kinds of stuff they had going on. You should too. These guys are the real deal and Djouls knows his music. Enjoy!

Vist the Paris DJs website.

Like Paris DJs on facebook.

Follow them on twitter.

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On Monday I wrote a brief article on the documentary Vinyl by Alan Zweig. If you haven’t got a chance to take a look at it, I think it’s a must for every record collector out there. This prompted me to contact Alan, who will be interviewed in an upcoming feature of Reel Talk. It also had me thinking deeply about why I collect records. What are the motivating issues behind this? Why did I start to collect records? Why do I continue to do so? At what lengths do I go to to go out and dig for vinyl or acquire records in general? I’m going to be writing a future article about the motivation behind record collecting, and I’d love to get the opinion of the Flea Market Funk readers. So here’s what I’m asking all you out there that read this:

Send your response to jamison@fleamarketfunk.com. I’d really like you to think about the reasons you dig for vinyl, what motivates you to dig, collect, or have to have certain records or records in general. I will be contacting a variety of DJs, diggers, producers, and collectors (well known and unknown) for this as well. This should be an interesting project here at FMF, and I appreciate you taking the time to answer the question. Keep Diggin’!

File this one as something that went under the radar of FMF. Quel & Maker are a seasoned duo of Hip Hop emcee and producer/ DJ. Fresh off the heels of their successful Kickstarter campaign for Beautful Raw the two have dropped a snippet of the full album mixed by DJ Bizkid. Let’s get right down to the meat of it, shall we? The beats are tough and Quel’s rhymes are miles ahead of any of these guys putting out weak sauce raps these days. These are guys that grind. These are guys that are successful at what they do. You may not be familiar, but they make it happen. Maker’s beats and production has seen the light on television and movies, while Qwel’s CV of distinguished outputs (Typical Cats, you know you love them) has kept the Chicago emcee busy all year round. The 4th release from this duo features guest spitting by The Grouch (Living Legends), Qwazaar from Typical Cats, Swamburger (Soliloquists Of Sound), Wes Restless, Scud One, D-Styles & more. Some veteran underground heavy hitters right there add to the flavor of this already spicy release.

“They said it couldnt be done, this one’s for provin’ ‘em wrong, seems only suitable it’s beautiful raw. Planted the seed beneath the street but it was rooted too strong, grew to the sun and called it beautiful raw.

These two are a great combination, and if you like this snippet, drop by their site and pick up the full length why don’t you. A huge shout out to Daniel who put me on to this new record (available on Galapagos4 now), and who supplied the original sample record for the track “Lake Effect” that Maker flipped for the record. My vote for one of the creepiest album covers of all time.

Beautiful Raw definitely rises at the crest of the wave in a sea of polluted, unoriginal releases. Get on that wave and ride it as long as you can.

Get the record here.

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I’ve talked about this before on Flea Market Funk, but when Mr. Pat James Longo talks, you listen. Longo, a major record collector, music historian, musician, DJ, and artist is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to music and vinyl records in general. I look forward to his monthly Primitive Sound System email newsletter which highlights his monthly vinyl scores (complete with catalog numbers) and what he is going to play at the get down monthly at DC’s Tavern in Jersey City, NJ. His collection was featured on Dust & Grooves a few years back, and it grows stronger every week. So when he mentioned the 2000 Alan Zweig film Vinyl, I wondered why I hadn’t come across it. The Toronto based film maker has used the medium of film to explore issues in his own life and the struggle with his record addiction. He’s wrestled with romance, being a curmudgeon, and his obsession with vinyl records.

“My argument in the film is ‘It’s not just the music. I don’t think there is a thing as just music.” -Alan Zweig

Any one of us who collect vinyl records does it for a reason. Some do it because we are passionate. Some do it just to have objects. Some of us are obsessive compulsive. Some do it because of reasons we know not why. This documentary explores them all, but also focuses in on Zweig’s personal reasons for being a collector, why it may have led him down the path he took in life, why he hasn’t settled down, and really touches the core of any vinyl record collector’s motivating force to keep vinyl records. Watch this film, and then ask yourself: why you do it? Get down deep. I think you’ll find some reasons you never thought about. This movie is incredible and depressing at the same time. What’s incredible is listening to all of these people wax poetic about the reasons they love vinyl, why they collect, and their motivation to live the lifestyle. These are the people we encounter every day when we buy records. The depressing part is you may even realize that we all have a little bit of these things that motivate us to collect (however depressing they are) in all of us. Pull up your favorite chair because you’re gonna be here a while. This is a great movie and a great sociological look at the habits and driving forces behind why people collect (or hoard) the black crack. We all know someone like this, but how well do we know ourselves?

Vinyl, A film by Alan Zweig

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The Brooklyn crew known as People’s Champs has just embarked on a US tour in support of their newest single, “Humanity”. Composed of musicians who perform with such diverse bands such as Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Delicate Steve, Tortured Soul, Cuddle Magic, Railbird, The Pimps of Joytime, John Brown’s Body, Slavic Soul Party!, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds among others (not to mention doing horn arrangements for a female vocalist named Beyonce), People’s Champs are landing punches in the music industry. Already well known from their 2011 self titled release, this NYC super group combines Rock and Soul with African and Latin Beats and has been rocking places like The Mercury Lounge and Pianos here in NYC regularly while feeling equally at home during their stint at The Guggenheim and New Museum. I love me some New York City music, and these guys definitely combine the best of all the City has to offer. Check out their performance at The Guggenheim below:

Check out their tour dates to see if People’s Champs will be in your area.

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Hey man, have you tried the wood glue method of cleaning records?-BH Dublin, Ireland

I have tried many cleaning methods. An old record store owner used to clean his stock with a mixture of Windex and water (more water than Windex). He would then use a soft toothbrush and deep clean the grooves of the record on a spinning turntable platter (spun by hand). After he did that would take a soft cloth and dry the record off while it was spinning (still by hand). I used this method for a long time. I’m not saying it’s the best method, or even the right method. It was taught to me and worked for me. My records didn’t get ruined and I was happy. However, as of late I use the Spin Clean record machine and it works really great. I’d definitely recommend it to someone that is on a budget and wants to still be able to buy records to clean.

Now for your original question. I have not tried the wood glue method. There is a lot of chatter on the web about this method. I have to honest, I’m not brave enough nor do I have the patience to do this method. There are a few records I could think of that I’d want to do it to (My Oneness of JuJu record, but not in a million years), but I’d rather just save up for a VPI machine and do everything in that. From the videos and photos I have seen, it looks like the method does a bang up job of getting stuff out of it. However, I don’t have the room to try this. I’d love to see it in action one day. Maybe I’m just a bit cautious, but I think I can wait to get the VPI. For those of you not aware of this method, here’s a few link to show you what we are talking about:

Photos from Audiokarma

Here is a Wood Cleaning video.

Thanks for the questions and keep them coming in.

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DJ Prestige runs the site Flea Market Funk, digs for records, chases his kids around, and preserves the music and artists of Funk, Soul, Jazz, Reggae and Hip Hop one record at a time.

Director/photographer Jason Goldwatch puts together a sweet little Super 8 mm series of films that focus on cultural icons and his personal heroes. It’s ironic that the he features none other than NYC icon and renowned photographer Ricky Powell (among others). We’ve featured The Rickster here on FMF before, and this short film coicides with his new exhibition Ricky Powell: NYC 1985 to Bushwick Now over at David Kesting Presents in Brooklyn. Goldwatch shoots the shorts all silent, and then adds some fitting music behind. This particular short is set to Kool and The Gang’s “Summer Madness”. Follow The Funky Uncle all over the NYC, feeding squirrels, hitting up Jazz in Washington Square Park, and doing the Lazy Hustler as only he can. We’re looking forward to more of these short films to come. We’re also looking forward to locking RP down for one of our Reel Talk Interviews. Yo Rick get at me!

Here’s the info on the Exhibition:

Friday May 17 from 7:00 – 10:00pm, and will be open to the public during the Bushwick Open Studios May 31 to June 2 and close on June 9.
For additional details please visit here. David Kesting Presents: is a contemporary art space in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn NY. The gallery was originally founded in 2003 as Capla Kesting Fine Art, then in 2008 became Leo Kesting Gallery in the Meat Packing District & Kesting/Ray in Soho in 2011.

Dave Kesting Presents
257 Boerum Street
Brooklyn, NY

This looks to be a good exhibition people, if you’re in NYC FMF highly recommends.

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The name Ian Wright may not ring a bell to a lot of you, but it should. Ian was one of the innovators (along with Keb Darge) in the scene shifting from Northern Soul to Deep Funk, especially in the 7″ game. His re-edits and remixes of tracks gained notoriety in the scene, and his involvement in the Sister Funk compilations is legendary. If you haven’t heard them, well you need to catch up to speed. It’s with great pleasure that I bring Ian Wright to the pages of the Big Ups series this week. He was buying all the records you want now, but years before. You will never turn up a clean copy of “Hung Up” these days by luck. Wright had the foresight to grab all these now classic rare groove and Deep Funk records back then, the sounds that shaped the scene. Enjoy another heavyweight in the record game this week.

Check out Ian Wright live from this past year at The Soul Inn

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More info on Broadway here.

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On their second Bloodshot release, JC Brooks and The Uptown Sound mix their version of Soul (and it is true Soul) with their Post Punk influence quite lovely. Whether it’s The Jam influenced title track “Howl” (tell me you don’t hear ghosts of “A Town Called Malice” on this one), a stab at the Gospel on “River”, fuzzy Soul in “Ordinary”, a quick nod to Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam in the way he delivers lyrics on “Security”, or Pop music on “Before You Die”, this second, more polished record strengthens the already solid band’s sound even further. If you hear Al Green on this record, you should. If you hear Sly Stone on this record, you should. If you think you hear The Cure on this record, well you’re not crazy. You should. The band channels their inner Cure on “Not Alone” while proving that a steady diet of Prince and The Bad Brains mixed in with classic Soul icons will produce a unique sound. Whether they meant it or not, the lyrics in the aforementioned “Ordinary”: “I believe we can crush the old guard….” resonate loudly. Big shoes to fill for sure, and I believe that their effort to rise to the top and carry on the old sound even better is not far fetched. Authors of their own book of melodies, this hard working band is on par with the work ethic and determination as well as the sound of the late 60′s/early 70′s Soul acts, all in the modern sense. Think Old to the new (and improved). Recorded in December 2012 in Montreal and produced by Howard Bilerman of Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade fame, JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound took the raw Soul from their first effort Want More and expanded the core sound to freely move in other directions. It works like a charm. Keeping that Soul base, with tinges of R & B plus the raw power of his voice, this record is definite hit already. Look out for this unique band in your area soon. The full length drops on May 21st.

Pre-order the full length from Bloodshot Record here.

Ordinary by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound from their upcoming Howl release 5.21.13

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