Shake your stuff, people

Love, love, love this band...



Hailing from Berlin, Sonar Kollektiv act Micatone have put out three vastly unappreciated albums of nu-jazz goodness in the past few years. With a band full of seasoned pros and the sultry vocals of Lisa Bassenge, they just turn out some smooth, growed-up club music. Some of their tunes are awesome live band broken beat stylins, but this is more of a fun, almost pop, tune. Why this kind of music doesn't dominate the radio, I'll never know...

Micatone - D-d-d-d-dance

... oh wait, I remember why not. Because most people like shitty music. But not y'all! That's why you're here readin' my little blog. You guys are the cool kids. Random fact - would you believe that one of the guys in this band also plays with Front 242 of all people? Weird!

Have an awesome weekend. Here in the U.S. it's 3 days for Labor Day, which means most of this country will be drunk for the next 72 hours, so don't expect to get much done :P

Peace.

People get up and get down

Time for some more of that House music that the kids like to dance to...



... New York style, courtesy of the long-running tag team Mateo & Matos. The boys have been doing it for something like 20 years now, with a number of classics under their belt... and guess what? This is one of 'em. Just the good ol' goodness...

Mateo & Matos - Stomp Your Feet

Yep, that one has received many a spin out by yours truly, and works the floor every time. Be sure to hit up their website, too. They have a whole bunch of DJ mixes available for free download. Two of my favorite words right there... heehee...

You've got rhythm, I've got rhythm too

10 years on from it's release, let's visit a truly legendary record...



It was way back in 1997 that the Masters At Work boys rounded up a ridiculous All-Star lineup featuring the likes of Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Roy Ayers, DJ Jazzy Jeff and a host of others to produce the Nuyorican Soul record, a record which has to stand among the 10 best Dance albums ever produced. The combination of Jazz, Latin, House and even Hip-Hop on this album has maybe never been done better, but with all the cats that contributed, could there be any doubt? Hell, this genius track, featuring guitar and vocals by George Benson, is the last freakin' song on the album! Talk about leaving 'em wanting more...

Nuyorican Soul - You Can Do It (Baby)

They never made a second one, so this record stands alone as a unique meeting of musical minds... file under: abso-fuckin-lutely essential.

Bamboos-zled

How's that for a bad pun?



See, 'cause the name of today's band is The Bamboos... get it? Ha! I kill me! Anyhoo, these guys are no joke. They're a live funk band from Australia signed to the mighty Tru Thoughts label. And lemme tell ya, they can sure funk it for a bunch of white guys. Here, from their second and latest album, is a cover of a jam originally by Max Sedgley that was caned by everyone back when it came out a couple of years ago. But while Max's version was more of a downtempo slow-burner, The Bamboos speed it up and turn it into a fast-paced funk scorcher...

The Bamboos - Happy

Always interesting to hear live band versions of electronic songs, especially when done this well! Peace.

World Tour, Shmorld Tour

So you might have noticed there was no #1 stop on the World Tour... well, that's because it was America, and that's just kinda boring. But hey, here's an American artist for you today, so you can count that if you like...



If you want to talk about legendary jazz pianists, then McCoy Tyner better be in your conversation somewhere. Hell, I'll even take him over Monk... hope that doesn't get me branded a heretic. But ever since I first heard him on John Coltrane's "Ole" and he became the first guy in the back line that I really noticed above and beyond the horn players, this guy has been number one on my list. I could go and get all jazz wanky about it, but I won't... just know McCoy Tyner is the bomb and you need to know all about him. Of course, he moved out from behind the shadows and did plenty of work as a leader and here's an example. This track is just fierce, people...

McCoy Tyner - Rebirth

Now that's some piano! Dig it...

The Tonegents World Tour: Great Britain

The World Tour chugs on relentlessly, and this blog might even take you longer to read than Nicole Richie spent in prison! 35 minutes, people. And somehow she still came out with a prison tat and had discovered the teachings of Allah. But anyhoo, the #2 country for Tonegents vistors is the place where the best music is made, if you ask me:


Great Britain!
Yep, good ol' Blimey, where thank goodness the weather is so shitty, because it keeps all those talented folks cooped up inside their studios pumping out the good tunes. What else do we like about the U.K?

1) Monty Python - the funniest shit ever.
2) British slang - I don't know why, but I'm completely obsessed with it. Probably because its much more colorful than the friggin' ebonics we toss around in this country.
3) British music magazines - they make better music, they have better magazines, and they always have the dope free CDs attached to them. Ever see Spin or Rolling Stone do that? Nope... 'cuz they suck.
4) The Summer of Love - where the rave scene began!
5) Page 3 - 'nuff said.

And for music, well, in my opinion, you can't get any more British than The Streets...



I'm not a full-on convert to Mike Skinner's musical adventures, but when he hits on a good one, he hits on a good one, and I do love this song...

The Streets - Fit But You Know It

Headin' off to the chip shop. Cheers, mates.

The Tonegents World Tour: Germany

I guess I'm sort of surprised that country #3 in Tonegents visitors is so high up the list, but considering the amount of good music that comes out of there, I guess I shouldn't be:


Germany!
So grab yourself a big plate of Schnitzengruben and dig some cool German stuff:

1) The Nurburgring - always my favorite track in Project Gotham racing!
2) Oktoberfest - any holiday solely dedicated to drinking good beer out of 3 gallon containers is a holiday I wanna be a part of.
3) Their love for The Hoff - it knows no bounds! And if they hadn't adopted him so whole-heartedly, think of all the unintentional comedy that would have been lost... thank you, Germany. I thank you and The Hoff thanks you!
4) Run Lola Run - awesome flick.
5) Heidi Klum - very impressive how she remains so hot despite pumping out a kid a year with that Seal dude.

As I said, there is a hell of a lot of great music coming out of ol' Deutscheland, and since we've covered Jazzanova and Compost Records quite thoroughly, eet eez time for zee German Tekno... via electronic music elder statesman, Orb collaborator, and possessor of a very disturbing moustache, Thomas Fehlmann...



... representing the awesome Kompakt label... it's techno, but it's Orb-y, too... betcha didn't see that coming... got a neat change in the beat halfway through... a good trip...

Thomas Fehlmann - Superbock

Auf Wiedersehen!

The Tonegents World Tour: France

So the World Tour got a bit derailed yesterday... apologies... but now we're back on track, stopping off in country #4 for Tonegent visits:


France!
Oui! Oui! Oui! Poisson, poisson!... and all that jazz. So, lessee... what's my top 5 for France... hmm...

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Yep, that about does it... but I kid! Okay, for real...

1) Champagne - pop da cork, yo!
2) Monet - my favorite painter. Yep, I'm all cultured and shit.
3) Luc Besson's films - from La Femme Nikita to The Professional to The Fifth Element, dude is one of the best filmmakers of all time.
4) French Fries - wait, what? Some people claim they're from Belgium? That's some bullshit, yo!
5) Laetitia Casta - 'nuff said.

Of course, France is the hotbed of house music these days, and our featured French artist is one of the architects of the scene, Alex Gopher...



... but I'm gonna give you a downtempo track. Because you can't lose with a Billie Holliday sample...

Alex Gopher - The Child

And my favorite funky rodent has a brand new one out, so peep that, too.

Au revoir jusqu'à demain!

Technical Difficulties

The Tonegents World Tour: Canada

Hey everybody, hope you had a great weekend... now let's get back on the proverbial road to continue the Tonegents World Tour with the #5 country in vistors to this blog:


Canada!

Very appropriate, since I grew up on the Canadian border in Upstate New York. Used to cut over the border to go buy beer and go to clubs when I was 18. Good times! And here's some other things aboot Canada that are pretty cool, eh?

1) Canadian Beer - Twice as strong as American beer, which cuts the calories, eh? Get drunk and thin at the same time!
2) Hockey fights - the best part of the game! It's amazing how into hockey Canadians are... they even have hockey on the TV at the titty bars there!
3) Universal Healthcare - pick on the Canucks as much as you want, but they got us Yanks beat here.
4) Ice Road Truckers on the History Channel - one of the raddest shows ever.
5) Evangeline Lilly - 'nuff said

So, if you hosers know anything aboot the Great White North, you know there's really only one possible choice here, and that would be The Tragically Hip...



Quite simply put, The Hip are the Canadian band. I actually used to see them live quite often, as there were never any actual concerts on my side of the border, so if I ever wanted to see a concert I had to go to Canada, and The Hip actually play at every concert that takes place in Canada. They literally play approximately 15,000 shows a year, which is no easy feat. But are they any good, or is it just a Canuck thing? Their sound is pretty straightforward... but of course they're good, or I wouldn't post 'em, hosers!

The Tragically Hip - Courage (for Hugh McLennan)

Gotta get a little Rock in around here once in a while, eh? And no blog aboot Canada would be complete without these guys...



So take off, hosers!

The Tonegents World Tour: Japan

Today we end week 1 of the Tonegents World Tour (oh, yeah, there's gonna be another one... are you bursting with anticipation yet?) with the #6 country in visitors to my little corner of the blogosphere:


Japan!

Yup, the land of the rising sun is in the house, and there's plenty to like about the place:

1) Sushi - who knew raw fish was so damn yummy? The Japs, that's who! And just so I can be all cool and name drop, I was forced to eat my first piece of sushi by none other than comedian Patton Oswalt. Impressed? Me neither.
2) Game shows where people pee on each other - thanks to HBO "Real Sex" specials.
3) The electronics - I mean, they already have flying cars and transporters like in "Star Trek" over there, don't they? They make us Americans look like the lazy bastards we are!
4) Ninjas - the only guys close to as cool as pirates!
5) These gals - 'nuff said.

And the one thing about Japanese pop music... man, is it kooky! Towa Tei, Cornelius, Fantastic Plastic Machine... all very good, but all undeniably kooky, as are my official Japanese selection, Cibo Matto...



These gals had a unique mix of hip-hop and Japanese pop sensibilities, and they hung out with the Beastie Boys quite a bit... Sure, they were based in NYC, but they were very certainly Japanese, very certainly good and very certainly kooky as all hell. Don't believe me? Have a listen...

Cibo Matto - Know Your Chicken

I know my chicken, and sometimes I choke my chicken. Or is that too much information?

Anyhoo, have a great weekend!

The Tonegents World Tour: Brazil

Considering the amount of music from this country that has been featured on the blog, it's not surprise that the #7 location for Tonegent visitors is:


Brazil!

Yep, we like Brazilian music a whole lot around here, but you know what else we like about Brazil?

1) Capoeira - perhaps the most stylish way to kick the living shit out of someone.
2) City Of God - best. movie. ever.
3) Carnaval - yeah, I know that's kind of a cop-out choice, but sure as hell looks like fun to me!
4) Loronix - the blog by which all other music blogs should be judged.
5) Adriana Lima - or any one of the thousand other smoking hot Brazilian supermodels out there - seriously, what's in the water down there?!?!?

I've posted plenty of classic Brazilian jammies here, so how's about something new... from yet another smokin' hot babe, Bebel Gilberto...



Considering her dad was one of the dudes that invented Bossa Nova, it's no surprise that Bebel turned out to be pretty good at music herself. Her albums combine the traditional and the modern, and she's embraced the remix like no other, putting out stellar remix albums for both of the regular albums she's released so far. Here's a track from the new one, and I'm sure we'll see Momento Remixed before too long...

Bebel Gilberto - Cacada

Now, back to those supermodels...

The Tonegents World Tour: Italy

The world tour rolls on today with a stop in my homeland, the #8 country in number of visitors to Tonegents:


Italia!

The five best things about Italy, aside from myself, that is:

1) The Mafia - because all the best movies are about 'em.
2) Italian Sausage - the king of all unspecified meats in tubing.
3) The fact that a porn star once got elected into the Parliament - right for so many reasons... obviously, this is one forward thinking country!
4) Ferraris - especially the one Magnum P.I. drove.
5) Monica Bellucci - 'nuff said.

And as much of a pimp as Frankie Valli was, my italian music selection comes from the movie score master, Signor Ennio Morricone...



I shouldn't need to say much more, since dude is a legend and all that. This track is a funky number with some serious guitar shredding, believe it or not, and it's extra cool because it comes from a Charles Bronson movie. Charles Bronson was one bad dude. But everyone's all about Chuck Norris these days. Well, you know what? Fuck Chuck Norris. Because before Chuck could get off one of his roundhouse kicks, Charles Bronson would just shoot him in the face... so there...

Ennio Morricone - Svolta Definitiva

Q. Why are most Italian men named Tony?
A. When they got on the boat to America they stamped To NY on their foreheads.

The Tonegents World Tour: The Netherlands

Continuing the tour today with the #9 country in terms of visits to Tonegents:



The Netherlands!


Yes, I'm about to put my finger in the dyke, and I'm not talking about Rosie O'Donnell. My top five things about The Netherlands would have to be...

1) The Cannabis Cup - pretty much self explanatory!
2) Those pointy wooden clog shoes - they go with any outfit.
3) The cool orange jerseys the football team wears - but I'm disappointed they don't play in the pointy wooden clog shoes.
4) Amsterdam - screw Disneyland, it's the real Happiest Place on Earth!
5) Famke Janssen - 'nuff said.

Now, as cool as the Dutch are, the music choices are a wee bit lacking, no offense. I mean, they created Gabber, for cryin' out loud! And yes, a number of your favorite superstar trance DJ twats are also from there. But I recently stumbled on a great act from The Netherlands called The Jazzinvaders...



Don't know much about these cats other than what you read in their bio, but I do know that they make killer dancefloor jazz, the kind of tunes that get caned by the likes of my man-crush Gilles P., and that's really the most important thing, ya dig...

The Jazzinvaders - Bonga Bonga Jazz

My recommendation to my Dutch friends... stick with this kind of thing, and throw Tiesto into a hole full of sharp pointy sticks and a cougar or two... just a thought...

The Tonegents World Tour: Australia

As this blog just hit a milestone 10,000 pageviews according to my Google Analytics report, it's time to completely steal an idea from another, far more impressive blog, namely Loronix. So, over the next two weeks, I'm going to go to the top 10 countries from where peepz visit Tonegents, and spotlight an artist I like from each nation. Blowin' your mind, huh?

So let's begin The Tonegents World Tour with #10:



Australia!


Ah yes, the land down under, where women glow and men plunder. Sorry. Had to do it. Anyhoo, here's 5 random things I like about Australia...

1) Foster's TV Ads - Australian for savvy marketing!
2) The movie Chopper - 5 stars, and will even help you forgive Eric Bana for Hulk, which is no small feat.
3) Australian Rules Football - easily the manliest sport on the planet.
4) Koalas - who doesn't like koalas? The terrorists, that's who!
5) Lauren Jackson - 'nuff said.

And for our Aussie music selection, I'm going to go with the wacky yet not terribly prolific DJ crew, The Avalanches...



These guys dropped a sample-tastic bomb on the world in 2001 with their debut album Since I Left You, and we've been waiting ever since for a damn follow up. Seriously dudes, just back away from the barbie long enough to get some work done for once! Focus, people! But hey... there wouldn't be so much fuss if the first record wasn't so genius, though, would there, mate?

The Avalanches - Since I Left You

So get that new record done, or you'll get a bootin'!



Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi Oi Oi!

The weekend starts here!

It's Friday afternoon, you're getting ready to get the hell out of work and go throw down some pints, grab a bird and shake your moneymaker... here is some appropriate tunage...



Rick Preston is a not-too-well known Deep House producer from, of all places, Santa Cruz, California... home of a whole bunch of dirty hippies for the most part. Oh, and their university's sports teams are called the Fightin' Banana Slugs. No, really, they are. But hey, dude has some serious skills, and to release this record, he went all the way to sunny Scotland and the mighty (yet now tragically defunct) Glasgow Underground label. Just some really smooth, funky deep house... the weekend starts here!

Rick Preston - Ultrasuede

I can't even find a used copy of this compilation on Amazon, so I'll leave you to your own devices to track it down. G.U. put out 6 'of 'em and they're all quality... check your local bargain bin :P

Have a fantastic weekend!

One hot mama

Now back to the sounds of NOW!!!!!



Roisin Murphy, who was the singer for the VASTLY underappreciated band Moloko, is the definition of sex on wheels. She will use you up, throw you out, and have your burnt out shell begging for more... or maybe that's just my trip :P Either way, she's hot, she has an extremely unique voice, and on her debut solo album, with Matthew Herbert at the controls, she delivered a predictably quirky yet dope set of fractured pop tunes...

Roisin Murphy - Sow Into You

Not exactly the straight-ahead funky, danceable goodness of Moloko, but I like it okay... She's got a new one coming soon. Can't wait for that!

And here's the video...



Rawr!

What's a cubit?!?!?

Some brand new vintage sounds today... well a couple years old, but that's close enough to new for me...



So when you're the man, like Gilles Peterson is (and yes I have a huge man-crush on the guy, deal with it), sometimes really cool people make songs especially for your radio show, and then you get to release a killer compilation of those songs made especially for you, in order to really rub it in. Here's one of said tracks, from L.A. Soul Jazz collective Build An Ark, which is a loose bunch of local cats teamed up with a few heavy hitters such as trombonist Phil Ranelin, wind player Derf Reklaw, singer Dwight Trible and my old pal, the ubiquitous (in the L.A. scene anyway) Carlos Nino putting it all together. And the sound, well it's plucked right out of 1972, lemme tell ya...

Build An Ark - The Blessing Song (Take 1 Mix for Worldwide)

And you know, this popped into my mind almost immediately...



Peace and Love, yo.

Bloggin' in my dreams?

So yeah, last night I was dreaming all night about blogging this song... what the hell? How about dreaming about hot sex with Jessica Biel or something like that? I think I have problems...



But I gotta tell you... this record is fuckin' sick! I had never heard of congaluero Sabu Martinez before I downloaded this joint from Orgy In Rhythm, but this guy was like, I dunno... the DJ Shadow of the 70s... not because he sampled anything, but the beats, people... the BEATS! Absolutely essential...

Sabu Martinez - Afro Temple

Somebody needs to do a proper remix treatment of this shit... amazing.

And now back to Brazil

Because we hardly ever touch on Brazilian music around here...



It's about time to give Jorge Ben some shine. He's one of the giants of Brazilian Pop (or Musica Popular Brasiliera, as it's called) and Tropicalia, and he's got a cool name, so there's two pluses right there. And um... that's all I got for ya really. It's Monday morning, folks... what do you want from me? :P

Jorge Ben - O Rei Chegou, Viva O Rei

So hopefully that will start your week off right. This album's out of print now, but you can get it if you know where to look (nudge nudge, wink wink)...

And how about I make up for my lack of insight with some cool YouTubes action...



Much better!

Post #150 is some special lovin' for ya...

Here's a special treat for ya... with fantastic sound quality for a radio rip... the final live performance of the best electronic act ever, at least in my opinion... which is the only one that counts... :P

Orbital - The Final Performance - Live from Maida Vale on the John Peel Show - 7 July 2004

Enjoy!

Baba-boom

TGIF and all that Jazz...



Here's Bay Area percussion pimp Babatunde Lea, a cat who has played with all the big names... McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson, Lonnie Liston Smith, Pharaoh Sanders... and on this joint put out by Ubiquity (yep, them again!) he's covering probably Pharaoh's most amazing tune...

Babatunde Lea - The Creator Has A Master Plan

Yep, can't beat that... have a great weekend!

Now let's get biblical

First off, I know that this blog has readers in Minneapolis and I hope none of you had loved ones involved in the collapse...



Here's a cut from the debut album from Roots Reggae group The Congos. If you believe what you read, this is quite possibly the best Reggae record ever. At least that's what about 50 people said on Amazon. And we all know that Amazon customer reviews are like the law, only moreso. It's produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry, which is always a good sign, and the singing is quite good. Best ever? I have no idea. You tell me...

The Congos - Sodom and Gomorrow

Actually, I think an even better match would be Saddam and Gamera...




... but maybe that's just me.