Rocket 88 - Remembering Ike Turner

Though most remember him for his abusive relationship with Tina, Ike Turner is known to music for recording the first rock n' roll album ever, "Rocket 88". He passed away yesterday leaving a legacy of musical history, as well as his infamy in the spotlight with Tina. He was an accomplished pioneer of musical talent and rocked the stage with his band the Kings of Rhythm, and permanently left his mark with his work with Tina Turner. Here are a couple memories that will last forever.

Ike Turner - Funky Mule
Ike Turner - Ghetto Funk

Tina, Ike, and the Ikettes...Proud Mary

Slow Down Sagg

Root Down Jimmy Smith Live! is another classic album. Made even more infamous by the Beastie Boys in '94, it is the definition of acid jazz. Recorded February 8th, 1972. Incredible percussion (Buck Clarke), Insane breakbeats (Paul Humphrey), Funky Bass (Wilton Felder), Amazing lightening speed funk riffs (Arthur Adams), and of course the legend of the Hammond organ Jimmy Smith. The track I am posting here is called Slow Down Sag, and is a burner, start to finish.

Jimmy Smith - Slow Down Sagg

Appreciate

Like to dedicate this post to my friends and and their baby Ellis who came into the world this past week. Was wanting to get back to some of that feel good hip hop here. And this is the track, my favorite of of Pete Rock's Soul Survivor II album. There are some good beats on this album but I felt a lot of the tracks lacked umph! Then I got to the last one and I played it like 20 times in a row. This track just makes me think about how much we got to be thankful for and how special life is, instead of it always being hard day to day which is how I view it a lot of the time. When I need perspective this is what I put on, that and some good Jerry Band tapes. The instrumental stands on its own as well.

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Appreciate
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Appreciate Instrumental

Promised Land Riddim

Can't believe I allowed a month to go by with out a post. On break from school for a month now though and I ripped a bunch of reggae 7"s that my buddy Scotty One Drop gifted me a while back. So I got some ammo to make up for the downtime. Sorry about the lousy photo, but all I got at the moment is the crappy camera on my phone.

Here is the Capleton track Words of Mind on the Promised Land Riddim. I like both sides of this 7" but the version really lets the awesome bass line shine. I have been playing this one out almost every time I have had a gig.

Capleton - Words of Mind
Promised Land Riddim

I'm Going Back

Found this clip today of Lucky Dube performing "Back To My Roots".

Heads Up 'Cause We're Droppin' Some...

Ya'll have to remember Jeru. Always a fan of Primo's beats, when Jeru dropped back in '93 I was all over it. Fond memories of the golden age of Hip Hop.

Walk Tall

I hope everyone already knows this album. Cannonball is one of my favorite artists of all time. This album is as classic as it gets. This is the opening track with an awesome intro by Rev. Jesse Jackson. Also note the killer keys by the late great Joe Zawinul, RIP.

Cannonball Adderly Quintet - Walk Tall

Lucky Dube RIP

We mourn the tragic loss of a great performer and freedom fighter today. I wish I had some music in digital format to post up. If anyone has anything I will post it. Until then we give blessing and respect to the most high in honor of a great man.

Read the message on his official website www.luckydubemusic.com.

Some Good Old Grateful Dead

Going to start of this week with some good old grateful dead. Here are a couple of my favorite covers the band did. These are from the Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium in Oakland, CA on 11-21-85. The opening song originally by the Olympics, and the encore originally by Rufus Thomas. Anyone got the second set to this night? Don't know what happened to my copy.

GD-Big Boy Pete
GD-Walking the Dog

Dubs of Summer Mix

As a last tribute to summer here's an old mix of mine in two parts. It is mostly instrumental and dub reggae with a few vocal tracks thrown in. All classic stuff here. I am not sure if I have a track list written down anymore, if I do it is buried in an old notebook. I made it so I had something good to listen to in the car probably like three years or so ago. I can't really remember that now either, but I still listen to it fairly often. Hope you enjoy.

dubs of summer pt1
dubs of summer pt2

National Front Riddim

Another quick post. Still haven't been able to split up that mix. Big wind storm last night knocked power out for almost six hours. So to tide you over again here are some tracks on the national front riddim by two artists who were phenomenal at the Nortwest World Reggae Festival 2007.

Luciano-Traveling
Chezidek-Leggo Herbsman

Don't Know What Funky Is?

Quick post here for the day. I am working on getting some of my older mixes posted up here. The first one I am working on is still too big to use a free file host so I got to split it into two parts. I just haven't had time find the right spot to split it up. So to tide you over until I get to it is a video I came across yesterday. Sly Stone and the Family at the Ohio State Fair 1968. People just don't get down like this much anymore, and if you ask what it means to be funky, this is what I would show you.

NW World Reggae Festival

Well the underground has really been underground for more than a minute, but we are back now. Summers at it's end and Fall is in the air. Lots happened over the summer; some great festivals, a big move into my new place, a long trip back to visit family on the east coast. Through it all, and my biggest excuse for a lack of posts, I battled with my damaged laptop. Now I am in the process of moving over to a new one I got, though school and out of town dj gigs have been keeping me from getting things here going again. That is about to change. Just like the weather bringing a fresh dusting of snow to our ridgelines, I am going to be bringing some goods more often than in the past. So I will pick up close to where I left off...

This years Northwest World Reggae Festival was simply awesome in almost everyway. The new festival site outside of Marcola was a much better home than either of the previous locations. The music even with some absences was exceptional, and celebrity packed. The people, food, vending, etc...all fantastic. Even cool starry skies at night with an amazing meteor shower that lasted throughout the weekend. I encourage everyone to join the underground and come out to this great new annual northwest festival.

I had to create a web page for my web development class making a photo album. I borrowed some photos posted on the forum at the festival site to use in the assignment. I figured I would throw up a link to it as well as to the NWWRF site. I would like to give a big big up to all who worked in production to make this past years festival happen, as well as those who posted the photos on the forum. It made for a great close to an already awesome summer. So don't forget to come out and support this great crew next year!

NWWRF Photo's
www.nwworldreggae.com

Oregon Country Faire '07 Ready to Roll

Ok so I been pretty busy since I started this thing. But in time we got plenty to contribute to this little ditty. I finished class, found a new residence, and started my annual migration to the fair land to do my thing to get our shindig off the ground and ready for the big weekend. So many good folks put in to make this the oldest running hippie throwdown, those still with us and those who have moved on to greener pastures. Just an awesome feeling to be apart of, so much teaching, so much learning, and so much fun. And no matter what you dig about it, really its the people and the community we create that it is all about. So get off your lazy bones and come check it out. July 13 through the 15th. Just like the Grateful Dead, its not that they are good at what they do, they are the only ones that do what they do!
OCF 2007! Spirit World!
And as a liner note: the 4th Black Sheep Family Reunion coming up the last weekend of July- be there or you's def. square. Make it happen and do something good for your world. Live a little and thank your friends. Much Love!

Lifeline, Since We Last Spoke

Just in from a day of classes and now listening to some Roy Ayer, Lifeline LP. And for the new school a lil' RJD2's second album. Some of the best bagels ever on this shitake. Wish I had time to figure out how to make a post of some of this soul but you know it is coming. Til tomorrow. But just keep thinking for your self 'til then.

First Post

First Post Ever. Been reading lots of good blogs for a minute now, and now I got my own porthole thanks to a class I'm taking. Just need a push to jump in the water. Keeping it short for now besides giving a Big up to all the inspiration out there with the music blogs available today. The Digital Age has changed music for good and some of the special stuff like hunting for old records is almost gone, but in some ways being replaced by new more connected ways of communicating and appreciating our love for the art. Music blogs are one of the best things I have found in the last few years, lots of info and friends through space. A bigger family, smarter family, with lots to share. Peace, out for now!