Chuck Brown (1936 – 2012)

I had learned of Chuck Brown's pneumonia for weeks prior to his death and hoped he would pull through. Unfortunately his death occurred in the midst of a number of musicians passing away in May.

The Blow Your Whistle CD, released by Vampisoul, compiles the best tracks from We The People & Salt of the Earth. 

I thank Chuck Brown for his many years of music. 
R.I.P.

Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers - Bustin' Loose

Rhino Records put Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers' Bustin' Loose (Part 1) on their In Yo Face! compilation at a time when I really needed for them to have done so.

I was new to learning funk music and its history in the late 1990s/early 2000s and a song like Bustin' Loose was vital to have at that time.  



I would only own the 12" near the end of 2011.  

That was too long for me to have finally met a copy to purchase but I at least had the song in my repertoire.

Gang Starr - Daily Operation (1992)

Gang Starr was one of my most important groups in hip hop.  



They were responsible for classic material and recorded one of my top 5 favorite hip hop albums of all time.

One of the most memorable things about The Arsenio Hall Show was the historic hip hop final salute when his show came to an end.  I had a teenage tantrum when I learned the footage of Gang Starr performing Mass Appeal was recorded over.  I was made to learn whose house I was in when I returned home from school that day.  

I was an even bigger Gang Starr fan after I finally realized how good Daily Operation was. I remembered Words I Manifest and Jazz Thing when they first got on the scene and admired them for doing something different with hip hop. Step in the Arena was a fantastic album to me and could have been on the Desert Island Hip Hop Albums List  had it not been for Daily Operation.

What appears to be a common thread among some of the albums and artists I treasure now is my not liking them until I change my mind. When I heard Daily Operation after the few first listens, I didn't like it. The production was dirtier than Gang Starr's past work. I talked to a schoolmate that liked Gang Starr as much as I and he gave me the following instructions.



He told me get a comfortable chair, turn off the lights and listen to the album. I thought he was being ridiculous. I was going to sit in the dark and listen to THAT album again?  The again was not necessarily placed for effect.  I very well could have never listened to the album again. He reiterated his instructions and I decided I should give it a shot.

I got the chance to listen to it in the dark and what do you know! I'm writing a blog about the album some twenty years later. Songs like Take It Personal, Hardcore Composer, B.Y.S. and Much 2 Much are indeed much too much. That sound I didn't like was the foundation for Primo's legend. They never did an album this good until they released Moment Of Truth. Even then, I go with Daily Operation any day. As a matter of fact, I went with Daily Operation in my MP3 player for almost a month one summer.



I was not happy to learn of Guru's death. That put an end to any chance of Gang Starr reuniting. It looks like I will reunite listeners with Gang Starr music when the time permits.
I heard Guru's situation was critical weeks before he died and in the back of my mind hoped he'd recover completely. A text message received that April confirmed the worst.



Not too long after his death, Frank BLVD, the only person I know that likes Gang Starr more than me, and I were heading home from a record convention and talking about Guru. We both agreed that no tribute mix or radio show would come from either of us because of our histories with Gang Starr. Frank asked how much more of a tribute can he give Guru when he owns nearly everything he recorded? I asked how much more tribute could I have given Guru when in 2007 I did a tribute using only rare tracks and remixes not appearing on any Guru or Gang Starr album?

He was part of one of the most important groups in hip hop, responsible for classic material but didn't get the full credit he deserved. He got more recognition dead than alive like most other deceased artists before him. I had mixed emotions at the time of his death. I watched the media and social media outlets do to Guru what they do with many celebrities. People ran with whatever drama surfaced until they had enough. My distance from hip hop should be evident from my posts. Seeing that I don’t have as personal a stake in hip hop as I used to, I was more of an observer rather than participant.



I'm surprised it took me this long to write about Guru's death. I wanted to write with as clear a head as possible. One half of one of my favorite hip hop groups is gone. Our chances of hearing another Gang Starr recording are gone. Realizing and writing about that fact is nothing I would rush to do but it's done now.

I've said it before and will say it again. I was born at a right time. Thank you Guru for you contributions to hip hop, introducing us to jazz, Daily Operation and signing my Jazzmatazz CD when I thought you wouldn't. I'll never forget you or your music.



I thank you Guru for his contributions to hip hop, introducing a younger generation to the treasures of jazz music, Daily Operation and signing my Jazzmatazz CD when I thought he wouldn't. I'll never forget him or his music.



Check out the single by Marco Polo, Talib Kweli & DJ Premier paying tribute to the late hip hop legend.

Click play below to hear this Suite Delight show and here to download it and others.



Playlist:

1. Bonobo – Kong
2. DJ Unwind – Natalia’s Groove
3. Bilal – Cake & Eat It Too
4. N.E.R.D. – Maybe
5. Ikebe Shakedown – Tujunga
6. Depeche Mode – World In My Eyes
7. Nate Wize – Rock The Casbah feat. Ammoye
8. Naughty By Nature – It’s On (Beatnuts Remix)
9. Q-Tip – Gettin’ Up
10. Mark Ronson – Oh My God (The Super Busdown Remix) feat. Lily Allen & Busta Rhymes
11. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – It’s Not A Game
12. Gang Starr – Gotta Get Over (Taking Loot) (Remix)
13. Planet Asia – Pyramids (Remix) feat. Jasiri X & Brother J
14. The Roots – Proceed II feat. Roy Ayers

8tracks

8tracks mixes allowed people to enjoy selections that hopefully shed some light and even enlighten.

They graced your ears and made for interesting and entertaining listening if you were so inclined.

Below was the one-stop-shop for my 8tracks mixes.  

Rest assured that there are no more mixes on the way because the site ceased to exist a few years ago.

DJ Solespin - Seconds In Sound (DCV) from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

This 8tracks mix features the songs DJ Solespin played during the epic 3-hour Seconds in Sound Session Mix at Montreal's Death of Vinyl record store.

Get Thy Bearings from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

As I was compiling these songs spun during the winter 2014, I realized I had a theme on my hands and in my ears.

The Caffeinated Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

In July 2013, I was invited to guest DJ alongside Chris Paré at Montreal's Kafein, one of Montreal's finest downtown cafes and bars.  This mix consists of some of the tracks I played that night.

The Montreal Train Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

Here is a little mix inspired by some children that were hard at play in a nearby park and to happier times.

Lady Macbeth Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.


The Lady Macbeth Mix is the first 8-tracks mix I ever created.

The Claire Voyant Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

It was an honor to be the guest DJ at Kim Bingham's Café Cléopatra Halloween Party.

DJ Solespin Under Pressure 2012 Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

To commemorate my participation in the 17^th edition of Under Pressure, I made an 8-tracks mix of my DJ set that Saturday afternoon.

No Sleep Til Bedtime Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

I chose songs that had a youthful, dancing, jubilant and defiant spirit.

Three Blind Mice Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

Three Blind Mice Mix was inspired by those that are senseless.  I refer to those people that are deaf, dumb and blind.

The Hodge Podge Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

This is a mix of some songs I played at the record release party of Montreal hip hop artist.

The Sparse City Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

The Sparse City Mix consists of the songs I played that night at Royal Phoenix.

Left To My Own Few Vices Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

Left To My Own Few Vices is a mix of tracks I spun at Death of Vinyl record store one night.

Live At The Hive Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

The memories of that night of me DJing at Concordia University's The Hive is immortalized now on 8tracks.

The Turquoise Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

Enjoy this collection of cool and calm tracks.

Freedom Writer Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

To free or not to free is the question.  Ponder on the question for a few minutes with this mix.

Zero To One In Twelve Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

I still can't understand why this is the most popular of my 8tracks mixes but I will not fight the feeling or listens. 

Record Store Day 2013 Mix from DJ Solespin on 8tracks Radio.

The 8tracks mix above was inspired by my Record Store Day 2013 DJ set at Death of Vinyl. 

 I compiled this mix with Magneto and Michael Fassbender's performance in mind.

The Beastie Boys - Paul’s Boutique (1989)

I may have mentioned it before but Paul’s Boutique went over my head.

I didn’t like or get what they were doing with Hey Ladies or Shake Your Rump.



It would take me nearly 20 years to understand the magnitude of that album.

I guess there was only room for one landmark album to shape my life and 3 Feet High & Rising more than took care of that for me.

The Soul Searchers - Salt of the Earth (1974)

I thank Harmless & DJ Pogo for adding Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers' Ashley Roachclip to their The Breaks compilation.



It helped answer a few questions I've had for over 20 years.  Hopefully this helps clear up a few things for others as well.

D-Sisive

My reward for blogging about D-Sisive and his last Montreal show was a copy of his Vaudeville CD.

D-Sisive had been pretty busy releasing music. The reward for his hard work was being long listed for the Polaris Prize.

Things proved to be no different with the Jonestown 3: The Dream Is Over.

Above is the video for Don't Turn The Lights Out by D-Sisive featuring Neverending White Lights.

 

Please make yourself familiar with the link below for more.

Below is a podcast to bring you up to speed. 

Click here to download.

The Suite Delight - February 25, 2014 (2) Playlist:

1. Nas - It Ain't Hard To Tell (Large Professor Remix)
2. Diverse - Uprock
3. Jay Dee - Pause feat. Frank-N-Dank
4. Strong Arm Steady - Questions
5. Souls of Mischief - That's When Ya Lost (Remix)
6. Soul Khan - Knuckle Puck
7. Quasimoto - Rappcats, Pt. 3
8. Supastition - Yada Yada
9. Murs & 9th Wonder - Murs Day
10. Mobb Deep - Win or Lose
11. Wale - Um'Ricka feat. K'Naan
12. K-Solo - Letterman (Pete Rock Remix)
13. The Extremities - Cold Cheese
14. D-Sisive x Tone Mason – Maybe I Will feat. DJ Grouch

The Beastie Boys

I saw everything from Check Yo Head onwards as extensions of Paul’s Boutique and had already shut shop on The Beastie Boys. However, So What'Cha Want (Soul Assassin Remix Version) and Get It Together did not fall on these def ears.


After realizing my error with Paul’s Boutique, I started revisiting their post-1990s work with some humility. I was happy to learn of their release and the cameo appearance crazy video for Make Some Noise.



Who would have thought those hip hop pranksters would get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I’m thrilled that it happened.

RIP M.C.A.

The Soul Searchers - We the People (1972)

One day while at Death of Vinyl, I heard a version of Think that I had never heard before.

When I saw the name on the 7", I immediately did what I could to get the song for myself. I went so far as to order the We The People reissue from not one but 2 local record stores.

I was so impatient and hasty that I literally had the stores race to get me a copy the fastest.  Unfortunately, or not so unfortunately, both copies arrived around the same time.

I gave one to the person I felt would most appreciate it as a token of my appreciation.

James Brown

There has not been a more influential musician or figure in music for me than James Brown. James Brown is not only immensely important to me but to hip hop music altogether.

I realize that in my years of The Suite Delight this is my first blog post about Brown.

Just as Chris Brown and Usher wanted to be like the late Michael Jackson, the late Michael Jackson wanted to be like the late James Brown. Heck, even I wanted to be like the late James Brown!

When I was old enough to start buying CDs for myself, I naturally claimed the soul, funk and rock sounds on records I saw and heard played since childhood.

Getting James Brown's music was obviously a foregone conclusion and I made do with the epic Star Time collection.

While waiting for the 2009 CMJ Daptone Records Showcase to begin, this vintage James Brown video footage was playing throughout the venue. It is now showing on my blog. Enjoy!

James Brown's birthday is May 3.

James Brown - Sex Machine (1970)

I remember seeing the Sex Machine album when I was a boy. 

I never played it for various reasons. 

Among them was my conviction that a grown up would know I touched the album before I even played it. 




I did however touch the double album. 

If I had actually played the album that much sooner in my life, I'm sure I would have been an even greater James Brown fan than I am already.

Rest in Peace James Brown.

The Suite Delight new time slot is Tuesday morning 2-3am EST on www.ckut.ca & 90.3 FM.

If you haven't already, please make yourself familiar with the link below for more of your favorite show and mine.

Check out the player below as well as the more recent playlists.

The Suite Delight - 2014- 05-27 by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

The Suite Delight - May 27, 2014 Playlist:

1. Quantic & Anita Tijoux - Doo Wop (That Thing)
2. Sola Rosa - Turn Around Ft. Iva Lamkum (DJ Vadim Remix)
3. The Seatbelts - Cat Blues (Mr. Scruff Remix)
4. James Brown - Funky Drummer
5. The Cactus Channel - Wooden Boy (Part 1)
6. The Roots – Don't Feel Right feat. Maimouna Youssef
7. J Dilla (aka Jay Dee) - Love Movin' feat. Black Thought
8. Nas - It Ain't Hard to Tell
9. Termanology - How We Rock Feat. Bun B
10. Marco Polo - Lay It Down Feat. Roc Marciano
11. Buff1 - Never Fall feat. Black Milk
12. The Extremities - New Season feat. Ohmega Watts & Moka Only
13. Lords Of The Underground - Tic Toc (Remix)
14. Lone Catalysts - The Ultimate (Kev Brown Remix)

James Brown - It's A Mother

I've stated many times that I've been primarily a greatest hits,

Best Of & Defintitive Collection kind of guy when it comes to musical artists' work.

However there are cuts as good or sometimes better than the hits

Profile Records

As I was stepping out from a Manhattan record store during one of my CMJ pilgrimages, I took a leisurely glance around the store and something caught my eyes and attention.

Hanging on a wall above the cash register was a multiple vinyl compilation of Profile Records’ greatest hip hop singles. I reached up, took the box set from the wall and looked at it carefully.

I was not aware a collection of Profile Records’ hip hop music was released. I reminisced about the days when I used to see the logo on cassettes, 12” singles and albums as a boy and teenager.

Profile Records is one of the most iconic labels in hip hop history.

Among its pioneer roster are Sweet Tee & DJ Jazzy Joyce, England’s Derek B, Pumpkin, Dana Dane, Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock and Run-DMC. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock’s pivotal It Takes Two was released on the label in 1988.

During the late 1980s to the late 1990s, DJ Quik, King Sun, Poor Righteous Teachers, Smoothe Da Hustler, Camp Lo were the label’s most visible artists.

The image for the label’s deluxe set of vinyl is just as hip hop as the label itself. For an enthusiast of hip hop music and culture like me, one can only imagine the songs DJs spun at those legendary block parties. 

It stands to reason that a good number of songs from Profile Records’ catalog were played at those parties from as early as 1984 with a certain Hollis, Queens’s trio’s debut. 

That compilation of the label’s music will allow anyone to revisit those glory days. It is for that precise reason I would want to add classics from Profile Records to my DJ setlists &  playlists. 

I vowed that if it was still there by some miracle when I returned, I aimed to acquire that collection that hung on the New York record store wall.

I thank Profile Records for its contributions to hip hop music through its artists, videos and catalog.