The Flaming Ember

During Record Store Day weekend I was subjected to music from all angles. That can happen to me on nearly any day but of all the music I heard, the songs from The Flaming Ember stuck out the most.

I heard enough tracks from that album for me to now want their music on vinyl.

Rhino’s expansive compilation series, Didn’t It Blow Your Mind, introduced me to The Flaming Ember. The track representing the group was Westbound #9 and I enjoyed it from the first time I heard it. A careful look at the series’ track listings may reveal Mind, Body & Soul was also selected from their discography.



I would not think any more about the band until I discovered Diamond D used one of their tracks for one of his own. From that moment, I realized The Flaming Ember would need more of my attention.



My curiosity about the band would lead me to discover The Flaming Ember was not a solo act but a group and that the group would not look like what I expected either.



The exchange between the host and Flaming Ember lead vocalist gave me some ideas. The Holland-Dozier-Holland split from Motown must have been rough for both parties. The songwriting trio started Invictus/Hot Wax Records and I believe The Flaming Ember was to be Invictus’ answer to Rare Earth, the lone white rock band on Motown at the time.



In retrospect, the inclusion of The Flaming Ember’s music to the Rhino compilation is not only a tribute to Invictus/Hot Wax but to the lead vocalist as well. From the near half dozen songs I heard, I was amazed at the singer’s soulful delivery. It was no wonder I had a preconceived notion about what he looked like before seeing what he looked like. It should also be no wonder why I’m burning to hear more from The Flaming Ember.

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

Below is the podcast of the Birthday Celebration to bring you up to speed if you missed the live broadcast. Click here to download it and more.




DJ Solespin 2014 Birthday Celebration Playlist:

1. The Rascals - Adrian's Birthday 
2. Super Eagles - Love's A Real Thing 
3. Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity - Let The Sunshine In 
4. The Flaming Ember - Westbound #9 
5. Kool & The Gang - Rated X 
6. War - Me & Baby Brother 
7. Miles Davis - Spanish Key 
8. The Equals - Laurel & Hardy 
9. The Temptations - (I Know) I'm Losing You 
10. Johnnie Taylor - (I Wanna) Testify 
11. Hokis Pokis - Nowhere 
12. Rare Earth - I Just Want To Celebrate 
13. Bob James - Nautilus

Classified - Self Explanatory (2009)

When Self Explanatory was released, I knew it would be his biggest album to date.

After an initial listen, I knew it was the Best Canadian hip hop album of 2009.

 I've somewhat put Self Explanatory on a pedestal. 



Quit While You're Ahead is one of the best Cancon posse cuts since Northern Touch. 

Anybody Listening grows on you and One Track Mind is surprisingly good.



I knew it wouldn't get all the recognition it deserved at Junos but there was time for Classified to be a household name.

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.

Below are some podcasts to bring you up to speed.  Click here to download them and more.

The Suite Delight - March 11, 2014 Playlist:

1. The Roots - Proceed III feat. Bahamadia
2. Maestro - Stick To Your Vision
3. Classified - Quit While You're Ahead
4. Marco Polo - Back to Work feat. Artifacts
5. Moka Only - The Taste
6. DJ Format - The Place feat. Chali 2Na & Akil
7. Miles Jones - Coast to Coast feat. Kae Sun
8. Poor Righteous Teachers - Easy Star
9. Das Efx - Kaught In Da AK (Remix)
10. Zion I - We Got It
11. Dujeous - All M.C.'s
12. Substantial - That Damn Good
13. DL Incognito - The Masses

Diamond & The Psychotic Neurotics - Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop

In October 1992, my father, brother's late godfather and I went to New York for Thanksgiving holiday. I came back with the cassette to Diamond & the Psychotic Neurotics' Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop.

 

I have the greatest respect for Diamond D.  He made great contributions to hip hop and he's an Aries like me. I'm almost inclined to think that his being an Aries is responsible for the production, lyrics, vibe, classic status, contributions to hip hop and respect from cats like me. I won't go deep into that astrological theory, but I'll say hip hop owes a debt of gratitude to Diamond D. In other words, "Thank the Lord for Diamond D".

Diamond D's name first meant something to me when I saw it on Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth's Funky Technician listed as one of the producers. I had never seen or heard him and that was 1989. In 1991, I heard his voice for the first time on A Tribe Called Quest's The Low End Theory, which adds to that album's mystique and status as a hip hop classic. 1992 gave me Digging in the Crates on Showbiz & AG's EP and true to form, he was Still Digging on their Runaway Slave. Best Kept Secret was an incredible release and Freestyle (Yo That's That Shit) was classic from the moment it was recorded.

Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop has a Main Source Breaking Atoms quality. It manages to be a perfect representation of New York early 1990s hip hop. The album's production, lyrics and vibe are strictly underground hip hop.

 

The release remixes are also extraordinary. I made sure to buy the What U Heard/I'm Outta Here 12" to have the song You Can't Front featuring Sadat X and Lord Finesse.  The extended version of Best Kept Secret allows us to groove a little longer and the remix to Sally Got a One Track Mind is great hip hop.



Diamond D went on to make many guest appearances on other artists' tracks. He dropped verses on Brand Nubian's Punks Jump up To Get Beat Down (Remix), House of Pain's Word Is Bond & Remix, Fat Joe’s Watch The Sound, Tha Alkaholiks' The Next Level & Remix and most surprisingly The Fugees' The Score.



The interview with Diamond D posted above is most informative and educational. 

For anyone that wants to know somewhat on how Diamond did it, check out all of the parts of the video footage available.

Please make yourself familiar with the link below for more.

http://suitedelight.podomatic.com

Below are some playlists to bring you up to speed.  Click here to download.

Visit the Mixcloud page to listen and the Podomatic site to download.

The Suite Delight - 2014-07-01 by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

 

The Suite Delight - 2014-06-24 by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

 

The Suite Delight - 2014-06-24 Playlist:
1. Chubb Rock with Howie Tee - Bump The Floor
2. MC Shan - I Pioneered This
3. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - Go With The Flow
4. Monie Love - It's A Shame
5. MC Solaar - Nouveau Western
6. Tha Alkaholiks - The Next Level (Remix) feat. Diamond D
7. Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs - Bug-A-Boo
8. Dr. Dre - Let Me Ride
9. Double XX Posse - The Headcracker
10. Jemini The Gifted One - Funk Soul Sensation (Godfather Mix Clean)
11. Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords (Late Night Radio)
12. Big Pun - Twinz (Deep Cover '98) Featuring Fat Joe
13. Outkast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (Diamond Remix) (Dirty)
14. Busta Rhymes - Do My Thing (DJ Scratch Remix - Clean)





The Suite Delight - 2014-06-17 (2) Playlist:

1. Special Ed - Ak-Shun
2. Das-Efx - Microphone Master (Sewa/41st Side Remix-Clean) featuring Mobb Deep
3. Illegal - Crumb Snatcher featuring Diamond D
4. Shyheim - On & On (DJ Premier Remix)
5. De La Soul - Oodles of O's
6. Lords of the Underground - Chief Rocka (Mixshow DJ Mix)
7. Camp Lo - Say Word
8. The Lady of Rage - Afro Puffs
9. Pacewon - I Declare War
10. EPMD - Strictly Snappin' Necks
11. 3rd Bass - Ace in The Hole
12. Positive K - Night Shift
13. Marley Marl - Droppin' Science featuring Craig G (Hip Hop Version)
14. Stezo - It's My Turn





The Suite Delight - 2014-06-17 Playlist:

1. KRS-One - Sound Of The Police (Showbiz Remix) 2. Salt-N-Pepa - Chick On The Side (Remix)
3. Lauryn Hill‎ – Doo Wop (That Thing)
4. Frankie Cutlass - You And You And You (Radio Edit Remix) featuring June Lover, Sadat X & Redman
5. 2Pac‎– I Get Around
6. Diamond & The Psychotic Neurotics ‎– Feel The Vibe featuring Showbiz
7. Grand Puba - 360° (What Goes Around) (SD50 Remix)  
8. Mad Lion ‎– Take It Easy
9. Big Daddy Kane‎ – How U Get A Record Deal
10. Smif-N-Wessun - Wreckonize (Remix)
11. Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth ‎– Strictly For The Ladies (Radio Remix)
12. Heavy D. & The Boyz ‎– Gyrlz, They Love Me (12" Version)
13. Casual - Later On (Casual's Low Down Remix)

 

The Suite Delight - 2014-06-03

The Suite Delight - 2014-06-03 by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

The Suite Delight - December 10, 2013 (2):

1. Souls of Mischief - 93 'til Infinity

2. Ghostface Killah - Flowers featuring Raekwon, Method Man & Superb

3. Three Times Dope - I Got It

4. Marley Marl - The Rebel feat. Tragedy

5. Cale Sampson - Reach Up

6. Diamond And The Psychotic Neurotics - Best Kept Secret (The 45 King Remix)

7. Danger Mouse & Jemini - Omega Supreme

8. Too Short - Buy You Some featuring Erick Sermon, MC Breed & Kool-Ace

9. Saukrates - Say I

10. SepTO - In This Town feat. Dan-E-O & Grimace Love

11. Drake - Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2

 

History repeated itself because I filled in for WeFunk just before the 2013 holiday season began in November.

To hear what I did as fill-in host, click play on the Cloudcasts below.

DJ Solespin - WeFunk (November 2013) by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

Jill Scott

It had been a long time since I heard Jill Scott’s A Long Walk until a DJ dropped a smooth remix from the 12” in the middle of a mix session.

Jill Scott had been away from my consciousness for so long that she somewhat slipped my mind. In a conversation with an R&B fiend and friend, I pined that she may not release another album anytime soon. I was aware she was raising a family and must have convinced myself I’d see and hear of her whenever I’d see or hear new music from her.

I was never as big a fan of hers as other members of my immediate circle. I believe her debut CD was in the very early 2000s when at the time I was rather disappointed in urban music. I may have fronted on her a little but came to my senses and made sure I had her discography, including the live CD, within arms’ reach.

Possibly my most enduring memory of Dave Chappelle’s Block Party was her response when asked if she was worried about having to follow Erykah Badu. I’m not sure if I fell in love with her then and began scooping up her CDs or after learning she was an Aries like me. Regardless of the order of events, that scene is pivotal and where my love for Jill Scott got solidified.

On the subject of her live performances, I heard the Live CD once around the time of its release and it was more like background music due to my previously explained mind frame towards urban music at the time, and subsequent fronting and disdain for live recordings on a whole. I was also playing dominoes at the time which didn’t help either.



To my knowledge, Jill Scott has made one visit to Montreal. In hindsight, if I had studied her albums more prior to her Montreal performance, I would have watched her instead of Tha Alkaholiks performing that night. Knowing and feeling what I do now about Jill Scott, I realize what I missed. I hope to rectify this with my own Jill Scott live experience to speak of one of these days.



I love strong, talented female vocalists and see her as a modern-day Aretha Franklin I can rely on as a voice of choice.

I can be counted on for Jill Scott spins to keep your listening golden.

Kelly Price

I remember learning of Kelly Price, in the mid-late 90s, singing back-up for Bad Boy, Brian McKnight and her work with R. Kelly. I bought her Soul of a Woman CD, as I did with most 90s R&B releases, and remembered being surprised by her vocals and realized she is a better singer than I already gave her credit for.

For many reasons, I didn’t follow Kelly Price’s music career after the release of her 1998 debut. I was Price-less because I had moved away from urban/hip hop music of the time and spent a great deal of focus on 1960/1970s soul, jazz, funk, rock and reggae.



Through the course of the last decade, I've learned that I can’t resist talented, female recording artists with powerful voices. Not too long ago, I remembered Kelly Price as one I should revisit. I scooped up a number of Kelly Price 12" singles I came across during record shopping trips. Rather than hunt through my collection, I bought a second copy of her debut CD for easier access.

My research reveals she is releasing an album, Sing.Pray.Love, in 2014.

With Whitney Houston’s passing, I remember the late legend allied with Price and Faith Evans.



My quest has begun to get her music that I'm missing. As I've come to learn, Kelly's music is priceless and will feature in DJ sets whenever possible.

I have yet to see and hear Kelly Price perform live which I know will be an experience I will never forget.  Looks like I have a second quest as far as her music is concerned.



News of a new Kelly Price album was the time fans like myself were waiting for.  

Matthew Dear

The XX were as popular as Phoenix when I became Concordia University's radio station's former RPM Director and I was curious to catch one of their Montreal shows.

I only knew Matthew Dear because of 2010 release Black City.

Curiosity made me explore his other work and I discovered his wonderful VCR remix.



During an Aux 33 Tours record sale, my friend DJ Politics and I were in agreement the remix was nuts and even inquired about whether or not it was pressed to vinyl.

Thankfully we can hear the remix anytime we want, as should you.

Jimmy McGriff - Black Pearl (1971)

One of my favorite stores to buy music CDs & DVDs had a Blue Note Trip compilation in their racks years ago and I bought it.

Weeks ago another Blue Note Trip volume took its place at the store and it joined the other one in my collection.

Like I wrote in my post about Jazz Amnesty Sound System, I had not thought of Jazz music since about 10 years ago when I was Jazz Director for Concordia University's radio station. 

This song from Jimmy McGriff's Black Pearl, among a handful, stuck with me and might have a similar effect on others.

Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy was not only young and raw but cool because he was a member of Saturday Night Live. When I think of Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s, it is obvious Eddie Murphy was the cast member of utmost importance to me. 

 

Joe Piscopo by default was second because he appeared to be Murphy’s closest friend and relatively talented equal on the show.

Some of my only chances to catch Saturday Night Live would be when I would be babysat by a close family friend’s older sister.  To be awake after 11pm on a Saturday night at 8-10 years old was Wonderland. The only issue was getting over the hurdle of the late WPTZ News 5 broadcast to finally watch the coolest show on television. The 30 minutes was an eternity until the SNL opening sketch. On most cases, we would fall asleep during the broadcast. Do you think I slept during the original SNL broadcast of the Buckwheat Has Been Shot sketch sequence?

I’m sure that was the first night the grown-ups returned to see us kids awake and full of vigor as if it were Saturday 1pm. Would the parents understand we just watched the funniest SNL sketch involving Eddie Murphy? Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince told you the answer decades ago. 

I was slighty worried we could have been punished for not being asleep upon their return but that sketch would have been worth it.

As hilarious as the James Brown impersonation on Delirious or Comedian is, the visual of Celebrity Hot Tub is priceless.

The Best of Eddie Murphy provides other great comic Murphy moments including as James Brown as Annie.

 

Eddie Murphy returned to Saturday Night Live after a 40 year absence and it was worth every minute.

The Headhunters

The legendary jazz-funk group The Headhunters performing in Montreal Summer 2026 will be some pleasant news indeed.

The group's story begins with their work with Herbie Hancock.  The group members played on a number of  Hancock's classic albums. The 1973 album Head Hunters bearing the group name is essential listening.



I was fortunate to find a copy of Survival of the Fittest with one of my personal favorite 70s jazz-funk cuts called If You Got It, You'll Get It.

God Made Me Funky is quite surely the group's signature song but is epic in proportion. Thankfully Paul Walter's Under The Influence compilation gives a 7" edit that allows me to drop other funk bombs during a radio show guest DJ set or live DJ set for the public.

There is another Headhunters album called Straight From The Gate that I only know by its cover. Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, I can post this song that is on that album.



Please make yourself familiar with the link below for more.

Below is a playlist from one of my guest DJ fill-ins for CKUT's The Goods.  

Click here to download other archived episodes.

DJ Solespin - The Goods (April 2014) Playlist:

 

1. Aries: Planetary Motivations 
2. Black Heat - Love The Life You Live
3. The Ohio Players - Walt's First Trip
4. African Music Machine - Black Water Gold
5. Dyke & The Blazers - Let A Woman Be A Woman
6. All The People - Cramp Your Style
7. Roy Ayers Ubiquity - Fire Weaver
8. The Blackbyrds - Blackbyrds Theme
9. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Try Me
10. Paul Simon - Mother & Child Reunion
11. Greyhound - Black & White
12. Jackie Mittoo - Toronto Express
13. Ken Boothe - Look What You've Done To Me
14. Delroy Wilson - Ain't That Peculiar
15. Eric Donaldson - Cherry Oh Baby
16. Desmond Dekker & The Aces - Israelites
17. Tomorrow's Children - Sister Big Stuff
18. The Bar-Kays - In The Hole
19. Wilson Pickett - Hey Jude
20. The 5 Stairsteps - Dear Prudence
21. The Band - Up On Cripple Creek
22. Al Green - I'm Glad You're Mine
23. Gene Chandler - Groovy Situation 
24. Q65 - Get Out of My Life Woman
25. Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm - Gettin' Nasty
26. Clarence Reid - Masterpiece (Kenny Dope Edit)
27. Bo Diddley - Hit Or Miss
28. The Headhunters - God Made Me Funky
29. Richie Havens - Handouts In The Rain
30. Bill Withers - Kissing My Love
31. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Second That Emotion 

Aries Spears

I love stand-up comedy, especially good stand-up comedy. I believe it is the highest form of comedy there is.

A movie or play may be called a comedy but may not bring the laughs to our liking. The true test of a stand-up comedian’s talent is how much he can make you laugh whenever they perform.

During the 2009 Just for Laughs Festival, the Uptown Comics Tour performed at Metropolis. It was fantastic and the last great night of stand-up comedy I’ve had. I hadn’t laughed that much in a long time and needed it too.




There was a strong roster of comics including In Living Color’s David Allan Grier, host Kevin Hart and headliner Aries Spears. My favourite Mad-TV cast mate was Aries Spears. The sheer fact he was performing live in Montreal made my being there a foregone conclusion. Luckily he hung around after the show for autographs and pictures. I got more than that. I got a station ID to use for my The Suite Delight radio show.

Michael Fassbender

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of X-Men: First Class and the star of the show for me was Michael Fassbender as Magneto.   

I respect Ian McKellan’s acting and was happy to see him in the role of Magneto opposite Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier. As an older man and actor, he brought a certain majesty to his Magneto and I appreciated that.

Fassbender's brilliant portrayal of Magneto nearly matches the menace of Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter. I had not heard of Fassbender before that film and I was curious to know if he was as good in his other movies as he was in First Class. He brought to the screen the danger that I imagined of the Magneto character and I winced with every scene.

 

Michael Fassbender's performance inspired me to take to my blog and write about him and Magneto. 

I haven’t been this interested in an actor or his work since Edward Norton’s Primal Fear. I was always curious to see Fassbender’s other films to see what else he has done or is capable of doing on screen.

Fassbender was in as many as four films in 2011 and I was hoping he would be nominated for one in particular called Shame.  I wanted to see it in the theatre but couldn’t get around to it.

A trip to my local video store showed me that there were others that wanted to see Fassbender's films. All copies of Shame were rented the day I stepped in there.

I went to the video store again the following week and picked up the lone copy on the shelf that was waiting for me. After watching the film, I can understand why he wasn't nominated. The role and subject matter were a little too uncompromising and I believe that may have hurt Fassbender's chances.

Prometheus has an all-star cast but Fassbender once again is surely the most intriguing of the actors.  I was sure to see that one as well but did not enjoy it.

Fassbender was Oscar-nominated at least twice since this blog post was drafted.  

Marvin Gaye: The Real Thing - In Performance 1964-1981

When Sam The Record Man in Toronto was closing, I browsed the store for longer than my peeps waiting for me could have liked or tolerated. 

To my delight, I picked up a DVD collection of his performances. 

Although I already had Anthology, my knowledge of Marvin Gaye’s music was somewhat limited to select 1960s songs.



The DVD opened me up to You’re A Wonderful One. The song is quite possibly my favorite of Marvin’s solo 1960s songs. 

I liked the song so much that I added it to a show playlist dedicated to my god-daughter.

Marvin Gaye

 

Marvin Gaye’s death is among the most tragic of all the celebrity deaths of the last 50 years.  



I was too young to understand the magnitude of his death on music history but was instinctively aware he was important and that he will be missed deeply. It would take me about 15 years to understand what a loss we suffered that April of 1984.

I saw his name on old 7” singles while growing up and distinctly remembered Sexual Healing was a huge hit in the summer of 1982.

If What’s Going On is Marvin’s socio-political, spiritual masterpiece, Let’s Get It On is Marvin’s celebration of sex. What a talent to respectively produce music dealing with the cerebral and carnal elements of humanity.

My consciousness of Marvin’s music pretty much stopped at Let’s Get It On. I never heard Trouble Man except for the single. I’m not too familiar with I Want You but I love the song almost as much as the late Robert Palmer must have. I owned the Marvin Gaye live album containing all 11 minutes of the great Got to Give It Up. I heard Here, My Dear once years ago and understand the story behind that album. A copy crossed my crate digging or purchasing path. I have Midnight Love twice somewhere in my collection.



The first week of April marks Marvin’s anniversary because he died close to his birthday.

In the immortal words of Diana Ross, we are missing you Marvin.

History repeated itself because I filled in for WeFunk just before the 2013 holiday season began in November.

To hear what I did as fill-in host, click play on the Cloudcasts below.

DJ Solespin - WeFunk (November 2013) by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud