So I wrote this overlong email full of sappy memories and irrelevant details to my friend Andrew over at Cocaine Blunts & Hip-Hop Tapes, mostly concerning a group called Mixed Practice that I had a lot of love for back when I was coming up in the Bay Area Underground Hip-Hop Scene. Anyway, he liked it so much that he decided it to turn it into a blog entry and perhaps a running guest column called “Bay Area Rap Tapes” (aaahhh, we can haz acronym!). So if you’re into hip-hop obscurities, west coast underground tapes, microregional music scenes, slow blogging, homemade demos, or anything else along those lines head over there and check it out.

Easily my favorite joint off his White Van Music album. The beat sends a chill up my spine to be honest. Video is perfect… shouts out to Jake, Supreme, Vitamin, and the entire city of Seattle!

Sorry for the lag in updates folks. Been a bit tied up with thangs and stuff, but I’ve got a few things queued up for the weekend - a new entry to the Hoody Allen Files, a couple more rare album rips, and some new arrivals around the shop to blog about. Stay tuned…

This is a nice LP I got in stock a few months back and miraculously got back in recently. Initially I thought this was perhaps the famous highlife trumpeteer St. Augustine, issuing an LP under a pseudonym? No, it didn’t make sense, and my friend Uchenna over at With Comb & Razor confirmed my suspicions. In fact, none of us seem to know who Olisa is (side note: the Comb & Razor blog is fantastic, and indispensible if you are interested in Nigerian music).

And so, sadly, I have not much information to provide for this record. Olisa allegedly played saxophone under Cardinal Rex Lawson and Chief Osita Osadebe; beyond that, not much more is known, just one more late 70s release on the prolific Eastern Nigerian Homzy label. The cover is tough as nails, and the notes on the back describe an “era when most Nigerian musicians are either going reggae or influenced by their foreign counterparts”, For his part, Olisa intends to be “among the loyal few” “who stick to their roots and refuse to succumb to foreign influence.”

The sound is at turns jubilant yet mellow, a gear or two down from the more thumping dance band sound that was popular. Each side contains one Highlife and one “Native Blues”. With the exception of the title tune, the pace is almost lethargic; perfect for a nice day spent watching life go by. Hypnotic guitars, muted trumpets, a perfectly placed horn section (not too brassy or overbearing) all contribute to a really wonderful listen.

No Body Knows Tomorrow really stood out among the first crop of Nigerian records I received and holds up after many repeated plays.

Enjoy!

Download HERE

A wonderful gospel mix by my man Leo, aka DJ El-V, one of Vermont’s finest collectors of gospel and soul LPs. Deep, mellow, uplifting vibe throughout. As I’m listening, man… parts of this mix are HEAVY. Some joints on here I need to track down for myself… heh heh. Enjoy!

Download HERE

Track list below the fold.

Read the rest of this entry »

My old homie, acclaimed rapper and all around swell guy MURS breaks it down and makes it look easy. Perfect rap song, perfect video.

Cuts by DJ Quick ftw!

Here’s a deep, dark, dreamy psych mix from a year or so back, put together by Good Records NYC employee, muscle, and all around homie Dr. Delay. Now out of print, uploaded here for your listening pleasure.

Go get Adobe Flash Player!

track list below the fold.

Read the rest of this entry »

Yes people, it’s 85 degrees in New York City today! I blinked and Spring was gone, maybe we’ll get another taste but today sure is feeling like summer. Lennox Avenue is on fire, literally and figuratively. Things are a little more mellow downtown right now; I blame it on the a-a-alcohol like Jamie Foxx and them. Summer always brings me back, so let’s do a little reminiscing…

Here’s a little record I had lurking in my box for a while; never thought anyone cared much about it until recently when it made a few modern soul/boogie want lists. The group is the Studants, the record label is York (that’s the infamous Dr. York’s record label). The year is 1987 and the style is New Edition. The song absolutely rules, and reminds me so much of That Sound. It’s been putting a hell of a smile on my face of late, almost enough to forget about the potential for ill when you consider a group of young guys affiliated with York, who is now behind bars for over 100 counts of child molestation.

“Takes A Little Time” reminds me of The Big City during my childhood, in the 1980s - flashing lights and killer grooves; seedy vibes, but nonstop excitement. The song is full of raw desire… not for sex per se, but for fun. How awesome. Despite revealing in the 2nd verse that they’ve been around the block before, so to speak, the group’s lead-up into the hook is just perfectly innocent teenage love: “let’s go have some fun… let me be the one… takes a little time, to do our thing.” And dig the syncopated clock ticking. Unlike most Dr. York records, the backing track on this one is really strong. One of the better 80s soul records I’ve come across in a while!

Go get Adobe Flash Player!

Here is a beautiful jazz LP that just passed through the shop.

Mystic Beauty was released on the tiny Los Angeles-based H.M.E. imprint, the H and the M of which stood for its owner Harry Mitchell. The label released a few latin- and soul-flavored jazz releases, including a record or two by the Harold Johnson Sextet (thanks to Office Naps for the tip).

EDIT Reggie Andrews nowadays teaches music in the Los Angeles school district - he’s instructed plenty of greats, from Patrice Rushen to The Pharcyde - and was also in the 70s/80s disco-funk outfit Dazz. Also he’s got some school band material out there that’s worth seeking out. Great to hear he’s still living in music. Here’s an interesting interview with the man himself on NPR (not related to his old records, per se).

This album is deep, latin-influenced, primarily acoustic jazz. Influences range from the cerebral to the soulful, but it defies any one-dimensional tag like “spiritual jazz” or “soul jazz” or “jazz funk”. Sure it’s from L.A. but it doesn’t sound particularly “west coast”. It’s a beautiful session all around, really something special, very much worth every dollar of it’s high price tag. Enjoy - Jonny

Download HERE

Wow, I had no idea there was tape of this. I was at this show, an album release held at the now-long-since-defunct Leopold’s Records. I think Mystik Journeymen opened. The “Fuck New York” diatribe really sounds crazy now, but back then it was quite serious! As someone going back and forth between the two places I most definitely felt the static.

Anyway, Saafir busts a freestyle, does three tracks off “Boxcar Sessions”, and the rare/unreleased “Killen Kydz”. Peep game…

Thoughts: I’m pretty sure that’s me yelling “yeeeeeaaaaaaaah!” at the beginning of “Battle Drill”. “Just Riden” was always, at its essence, some Town Shit. Saafir is in total control of his voice, his breath and his body; a great performer.