‘Lectric Diaspora

Bollywood tunes

July 9th, 2009

Chakra Khan
Jan Pahechan Ho
Title Music
Dance Music (I)
Rafoo Chakkar (Untitled)

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My and my soul brotha Brett were talking about how amazing the entire 2nd side of Abbey Road is, and we ended up jamming our way through the whole medley. In honor of that occasion I have a few nice versions to share:

Booker T. & The MGs – Sun-king-mean-mr-mustard-polythene-pam-she-came-in-through-the-bathroom-window-i-want-you-shes-so-heavy

It’s hard to substitute anything for the Beatles’ distinctive vocals, but Booker T’s organ does a decent job filling in, and the arrangements, though straightforward renditions, bring out the soulful/bluesy side of the Beatles’ compositions.

Somewhat incongruously, I also have a take by Bola Sete, who tackles 2 bits of the medley in a twangy, funky, vaguely psychedelic style.

Bola Sete – Polythene Pam/She Came In Through the Bathroom Window

From George Benson we have a very schmaltzy take on Here Comes the Sun that gives way to a groovy I Want You.

George Benson – Here Comes the Sun/I Want You She’s So Heavy

Lastly, Jackie Mittoo’s Wishbone, which, while not exactly a cover, certainly reveals a large shall we say “influence” from Abbey Road.

Jackie Mittoo – Wishbone

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The Funky Drummer

April 9th, 2009

James Brown – The Funky Drummer

James Brown – Funky Drummer (bonus beat reprise)

Grandmaster Flash w/Kurtis Blow

The Pharcyde – Officer

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Pump Up the Bass

Eric B. & Rakim – Lyrics of Fury

Ultramagnetic MCs – Give the Drummer Some

Public Enemy – Bring the Noise

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Couple More Band Picks

February 24th, 2009

Fela Kukti – Swegbe & Pako

Fela Kuti – Jeun Ko Ku (chop n quench)

Budos Band – Monkey See Monkey Do

from Andrea:

Untouchable Machine Shop – Machine Shop (pt 1)

Miles Grayson – Stuck In the Mud

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Songs From Jay

December 16th, 2008

Fela Kuti – Colonial Mentality

Helene Smith – You Got to Be A Man

R.A.M.P. – The American Promise

Detroit Sex Machines – The Stretch

Latin Playboys – Viva La Raza

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Deep Flippin’

December 1st, 2008

There are countless instances in which a hip hop producer will lift the opening phrase of a song, or the main melodic hook, and repurpose it into a new tune. This is all well and good (see the masthead of this blog), but what I’m writing about today is a different level of sampling, one that takes a keen ear and a creative mind, where some seemingly insignificant, fleeting moment of a song is highlighted and transformed into the basis of a whole new sound.

I try this myself sometimes as a creative exercise: take a chestnut that has been famously sampled to death, and find some new fragment of the song to bring forward and build a groove out of.

The Beatnuts are masters of this approach, of finding that brief interesting transitional moment, putting it under the microscope, and bringing it to life anew. My favorite example of this is their remix of Chi-Ali’s “Funky Lemonade”, which is not only one of my favorite hip hop tunes in the world, but is also somewhat rare, or at least used to be in the pre-sharity days when incredibly obscure treasures were not available on a daily basis. (Actually, in an earlier era of the internet offering unprecedented access to niche interests some years ago, I finally tracked down a promo-only 12″ from a record store in the Netherlands).

Chi-Ali – Funky Lemonade (Beatnuts Remix)

Chi-Ali’s story is depressing and I will not belabor it here, except to note for the uninitiated that he was a young member of the Native Tongues posse who showed great promise but ended up with a fate sadly all too common for African American males.

So about that sample. Once, on a road trip through the Southwestern USA, that organ stab jumped off a Grant Green tape (made for me by my buddy Punjab, source of all musics funky in my life at that point) and smacked me in the ears with its brilliant provenance. It is from the Alive album, which is absolutely essential and is hopefully already in a place of honor in every groove-lover’s collection. This album has been sampled heavily, with this specific track also used by the likes of A Tribe Called Quest and Cypress Hill. I eventually noticed that Pete Rock also used this sample around the same year so I don’t know who stole from whom. Anyway, there it is around the 37 second mark. The Beatnuts have pitched it up and bathed it in yummy scratches and a Guru sample and it is perfect.

Grant Green – Down Here On the Ground

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Traffic Jam Set 11/08

November 14th, 2008

Antibalas – Nesta 75

Greyboy Allstars – 2% Body Fat (w/Fred Wesley)

The Daktaris – Super Afro Beat

Blue Rivers & the Maroons – Seven Steps to Power

Mulatu Astatqé – Yèkatit (february)

The Daktaris – Upside-Down

Theme From Don

Fela Kuti – Opposite People

Tommy McCook & the Super Sonics – Wild Bunch

Daktaris – Eltsuhg Ibal Lasiti

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Eltsuhg in Dub

November 4th, 2008

For those that like their peanut butter in their chocolate, their dub in their funk, I’ve got a special ‘Lection Day treat for ya. Namely, the Mad Professor remix of the Daktaris’ classic hustle. Sponsored by Iron Lion Scion no less. Enjoy.

Eltsuhg Ibal Lasiti (Mad Professor remix) – Daktaris