Archive for April, 2007

Saturday April 28th
9pm …until

1357 5th St. Oakland CA, 94607 Plenty of parking and near BART.

Drinks:
mojitos, caipirinhas, tropical fruit drinks, block ‘n fall (take one sip, walk a block and fall), fire Bellies (A drink inspired to make you sweat), cinnamon cream (mellow, thick, creamy and sweet)

Food:
Ginger Cornbread
The Best freakin’ cookies on the PLANET!!!!!
A wonderful Organic dish an/or vegan desert.
Curried Veggies (Say yummm!!!!)
Desserts
3 Bean Salad and Corn Bread
and more…

Djs:
Chef Gramcrackah
Brandon -Soul, Funk, Hip-Hop, Dance Classics
Daniel - Spinnin’ Hip-Hop Funk and more
Chango - Salsa, House, hip-Hop and more
Domingo I U - House, Soul, Salsa, Hip-Hop and MORE

Those peculiar, almost other worldly harmonies that the Isleys turned into the signature sound of baby makin’ have fascinating roots. I’ve always felt there was something eerily spiritual and universal about the Isley genius. Something that transcended their reputation as demigods of sex. I’m not questioning the no fail mack power of side A of The Heat is On when combined with some Nag Champa and a bottle of red wine. But, after coming across these two gems on vinyl recently at the Berkeley Flea Market, I have new theories bubbling in my head about the Isleys. One is that they came up as a complete musical organism able digesting the spectrum sounds floating through the electric 1960’s ether.

They prove this on Brother, Brother, Brother when they drop a folky ballad about brotherhood on the title track of that 1972 release. But, something undeniably unIsley (in the modern sense) occurs on Givin it Back.

Releasd in ‘71, Givin it Back reveals that when the Isley’s weren’t pimpin’ in crotch tight jump suits, they were out in the woods listening to Crosby, Stills, and Nash (three cuts on the album are covers of music by one of the three). What does this all mean. It must have something to do with the musical lineage of the band that once included Rick James and Neil Young. It also means that the American narrative continues to unfold as a challenge to all purism. We all gotta little of this and a little of that.

-Brandon Brown

1. Aint No Sunshine (Oh No Remix) - Kashmere Stage Band - Now Again
2. Just Kickin’ It (Extended Remix) - Xscape - Columbia
3. Too Cute (Re-Edit) - Devin the Dude - Rara
4. Me, My Baby, and My Cadillac - Sleepy Brown - Virgin
5. Whatever U. Want - DJ Jazzy Jeff Feat. Little Brother - BBE
6. The Jump Off - Cvees - Subverse
7. The Show - The Roots - Dysfunctional Youth
8. The Beat - ESG - 99
9. Where is the Line? (Unknown) - Bjork - White
10. Get Down (Unknown) - Busta Rhymes - Aftermath
11. Hey Baby (Jazzanova’s Hey Baby Remix) - Status IV - Sonar Kollektiv
12. Feel (Aftermath Remix) - Teddy Roc Feat. Okua - Whatmusic
13. Want’choo Longa (Daz-i-kue & Afronaught Remix) - Slope Feat. Ovasoul 7 - Sonar Kollektiv
14. New Bed (4 Hero Twisted Remix) - Benny Sings - Kindred Spirits
15. Love Me or Leave Me - Nina Simone (1957) - Atlantis

There are some critical old cuts in here (from Xscape all the way back to ESG’s super post-punk jam) and some sizzlin’ new joints (like Jazzy Jeff and Lil’ Brother or like the Bugz remixing Slope). I think the lesson here is that it was, is, and always will be right NOW. That’s why Oh No can refry some 70’s soul, and The Roots can rep Doug E. Fresh like he just dropped. If you follow this line of thinking, then you will be rewarded at the end with some of the most sophisticated soul on the gods’ green: The Grand Dutchess herself, Nina Simone.