Stompin at the Savoy!

What a gig! What a night! What a DJ! At least this time I knew what was coming! Myself and Darnell headed over to the Savoy before Jeff and Skillz and he set up Serato scratch for the main man. After a couple of minor technical difficulties we were underway and I started the warm-up with some nice underground hip-hop. I played a lot of Jay Dee stuff and also some mid 90’s flavours before moving into bits of funk and soul and old skool hip-hop. The crowd was fairly rocking by the time Jeff arrived and he gave me the go-ahead to spin “Crazy” which really lifted the place. He was vibing away himself next to the decks and I could tell he was really up for it straight away.

I played his classic “A Touch Of Jazz” which sampled Grover Washington, Donald Byrd, Marvin Gaye and Bob James amongst others. The Mizzell brothers are musical heroes of mine and I read recently where they were talking about some of their classic Donald Byrd productions and how they heard this incredible hip-hop record, which chopped up some of their sounds. This was the late 80’s when their sound was out of fashion and they were talking about how records like this (produced by Jeff) helped give them their just dues. I became a jazz and soul junkie through hip-hop and it was great to see older jazz and soul legends giving hip-hoppers like Jeff respect for re-awakening interest in their music. I told Jeff bout the interview (in the classic mag Wax Poetics) and he was understandably happy. I left him with Special Ed’s “The Magnificent” and let him to it!

I could talk about his set all day. He played everything and joined the dots of music in an intelligent and entertaining way. Roots Manuva, James Brown, Kool and the Gang, The Police, Crystal Waters, Herb Albert, Jill Scott, Michael Jackson, Lynn Collins, Aretha Franklin, The White Stripes, Tribe, Mobb Deep, Run DMC, KRS One, D’Angelo and lots lots more. As I say, I could go on and on and on! Does he ever make mistakes? No! He represented to the max and tore the roof off the sucka! Skillz performed the “Nod Factor” and a few more and even got on the decks at the end to display some good cuts himself! It was another great night and everyone was happy.

Went back to the hotel with the lads and Jeff started playing me exclusives off his new album in his room. His track with CL Smooth is a killer! He gave me a few jazz CD’s including some remixes he did for a class compilation, which was ironically called “Re-Bop-The Savoy Remixes” It features the best contemporary guys like Jeff, King Britt and Large Pro remixing classic jazz by Dizzy, Byrd and Miles. Jeff takes on Duke Jordan’s version of “Night in Tunisia” and rips it up. He also did a wicked track with Rhymefest for the “Return Of the Magnificent” album which re-works Gang Starr’s “Wordz I Manifest” (also sampling “Nights in Tunisia”) Wait till ye here this guys! I had no CDs with me so agreed to come back bright and early at around 9 the following morning and burn some of his exclusives over breakfast! Got home for about 5 but there was no way I was gonna miss the opportunity for these tunes and I had little trouble rising at 8 after only a couple of hours sleep!