Tune of the day! The Paragons

Tune of the day--for my little Lola who i'm minding for the day a lovely reggae classic from a really under-rated crew

The Disco era that lives on!

The word disco music brings all sorts of different images to our minds. For some it is simply a nightclub or a huge hall, for many more it is the music movement that became fashionable in the late 70's and which ended up dominating pop music for a time in conjunction with movies such as "Saturday Night Fever" and it's massive selling soundtrack. Disco became a dirty word in the early 80's and suffered a backlash that still taints some of it's coverage today, but for more people again it's spirit stayed alive through the creation of a new type of music which took the disco groove; house music, which is more popular than ever these days.
Disco also evokes the cliched images of retro 70's nights and platform shoes with open top shirts and thoughts of the days where everyone from mod singer Rod Stewart to jazz legend Idris Muhammad got on the disco train and made music for the dance-floors. Disco saw the rise of the 12 inch single and a DJ Culture which is also bigger than ever today, but it remains one of the most misunderstood music genres and often one in which commentators can be totally ignorant! For me, it is a special music genre for many reasons, not least because of the fact that it's rise went hand in hand with the birth of hip-hop, which sprung out of many of the same communities and which first reached the mainstream through re-workings of the disco anthems of the day being replayed by live musicians added to rappers on the top.
I was lucky enough to always appreciate that a million miles away from "Y.M.C.A" and the wedding anthems that everyone knows, there was an underground music culture that developed out of this era that still carries an amazing relevance today. Just take a look at the best modern music producers and dj's; Danny Krivit, Theo Parrish, Moodyman and many more are all children of the disco era and slaves to the grooves which dominated nearly every big club track of that era.
Disco is far from dead. Despite record company and media fuelled revivals instigated by music from the likes of Cassius, Basement Jaxx and Daft Punk in the 90's, the disco era was always held in great esteem by the true aficionados of dance music, and DJ's, producers and record collectors have for a long time kept the spirit of the music alive. Even in the pop charts we can see this clearly. Madonna came out of the disco era, Lady Gaga and most hit-makers these days are in thrall of the 70's and 80's while Timbaland and a thousand other producers keep nodding towards it's later electro stylings.
As a DJ it is without doubt one of my favourite types of music to spin at parties or in clubs. Back in the day myself and Angi used spin at a night called Mor Disco in Zoes and every Tuesday night became an incredible party where loads of different people dressed up and got down to the funkiest of tunes! By the time we packed it in the music was becoming really ubiquitous again through the efforts of many of the aforementioned acts but in the intervening years i've always enjoyed dusting off the 12 inch disco gems for special occasions. Last Saturday on Black on Red on RedFM I spun a disco mix with some of my personal favourite selections. Some will be familiar, many more obscure and one or two will be edits of old tunes. The re-edit culture surrounding many disco records is quite interesting actually and when done tastefully it can be really good, fortunately there are many DJ's and producers out there with respect for the genre which brought us some of the greatest music of all time!
Here is the link for the Mix



Disco Special Volume 3

http://djstevieg.podomatic.com

I Wish You Would [edit] Jocelyn Brown
The Sound Of Music Dayton
Mr. Groove One Way
Don't Stop K.I.D.
Spaghettidisco (Extended) Cave Bear Cult
High Skyy
Sweet To Me Logg
Keep On Movin' Deodato
Feel Up Grace Jones
Seventh Heaven Gwen Guthrie
Loving You Donald Byrd
Don't Give Up [12" Version] Linda Clifford
This Beat Is Mine Vicky D
Don't Cost You Nothin' Ashford & Simpson
Hit And Run [7"Mix] Loleatta Holloway
Runaway Salsoul Orchestra
Once I've Been There Norman Connors
Mainline Black Ivory
I'm Every Woman Chaka Khan
I'm In Love (Original 12_ Mix) Evelyn King
Touch Me (All Night Long) Wish Feat. Fonda Rae
Falling In Love (DK Edit Of Shep Pettibone Remix) Surface
Jump to It (Original 12" Mix) Aretha Franklin
Sure Shot (Larry Levan Mix) Tracy Weber
Here Comes That Sound (Social Disco Club Re-Edit) Love De-Luxe
There Was a Time ESG
I Need You (Unreleased Mix) Sylvester
Bad Luck Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
We're Getting Stronger Loleatta Holloway
Armed And Extremely Dangerous First Choice

50 years of Motown-my top tunes and a free mix!

A lot has been written about the 50th anniversary of Motown this week and the Detroit label has justifiably been lauded as being one of the most influential record labels of all time. Personally i've been a huge fan for many years now and as the birthday co-incides with my own Black on Red Shows seventh birthday, i've decided to dedicate a number of radio shows in January to spreading the Motown vibes further. This will continue this Saturday with a live interview on RedFM with Detroit born Jerome Rimson, a music veteran now living in Cork, and a man who knew many of the big players back in the day. Jerome is still holding it down with the Inner City Blues band and having worked closely with everyone from Van Morrison and Phil Lynott over the years, he is well positioned to talk about the impact of Motown on the wider musical world. Check it out on Saturday; in the meantime, here are ten of my favourite Motown classics. To download a mix of all of my favourites for free, simply go and check out my podcast at http://djstevieg.podomatic.com




1-Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell-Ain't no mountain high enough
An Ashford and Simpson written tune that perfectly sums up the synergy between the two singers, both of who unfortunately died way too young . This song was later covered really well by Jocelyn Brown and it was also recently sampled by Amy Winehouse on "Tears Dry on their Own"

2-The Supremes-Where did our love go?
More musical perfection on a track produced by Holland, Dozier and Holland. The Supremes enjoyed a string of amazing hits before the group split with Florence Ballard and Diana Ross went solo
3-Stevie Wonder-I don't why I love you
Not the best known Stevie song, and i could easily have chosen somethings like "All I do", "Sir Duke" or even "Hey Love", but another track that shows how the Motown youngster came to be rightly regarded as one of the most important artists of the 20th century
4-Martha Reeves and the Vandellas-Dancing in the Street
"Are you ready for a brand new beat"? was the call to the young people of America, but this resonated all over the world and became another massive anthem as the civil rights movement took hold of imaginations everywhere.
5-The Four Tops-Baby I need your loving
Levi Stubbs and co were one of the great Motown bands, and this tune forms a great tribute to the legend who passed away last year
6-The Temptations-Ball of Confusion
Alongside "Papa was a rolling stone", "Cloud Nine" and many more hits, it showed the psychedelic sound of Norman Whitfield in full effect on this socio-political number
7-Smokey Robinson-Tracks of my tears
The man who Bob Dylan called America's "greatest living poet" in 1967. You can't get higher praise than that; a great singer and song-writer who had big hits with the Miracles and many more Motown acts.
8-Frank Wilson-Do I Love you
Unreleased at the time, but a soul collectors item years later, a stomping tune.
9-The Jackson 5-I want you back
A few minutes of pop perfection that lay the foundations to a legendary career.
10-Marvin Gaye-What's Goin' On
A new era was on the way, and a pop label became even more than that as some of it's biggest talents like Marvin and Stevie took control of their own careers.

2009!!!!!

Kid Cudi


Hypnotic Brass Ensemble at the Pavilion



Stevie and PPP

Okay here are my tips for the year-the first part was included in Jim Carroll's piece in Fridays Irish Times (some of them obviously overlap)


STEVIE G (RED FM/THE PAVILION, CORK)

In Cork, I'm hoping local soulboy Brian Deady reaches more ears as his sound develops. The same can be said for young funk act The Impressionists , who are residents at my Jam night at The Pavilion, and reggae stalwarts Wiggle , who have a great new album about to drop. Elaine Dowling is a terrific singer who is doing interesting work with Corkman and New York resident Freezerroom .

For a hip-hop fan, it's interesting that so many of my choices touch on that style without specifically being hip-hop and I think this is a reflection of the ubiquity of the genre as a whole. The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble are just one of the many acts with a hip-hop sensibility bringing this attitude to a different field, and their new material is incredible. This is music that makes acid jazz seem like it belonged to the last century. Oh, wait . .

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2009/0102/1230581526657.html

The second was included in my Downtown column in the Evening Echo last Thursday

t's always difficult to peer into the crystal ball and see what's ahead but here are just a few of the acts who i think we will be hearing a lot more from in 2009. Some are already well known, some are gonna be well known, but hopefully each of these acts and each of you will all have a fabulous New Year!

YOU'RE ONLY MASSIVE
This Berlin based duo have got even better having made the move from Ireland and they promise an interesting follow-up to their excellent Dot Dash release with Queen Kong last year. 2009 could well be their year.

FREEZER-ROOM
Another act who is now based elsewhere, but collaborating with many local acts here including one our best singers, Elaine Dowling. There are some really nice beats on this project and with a FishGoDeep remix on the horizon too, it augurs well

THE IMPRESSIONISTS
Cork based act have improved greatly lately and despite losing their excellent drummer are hoping for great things next year. Residents at my own Jam night at the Pavilion, they are developing a really good live show too!

KID CUDI
Already with a big hit in "Day and Night', this Cleveland rapper is set to blow up big time next year and has already got the support of Kanye West and Wale amongst others.

PPP
Had a critically acclaimed debut as the Platinum Pied Pipers but now they have a shorter name and a tighter sound, future soul at it's finest.

BRIAN DEADY
Cork soul man who's music is developing really nicely he has put together a funky band now too and his new recordings look set to propel his name further into our consciousness this year.

HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE
Already well known here after a few visits to Cork 2009 promises to be even better for these guys. They have got their live sound perfectly down and their new album is easily their best so far. Alongside the Hot 8 Brass Band and Menahan Street band, they are part of a new jazz generation making great music.

CONSEQUENCE
Okay i've been tipping him for every year since about 1997 but this could be the one! His new album is gonna be produced by Kanye West and Q Tip and could be the break he needs

CORK RAPPERS
Well there's loads of talented ones out there and some good producers too. Who is gonna step up and get some quality material out there? 2009 is here let's hope we hear some good stuff.

WIGGLE
The new album is great and they are always amazing live alongside Green Monitor and Sumo one of the most interesting Cork bands.