New Mix: The Soulful Tenth

This past Saturday evening, I was hungry for some soul music.  I sat in front of my record shelf and picked 10 records.  I briefly reviewed each LP, made my choices, and hit record:  no edits, one take, live mix.  I wanted to put together something folks could relate to, yet highlight artists and songs which have easily slipped under the average listeners radar.  Keeping true to many an LP release back in the day, I played the uptempo songs for the first half, then slid right into the slow, love songs for the second half of the mix.

100% Live, 100% Vinyl, 100% Soul.

Peace.

tracklisting:

Prince Phillip Mitchell - You'll Throw Bricks at Him
Willie Mitchell - I Wanna Be Where You Are
The Sylvers - I Don't Need to Prove Myself
The Fourtops - Turn on the Light of Your Love
Stevie Wonder - Jesus Children of America
Prince - Crazy You
Phyllis Hyman - The Nightbird Gets The Love
The Impressions - Keep on Trying
Blue Magic - Spell
DJ Rodgers - Faithful to the End

Fall breeze....

On location this past October, LBC Airport, CA.

360 Degrees of Black

First and foremost, my philosphy as to what I do as a DJ is simple: present the music that I enjoy in a manner which highlights the inter-relationships of varying emotions/feelings, sounds, and rhythms. Secondly, I believe that the one playing/showcasing the music is always secondary to the music itself. The time I have spent - and continue to spend - searching for music has led to continuous refinement & evolution of my ear for music. I believe the music a DJ plays should be reflective of the DJ, as to give the listener an honest and more human experience.
Musically, this mix is a representation of the emotions & sounds which I feel represents me as a person with the song sequencing highlighting the relationship between all of these feelings.
360 Degree of Black has a two fold meaning. On one hand, it simply represents the time-tested medium of which I chose to play my music on, vinyl. But more importantly, it is a representation of the deep, rich, culture of music which has been created, performed, and influenced by the people of the African diaspora, for through this lense is how I view the world.
Aside from the music, this mix also highlights ways of thinking which have shaped how I relate to the present day world and the feelings which are contained within this mix serve as an ambassador of Black cultures worldwide, with music being the universal language we can all understand.
Interested in the tracklisting? Shoot me an email and build with a brotha at BruceGeetz@gmail.com.

Blue Suede in Effect Mode

Check out our debut single as Blue Suede (myself & Chuck Daily).  Our EP, "Rappin'..." is dropping June 14th.

What is Hip Hop? Thoughts on the fly...

Hip Hop, to me, is not as much a musical style, as it is an approach to music, and a scope through which life can be viewed.  It is about natural progression, using what is around you as a vehicle for expression.  Often times we see folks talking about "real hip hop" and pointing towards something made in the mid-90's - that is nothing more than a signal of the inability to adapt to, and contextualize the present day world, using as fuel to continue moving forward (if something is considered "dead", why continue to cloak yourself in it?).

The musical traditions of Hip Hop started from dj's playing various genres of music (years before traditional Hip Hop records existed) and channeling the energy towards a common destination (a good time).

Now, Hip Hop as we see it being presented to us today from media outlets is just as worthy as being called such but is simply very limited in scope.  Just as there are many ways to prepare and cook some shrimp (word to Bubba), there are many ways to approach the creation of Hip Hop music.

Labels are made for selling.  Before a product is sold though, it takes a creative mind to bring it into existence.  So while I understand how things must be packaged and sold, when getting down to the crux of things we must realize that expression is foremost in art, thus the reason I felt the need to address what I believe Hip Hop truly IS at it's core.  After we know what something is, then we know what it can be, then it is the consumers choice to decide whatever  they like best.

The East Coast is warming up...so here's another mix...

I had a bunch of records laying on my bedroom floor after a few digging trips, beat making & listening sessions, so I figured I'd make a mix. No edits, no rehearsal, no pre-determined tracklist, 100% live on-the-spot mix (added a few vocal samples a few days later). Like Bambataa at the park jams in the early 80s, the styles of the music aren't what's important, it's all about the feeling. As a DJ I feel as if it is my duty to find and share good music with people. The music, in my opinion, should always be at the forefront, not the DJ, not any "tricks", just the music. Peace & Love.

Fabolous Counts - Get Down People
Ray Barretto - Drum Poem (Free Spirit)
Eric B & Rakim - I Know You Got Soul (Acapella)
Airto - Virgin Land
Angela Bofill - People Make The World Go Round
Escurinho e suas Pastoras - Escurinho
Manu Dibango - New Bell
La Charanga 76 - No Nas Pararan
Hedzoleh Soundz - Rekpete
Richie Havens - Girls Don't Run Away
Willie Hutch - Why Has Our Love Turned Cold
Ace Spectrum - If You Were There
Leroy Hutson - Love The Feeling
Quincy Jones - What's Going On
The Impressions - What It Is
Ramsey Lewis - Black Bird
Cloud One - Atmosphere Strut
Gary Bartz NTU Troop - Uhuru Sasa (Outro)

Que Beleza!

 Here is a taste of some Brazilian music from my collection.  All vinyl, recorded live.

Turn on and...

What's Really Good

Released this evening...

This EP conceptualizes the experiences in my growth as a person & artist up until this point.

Prints of the artwork will be available in a very limited run.

More of the good stuff

Back with our second mix under our Joint Chiefs of Jazz moniker, check it out:

Oh, so you like Jazz, eh?

Been a little while, but I'm back with a beautifully dusty jazz mix done by my good friend Steve and I, under the moniker, the Joint Chiefs of Jazz.

This mix crosses the board in regards to styles of jazz, but only contains one thing - good music.

Scroll down to catch the cover art & tracklist.

Enjoy.

New Release: "Mecca" EP

A short but sweet, 3 track EP, inspired by and conceived as a nod to the often overlooked emcee/singer/artist, Ladybug Mecca, formerly of Digable Planets.

I've done several remixes in the past of Mecca's verse from the Digable song, "9th Wonder (Blackitolism)", because it is favorite song/verse of mine.  Earlier this year, I decided to give it another go and  I dug the vibe of the new remix so much that I decided to go a step further, taking it from being simply a "remix" or "edit" and turning it into a new song, w/ the vocals rising and cresting within the current of the song arrangement, which is comprised of 2 movements.

Accompanying the title piece are two instrumental pieces:  "Those Rhythms" which is a deeply percussive track and "Check Your Time Piece" is a soulful, broken beat styled number.

Created with intentions of a release on 7" vinyl (fingers crossed), the short song times have a depth within the arrangements which I believe will have high replay value for the listener.

This project is a summation of many influences.  Musically speaking, artists such as Marcos Valle, James Brown, Herbie Mann, Madlib, amongst others, have all been influences of late.  Due equal - if not greater - credit are the recent events which have shaped my personal life, and I tried to communicate that through the music as well.

Respect due to Ladybug Mecca & all of those who helped me bring this project to fruition!

Credits:
Produced & Arranged by Bruce Geter-Richards
Cover drawing by Cory Bowman
Layout & Collage by Bruce Geter-Richards
Liner Notes by Charles Adams
"Mecca" contains portions "9th Wonder (Blackitolism)" performed by Digable Planets

New Release, "Trilla Soul"

First in a series of singles I will be releasing in during the year, Trilla Soul is an expression in audio of a game which I was born to love:  Basketball.

A mixture of grace, power, and personal style, the game of basketball is the physical embodiment of the gut-deep feelings that music channels through our ears.  As I've grown as a person, I've come to realize this relationship, and thus I have been able to better express myself and communicate with others (understanding -----> growth).  Verbal communication is the dominate, but not the definitive form of communication.  I do not believe there can be a definitive form of communication because I believe there are expressions which do not clearly translate between forms (visual, verbal, physical).  In the case of this single, I believe that the absence of vocals allows one to shake the constraints of words and their definitions, while concentrating more on elements of non-verbal, expression through sound.

Note:  From my point of view as an artist, I feel as if there is much fuss made in regards to describing contemporary music of the day.  Adjective after adjective, relations in sound to artists of the past ("take ____ , mix it with ____, and you'll arrive at the sound of ______"), and while this may work great for ramping up interest (attracting unfamiliar ears), I believe that ultimately, in an over-analytic world, this kind of meticulous definition does a disservice to the artist(s) in which it is trying to describe.

Jazzy

Spiritual, Free, and Brazilian...

A few highlights from a recent trip to NYC, courtesy of Good Records and A-1.

Harlem Bush Music is a trans-Atlantic homecoming...a joyful chorus shouting...an offering from man to nature...musically, a new world evolution of a spiritual people, centered on old world tradition.

'Coon Bid'Ness is an intensely soulful outing by avant reed man Julius Hemphill. Bluesy-free jazz with amazing horn work by Hemphill and side men Arthur Blythe (alto sax), Hamiet Bluiett (baritone sax), and Baikida E. J. Carroll (trumpet).

Heavy Spirits is another great LP in the Arista Freedom series. On side A, Oliver Lake's compositions are executed precisely by the musicians, without compromising any individual swagger. Side B stretches deeper into free territory: 3 songs feature Lake as one-third of a trio alongside 2 violins, each song telling a unique, short story, a solo Lake performance, and duet with drummer Charles "Bobo" Shaw end off an album that invites the listener to run it back again.

Maestro by Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Moacir Santos is a pleasant surprise in Blue Notes catalog. But don't expect a your average bossanova/samba affair. Santos takes us deeper with lesser-known Brazilian rhythms, yet still maintains an inviting sound.

Live From the Lo-Fi: Sessions @ The PM present "Constellations"

DIY record label, Sessions @ The PM, press records for the love.  And just about a month ago, I had the pleasure of meeting the two minds (or hands might be a more fitting description) behind this love.  A love for people, culture, art, music.

It all came together during a beautiful November weekend in which my good friend Steve Deneen (AKA the Mellow Drum Addict) had put in place a meeting of the minds for the recording of the 2nd group LP he envisioned under the Live Percenters moniker (himself and Philly's I-Be4Evr comprimise the mainstays of this ever evolving group) with the 3rd member this time around being Session @ The PM's own Physical Graffiti, hailing out of North Bergen, NJ.  Accompanying Physical for the trip to Lancaster was her comrad & soul-traveller (catch him when you can) brother Henry Quester.  Both Physical & Brother Quest are down-to-earth folk with a deep (and ever growing) appreciation for life & the arts, which was evident after the initial daps & late night rap session around Steve's dining room table.

A 7inch record rotating at a cool 33rpms, Constellations is comprised of 4 songs, each contributing it's own flavor & as a whole giving off a sense of - dare I say it again - love.  Love for the artform of Hip Hop (as well as music in general) & love for the people - on the corners, in the barbershops, record stores, punching the clock - wherever people may be who have a yearning for freedom, and know that gaining it means having respect & love for our communities and humanity as a whole.  That's the vibe I get after meeting this pair and listening to the selfless project they have released.

The selflessness I speak of is evident by the release of the project on wax.  In the year 2012, it isn't easy to drop a 7inch record (especially in regards to Hip Hop music. As 7inch releases are quite uncommon within our circles.) and to work it on the streets.  The streets? Yes, the streets, which all too often fall victim to the same ol' monotone descriptions of illegal activity, yet never seem to acknowledge the constant growth and evolution within the minds of its writers, thinkers, creators, movers, shakers; those of whom continue a long standing tradition of stirring the pot at the bottom, where the flavor lies most concentrated in life.  And it is here where brothers and sisters like Blu (Los Angeles), Physical Graffiti (North Bergen, NJ), Clear Soul Forces (Detroit), and Khaliq the Navigator (San Francisco) summon the energies which will lead us into new eras of expression - expression which is blossoming within the framework of a overly analytical society, yet comprised of the natural elements of life which have push us forward and never ceased to exist through time.

So that leaves us now at the music. I believe music speaks for itself.  No need for me to wax poetically about the reasons why you, the listener, should be listening to this release, using all sorts of adjectives as if the music stood only as art for art's sake.  But if I may digress ever so slightly, let me say this:  the 4 songs on this project each are unique, individual presentations, which together, represent a well-rounded whole.  Similar to the foundations laid down by master teachers such as Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Gene Ammons, each of whom used the tenor saxophone as their instrument of choice (each having distinct individual voices) to further enrich the musical landscape on which they stood, the artists who make up this release, represent the natural evolution of that lineage in Hip Hop form.  I think it is also important to note that the lo-fi sound of each song serves not simply as an aesthetic like so many of today's contemporary performers employ, seeking to package their contrived artworks to an underground market just as over-saturated as any commercial avenues, but one easily gets the feeling that this is expression at it's core - creating with the tools at hand to set up a dialogue with you, the listener, communicating the spirit of freedom which runs through us all, whether we are conscious of it or not.

Each copy of the limited release - 300 copies worldwide - was handmade by Physical & Quester.  That's love.

"Constellations"

That's where it all begins:  Henry Quester & Physical Graffiti - the minds & hands behind the Sessions at The PM brand and their latest 7inch EP release, Constellations.

Peace be unto YOU.

-  Bruce Geter-Richards

Copies of "Constellations" are only $10 to purchase and your purchase will go towards making more projects like this & other community based artistic endeavors happen in the near future underneath the  Sessions @ The PM banner.

Tracklisting:

Side A:

Khaliq The Navigator - Sunship

Clear Soul Forces - Strangers in The Night

Side B:

Physical Graffiti - Moments Spent

Blu - Mars

(For more information regarding the "Constellations" release, including purchasing a copy, or more info about Sessions @ The PM, contact sessionsatthepm@gmail.com.  For any other inquiries contact Henry Quester at artjazzandtimetravel@gmail.com, or Physical Graffiti at physicalgraffiti9@gmail.com . Also, for further insight, I'd recommend checking out the youtube pages here and here)

...and as a lil' treat for reading this, here is Khaliq the Navigator's, "Sunship", produced by 4AM, included on the "Constellations" release...

"...Singing sweet nothings on the Andy Williams Show"

Brazil's pop genius, Marcos Valle, breaking it down for the yankees...

Footin' It.

*cue music*

 

Lancaster, PA, December 1st, 2012.

Long Time, No See....

Still diggin, still writing, still working...

I put together a very short, but very sweet EP of instrumental tunes in the recent months, which will be released in physical form soon.  Looking forward to it's release, as it encompasses various influences, but more importantly, says something about myself.


Recent Record Finds:


Cannonball Adderley/Nat Adderley Sextet - Soul Zodiac LP ...(got a decent copy of this for cheaper than I ever see it, word Philly)

The Coolin' System - s/t LP ...(recommended to me by Case Bloom, DJ of many solid parties out in Philly...www.tucker-bloom.com

Charles Earland - Freakin' Off LP ...

Dollar Brand - African Space Program LP ...

Joseph Jarman-Don Moye featuring Johnny Dyani - Black Paladins ...(killer afro tinged free-jazz joint from 1980, recorded for an Italian label, by members of the Art Ensemble of Chicago)

Elaine Brown - s/t LP ...(On Motown's very short lived Black Forum imprint, not what you'd expect to hear from a Black Panther Party member - but a good viewpoint of how diverse these brothers and sisters truly were - but very good)

Ear Boogies (3 Picks for the Day)

Herbie Mann Afro-Jazz Sextet + Four Trumpets "The Common Ground" (1960) A great early Afro-jazz release by Herbie Mann. The B side really shines on this record. The band gets deep into the rhythms of Africa with "Uhuru", then ease a bit more jazz into the mix with the subtle power of the Dizzy Gillespie staple, "Night in Tunsia", and then bring it out with the intensity of the title track, which swings in a way Sir Duke would be proud of.

Herbie Mann Afro-Jazz Sextet "Common Ground" at Discogs

Art Blakey and the Afro-Drum Ensemble "The African Beat" Powerful drumming. And not just in a physical sense, but a spiritual one as well. Not too long ago, the great folks over at the Roy Ayers Project wrote a nice article, so I linked yall to it.  

"The African Beat" article at the Roy Ayers Project

Gato Barbieri "El Pampero" Live, unrehearsed, and alive with spirit! Drummer Bernard Purdie, bassist Chuck Rainey, and percussionist Sonny Morgan, sit in with Gato (along with 2 of his regular band mates, Nana Vasconcelos, percussion & Lonnie Liston Smith, piano) and fly!

Gato Barbieri "El Pampero" at Discogs

Talkin' Square Biz to Ya

Square, square, biz.