**Stone City Band Endorses 420**

As we all know you can be the greatest singer songwriter in the world but if your backing band sucks you might as well be on your knees slupping it up also*
Case in point Rick James never left home without the Stone City Band which he hand picked in 1978 to exclusively record & tour with him. The band's nickname became "The Bad Boys of Punk Funk & Roll" which is well deserving because they kicked out tracks for just about every R & B Funketter & disco princess at their hottest point in their career.
This song is called "Freaky" from the "Boys Are Back" Lp. Other top notch cuts on the album include a cover of the Kinks "All Day All Night" & a laid back song about an encounter with a Rasta while vacationing in Jamaica called "Ganja". How can you say no to that!!


1982 Grammy Awards:Give it to Me Baby w/Rick James

**Is Little Shawn Still Pissy Drunk??**

I remember when Little Shawn dropped his first single on Andre Harrell's Uptown Records in the early 90's called "I Made Love(4 Da Very 1st Time)" which was a ode to gettin' freaky with the young lady T's.
Anyways he was one of Puff Daddy's hand pick artist that he signed to the label. He was also an in-house ghost writer for the majority of the artist on Uptown MCA.
A little bit up the road Uptown released "Dom Perignon" & we haven't heard from Lil Shawnski since.
Last I read of Little Shawn he went to prison & became a Preacher.

***Recession Proof Music***

Wow..Crown Heights Affair really hit it on the nose with this song. "Don't Need Alot Of Money" is a sign of the current times >> a six pack, a boomin' system & dancing feet and we'll all do just fine!!
I'm into their sound which is a combo of the end of disco slash start of the 80's synth slap bass boogie R & B motif.
Little$$ = Get On Down!!

**Mandrill is not Just A Monkey**

Mandrill is a centerpiece group in my mind when it comes to bands that transcend the usually 60's fusion of funk afro latin jazz bands of their time.
They formed in Brooklyn in 1968 by brothers Ric, Lou and Carlos Wilson, all of whom were born in Panama & raised in the Bed-Stuy. Mandrill got it's name from the colorful primate the Mandrillus Sphinx which is closely related to the baboon. They never became superstars but they certainly had their legion of fans who were into their eclectic spacey sound.
I'll just say this, I met one of my best friends when I was Djing at Bob's Salon in the Lower East Side of Manhattan a few years ago. I was playing funk breaks & someone comes up to me to discuss what I was playing, the second I mentioned Mandrill it turned into a classic explosive instant Dj bonding moment.
They're great like freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.
Here's a clip of them on Soul train performing "Hang Loose"

**Gianni Nazzaro is kinda Trippy in a Casino Lounge Singer Type of Way****

I recently moved, what a bitch!! Anyways about a month or so before I had to start packing my records I got on a archiving mission via Serato. To make a long story short I went to check out my boy Dj Mojo the Original Black Punkula at Trash bar in Brooklyn one night, outside of the bar there was a pile of records that were thrown out along with speakers, an old chair & a lamp. I stuffed my messenger bag with as many records as I could, alot of the vinyl was Latin & Italian music from the 60's & 70's. I don't know much about Gianni Nazzaro but what I do know is that he's a hell of a crooner!! Apparently he was a big deal in Italy. This is one of the songs from that find off Nazzarro's Lp. I'm sure he was a ladies man as well judging from the tux he's wearing in the clip I found of him. The video is from 72' & he's singing one of his "bigger" hits.

Phreek Plus One & 2 & 3 & 4!!

I'm guilty of not buy new music!! But there's one exception to the rule & that's house/re-edit 12''. Phreek Plus One was a birthday gift from my boy Dj Chris Catalyst & to tell you the truth records are the best gift period! The groups name reminds me of a song out of the Patrick Adams/Peter Brown P&P situation called Phreek With Me, BAD ASS RECORD!!! Anyways the song I dig out of the 12'' is "I Love You"on the Compost Black Label....Frosh!
check'em out here!!
myspace.com/phreekplusone

Claudia Barry Is Better Than Marion Barry..

Claudia Barry is the sultry disco voice of reason. I've always enjoyed her take on the music, she never sounded cheezy to me & that's rare for a 70's disco artist because of the fact that everyone who made music then has at least one song thats over the top. Enjoy!!

Edwin Starr Runs For 25 Miles..

I've always loved Edwin Starr's music from his early soul up to his funky stuff. For some time the Hell Up in Harlem soundtrack has been a cornerstone in my 70's cinema collection. The thing that's welcoming about the tracks on this album is that there's alot of smooth conga playing going on, very foxy! He was still working on music as recently as 2002 remaking his biggest hits War & Twenty Five Miles which to me is a total rug-cutter! He passed away from a fatal heart attack April 2nd 2003.
Read more on Mr.Starr>> werd!!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Starr

:::Fireworks of The Mind!!!:::July4th '08 w/Dj's:: Alfreako & January 1963::

A Lusty Affair in Crown Heights

I've always loved the Crown Heights Affair for their gallant attire on their album sleeves as well as their incredibly incredible disco soul ways. One track stands out in particular on the "Think Positive" Lp = "Wine & Dine You". It explains itself clearly!!~~Enjoy til next time!

Here's what Wikipedia has to say.

Crown Heights Affair was an R&B / funk / disco group from New York, founded in the early 1970s. Originally known as Neu Day Express, the group took their new name from a district of their native Brooklyn, and consisted of Phil Thomas, William "Deadbeat Dad" Anderson, Howard Young, Bert Reid, James Baynard, Raymond Reid, Muki Wilson and Raymond Rock. Signed by RCA they recorded a self titled debut album in 1974.
Personnel changes followed, along with a shift to De-Lite Records, the then home of Kool and the Gang. The record label's subsequent liaison with Polygram Records saw the group gain worldwide audiences for singles such as "Dreaming A Dream", "Every Beat of My Heart", "Foxy Lady", and "Dancin'".
"Dreaming A Dream" hit Number one on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1975, (plus Billboard Hot 100 #43); and they topped out at #2 on the dance chart later that year with "Every Beat Of My Heart" (Billboard Hot 100 #83). In the UK they made the Top 10 in 1980 with "You Gave Me Love".

Trivia::De-Lite Records offices/studio was located right above what is now know as RockStar Bar in Williamsburg Brooklyn's Southside. Kool & The Gang recorded out of that studio around the same time::Thanks for the scoop Lupe Loop!!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Heights_Affair