I began compiling the songs for this mixtape at the beginning of 2020, letting the playlist shift and grow over three tumultuous years. This is my “ultimate” mixtape; one that covers the formative decade of my childhood that began a half century ago (concentrating on the early 80s), and focuses on Black legends in the genres of R&B, jazz-funk, disco and boogie during the final period of analog recording.
Category: Funk
1989+33 Premonition
“Premonition” (1989) is a dance pop song, incorporating aspects of hip hop and jazz funk. It was recorded late at night in demo fashion, and included on my DIY album Nerve. The lyrics consist mostly of cliched phrases, satirizing the end-times though giving way to an urgent chorus. The instrumental track was created entirely on a… Continue reading 1989+33 Premonition
90/30: Eccentricities
Eccentricities is a six-song, self-released cassette EP which emerged in the fall of 1990. I recall having 100 copies made and being satisfied with that level of dispersion; it was all I could afford in any case. In honour of the 30th anniversary, I present two of the songs here (with a third linked below).… Continue reading 90/30: Eccentricities
Twenty Tens
As a farewell to the decade when music collections and manual selection became niche, here’s an old-fashioned segue mix. Ìfé | Bangah (Pico y Palo) Georgia Anne Muldrow | Overload Ibeyi | River D’Angelo and The Vanguard | Really Love King | Red Eye Thundercat | Them Changes Erykah Badu | Gone Baby, Don’t Be… Continue reading Twenty Tens
Otherwhere
British responses to Black diasporic music, and other sounds from formative walks in SSM and Toronto, via a recollection of refrains, harmonic worlds visited and the journeys between Omar | You’ve Got to Move Working Week | Inner City Blues The Brand New Heavies | Dream On Dreamer Colourbox | Philip Glass Young Disciples |… Continue reading Otherwhere
Best of 2016
Childish Gambino “Awaken, My Love!” (Glassnote) Vicky Chow A O R T A (New Amsterdam) King We Are King (King Creative) Laura Mvula The Dreaming Room (Sony · RCA) Holly Roadfeldt The Preludes Project (Ravello) Solange A Seat at the Table (Saint · Columbia) Esperanza Spalding Emily’s D+Evolution (Concord) reissues · remasters · restorations · box sets… Continue reading Best of 2016
Boogie Dedication
The Salsoul Orchestra ft. Loleatta Holloway | Seconds Linda Williams | City Living Stephanie Mills | You Can’t Run from My Love Esther Williams | I’ll Be Your Pleasure Odyssey | Inside Out Pleasure | Nothin’ to It Unlimited Touch | I Hear Music in the Streets Kool & the Gang | Steppin’ Out Prince… Continue reading Boogie Dedication
All These Things
Taiguara ft. Hermeto Pascoal & Wagner Tiso “Samba das Cinco” F major, final chord: D-flat major Bebel Gilberto “Samba da Benção” (backing track: Amon Tobin “Nova”) D-flat major Esperanza Spalding “Ponte de Areia” D-flat major Aline Morales “Como Pólen” F-sharp minor Airto Moreira “The Happy People” F major, transition on G minor Banda Black Rio… Continue reading All These Things
Spring Affair
Peter Brown | Without Love Deniece Williams | How’d I Know That Love Would Slip Away Táta Vega | Mr. Troublemaker Greg Phillinganes | Lazy Nina Ronnie Laws | All for You Patrice Rushen | Music of the Earth Michael Wycoff | Looking Up to You Herbie Hancock | Stars in Your Eyes (Special Disco… Continue reading Spring Affair
Best of 2013
Eve Egoyan – 5 Philip Glass – Visitors Kuniko Kato – Cantus R. Andrew Lee – November Laura Mvula – Sing to the Moon Omar – The Man Quadron – Avalanche Thundercat – Apocalypse Hans Zimmer – Man of Steel Best archive/reissue: Sly and the Family Stone – Higher!
EL MAHBOOB 