It's not a problem that I can't fix, coz' I can do it… IN DA MIX

Yo, yo, yo, yo ! The goal is to know where and who we are and it's coming. Very proud to see you In Da Mix getting a wider exposure from a week to another, seing Espen Wiik's radio1.no in Norway and Michael Fossati's spiritofhouse.com in Switzerland in addiction to kingstreetsounds.com in NYC + deepsoundsradioshow.com, sounds-up.com and daphonics.com in France. Also very proud to have a regular enthusiastic feedback from you.

Thanks for your newsletters, always good to hear what's rocking the boat on the other side of the Channel ! (Charlie, Vinyl Junkies, London 04/30/03)

So wassup ? Well, on my way to Detroit this week where I'll spin for an off-side party. Yes, you got it : the festival ! Nope, not the DEMF, as it's now over, but The Movement (see the full line up on www.movementfestival.com). Useless to say how excited I feel to see my Motorcity pals, two months on after the WMC' in Miami. Let's just hope that we won't see hailstones falling on our headz like two years ago ! But before going further, let me reproduce for U the following statement that has been recently sent to me by Nicole @ groovedj.com :

At the heart of the effort is a guerilla-in-the-grassroots button campaign that will help ensure the long-term future of one of Detroit's most important summertime music festivals.

For US$3 festival goers receive a one-of-a-kind button and for US$1 they can purchase a Movement 2003 sticker. The items identify the wearer as a proud supporter of what many know as a positive cultural event critical to the growth and development of Detroit. Buttons and stickers will be available for purchase at area stores and businesses throughout Metro Detroit, or they can be purchased directly from www.movementfestival.com . So be cool, get your button and spread the word about them too…

In Da Mix is not only growing in terms of exposure (thanks to the aformentioned) but also in terms of editorial as we welcome this week our first guest : a true activist who's made himself a name while focussing on the brit scene and also my room mate @ Coda Mag with his Nu Groove column… MFSB

You are doing a great job bro. It makes a difference. Thanks for giving the good information as well as the good quality music. Peace, (DJ Oji, Baltimore, 05/14/03)

Most of those who were privileged enough to get to Miami for the Winter Music Conference only have three letters comin’ outta their mouths : MAW ! Yes, Masters At Work keep on setting up the pace, as their releases impress everyone . Especially Louie Vega's nu protégé, the hispanic blind singer Raùl Midon with the much sought after “Cerca De Mi” on Vega Records. While Kenny Dope is preparing his side a soul/hip hop double album with Jazzy Jeff and his Touch Of Jazz production team, his other very special treat is the re-mastered long player from the mythical jazz/funk combo Manzel to be released on his own Dope Brothers imprint.

Another shining star at the moment is the soulman Messiah from Detroit, Dwele. His first official LP (after an infamous bootleg that has been circulating on the CDR market for about three years now ) named Subject, led by a killer single, the undeniable "The Truth" (Virgin). Let’s hope his music — a sensual and universal soul with a shade of hip hop — will transcend the underground audience and touch a wider audience !

Dear oh dear, what a lovely surprise. You put things on the map. Good thing that people like you and me can find some good info around. Wicked wicked. (Espen Wiik, Radio 1 Norway, 05/09/2003)

On everyone’s lips on the brtish side of the Channel are Bugz In The Attic. Check out their supersonic reinterpretation of Jazzanova's "Mwela Mwela" (JCR), but also the brand nu version, "Zombie 2003" ("Zombie" + "Loose Lips" drum pattern ) by Seiji from Fela ‘s classic. Nine minutes of madness, finally out on Bitasweet label after the three minutes version from the Red Hot & Riot compilation relased last year on MCA/Barclay. Another masterpiece out of the Bitasuite HQ being their absolutely ballistic funkadelic work on the singular voice of Macy Gray (alongside remixes by 88 Keys, Jay Dilla and Blaze) on “When I See You” (Epic). Let's end up the Bugz casew ith a nu moniker seaming to attract all the headz attention : DKD aka Dego (4Hero), Kaidi Tatham (and Daz-I-Kue on the mixing front). The pure dancefloor smasher (big on the Plastic People sound system at the firin’ Co-Op parties in London) is the stunning "Got Me Puzzled", a appropriate title for a deep mothafunkin’ tchoon !

After only two little jazz/funk 7 inches on Omniverse, Visioneers, aka Marc Mac, Hopper and Somati (the 4Hero team without Dego !) change up their mask for their third assault, with the far out jams entitled "Disney On Acid" and "Rubber Feet", not that far from the psychedelic rock of Led Zeppelin ! Til a new chapter of this retro-futuristic band gets out of the blocks, the next long awaited album from the miraculous Dollis Hill studio vaults should be a double CD comp of their finest remixes.Two volumes of an historical anthology divided between their own remixes made for other artistes and those made by others on 4Hero’s repertoire. 4Hero who keep pushing the envelope — this time around on a disco/funk tip — to reinvent the concept of today’s dance music with the monumental remix of french duet Shade Of Soul's "Give In To Me" for parisian label Sunny Side. The aforementioned later later awaited on Marc Mac’s nu label. Twisted Funk, with a new composition of their own.

Meanwhile another great british soul band is ready to rock the dancefloors under the name of Reel People with the X-tatic "Can't Stop" track delivered with a Dennis Ferrer's relifting on Papa Records. Watch dis space as their debut-LP is at its recording stage.

Talking of one of UK's greatest hopes, saxophonist extraordinaire Nathan Haines works hard with Phil Asher and his Restless Soul crew on a much sought after second album on Chilli Funk. A project that features legendary soul diva Marlena Shaw (check out the current 12") and some nu blood from the camp like West London’s very own crooner Marcus Begg, also involved in the superb sound of Ne-grove (with Leroy Smith) called "Believers". A contagious song that let us expect a surprising first album from some of the original dons of the mysterious so called Ladbroke groove, out near the end of this year on Pure Filth records. IRIE

NU GROOVE HOT 10

SHADE OF SOUL featuring MARYLIN DAVID Give In To Me — 4Hero Remix (Sunny Side)

BUGZ IN THE ATTIC Zombie 2003 (Bitasweet)

RAPHAEL SAADIQ Sky (Can You Feel Me) Yam Who edit (Yam)

ALLISON DAVID Dreams — Afronaught Remix (Universal)

THEO PARRISH Motor City/Ugly Edits 3 (white)

DKD "Got Me Puzzled" (2000 Black)

DOMU featuring ALEXANDER Won’t Let Go (Arizon)

REEL PEOPLE Can’t Stop (Papa Records)

BAKURA Razmatazz (Especial)

NE-GROVE Believers (Pure Filth)

IN DA MIX TENNERZ

CLAUDE MONNET presents MONICA NOGUEIRA Ken Goes Brazil Pt.2 — (Ssoh)

JAQUÉ Keys Of Life (Jellybean Soul)

FUNK LA PLANET You Gave Me Love (Funk La Planet)

SHADE OF SOUL Give It To Me – 4Hero Remix (Sunny Side/CDR)

LOUIE VEGA featuring RAÙL MIDON Cerca De Mi (Vega Records)

HARRY ROMERO featuring ROBERT OWENS I Go Back (Subliminal)

DJ GREGORY Elle (Faya Combo)

Ms ALTO Taste The Wine (Slang)

JULIEN JABRE Paixaõ (Elias)

RITON Club Loney (Flooprplay)

This week's playlists come courtesy of deep house creator Larry Heard, newly formed Upskirt Records' head of Gripper, US mixstress now head of Bitches Brew label, DJ Cosmo and parisian record store 12inch.

COSMO (BITCHES BREW)

COSMO PRESENTS CH’I featuring BILLIE GODFREY “Mistaken (Bitches Brew)

YOKO ONO Walking On Thin Ice — FKEK Vocal Mix (White)

MOLOKO Forever More — FKEK Vocal Mix (Echo)

DJ GREGORY Elle (Faya Combo)

BARBARA MENDES Got To Be In Love (Wave)

GOLDFRAPP Train — Ewan Pearson 10inch Dub (Mute)

IZZI DUNN Fire : The Mixes (Fireworx)

TIDAL Upstream — Bugz in the Attic Remix (Disorient)

JULIEN JABRE Paixão (Elias)

REEL PEOPLE Second Guess — Blaze Remix (Papa)

LARRY HEARD (ALLEVIATED RECORDS)

JODY WATLEY Whenever (Peace Bisquit)

1050 EAST with CHRIS DOCKINS Wide Open (Diaspora Recordings)

LOUIE VEGA featuring RAUL MIDON Cerca De Mi (Vega Records)

TREVOR LOVEYS Elevate Your Mind (Freerange Records)

MONSIEUR CHARLES Light Of The Sun (UCMG)

THE MOVERS Love ­— Cosmic Spiritual (LifeLine)

JEROME SYDENHAM & KERRI CHANDLER Winter's Blessing (Ibadan)

3 GENERATIONS WALKING Midnight Bustling — Francois K. Remix [Spiritual Life)

ATELEWO Chimes Of Freedom (Irma)

Q BURNS ABSTRACT MESSAGE This Time — Remixes (Slip'N'Slide)

GRIPPER (UPSKIRT RECORDS)

AFRODISCO featuring CAROLYN HARDING Strength (Afrodisco/Yellow)

S.U.M.O. Don't You Love Me (Seasons)

ROY DAVIS Jr Love's Light — Smith + Davenport Remix (Jamayka)

HUGO MADRID Sol Afrique (Upskirt)

SOUL HAZE featuring KEITH THOMPSON - One More (Nu Faze)

STACY KIDD Jazzy Days 2 (DTX)

JULIUS PAPP Salvation EP (Large)

ABDOU MBOUP Nobnala (Soundmen On Wax)

BRENNAN GREEN Scallion's Philosophy (Modal)

JIM DELL Funk That ! EP (?)

12 INCH RECORD SHOP (PARIS)

RSL Wesley Music (Subtub)

BLACK JOY Untitled (Project)

KEMIT SOURCE Bor Dlan — I:Cube Remix (Versatile)

THE DETROIT EXPERIMENT Album (Planet-E)

VARIOUS The 3 Chairs (3 Chairs)

RED ASTAIRE Follow Me (GAMM)

J.A.M. Number One (Jam)

MU Chain Girl (Let's Get Back) (Tigersushi)

GLENN UNDERGROUND Look Inside (Shelter)

TERRI WALTER Ching Ching — Restless Soul Mix (Def Soul)