Miami’s already more than a fortnight back and we’re slowly but surely getting back on our feet with tons of newies to be featured on our Miami Special Pt.2 thereafter talking about nuttin’ but aural delites. On the image front, feel free to check some of the pictures we’ve taken over there on our M3 Gallery. Then we’ve renamed our In Da (Audio) Mix section, going for some more explicit title under the DJ’s In Da Mix name with two contributions respectively from Chicagoan Julius the Mad Thinker and Toulouse based Lea Lisa, who also happens to open our newly launched DJ’s On Da List section. As for our editorial team’s concern, expect new names to appear very soon incl. NYC multi activist Peter Reyes by the end of this month. And, as hedonism doesn’t have boundaries, new sections dedicated to the pleasure of the mouth ! Isn’t life that beautiful for f*** sake ?

Props to Franck Roger widely contributing to this with his rework of Blaze ‘Most Precious Love’ with a damned silky touch thus having this title being our Single Of The Week for the second time.

ISSUE#91

MIAMI SPECIAL Pt.II

Time now to embark on our Miami Special Pt.2 report with what to be reminded as some of the essential tunes of this year’s Florida gathering. So what you have to do is simply sit back, have a check, then eventually shop at your favourite store.

Dunno about you peeps, but apart from the already released ‘Somethin’ Wit Jazz’ and ‘Love Will’, respectively by Mr V and Stephanie Cooke, I’ve found it quite hard this year – as our Swiss pal Michael Fossati of spiritofhouse.com - to find a cut really above the rest. Could it be because of the scene being so diverse and somehow… divided with fans firmly hanging on to their heroes as opposed to taking the opportunity they had to look out for some different vibes ? Or because, the quality level has undoubtly reached a few steps higher, havin’us being torn between too many things worth to mention ??? Maybe both of those realities at the end of the day. This being one of the reasons of having us taking some x-tra time before delivering this column. And believe this, although you may not have heard of many of the references therafter anywhere else, the ones we’ve decided to get your attention to are absolute and timeless must haves and I couldn’t help myself deeply thanking those who’ve honoured us while feeding our appetite.

As one would guess in those times of drastic change, we’ve been given an increasing amount of CDR’s this year in comparison to vinyls this year, many of them eventually featuring short snippets as opposed to full versions, following here a path which would be opened quite a while ago by Masters At Work. Talking about their traditional bag of newies, it has been limited to its simplest expression featuring a 5 track vinyl sampler and the usual yearly CD mix assembled by Albert Cabrera. Works worth the attention including the hypnotic ‘Let’s Get Jazz’ by Louie Vega featuring Mr V and the much awaited MAW featuring Vikter Duplaix ‘In The Real World’ on the vinyl and a whole bunch of awaited newies on the CD featuring the latest, the brilliant ‘Life Ain’t What It Seems’ by Sterling Ensemble featuring Sara Divine, the recently released ‘Free’ by Stephanie Mills on Expansion, the seducive Jennifer Lopez’s ’Get Right’ and the ultra sensuous and classy ‘Amazing Love’ by Anane.

The Blaze presents UDAFL Keep Hope Alive project is obviously doing pretty good with current and forthcoming releases on different labels. Firstly as a whole on SuSu label (could it to be that remix concept on which rumours have come to our ears), on its homelabel (King Street) with the latinesque title track featuring the sweety Dawn Tallman. Not to mention the numerous remixes of ‘Most Precious Love’ on Defected including a top class contribution from Franck Roger on what is to be our current Single Of The Week. As for their West End label, expect forthcoming goodies by the likes of Steal Vybe (on the atmospheric tip with ‘Odyssey’) some soulful vibes by Mr A.L.I. the winner of this year’s WE competition with the cool and friendly ‘Thinking Back’, the most awaited ‘Sunshine’ by Aid To The SoulLess featuring Latrice Burnett which we happened to talk to you a year ago while being given a copy of it by Julius The Mad Thinker, Ginger House featuring Pegy on a Sade-like vein with ‘Sewing Seeds’ and the retro discofunked feel ‘A Love Mystery’ by Passaro.

2005 looks like in the footsteps of 2004 for Jellybean label with an impressive list of forthcoming hot tunes from the solid ‘Lift Up Your Hand’ by Xodus featuring Dawn Tallman and the subtle ‘Reachin’ by Instinct featuring Kenny Bobien both retouched by B.O.P. to the Afro Cubanised ‘Ven Y Baila’ by. Jellybean featuring Leah & Innersoul. Meanwhile NJ label Soul Groove steps into the jazz influenced territory with the smart ‘It’s Alright’ courtesy of Soul Creation featuring SuSu Bobien.

On the heavyweight front, also gotta check out Kerri Chandler’s new works incl. the much sout after ‘Bar A Thym’ on a quite hypnotic vein, meanwhile Dennis Ferrer who’s currently putting the final touches to his awaited debut long player on Sfere has taken some time to ‘sensualize’ the soulful and vibrant ‘Life Everlasting’ by Glenn Lewis featuring Mjojo & Bongani on Funk La Planet. Not to mention Joe Claussell (also due to drop his first LP this year), with the magnificient ‘Simple’ to be released any time now by NYC defunct Dubspot record shop owner, Makoto Ki on her own label.

Another ones of our favs, Quentin Harris drops the tribally Easternised M’Bifo using his Epod post production guise on Fall Out before adding his typical approach to Trina’s soulful ‘Joy’ on Restricted Access. Meanwhile expect the names of Blvd East & Lou Gorbea + the one of Eric Frazier aka EWonder to appear amongst the most serious contenders around due to the quality of their current and forthcoming works, as shown on our Tennerz thereafter.

It takes only 4 to 5 hours by bus to go to King Britt’s hometown (Philadelphia) and the ride is worth to be done with our man as inspired as ever. For those in search for sensuous vibes, his rework of Ellie Perez ‘La Vida’ is an absolute model of the genre, as emotive as his relifting of ‘Our Time’ by Scuba featuring Lizz Fields. The ones turned onto those balearic sounds championed by Jose Padilla may well find their happiness while listening to his brand new version of ‘Warm Summer Nights’ by – you’ve guessed it… - Chic !!! And if that wasn’t enough, he’s also updated the classic ‘War’ by Edwin Starr turning it into some other piece of fine art, before giving some extra plaintive emphasis to the late Curtis Mayfield’s ’Little Child Running Wild’. Ooh my man, Britt, you’re da king !

Crossing the US from East to West is by far another affair, having us giving a visit to Charles Spencer’s Loveslap! Label who, alongside David Harness looks set to provide us with jazzy chillin’ abstract house vibes including the phonky ‘Taboo Jazz’ blended with a light drop of post disco influences + the frantic electro synths based ‘Dance Now’ on his own.

From the Paradax stable, we have the ‘12 :30 am Dub Project’ dealing with raw vibes but first and foremost the friendly ‘It’s A Moody Thing’ by Soulato’s alongside Bernard Harris who happens to be one of the most exciting vocalist around as also demonstrated on Jesse Outlaw’s current ‘Love You So’ on Chicago based label Eargasmic. The same label dropping the hypnotic and jazzy ‘Man On Fire’ from the ‘Puzzle Project EP’ by The Enigma enlighted with lush xylophone parts. Not that much in comparison alas to expect from Anthony Nicholson’s Necessary Phazes LP on Track Mode apart from the opening ‘Thinking Of You’ on this typical USG vein. Meanwhile his former partner, Ron Trent, drops the 2^nd installment of his Ital Foods guise on Atal music on a cool dubby atmospheric groover called ‘Dub Life’ ready to find its niche at François K.’s Deep Space sessions.

We gow now further North and cross the Canadian border up to Toronto, where King Sunshine hails from. A 10 piece band reknown for his backups for various top noted artists, going now on its own with its debut single. If geared towards jazz house, then check out the infamous Extended Remix of ‘High On You’ courtesy of MSM label head Andy Roberts, meanwhile you may already expect other works of their to be release later on on West End Records. Ending now our North American trip with a last stop in Montreal, where jojoflores’s Gotsoul label drops a funky gem by the likes of Ashen & Walker featuring Shaun Escoffery delivered with remixes by Fred Everything (to me the best one) and Miguel Graça. Sister label Jamsteady dropping its 7th and 8th eponym volumes. The first of’em featuring the gorgeous ‘Sunrise’ by Norah Jones full of sensuous appeal, the familiar ‘Rofo Part Revisited’, given an Afrobeat feel courtesy of Trevor Walker and the ultra soulful ‘On Jones Street’ whereas you may recognize Grace Jones’s voice with that infectious trumpet bridge widely speaking for itself (as a matter of fact, none other than a sample of the best remembered 'Street Player' by Chicago). As for Jamsteady#8, it’s features various versions of Vivian Green’s vibrant ’Emotional Rollercaster’ as revamped by Osunlade at the top of his art. Ppfew !

South Africa is by no doubt the last (fast) emerging country on the production front, not to mention the launch of their first Conference right after Miami, with activists such as Brothers Of Peace, DJ Fresh and others such has DJ Mbuso with the compact ‘Golden Life’ on Soul Candi, Brett Jackson & Orion’s ’Nocturnal Sight’ the keys parts of which are reminders of Playin’ For The City’s previous works and Black Coffe as shown on our Tennerz. A subject we’ll give you further developments about with the help of YFM’s broadcaster Greg M in the near future.

Amongst the most prolific (and inspired) producers for some time, UK producer Sir Piers provides us with another slice of beauty with the help of Los Amigos Invisibles and Shaun Escoffery on the classy and effective ‘She’s Gone Away’ awaited on May 9 on Curious Records.

Hot on the heels of his debut album released by the end of last year, Needs member Lars Bartkuhn has extracted 2 cuts out of it to put’em on a limited 12’’ edition incl. the awesome ‘Discover The World’ lookin’ set to take the latin jazz house dancefloors by storm (Needs). Meanwhile Double Beat goes straight psyche jazz on ‘Caught In The Act’ and The Dining Room drop another piece of delicious cool tap dance on the cool & jazzy ‘No Problem’ as retouched by 7 Samurai (Schema).

Expect more to follow in the weeks to come. MFSB

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MIAMI 2005 TENNERZ

BROTHERS OF PEACE Sikukhuzile (advance)

Oh man, I guess I’ve never met people as genuinely talented and humble as those people hailing from South Africa, from DJ Fresh to Greg @ YFM and this collective better known as Brothers Of Peace. And what another lesson of known how they provide us with here with this traditionally sung delicate stomper

JOE CLAUSSELL Simple (advance)

Not too sure about the way you spell the title. Nevertheless, can’t help thinking about this new piece of atmospheric heaven due to appear some time on defunct NYC Dubspot record shop owner’s label according to what Melting Pot NYC resident Kervyn Mark told me.

BLVD EAST featuring CHARLIZE Take Me With You (advance)

Life is hopefully made of those good surprises when you happen to meet someone you deeply feel connected and vice versa. It’s exactly what occured a year ago when Blvd East and NYC Ashé DJ/producer Lou Gorbea came to know each other From this has resulted a sampler of their common works that the latest gave me in Miami and you’ve gotta believe this the threesome have really got what it takes, as most brilliantly demonstrated on this gorgeous slice of silky intimate jazzy soulful groover and it’s far from being the only one on display. Watch this pace !

NORAH JONES Sunrise - Jason Barham Therapy Dub (Jamsteady)

From the Jamsteady series #7 of the likes comes this absolute sensuous gem by jazz rising star Norah Jones with additional work by Canadian newcomer Jason Barham

INSTINCT featuring KENNY BOBIEN Reachin’ – B.O.P. Remix

(Jellybean/advance)

Expect another drop of serious juice to come out of the Jellybean stable this year as shown on their Miami sampler featuring the ever active Kenny Bobien at his peak on this subtle and percussive groove reworked by B.O.P.

JESSE OUTLAW featuring BERNARD HARRIS Love You So (Eargasmic)

Without a doubt, the best production coming out of Chicago, courtesy of the association between producer Jesse Outlaw and singer Bernard Harris taking us on some simple and fluid but soulful affair.

MIKIEL Say It Ain’t So (Slaag)

A somehow dark atmospheric jazzyphonk affair, the effect of which aptly suffering the comparison with works from both Carl Craig or Ron Trent if not somehow King Britt, courtesy of NJ producer Eric Frazier. A name that we’ve definitely added on our chat search list.

GLENN LEWIS featuring MJOJO & BONGANI Love Everlasting (Funk La

Planet)

Quite an aerial soulful affair this is with the help of Dennis Ferrer. Let the emotion flow.

BLACK COFFEE Happiness (advance)

Another piece of absolute atmospheric soulful delight which I happened to be provided with by South African producer Thato Silkwame aka DJ Fresh as a part of the Sheer Music/Soul Candi Sampler. A shiny melody over a cool groover with positive lyrics.

GROOVE JUNKIES featuring INDEYA Musc’s Gotcha Jumpin’

(MoreHouse/Advance)

From the MoreHouse Miami 2005 6 tracks sampler, a directive jazzy swing along with a retro disco/funk feel melted with clever breakdowns dubbed with filtered effects. In other words, fusing the right elements to rock the floors.