Enuff said about the bad thangz that have occured during the Conference and time to get the best out of it in terms of music which has appeared right there, from Treena Rose and her cover version of Michael Franks then Natalie Cole's classic "Tell Me All About it" to Blaze and Glenn Underground's new corkers to appear on MAW Records and the likes. Not to mention those who've honoured us while giving us a sample of their most recent works, for an extensive and better comprehension of the whole thing…

IN DA MIX (House, Garage & Other Illicit Grooves)

This issue # 46 brings us straight to the epicenter of this year's WMC' which has gone to its end last week. Tons of tunes around as you may expect from which we deliver here a very first selection…

If anything has had an instant impact during that famous week in Florida, I would quote without a single doubt "Blue Blackness" which is nothing but a stunning revamp of the 1983 Michael Franks penned song reinterpretated two years ago by the silky Natalie Cole on her Ask A Woman Who Knows album for Verve. Who's Alan Smithee ? This honnestly I dunno as I ain't got any answer, neither for what CMAW (signing one edit) stands for. Nevertheless, the result is top class as is Treena Rose's cover of the like with a George Mena production awaited for an official release on Jellybean Recordings in the weeks to come. La classe, indeed as is the new Louie Vega featuring Blaze song called "Love Is On The Way" scheduled for a release in May on Vega Records, according to Kevin Hedge has said to me during the Conf'. Instant (good) karma guaranteed as are the new Eric Kupper's reworks of the already anthemic "Fall In Love" by Tortured Soul on its original version (Central Park). Meanwhile, Chicago's new Resonance collective head of Ron Trent + Arahm Lee have secured to enrole the aforementioned's lead singer Justin Matthew on the magnetic "Fantasy" scheduled for official release right before the forthcoming Detroit's The Movement festival by the end of May, according to what Sancsoul Records founder Dorian Smith has recently told us.

We are firmly decided to put DC on the map, has also said the man who happens to be the head of the much respected DC Sanctuary. This with the help of some consistant releases in the weeks to come including Big Moses & Soul Mecca featuring Thi-Lai's "Love Dance", Curtis Lee featuring Lady J's "Beauty" and DJ Oji featuring Sande's "Paradise". Not to mention Glenn Underground featuring Jessica's "Fly Away" already on stores.

GU has definitely much on offer these days on this unique but versatile style that has made his reputation, beginning with Matt Hughes featuring Swaylo's "Slowly" on an cool jazzy soulful funk groove twisted with some afro elements with the help of a kalimba (Kenlou). Our man goes even a couple of steps further into some abstract deepness on his "Archives EP" for Eargasmic , including an instantly recognizable tribute to Larry Heard called "Storm Raiders". Also got a chance to have a listen to Anthony Nicholson's latest featuring Ugochi that Glenn has played during his set for the aforementioned label at Miami's Blue and can tell you that this thing called "Don't Stop/"You Can Make It"" is another absolute slice of beauty (Circular Groove Distribution).

Although both hailing from the Big Apple area, TQC aka Tyrone 'The Mixologist' Francis, Quentin Harris and DJ Camacho drop a pure old school Chicago sounding groove entitled "That's Love" finding its place inbetween Funky People's much remembered classic of the name and some Larry Heard/Mr Fingers works (Slaag) that might well cause the buzz in da weeks to come…

In the so called Jazz In The House field ? Look out for more from L.A.'s 9 piece band The Soulplanet Jazz Ensemble featuring Hayali with the magnificient "Is It The Way (U)" on their own Soulplanet Recordings imprint. Another not to be missed tune from this ultra talented band definitely worth to check live as they go to your area !!! Meanwhile, The Wisemen deliver the heavy "Sax Man" on a more "techy" perspective (Mi Casa Records). The vets of you may remember a certain Narada Michael Walden for his enormous amount of work as an artist but also a producer (for his wife, Wanda, for Stacy Lattisaw, Margie Joseph or Sister Sledge to name but a few in the eighties). Well it looks like our man has founded his own label – Narada Jazz – under the Virgin umbrella, signing amongst others Down To The Bone, whose new track "The Flow" is on some equally organic vibes before receiving the remix treatment of Agent K and Mr Gone as an antipasto to their new album called Cellar Funk to be following and guess what : it's dope.

Leavin' you on some cooler vein to recapture your breathe before next week's new selection. If you're into those lazy kind of grooves that Detroit's Moodyman Jr, Theo Parrish and the likes enjoy to champion now and then, well better check out The Rotating Assembly's newest three tracker called "Natural Inspirations" produced by the latest on his own label (Sound Signature). Meanwhile DJ Spinna signs a nu masterremix in his impressive series, giving a bit of extra rhythm, fluidity and magnetism to the lush Lizz Field's "I Gotta Go" song. And ya know wot ? Dis is exactly what I'm gonna do right now.

More to follow next next week.

Peace,

MFSB

ALAN SMITHEE In Blue Blackness (white) / TREENA ROSE Tell Me All About It (Jellybean Recordings/CD-R)

LOUIE VEGA featuring BLAZE Love Is On The Way (MAW Records WMC'2004 promo-pack)

LIZZ FIELDS I Gotta Go – DJ Spinna Mixes (ABB Records)

TORTURED SOUL Fall In Love - Eric Kupper Remixes (Central Park/promo)

ULTRA NATE Feel Love - Mixes (Chillifunk/CD-R)

RON TRENT & ARAHM LEE w JUSTIN MATTHEW Fantasy (Sancsoul/CD-R)

GLENN UNDERGROUND w MATT HUGHES featuring SWAYLO (Slowly/Kenlou/promo)

ANTHONY NICHOLSON featuring UGOCHI "Don't Stop You/You Can Make It (CGD/CD-R)

TCQ That's Love (Slaag)

CLAUDE MONNET presents MONICA NOGUEIRA Infancia Magica (Mixture/CD-R)