My esteemed associate Mike Paradinas (a.k.a. µ-Ziq) brings us this very interesting mix of what he tags as Juke/Ghettotech /Footwork /Ghetto House /Chicago House. Basically what the kids are dancing to in Chicago and other points in the midwest. Sez the man himself:

Here’s what I’m excited about right now. A mix of Footworking tracks from Chicago. Footwork has hyper syncopated rhythms, sub-bass, offbeat tom fills, triplets and pitch manipulated pop samples; it takes a while to reprogram your brain, but it’s worth it. This sound has evolved over the decades from Chicago House, Ghetto House, and is part of Juke.

Leave it to a Brit to pluck the best of an American phenom (again) ! I often think that rock music has utterly failed for at least the last 20 years to be any kind of irritant for the older folks, but here... well that’s a different story all together. I’d like to believe that this music would likely drive most people over 30 completely batshit. And that’s an excellent thing !
 

 
Richard sez : “That music is the precise intersection between Steve Reich and Larry’s Theme by Grandmaster Flash!” Sounds about right to me…

 
The wonderful Tracii Macgregor at Gargamel Music hepped me to this latest project put together by New York hip-hop DJ/producer/scene-vet Rich Medina. Like any device, the mash-up/remix can yield a good amount of garbage (Gaga vs. Bieber, etc.), unless the sources are well-chosen and assembled.

It hardly gets better than pop king Michael vs. Nigeria’s Afrofunk prez Fela Kuti—much has been made of how Fela and James Brown mutually influenced each other, so the R&B/Afrofunk connection is hardly a surprise. Medina’s put together 10 rounds of it for The King Meets the President in Africa, which is downloadable for free. Unfortunately, the videos below are uncredited—if Rich did these as well, I’d consider him even more of a badman talent than I already do.
 

Thriller vs. Zombie from MJ Fela on Vimeo.

Billie Jean is Shakara from MJ Fela on Vimeo.

 
Yes indeed, it’s time again for me to pimp some o’ my own wares here on the DM. The lovely and talented Hometapes imprint, the label which released my first solo LP, Neighbor Singing a few years back, has announced an August 24th release date for my latest psycho-delic art-rock LP entitled Natural Selections. That’s the cover image up there, a photo of my boss son, Julian who also sings a tune of his own creation on the LP. Have a listen to one of the cuts below if you wanna.

 
Founding member of the Kinks, bassist Pete Quaife, who played with the band until 1969, has died. Quaife suffered from kidney disease for many years.
 

 
Original Kinks Bassist Pete Quaife Dead at 66 (Rolling Stone)

 
I do not like her, Sam-I-am.
 
Let it be no secret I loathe Lady GaGa. Sorry, Richard.
 
Thanks, Marc Campbell!

 
Here’s an astounding clip of theatrically-leaning electronic producer/performer Kevin Blechdom (also a past collaborator of mine, truth be told) showing off her considerable vocal prowess in a spot-on yet original take on Tim Buckley’s deathless hymn “Song to the Siren”. Superb !

 
Bonus clip (couldn’t resist): Tim Buckley his own self playing said song on The Monkees final TV show in 1968

 
Get Gentlemania by Kevin Blechdom
 
thx Dominique Leone !

 
And difficult listening hour continues today with British free jazz giant, drummer Tony Oxley. Being a pioneer in the introduction of electronics and found objects into the standard traps, the man is a self contained orchestra. This however doesn’t stop him from being an MVP collaborator with the likes of Cecil Taylor and Anthony Braxton. The below clips of the man in typically furious action cause your humble blogging muso much happiness, I must say.

 
Tony Oxley - Ichnos (1969) (jizz relics)
 
It Cuts Through: A Tony Oxley Mixtape (Dark Forces Swing Blind Punches)
 
Derek Bailey previously on DM

 
Super creepy video for Felix Da Housecat’s “Madame Hollywood,” directed by Guy Sagy.
 
Everybody wants to be Hollywood
The fame, the vanity, the glitz, the stories
 
Thanks, Marc Campbell!

 
Bogota duo Bomba Estereo started out in 2005 comprised of multi-instrumentalist/producer Simón Mejía and singer Liliana Saumet. As the infectious “nu-cumbia” sound started making waves around that time, groups like B.E. have become its young, largely educated face. They’ve become a full band that’s currently on worldwide tour.

As shown by clip #2, the tropical bass scenes currently burgeoning throughout West African and Latin America (along with their European diasporas) are not going unnoticed by global marketing agencies.
 

 
Once again Tony Coulter has drawn my attention to another lovely gap in my knowledge of obscure 80’s post-punk Belgian no wave prog something-or-other music. Des Airs, who released only one E.P. were a co-ed affair, the distaff portion being especially notable for boasting vocalist Catherine Jauniaux of Aksak Maboul (about whom, more later), The Work, etc. and bassist/vocalist Fanchon Nuyens who would later go on to form Zap Mama. The first clip below starts out as a slovenly take on of all things an appropriately perverse Peter Cook and Dudley Moore song! What could at first be written off as a novelty tune turns seriously funky at around 2:30 when the drunken waltz groove turns itself inside out. Surprising ! The second clip is another spartan and funky no wave workout from the same E.P.

 
Des Airs- Lunga Notte E.P. (La Folie Du Jour)