So, a little behind schedule but here’s the next in our ‘Live at The Jazz Meet’ mix series – a two part mix from London’s music don Dayo Adewuyi. After his well received mixtape a few months back, we finally got him to agree to pop into The Shoreditch for a late evening set a couple of weeks ago, and boy did he deliver! Known for his selections that span the whole musical divide, he served up two hours of deep jazz, boogie, hip hop and even a little house, most of which was completely new to us! We serve up the mix in two parts, the first of which is a pretty much a straight ahead (heavyweight) jazz affair, whereas the second part he dipped into his OTHER bag which was full of killer tuneage from across the musical spectrum. A touch of hip-hop from The Roots and KMD, a little soul, disco and boogie from Collage and Barbara Mason, and even some early 90’s deep vocal house business from Roqui, The Burrell Brothers and Mr Fingers! As is customary when Dayo drops us a mix, he’s also meticulously compiled his own set of notes on each track, including full credits and a little about each track below. So give them a read first then wrap your ears around the full set below. It really a proper selction of tracks.  Thanks for listening.
DAYO’S COMMENTS
1. Silk “Secrets”
Midnight Dancer LP | Label: P.I.R (US) | Year: 1979
A stunning tiny jazzy scat snippet off an always in demand Philly album that also contains the leftfield soul classic “Love’s Gonna Get You In The End”, one of the trailblazers for acid jazz!
2. Michael Gregory Jackson “When We Got There”
Karmonic Suite LP | Label: Improvising Artists Inc (US) | Year: 1978
A truly captivating guitar solo piece with a “spacey” feel. Many thanks to Gilles Peterson for introducing me to the music of MGJ – a protege of Oliver Lake – via the ultra-beautiful Brownswood Basement gem, “Clarity”.
3. The Visitors “Reflections (On New York City, Everything Is Everything)”
Neptune LP | Label: Cobblestone/Buddah (US) | Year: 1972
A brilliant collage of scat and avant garde. Earl & Carl Grubbs – cousins of John Coltrane – make up The Neptunes. Their fast paced version of “Naima” – also on the aforesaid album – was versioned by 4Hero a few years back.
4. Michael White “Journey Of The Black Star”
Pneuma LP | Label: Impulse/ABC (US) | Year: 1972
I’ve secretly loved this ‘sleeper’ since randomly buying the album purely by chance (if I’m being honest) in Soul Jazz (Ingestre Place) in 1996 [when I heard the “Blessing Song” being played to a customer in the shop]. The repetitive EEEYAAH EEEYAAH vocal bit does my head in every time!!
5. The Benny Bailey Quintet “Victoria Blues”
How Deep Can You Go? LP | Label: Harvest (SWE) | Year: 1976
I’ve been going through a Benny Bailey phase of late. He’s a bit underrated as a ‘leader’ in my humble view. This is very lovely Modal Bop! The line up – which mainly consists of swedish jazz musicians – also features the late Red Mitchell.
6. Henry Butler “Music Came”
The Village LP | Label: MCA/Impulse (US) | Year: 1987
This Modal Piano Jazz piece sounded so nice (again) at the Jazz Meet gig. Classic! Great line up – Ron Carter (Bass), Jack DeJohnette (Drums), Alvin Batiste (Clarinet) – as well!
7. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers “Hank’s Symphony”
The Jazz Messengers LP | Label: Columbia (US) | Year: 1956
I’m really loving my 50s Jazz at the minute. It’s amazing to discover the amount of quality jazz stuff that came out in that decade spearheaded by the likes of Drummer Art Blakey and some of his then support band – Donald Byrd (trumpet), Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone), Horace Silver (piano) – who all went to become prominent jazz artists in their own right!
8. The Novi Quartet “Secret Life”
Novi In Wonderland | Label: Saba (GER) | Year: 1968
This is another jazz “scat” classic that’s been enjoying a massive revive with me again. I played it at Weegee’s Fickle Formula gig in December last year. It takes me back to the early 90s and getting hooked on that whole ‘Exotica’ vibe. Billy Brooks is on drums and Zbigniew Namyslowski on saxophone. Big Music!
9. The Ensemble Al-Salaam “Traces Of Trane”
The Sojourner LP | Label: Strata East (US) | Year: 1974
I remember mentioning this track on the Brownswood forum a few years ago; it’s in my top 3 Strata East Classics of all time (and that’s really saying something, let me tell you!!). The bit where the flute kicks in drives me nuts every time!!
10. Hugo Heredia “El Beto”
Mananita Pampera | Label: Cote d’Azur (FRA) | Year: 1976
Proper flute-led Jazz Dance vibe with a mind blowing drum solo to boot. It also features the great Horace Parlan is on piano! BIG MUSIC!
11. Jimmy Cobb “Pistachio”
So Nobody Else Can Hear LP | Label: Contempo Vibrato (US) | Year: 1983
I was subliminally reminded of this classic after Gilles Peterson (who else?!?) played a 50s Frank Minion jazz track on his radio show and mentioned that Drummer Jimmy Cobb was in the line up. This is great feel good (vocal) jazz with a lovely – Freddie Hubbard – trumpet solo!
12. Alphabet Soup “Girl You Got A Grip”
Akirfa Recordings E.P (US) | Year: 1991
I’ve been revisiting a lot of groundbreaking early 90s ‘Native Tongues’ hip hop moments again. Alphabet Soup should have been big but A Tribe Called Quest beat them to it. The whole EP was massive with the underground hip hop fraternity at the time – and is highly sought after now (the Japanese bootlegged it a few years ago if memory serves)! Love the bit at the end of this tune where they deftly utilize snippets of Pleasure’s – “Sassafras Girl” – Rare Groove Classic!
13. The Baron Von Ohlen Quartet “Pinnochio”
The Baron LP | Label: Creative World (US) | Year: 1972
A fantastic rendition of a Wayne Shorter composition (originally recorded by the Miles Davis Quintet of which Wayne was a member). This swings very nicely indeed! Jazz heads always cite the lovely jazz vocal – exotica-esque “Runaway Heart” as THE track on the aforesaid Baron LP. But “Pinnochio” & “Teregiversation [The Whistle Tune]” have always been my personal favourites!
14. The Roots “Silent Treatment [Street Mix]”
Geffen Records 12″ (US) | Year: 1995
This is arguably my favorite Roots tune. It’s laid back Dubbiness sends me every time!!
15. The Harris Simon Group “City Lights”
Swish LP | Label: Jazz International/Eastwind (US) | Year: 1985
I was minded to pull out this jazz dance classic again after hearing “Factory” (also on the album) on Gilles’ first ever legal broadcast show hosted up on the Brownswood board recently.
16. KMD “Plumskinz [Instrumental]”
Elektra 12″ (US) | Year: 1991
Yet more classic ‘Native Tongue’-esque moments from the early 90s. I’ve always loved this!…and it got a good reaction on the dance floor as well! Love the way it samples Bobbi Humphrey’s “Blacks and Blues”.
17. Ullanda McCullough “I’ll Just Die”
S/T LP | Label: Atlantic (US) | Year: 1981
And moving away from the jazz influenced sounds into Boogie territory starting off with a Nick Ashford (of Ashford & Simpson fame) tribute to honour his passing a few weeks ago (RIP). “Bad Company” is the well known track on the album but the one I’ve included was always my ‘secret’ fave back in the day. Emotional Music!
18. Collage “Move In Time”
Get In Touch LP | Label: S.O.L.A.R (US) | Year: 1983
A big underground Boogie classic in the early 80s from one of the lesser known acts on highly acclaimed S.O.L.A.R Label. BIG TUNE!
19. David Mc Pherson “You Can’t Stop [Traditional Instrumental]”
SAM 12″ (US) | Year: 1982
You just can’t beat that classic Boogie sound of the 80s. Proper good groove!
20. Sweet Thunder “What’s The Sound”
Horizons LP | Label: Fantasy/WMOT (US) | Year: 1979
Just thought to sneak in a bit of Underground Philly Disco as well! Bad track!!… even if I do say so myself! Tunes like this always remind me of growing up in the late 70s! Sweet Thunder – then – featured amongst others Booker T Newbury III who went on to score a hit with the classic – “Love Town”.
21. Barbara Mason “World In A Crisis”
Transition LP | Label: Buddah (US) | Year: 1974
Another underground Philly Disco classic. I played this – and the Neptunes track at the front of my set – in honour of all the victims of 9/11 (seeing as the Jazz Meet gig fell on the day of the 10th year anniversary of the twin towers terrorist attacks). Poignant and very apt lyrics.
22. Roqui “I’ve Just Begun To Love You”
Nu Groove 12″ (US) | Year: late 80s (not stated).
And from Disco I moved to its errant cousin – House!…kicking off with a little Burrell Bros tribute suite. I’ve always loved this one! It morphs nicely b/w shades of Disco/Boogie and Soulful House. Big Music!
23. Bas Noir “Addicted 2 Luv”
ah…bas noir LP | Label: Atlantic (US) | Year: 1992
The Burrell Bros & Kerri Chandler share production duties on this album [but the Burrells produced this one]. I have Norman Jay to thank for introducing to this early 90s deep house classic back in the old days. It sends me every time!
24. New York House n’ Authority feat. Cynthia Abraham “All You Need”
S/T LP | Label: SBK Records (US) | Year: 1990
Love love love this! Emotional left field Vocal House music. Always reminds of all those early Mr. Fingers productions. Speaking of whom…
25. Ron Wilson “Prove It To Me”
Alleviated 12″ (US) | Year: 1990
Of all the tunes I played, this Mr Fingers (Larry Heard) produced early 90s gem was probably my ‘tune of the night’ (and that’s really saying considering that ALL of the tracks that I played are/were firm faves of mine). Proper (emotional) Soulful House music!!
26. Aretha Franklin “Just My Daydream”
Jump To It LP | Label: Arista (US) | Year: 1982
And speaking of Soul, I was glad I was granted time to drop a few…! This Smokey Robinson penned – Luther Vandross produced tune is one of my Aretha faves of all time. Tear-Jerking (emotional) music!
27. Smoke City “Cafe Francois”
I Really Want You LP | Label: Epic (US) | Year: 1985
This little beautiful jazz tinged Soul gem had a few people coming to booth asking for track info. The whole album has long been a fave of mine: it’s full of 2-Step, Modern Soul & Boogie classics. Highly recommended!
28. RJ’s Latest Arrival “I’ll Always Love You”
Truly Yours LP | Label: Manhattan (US) | Year: 1988
Yet more emotional Soul music that I’m loving all over again. RJ’s Latest Arrival had a few minor hits on the underground R&B and Boogie scene in the late 80s (all very collectable). This ‘wailer’ moves each time!
29. Michael White “The Blessing Song”
Pneuma LP | Label: Impulse/ABC (US) | Year: 1972
So, I was all set to wind down my little soul selection with a Jeff Floyd track when my mate Wall-e came up to me request Michael White’s “The Blessing Song” and seeing as I had it in my bag (i played a track off the album at the front of my set), I duly obliged. Great Gospel Jazz!
30. The Impressions “Mighty Mighty Spade & Whitey”
The Best Impressions LP | Label: Buddah (UK) | Year: 1970
I finished off my set with some [civil rights] socio-political sentiments.
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*thanks for listening and all the feedback. Much appreciated!
TRACKLIST / STREAM
PART 1
1. Silk – Secrets
2. Michael Gregory Jackson – When We Got There
3. The Visitors – Reflections (On New York City, Everything Is Everything)
4. Michael White – Journey Of The Black Star
5. The Benny Bailey Quintet – Victoria Blues
6. Henry Butler – Music Came
7. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – Hank’s Symphony
8. The Novi Quartet – Secret Life
9. The Ensemble Al-Salaam – Traces Of Trane
10. Hugo Heredia – El Beto
11. Jimmy Cobb – Pistachio
12. Alphabet Soup – Girl You Got A Grip
FILE UNDER: Jazz / Avant Garde Jazz / Modal Jazz / Dancefloor Jazz
PART 2
13. The Baron Von Ohlen Quartet – Pinnochio
14. The Roots – Silent Treatment [Street Mix]
15. The Harris Simon Group – City Lights
16. KMD – Plumskinz [Instrumental]
17. Ullanda McCullough – I’ll Just Die
18. Collage – Move In Time
19. David McPherson – You Can’t Stop [Traditional Instrumental]
20. Sweet Thunder – What’s The Sound
21. Barbara Mason – World In A Crisis
22. Roqui – I’ve Just Begun To Love You
23. Bas Noir – Addicted 2 Luv
24. New York House n’ Authority feat Cynthia Abraham – All You Need
25. Ron Wilson – Prove It To Me
26. Aretha Franklin – Just My Daydream
27. Smoke City – Cafe Francois
28. RJ’s Latest Arrival – I’ll Always Love You
29. Michael White – The Blessing Song
30. The Impressions – Mighty Mighty Spade & Whitey