DJ Stylus – The Vibe Conductor

Since Tami is dropping heat rocks left, right and all over the place, it seemed like a good time to take it back.

We did this project in ‘05 after we did an EP in 2003. She wanted something to hustle at WMC that year and it worked better than we could have anticipated.

The Alice in Wonderland theme was Kat’s idea. Ed handled the interlude segments (lady on the Metro = Ed’s mama, Metro conductor = Ed) and I recorded all of the re-envisioned takes on some of our favorite beats at the time then assembled it in mix form. Listen for early versions of the big records that Tami is now known for.

Tamara Wellons – Tamara in Wonderland

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

[download: mixed | unmixed ]

1. Ferry Ride (reprise) feat. Naima Jamal
2. Caught Up
3. Hold Me
4. Don’t Change
5. Can’t Be Found
6. Blue Skies
7. All This Time
8. Oh Well
9. Free
10. Moonwalk (acapella)
11. Like Rain feat. K’Alyn & Black Picasso
12. And So….

So yeah, Meistro’s back from Nigeria and it’s his birthday. Seems like a fitting time to get the three amigos together again.

Sol Power! Afro. Latin. Brazilian. House. Disco. Funk.

With DJ Stylus, Meistro and Deep Sang.

Samba whistles, shekeres and cowbells welcome. Sweat to the rhythms of Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico & West Africa.

Saturday, Oct. 24
Dahlak
1771 U St, NW (18th & U)
Washington, DC
21+
NO COVER

And as an extra bonus treat, here’s the last hour from when we rocked in June.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

[download]

Of course the homie went digging on his trip. Make sure you check out Meistro’s mix on Soul Strut putting some of those rare treats on display.

DJ Stylus at Little Miss Whiskey’s Golden Dollar
1104 H St. NE, WDC
Saturday, Oct. 10
10pm – 2am
NO COVER

There’s no sign. Look for the purple lights and the friendly ID checkers at the door.

When you hit the bar, make sure you order “The Awesomeness”. Thank me later.

It was on smash mode for my first stint there. It’s time for a re-up. Actually, here’s some evidence from the scene of the crime. Thanks to The Couch Sessions, The Black Snob, Qool DJ Uncle Q and Brightest Young Things who originally posted these mixes.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

[download Part 1]

Tigercity – Other Girls
Little Dragon – Constant Surprises
Sergio Mendes – Yes, Yes Y’All feat. Black Thought, will.i.am & Chali2na
King Britt presents Sylk 130 – All The Way Live feat. Capitol A
Blackalicious – Make You Feel That Way (DJ Eurok Kenyatta Mix)
Ohmega Watts – Platypus Strut
Alice Russell – Somebody’s Gonna Love You feat. Quantic
N.E.R.D – You Know What
Chromeo – Opening Up (Ce Soir On Danse)
Dayton – The Sound Of Music
J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science – Inferno feat. Lunar Heights
Speedy Consuela – Sukka Suited
Estelle – Star
David Bowie – Let’s Dance
Tortured Soul – Enjoy It Now
PPP – Dirty Secrets
Digital Underground – Kiss You Back
X-Clan – Funkin’ Lesson
Wale – Good Girls
Ryan Leslie – You’re Not My Girl
Restless Soul – Turn Me Out feat. Shea Soul & Motet
Skillz – (For Real) He Don’t Own Me
Ty – Sweating For Your Salary
Robin Thicke – Magic (Mark Ronson remix) feat. Wale & Mary J. Blige
Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (Opolopo remix)
Q-Tip – Manwomanboogie feat. Amanda Diva
Cameo – Rigor Mortis
Rare Essence – Body Moves
Chuck Brown vs. Jackson 5 – Chucky Baby/ABC (Illo Rework)
Jamie Foxx – I Don’t Need It feat. Timbaland
Cheri Dennis – Portrait of Love feat. Yung Joc
Prince – 17 Days
Shannon – Let The Music Play
George Kranz – Dinn Daa Daa (dub)
Sygaire – Deux Mille Deux
Amy Winehouse – In My Bed [Bugz in the Attic Vocal Mix)
Anane – Let Me Love You (Masters At Work Mix)
Mr. V – Put Your Drink Down
Omar – It’s So

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

[download Part 2]

The Roots – The Seed (Live On BBC Radio One’s Worldwide)
Bloodfire – Funky President (Yes We Can!)
War – Galaxy
Fela Kuti – Shakara
DJ Gregory – Block Party
Nathan Adams & Zepherin Saint – Circles
Enya vs. Stevie Wonder – Master Blaster (Foremost Boadicea)
Huey Lewis And The News – It’s All Right
The J.B.’s – Funky Good Time
Outkast – Morris Brown
Sleepy Brown feat. Big Boi – Margarita
Outkast feat. Sleepy Brown – The Way You Move
Che Grand – Sex Shooter remix feat. Apollonia
Status IV – You Ain’t Really Down (Acapella)
Prince – Raspberry Beret
Bill Withers – Who Is He (Henrik Schwarz Edit)
Wham! – Everything She Wants
The Jacksons – Blame It On The Boogie (live in Amsterdam)
The Jacksons – Blame It On The Boogie
Michael Jackson – I Can’t Help It (Tangoterje mix)
Stevie Wonder – Another Star
Louie Vega Featuring Raúl Midón – Cerca De Mi
Bah Samba – Tired Little One (Yoruba Soul Vocal)
Michael Jackson – P.Y.T.
Bugz In The Attic – Booty La La
Janelle Monae – Lettin’ Go
Jazzanova – Look What You’re Doin’ To Me feat. Phonte
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam – I Wonder If I Take You Home
Junior – Mama Used To Say
Hall & Oates – I Can’t Go For That
Doobie Brothers – What A Fool Believes
Aretha Franklin – What A Fool Believes
D’Angelo – Spanish Joint
Jussara Silveira – Adalgisa
Bah Samba – Don’t Let Them Get You Down

Available through all the usual online outlets.

We gave the record a test drive on WPFW last week.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

You should download this because:

- Summer’s winding down and you want to squeeze as much out of it as possible.

- You’re having a house party and can’t afford a DJ.

- You miss Meistro, who’s been in Nigeria all summer.

- You need something to hold you down until the three of us can do this again.

- You’ve been feenin’ since I posted up part 1.

- You need to cut loose to some raw dog afro-funk.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

[download]

Thank you DC.

Jamil and I were feverishly preparing for this non-stop from the time we got the heartbreaking news. In his words:

“Preparing for this gig was like getting ready to preach your daddy’s funeral.”

So many of you were looking for something that could help you manage the grief and we needed you there to help us manage ours. The turnout overpowered any possibility of ventilation but you all hung in there. The funk of 40,000 years for real!

Here’s our entire MJ memorial service that ran to almost 5 hours total.

part 1 [download]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

part 2 [download]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

part 3 [download]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

part 4 [download]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

part 5 [download]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Not just a perfectly crafted and executed song, but a real sentiment for all of us born in the ’70s. Even as we watched him deteriorate before our eyes – physically and spiritually – we just figured one day he’d turn into a swirl of dust and vanish like in the vid for “Remember The Time.”

I don’t yet have the words but my virtual and real worlds are populated with those who speak for me.

Michael Jackson And The Five Stages of Grief – Thembi

My Hero Ain’t Molest Them Bitch Ass Kids: Phonte’s teary-eyed tribute to The King – Phonte Coleman

For Michael – Bassey Ikpi

In Memoriam Part 2: Michael Jackson – Long Live The King – Scorpeze of Windimoto

MJ R.I.P. – Hua Hsu, The Atlantic

Gone Too Soon – nOva, SoulBounce.com

I Can’t Help It – Harlem, SoulBounce.com

We Love You, Michael, Always. – Ill Mami, SoulBounce.com

All I could do yesterday when I finally broke away from the Twitter wake was head to the designated gathering spot for times when things of black import go down (U Street) and try to process with friends.

Shortly after, the real obsession began. I greeted the sun this morning without sleep, having spent the entire night whipping my Michael Jackson discography into shape. I did the same for James Brown, for Dilla. As we are essentially musical evangelists, it’s a DJ’s sacred duty in times like these to canonize our musical heroes output and feed it back to the faithful in a way that maximizes the boost to the spirit.

We’re going to be ministering to the flock for a long time on this one. Please do it with verve, creativity and an avoidance of cliche. So many of our icons are plagued by personal demons, the way to balance it out is to expose as much of the beauty as possible. And since Michael’s catalog is so deep, there’s epic beauty beyond the obvious hits.

I’ll have to return to this, it’s just too much to absorb now. Download these, then holla at me and the homie Jahsonic at Marvin on Monday.

6/25/09 – Soul Controllers & LSP remember the King of Pop on Decipher
(89.3 FM WPFW, Washington DC)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

You missed it and you’re kicking yourself. You were there and you want to relive it. You need the perfect soundtrack to your outdoor summer gathering. You’re welcome.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

[download]

See what I did there?

Anyway, after the spring pledge drive, I did a bit of traveling so I haven’t been on the show for a while. Here’s where I make it up to everyone.

6/11/09 – WPFW 89.3 FM/Decipher

Jake One feat. Elzhi & Royce 5′9″ – Glow
Jay-Z – D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)
Mos Def – Pretty Danger
Diamond District – I Mean Business

*break*

Fashawn – The Outer City
Theory Hazit – Time Turning

*break*

DJ Spinna – Summer Madness
Spec Boogie – Bed Stuy
Reflection Eternal – Back Again

*break*

Mos Def – Casa Bey
Diamond District – Make It Clear
M.O.P. – Blow The Horns

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Some months after I first felt moved to spread the word about Nicholas Ryan Gant, he asked me to add some flourishes to a mixtape project he was working on with a west coast hip-hop theme.

It was probably just in time because homie’s becoming a hot property along with the talented company he keeps. You’ll find a few rising nu-soul favorites in the tracklisting below along with some familiar names.

This project also marks the milestone of 50 mixes now available for download on VibeConductor.com. (w00t!)

And even though Nick might not find it as amusing as I do, I’m posting the gag cover that was replaced by the official cover above. Maybe he can be convinced that it’s a good look.

There’s an unmixed version for DJ’s and iPod shufflers. Otherwise, enjoy it mixtape style, where mixing actually takes place, which is not guaranteed in this modern lazily assembled compilation mixtape era.

1.Hittin Switches intro
2.What?
3.Good Thing
4.Incantory Tranquility ft. Labtekwon
5.Make It Right
6.Ode to Nate Dogg
7.Miss the light
8.My Switch ft. Muhsinah
9.Livin Life ft. Queen Godis
10.I Ain’t Ready ft. Amma
11.West Coast Connect
12.I’m Willin’
13.Gangsta Defined ft. Bilal Salaam
14.Unknown ft. Jesse Boykins III
15.Do What You Want
16.Don’t Call Me
17.The Past Outro

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

[download: mixed | unmixed]