Secretive like SBTRKT all available pictures of Gerry Read are blurred. Not much info available on Gerry except the fact that he's a 18-year old
producer/multi-instrumentalist
from the UK. His first (?) EP Patterns, in the vein of Joy Orbison's Hyph Mngo, was released on Dark Arx in 2010.
This new dirty soulful chopped up Theo Parrish inspired track below is already getting airtime from Gilles Peterson among others. We'll definetely keep an eye out for more to come from Mr. Read.
01. Gerry Read – All By Myself
02. Gerry Read – Evidence
03. Gerry Read – Come To Me
04. Gerry Read – We Are
05. Gerry Read – Legs
06. Gerry Read – What A Mess
Sarajevo born Toronto based rapper Elmnt hooked up with two Beathearts' favourites Slakah the Beatchild and Dutch producer Franklin Samuel Groen a.k.a. FS Green. Apparently Elmnt and FS Green hooked up online. Elmnt found an FS Green instrumental online, laid down some rhymes, put it online and FS found it the next day googling himself and hooked up. The excellent soulchoped boombap track Looking 4A way is what came out (so far). It's available now via Bandcamp. Check it!
"Like Floating Points said to us, we redefined the edit and turned it into an artform"
Last week we got in touch with Andy Williams a.k.a. Yam Who? The man behind the (for a long time) secret team that turned reworks into an artform. In our Beathearts rewind #29 of The Roots Break you off we promised you the full interview and here it is.
First off, we need to ask you who is Yam Who? Since we first heard of you in 2003 there were a lot of rumors around who's behind those amazing reworks floating around. We've heard the story behind the name inspired by a Jerky Boys cartoon character (Nam Who) but also heard that Desmond Morgan (Lil' Rico) is involved somehow. Could you set us straight?
Yes it was indirectly from the Jerky Boys and adapted from my surname Andy Willyam from a guy who I worked with a Reckless Records. I originally started the Yam Who concept 2002 until it blew up in 2002. Yam Who? is a now a live band and we have a new album out early 2012, totally killer!
One of the things that caught our attention with your first releases was the simple fact that you labeled them reworks rather than remixes. When we listen to the tracks you reconstructed we believe we understand why you chose that phrasing but is it indeed an intentional choice of words?
Well, like Floating Points said to us, we redefined the edit and turned it into an artform. It was quite intentional but much deeper than just a label. The music had to be completely without genre, the big we wanted the mystic, hence the question mark. The concept was not to reveal our identities but just let the music talk. Like most people we despised the music business with all the middlemen and still do. We wanted to take the DIY punk attitude and use that anger and apply it to beautiful productions. 10 years later were an independent company and are free to use the internet to sell directly, and release exactly when and what we want!
Another alias putting out slick reworks at the time was Blackbeard. Any relation?
Yes, good friends. We had an incredible night together called Uptown Safari.
Two of our favorite edits of yours are Hipnotic Are you lonely and Little Brother Make it hot. Two tracks that we definitely would have missed out on if you hadn't put our your edits. How do you chose the tracks you work with and is there a philosophy how you go about reworking a track?
Just being music fanatics from an early age. Its important to study and then being able to bring that history and knowledge into the studio. It's what stands the test of time and sets you apart, this leads to longevity. Theres definitely a philosophy to what we choose but I'd say in its basic form ie a strong vocal with say a guitar or piano...whatever. The sentiment of that song, it can be from any era, if performed and executed well, and youre in the right mood, it will hit you and that is all what matters...an amazing track will turn you on and brighten up your world.
Hipnotic - Are you lonely (Yam Who? re-edit)
Little Brother - Make it hot (Yam Who? re-edit)
In our minds, one of the greatest reworks of all time is your version of The Roots Break you off. It's an amazing song to start off with, but you somehow manage to take it to the next level. Could you tell us the story of how that track came about?
Hey its funny how much I get asked about this record. I really didn't think I could better the original, whereas the Raphael Saadiq track, Little Brother, John Legend, NDambi, its obvious what should be done. The only difference is the who's writing/producing/arranging. Alot depends on the country its made in, the decade, technology/economics etc
From what we hear your version of Break you off was only played on radio once (by Benji B on Deviation, BBC 1extra) never to be aired again and was never released. What happened?
It was going to be our second rework but for some reason one night I was talking about a record with my friend called 'Skyy Can You Feel Me' by Raphael Saadiq, we both loved this record like many people. I started messing around with it but I always thought it was too mellow and it just happened that this blew up and The Roots record was pushed to one side, then the whole Yam Who? thing just exploded.
Raphael Saadiq - Skyy can you feel me (Yam Who? spiritual rework)
Unfortunately the only version available of your version of Break you off is that talked over radio-rip. Is there any chance that you would put out that track (officially or as promotion) before hell freezes over? :-)
It came out on our first Back II Front compilation, very ltd!
Correct us if we're wrong but Back II Front was only released as a mixed CD with only a few minutes of Break you off right? Since we're on a mission to push underground soulful music that deserves more attention we're obliged to ask you if we'll ever get a chance to hear the track in its entirety?
Ok that's a fair point with Back II Front. I guess most artists/producers are always chasing the next goal so this track was left behind a little. One day perhaps we'll release as there's a lot interest. One fact, myself and Chaz Jankel (Ai No Corrida fame) made the music which gives in that timeless quality.
Did you ever get any feedback from the Roots crew? We mean, they're usually quite openminded and one would think they'd also like for your hommage to meet a larger audience?
There are so many reworks/edits from you around that we're guessing many of them are unofficial at least to start off with? Which was the first rework/edit you put out?
N'Dambi 'Call Me'.
N'Dambi - Call me (Yam Who rework)
Which was the first official remake you got paid for?
The first paid remix was probably Xantane Blacq 'Search For The Sun'
Who are your inspirations today? Records/tunes that have recently blown your mind?
This changes all the time..were big Toro Y Moi fans, more song based we'll always check out the cool edgy production stuff like Moodmann, Morgan Geist, Maurice Fulton, Caribou, Linkwoood, Mpese Mpese Band, Rub'N'Tug. But it has to be the killer live studio sound emanating from the 70's & 80's..from live drums upwards, locked in the groove.
Its a long list, Kid Creole, Fela, Arthur Russell, James Brown, Talking Heads, Funkadelic, Mulatu, The Meters, Lowrell, Peach Boys, Konk, Esg.
Toro Y Moi - Still sound
Who were your musical heroes when growing up?
Early 80's soul & pop, 2 Tone, Nu Wave, New York Hip Hop/Boogie, bands like Human League & Kraftwerk, Arthur Baker, Brit Funk. Its was all about going to the right school, then your older brother/sisters record collection
Beatmakers and drummers are a great source of inspiration for us. People like Karriem Riggins, Madlib, Questlove, Kenny Dope and of course Dilla's music inspired us to start highlighting soulful underground music that don't get enough attention. When/how did you start producing/making beats? Are you a drummer as well?
Lil Rico [is a percussionist]. Afro cuban percussion, congo's, bongo's, drums. Also I studied with him. I'm more computer, production based and started using Akai samplers around 1989 and still do today. We origianlly combined them both to make our sound but mainly nowadays use live drums then overdub.
What is you live set-up like?
Its a seven piece live band, the same musicians with Odyssey & Killer Whale. Heavy disco business!
What can we look forward to from Yam Who? in 2012?
We've just recorded our debut album, with the live band for an early 2012 release on our Ism Records. Inspired by Quincy Jones/Rod Temperton, so it would be these two, countless others lets put down Raphael Saadiq, Herbie Hancock and Prince too.
Is there a concept e.g . are you writing your own song or is it recorded live jam sessions? How many tracks are you planning?
13 originals based on a lot references. French disco, afro, detroit house, downtempo soul, 80s boogie.
Any collaborations?
No collaborations as we wanted to become our entity, we've worked with or helped a lot people so its time to just do our thang! Male and female vocals, very Quincy Jones, Cameo, Prince but with modern production. Its based on a 6 piece band and yes Rico is on percussion.
That's it. Thank you. We truly appreciate your time and we look forward to more great music from you in the future!
The debut album from Yam Who? is scheduled for an early 2012 release on Ism Records. As a bonus, here's a mixtape of rare Prince tracks put together by Andy. Enjoy!
Another highly anticipated project from The Robert Glasper Experiment crew. This time it's bass player extraordinaire Derrick Hodge's turn. We have been waiting for this ever since his amazing performance at this years Stockholm Jazz Festival (see video below at 3:47) and our interview with the band this summer: The Beathearts Robert Glasper Experiment sit-down. Derrick's album is entitled Live today and is scheduled for release at the end of the year.
Looking forward to his upcoming performance on Thursday with the crew at Fasching. From what we here there might be some previews from the upcoming album from The Robert Glasper Experience called Black Radio. It will feature Lalah Hathaway, Erykah Badu, Me'shell Ndegeocello amongst others and is due for release in February 2012. Stay tuned!
Thomas Rusiak and PeeWee (André Möllerfors) from legendary Swedish rap crew Sherlock has teamed up for a new project entitled Still Pee & Ru. For us, the stand-out track is The mood is write which is a tribute of the Cherno track from his 1992 EP How is it being U. The whole album is dark, analogue and dirty just the way we like it. With productions like this we have high hopes for more to come from the duo.
We just love their way of blending genres to create something new. It would be very interesting to hear an instrumental version of the album. That would probably open up a whole new market for their music from jazz cats and crate diggers to broken beats heads and the instrumental beat scene.
Still Pee & Ru - The mood is write (Tribute)
Cherno - The mood is write (1992)
The album is available now via Cosmos Music and Spotify.
The Roots - Break you off (original video version)
One of the most sought after reworks of all time is Yam Who's version of The Roots Break you off. It's an amazing song to start off with, but somehow they managed to prolong the groove, add that live feel and take it to the next level. This week we got in touch with the man who turned reworks into an artform, Mr. Yam Who? himself, to get the Beathearts exclusive behind the scenes story of how the track came about:
"Hey its funny how much I get asked about this record. I really didn't think I could better the original, whereas the Raphael Saadiq track, Little Brother, John Legend, NDambi, its obvious what should be done. The only difference is the who's writing/producing/arranging. Alot depends on the country its made in, the decade, technology/economics etc"
From what we hear your version of Break you off was only played on radio once back in 2003 (Deviation on BBC 1extra) never to be aired again and was never released. What happened?
"It was going to be our second rework but for some reason one night I was talking about a record with my friend called 'Skyy Can You Feel Me' by Raphael Saadiq, we both loved this record like many people. I started messing around with it but I always thought it was too mellow and it just happened that this blew up and The Roots record was pushed to one side, then the whole Yam Who? thing just exploded."
Unfortunately the only version available of your take on Break you off is that talked over Benji B radio-rip. Is there any chance that you would put out that track officially or as promotion before hell freezes over? :-)
"It came out on our first Back II Front compilation very ltd!"
Correct us if we're wrong but Back II Front was only released as a mixed CD with only a few minutes of Break you off right?Since we're on a mission to push underground soulful music that deserves more attention we're obliged to ask you if we'll ever get a chance to hear the track in its entirety?
"Ok that's a fair point with Back II Front. I guess most artists/producers are always chasing the next goal so this track was left behind a little. One day perhaps we'll release as there's a lot interest. One fact, myself and Chaz Jankel (Ai No Corrida fame) made the music which gives in that timeless quality..."
Did you ever get any feedback from the Roots crew? We mean, they're usually quite openminded and one would think they'd also like for your hommage to meet a larger audience?
"Yes, we'd love to know what The Roots thought!"
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If you want to know more about Yam Who's reworks, inspirations and what they're up to today the full interview with Yam Who? is available right here. For now, check the most complete available version of the track below. We usually don't post talked over radio rips but this track is truly worth an exception.
The legendary Roots crew and super-prolifical singer, composer, producer, arranger and vocal coach Betty Wright of "Clean Up Woman" fame will release Wright’s new Roots-backed solo LP 'Betty Wright: The Movie' on November 15th through S-Curve records. This is Wright's first solo release in 10 years, having spent the time since 2001′s 'Fit for A King' writing and producing for Joss Stone, Angie Stone, Tom Jones and Lil Wayne, as well as working with Sean "Diddy" Combs as the vocal coach for his Making the Band reality show. Along the way, Wright has racked up numerous Grammy nominations as well as winning “Best R&B Song” for her tune "Where is the Love."
The new LP features cameos from rap heavyweights Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne and all 14 tracks were produced by the team of Wright, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and Angelo Morris.
Tracklist:
01. Old Songs
02. Real Woman (ft. Snoop Dogg)
03. In The Middle Of The Game (Don't Change The Play)
04. Surrender
05. Grapes On A Vine (ft. Lil Wayne)
06. Look Around (Be A Man)
07. Tonight Again
08. Hollywould (ft. The Messenger)
09. Whisper In The Wind (ft. Joss Stone)
10. Baby Come Back (ft. Lenny Williams)
11. So Long, So Wrong
12. You & Me, Leroy
13. The One
14. Go (Live)
Betty Wright & The Roots - Hollywould feat. The Messenger
Betty Wright & The Roots - Baby Come Back feat. Lenny Williams
Wow! Another greatly anticipated release is due on Dec 5th. Peter 'Opolopo' Major has been on our radar ever since he started dropping mindblowing bootleg remakes on the Bugz In The Attic forum at the start of the millenium.
Now the almighty Tokyo Dawn Records have put together a goodie bag of some of best official remakes from the last couple of years. We already covered the epic Gregory Porter rerub of 1960 What in an earlier post. The album as a whole is great and we especially like the fact that they decided to highlight a track by the greatly underexposed Rogièrs. Opolopo's Mutants will be available via Tokyo Dawn Records on Dec 5th.
You know how we love those beatmaking videos. Well, here as a bonus here's Opolopo putting together a lil' funk gem using Ableton, APC40 and the Korg Nano Key. Check it out:
New material from Manchester beat
surgeon Mecca:83 a.k.a. Evan Jones.
Following The Life Sketches EP he will drop the album entitled Life Sketches Vol 1 & 2 on December 5th.
With his new album, Mecca:83 continues from where the EP left off. Expect to hear soulful instrumental beats fused with a analog
sound drawing influence from the golden era sounds of Pete Rock as much
as the current instrumental beat scene.
Mecca:83 - Life sketches Vol 1 & 2 (preview)
To keep your head nodding until Dec 5th here's Mecca's 3 for free EP.
Download: Mecca:83 - 3 for free EP
Dwight Arrington Myers a.k.a. Heavy D left us on Tuesday. Born in Jamaica, Heavy D had many talents but to us he was first and foremost a rapper and producer. A Heavy D tune is also the reason for one of my longest and most memorable crate-digging quests:
I spent the amazing summer of 1994 in New York. It was the summer when both Biggie and Wu Tang broke into the spotlight. We were chillin' in our appartment one night with Funkmaster Flex's show on Hot*97 in the background when Flex drops this amazing break that we realize is the original tune behind Nuttin' but love. But of course they never mentioned what the tune was...
For years I was asking around in forums, digging in dusty record shops, sample-FAQ:s for what the original might be, but everyone insisted that Nuttin' but love was indeed the original tune produced by Kid Capri and Heavy D.
Years later, in 1999 I got a mail from a German create digger that had read my post from way back and by accident came to know the story behind the original tune. Apparently one of bandmembers of Scottish new age band Endgames was driving down Autobahn in Germany one afternoon in the late ninties when he heard their long forgotten song Ecstasy (off their 1983 album Building beauty) looped as a break with Heavy D rhyming over it. Shocked, he almost had an accident and had to pull over. So now through friend of friends of the German create digger the story was out of the original behind Nuttin' but love.
So I knew it was Endgames Ecstasy that I heard that night on Hot*97 but I still couldn't find the record. In 2001 I got another mail from a DJ Spinelli in Boston that had seen my post asking for the orignal tune and wanted to know if I ever found out what it was. I told him the story, he was absolutely thrilled to find out and later that week he found the Endgames album for us in mint condition in the dollar-bin in a used record store in Boston.
Long story, but everytime I hear Nuttin' but love it brings a smile to my face. If you don't already know it, check the video above as well with the amazing rooftop shot over Central Park.
Soulful beat veterans Karizma (Kris Klayton) and Atjazz (Martin Iveson) put out this beautiful EP a while back. Together they call themselves Exist and all their joint releases have been solid soulful late night house grooves. This however is a special treat. Inspired by Dilla's Walkinonit (off Donuts 2006) they cut the same sample but use it in a completely different context.
The original tune is Walk on by from The undisputed truth (Motown 1973). We can't be certain but the minute plus intro just looping the naked sample feels like a nod to the late Jay Dee. Check both the orginal and Exist's version below.
The Lookin' at Blue EP is available now via Traxsource.
And as a bonus here's Karizma's dope mixtape for FACT from back in September. It's still some of the best headphone music you can have on the daily commute.
Tracklist:
Common – Come Close (K2′s Klos-Ah edit)
Gil Scott-Heron – The Bottle
Osunlade – Envision
Karizma – Again
Exist – Lookin at Blue (Original and Astro dub)
Altered Natives – Earthlings
Dagui Rodann & Timothee Milton – Eternal Love (Claude Monnet Journey into the Dub)
Cajmere feat. Dajae – Brighter Days (Kaytronik’s Lost Dub)
Karizma – To tha Ryvuum
Muthafunkas – Oh I Miss U (Atjazz Lovesoul remix)
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway – Where is Da Dub & Where is the Love (K2′s Summah mix)
Karizma – I Kan Dub It
