Mixtape: Roger Riddle - "Music from the Juke Joint 2.0"

In May I DJed a party that might have saved my DJ soul.

I've been DJing for about 15 years now, and it gets harder and harder to keep doing it.

Now, everyone is a DJ. Thanks to streaming, everyone has a huge music collection. Digital DJing has it's advantages, but the downside is everyone thinks they're a DJ. People can hear their favorite song any time they want, so why should it be any different in the club?

People make requests and they are incredibly rude. No one wants to hear a song - no matter how good it is - if they've never heard it before. Play it, an everyone walks off the dance floor.

For years I DJed in a place where the people who would most enjoy my events either didn't come to them, or if they did, they all went ad sat in the patio outside and smoked smoked cigarettes for 3 hours before they came in to party for the last hour.

Music has changed so much that stuff I am really into seems irrelevant. I never dig deep into my collection. And I began to wonder if all my years of digging for music was best served only playing for myself. 

I'm doing all this complaining to say - In May I DJed an event in Akron, Ohio called the Juke Joint 2.0. It was put together by my friend Eriq Troi. It featured DJ Vinnie G and myself.

It was the absolute opposite of everything that I just said was wrong with my prior DJing experiences. It was such a breath of fresh air - and much needed too. Prior to playing this event I had been telling my girlfriend that I wanted to quit DJing live shows because I wasn't enjoying them anymore. 

I put together this great set of music to pull from at the Juke Joint, and when my time came to go on, people danced and sang from beginning to end. It was amazing. People danced til they were soaked in sweat, and sang until their voice was hoarse. 

This mix is a selection of songs that I played from that night. I hope you enjoy.

Track list after the jump.

Be Thankful For What You Got (FKJ Remix) by William De Vaughn
Slave - Watching You by Slave
Inside Out by Odyssey
Rock Creek Park by Blackbyrds
Jam on it (Main Mix) by Mos Def
Let The Beat Hit 'Em by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
Unknown by Unknown
Saturdays by De La Soul
Golden (Kaytranada's Life Extended Living Edition) by Jill Scott
Stronger Than Pride (Karizma K2 Mix) by Sade
Everybody Everybody by Black Box
Big Fun (Original 12'' Mix) by Inner City
100% Pure Love by Crystal Waters
Optimistic (Original) by Zepherin Saint, Ann Nesby, G3
I Can't Kick This Feeling When It Hits [Explicit] by Moodymann
Looking For The Perfect Beat (12" Vocal Version) (Remastered) by Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
I Didn't Mean To Turn You On by Cherrelle
A.I.E. (Cobblestone Jazz Remix) by Soil & "Pimp" Sessions
Elevator (Going Up) (Louie Veg by Louie Vega, Monique Bingham
My Life Is A Minimal Circle (Original Mix) by Rick Wilhite
Haven't You Heard (Joey Negro Extended Disco Mix) by Patrice Rushen
It's Tricky by Run-D.M.C.
Push It by Salt 'N' Pepa
The Tears Of A Clown by Smokey Robinson
Momma Say Bull Shit (rmx) by Rod Lee
Ensemble by Sinclair
Lions Of Judah (Four Tet Re-Edit) by Emanative & Ahmed Abdullah

Mixtape: Roger Riddle - Tomorrow's Funk Today

Tomorrow's Funk Today 

Futuristic sounding music from the past. You don't have to wait for the future to come to hear it. I am giving it to you live and direct right now.

I want you all to know that I don't like Doctor Who.

Anyway, this is fun stuff. Remixes of songs you love done in funky futuristic ways, and songs you may have never heard done in the same future funk style.

Anyway, I play some tunes I dig. I share them with you. I hope you like them. Blah blah blah. You aren't interested in what I have to say, you just want to listen to the music. So with out any more delay, hit play.

The track list is after the jump.

Tomorrow's Funk Today by Roger Riddle on Mixcloud

Daniel Crawford - Rock With You (Dance Remix) 
Petula Clark - I'M NOT IN LOVE (LUXXURY EDIT)
William De Vaughn - Be Thankful For What You Got (FKJ Remix)
Amp Fiddler - Hold On ( Daniel Crawford remix)
Jazzanova - Another New Day
The Sa-Ra Creative Partners - Death of a Star (Supernova)
Stevie Wonder - Superstition (OPOLOPO Remix)
D'Angelo - Spanish Joint (Miguel Macedo Soulful Mix)
Womack & Womack - Conscious Of My Conscience (MRN Remix)
Crusaders Feat. Randy Crawford - - Street Life (OPOLOPO Rebounce)
Plant Life - Stardancer
Funkadelic - Ain't That Funkin' Kinda Hard On You (Louie Vega Remix)
Jamiroquai - Little L
Jacob Collier - Don't You Worry Bout A Thing (Scott C's GOODS Touch Up)
John Arnold - 1,2,3,4 (feat Paul Randolph)

Mixtape: Roger Riddle - The Conversation Piece

I had laid out the tracks for this mix earlier in the week after listening to about two weeks worth of house music. However, I had too much other stuff to do to finish the mix without feeling guilty. Then in the course of my dealings, I suddenly found myself in three separate conversations about house music over the course of the week. The last one - with El-Prezidente of The Mighty Soul Night - was a pretty intense conversation about the state of house in Akron as compared to Cleveland and then Northeast Ohio, compared to Chicago, Detroit, and New York.

While the scene in Akron and Cleveland may not be as strong as it is in those other big cities, people in this area love house music. I felt even more at home here in Akron. I came home, turned on the turntables, and hit record. Here it is. I hope you enjoy!
(#ProTip: If you don't listen until the last song, you are playing yourself short. That last song is fire!)

Track list after the jump.

The Conversation Piece by Roger Riddle on Mixcloud

Zepherin Saint, Ann Nesby, G3 - Optimistic (Original)
Alejandro Paz - El House
The Maghreban - Wonder Woman
Shuya Okino - Give Your Love A Chance (Replayed By Root Soul - Dimitri From Paris Disco Edit)
DJ Cam, Pablo Valentino - Summer in Paris (feat. Anggun) (Pablo Valentino Remix)
Tracy Hamlin, Dj Spen, Thommy Davis - MacArthur Park (Dj Spen & Thommy Davis Perishable Peak Mix)
Todd Terje - Delorean Dynamite (Disco Mix)
David Anthony, Beverlei Brown - I Don't Know Why (Manoo Remix)
House Of Funk, Oliver Night, DJ Spinna - You Got To (DJ Spinna Vox Remix)
Adesse Versions - The Light
Louie Vega, Monique Bingham - Elevator (Going Up) (Louie Veg
Breakbot - You Should Know (feat. Ruckazoid) [Le Family Club Remix]
DJ Sneak - The Hot Shit
Gerideau, Joey Negro - Bring It Back To Love (Joey Negro Remastered Real Garage Remix)
Seven Davis Jr - One
Hapkido - Break The System (Original Mix)
Moodymann - 9 Nites 2 Nowhere
Julio Bashmore - Umuntu (feat. Okmalumkoolkat)

Mixtape: Roger Riddle - Back Scratchy

I have a really itchy back. If you ever want me to do something for you, just scratch my back. I'll do whatever.

That has nothing to do with this mix other than the fact that my back was itchy as I was trying to come up with a name for the mix.

This is just a nice little collection of songs I have been listening to lately and a handful out of the past that I threw in for good measure.

Enjoy. Track list after the jump.

Back Scratchy by Roger Riddle on Mixcloud

Jamie Lidell - A Little Bit More (Luke Vibert Mix)
Discovery - Swing Tree
Phantogram - Fall In Love
Arcade Fire - Here Comes The Night Time
Electric Wire Hustle - Tom Boy
Beck - Que' Onda Guero
Eric B. & Rakim - Eric B. Is President
Jaylib - The Official (Instrumental)
Mos Def, Pharoahe Monche, & Nate Dog - Oh No
Lyrics Born - I Changed My Mind (Stereo MC's Rattlesnake Mix)
Modest Mouse - Float On
Nightmares On Wax - You Wish
Broken Social Scene - Major Label Debut (Fast)
The Strokes - Someday
Benny Sings - For Your Love
Common - I Am Music
Bjork - Human behaviour
Brian Eno & David Byrne - Strange Overtones
De La Soul - Let, Let Me In
LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great
Andrew Bird - Imitosis
TV On The Radio - Crying
Tegan and Sara - Alligator [Dave Sitek Remix]

Mixtape: DJ Roger Riddle - My Past Is Calling

My Past Is Calling

This has been a time of reflection for me. An up coming milestone birthday. An upcoming move. A recent trip to my hometown after years of being away. Staying in the house I grew up in while on that visit.
These songs are at the very essence of my childhood. 

This is the music that helped to define my personal tastes in music. This is where I came to the fork in the road that was my parents music and the music of my generation. This is also the fork in the road where hip-hop and techno split. Where 80s pop bumps up against both briefly.

These are the songs of the skating rink in Detroit. They are the songs that I sat by the radio to record on my boombox. And because techno was born in Detroit, these are the songs that I struggled to stay up late and hear what the Electrifying Mojo was going to play on his radio show.


These are the songs that set me on the path to becoming a DJ and today, I give them their due. An offering.
Track listing after the jump.

My Past Is Calling by Roger Riddle on Mixcloud

1. Cosmic Rapp by James Pants
2. Sucker MCs by Run DMC
3. Too Much Posse by Public Enemy
4. Trans Europe Express by Kraftwerk
5. Beat Box by Art of Noise
6. Speech by Cyrus
7. Hip Hop Be Bop by Man Parrish
8. Situation (U.S. 12" Mix) by Yaz
9. Big Fun by Inner City
10. When We Used To Play by Blake Baxter
11. I Need A Freak by Sexual Harrassment
12. Play It Cool by Model 500
13. Al-Naafyish by Hashim
14. Do Me (Frank Wiedeman Orchestra Mix) by Tiefschwarz
15. Clear by Cybotron
16. No UFOs by Model 500
17. I'm Ready by Kano
18. Look Out Weekend by Debbie Deb
19. Strings of Life by Derrick May
20. Technicolor (Long Mix) by Model 500

Mixtape: DJ Roger Riddle - One Step Beyond

DJ Roger Riddle - One Step Beyond

I had been building up some electro-pop and indie-pop songs I really liked in hopes that I would be able to make a mixtape of them. Then one day I heard Jamie xx's "Loud Places" and I knew I had to get that into a mix as quickly as possible. I had to share that song. It was too good not to.

So "Loud Places" was the last song added to the list even though it is the first one in the mix. Sadly, I had to leave out Sylvan Esso's "H.S.K.T." I just couldn't make it work.

Otherwise, these songs are just fun. The track list is after the jump.

One Step Beyond by Roger Riddle on Mixcloud

1. Loud Places (feat Romy) by Jamie xx
2. Never Matter by Toro Y Moi
3. Rattlesnake by St Vincent
4. What Else Is There by Royksopp
5. Constant Surprises by Little Dragon
6. Alligator (Dave Sitek Remix) by Tegan and Sara
7. Big Girl, Skinny Girl (feat Tchak Diallo) by CX Kidtronik
8. Ragazzini by Luminodisco
9. Sexotheque by La Roux
10. Except Death by (!!! Chk Chik Chick)
11. In The Fast Lane by Jean-Luc Pnty
12. Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda by J*Davey
13. All I Ever Need by Caribou
14. Friends by Seven Davis Jr
15. Cry For You by Hot Chip
16. The Light (feat Denai Moore) by SBTRKT

DJ Roger Riddle - Unapologetic

Unapologetic
Mixed and compiled by DJ Roger Riddle

I am not the least bit sorry about playing these songs for you. I hope you enjoy.

Unapologetic by Roger Riddle on Mixcloud

New Dorp. New York by SBTRKT (feat Ezra Koenig)
Instead (Emanative Remix) by Collocutor
Say That by Toro Y Moi
If These Are The Last Days by Electric Wire Hustle
Shades of Jae by Moodymann
Opportunity by Brasstronaught
Personal Jesus (MKTL & Polyrhythm Bootleg) by Depeche Mode
Good Ol Love (Honeycomb Vocal Mix) by Honeysweet
Drum Skat (Skat That) by Marlon D
Decisions by Taylor McFerrin
A Night Out With Therese (Original Mix) by Anno Stamm
Evertrack by Rushmore
It's Serious by Cooly G, Karizma

Atomic Number 79

Atomic Number 79
Mixed and compiled by DJ Roger Riddle

This is definitely music for nighttime listening. But hey, if you're feeling spunky, be a gangsta and play it in the daytime.

Atomic Number 79 by Roger Riddle on Mixcloud

Baby (feat Dam-Funk) by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
The Love by A Tribe Called Quest
Flowers by Andrew Ashong
The Top by Francis and the Lights
Riding High by Faze-O
Rock With You (Daniel Crawford Midnight Remix) by Michael Jackson
Soul Glow by Fatima
Take It Personal by Gang Starr
W by Karizma
One 4 Teen (J-Dilla Remix) by Bahamadia
Southern Freeez (feat Emanuelle Araujo) by Sonzeira
Herione by Wildcookie
Start of It by Collective Efforts
Dirty Love by J Davey
Love the Way by Andrew Ashong
Average Fruit by Quadron

When All That Matters

Summer flings are funny things things. They seem like they are going to last forever even though you know the summer is only three months long. For most people, it's over after time moves the summer on.
For the very lucky ones, they find something special that endures.

This is my ode to the summer fling. What happens to the couple? Listen to the songs, and let me know what you hear.

Enjoy.

When All That Matters
Southern Freeez by Sonzeira
Closer To You by Jimpster
Happy Cycling by Boards Of Canada
Dorothy Dandridge Eyes (featuring Esperanza Spalding) by Janelle Monáe
Something About Us by Daft Punk
Inside And Out by Feist
Footprints by A Tribe Called Quest
Maybe So Maybe No by Mayer Hawthorne
The Sensitive Kind by JJ Cale
Dreamin' by Amp Fiddler
Aht Uh Mi Hed by Shuggie Otis
In The Thick Of It by Brenda Russell

When All That Matters by Roger Riddle on Mixcloud

Breaking Free Of The Mold

In my last mix I talked about how playing what was expected of me nearly drove me to quit DJing. Fun though those songs may be, to play them every time I DJ and never play anything new was really hard on me.

I've since learned to play what I want. Well I play what I want within reason. There is still a lot of stuff I wouldn't dare play here in Macon that I love. But I get it out through my mixes. Like this one. It's full of great music but I would never be able to play this set in Macon and see people having a good time. But I must say when I DJed this past weekend I worked the Jill Scott and Michael Jackson remixes from this mix into my set and to my surprise people seemed to enjoy them. Maybe we're getting there in Macon. I won't hold my breath though.

As for this mix, it's full of Soulful House tunes that I've run across recently. Speaking of soulful. After the set I played this weekend I was talking to a couple of my favorite musical artists when some guys walked by and one of them stopped to talk for a bit. One told me he had been listening to my mixes here on Soundcloud and was shocked at the vast variety of stuff I play. Trying to put it in words he said, "You're different. You're just...soulful." It was a great compliment. I've been called way worse.

Back to this mix. Mario Biondi's "This Is What You Are" last heard from me in The Adventures Of Johnny Swank makes an appearance but with a rework from Opolopo. Opolopo is also behind the fantastic remix of Michael Jackson's "Rock With You". The true stand out on this mix is Josh Milan's "Thinking About Your Body" with Louie Vega on the remix. Lots of other goodies in this bag as well. Would love to hear what you think.

Enjoy

Breaking Free Of The Mold
The Foreign Exchange - So What If It Is
Moodymann - Run Away
Jill Scott - Golden (Kaytranada's Life Extended Living Edition)
Sade - Stronger Than Pride (Karizma's K2 Mix)
Mario Biondi & The High Five Quartet - This Is What You Are (Opolopo Remix)
Aloe Blacc - Dance For Life
QB - Yes No Maybe (QB's Hotstrumental)
The Layabouts - As Long As You Believe (BB Boogie Remix)
Audiowhores - Chains
Michael Jackson - Rock With You (Opolopo House Bounce)
Nativeroots, Zano - Taking Over The World (Original Mix)
Rick Wilhite - Drum Pattern And Memories (Moodymann Mix)
Black Coffee feat Soulstar - Rock My World (Julian Gomes Remix)
Josh Milan - Thinking About Your Body (Louie Vega Roots NYC Mix)
Funkineven & Fatima - Phoneline
Dee Dee Bridgewater - Children Go Round (Demissenw) (King Britt FiveSixMix)
Jose James - Spirits Above
Heidi Vogel - Black Narcissus (Emanative Remix)