Mixtape: Jazzcat - Falling Leaves

Falling leaves, crisp air - something about Autumn just says jazz. 

Right after I posted "For Ears With Hearts" to Mixcloud, Jazzcat's "Falling Leaves" showed up in my timeline. He had posted it just a couple of days earlier.

There was comfort in knowing that I wasn't the only one who was motivated by the changing of the seasons to do a chillout jazz mix. And when it's coming from Jazzcat, you know it's going to be good. The guy is a master selector.

I suggest you put on your headphones and go for a walk in a park while this one plays. Make sure you wear a scarf loosely looped around your neck. Take in the colors of the trees. Reflect on what the year has brought you. Imagine what new adventures will come. Think of all the special people in your life. Wonder who you will meet next. This is what this mix and Mother Nature inspires around this time of year.

If the hiking through the park isn't really your thing, then light a fire in the fireplace (or candles if that works better), dim the lights, and pour the wine.

Enjoy.

Autumn In New York (Part One) - Arthur Blythe
'Tis Autumn – The Maynard Ferguson Orchestra
Portrait of Jeannie – Blue Mitchell
Dolphin Dance – Herbie Hancock
Dahomey Dance – John Coletrane
Chant - Donald Byrd
These Are Soulful Days – Lee Morgan
Nica's Dream – The Horace Silver Quintet
Speak No Evil – Wayne Shorter

Mixtape: Roger Riddle - For Ears With Hearts

Sometimes you just need some jazz to chill out to, "For Ears With Hearts" delivers.

"For Ears with Hearts" has been a long time coming. I had some of these songs on the back burner for a long time. I think I first came to know Beth Gibbons' "Romance" 10 years ago, and was never able to work in into a mix until now.

Sly 5th Ave's instrumental cover of Kendrick Lamar's "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" was one of those songs I just kept going back to for a listen. The problem was there was a long time when the song was only available for streaming. One day recently, I went back to the site for a listen and realized not only could I buy a download, it was available on a 7" inch single. I felt that after waiting so long to get my hands on it, it was going to be worth it to have that physical copy on my self to pull out an wow someone one day.

And that sparked the mix. Once I had Sly 5th Ave's track quickly other ideas popped into my head. 

The Esbjörn Svensson Trio's "Somewhere Else Before" is this incredible track that pops up in my life to soothe things just when I need it most. Danger Mouse and Daniel Lupi's ode to Ennio Morricone in the "Theme of Rome" fits so nicely. 

Then there are the oddball choices that aren't jazz but somehow get the vibe just right. Submotion Orchestra's "All Yours" was another track that I have long loved but could never work it into a mix. It found a home here. Zero 7's "Throw It All Away" is a remix that nod's its head to the work of J Dilla. Still, it works here.

And speaking of Zero 7, Ira Sullivan's "Kingdom Within You" could easily be mistaken for some rare Zero 7 song. However, it was produced in 1980 as part of his Strings Attached album.

I could go on an on about each song in this mix. Badbadnotgood's "Time Moves Slowly" featuring the STELLAR voice of Samuel T Herring (Who is this guy? How have I missed out on him all this time?) is just one of the great tracks from their new album. A since I am waxing poetic about voices, Melanie De Biasio and Michael Kiwanuka definitely deserve praise.

Every song is good. Just give it a listen. The track list is after the jump.

Sly5thave & The Clubcasa Chamber Orchestra - Don’t Kill My Vibe
José James - Heaven On The Ground (feat. Emily King)
Esbjörn Svensson Trio - Somewhere Else Before
Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - Theme Of ''Rome''
Melanie De Biasio - Sweet Darling Pain
Zero 7 - Throw It All Away [Tribute to Dilla remix by Demus]
Badbadnotgood - Time Moves Slowly (feat. Samuel T. Herring)
Submotion Orchestra - All Yours
Michael Kiwanuka - Place I Belong
Bob Cunningham - Lover's Theme
Curtis Mayfield - The Makings Of You
Ira Sullivan - The Kingdom Within You
Soil & "Pimp" Sessions - MO' BETTER BLUES
Gilles Peterson’s Havana Cultura Band - La Rumba Experimental (Motor City Drum Ensemble Remix)
Beth Gibbons - Romance
Jazzanova - Dial A Cliché

The Marvelettes - Sophisticated Soul

So I finally got my hands on a copy of the Marvelettes' Sophisticated Soul album.

The Marvelettes - Sophisticated Soul
Tamla, 1968

For years I have wanted this album because I am in love with the song, "You're the One For Me Bobby" (Not to be confused with the song "You're the One" which was also on this album and released as single). It was always just outside my reach.

I never ran across it in record stores. I could never find a copy of it online except for copies overseas. Those overseas copies would run $30, $40, sometimes as much as $60. Which I might have paid but when you add international shipping, it wasn't worth it. There never seemed to be copies for sale in the United States.

I once met a guy who ran a record stand at a flea market in Macon, Georgia. He swore up and down he had a copy of it in a storage unit. I told him I wanted it. He said it would be more than his usual $5. I told him I would pay the $30 he was asking for it. Each week I went back, he never had it. That was as close as I ever got.


This album didn't have a hit on it. Plus, Gladys Horton had left the group (though her voice does appear on the album as a backing vocal on "You're the One"), and Anne Bogan had stepped in to replace her. Even though there was production and writing by Smokey Robinson and Ashford and Simpson, and instuments played by the Funk Brothers, the album didn't produce a big hit. Not to mention Sophisticated Soul came towards the end of the Marvelettes run. This all adds up to there just weren't as many copies of this one as there were some other Marvelettes albums.

The album was such an afterthought of the #Motown catalog that it never made it to CD or mp3. So, I was just screwed. No "You're the One For Me Bobby" for me.

Then one day last week I look up the album - as I would do for time to time - and there are copies everywhere! All over the United States. Just about all of them were $10 and under. It's like a warehouse was found with dead stock cases or something.

So now, I own two copies. And I will probably buy a third one to trade!

Now next on my list of records to get is Kiosk's "Mona Call" (Good luck with that one, right?)

Follow more of my record collecting stories on Instagram.

Mixtape: Roger Riddle - Hoxxx! (I'm Talking to You, Ladies) - A Tribute to Princess Freesia

The playfully soulful sounds of Princess Freesia.

The release of Princess Fresssia's newest album, STELLARSONIC! is just the next stop on the wild ride I've been on since I first heard her voice.

Back in the days when Soundcloud wasn't deleting everything everybody uploaded, I spent a lot of time uploading to, searching, and listening to what was available on that website. 

I had run across and was following a producer named Soulpersona. I loved his remixes - particularly a Whitney Houston one comes to mind. Then one day I ran across a song called "Ultrasuperlove" that he produced. 

I was blown away by the sound. And the voice? The singer was amazing. 

What manner of music was this? It was new but it reminded me of the soulful sounds from the late 70s that I loved so much.

So looked up the vocalist behind the track, Her name was Princess Freesia. The next song I found was a cover of Barry White's "Never Gonna Give You Up". The integrity of the song was still there, but she had made it her own. At this point, it was official - she had her hooks in me. 

What came next was a bit of an obsession with this singer/producer 1-2 punch. 

I have since then bought every album I could find and any song with her name on it. That's seven full length albums - more than a lot of artists release in their entire career. 

In the world of Princess Freesia's music, it is always nighttime. She is loving, strong, bold, fun, and unapologetically feminine , and because of all of that, the music is very sexy. 

Her newest album, STELLARSONIC!, continues with her tradition of releasing solid albums. It is well worth the purchase. 

Enjoy.

Track list:
Princess Freesia - Light Up
Princess Freesia - Love
Princess Freesia - Fateful Attraction
Princess Freesia - You're Running To Me
Princess Freesia - Make It Real
Princess Freesia - Hoxxx!
Princess Freesia - Do It Baby
Princess Freesia - I'm Still Young
Princess Freesia - What's That All About
Princess Freesia - Never Gonna Give You Up
Princess Freesia - Play With Me
Soulpersona & Princess Freesia - Give It Up
Soulpersona feat. Princess Freesia - The Lapdancer Theme
Princess Freesia - Mean Streets
Princess Freesia - Workin' Out Fine feat. Terry Lewis
Soulpersona feat. Princess Freesia - I Got Into This Mess (Part 2)
Princess Freesia - Slip It On
Princess Freesia - Taffeta
Soulpersona & Princess Freesia - You Did It Again
Soulpersona feat. Princess Freesia - Coochie
Soulpersona & Princess Freesia - Makes You Feel Good (feat. Jocelyn Brown)
Soulpersona feat. Princess Freesia - Make That Money
Soulpersona feat. Princess Freesia - A Girl's Gotta Get Her Lovin
Soulpersona & Princess Freesia - Goodness Me (So Hot!)
Princess Freesia - I Like It
Soulpersona & Princess Freesia - Sold Reprise (Bonus Track)

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: Adam Kvasnica - Groovy Soundtracks

Adam Kvasnica is dope. The guy knows his music, especially jazz.

Once I got heavy into posting on Mixcloud, I ran across him because he selects songs that I like to listen to. His ability to pick out songs with the same feel and lay them out in a way that flows so easily from one to the next is uncanny.

Kvasnica is a lawyer by trade and he lives in Piestany, Slovakia. His passion is music. He is one of those guys who loves to listen and share.

It is always worth your time to hit listen on one of his mixes. This "Groovy Soundtrack" mix is no exception. I've tried my hand at doing mixes that have that soundtrack feel and have not gotten anywhere near as good as this one.

So sit back and enjoy.

Groovy Soundtracks by Adam Kvasnica on Mixcloud

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)