A Tribute to The Gift Of Gab

The music world was rocked by the news of Timothy Parker’s passing, better known as The Gift Of Gab. Truly one of the best in the business, he was a central figure in the San Francisco scene working on Quannum Projects and Solesides releases with the likes of DJ Shadow, Latryx, Cut Chemist and Z-Trip as well as releasing music under his own name and Blackalicious with Chief Xcel. His battles with kidney disease took a severe toll, and resonated with me personally, but his determination to continue inspired many both those close to him and those fans who followed him. Long Live Gift Of Gab, Rest In peace Tim Parker.

I have put together a selection of tunes in memory of this legend, I hope that this sees new fans and old celebrate his life.

1. The Ride Of Your Life – The Gift Of Gab
2. Concentration – Quannum MC’s & Jurassic 5
3. C.O.N.F.O.R.M. – DJ Shadow ft The Gift Of Gab, Lateef & Infamous Taz
4. Cold Call – Lyrics Born ft. The Gift Of Gab
5. Deception Part 1 (Don’t Let Money Change Ya) – Blackalicious
6. Beautiful You – Maroons ft The Gift Of Gab
7. Combustible – DJ Vadim ft The Gift Of Gab
8. Paragraph President – Blackalicious
9. Fully Charged on Planet X – Chief Xcel ft Lateef & The Gift Of Gab
10. Midnight In A Perfect World (Gab Mx) – DJ Shadow ft The Gift Of Gab
11. Just Because – The Gift Of Gab
12. Communicate – New Flesh ft The Gift Of Gab
13. Extravaganza – Quannum MC’s & Souls Of Mischief
14. Burning Hot In Cali On A Saturday Night – Latryx ft Blackalicious
15. Livin’ Time/Life: Movement 1 – Lifesavaz ft The Gift Of Gab
16. Ashes To Ashes – Blackalicious
17. Alphabet Aerobics (Cut Chemist 2.5 Minute Workout) – Cut Chemist & Blackalicious

Mo Wax – Messing up Headz

The release of the Man From Mo Wax film inspired me to dig into my collection of this labels records and upload a series of selections from the Mo Wax catalogue.

I have approached this chronologically, with the first upload taking a track from each of the releases on the label from MW001 to MW012.

This selection covers the very early period of the label, with more of an acid jazz feel, though there are clear indications that point towards the dusty and blunted beats that would follow and signal the birth of what would become known (for better or worse) as Trip Hop. With music from Raw Stylus, RPM, Repercussions, Palmskin Productions and more…

Part 2 follows the progression of the label with tracks from MW013 to MW024. And introduces the heavy hitters such as Dj Shadow as well as the Japanese link with James Lavelles output.

The third selection draws from the Excursion releases that took a slightly more abstract approach to hip hop and techno.

Some of the classics in part 4 as Headz get popular. MW025 to MW038.

The Best of Trip Hop

Trip Hop, that sometimes maligned genre, I thought was worthy of an audio re-appraisal. Certainly there were some coffee table crimes committed in the name of this genre, however I’d love to name a style of music that doesn’t have its fair share of swill amongst the silk.

At its best Trip Hop was innovative (at least at first), evocative, creative and also a genre around which some enduring artists made their names. Kruder & Dorfmeister, Portishead for example are not constrained by their Trip Hop history, but certainly owe a debt to the genre for providing a platform for future success. Artists such as Massive Attack and labels such as Ninja Tune and Mo Wax formed around the nascent Trip Hop scene, drawing in influences from sound systems, hip hop, graffiti and more creating this uniquely UK sound – that went on to influence others further afield – from France to Japan and beyond.

Yes there is a lot of bland ‘trip hop’, the genre did eat itself somewhat & much like ‘Big Beat’ perhaps became overshadowed by its worse elements rather than being celenrated for its best. So a re-appraisal? Lets take the evidence at hand – some of the best of the genre. I have sought to bring together a series of selections that hopefully represent some of the genres high-points. With elements of dub, drum & bass as well as hip hop, soul and a touch of funk I have been a little liberal with the term ‘trip hop’ but certainly aim to stay true to the over-arching ethos of trip hop nights of the time with the choices made. Have a listen – this isn’t supposed to be a definitive best of, there are great records I don’t have – and have a think. Was Trip Hop so bad?

So – to the music…

A Tribute to David Axelrod by Andy Hickford | Mixcloud

By way of recognition of the passing of David Axelrod I put together this mix. Taking a selection of tracks from some of my favourite albums of his, plus throwing in a scattering of productions I hope that this gives a flavour of his peerless musicianship.

Axelrod work came to be widely used as sample material,  sound tracking computer games and as music to be covered.  Jurassic 5, Dr Dre, Beatnuts and more sampled his work, which was arguably ahead of its time in its recording methods and it’s complexity.

An inspiration to many, from Shadow to Madlib and beyond, David Axelrod may have left us, but his music will love on. 

RIP David 1931- 2017

Track list: 
1. Holy Thursday (Songs Of Innocence)
2. My Family (Heavy Axe)
3. Cannonball Adderley Quintet & Orchestra – Tensity 
4. Jimmy T (David Axelrod)
5. David McCallum – The Edge
6. The Human Abstract (Songs Of Experience)
7. David McCallum – House Of Mirrors
8. Songs Of Innocence (S.O.I.)
9. The Shadow Knows (David Axelrod)
10. The Electric Prunes – General Confessions
11. Freedom (The Auction)
12. Get Up Off Your Knees (Heavy Axe)

(Album title in brackets on Axelrod tracks)

https://m.mixcloud.com/andyhickford/a-tribute-to-david-axelrod/

Straight No Chaser – The Jazz Messenger

I’ve been flicking back through old issues of SNC and realised what a vital magazine it was. Back in the early 90’s the internet was pretty much non existent, we found record shops in every market town rather than discogs and we relied on flyers and word of mouth for club and gig news. SNC was a central source that supported all of that.
With sections on clubs nights across the country (and beyond), features on vital vinyl retailers and of course the all important reviews and playlists SNC was THE link to all that was happening in the world of acid jazz, funk, soul, broken beat, Latin and every other related genre.
There for the rise and fall of trip hop, the arrival of drum and bass, nu jazz, bruk and much more SNC ensured you were in touch with folk like Gilles Peterson and could keep your finger at least lightly on the pulse from a Midlands market town. 

Things of course seemdled to move a little slower than too. Records would bubble up over months, even years. Imports may be promised for weeks on end by your dealer – but thanks to SNC you at least knew what to ask for.

Below are some extracts from issue #20 starting with those all important charts.

Wonder if there are still any swifty t’s left? 

How you found out about New releases…

Guest reviews from James Lavelle.

Deep Soulful Jazz – The Loud Minority

I’ve been a big jazz fan for a long time now. I first got into the jazz sound around the early 90’s when I picked up a 2nd hand copy of ‘Jazz-Funk Mastercuts 1’. At the time I’d been listening to Galliano, The Brand New Heavies, The Young Disciples and similar ‘Acid Jazz’ acts, but this was one of my first purchases of more original stuff.

The album was obviously reflecting more of the 70’s sound – funkier, more dancefloor type jazz rather than the more purist stuff. Hard bop, free jazz, spiritual jazz would follow as I explored the genre further, but the likes of Azymuth (Jazz Carnival), Donald Byrd (Change) & Gil Scott-Heron’s ‘Bottle’ got me hooked. I started adding these tracks to my mix tapes that would get played in the 6th form common room. I’d sit them alongside tracks by the aforementioned acid jazz acts, but also indie and dance stuff of that time.

Saint Etienne, Orbital, LFO, Morrissey, Ragga Twins and Dizzy Gillespie were possibly odd bed fellows on a TDK D90 but to me it was all good. I don’t think the Levellers fans appreciated the tapes,  but did I care? Not really.

Jazz was having a great influence at the time, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Guru etc were bringing jazz into hip hop.  Meanwhile jazz was still a  massive influence in Japan, the Major Force crew amongst those giving their own take on hip hop that uniquely Japanese Jazz take. Music really seemed to cross-pollinate. ‘You gotta dig blue note to get def jam’ was an often repeated refrain. Which brings me to Mo Wax.

Alongside Ninja Tune, Mo Wax probably best came to define the sound of the mid 90’s. Trip Hop, abstract hip hop, beat science – whatever. Mo Wax captured that experimental attitude visually and aurally.  Jazz, hip hop, techno, dub stirred into a head nodders delight.

The leap to mass attention for the label probably came with DJ Shadow’s debut album, but before that came the genre defining ‘In Flux’. That epic track kicks off with the sample from Frank Foster’s ‘Loud Minority’. And so we return to where I started this post – with jazz. Beginning with the Frank Foster track this mix – a selection of deep jazz tunes – is the kind of jazz I’m still digging over 20 years later.