Musica: Clubhouse Jamboree forever!

I keep saying this is the best party of the year and people still do not believe me. Sunday saw me trekking to Prospect Park in Brooklyn for Li'l Ray's 15th annual Clubhouse Jamboree in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

Chicago DJ Jamie 3:26 (above) performed and really got the crowd worked up (see video here, here, here and here).

Then came the legendary DJ Spinna (above) who had a truly inspired set (check it out here).

Seen: Former Jamboree headliner Brian Coxx from Soulgasm (above, in the cool sneakers). More of him here. And...

Supah'star Karizma who headlined in 2006 (more here).

Best thing? Li'l Ray! Who puts these things together year after year after year and promises to do it for 15 more years! For free! Which is amazing because he avoids and hates self-promotion. Still, the guy was great enough to keep my cell phone after I lost it (!) and returned it to me yesterday even though he had to drive from Long Island to Manhattan to do the deed. Talk about a great guy!

One of the many reasons I truly believe the Clubhouse Jamboree is my favorite event of the summer.

Previously:

• I guess you had to be there (Sept. 10, 2007)
• Karizma blows up the joint (Sept. 12, 2006)
• Beautiful people (Sept. 19, 2005)

Musica: 15th Annual Clubhouse Jamboree is coming up!

Year after year after year we keep going back: This year is no different as DJ Li'l Ray brings us yet another Clubhouse Jamboree at Brooklyn's Prospect Park scheduled for Sunday, September 14th.

This year marks the 15th such event and features Chicago house music producer Glenn Underground, Chicago's Jaime 3:26, Dede, Soul Finger Jam and, of course, DJ Spinna.

A highlight from past years? Karizma spinning the rare mash-up of Jazmina's "Rain Come Down" with Frankie Knuckles and Satoshie Tommie's "Tears" at the 13th Annual Jamboree. Classic!

Musica: I guess you just had to be there...

Yesterday we made our annual pilgrimage to Brooklyn for - yes - the 14th annual Prospect Park Clubhouse Jamboree (and a damn pilgrimage it was - the trains were a mess).

Aside from DJ Spinna, who always makes an effort to be there, the star attraction was the up and coming Martinez Bothers from the Bronx who showed up with their, em, dad, as they have yet to turn twenty but are certainly getting some major attention.

For my money (and I guess that's pretty cheap because the event is always free and you also get a free plateful of really good food), the star of the afternoon was DJ Brian Coxx of Soulgasm. He just had an amazing set and was pretty damn sexy to boot! In any case, I took a few video snippets so I could show you some of the fun.

First up, Brian Coxx showing that a DJ can actually really get into his sets:

Then we have proof that if a DJ gets into his sets, the crowd might follow:

Then we have another groovy encounter with Afro Mosaic Soul who did something special with a Thom Yorke ditty:

We nearly missed the Martinez Brothers because we were standing in the long-ass line to get food but we did get DJ Spinna dropping a classic:

And, because there is no such thing as too little dancing, well, here's more dancing:

Props to DJ Li'l Ray and his crew of volunteers who always manage to make this one of the most enjoyable summer experiences!

• More vids here
• More photos here

Musica: 4hero, Tracey Thorn, Karizma - It's All Good

I previewed these albums earlier this year (with all sorts of lovey-dovey links and whatnots here) so now that they're out, are they any good?

4hero: Lush in all the right places, moving in its grandeur and up to par with their best work, "Play with the Changes" continues 4hero's exploration of earthly sensual grooves and warm orchestral compositions. Opening track "Morning Child" was the first single, now followed up by the anti-war protest song "The Awakening" featuring poet Ursula Rucker. The album sounds like running through grass with bare feet on a warm summer day, a flower stuck behind your ear and wind running through whatever's left of your hair. Love me some syncopated rhythms of "Sink or Swim (No Choice for Me)," the sensual break up song "Give In," and the sultry "Bed of Roses" with Jody Watley (previously featured on her sub par album "The Makeover"). Still, all those superlatives and I have to confess that the CD has not been on my high rotation list. I believe I-Tunes also have additional tracks on their album download which sucks for some of us who still buy CD's. Additional info on 4hero's MySpace page.

Tracey Thorn: To be sincere, aside from a great Martin Buttrick re-rub of lead single "It's All True," when the song was released in advance of the proper album it left me cold (ingenious video here) and made me think that Thorn's "Out of the Woods" would be a dud. A promised remake of the Pet Shop Boys "King's Cross" was left off the album and the supposed gay content of "A - Z" is not necessarily overt despite the obvious lyrical nods to Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy." Turns out it doesn't matter: The album is amazing!

It's so great to hear Tracey's voice once again. There is a great webiste in support of the album and, of course, a MySpace page where the highlight is Ms. Thorn's lovely (and often very funny) blog (which is how I know that Arjanwrites has an exclusive interview coming up on his blog).

Some have complained that the album doesn't break new ground but I beg to differ (what did they want, Tracey Thorn sings the Britney Spears catalogue?). Sometimes during her vocalist years for Everything But the Girl her voice seemed at the mercy of Ben Watt's musical explorations but - while there are some echoes of past EBTG work - she definitely seems in full control of the new album's semi-retro concept, the themes and the choice of collaborators.

Rightly, the Village Voice calls it "Sublimely nonchalant electro-pop majesty." Standout tracks: "Easy," the glittering "Falling off a log," "Grand Canyon" and the gorgeous "By Picadilly Station I Sat Down and Wept."

Karizma: I was pretty stunned when I walked into Virgin Records this week and found a single copy of "A Mind of Its Own." I've been trumpeting Baltimore's Kris Klayton ever since I saw him spin at Li'l Ray's annual Brooklyn Clubhouse Jamboree back in September not being aware then that, along with DJ Spen, he'd been part of The Basement Boys (the legendary house music producing team behind some of Crystal Water's early tracks, among others). Still, the launch of Karizma's first album seemed to be a low key push by most sings which is why I was so shocked Virgin even had a copy. I quickly snatched it up and now it won't leave my stereo or my headphones.

Sure, it probably won't be to everyone's taste, the least of it being that these are mostly instrumental dance tracks. They also don't necessarily have the production shine of the Tracey Thorn or 4hero albums but, in some ways, that in itself opens it up to try new rhythm textures and moods which truly opens the album up as the sound of the future of dance (along the lines of Dennis Ferrer's recently released masterpiece "The World As I See It").

If the annoying word of the year is "pitchy," I hope you won't be annoyed by the characterization of this new sound as "techy." Then again, Karizma himself names two of the tracks "Tech This Out, Pt. 2" and "All Teched Out."

The one mistep, "K.O.N.G.," is nearly unlisteneable. But the rest more than makes up for it and, as a bonus, CD buyers also get a code to download two additional Karizma tracks off the r2 records online page. I love, love, love this CD. Wanna know more? Check out Karizma's MySpace page or r2 records MySpace page. Stand out tracks: "T W Y St This" and the thirteen minute "The Damn Thing."

In New York, Karizma will make a special appearance at APT on April 17th and return for a headliner gig also at APT on May 10th.

Musica: Karizma at Langston's in Brooklyn this Friday

Not sure I'll make it but for those of you that can, I'm sure you'll have a blast. It's a Lil Ray joint featuring Baltimore's incomparable Karizma. A preview here.

My New York: Karizma blows up the joint

If you've been here recently, then you know that I had been plugging Saturday's 13th Annual Clubhouse Jamboree at Prospect Park ever since I had a blast last year at the 12th.

It might not have been as gloriously sunny as last year, but it didn't rain either and the temperature was just right. Diamond Temple and the Temple Dynasty did their soulful choir thing and took the whole throng to the heavens and back and Brooklyn's own Afro Mosaic Soul Dance Company dedicated their dance performance to Willi Ninja and Robert, who they described as an 18 year old dancer who had been following on Willi's steps who had also passed away last week.

DJ Soto did a groovy mix of the current crop of discofied R&B and Carlos Sanchez followed with a funkier groove. DJ Spinna closed the day with his usual uplifting grooves.

Still, the man who stole the show was Baltimore's own Karizma (pictured above) who just blew the place up with his set, which mixed chunky-dubs and extra bass over already pumping tracks and demonstrated his amazing mixing skills. As the organizer, liL Ray said, "hear my words, he's a DJ to watch."

Not that in any way, shape or form does this capture the amazing vibe (the sound quality sucks for one) but I thought some video might show you what I mean. So jump-on over and check these out and tell me that the man was not on fire:

• Karizma letting the Rain Come Down
• Karizma dropping some Rej by Ame
• Karizma invokes Beyonice's Deja Vu as DJ Spinna prepares to go on deck

Just simply, magic.

13th Annual Clubhouse Jamboree: Sept. 10th @ Prospect Park

Last year, the mighty bass from DJ Spinna's thumping DJ set made our whole body vibrate (at least 'til the power generator gave out) after we'd thrilled to a vocal set by Ms. Barbara "Most Precious Love" Tucker under a glorious Brooklyn forest sun. Think we're tripping? Proof (and photos) here.

It's baaack! The 13th Annual Clubhouse Jamboree is set to hit Prospect Park on Sunday, September 10th with another DJ set from DJ Spinna (fresh from releasing a new album), as well as DJ's Karisma and Carlos Sanchez, and the Diamond Temple & The Temple Dynasty Afro Mosaic Soul dance company to boot! Thanks lil Ray and hope for a sunny day.

UPDATES:

• 14th Annual Clubhouse Jamboree set for Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007
  
• Karisma blows up the joint (Sept. 12, 2006)

My New York: Beautiful People

So this blog has some benefits: I recently blogged about how much I like the new Blaze single, "Most Precious Love," featuring Barbara Tucker. Well, my friend Noel alerted me to one of the things I love this city for so much: A free summer concert at Brooklyn's Prospect Park featuring - who else - Miss Barbara Tucker (as well as the great DJ Spinna). Aparently this was the 12th so-called Clubhouse Jamboree (where was I the last 11 years?) and summer blessed us with a beautiful day. The setting was sublime, a great crowd dancing under the shade of some trees. Miss Tucker, who had just flown in from Ibiza, didn't dissapoint and introduced a couple of songs from her upcoming album as well as the classics: "Beautiful People," "I Get Lifted," and "Most Precious Love."

DJ Spinna's set also lifted up to some euphoric heights. At one point I was sitting on the bass while I took some pictures and, damn, you could really feel that pulse surge through you! Unfortunately his set got cut short when the system went down.

Amazing day. More photos here.

[...and if you are in New York tomorrow Tuesday, have ten bucks to spare, and want a chance to see and hear Barbara Tucker, just head to Discotheque at 17 W 19th Street around 10PM. She'll be joined by chanteuse Joi Cardwell, Danny Krivits and members of Blaze and the Basement Boys]