So, lately, since leaving the regularity of a weekly radio show (or semi-regularity as was often the case at KPFK), I’ve had some difficulty getting motivated enough to put together a show from home. For a period of time, it felt like I was in existential swamp, not sure what to do, where to go, feeling a bit stuck. During a bit of re-organization ’round my place, I knocked over some older mini-disks, which way back in the day I used as an archive means before the days of MP3’s and WAV’s. On a few of those, I remembered there were a few mixes that I had put together after I had moved to the Bay Area and had begun to spend a little more time on mixing and DJ-ing. These mixes were original for cassettes (it was after all back in the day when “mixtapes” were actually put onto tapes), so they end up being about 45 minutes a piece, and coming out of radio and a being a Southerner, it’s hard for me to just chop things up, so there’s only about ten songs on each. I’m thinking that there were more of these, but seems that I only archived these three sides, perhaps because I didn’t really think the others were up to snuff.
Even looking at these 16-17 years later, they ain’t half bad. I kinda wish I’d spent more time developing my mixing skills, to be able to beat juggle and match, instead of the somewhat jarring jump cuts that I employed at this time or the simple cross fade I do nowadays. Some of the songs are familiar, some a bit deeper, but there’s quality on the them all. Most importantly, I feel like listening to these snapped me out of my funk (pun intended) and helped me to get myself back on track so that I can regularly post new mixes and “Melting Pot Radio Hours” in the weeks to come. So, here you go, Funky Treats For Funky Peeps, volumes 1-3. The title now strikes me as being a little hokey, but I might resurrect it in the future…Enjoy!
Funky Treats For Funky Peeps Vol. 1
Tracklist:
1. Jimmy Castor Bunch – It’s Just Begun
2. Harlem Underground Band – Smokin’ Cheeba Cheeba
3. The Fatback Band – Mr. Bassman
4. Lee Dorsey – Occapella
5. The Chubuckos – House Of Rising Funk
6. Jimmy Smith – I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little Bit More Babe
7. Cymande – The Message
8. Blue Mitchell – The Message
9. Rusty Bryant – The Fire Eater
10. Albert Ayler – New Generation
11. Ernie Hines – Our Generation
Funky Treats For Funky Peeps Vol. 2
Tracklist:
1. King Curtis – Memphis Soul Stew
2. S.O.U.L. – Soul
3. Sir Joe Quarterman & Free Soul – I’ve Got So Much Trouble In My Mind
4. Detroit Emeralds – You’re Getting A Little Too Smart
5. Jimmy Smith – Root Down (And Get It!)
6. Herbie Hancock – Watermelon Man
7. Leon Thomas – China Doll
8. Cymande – Fug
Funky Treats For Funky Peeps Vol. 3
Tracklist:
1. Archie Shepp – Attica Blues
2. Buddy Rich – Big Mac
3. Mandingo – The Headhunter
4. Manu DiBango – New Bell
5. Gary Bartz – Follow The Medicine Man
6. The Black Byrds – Rock Creek Park
7. James Brown – A Blind Man Can See It
8. Larry Coryell – Morning Sickness
9. Miles Davis – Black Satin
10. Earth Wind & Fire – Bad Tune