{I’ll be paying tribute to Matthew Africa on today’s Melting Pot, on KPFK, 90.7 FM in Los Angeles, KPFK.ORG worldwide, from 4-6pm. I’ll be including some of his mixes, a few of the many artists that I know he loved, things he turned me on to personally, things he turned us all on to via his show and blog and sharing some of my memories. Oliver Wang of Soul-Sides.com will also be a guest to remember one of the best DJs and all around human beings we’ve known.}
I’m still in a complete state of shock after learning that my friend Matthew Africa has died in a car accident. I don’t even know where to begin or how to quantify the impact that Matthew had on me as a DJ and Music Lover. I always liked to joke with him that he had ever single record anyone should have. His knowledge and appreciation of music was as deep as any person I’ve ever known. In 1994 or 1995 I got a copy of Jazz Dance Classics Vol. 1 from Luv’n’Haight which Africa helped compile and wrote the liner notes. The collection had an instant effect on me and was one of the prime catalysts for me to really start digging. It changed how I listened to music. When I came to Berkeley and eventually started working at KALX, I came to know Matthew and we became friends. More than a few times our shifts followed each other and almost every week Matthew turned me and all of his listeners onto things we’d never heard. It seems like just a minute ago that we were reminiscing on facebook about times spent DJ-ing together at the Ruby Room in Oakland. Some of my fondest memories as a DJ involve Matthew. It was an honor to spin just before him at his 30th Birthday party, to talk music, politics and culture, which we could do endlessly. I don’t know what else to say except that I can’t believe he’s gone. I’ll likely have a tribute this Sunday on Melting Pot for Matthew. For now, here’s just a few things that remind me of him.
Gary Bartz – Celestial Blues
This is the first track off of the Jazz Dance Classic comp. that Matthew helped compile. At the time he was an employee of Groove Merchant, with was the headquarters of Ubiquity and Luv’n’Haight records. Few songs seem more fiting than this one as a testament to Matthew, who many will remember for his taste in music, but was so much more than just a DJ. He was one of the most intelligent men I’ve ever known.
Rusty Bryant – The Fire Eater
Monster track also on Jazz Dance Classics Vol. 1. It wasn’t my introduction to the world of Jazz-Funk, but almost 20 years later since the first time I heard this, I don’t think my ears have ever recovered. Demolishes all other tracks with those massive drums from Idris Muhammad and the organ solo from Bill Mason is just legendary. As with all the other tracks on this collection, hearing this completely blew me away and started me down the path of digging for much more obscure music than I was up on at the time.
U.S. 69 – I’m On My Way
This is one of many tracks that I got turned on to because of Matthew’s radio show. KALX constantly shifted the DJs around, you had to be approved for your time slot based off of the judgement of a small programming council. Several times we’d follow each other, his show before mine for a time, my show before his. I still remember the first time I heard this one, as I was putting away my music in the KALX library the sitar and the beat from this song hit and I literally ran back to the studio to find out what this amazing bit of music was.
Gal Costa – De Um Role
Another discovery because of Matthew’s radio show, and another track that he once led off his show with and I just had to run back into the studio to find out what it was. Part of me always wished that Gal Costa had recorded a studio version of this song, a cover of Novos Baianos. I’m glad she didn’t, it makes this version, from her live album Fatal A Todo Vapor even more special, especially now.
Pearly Queen – Quit Jivin’
My fondest memories of Matthew center around time spent on Wednesday nights at the Ruby Room in Oakland. DJ Kitty’s “Soulvation” night was one of the first places in the Bay Area where I really felt at home. Hanging out and dancing with my fellow DJs, Kitty, Sean Sullivan, Joe Quixx and Matthew made it all the more special. I don’t know if I ever asked him, but “Quit Jivin'” struck me as one of Matthew’s favorite songs. I say that because anytime anyone played he’d immediately hit the dance floor to do his signature dance. Everytime I hear it I can immediately see Matthew putting down his beer and hitting the floor.
Lee Dorsey – A Lover Was Born
Back in 2001, when DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist followed up their legendary Brain Freeze mix with Product Placement, Matthew was one of the DJs they asked to spin ahead of them that evening. He was on early, but his set was as good as any of the others that night. At the end of the night they brought all of the DJs on stage to play an additional song. Matthew’s choice was “A Lover Was Born” from Lee Dorsey, and if I close my eyes I can still see him on stage, doing his dance just overjoyed to be playing the music he loved.
Dee Edwards – Why Can’t There Be Love
Matthew just recently had posted a mix of music from 45s, kind of prep for special night of dj-ing in the Bay Area. As was always the case, there were many many songs that I’d never heard before and that I’ll obssess over until my days are gone. Dee Edwards’ “Why Can’t There Be Love” is the one that has stayed in my mind and it’s hard to believe that this is the last thing that Matthew turned me onto. You will be sorely missed.
