Get The Funk In Here!

This is a post that's been a while in the waiting.

Dave Brown is a DJ who presents a Sunday night Motown show on London's Smooth FM 102.2 (formerly Jazz FM). It's a gem of a programme because 1) Brown really knows his stuff 2) he manages to resist what I would imagine is considerable commercial and audience pressure to stack the four hours with the over-familiar hits (the station's daytime schedule is deeply mainstream), choosing instead to air many rare, lost and forgotten tracks from the late 50s through to the present. I've heard some stunning soul records on this programme, most of them for the first time.

I was knocked back a few weeks ago when I heard this contemporary remix of a 1975 Smokey Robinson track and bought it off iTunes pronto - but not until I bought the whole Motown Remixed CD it's from could I upload it to The Ghost of course (hey there again, Digital Rights Bloody Protection Software!).

Remixes of classic tracks can be hit and miss affairs - what I love about this is the way it massively opens up and deepens, whilst respecting, the source material - especially with the inspired addition of Roy Ayers' vibes accompaniment (not on the original).

Smokey Robinson - 'Quiet Storm' (Groove Boutique Chill Jazz Mix, feat. Roy Ayers)

Hope you like it. The album is well worth a listen (buy here) - maybe I'll post some more tracks soon.

Now to our pictured artist...

A lot of people say to me "Davy H, your blog's alright - but I just don't feel you post enough stuff by female African-American jazz funk flautists..."

I'm happy to oblige.

Bobbi Humphrey - 'Harlem River Drive' (1973) (available on Blue Break Beats Vol 1 - buy)

(Website here). Have (another) funky weekend.