You've got to live for yourself

mp3: James Brown - I'll Go Crazy

A sweet slice of R&B goodness from James Brown and The Famous Flames is today's pick. The Famous Flames -- Bobby Byrd, Bobby Bennett and Lloyd Stallworth -- all contribute backing vocals on I'll Go Crazy, originally released in 1960. Two years later, they belted out a slightly more punchy version to open a performance at the Apollo Theater in Harlem that will go down in recording history.

Bossa Nova Watusi Twisting

mp3: Freddy King - The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist

Released on the Federal label in 1963 by Texas via Chicago 6-string maestro, Freddy King (aka Freddie King), The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist is far better than its name implies. Rather than just a weak attempt to cash in on several of the popular dance crazes around at the time, King's offering is a superbly smooth original R&B guitar groove.

Don't Forget About The Marvels

mp3: The Marvels - Forget About That Mess Pt1
mp3: The Marvels - Forget About That Mess Pt2

When I began researching today's selection I initially drew a blank. This is not the first time that this has happened to me, but usually the record is more obscure, rare or weird. This recording seems to be reasonably well known, available and is definitely listenable but, even using my ninja-like Google searching skills, I've struggled to find out about it.

Of course, there are various leads. A label called the Sensation Records Company (SRC) was named after Lee's Sensation Lounge (or Club Sensation) in Detroit. It was around from the late 40s to the early 50s, notably releasing several John Lee Hooker records. Still, today's tunes come from a later era than that. I'm no expert, but I would place it towards the late 60s. It’s part soul-funk, part boogaloo and part girl-group. There is also a Sensation Records that released disco in Italy in the 80s, but I think we can safely rule that one out.

The names listed on the record label don’t help. Forget About That Mess was written by Herman Davis, probably not the Jamaican drummer of the same name known as Bongo Herman. Davis, U. Lee and C. Wills were the producers and Wills also owned the music publishing rights.

There seems to have been many groups in the 60s know as The Marvels. For starters, it was the original name of Motown’s The Marvelettes. Another The Marvels were from Jamaica but based in the UK. They do a really great version of Aretha’s Rock Steady on the Pama Supreme label -- which I must post up here sometime -- but I don't think this is them either.

There is a girl-group from Florida who were called The Mar-Vells before having their name changed by a record label to The Fabulettes. Apparently, they continued to perform up until the late 60s, sometimes as The Marvels. From its sound, I could believe that it was recorded by a group from Florida. Also, the vocals do bear a resemblance to The Fabulettes. Mystery solved?

Maybe. I should also mention a comment left on a YouTube clip of the song (about as unreliable a source as you get), which confidently states, “That is not The Marvels on that picture, I know because I'm one of them. The Marvels are three sisters from Detroit and the song was recorded in Detroit at United Sounds Studio.”

Feel free to enlighten me with new evidence, or even hearsay, about this record and, most of all, enjoy the tune.

Ay Caramba

mp3: The Champs - Caramba

From 1959, here are The Champs who, in my estimation, are a fairly under-rated group. Everyone knows and loves Tequila, but I'm often faced with surprise when I tell people that they've got several other instrumental gems in their repertoire. Perhaps it's because none of them stray too far from Tequila in terms of their general sound, but when your first release -- originally the b-side -- sells millions and rockets to number one, it's not surprising that you might try and replicate it. Caramba, which, according to Google translate, is Spanish for wow, was written by guitarist Dave Burgess. It could be described as one of the follow ups to Tequila.

New DJ night - Jam Up Twist

mp3: Thurston Harris - Be Baba Leba

In a couple of Friday's time, I'll be helping out behind the decks at a new night with DJ Andy Smith. It's called Jam Up Twist and is to be held in a brand new venue in Stoke Newington, the La Sera Club. I'm extremely thrilled about this as Andy Smith, through his seminal The Document mix CD, was a massive early influence on me as a Deejay.

I was introduced to him through the guy who did the show before me when I was doing a blues slot on student radio in Melbourne. This guy, let's call him Johann, traveled frequently to Hong Kong and often came back with dodgy street copies of the latest cool music on CD. He was so enamored by The Document that he burnt it for me and a few others to share the love. It blew our little minds away. I was particularly taken by the way it radically crossed genres and eras and made it work. I loved that it made me question where musical gems could be found. It had never occurred to me, before hearing The Document, to consider Tom Jones musically and it probably wouldn't have otherwise. When I first started being asked to DJ at friends' parties, I would play large chunks of The Document and either sit back and soak in the glory or join them on the dancefloor.

Naturally, when DJ Andy Smith would tour Australia, me and my pals would go. I recall a three-hour festival set he did with Dynamo Productions where it felt like every single one of the best songs ever recorded was included in the mix. The crowd started as about twenty people, mainly my mates -- Jamiroquai, very popular at the time, was on at the same time -- and steadily built into a huge crowd of maybe a thousand boogieing revellers.

Of course, the years have passed and Andy Smith's musical journey has included Northern Soul, Reggae, and New Orleans R&B. At this night we'll be playing a hot selection of Rockabilly, Northern Soul, 50’s R&B, Surf & Tittyshakers, Rock Steady & Ska. I recently acquired Thurston Harris's boppin' Be Baba Leba, so you can pretty much guarantee that, unless Andy drops it first, I'll be giving it a spin.

So, if you're in the London area on February 3rd, or the first Friday of any month, venture over to Stoke Newington and join us on the tiles for a night of top tunes and world class fun -- and be sure to say hi.