Soul News : 5th August 2013

1. Soul beard Cody ChesnuTT kicks-off a grueling US tour this month, ending at the Metro Theatre in Sydney this October. (via BWW)

2. Ghostpoet also hitting Oz to play a show the Oxford Art Factory in September. Trying to arrange reviews and interviews, so watch this space. (via Songkick)

3. New soulmate Thomas Coxhead announces the signing of Jabob Banks to Atlantic this week. Fantastic to see such talent recognised and rewarded, particularly as I was lucky enough to DJ alongside him late last year at Wired. Congrats! (via TheHouseOfCoxHead)

4. Chicster old boy behind Daft Punk's summer hit 'Get Lucky' Nile Rodgers is given the all-clear after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010; claims a number one record aided recovery. (via BBC Newsbeat)

Ty LIVE - Sat 6th July @ The Basement, Sydney

Sooo looking forward to this on Saturday. Was kindly invited down by Tru Thoughts and Ty's management to do a full review. Can't wait!!

Watch this space for the full write-up.

Last Night's Listening: Mardi Gras, Sydney

A few tracks I heard last night during the Mardi Gras parade on Oxford Street in Sydney. Safe to say it was fabulous, darling...

1. The System - Coming to America (Atco Records, 1988)

This is a bit of a white lie really, as I didn't technically here this at all! That said, whilst sitting outside the Coco Cubano on the parade route last night, I did hear a track in the background that distinctly reminded me of the score from one of my favourite 80s films – Coming To America. A bit of searching later and I stumbled across the main theme. Classic funk from the era of big shoulder pads, bigger phones and truly terrifying perms.

2. Benny Benassi - Satisfaction (Energy Production, 2002)

Released in 2002, I still remember working in Groovefinder Records in Portsmouth when the first pressings of this came through, as it took quite a while to decide whether this was a huge hit or miss. However, ‘Satisfaction’ has since given birth to a decade of hugely compressed synth-heavy ‘electro’ anthems; as it turns out this track was groundbreaking at the time and refuses to go away. That riff though… So infectious! 

3. Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive (RSO, 1977)

A track that needs no introduction. Immortalised by the dancefloor stylings of one John Travolta, this track was one of the first disco tracks I was ever exposed to and continues to rotate in all manner of venues – in a multitude of reworked forms – the world over. Classic doesn't quite do it justice.

Last Night's Listening: Santa Barbara, Sydney

A few gems from my night out at Santa Barbara in Kings Cross last night. Not sure who the guy DJing was, but safe to say he was playing some amazing music. The tofu burger wasn’t bad either…

1. Steely Dan – Do It Again (ABC, 1972)

Quality jazz rock from the early 70s featuring an incredible electric sitar and ‘plastic organ’ solo.

2. The Doors – Changeling (Elektra Records, 1971)

The opening track from The Doors’ 1971 album ‘LA Woman’. Apparently Jim Morrison’s vocals were recorded in a bathroom…

3. Dillinger – Cocaine in My Brain (Sonic Sounds, 1978)

Wicked, classic roots from Jamaica.