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WE NEVER LEAVE THE CLUB: Quarterly Baltimore Club Music Update

28 Dec
Whether you like it or not, this guy had the best year in
Baltimore club music. By a long shot.

As 2010 draws to a close, Baltimore club music is in an unusual place. On one hand, the music is more mainstream accessible than ever. Blaqstarr is positioned to become and underground pop icon and everything that was either directly or indirectly attached to the hipster movement from Pabst Blue Ribbon beer to Diplo is achieving a place in the mainstream. Usher’s “OMG,” a Baltimore club track disguised as a pop song was voted by MTV as the channel’s favorite pop tune of the year. Baltimore club tracks are now a staple of mainstream R & B and dance releases for the time being as well, as acts ranging from the expected Black Eyed Peas to the unexpected newcomer Miguel incorporating the sound. On one level, between that and internationally popular DJs like Trouble and Bass’ Drop the Lime and Zombies for Money, along with kuduro club smasher Munchi making waves in club music the dream has been realized. Club music is global, in a major way, and shows no apparent signs of slowing down. However, as rapper Redman once entitled an album, “Dare Iz a Darkside.”

 We No Speak Bmoreo by James Nasty

On the veteran front, Unruly’s Say Wut had another terrific year, releasing an album length mix, and with King Tutt promising a 2011 release that will venture deeper into the electro side of club music, Unruly has transferred quietly from being a leader in club music to being the genre’s most respected brand. Hearing Scottie B drop bombs at the Baltimore Bass Connection Xmas Party at Sonar wasn’t the life altering experience it normally is, instead it was met as the expectation of the DJ and the music he plays. In having harnessed the titanic strength of club music for so long, and being the brand that carried it into the mainstream, Unruly no longer needs to be a leader, but it rather can be the steward, the respected folks at the top of the game.

http://www.youtube.com/v/IK4BSndto8Y?fs=1&hl=en_US

It is important to also note that the Baltimore game has changed. When the city was widely regarded as the predominant world underground leader, club music was swept into that. Now, as Baltimore has faded back into being a weird, yet still vibrant musical enclave, still local Baltimore club needs to be, well, back in the clubs. The growth that occurred in the sound between “Watch Out for the Big Girl” and “I’m the Shit” needs to be replicated yet again. There needs to be an emphasis on not just producing, but the actual art of DJing the music. Mainstream success is always just around the corner for club music. It reflects popular culture and features intensely catchy dance breaks. Jonny Blaze is an urban legend and Benny Stixx may not be a household name, but they are DJs adept at  producing and spinning the sound and getting people moving. Philly’s DJ Sega is a prodigy and everyone is aware of that. KW Griff and DJ Booman are holding down breaking songs on the radio. Between those names and a plethora more, there needs to be work done amongst DJs who still want to advance club music. While names like Usher are toying with the sound, enormous mainstream exposure isn’t exactly possible. However, working hard in the lab and concocting where the sound can be headed in the shadows of these giants is of ultra importance.

In final, club music truly became pop music in 2010. Of course, as when anything underground goes pop, it immediately causes tension in the underground, a sea of angry emotions, hurt feelings and rash decisions borne of confusion. All of these things happened in club music this year. However, with a quick change of gears, club music can survive, and actually get stronger for the next major boom. As the King James Version states in Ecclesiastes 9:11, “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race [is] not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”

THE DROP: Praise Jesus! Baltimore club legend Jonny Blaze is back!

8 Nov
Baltimore club music legend Jonny Blaze is a legend because he’s a character. He’s honest, up front and in a world filled with people “keepin’ it real,” Blaze keeps it more honest than all of those people combined. Well, for most of 2010, life has been just as real to Jonny Blaze as he has been to it. To counteract this spree of bad luck and terrible circumstances, Blaze has embraced religion and a clean living lifestyle.
In March 2010, the same man responsible for the track “Head, Tittites and Ass,” an underground club music cult favorite shunned his desire to make sexually tinged club music, and instead gave us as his first release with his new outlook on life the Cajmere “Preacherman” sampling “Here We Go,” a folky club get down about praising Jesus.
http://www.youtube.com/v/HucLax1op5k?fs=1&hl=en_US
Unfortunately, in April 2010, Blaze was incarcerated for six months in Baltimore County. Now released, the club legend is still praising Jesus, and admirably working through his demons in song. His latest, “Pray Me Pain” takes a flip of Rod Lee’s incredible club classic “Dance My Pain Away,” and Blaze discusses his life and demons and his holy method for dismissal.
http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtpOjQ7czo2OiJmaWxlSWQiO2k6MTMxMTM5MDk7czo0OiJjb2RlIjtzOjEyOiIxMzExMzkwOS0wNjMiO3M6NjoidXNlcklkIjtpOjEzMjcwMDg7czoxMjoiZXh0ZXJuYWxDYWxsIjtpOjE7czo0OiJ0aW1lIjtpOjEyODkyMjg3NzQ7fQ==&autoplay=
Jonny Blaze – Pray Me Pain
As well, Blaze stays strong on the commercial side with a flip of Justin Bieber’s 2010 hit “Baby,” a rave up club anthem that melds the streets of Baltimore with the malls of Towson and keeps feet moving in both places.
http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio_embed?data=YTo2OntzOjU6ImFwaUlkIjtpOjQ7czo2OiJmaWxlSWQiO2k6MTMxMTQwMjE7czo0OiJjb2RlIjtzOjEyOiIxMzExNDAyMS00MTAiO3M6NjoidXNlcklkIjtpOjEzMjcwMDg7czoxMjoiZXh0ZXJuYWxDYWxsIjtpOjE7czo0OiJ0aW1lIjtpOjEyODkyMjg4MzI7fQ==&autoplay=
Justin Bieber – Baby (Jonny Blaze Remix)
For DC area readers, you can fully expect the rejuvenated Blaze to be back out in about playing live sets soon, as having the legendary club producer alive, well, free and working in the studio can only mean a string of club bangers in the near future.
Amen to that!

Club Music, Evolution 3.0 started in DC this weekend. Tales of DJ Sega and James Nasty.

30 Aug
As far as Bmore staples are concerned, club music will dominate the charts
long before the Orioles will dominate the standings again.

Let’s state that the evolution of club music at this point had a definite beginning, and a definite next step. The beginning will encapsulate the early era, where Jimmy Jones'”Big Girl” and the adopted Chicago anthem of Cajmere’s “Percolator” were added  to the musical lexicon and fabric of international music. The second era encapsulates the build and development of club music, as it spread nationally and internationally, making cult heroes out of Unruly and Bmore Original Records affiliated spinners and making underground DJ sets on 92Q as important of cultural identifiers as the work of any deep house, trance, hip hop or techno legend behind the decks. That of course culminated with DJ Class’ “I’m The Shit” being blessed with the cosign of 31st century forebearer and kingpin of all music Kanye West. In my most recent interview with him, Unruly Records chief Shawn Caesar mentioned club music was “headed back underground for a bit.” If this is the case, then in the last week, we have found ALL of the component parts necessary for the next evolution of club music. While we are still yet unsure of who, what, or when the mainstream surface will be yet again pierced by the trademark bass loops, drum kicks and hot melodies, we know where it’s coming from.

Foremost, let’s mention the steady, yet understated influence of Crossfaded Bacon’s Emynd, local Baltimore youngsters DJ Pierre and Murder Mark and Unruly’s next in charge, King Tutt. They all deserve mention because their tracks are the bread and butter of where things are headed. Emynd released a remix of Cee-Lo’s virally explosive “Fuck You” that was so great that Warner Media Group, the media group behind Cee Lo’s label is hurriedly attempting to shut down all download locations across the internet. Electro club maven Tutt has an EP forthcoming that given his own hype for the release portends big things. Before KW Griff and Porkchop decided to “Bring In the Cats,” Pierre’s “Uhh Break” was likely the hottest club track of the year. Murder Mark stays in the studio, attempting to start to set a standard as a producer that will ultimately make him far more valuable to club music than ever having to DJ a live set in his life.

But club music isn’t best experienced on iPODs and over Wi Fi on laptops. It’s experienced live, and this weekend, DC was treated to three incredible sets from the two fastest rising headlining club DJs in the game, Baltimore’s James Nasty and Philly’s DJ Sega. Due to unforeseen occurrences, James Nasty DJed a 90 minute club music set at U Street Music Hall as the headliner of TGRI’s own Michael Jackson Birthday/Motown Happy Hour on Friday night. Of course, our hope was in having Nasty play that this would eventually lead to hearing Scottie B’s “Motown Medley” or DJ Technics’ “Please Mr. Postman” alongside the standard versions of Motown hits, but when it became obvious that we were going MUCH longer than expected, Nasty, whose confidence as a top notch producer and live DJ professional has grown as a headliner of the Ottobar’s Moustache Party played a set that paid homage to nearly every major Motown or MJ sampling track in the  history of club music, and as expected, the revelers went wild. What started off as an austere and fun event became a mess of sweat and excitement with U Hall patrons applauding Nasty with each increasingly more classic or rare club remix. Alongside Dave Nada nearly causing massive amounts of cardiac arrhythmia on the dance floor with his classic club set at U Hall for Stereo Faith’s benefit, club music is clearly NOT DEAD, but alive and well as ever on the underground, preparing for the next mainstream invasion.

Usher is not the only one in the mainstream these days saying “oh oh ohoh, oh my god” to the sounds of club music these days. Anybody in the listening vicinity of DJ Sega’s East coast mini tour this weekend may be dead. Or, if not dead, completely flustered by the ferocity that the Philly Club King intends to bring to club music in the future. At first, Sega was merely a creative wizard. Taking songs we knew in the most non-club setting and riddling them with a hail of drum and bass patterns. However, something great has happened to Sega. He has developed his style yet further, and is applying his trademark intensity to dubstep, electro and pretty much anything in his path. Toddla T, Donaeo, Dr. Dre and Caspa have all recently been remixed by the boy turned man who dares to be king.

DC’s H Street “Atlas District” corridor may be the hottest party locale in the city. Capitol Hill kids looking for something new have flooded the streets of NE in high numbers. These aren’t underground kids or jiggy club heads either. These are fresh scrubbed and hard working sons and daughters of white collar parents who like their beer cold and music top 40 or classic rock, no exceptions. Well, hold up…maybe not. At the Distract party on Friday night at Rock and Roll Hotel, the kids danced to electro. Not surprising. Pop radio sounds like Ibiza in 2002 and Brooklyn in 2006 these days, so, we should not be surprised. What was surprising is DJ Sega altered nothing, and beat kids over the head with sledgehammer cut after sledgehammer cut, marauded, steroid ingested club break beats spilling out of the sound system upstairs at Rock and Roll Hotel until it died. Yes, DJ Sega played a set so hard on Friday night that is caused a surge that activated a circuit breaker. Rock and Roll’s upstairs has become a resurgent spot for quality dance nights in the city with DJ Doc Rok and his proteges our own DJ Cold Case and gaining in experience Ratt Moze at the helm. They have refurbished and entirely renovated the upstairs area due to dancing being on the rise with U Hall’s white hot start out the gates, but, clearly after this weekend’s assault by Nouveau Riche’s Gavin Holland (who set the table perfectly) and Sega on Friday night, sonic reinforcement is necessary.

Between ease, finesse and classic dance friendly style, and rave friendly asskicking, these are the two extremes of club music. From James Nasty to DJ Sega, and all of the ultra important new school stops in between, club music is in great hands for its development and future.

THE DROP: Club music updates from DJ Jonny Blaze and DJ Pierre

3 Aug

MIXTAPE REVIEW: Say Wut – Streets of Baltimore 2.0

28 Jul

 
Unruly Records and Horsemen Entertainment’s Say Wut crafted TGRIOnline’s 2009 Baltimore club track of the year, “Streets of Baltimore.” A take off on the theme to 70s cop drama “Streets of San Francisco,” the track was a perfect marriage of style and substance, as the DJ is a maestro of getting the most out of the woodwind sound, and the orchestral instrumental is a bouquet of 70s funk vibes programmed for dance floor excitement. In deciding to release a full length CD mix taking off from that sound, Say Wut crafts an exquisite mix that doesn’t deviate much from horn filled loops and breaks. It dips into hits of past and present of the Baltimore sound, and in final, is a dominant mainstream release. In a market barren of local sounds accessible on that level, it sets forth the standard of excellence in the sound for all others to meet and hopefully exceed for the sake of the continued evolution and progress of club music.

On this mix, a seamless portrait is created of a great percentage of the most excellent sounds of the moment in the genre. Quickly ascending Bmore duo Uncle Jesse’s “Glen Tech” in the hands of KW Griff is a melding of what makes both excellent at their craft, taking Uncle Jesse’s honed by years of late hour rave and techno minimal brilliance alongside Griff’s note perfect house execution and crafting one of the best club tracks of the year. Rod Lee is consistent and excellent as ever here, and his style clearly has influenced much of Say Wut’s craft as well. Say Wut’s plethora of hits get no short shrift on this mix either, with tribal banger “Diga Doom” having such a unique feel that it deserves mention as a standout effort. One can never get tired of MIA’s “Boyz” being reworked as “Swift’s Revenge” by KW Griff, easily one of the best tracks in the history of the genre in the mind of this author.

Definitely take the opportunity to hit your local Downtown Locker Room to purchase this release. Club music is in no way in danger of losing its relevance if a release like this is indicative of it’s future.

COP/DON’T COP THIS MIXTAPE

THE DROP: The Scottie B Interview

28 Jul

Scottie B is a musical institution. A key creator and visionary force of Baltimore club music, the 20+ year veteran of the sound, with an eye cast toward the future and a vibrant memory of the musical past is one of the most valued DJs, remixers and producers in all of music. As one of the cornerstones of Baltimore’s vaunted Unruly Records alongside label head Shawn Caesar, their shared belief in the interconnection of all musical styles is a blueprint that strengthens not just their legendary club sound, but also their forays into hip hop and pop music as well, areas of equal importance to the label.

The list of names that have recorded with or are directly influenced by the label is truly illustrious. From fellow Bmore club smasher DJ Booman to current mainstream club kingpin DJ Quicksilva, to Diplo, DJ Class and a legion more, the levels of influence are strong and deep and allow Unruly to have a well earned place of respect in the annals of not just local music, but now trending toward national and international sounds as well.

On Monday evening, while at Unruly’s joint branded J. Cole listening party event with East coast urban athletic apparel powerhouse Downtown Locker Room, I had the chance to catch up with Scottie, and as well chatted with Shawn Caesar and DJ Quicksilva as well regarding the history and nature of the future of Baltimore club. As well, Unruly’s growth and management model for having such a level of importance in the music industry was discussed, alongside some thoughts about the many unique stops along the way for club music, including but not limited to Diplo’s appropriation of the sound and a terrific story about the rise of DJ Class’ most important club winner, the ubiquitous “I’m the Shit.”

Overall, an eye opening and engaging discussion with some of the true kingpins of the Baltimore sound.

DUBSTEP DOSSIER: Benga

3 Jun

Dubstep is a genre defined by bass. So what happens when a dubstep producer adds other bass-centric music – like Baltimore club – to the mix?

Seminal dubstep producer Benga‘s latest EP, Phaze One, does just that, laying down eight Bristol-meets-Baltimore bangers. Benga (real name Benga Adejumo) has been producing tracks since 2002, when grime first evolved into dubstep. His Diary of an Afro Warrior is a genre-defining record, full of stuttering two-step beats, ominous synths, and of course, heavy doses of stomach churning wobble. His breakout track was 2007’s dubstep anthem “Night,” a collaboration with fellow dubstepper Coki.

For fans of his earlier work, Phaze One does not disappoint. Most of the tracks cover familiar bro-step territory, like the grimey “eyeTunes” and “Your Band (Descending).” Even “Rock Music,” which starts with uncharacteristic timpani and strings, devolves into an abrasive grinder. But the most surprising tracks are where Benga play outside of his usual sandbox.

The EP is bookended by two tracks that would feel right at home in Baltimore. The succinctly titled “Baltimore Clap” combines a steady beat with a rising synth-line and some pulsing sub-bass. “No Bra, No Panties” may be the better combination of styles, with it’s airhorn-versus-sawtooth melody and lyrics that consist of “No bra / no panties / you playin’ yourself.” This one is definitely ready for the club, whether you’re in Bristol or Baltimore. And remember, don’t fear the wobble.

Scottie B’s Birthday @ U Street Music Hall, 4/3/10 – REVIEWED!

6 Apr


It’s fair to say that without Scottie B, the U Street Music Hall wouldn’t exist. So for the Godfather of Baltimore club to grace the stage on Saturday – celebrating his birthday, no less – was kind of a big deal.

Opening for Scottie B, sets by Cullen Stalin, Nadastrom, and Tittsworth were punctuated with signs of appreciation and birthday well-wishes. As talented as they are, this is a group of DJs that owe their careers to Scottie B, a fact of which they are fully aware. Pulling out all the stops, the sets were heavy in B-more club, but also veered into different territory. As Scottie has returned in part to his house roots, Tittsworth and Dave Nada freely experiment with dubstep and moombahton, respectively. Apparently, the lessons never end.

Highlights of the night included B-more standards like Scottie’s own edit of A Tribe Called Quest’s “Find A Way” and DJ Class’ ubiquitous 2009 club banger “I’m The Shit,” infectious tracks that always get a crowd moving. Wu-Tang, it turns out, is not just for the children, but for club music, too; Bird Peterson’s “Torture Motherfucker” and DJ Class’ “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” re-fix have beats as sick and grimey as their Shaolin lyrics.

As the night wound down, Tittsworth paid tribute to Scottie B with a half hour setlist of Scottie’s tracks. The unassuming DJ pioneer in the Baltimore Orioles bucket hat could only stand back and take it all in, as if to say, “Yeah, I did all that.” Not a bad way to celebrate your birthday.

THE DROP: Baltimore’s Jonny Blaze Now Preaches The "Baltimore Club Gospel"

28 Feb


Whenever Baltimore’s Jonny Blaze plays in DC, it’s always a worthwhile stop on the club music calendar. Jonny’s easily one of the hardest DJ’s anywhere in the world bass wise that doesn’t play dubstep, as there are tales of plaques falling off of walls in venues that are not prepared for his heavy bass club music assault. He also has a fantastic sense of humor as well, having remixed popular children’s show themes to great success, “Spongebob Squarepants” amongst the classics in that style. However, not all has been jolly, shiny and happy as of late for the club veteran, and he has rebuked a style that led to music featuring salacious and explicit themes, and instead has embraced religion.

The decision to invoke the love of Christ may leave many Baltimore club fans who love Blaze for always bringing the most outlandish in party music scratching their heads. However, this decision’s unintended benefit may be a newfound focus and clarity to his music, as from listening to his two hour set on Friday night at the 9:30 Club Backbar at Jackie O and Trevor Martin’s $weat$hop, the Cajmere sampling “Here We Go,” as well as a few other Latin tinged floor fillers shows Blaze intensely motivated by his heavenly muse to continue to fill the floors, just with an entirely different purpose.

As always, when a legendary performer of Blaze’s stature in the club music community is in town, I definitely like to take the time to be able to have a few words. In the above linked interview, hear discussion of prayer to the point of sweating, remixing urban Christian sounds, how many of Jonny’s estimated 222 tracks he’s ever recorded we’ve heard, how does he plan on mixing his past and present in upcoming DJ sets, and his religious transformation. Do enjoy!

We Never Leave the Club! – TGRI’s Quarterly Club Music Update…

18 Feb

Welcome to the first of many quarterly club music updates. Read, click links, but do enjoy the vast diversity that is Baltimore Club music.

The first quarter of 2010 has proven already to be very active in the club music world.

The Philly and Jersey based Brick Bandits crew have in the mind of this journalist produced the most intriguing and voluminous body of work this quarter. DJ’s Tameil (check the No Floors and Left Field mixes for some mind bending club excitement), Tim Dolla, Sega, and newcomer Nadus have spread the interests of the harder than hard bass loving crew to the absurdist limits of club music. Lady Gaga, Major Lazer, Toddla T, the Beastie Boys, and so on, and so forth, and the music just keeps on coming. Yes, they’re favoring an electro and house bent as well as of late, but to be a fan of club music in 2010 is like going back to the early days of Baltimore as well, where the vibrant house scene spawned so many legends who extended the sound in so many intriguing directions. The sheer volume of the work coming from this posse is quite outstanding and deserves commendation.

Hot off of the success of producing the remixes of Beyonce’s “Video Phone,” Unruly Records has laid forth their aggressive new plan to truly expand past having an influence just in the sphere of club music. King Tutt’s “Takeover,” which samples The Doors’ “Five to One” sample used in Jay-Z’s The Blueprint’s massive battle track against Nas has the bass that typifies club music, but as is the feel now for most of the city, warping electro trending synths dominate the landscape upon which the track is made. The involvement of electro in club music is certainly a nod to the dominance of the David Guetta and Dr. Luke productions dominating the pop charts, as club producers attempt to cash in on the mainstream’s turn to the underground for support.
Unruly’s DJ Class may be one of the more interesting cases as of late, as the “I’m the Shit” and “Dance Like a Freak” producer still with an unreleased Alameda and Coldspring album is favored by the likes of bottle service destroyer Clinton Sparks and having those sort of Vegas aspirations seemed to lend themselves to his refix of ODB’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya,” one of the few Bmore club influenced tracks with elements of electro, dub and numerous disparate influences. Moreso than electro, the hard bass and massive sounds of that rising genre being indoctrinated into club music really makes for an interesting take on the sound.

Scottie B is busy too, but in a most interesting way, having opened a Facebook Fan Page and having not one, but two old school Bmore club mixes available for download. The legend and cornerstone figure of the genre spins weekly at the party he curates with TaxLo DJ Cullen Stalin, and while he rarely errs to the club side, his opening of the party house mixes at the party are truly worth a weekly visit to the free event.

The most important party in the city at the moment may be the hipster dominated, Radell Kane organized, young Moustache Crew DJed Moustache Party. The key to this party is that outside of the young spinners, it is the weekly residency of the classic club, no frills, low electro influence James Nasty, the most hyped DJ in club’s underground. He has an EP forthcoming, but with tracks featuring Ninjasonik, Maggie Horn, Menya and DC’s Roll Wit Us All-Stars and possibilities of some grand slam names from club music lore forthcoming, he may be the retro link to the early days of club music’s rediscovery by the underground. The maintenance of that link is firmly in his hands every Friday night at the Ottobar’s upstairs, and in viewing the party, you see that he sees it as a positive advancement of his career, sharpening his skills as a live DJ buoyed by his excellent productions.

Classic party starter Jonny Blaze is back, too, now claiming a religious overtone to his club productions after some unusual life occurrences. His new track “Here We Go” features Blaze on the mic and has a Charleston bounce and religious themes. The invocation of religion and club music is a positive move, and outside of his own creations, possibly grabbing some Mary Mary acapellas could lead to some really fantastic tracks, as they, alongside Kirk Franklin in the genre are the most musically forward thinking to benefit from the club treatment. Blaze has an EP dropping soon as well, and fully expect an interview with the legend to drop here soon at TGRIOnline.com

Youth has been served as well, as DJ Pierre and Murder Mark both have done mixes as of late for this site, and continue to hold down the 18+ scene. Mark, along with his “Yo Boyz” cronies have an album dropping later this year with Aaron Lacrate’s Mikcrate Records which is vital sounding and entertaining at first listen and puts the young producer in a good situation for career growth. He’s also decided to possibly release a new track a day for the month of March. If any of them are as hot as “Cherry Hill and Down Ya Block,” the buzz will be high. As well, he’s recorded with TT the Artist, who, if you like Rye Rye (who’s back in the studio by the way) is absolutely one to watch as TT has recorded with DC’s Will Eastman amongst many others. Pierre is in the lab as well working on the eighth volume of his mix series as well as new tracks, his rapidly developing smooth as silk mixing style blends well with his minimalist, groove centered productions.

DJ Excel’s Bmore Original label, home to Benny Stixx and DJ Booman amongst others still stays adamant along the Top 40 path, Excel’s refix of Ludacris’ “How Low” another in a long line of top 40 edits some that hit, and hit hard, others that sound like ClearChannel radio aimed remixes. Neither is a bad look, as from “That’s What A Pimp Does” to Benny Stixx’s refix of Twista’s “Wetter,” there are giant jams that the style can produce.

If you have tracks or events that you would like to see profiled on the Quarterly Bmore Club Update, email dowling.marcus.k AT gmail.com for more information.

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