As I mentioned previously in my In the Bag post for Hulaween, my first introduction to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park was Purple Hatters Ball in 2015. The smaller, more intimate nature of Resonate Suwannee reminded me a lot of it. Seeing as Paul Levine and his Purple Hat Productions is involved in the festival, it should be no surprise this weekend took me right back to memories of it almost a decade ago. Please make sure you support these smaller fests, they’re brilliant. It was the perfect for speed for me and my camp mates.
In advance of the fest, I reached out to the Resonate Music Festival Family group on Facebook for a little help packing my bags by asking in a poll what they’d like to hear from me and, overwhelmingly, they voted for funk, with disco and house getting some love too. So that’s what I packed, with an emphasis on jammy, synth-laden tunes, given the electronic jazz funk fusion lean of the fest’s programming. Went for a quick mixing approach to try to fit in as much as into the hour I was given as well and eventually made my way up into house.
Thanks to Paul Levine for extending another invite to perform up at Suwannee, Greg Geier for assisting with the turntable and isolation setup, and Devin Constant for documenting it all.
Stream the continuous playlist, with the exception of two songs that were unavailable, or go track by track through the setlist with blurbs about each selection below.
Playlist
Setlist
1. Lafleur – Tribute to the Sun Summer Issue 14, Detroit Electronic Quarterly 2018
No digital previews of this vinyl only release anywhere online unfortunately, but let me tell you, it is far out. Interestingly enough, these DEQ compilation releases coincide with their magazine issues. Picked this one up in Detroit one Memorial Day Weekend at my favorite, Peoples Records. I assume the “Sun” in the title is Sun Ra as it is an experimental and cosmic percussive piece of music with space age saga vocals cutting through the chaos with the lyrics, “we travel through space and time.” I chose this simply as a soundscape to reset, clear the air, and cleanse the palette.
2. Digable Planets – It’s Good to Be Here Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space), Pendulum Records 1993
One of the most universal and cosmic hip-hop groups to ever do it, this Digable Planets cut off their classic Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space) seemed like a good choice for the set starter proper. I’ve always loved this group and album, with “Nickel Bags” being a go to of Boomerang and I’s that I use in a lot of downtempo sets (including opening for Mark Farina at the Music Room in Atlanta). I never owned the album though and didn’t realize how pricey it was until I looked it up after I was gifted a copy in a box of records from NYC DJ legend Richard Vasquez of The Choice. Anyway, the spacey intro really stands out and is totally unexpected when it then goes into jazzy, laid back hip-hop with lyrics like, “Tell my pops i’m out earthbound with the crew… I split to earth to resurrect the funk.” I knew Late Night Radio who was playing before me is kind of Pretty Lights-esque sample heavy hip-hop adjacent broken beat electro-soul, or what have you, so I thought this might be a good bridge between us. Plus, there were a lot of “I’m Glad You’re Here” stickers making the rounds that were really popular and this was kind of my response to that too, “And it’s good to be here.” Also, for the people in the audience, I hope they felt the same. As it panned out, with the 15 minute gap in time between acts, there wasn’t really an opportunity to win any of his audience over. Still the raps are a bit of a calling card for me and what I do, “We jazz up the streets to prove we have beats, fat jazz fat style and the sound so sweet… so to the flam lovers that crowd in dark spots … now we have arrived with crazy boogie sounds, get yourself a mate today’s the boogie down, this is all we know, we feel it when we slams, you could hear the love, it comes out in our jams.”
3. General Caine – By My Side Dangerous, Tabu Records 1983
If it’s good to be here, it’s much better “when you’re by my side.” This song by the P-Funk inspired group General Caine is mainly a message for my friends I know I can always count on to be there for my sets at these things and the encouragement they give me, although applicable to anybody joining us. Choosing to spin vinyl and selecting records that are eclectic, unfamiliar deep cuts drenched in funk and soul while steadily building the vibe isn’t the easiest route to take, which would be banging it nonstop right out the gate. These lyrics are a bit of an ode to that, “I’m glad we kept our thing, got in gear, that’s why we’re here, while others try, I’m thankful you’re sincere.” Before expanding on this with, “We worked it out, we built a strong relation, the trust we have, it calls for a celebration.” Indeed.
4. Tempest Trio – Starlight Tempest Trio, Marlin 1979
Detroit musicians and producers on a Miami label — always love to give a little Florida flavor to my sets. Tempest Trio is the best of Motown soul and funk meets Miami with a twist of disco. Might be the sole album by this group, led by Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey, but damn if it’s not a good one. About the time I was playing this, outside the Music Hall was turning to night with the stars, which are beautiful up at Suwannee, beginning to appear in the sky, “First star I see tonight.” This was alluding to the change of times during my set, you’d enter during daylight and come out in the darkness of night. “I wish all day, I wish all night…” A reminder we’re about to “take a trip on my funk machine.”
5. Steve Harvey – Tonight (François Remix) Tonight, London Records 1983
Another one from Richard Vasquez’ collection. I’ve had the pleasure of playing with François K, one of the most genius and prolific remixers of the ’80s and a legendary DJ, a few times now. When the saxophone eventually hits, it takes this song somewhere else. Festival sets are such a fleeting, in the moment, one night only affair, “Just tonight, I will give you all the love that I got to give.”
6. Mandrill – Put Your Money Where the Funk Is Put Your Money Where the Funk Is, Montage Records 1982
“All I ever hear from you, you’re talking about the things you do. Seem to try to impress the crowd, but all you doing is talking loud. You ain’t got a thing to prove, but to yourself when you’re just being you.” Somewhat of an affirmation for a DJ like me, I also love a good shit talking record and this is one of those. Funk guitar licks with blaring horns and a boogie synth bass line. Check, please. “Living for the latest trend, ain’t go no meaning in the end. If you don’t respect yourself, you can’t expect nobody else. Thinking you’ve got it made, ain’t nothing but a masquerade.” A nice find from Underground Music Academy’s pop up shop in Detroit, it feels good to know my purchase is going towards teaching some kid how to lay a synth down like in this song.
7. West Phillips – (I’m Just A) Sucker for a Pretty Face (I’m Just A) Sucker for a Pretty Face, Quality 1983
This one is just pure, unadulterated fun. You can’t help but smile when the vocoder voice comes out of nowhere, growing into a full ear to ear grin with the higher pitched, erotically charged Prince-like response, “I’m just a sucker, looking for some sugar.” But my favorite vocals are definitely when the verse finally kicks in, “Skips cross the room like she’s dancing on air, winks at me and smiles and shakes her pretty hair. Girl’s got style, she got class, a sexy flair (which always cracks me up because I’m expecting him to say ass). Want to take her higher, but she’s already there.” File under let your freak flag fly material.
8. Vernon Burch – Do It to Me Do It to Me, Spector Records International 1981
It’s kind of pointless lending words to songs that speak for themself like this one, “It’s all in the vibrations you send.” Honestly the understated keys are my favorite part of this song, as well as the “honey” refrains. Bonus points for those that know Vernon Burch’s “Get Up,” which would go on to became the foundation for the Deee-Lite’s smash hit “Groove Is in the Heart.”
9. Klique – Love’s Dance Love’s Dance, MCA Records 1981
“Take hold of the beat, it’s so sweet. On the high side of the party, don’t sit around on the wall. Everybody come along, do one for love.” The bottom and middle half of this one is serious LA funk and boogie, but up top it’s pure disco, with the strings, claps, triangle, and cow bell. “Can’t hold back the rocket (what the funk does this even mean?), keep the groove in your pocket.”
10. Dynasty – I Don’t Want to Be a Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself) I Don’t Want to Be a Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself), Solar 1979
The title sort of says it all… and based on the response, it seemed like more than a few in the crowd knew this one — or maybe they just recognize the chorus from “Phreaky Mf”er Mike Dunn’s famous house take on it, which also took its instantly familiar drums from the infamous “Is It All Over My Face” by Loose Joints. Either way, there’s not usually a lot of sing along moments in my sets, so it was nice to share this one together.
11. Chi-Chi Favelas and The Black and White Band – Give It to Me Rock Solid, Prism 1978
Anyone that’s caught enough sets of mine, has probably heard me spin this one. It’s often in my bag and on heavy rotation for me. I first came across it in an only 2–3 records sparse disco section at Mojo Books & Records in Tampa. The asphyxiation mannequin cover instantly caught my eye (not sure what that says about me…) and this is another one of those only-album-released groups, but again, they managed to make it count. The Chi-Chi Favelas name is as strange as the album art, an unsuspecting alias for a British cabaret talent from Hull by the name of Kay Garner who wasn’t a household name, but was a prolific and in-demand backing singer for the likes of Elton John, John Lennon, George Harrison, Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, Serge Gainsbourg, Lou Reed… and disco acts like Kongas, even delivering the vocals on member Cerrone’s hit “Supernature.” This background totally makes sense in her style of singing here, and the accompanying music really has more of a soul and blues rock feel than it does disco, although the drums, bass line, and and rhythmic guitar are all in that vein. “Once you’ve had a sweet taste, got to have some more. You have got the flavor, I’ve been waiting for.”
12. COEO – Express Lane COEO Edits, Razor-N-Tape 2019
Continuing to thread the more twangy side of disco, I’m not usually big on edits, but COEO tastefully condenses the best bits of Eastbound Expressway’s “Never Let Go” into a more impactful arrangement, without adding unnecessary production elements. After the begging of “give it to me,” “it’s got me and I’ll never let go” felt like a fun follow up.
13. Love Drop – Temptation Temptation / The Buzz, Disco Deviance 2015
You know that thing I just said about edits? Well, maybe ignore that for a moment. This is another one that I’ve given a lot of love to in my sets over the years, including warming up for Luv*Jam in the Atrium. There is a such thing as feeling too good and clearly Lenny Williams was going through some of that when he wrote the song this bootleg is pulling from, “Please Don’t Tempt Me.” This is actually a record where I couldn’t see myself playing the original, which is too ballad like with a really cheesy, tired narrative. I don’t typically like most edits, but this one clearly has the power to “make me feel something I don’t want to feel.”
14. Live – Strut Your Stuff Strut Your Stuff, The Sound of Brooklyn 1981
After a few of my more disco soul and rock ‘n’ roll selections, it was time to get back to the bottom end of things with synthesized funk and boogie. The pantomimed “hot” vocal on here is so over-the-top hilarious to me. “I like the way you strut your stuff, I like it because I never get enough.” Feel like this is totally up Chromeo’s alley — they DJ’d the night before, but kept it largely house.
15. Paul Johnson – Erotic City Erotic City, Unofficial Release 2003
Speaking of house, here’s one of its greatest covering another great of funk and pop, Prince. Saturday’s theme was Purple Paradise, so you know I had to throw in a tribute to The Purple One. “All of my purple life.” I feel like a lot of people don’t know about this one or it would be way more popular. It’s also unfortunately not available to stream on any of the platforms, but you can find a pretty poor quality preview from Japanese record store Mole Music here. Forgive me, for what is to follow is probably a sin, but the vocals in the original “Erotic City” I’ve always found to be too manipulated and high pitched for me. “Your a sinner, I don’t care.” This is a super tastefully well done cover to me.
16. Nu Colours – Desire (Masters At Work Dub #3) Body & Soul (Volume 1), Wave Music 1998
I like to balance out raunchiness with deeper, more sensual and spiritual sexuality. Masters at Work really knocked this remix out of the park. This is peak-time scale energy, yet with super soulful diva vocals and slow building organ atop a funky, walking bass line and big horns. “I’m gonna give it, I’m gonna give my all to you. And all I wanna do is love you, and all I wanna do is please you. It’s my, it’s my desire.”
17. Moot Booxle – Galactic Matriarch Transmootation E.P., NYC Records 2020
Real quick, the YouTube session embedded here is not the version I played (obviously), that’s a recorded one available here and also linked above on Discogs, but it’s close enough and I thought people might appreciate this live jam. It’s also why this record felt especially appropriate on the night. It isn’t all that far off from a synthesizer solo you might hear during a STS9 or Papadosio set and I wanted to touch on that before my time was up. I also sound checked with this record and Greg and I agreed it sounded fat, so there’s that. Did I fail to mention the guy behind all this synth wizardry is based out of Ft. Meyers, Florida, of all places? Like I said before, I’m always here for celebrating a good Florida connection.
18. Savile – Thanks to the Heads (in Jackson Park) No Sleep, Not in America, Stripped & Chewed 2016
The producer and DJ on after me in the Music Hall, Skiz, is a dubstep artist, so I thought it might be good to tease something a bit more dub oriented that also dives into breakbeats. Savile is a Michigan native that at one point resided in Chicago, holding a residency at Smart Bar, and is now based out of New York. That’s neither here nor there though. While the record is nothing like their sound, I assume the title “Thanks to the Heads (In Jackson Park)” alludes to the annual Chosen Few Picnic which takes place in Jackson Park every July 4th weekend. I’ve attended before and it’s a great event. Highly recommend if you want to get to some of the roots of this thing here we call house.
19. Unknown Artist – The Answer (Gipsy Kink Remix) The Answer / Timeless Signs, UPS 2009
Building off of the previous departure in sound, this track almost dips into UK garage territory with its wonky, distorted bass and 2 step like shuffle. The vocals are from Danny Tenaglia and Celeda’s seminal “Music is the Answer (Dancin’ and Prancin’)” hit. This has got to be one of the first records I ever bought, while I was still going to school up in Tallahassee. Felt like a fitting ending.
That would’ve — and I’d like for it to have — been the last record, but I kept looking around for the next DJ and thought he hadn’t shown up, with the A1 and stage manager not communicating to me anything otherwise, so I got on the mic (which I never do) like a moron, and said, “I don’t think the other DJ is here, so I’m going to keep playing records for you, if you’d like.” Everyone cheered and I mixed into Basement Jax’ “Fly Life (Extra),” which got even more applause, but embarrassingly it turns out he actually was there and my set was over. It’s not anywhere close to the kind of note I’d like to end things on, as it’s absolutely too high energy and totally leaves everyone hanging a bit. Yeah, let’s just imagine this one didn’t happen…