Gordon Gartrelle Radio

Gordon Gartrelle Radio
(TRT: 1:11:00)

::hosted by Phonte
::mixed by DJ Brainchild

(a very solid mix of music that'll make you tuck it down to your socks)

California Soul

Marlena Shaw "California Soul" (1969)


I have this thing about being late for flights. Like, I hate it. I'd rather show up two hours early than be a few minutes late. Running through an airport when you're late is not fun. But that's another story for another time. I arrived early only to find out that my flight had been delayed leaving McCarren Airport here in Las Vegas. I was headed to Nashville so I could attend my brother's graduation ceremony the next morning. I had an extra two hours to kill, no problem.

I walked over to this bar near my gate where they were showing the Lakers/Jazz playoff game. I ordered a Coke that cost me $2.50 and sat and watched my boy Deron Williams work over the Lakers. The bartenders were cool. Wearing my Ben Gordon Bulls jersey made for some easy jokes, especially with the game on. Then suddenly this commercial comes on:



One of the bartenders stopped pouring this drink and screamed to the other "Man, I gotta find out who this is!"

"Yeah, I've been seeing this commercial on TV and I keep wondering who it is."

"That's Aretha Franklin I bet."

"It's Lyn Collins." This old guy at the end of the bar raised his hand motioning that he had the answer. "She sang back up for James Brown."

The drunken arguments continued throughout the commercial break until the game came back on, but now the playoffs were secondary. The discussion had moved from Kobe Bryant to "Name That Tune". Sitting at the bar and enjoying the most expensive Coke known to man, I sat and listened to these guys go back and forth about an artist that had her peak ten years before I was even born. When there was a break, I motioned to the bartender for a refill. When he came close, I said, "'California Soul' by Marlena Shaw."

"HEY, HOLD UP EVERYBODY? This guy says it's...who did you say it was?

I repeated the name and the song for the bar to hear. I would have mentioned that Gang Starr sampled it for Check TheTechnique in 1991, but that would have gone over their heads....ha ha

Wanna know what's funny? Nobody challenged me on it. The bar was quiet. I don't consider myself the voice of music reason but, I was surprised nobody asked for proof considering my young age. I even had the song on my iPOD. Puzzled, I pulled the bartender back and asked him why nobody questioned it. Dude kinda laughed and said...

"Man, you're from Chicago. Chicago cats know their music."

New Common Sense (f/ Pharrell)

"Universal Mind Control" f/ Pharrell // Invincible Summer (2008)

Peven Everett "Power Soul"

"Washing"


"This Just In"


I've been wanting to do a post on Peven Everett for a long time, but never got around to it. In my mind, it was going to be a big post with about 8 songs to introduce new people to the Chicago talent. Sort of like a Peven Everett EP. I even had the post typed up and ready to go, but I could never lock down the songs I wanted. The guy has so much music out, every time I locked down a tracklisting, I'd want to add somethign else. Peven really needs a double disc set to cover the best stuff.

That was in December. Between then and now I finally warmed up to his Power Soul album, and just decided to post these two songs. Here's the thing with Peven (try to excuse the name JJ): On every album, for every dud song there's also a home run. And when he hits, he hits big!

No wonder skateboard cats are copying his style.



If you're new to Peven, these are two solid cuts. But please come back soon cause I plan on posting my own personal Peven Everett EP along with a special mix done by my guy disco dj of the Chicago group Windimoto.

Championship Vinyl

the essence of muisc store culture. (ha ha)
no joke? WE SECRETLY RULE THE WORLD!



High Fidelity (2000)
John Cusack (ROB GORDON)
Jack Black (BARRY)
Iben Hjejle (LAURA)
Todd Louiso (DICK)
Tim Robbins (IAN "RAY" RAYMOND)
Stephen Frears (DIRECTOR)
Seamus McGarvey (CINEMATOGRAPHY)

(shot on the north side of Chicago)

(Mike, you got that 3 Feet High & Rising yet?)

I Can't Help It

"I Can't Help It"

• Written and composed by Stevie Wonder and Susaye Greene-Browne
• Produced by Quincy Jones
• Lead and background vocals: Michael Jackson
• Bass: Louis Johnson
• Drums: John Robinson
• Electric piano and synthesizer: Greg Phillinganes
• Synthesizer programming: Michael Boddicker
• Percussion: Paulinho Da Costa
• Horns arranged by Jerry Hey and performed by The Seawind Horns:
  • Trumpet and flugelhorn: Jerry Hey
  • Tenor, alto saxophones and flute: Larry Williams
  • Baritone, tenor saxophones and flute: Kim Hutchcroft
  • Trombone: William Reichenbach
  • Trumpet: Gary Grant
• Rhythm arrangement by Greg Phillinganes and Stevie Wonder
• String arrangement by Johnny Mandel
• Concert master: Gerald Vinci

Michael Jackson "I Can't Help It" // Off The Wall (1979)


Michael Jackson "I Can't Help It (Tangoterje Mix)" (2005)


Davina "I Can't Help It" // Best Of Both Worlds (1998)


De La Soul "Breakadawn" // Buhloone Mind State (1993)


Stevie Wonder "I Can't Help It" // Live Pasadena, CA (1979)

(around the 2:05 mark)

FIRST!

First day of the month.
Favorite track 1's.
Four songs.

This is the "Gotta Give Props" edition of "FIRST". I'm giving direct props to the people who introduced me to these songs.













Janelle Monae "Violet Stars Happy Hunting!" // Metropolis, Suite I: The Chase (2007)


"Imagine if Andre' 3000 could sing." (c) Filthy.

Wow! I don't want to over react, but this is one of the best and most well thought out concept albums I've heard from a debut artist. I want to thank my guy Filthy over at black soap palace for introducing me to Janelle Monae, who grew up under the the wings of Outkast. You can really hear their influence throughout this album, and it's just amazing. In the meantime, watch her version of futuristic rock/r&b live, visit her website and look out for the next segment in the Metropolis series.













Thaione Davis "Monologue" // Situation Renaissance (2005)


"He works at Dr. Wax." (c) Avery.

I met Thaione Davis through my guy Avery about five years ago. But it wasn't the traditional, "Donnie, this is Thaione" type of thing. It was a musical introduction. I was riding in Avery's car and this instrumental came on. Immediately my head started bobbing in the hip hop motion and I busted out asking, "Who is this?!" The beat was amazing. I think we listened to that song 4 times before we got out of the car. That was my introduction to the beats and rhymes of the local Chicago MC Thaione Davis. Monologue is just one piece of a very solid album that specifically speaks for the city of Chicago.

Later on we worked together on a few video projects.














Johnny Hammond "Tell Me What To Do" // Gears (1975)


"I put him on your mixtape." (c) Aja.

Much props to the Mizell Brothers for the production. Much props to my gril Monica (aka Aja) for making that mixtape (yes, an actual cassette tape) with this song. Much props to Dustygroove for selling me their last copy of Gears right before they closed. This song was my introduction to the greatness of the Mizell Brothers. Their songs have been covered by Erykah Badu, sampled by Pete Rock and re-edited by Danny Krivit. And if you don't know already, I LOVE some well placed keys. In writing the blog for today, I've listened to the song 3 times already.













Frank McComb "His Eyes Are On The Sparrow" // Love Stories (2000)


"He's from Cleveland, go check him out." (c) Taunja.

Anyway, this suggestion comes from a high speed dubbing all-star, Taunja down in Atlanta. Hopefully she'll read this and start her own blog (which would immediately trump mine). Many many years ago she told me I had to hear this Cleveland native Frank McComb. So I picked up Love Stories and heard a man who must have lived under the keys of Stevie & Donny. A very solid debut album

His second album Truth is even better.