DJ Neil Harris – ‘I Am The Resurrection And The Life’

Harris – After dying in late 2006, fans of hip hop thought the genre, nay – the lifestyle, would never be the same again.  Thankfully for the bereaved, DJ Neil Harris returns with his brand new album of revolutionary hip hop ‘I Am The Resurrection And The Life’.  Come forth Lazarus..

Taking inspiration from nobody but himself, Jesus and a love/hate relationship with rap music, Harris has perfectly carved out a delicious blend of all 3 to serve unto the masses-in-wait.  The album delves deeper into the soul of this enigmatic maestro of the decks than ever before, revealing darker, harsher tones than on ‘DJ Neil Harris RIP’, but a ray of light escapes through the cracks of the sacred tomb, a ray of light – a ray of hope..

1. DJ Neil Harris – I Am The Ressurection And The Life (4:58)
2. DJ Neil Harris – DJ Neil Harrus (1:04)
3. DJ Neil Harris – Damascus (3:16)
4. DJ Neil Harris – No Animal (2:56)
5. DJ Neil Harris – Flying Carpet (3:18)
6. DJ Neil Harris – Unremarkable (1:58)
7. DJ Neil Harris – Pete (0:45)
8. DJ Neil Harris – I’m Hot (3:44)
9. DJ Neil Harris – The Bus (1:30)
10. DJ Neil Harris – Fungus (2:45)
11. DJ Neil Harris – Judas (2:11)
12. DJ Neil Harris – Circus (2:24)
13. DJ Neil Harris – Neilus (4:05)
14. DJ Neil Harris – Jesus (3:54)
15. DJ Neil Harris – Ressurect Us, Harrus, Harris (0:52)

Download: http://www.multiupload.com/H9Z3XBJ364

music production

if theres anyone that can get me influenced to start writing tunes again its noisia.. people chat shit about crap like squarepusher or aphex twin being production experts, but when you listen to how layered and fat the production on Noisia’s tunes are without getting distorted and shit you can tell they’re real scientists of music production..  Aphex Twin can write all the 1/128th hi hats shit he wants but its fucking gay + just cause a 1 hit wonder like chris morris uses him on his show in 1997 doesn’t mean hes innovative or daring.. bassline. put a donk on it – even blackout crew > aphex

balloon

The Darren Bent “balloon goal” today just shows what a pathetic joke Liverpool + the premier league has become overall.. I find myself watching Italian + Spanish soccerball games way more often than the Premiership these days – but I guess English football is still good in an over the top tabloid way for all its stupid shenanigans.. its like comparing an epic Opera aria to a shitty jumpup dubstep tune – both have their merits but for entirely different reasons.  The football in England itself though is fucking shit majority of the time, the style of football is ugly + boring – but you don’t get something like this baloon goal, or Joe Kinnear’s expletitive rant from last year in Spain.. tho in Italy its still got its fair share of headlines, but not as pathetic as the shit that comes out of the Premiership

As for Liverpool, the fact our fans bring stupid beach balls to games while Italian ultras bring flares and shit just shows what a joke the Premiership is + the whole nation is.. turned into a bunch of fucking pussies playing with beachballs, cheering on a side full of foreign players that will be co-owned by some American cowboy and an Arabian prince, fuckin pathetic

listening to dubstep again for the first time in ages

Traffic by Distance is still a banger, anyone got any other reccomendations?

I got a depressing new desktop backgruond as well, plus winter is coming up.. maybe that explains it

Lost Highway 65

Lost Highway 65 (2009)

Lost Highway 65 is my new album, which I’m releasing under my real name – David Washington.  Its a step away from the electronic stuff I was doing last year, as Davwuh which I made 4 albums.  I’ve mentioned it before, but I’ve completely lost interest in making electronic music – even though elements of it show through on here.. but this is primarily rock music, bordering on prog rock.  In fact, the first half of the album is a prog rock suite, or a 20 minute song cut up into pieces.  Its a bit vaguer than typical prog music though, but still theres lots of solos and prog structures.  My main focus for the music though is to create an image in the listeners mind – its a loose concept album, kind of like a dream world or a journey, like a Philip K. Dick novel.  I was thinking of writing a short story to accompany it, but don’t know if I’ll get around to it.. but I painted the album cover, my first ever painting in watercolour.. its just a rough sketch, I don’t have any talent for painting.. But download, listen and take from it what you will – feel free to pass it around too and upload it to any sites you visit if you like it.

Download in .rar format: http://www.sendspace.com/file/817de6

wow

I never knew that the really bright star in the east at this time of the morning (4:40am) was the planet Venus.  So amazing

david james laying down killer solos on his fender rhodes mkII…

Been a bit sidetracked with all these jazz reviews last couple of days to post a normal blog, not that I ever usually do one anyway.. but just thought I’d update anyone who might be interested in the new music I’m doing.

Well I’ve completed 2 prog-ish rock albums, perhaps ‘art rock’ – but I wouldn’t lump them in with the atonal crap that usually passes for ‘art rock’.  Hard to define it really, but has elements of prog rock in its structure, extended solos like in jazz – and to anyone who knows me for my electronic music.. well it isn’t really anything like that

Speaking of that – I think i’m just giving up on electronic music for a long time.  I guess ‘Apostle’ will be the last Davwuh album, at least for the time being.  I’ve been having a go at some electronic stuff but I just can’t focus on it, really bores me.  At the moment i’m loving soloing on my new midi controller and messing around with my guitar..

David James

So today I came up with the concept of my new album, after I completed the 2 “serious” albums (which I will upload soon) its time to take a break – here’s just a teaser of the album cover and the “lineup” of the band that will perform it.

David James – keys/synths
Pavel Srnicek – guitars
Ugo “Ugo” Ehiogu – drums/percussion
David Ginola – fretless bass

And apparently David Batty will pop in for a guest trumpet solo on one of the more tender tracks.

But the debut track was laid down today, typical David James stuff with the title – “Time does not change me. Time just unfolds me.” which will also act as the album title (not shown on the front cover, left)

I’m guessing 99% of you reading this are completely lost by now, but yeah this is my own new funk/jazz music… just having some fun.  Its fun music to play – lots of solos, infact its nothing but solos.  Ugo and Ginola lay down the rhythm, theres a little electronic noodling from James too but the rest is just pure solos on top of each other.  In a way they clash, but its also aurally pleasing – it makes you dance and it had me on my feet soloing away on my keyboard and guitar.  Channeling the spirit of James/Ehiogu/Ginola/Srnicek – could be the next Coltrane/Tyner/Garrison/Jones

98: Jimmy Smith – ‘The Sermon’ (1959)

'The Sermon' (1959)

Top 100 Jazz is an ongoing project of mine, where I will listen to the Top 100 Jazz albums as listed on rateyourmusic.com in order from 100 to 1 and post my thoughts about them on here and hopefully learn more about the genre of music I love the most but only know a bit about.  The top 100 itself doesn’t reflect my own taste.

While I’ve obviously heard organs in jazz music before, this album is the first time I’ve heard an organ player as the leader – which probably shows how relatively little I know about jazz.  But its exciting times…

This top 100 thing is shaping up nicely for me so far, last night Coltrane’s ‘Sun Ship’ came at just the right time in the evening to appreciate it in its extremity – now that I’ve just woke up, as I sit with my cup of morning joe, strictly black with no sugar – this is the perfect soundtrack.  Mellowed out bop, easy on the ears, Jimmy Smith’s hammond organ sounds lovely and the brass instruments are played softly.  The 20 minute opener of the title track passes by with ease – yeah it doesn’t specifically go anywhere, but it doesn’t need to, its friendly – I had a little dance with me lass to it.  What surprised me most though was the fact the leader doesn’t really have his own extended solo – only little bits here and there.

‘J.O.S’ the second track is more of a banger than The Sermon, but still the playing is very graceful and the hammond organ provides such a warm atmosphere for the saxophones to play in.  I just read that the atonal high pitched notes heard from the organ at the end of the solos was for Smith to signify when the soloist to end so the next one could come in.  I think its hilarious on the 2nd sax solo before Burrel’s guitar solo when Smith has to repeatedly keep hitting the atonal high note to get whoever was playing to shut up.  Then near the end Smith finally has his moment in the sun, the time to shine, with his own solo – yeah its great, this whole album is.  Dunno what was going on with the Dracula thing 1 minute before the end, but he quickly rectified it – who cares, it adds character.

I love this style of jazz music – its so lightly played yet so full of energy, the hammond organ and guitars make such music even warmer than usual.  But last track ‘Flamingo’ loses the energy, instead its romantic – a hot summer’s evening, walking as the sun sets, holding hands with your date, a peck on the cheek, a cool breeze in the air – refreshing.  A lovely note for the album to go out on.  But even though I love this set up, even the organ is played more lightly than I usually hear – its like morphine, I couldn’t listen to it all the time otherwise I’d never have any energy.  Maybe this wasn’t the perfect choice after just waking up – perhaps its best just before bed.

99: John Coltrane – ‘Sun Ship’ (1971)

'Sun Ship' (1971)

Top 100 Jazz is an ongoing project of mine, where I will listen to the Top 100 Jazz albums as listed on rateyourmusic.com in order from 100 to 1 and post my thoughts about them on here and hopefully learn more about the genre of music I love the most but only know a bit about.  The top 100 itself doesn’t reflect my own taste.

Following on from 100, to 99 in the RYM Top 100 Jazz list, here is another album I haven’t heard – when surprisingly I’ve probably heard about 20-25 John Coltrane albums, as he is my favourite Jazz musician and leader

So straight onto the title track Sun Ship – its stuff like this that shows you don’t have to have totally distorted guitars to make heavy music.. listen to Sunn O))), they use so much distortion it just turns into ambience (though I guess their beauty is in their live performance, with the hoods and all that, i’d guess its more intense in person).  Yeah ok, Elvin Jones is whacking the shit out of his drums for a change, but modern musicians or producers could take note from recordings like this that something isn’t necessarily heavy just because of its high decibel levels.  Its got to really have that balance between the instruments, thats hard to lock down.  Coltrane’s sax playing gives that scratching feeling on the top of your head, like Autechre’s drums on Draft 7.30 – its a physical experience and highly satisfying

Dearly Beloved has that real life-affirming feel that ‘Psalm’ has on ‘A Love Supreme’, but maybe intensified, it builds up and its full of soul and passion, rather than dwindling away like Psalm does.  I can’t believe how good this is, as I’m sitting here listening to it and writing it – now McCoy Tyner’s just come in and give one of the piano solos of his life… then comes back Coltrane – this is one of the best things I’ve ever heard, all the musicians feel like they have some kind of spiritual connection with each other.. and its the classic Coltrane line up of the 60s, from A Love Supreme.  Outstanding..

It’s interesting ‘Transition’ was the album before this, an album I thought would be the transition from the modal jazz stuff Coltrane was doing into his last era of free jazz – without knowing much about ‘Sun Ship’ I’d always presumed it would be one of his free jazz works – and in a sense some of it is, third track ‘Amen’ is definitely free jazz -  such a busy piece of music and the first half of it is owned by McCoy Tyner.. this album is almost turning out to be a Tyner solo album, but then in comes Coltrane for the last half again and absolutely kills it – the brash intensity is pouring out of his sax it sounds immense, enjoyably so.  And thats not to forget Garrison and Jones who are doing a stellar job throughout this, dare I say, “masterpiece”.  This is more than an album, its an assault on the senses – I’m honestly shocked

Now reading a little background as 4th track ‘Attaining’ comes on, apparently this was the last album between the fab four – and they’ve really nailed it, this could be the epitome of their playing together as musicians.  Is this even better than ‘A Love Supreme’, I don’t know, I haven’t even heard it all yet – but its definitely outstanding and coming in at 99 on the RYM Jazz chart shows its highly underappreciated.  As I’m listening more to ‘Attaining’, its kind of cooled down the intensity of the first 3 tracks, despite the but maybe thats a good thing – perhaps its the calm before the storm, or maybe the album will just burn out – I don’t know yet.

Reading more about the background of this album, it appears as though it was release post-humously, which could add to the fact this album seems to be overlooked.  Jimmy Garrison’s bass solo on ‘Ascent’ is good and i’m just waiting for ‘that’ moment to kick in now, like the solo before ‘Psalm’ on ‘A Love Supreme’.  The fact I’m even comparing this album to ‘A Love Supreme’, my favourite album, shows the high regard I’m holding this album in already – but if I were to compare this to any other Coltrane album I think it would perhaps be ‘Expression’ or ‘Transition’, as well as ‘A Love Supreme’ – maybe a mix of all 3, or perhaps it just holds it own as a unique work.

But Coltrane comes in on Ascent and its just kind of perplexing, it doesn’t have ‘that’ moment after all – its weird, almost extraterrestrial, though still excellent.  Perhaps it has something to do with the album being a post-humous release – was it released as Coltrane intended it to be layed out like?  Or was it just tracks laying around and the studio wanted a bit of money?  It feels like a flame was burning for the opening 3 tracks and I was blown away, overwhelmed and hungry for more with my expectations raised, but then it just sort of burnt out.  I was obviously too hastey in my judgment to say this could be as good as ‘A Love Supreme’ because of this. Still, it doesn’t take away from the fact the whole album is amazing – and perhaps the track ‘Dearly Beloved’ is all 4 musicians hitting their musical peak together, I could honestly feel something there was something special about that recording – it seems like a shame they disbanded shortly after this if you think they could have carried on in that direction.

Then I read on the album’s wiki article that ‘Dearly Beloved’ was a new take on ‘Welcome’ from transition – no wonder it seemed familiar to me – but I definitely prefer the aggressive, free modal jazz, Psalm-esque take of it here on ‘Sun Ship’, it was spectacular and the song that will definitely stick with me off here.  John Coltrane’s free jazz sound in general is just perfect though – its bizarrely soothing in its extremity, or it can serve as hype music to get you going.  It borders on atonality but doesn’t go quite there, though I can see how it is an acquired taste – but definitely a taste I have acquired.. delicious

100: Charles Mingus – ‘Let My Children Hear Music’ (1972)

'Let My Children Hear Music' (1972)

Top 100 Jazz is an ongoing project of mine, where I will listen to the Top 100 Jazz albums as listed on rateyourmusic.com in order from 100 to 1 and post my thoughts about them on here and hopefully learn more about the genre of music I love the most but only know a bit about.  The top 100 itself doesn’t reflect my own taste.

When it comes to jazz, I’m not an aficiando, nor am I just a casual fan.. I’m somewhere in between,where I can’t be defined – but as I embark on this epic quest of listening to the top 100 jazz albums as listed on rateyourmusic.com, I wonder if my perception of jazz music will change at all over the next month – as I fulfil my destiny.  Good enough opener..

So I read up on the background of this album, and apparently Mingus says its the best thing he ever made.. ironic for it to be my first album of the 100 then, when at one point a couple of years ago Mingus was my favourite jazz artist – before I truly “got” John Coltrane – but that’s another story.  And funnily, its an album I’ve never heard by Mingus, when I’ve infact heard about 10 of his main albums along with 1 or 2 live performance albums (yeah I made an error in my ‘prelude’, I thought I’d already heard this but I hadn’t)

From the opening notes this is obviously Charles Mingus, the production style, everything about it -bombastic yet subtle.  That melody that runs through this opening song seems so familiar to me as well, but can’t put my finger on where its from – reminds me of all the melacholy scores from films in the late 60’s to 70’s, the golden era of cinema.

What I love about Charles Mingus albums specifically is the composition and arrangement, whereas with albums by the likes of John Coltrane i’m more fascinated by the playing and moods.. Mingus brings such character to his music that has connotations of movies, images – rather than a “mood” you get from most jazz music.  When I hear albums like this or ‘Black Saint And The Sinner Lady’, I think of Mingus more like the film composers around then – Bernard Hermann, Nino Rota or even Ennio Morricone – but also Duke Ellington albums such as ‘Far East Suite’.

I don’t know if either were directly influenced by the other, but these almost symphonic jazz albums that Mingus wrote, like ‘Let My Children Hear Music’, remind me of Federico Fellini movies – the business of them, the quirkiness as well as the direct influence of the showmanship of the circus.. and you can’t hear that any clearer than on ‘Don’t Be Afraid, The Clown’s Afraid Too’ with its blatant circus noises and the title of it gives it away.

This album is all over the place, its experimental and draws influence musically from everywhere – but its coherent and highly accessible.  It really is like a movie to the ears – and no track shows that more than ‘The Chill of Death’, which sounds just like a flm except there is no picture.  But you can see it in your head – its film noir, black and white, dark lighting – a shadow veiling half the narrator’s face, the smoke from his cigarette covering the rest.  If ‘Black Saint and The Sinner Lady’ was like one of Humphrey Bogart’s private eye characters in a Fellini movie, this album goes beyond that and adopts a more wordly feel, it can’t be defined – amazing.  Few artists can achieve that succesfully, and even on first listen I feel this could be my favourite Mingus album.  Maybe it is “the best album [he] ever made” – and to think this is only at number 100 on this RYM jazz chart.