Ring The Alarm playlist, April 26

George Benson  -World is a ghetto
Gary Bartz - Celestial blues
Blundetto - Nautilus - dub version
Rhythm and sound feat Cornell Campbell - King in my empire
Rhythm and sound feat Jennifer Lara - Queen in my empire
Nitin Sawmhey - Dead man - Fink dub
Dub asylum - Jumping jack skank
Estere - Culture clash (Free download)
Quantic - Duvido
Oddisee - Viva Brasil
Marva Whitney - Things have got to get better
Yvonne Fair - I found you
Lyn Collins - Rock me again and again and agaiun
Fred Wesley and the JBs - You can have Watergate but give me some bucks and I'll be straight
Society's bag - Let it crawl
Young Holt unlimited - Wah wah man
La Toya Jackson - If you feel the funk
Ebonee Webb - Something about you
Sola Rosa - Can we get it together
Mo kolours - Little brown dog
Fat Freddys Drop - Barney Miller
3 generations walking - Midnight bustling
Round four feat Tikiman - Find a way
Tony Allen - Ole - Mauritz von Oswald remix

(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang

A mate of mine made an outstanding pun using the song title (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang on Twitter the other day, and I've been wanting it ever since. Found a copy of the album Penthouse and Pavement featuring it in Real Groovy today for the grand sum of $6. Worth every cent, and also features some other great tunes. It was the first single off their debut album, and the BBC banned it. 

The cracking bass solo in the middle of the song is played by a kid who had owned a bass for a total of one week. Seriously.

"A surprise star of the song was teenage bassist and guitarist John Wilson, whose buzzes and thrums and eight bar bass solo earned many accolades.

Ware told us the story behind teenage bassist and guitarist John Wilson's contribution: "We wanted a bass solo in the middle eight. We thought it would be really cool to go with the electronics, but we didn't know any real musicians at all because we were basically just kids messing around with the tape recorder and synths. 

At the time Glenn was working at the local theater in town in his spare time to make ends meet - because we weren't paying ourselves very much - at a place called The Crucible where the world snooker tournament was going on as well. He went into the greenroom. He said, 'Oh, I'll ask around because it's theatrical people, there's bound to be a musician in there somewhere.' He walked into the greenroom of the theater and said, 'Does anybody play bass?' Literally. This is not some apocryphal story. This is literally what happened. 

And one of the stage hands [John Wilson] was this young guy who had just started, 17 years old. Black guy. Very shy, quiet was reading the newspaper. He put his hand up without looking up: 'I play a little bit of bass.' We asked him to come down because we just wanted to see if the idea would work. He said, 'Oh, I'll go and get my bass. I just bought one last week. I bought it for 20 quid, so it's not a very good bass.' It really doesn't matter. It's just the idea. We want to see if it will work. 

So he came down and the first thing he played was the solo in the middle of 'Fascist Groove Thang' and we all went, excuse my language, 'Fu--ing hell!' Literally, in my entire life my jaw's never hit the floor. All of us, we were going, 'This is phenomenal!' And so I said, 'Would you like to see if you can play some bass on the rest of the tune?' And he went, 'Sure.'"

Ware continued: "After he finished the bass on the track, he said, 'Is that alright?' I said, 'I think it was alright.' 'Because,' he said, 'It's not really my main instrument.' I said, 'What's your main instrument?' 'Oh,' he said, 'I'm a rhythm guitarist.' And I said, 'Do you think you might want to go home and bring your guitar in, like, right now?' So he came back in and he sat down and plugged it in. And I said, 'I think we'd like something that sounds a little bit like Chic.' 

I knew it would be good because this kid's got the funk, but it was on another level. I've since talked to Nile Rodgers about this and he says, 'Wow, that kid is just awesome.'" Source; Songfacts

Southern Freeez, featuring Emanuelle Araújo

This Record Store Day exclusive 7" probably won't pop up on our shores any time soon, but it's a mean taster for something new from Gilles Peterson..

"Taken from Gilles Peterson’s new album project Sonzeira, Southern Freeez, featuring Emanuelle Araújo on vocals, is an electronic bossa re-work of Freeez’s famous UK jazz-funk hit, due for exclusive release on 7” for Record Store Day Saturday 19th April.

The album Sonzeira – Brasil Bam Bam Bam features all new material produced by Gilles Peterson and is the product of him being a fan and a champion of Brazilian music in the club and on the radio for last 25 years; culminating in him bringing together the country’s finest artists all on one record for the very first time - under the artist collective Sonzeira."

Brasil Bam Bam Bam is released 19th May. First official single Brasil Pandeiro, a rework of the original 1940s track written by Assis Valente, out now. Listen here. Watch the album trailer below

UK readers can check this: "Gilles will host a launch party, 'Club Bam Bam Bam' on Thursday 15th May. Playing back to back with DJ Nuts all night long - a very rare billing especially in London. ‘Club Bam Bam Bam’ Parker Street, London, WC2B 5PW from 9pm-2am, with tickets available in advance from www.musicglue.com/brownswood-music

Shapeshifter remixed by Unmap, free DL

Radio Ponsonby closing down

Radio Ponsonby announced on their Facebook page today they are shutting the station... 

"Unfortunately, next Wednesday 30th April will be our last day on air. Despite 4 years and one month of making the best boutique Radio in Ponsonby, and the world, it is no longer viable to continue without the support of the advertising market. 

Our thanks to all of you, our supporters and friends and a special thanks to all the DJ's, Hosts and hangers on that have made this a great little radio station."

The station originally started out above Chapel Bar by Luke Dallow and co, and moved to Ponsonby Central when that opened.

Estere debut album, and it's free!

Wellingtonian songstress Estere recently wowed the crowds opening for Erykah Badu, and now she's dropped her debut self-produced album. Features guest spots from Tay Ninh and Mara TK from Electric Wire Hustle. Give it a listen.

Upcoming live dates for Estere: Sat 18 May - Erupt Festival, Taupo / Thurs 22 May - Tyler St Garage, Auckland

Record Store Day videos

From New Plymouth's Vinyl Countdown...




Spelling Mistakes live instore at Real Groovy in Auckland...




And spot the New Zealander queueing outside Amoeba San Francisco...



And Jack White make the world's fastest record.