Djnyc Funk n' Soul, nyc dj

Track of the day - Ecoute!

Heard the song Ecoute mixed by Carmen Rizzo this morning, really like it.

Hotel Buddha - Sunset Terrace

Hotel Buddha Sunset Terrace was released this week. I think the two best tracks are Numaro's "First Iconand Still "Perished"

DJ Toni Rios - From Brazil to Berlin Compilation

This is a good compilation, I like the first five tracks and one of my favorites is Rosalia de Souza's Mais which is the first track on it. Towards the middle and end of the compilation it gets a little too electronic/ abstract for my taste, although I do love the Field's album in addition to Booka Shade which many have told me is too repetitive for them. 

Skye - Feel Good Inc.

It's a rainy Monday in New York City and I can't help thinking how when I was younger this rain would've been many inches of snow. This is a music blog so I'll keep it that way, this a track I've heard here and there and can't decide which version I like better- the acoustic one certainly fits the mood.  Feel Good Inc is originally a Gorillaz song although a lot of their stuff feels coverish to me anyway, so this is a cover of that song. Nice design work on the cd cover as well.
Listen - Skye - Feel Good Inc.
Listen - Skye - Feel Good Inc. (acoustic)

Cafe Del Mar - Best Of

We always joke that after djing an event the last thing you want to hear is music of any kind, either talk radio or silence. Especially if it's the type of night where you're mixing together all different kinds of music, there's really not much you want to hear afterwarrds.  When I'm going to work on the train I often listen to more mellow loungy electronica or background music like The Field's stellar last release which I'm a big fan of.  Cafe del Mar is quite nice too, especially The Best Of and my favorite track off all the compilations I've heard is by far is Jose Padilla's Adios Ayer, turn it up and lie in bed, it's a beautiful track.
 

Parov Stelar - Wanna Get

Parov Stelar's Wanna Get is what's in the Ipod this morning. It's kind of in the St. Germain/ Nu Jazz vain, pretty good. Pulver Records is a great label for finding Trip Hop and Downtempo tracks.  

The endless search for the ideal background music

Something people often tell us is play Buddha Bar type music for part of the evening. Usually what they mean is electro lounge, downtempo, trip hop, etc. Something with an electro feel that is not too housy or drum n' bass ish. I usually comb through the Buddha Bar compilations and pick on or two tracks on each that is decent, but there are much better artists for this type of feel like LTJ Bukem, Kraak and Smaak and of course the ubiquitous Thievery Corporation.

Here's a sample of a nice track from Guadi called Sufani from the latest Cafe Buddha Compilation.  It's more suited for a hookah lounge in Soho or a yoga studio, but still a nice interesting track.   

Here's a list of some of the tracks for below

Depois Do Carnaval -  Azymuth            
Tudo Que Voce Podia Ser  - Azymuth            
Hot N' Cold    Basement Jaxx            
Watch Out Now - Beatnuts            
I Know You Got Soul - Bobby Byrd                      
Viejo Socarron - Eddie Palmieri            
Águas De Março - Elis Regina E Tom Jobim            
Congo Man - Ernest Ranglin                     
Quitate Tu - Fania All-Stars            
Usted Abuso - Fania All-Stars            
Nappy Root    Funkadelic            
You Can't Miss What You Measure - Funkadelic
Barato Total - Gal Costa            
I Get Lifted - George McRae            
Happy Friends    The Greyboy Allstars            
Jungle Strut - The Greyboy Allstars                   
Lowdown Popcorn - James Brown            
It's A New Day - James Brown                              

It's Dancing Time - Mr Scruff & Quantic            
Suena Tu Bongo - Ocho            
La Cosa Se Pone Fuerte - Ocho            
Spottieottiedopaliscious - OutKast                     
The Heart's a Lonely Hunter - Thievery Corporation
Ran Kan Kan    Tito Puente            
Timbalero    Tito Puente
Che Che Cole - Willie Colon   

Some of the music for this weekend

Every once in a while we'll be hired be someone who is very passionate about music which is so excellent. Especially to be able to share with others music you think they'll love and vice versa, really the essence of being a dj.  This weekend we are excited to be playing a range of music where some of it is our favorite stuff.  I attached a list of some of the songs selected as well as the albums we'll be spinning.  It's a one way street to Tito Puente blvd.

Headed to the Carlton Hotel and Flute Bar this weekend

We're gearing up for some big events this weekend at the Carlton Hotel on Madison Ave and the Flute Bar in Grammercy.  The client that hired us is a big fan of the BBC radio shows with Gilles Peterson and Norman Page, so we're looking forward to spinning a nice mix of trip hop, electro jazz, afro soul, latin soul, roots funk, etc.   

New York Hilton for Ad Tech 2007

We'll be at the New York hilton at the beginning of November again for the Ad Tech 2007 conference.  Last year was excellent, were able to play music from Jamaica, Senegal, Detroit, France, Brazil and Venezuela.  This year we'll probably play a similar set with some additional eletrco jazz, trip hop and roots funk thrown in.