Sizzled Chicago

[Podcast Update] Five (5) All-New mixes from Deron Delgado & Aaron Dae

Posted on 26. Mar, 2009 by John.

Hey folks! Just added three awesome new mixes from Stompy.com + GoodFamily Recordings owner Deron Delgado and two from Dae Recordings’  Aaron Dae. If you’re a podcast subscriber, they should be in your iTunes player already! If not, or if you prefer to download them yourself, you can snag them below! If you haven’t subscribed to the Sizzled Chicago Podcast, you can do so by clicking the image above, or the link below. Enjoy ‘em! 

Subscribe to the Sizzled Podcast (Requires iTunes)!

 

 Deron Delgado - (Birthday Set) Live At Stompy SF (08.31.08) [99:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Deron Delgado - Live At Stompy Pink SF (11.07.08) [58:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Deron Delgado - (New Years Set) - Live At Stompy SF (01.01.09): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Aaron Dae - 5 Magazine Monday Mix [70:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Aaron Dae - February 2009 Promo Mix [74:16m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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WNUR’s 2nd Annual Chicago Jack Summit | 5.5 Hours of Live Online DJ Sets!

Posted on 23. Feb, 2009 by Karl.

WNUR’s 2nd Annual Jack Summit happens Monday night. This is a phoneathon drive for this wonderful underground, commercial-free station that has been doing their thing for years and years. Expect lots of good music … and lots of nonsense too, as they let us get on the mics (oh no!).

2nd Annual Chicago Jack Summit - Featuring DJ Sets From (in set time order):

Karl Almaria
Chris Grant
Frankie J (of The Sound Republic)
Santiago (of Santiago & Bushido)
Justin Long
Midway Strangers
Bryan Jones

89.3 FM (Chicago Radio)
Monday, February 23rd
9pm-2:30am (CST)
Also streaming online: www.wnur.org.

WNUR STREETBEAT RADIO
Since our inception in the late 80s, our foremost goal has been to play the most forward-thinking, cutting-edge, underground dance and hip-hop cuts the world has to offer. We have programming on the station six nights a week covering material from industrial to progressive, hip-hop to tech house.

From the beginnings of house music in Chicago, WNUR has brought to the airwaves a side of dance music that doesn’t get exposure elsewhere on the dial, in the clubs, or even in the party scene. While WBMX’s Hotmix 5 were playing the latest local cuts during house music’s big explosion, WNUR’s role was playing the imports. Such legendary DJs as Derrick Carter and Mark Farina held shows on WNUR in the late 80s/early 90s. In the mid 90s, DJ Snuggles’ Strictly Jungle show gained national recognition for being the first weekly drum ‘n bass show in the country. Our present mission is to provide Chicago and the world with a source of consistently good underground electronic/dance music in all its variety, both new and old, whether local or imported.

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[Weekly Column] Diggin’ in the Crates: Special Topic: Remedy’s Top Ten House Tunes Diggin’ in the Crates Volume # 7

Posted on 22. Feb, 2009 by remedy.

What’s good my House Fam?!

John Miles (aka the DJ Remedy) here reporting once again. Welcome to lucky installment number ’seven’ of my weekly column Diggin’ in the Crates. For those of you who have not yet visited the Sizzled Chicago site or read my previous columns, here’s the deal: Every week I pull a record from my collection that I think is dope, record some clips for you to hear, and then explain what it means to me so that hopefully you go and snag it so it will mean something to you. Other than just talking about the actual music, I will also spend some quality time touching on the artists, who they are, and information that will help you support them and the wonderful art they create.

This week I will present a different topic:  “Remedy’s Top Ten House Tunes”. I have always wanted to do this list but have never finalized it so I felt that for lucky #7 of ‘Crates’ it would be an appropriate topic.  I will provide release information and a quick blurb or two about the track and why it’s dope enough to be in my top ten.  Some of the tunes have already been featured in past installments but I wanted you to see how they stack up in the top ten list.  So enough talk, let’s peep the tracks I value most.. .

Remedy’s Top Ten House Tunes:

_______________________

1)   Solar House - “Freedom” [Large Records 068]

Solar House - Freedom

This was the featured record on ‘Crates’ Installment Six from last week.  Calum Walker created a timeless Deep House classic.  Peep the one record that has meant more to my musical career than any other.  “What is House music?  It’s a unique form of music that gives complete freedom of expression.. .You can grab this wax HERE

2)   Ron Trent/Joshua/Abacus/Chez Damier - “Foot Therapy” [Prescription 108]

Foot Therapy

“Let Your Spirit Dance, let your spirit dance”.  This immaculate EP was created by 4 of Deep House’s ambassadors.  The record was dedicated to David Cole.  The record is seriously one of the best slabs of deep wax ever created and I feel honored to own a copy.  As the record states, “I can always feel the faith that sits awaiting.  God is guiding.  Some people know this feeling that keeps them wanting more.   You better hope this feeling comes soon over you.” Grab this gem HERE

3)   Atjazz - “Looking Glass” [Reincarnation 003]

Atjazz - Looking Glass

Featured on ‘Crates’ Installment #2, the one that is Atjazz takes you on a journey into space with this amazing musical composition.  The song truly tells a story and anyone who appreciates the art that is music will appreciate this record.  You can grab this record HERE

4)   Ear Lotion - “The Fiasco Rubdown” [Select Recordings 002]

The Fiasco Rubdown

Featured on ‘Crates’ Installment #3, Johnny Fiasco churns out my favorite remix of his.  Working with an upbeat original and taking it deeper and deeper, Juan Lopez showcases talent that touts him as the House Godfather.  With the track’s vocals meaning a lot to various moments of my life, it will always be near the top of my list.  You can grab this record HERE

5)   E-Tones - “Day Lite” [Aphrodisio 008]

E-Tones - Day Lite

This was one of my first vinyl purchases back in 2004.  Having seen E-Tones rock many parties in Minneapolis, his sets are legendary.  This knowledge of working a crowd has the one that is E-Tones taking you on a deep voyage with this disco remake.  Enjoy!  You can grab this record HERE

6)   Eric Gadd - “The Right Way (Mood II Swing Dub Mix)” [Hevi Floe 04]

The Right Way

Mood II Swing remixs this original bumpin’ vocal tune into a simple and timeless deep groove.  Rolling bassline, perfectly chopped vocal samples, and addicting synth stabs make this baby chug right along.  Having first heard it on Mark Farina’s Live @ The Gathering 97′ mix, I snagged this baby HERE and has managed to damag dance floors all around!

7)  Pound Boys - “Way Back When” [Look At You 003]

Pound Boys - Way Back When

One of the first records released by the dynamic duo, the Pound Boys, they are def one of my favorite groups. Releasing classic after classic record, these guys unleash an 11 minute deep bomb of synths and organs with ‘Way Back When’.  The layering is impeccable.  Hands in the air peeps!  You can grab this wax HERE

8)  Johnny Fiasco - “Passageway” [Large-025]

Johnny Fiasco - Passageway

One of Johnny’s first releases that pretty much set him atop of many Chicago Producers of the late 90’s this track comes off of the scorching 4 tracker entitled “Subliminal Passage”.  This deep trippy arrangement sets the mood instantly and showcases Johnny’s many different Production styles.  One of my favorite Large releases, you can grab it HERE

9)  Kids In the Streets - “Keep On Turning (Motorcitysoul Original Dub)” [STIR15]

Keep On Turning

The record states:  “The biggest leap we make in personal growth is when we move from the belief that “life is happening to me” to knowing life is happening by - and through me.  Two ways to ask “why me?”.  We can ask why me? from a place of self-pity…we can ask “why me?” from a place of self-discovery … remember, we teach others how to treat u, how to practice responsibility, stop making excuses…stop blaming others or circumstances ..work on changing yourself, not others…find your part in it (you do have a part, whether you admit it or not).  when we’re in victim mode, we don’t see our part and don’t see how we are “advertising” for it.  We don’t see in us what allows the condition to remain.   thanks for hearing, Chez”

Enough said!  You can grab it HERE

10)  Sounds of Life - “Get Into the Vibe” [ProgCity 0009]

Get Into the Vibe

Sounds of Life have a way to inject soul into records.  This record has that soul and it gets me every time.  It sounds amazing loud and the goosebumps rise every time I play it.  Prog City has a history of releasing bombs and this one is no exception.  You are guaranteed to work the floor with this baby.   You can grab it HERE

So there is the list my friends.  By no means is it definite or ‘your’ list but I hope you can feel these records like I do.  Musical expression is what I seek in records and these ten are perfect examples of that.

My new promo “Pieces & Expressions” will be done soon. This will be a mix that will celebrate a decade of artists and tunes who promote this “freedom of expression” that I champion as a DJ & musician.  Please look out for that in the coming weeks to download and put in your car, play on your iPod, or use to take a trip to the deep techy side of things.

I will be taking next week off to work on this mix so enjoy these 10 records for the next 2 weeks.

As always, please  email me with any comments, questions, or opinions on my column and/or the record.  I am always open to feedback and want to know your thoughts on what I’m trying to do here and how I might be able to improve.

One,

-John Miles (DJ Remedy)

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Sizzled 003 Mixes - 02.06.09 | The Beechers: MARSHALL + BILL SR, JOLBY, and KARL ALMARIA!

Posted on 20. Feb, 2009 by Karl.

Another night of great beats, fun peeps, liquor treats, and tasty bacon! Sizzled 003 was a family affair served up by the Beechers: Bill Sr (father) and Marshall (son). Special thanks to Jolby of Midway Strangers for filling in last minute for John Mork.

Bill Sr dropped a nice eclectic set covering disco, house classics, Stevie Wonder, and lots more in a little over an hour! Marshall (one of Chicago’s best kept secrets IMO) played a House set heavy in the sound of years past that we can’t just get enough of! Jolby of Midway Strangers (another highly underrated DJ) played a nice set of upfront House business. Also, check out Karl Almaria’s opening Downtempo set featuring Digable Planets, Tom Tom Club, and some familiar house vocals toward the end. As usual, you can get your download/stream on using the links above.

Wanna get these mixes automatically in the future? Sign up for our Podcast HERE. Also, you can view our separate mixes-only blog feed at podcasts.sizzledchicago.com.

 

 Marshall | Live At Sizzled | 02.06.09 [87:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Bill Sr | Live At Sizzled | 02.06.09 [72:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Jolby | Live At Sizzled | 02.06.09 [61:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Karl Almaria | Live At Sizzled | 02.06.09 [57:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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New Guest Mixes: BRETT JOHNSON and JEFF BLOOM + MY BOY ELROY!

Posted on 19. Feb, 2009 by Karl.

Greetings! If you are subscribed to our podcast, this may be a bit of old news, as we added these mixes a couple weeks ago. And if you aren’t, we have got a grip of new mixes for your download/streaming pleasure. Either way, we think you will be pleased with this round of guest mixes!

Brett Johnson [Aesoteric, Classic, Freerange] hit us with three mixes to share: “Live In La Casa”, “Live in Leipzig, Germany”, and “Rock Wit You”.

Also, we have a tag-team set from fellow Chicago residents (and all around great guys), Jeff Bloom a.k.a. Po!ntfive [Guesthouse, OM, .dotbleep, Movim, Gallery] and My Boy Elroy [of Liquid Soul]: “Live at .5 Studios”.

As a reminder, you can subscribe to the Podcast HERE. Also, you can view our separate mixes-only blog feed at podcasts.sizzledchicago.com.

 

 Brett Johnson | Live in La Casa | 12.08 [41:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Brett Johnson | Live in Leipzig, Germany | 01.05.05 [52:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Brett Johnson | Rock Wit U | 11.08.08 [69:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

  Jeff Bloom + My Boy Elroy | Live at .5 Studios | 01.08.09 [79:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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[Weekly Column] Diggin’ in the Crates: Featured Record: Solar House Power of Sound E.P. (Large Records)

Posted on 17. Feb, 2009 by remedy.

Hola peeps?!

John Miles (aka the DJ Remedy) here reporting once again. Welcome to installment number six of my weekly column Diggin’ in the Crates. For those of you who have not yet visited the Sizzled Chicago site or read my previous columns, here’s the deal: Every week I pull a record from my collection that I think is dope, record some clips for you to hear, and then explain what it means to me so that hopefully you go and snag it so it will mean something to you. Other than just talking about the actual music, I will also spend some quality time touching on the artists, who they are, and information that will help you support them and the wonderful art they create.  Alright, now that business is settled, let’s peep another dope record!

This week’s featured record:

Solar House - “Power of Sound E.P.” [Large Records]

A  Power of Sound

B1  Freedom

B2  Higher Power

Drum roll please……….behold, the Holy Grail of records! Yes my friends, this is the one.  This dope record created by the one that is Solar House aka Calum Walker released in 01′ on Large Records contains my favorite house tune, “Freedom”.  No joke.  There is no slab of wax that has meant more for my musical career than this one.  I started seriously listening to house mix tapes around 2003 when my brother let me dig into his collection of electronic gems.  Before that I didn’t know there was much of a difference between house genres like “Deep” and “Jackin”, but I knew that I liked more of the “Deep” sound from all of my OM Records purchases.  Always having an interest in the sounds of Chicago, I picked up the Afterhours Chicago mix at Best Buy in Madison, WI cleverly placed in the Electronica/Dance Music area of the store.  Let it be known that this CD would introduce me to some of the foundations of Chicago House Music:  Guidance Records and Large Records.

Large Records began in the early 90’s as the brainchild of Founder & Owner Jeff Craven.  Jeff has one run one hell of a business over the last 16 years releasing nothing but straight fire with almost every release.  You can’t think of a house release by Large that isn’t ‘classic’ in the sense that us house heads always refer to.  For this reason, I am pretty sure it was fitting for Kinkysweet Records and the ‘Afterdark’ series would choose a Chicago mix to made from only Large releases.  The first time I popped in this Afterdark mix into my Ford Ranger’s CD player and pressed ‘Play’, I was taken over by the mixing styles of Jask.  Jack Merideth aka Jask is one of the most respected jocks in this biz we call house and has over 2 decades of experience behind the decks.  What a way to get introduced to Large Records and Jask I tell ya, something that was meant to be people!

In anticipation to finishing college at UW-Madison and moving away to begin a professional career, I must admit that hearing releases like the “Power of Sound” and the “Afterdark” mix swayed my decision to move to Chicago a ton.  I always wanted to live in a big city where I could work & play and I always wanted to be in an environment where music played a large part in the culture.  What a choice it was to move to a city that expresses itself authentically through it’s House music, Chicago (pats self on back..haha)! In all seriousness though, my decision to move here was made final upon driving along Lake Shore Drive here in Chi as the sun went down blasting “Freedom” with my windows rolled down.  It was if time stopped and the city was calling.

“What is House Music?  It is a unique form of music that gives complete freedom of expression.. .”

This saying is what I base almost all of my musical endeavors on.  The sample used in B1  Freedom is perfectly placed as I believe it is the perfect definition of what purpose House music is trying to serve.  Let me attempt to explain my thoughts for a moment:  The freedom house brings can be defined as an expression of thought, talent, passion, creativity, and soul released through a complex intricate musical art. This art’s creation is intended for dancing and this dancing is a result of this musical art.  The dance floor and the dj complete a never ending cycle of energy which is rooted with music made by the artist’s freedom of expression.  This energy is addicting and wonderful and is what we seek when we make music, play music, and dance to music.  This pursuit of this energy which brings happiness and satisfaction in turn driving us all to find it over and over again…

Seeking this energy while in Chicago in Spring of 05′ rolling along Lake Shore Drive, I was playing Track 11 on the Afterdark series, B1  Freedom when it all happened.  The track begins with driving percussion including some bright hi-hats, snares, and a thundering kick.  Then the deepness is injected in with some lush pads and strings that grow and grow over time.  I refer to them as ‘moody’ chords because as soon as I hear them, I get goosebumps and I know I’m gonna hear something deep and serious.  Next, a dope vocoded guitar riff is brought in taking more control of us as we listen.  The breakdown comes in next which involves the ‘freedom of expression’ sample from above setting the mood for more.  Then BAM! the dopest of the dope Rhodes piano melody comes in as well as a second bassline gradually completing the track.  The way Calum starts to bleed in the Rhodes is a thing of beauty.  The success of the track really has to do with how the track is layed out in general as you don’t hear the best part until you’ve already been dancing for ~3 1/2 minutes.   This melody repeats til the end of the track with the vocals coming in and out complimenting them.   Speaking from experience with being on the dance floor wanting more and more from a track as I ‘m dancing, this track definitely delivers!

If you were going to speak of “Feel Good” House or “Happy House” , then Calum Walker brings this to you with B2  Higher Power.  The Rhodes melody on this track will literally put a perma grin on your face and make you “feel good” from your head to your toes.  Another ‘goosebumps on the neck’ groove, Higher Power was indeed made for you to put your hands on the air and reach for that higher power.  I think it would be acceptable being belted out of a church on the south side of Chicago on Sunday morning.  I will probably start going to church once again if they ever play start playing music like this.   Some soulful and nicely placed vocals by the one like “Angela Reid” fit right in to that infectious groove.  Now as a dancer myself, I can say that nothing warms up a house track’s mood and  “makes ya feel good” more than a lady’s vocals belting out over some wicked house beats.  You should all thank Angela for doing this repeatedly on various Solar House Large releases over the years (round of applause…).  Sit back and smile as Angie sings..

“Where is this coming from..?  This is where I belong!  And I feel so free. This is where I should be.  I know, I know myself, better than anyone else.  Where is this coming from?  I like to feeeel things.  I don’t want to let this go….!  do do dooo do doooooo..da dooo da dooo da doooo..” (Now that’s some soul peeps!)

There is indeed a “power” within sound and I have tried my best over the last few weeks to define this power through these records I love.  How fitting than to have my favorite record called the A  Power of Sound.  This title track is a deep & spacey house journey and I think if there was a genre it would indeed be “Solar House”.  This was made with every intention to take you into the clouds and it sure does.  Some live african percussion, saxophone, Rhodes, steel drums stabs, deep pads & chords and various other elements make this track come alive.  I picture myself sitting in Machu Picccu staring up into the sky as the music surrounds me.  Wicked title tune here my friends.  Get deeeeep!

So I hope you enjoyed my journey into the power of sound and some life experiences I’ve had based on my favorite record.  This can be purchased at discogs HERE and to make this wax even more exclusive, this is one of the few Large releases which is Vinyl Only and cannot be found on any of the digital download sites.  My guess is the “Freedom” samples didn’t get digital clearance so it will remain a Wax gem that we here at Diggin’ love.   I snagged my copy at Gramaphone Records here in Chicago but I am sure you can grab yours at your local wax retailer (if you are lucky enough to still have one ).

B1  Freedom will be on my upcoming Promo Mix CD, “Pieces & Expressions”, a mix that will celebrate a decade of artists and tunes who promote this “freedom of expression” that I champion as a DJ & musician.  Please look out for that in the coming weeks to download and put in your car, play on your iPod, or use to take a trip to the deep techy side of things.

As always, please  email me with any comments, questions, or opinions on my column and/or the record.  I am always open to feedback and want to know your thoughts on what I’m trying to do here and how I might be able to improve.

****Next week you will be treated to a Remedy’s Top Ten  Tunes Chart for Diggin’ in the Crates Lucky Number 7****

Til lucky number 7,

-John Miles (DJ Remedy)

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The Last GRIZZLED - 10.10.08 | Mixes For Download: DIZ and KARL ALMARIA!

Posted on 11. Feb, 2009 by Karl.

Before the night now known as Sizzled, there was Grizzled. The final Grizzled was held October 10, 2008 (sniff sniff … tear). We ended the party with the same guest DJ that started us off at the new Lava on Milwaukee Avenue (old location was on Damen Avenue) … the almighty DIZ!!! Being one of our personal faves, it’s no coincidence that he has been our most frequent guest DJ (a tie with DJ Mes). Diz brought a bag o’ wax and dropped a mostly vinyl set this night - a rarity in this digital age. Like all Diz sets, this is a must download! Also, check out Karl Almaria’s opening set.

Remember, you can subscribe to the Podcast HERE. Also, you can view our separate mixes-only blog feed at podcasts.sizzledchicago.com.

 

 Diz | Live At Grizzled | 10.10.08 | Part 1 [47:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Diz | Live At Grizzled | 10.10.08 | Part 2 [47:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Karl Almaria | Live At Grizzled | 10.10.08 [86:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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[New monthly column] Mixtape Chronicles 001: Star Trax

Posted on 10. Feb, 2009 by baiee.

Ah yes… the mix tape! Those outdated, scratched-up, unstable pieces of plastic that most folks have banished to a forgotten shoe box in their mother’s basement…

If you’re anything like me (or are driving a car that still has a tape deck), then maybe you’ve held on to a couple (dozen) of the cassettes that meant something to you. If you’re like the vast majority of people my age (that spent their high school years chasing down rave parties), you have long since lost that old box of tapes, or maybe wish you still had a copy of that one special tape that melted in the backseat of your car.  It’s also entirely conceivable that you’re young enough to have missed cassette culture entirely — in which case this monthly series will hopefully open your eyes to a whole series of mixes (and the culture that went along with them) that hail from a Time Before Digitalia. 

Whatever the case may be, if you were part of that culture, then you almost certainly had a favorite mixtape. As an example, some of the tapes of my youth contain elements that continue to inspire me as a DJ 13 years later. The intent of this article — coming at you once a month — is to happily recognize, explore, and expose new (and old) listeners to some of the tapes that have had the biggest impact in my life as a house music enthusiast that grew up in Chicago in the 1990’s. 

The Mixtape Chronicles will aim to dig up the best sets of yore, and although there are many established and well-known mixtapes to acknowledge out there (most of which are readily available on archival sites), I’ll be attempting to showcase more obscure, harder-to-find tapes from my own collection that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks. These are the mixes that I’ve proclaimed as my own personal classics! So without further ado, here’s the first.

As I was trying to decide what to kick this series off with, I bounced between a number of strong contenders. When it came down to it though, my first choice ended up being Star Trax, a personal favorite of mine that will hopefully encompass the essence of what this column is all about. My original copy was handed down to me in 1996 from a friend, and has since been in and out of my hands at least three times. I was finally just recently able to recover a copy after years of trying to track another one down, and to my delight it was just as good all these years later as it was back then.

This tape brings back memories of hot & sweaty house parties, long car rides to random check-point raves, and grindin-ass fools makin’ shit twerk in south side barrios all over Chicagoland. This tape is a straight-up ghetto house banger, a sound that was especially huge in the Midwest (and is probably responsible for Daft Punk’s entire career) but is in no way tacky. Seminal Chicago ghetto house labels DanceMania and Relief Records make a dtrong showing all over this mix, along with early tunes from legendary producers Fast Eddie, Green Velvet, Paul Johnson and DJ Funk.

The (still) unknown DJ who laid this mix down could have been plucked straight out of any house party at the time, and the mix contains tons of edits and reworks that I’m still trying to track down! The packaging (and side A) positively scream commercial studio mix, but I’m still pretty sure this was mixed live. The jock behind the decks is not at all afraid to abruptly cut tracks in (or quickly slap them out), and the tape captures a lot of the attitude and style I still hope to see from DJ’s when I’m out and about.

This mix remains a true mystery tape to me and my friends (we still have no idea who was responsible for it), but it was definitely professionally duplicated (printed in white across the side of a clear cassette case with nothing but a telephone number).

I always had fun hypothesizing what DJ was behind this (anybody out there with inside information, please pass it on)! What’s especially curious about this tape is that the first song on side A is “Cotton Eyed Joe”…. um, yeah we won’t go there (nor present that side to you here) but trust me, Side B to this day is where it’s at!

Thanks again to Brian S. from Wisconsin for taking the time to digitize his copy of this classic tape for me. This has given me the opportunity to share one of my favorite tapes of all time, Star Trax, with a whole new audience.

Of course ripped tapes aren’t going to be of the best audio quality, but after years of research and easy listening on the deephousepage archive, I’ve learned that inspiring content doesn’t always require perfect sound quality!

So, without any further hold-up, I present to you the infamous, ghetto-fabulous, yin to DJ Funk’s yang, inspirational, and (in my opinion) classic music mix that is Star Trax!

Grab the mix on the Sizzled servers at: 
http://sizzledchicago.com/guestmixes/MixTapeChronicles-StarTraxx.mp3

Or from Underground Existence dot info at:
http://www.undergroundexistence.info/StarTraxx.mp3

Until next month,

Bryan (BAI-EE) Balli

http://smoothagentrecords.com

http://myspace.com/truefamilyunit

http://undergroundexistence.info

 

 TMTC001 "Star Trax" [30:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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John Mork’s Stompy.com Top 10 for January! (+ Iron Chef Milwaukee Video!)

Posted on 28. Jan, 2009 by John.

Hey dudes! I (in the nick of time) posted a quick January Top 10 for the always-awesome Stompy.com as well. Check that out here! And of course if you like the tunes, I would encourage you to support the labels and pick up some tracks!

*(Big thanks to Mr. Greg Yuen for getting my chart up quickly with his lightning-fast internetting skills!)

Oh and one other thing! Last weekend, I drove up to Milwaukee to help my buddy Ryan “Mr.” Timms compete in Lukewarm’s home Iron Chef Battle (which ended up being Battle Mushroom). I honestly had no idea what to expect when I got up there, but I’ve got to say that they handled things with a level of seriousness and professionalism that was downright impressive! So props guys, I had a blast! Unfortunately, Timms lost (by one little point), but it was so close that I see a rematch in our future. Like I said, they were NOT screwing around up there. They filmed the whole damned thing and cut it together reality-TV style. It turned out to be quite an entertaining little program, and you can check it out here if you so desire! Big up to Luke and co. for hosting such a great event, and for the record, I had a blast (and hate mushrooms haha)!

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New Mixes for download/stream/podcast!!! DJ Mes, Lee Mortimer, and Natalie Williams!

Posted on 28. Jan, 2009 by Karl.

Well, after several trial-and-error episodes, the Sizzled Chicago Podcast is fully functional! You can subscribe to the Podcast HERE.  Also, you can view our separate mixes-only blog feed at podcasts.sizzledchicago.com. Or, just keep your eyes on our homepage, as any new mix additions will be posted here as well.

To kick things off the right way, we have added mixes from DJ Mes [Guesthouse Music], Lee Mortimer [.dotbleep | Wearhouse], and Natalie Williams. This is a real nice variety pack of ear candy: jackin’, techy, and deeper-ish flavors of house are all represented here. All mixes can be downloaded and streamed above. Enjoy these sets … there are plenty more on the way!

*Special thanks to LA’s Hawt Music  for providing the Mes mixes! Do yourself a favor and subscribe to their podcast here.

 

 DJ Mes | Live At Jack Frost (Dec 08) | Part 1 [59:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 DJ Mes | Live At Jack Frost (Dec 08) | Part 2 [54:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Lee Mortimer | January 2009 Mix [72:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Natalie Williams | January 2009 Mix [41:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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[Weekly Column] Diggin’ in the Crates: Featured Record: Didier Sinclair + Chris Pi Groove 2 Me/Devotion/Smoky Night (Serial Records)

Posted on 25. Jan, 2009 by remedy.

What’s good fam?!

John Miles aka DJ Remedy here representin’ once more. Welcome to the fourth installment of my weekly column Diggin’ in the Crates. For those of you who have not yet visited the Sizzled Chicago site or read my previous columns, let me break it down for you. Every week I pull a record from my collection that I think is dope, record some clips for you to hear, and then encourage you to run to your local record store (or wherever you shop for your wax) to go grab it. Other than just talking about the actual music, I will also spend some quality time touching on the artists, who they are, and why I think you should support them in the wonderful art they create.  Alright, now that we have that business settled, let’s listen to some music!

This week’s featured record:

Didier Sinclair & Chris Pi - “Groove 2 Me/Devotion/Smoky Night” [Serial Records 018]
Released: 4/1/1999

A   Groove 2 Me

B1  Devotion

B2  Smoky Night

First off, Didier Sinclair sadly passed away on October 30, 2008 due to lung cancer.  As his website states:

“..Although Didier’s journey was short, it was a first class one.  His life wasn’t a matter of luck, he built it step by step.  Through music he was expressing his feelings.  He chose to be under the light ad not to remain in the shade.  He always lived by his passion and shared it with us.  He may have left but its energy remains in us.”

Rest in Peace, sir. IN memory of the man, let’s take a look at one of my favorite records he ever made. Serial 018 has significant meaning to me not only because I learned Didier recently passed away, but also because it was one of the first house records that really touched me on a deep level. Even the way I found it seemed to be an act of fate.  Back in 2003, I was in Minneapolis, MN shopping for records in the one and only Cheapo Records in downtown Minneapolis.  This store is one of the many vinyl treasure chests buried in the cities and towns of the U.S. (and the world) — there are literally millions of old records floating around out there just waiting to be discovered, and while every town might not have an up-do-date house shop, they nearly all have a great used vinyl store worth combing through. Definitely check Cheapo out if you are ever in the Twin Cities and be prepared to have 5 hours and  at least $100 to spare once you step through the door.  I was visiting my brother Arturo Miles (Hip Hop Dancer/Curator/Chroreographer of Minneapolis’ Collective Dance Co.) for one of our many Thanksgivings where we play records, buy records, watch vintage movies from Village Video, and go to the sweet Mystic Lake Casino to stuff our faces with their $30 Thanksgiving Buffet delight (what a trip it is..haha).  This was my second trip to Cheapo records since I started playing records and we had just gotten done watching Scratch and were completely inspired by the likes of DJ Shadow and his belief in finding records by sheer fate.  So we basically were on a crate-digging mission from God at Cheapo.

One of the coolest things about Cheapo is that they only have the old world record players and plastic Sony headphones for you to listen on, so you get a true old school analog experience from start to finish.  So I am pulling records from the “used” section and I am having a ball finding all kinds of jams from Bob Sinclair’s “The Ghetto (Uptown)”  to Kenny Dixon Jr.’s “Midnight”.  I’m already getting that “meant to be” feeling that Shadow talked about in the movie. I proceeded to pull this cool looking record out that ended up being Didier Sinclair & Chris Pi’s “Groove 2 Me/Devotion/Smoky Night” EP.  To be honest with you, I had no idea who either of these artists were but I did know that the record looked cool, and that was enough to make me listen to it.  It turned out be to one of the best $4.20 music purchases I’ve ever made.

A   Groove 2 Me starts off with some amazing percussion that grabs your ear as soon as the needle hits the record.  Some nice bongos and congas liven up the mix, as well as some shakers and congas to get the hips moving even more.  Next up a tripped out synth melody that makes you feel like you are flying around in the movie Tron drops in to the mix.  Some smooth Rhodes chords with a filtered guitar sample compliment the original synth melody gorgeously. Only 2 minutes in, the track is already living up to its name, and is building a solid and running, well, “Groove”.  Once all the disparate elements are in together, they just seem to fit.  To top off the vibe, what better than some filtered vox that sound like the computer from “Logan’s Run“.  I heard E-Tones play this record in Minneapolis at the VIP Room a few years after I bought it in Minneapolis and I was doing just what the record is named: “groovin.”  

Now to touch on my original statement about crate digging having meaning, B1  Devotion is a true representation of this and is the main reason this record was a “Must Have” in my bag.

“Devotion”

–noun

“Devotion” is literally the perfect title for a tune of this caliber.  If I was going to say that Didier “expressed his feelings through music,” then this tune is the prime example. The track starts off with a booming kick and some lush chords that instantly tell that this tune was made with profound deepness in mind.  To get the kind of chills I get from the first 20 seconds of this track is special to say the least.  Again, I bring up a valid point that some people seek to express certain things through an art form and Didier did exactly this with music, and especially with this track. I literally feel the chords talking to me (very cool feeling), and this is something I always look for when listening to music — a deeper connection that I can’t properly explain with words. 

After a minute or so, the percussion picks up with some bright hats and a clean snare. The growling bassline comes in to move the track along perfectly.  As soon as the percussion is fully charged, a filtered Violin melody comes in gradually to take the deepness of the track to new levels.  Not only does the melody build more and more volume as the track progresses, chords are layered on top of the pads and they growl and come alive over time as well.  At about 3:30, this tune just blows me away.  The introduction of a female “devotion” vocal rounds out the tune in a way that again, really just touches me deeply..  All of the elements seem to just come together and you feel as a listener that the track is placing you on a cloud and whooshing you into deep  space.  I must admit, this 6:45 journey into “Devotion” is a journey that you will want to take over and over. One of my favorites of all time… can you tell?

“Hey mon, come down to the beeeeeach..” is exactly what I’m hearing when I play B2  Smoky Night.  I see this track being written on a late night in a smoke-filled studio while enjoying a fat spliff and trying to create a Jamaican vibe.  The track has some nice Marley sounding vocal samples as well as drums straight out of a “circle.”  The track could definitely be played later in the evening and could be worked in to multiple styles of sets. A very diverse addition to an already solid EP.

You can grab this record on Discogs HERE and it can also be found on most Digital Music retailers (such as Beatport) who sell Serial Records releases.  Also check your local record stores to see if they have it in stock or can snag a copy for you somewhere.  B1  Devotion made it on to my July 2008 Mix Friday Groove which can be found on my Podcast for your downloading pleasure.  

I hope you enjoy this wonderful record I found through my triumphant session of crate-digging, and I encourage you to go on a mission to your own local record store to do a little mining of your own.   

Feel free to email me with any comments, questions, or opinions on my column.  I am open to feedback and want to know your thoughts on what I’m trying to do here and how I might be able to improve.

Signing off til next week’s wax,

-John Miles (DJ Remedy)

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The Sizzled Chicago Podcast is fully + permanently rockin’ n’ rollin’! Subscribe now!

Posted on 18. Jan, 2009 by John.

OK, I know I said it before, but this time I really mean it. The Sizzled Podcast is up and running, for good this time! The problem we had before was that we tend to attach more than one mix in a single post, and in the interest of keeping everything CD-burnable for you guys (and visually bearable as well), we had to make a separate blog feed specifically for the mixes. You can check that out at podcasts.sizzledchicago.com if you’re so inclined, or just want a quick place on the web to zoom in on just the DJ Mixes posted here on the site. 

Anyway, you can subscribe to the new podcast here and you’ll be set for good with new mixes coming down the line all the time. There are already twenty-two killer mixes up for your listening enjoyment, with more coming soon. Sign up, and tell yer pals!

Subscribe to the Sizzled Chicago Podcast!

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Minor podcasting Snafu The Podcast is back!

Posted on 14. Jan, 2009 by John.

OK folks. Due to our (my) novice-level understanding of getting the podcast set up, I’ve been forced to take the original Podcast down from iTunes. The basic problem was that folks weren’t getting the full set of mixes that we were posting here on the site in their iTunes feed. In other words, if we posted four sets from a Sizzled event in a Podcast post for example, people were only being fed one of those sets to their iTunes auto-download library. So after racking my brain for a little while, I realized that we’d have to start setting things up in a one-set-per-post format… but honestly, I don’t want any of us to have to look at all that goofiness on this site (which after all is for reading, looking, and fun stuff). 

So what I did was create a separate blog to handle JUST the podcast feed that you don’t really need to worry about, but it is one convenient place to grab all the downloads. You will still be able to manually download all the sets from here at the main Sizzled site.  Unfortunately, it will be a day or two more before iTunes approves the new location, but just to be clear, the Sizzled Chicago Podcast will be back (and permanently operational) in a few days. 

The Sizzled Podcast is back! (RE-) Subscribe here!

dsgdfhf

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January Sizzled (002) sets now available for download!

Posted on 14. Jan, 2009 by Karl.

Wait … free bacon, now free mixes!? CRAZY! The first night of free bacon was a great success! You can expect this trend to continue each and every month at Sizzled. My kitchen still reeks of maple bacon, although I can’t really say that’s a bad thing now can I? It’s kind of like Sizzled all the time over here, both literally and figuratively.

Anyhow, here are the sets from the night. Big ups to Ryan “Mister” Timms for dropping not one, but two dope sets (first Downtempo, then House) … it most definitely was Peanut Butter Timms Time! I am especially feelin’ his downtempo set - proper headnodding hip-hopp’y business, but with the long luscious blends of a house jock. Also, check out Karl Almaria’s opening Downtempo set, and John Mork’s middle-of-the-night House set. So, go fry up some bacon (or bake it in the oven, as we did - man, this works like a champ … this was the first time I tried it and it works great, who knew?!), pour yourself a stiff drink to put yourself in the mood (as pours were on the STRONG side that night at Lava), pop these bad boys on your HiFi, and you have now created your very own Sizzled Home Game™ (We’re in the midst of working something out with Milton-Bradley, but that’s just between us…)!

 

 MrTimms | Live At Sizzled | 01.09.09 - Part 1 DOWNTEMPO [59:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 MrTimms | Live At Sizzled | 01.09.09 - Part 2 HOUSE [65:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 John Mork of TSR | Live At Sizzled | 01.09.09 [76:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Karl Almaria | Live At Sizzled | 01.09.09 [62:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Real Time Hand Motion (RTHM), Chris Grant, The Sound Republic, & Karl Almaria - Live at Grizzled Sets (12.01.07) available for download now!

Posted on 06. Jan, 2009 by Karl.

Yeah, no typo here … these are from over a year ago. Again, we will be releasing all of the Grizzled recorded set archives as the year goes on - so keep checking back for more!

Another night of Grizzled good times at Lava! This night featured a remarkable live P.A./DJ hybrid set from Nashville’s Real Time Hand Motion … or, as they are known in some parts: Prime Time Man Lotion (true story - haha!). This night also saw the the long-overdue Grizzled debut DJ set of Chris Grant, who effectively put the caps-lock-and-exclamation point on FUN! for the evening. Also, peep the opening sets from The Sound Republic and Karl Almaria. Get your download on now!

To download:
PC - Right click on link, choose “Save Target As…”
Mac - Hold down Option key, click on link. Or Control-Click and choose “Save As…

 

 Real Time Hand Motion | Live At Grizzled | 12.01.07 [82:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Chris Grant | Live At Grizzled | 12.01.07 [58:39m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 The Sound Republic | Live At Grizzled | 12.01.07 [61:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Karl Almaria | Live At Grizzled | 12.01.07 [67:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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SoundCloud: A New Way to Submit DJ Promos + Projects You’re Shopping to SpatulaCity Records

Posted on 26. Dec, 2008 by John.

Hey folks! John from The Sound Republic here. For those of you who aren’t already aware of it, besides making tunes and running this lovely party Sizzled with Karl, I’m also the co-owner of (in my opinion) the high-quality house label SpatulaCity Records. That being said, we are always getting sent tracks by artists who are shopping projects for potential release on the label, as well as artists and label owners sending out promos for us to play as DJs. And while we certainly try to get through everything we get sent, it’s often really tough to jump through all of the hoops necessary to grab them… 

So! As a solution to this, I’m trying this service (Soundcloud) out as a means of consolidating and making organizational sense of all the projects we get shopped for SpatulaCity, as well as any DJ promos. The yousendit/sendspace/rapidshare/whatever other site method of receiving tunes is getting downright impossible to deal with. So… until further notice PLEASE route any and all projects for consideration (being shopped to us) through the SpatulaCity DROPBOX page, and I promise it will at least be listened to, considered, and I will make every attempt to provide feedback as well - regardless of our decision. Unfortunately, a lot of submissions we get via other means require us to jump through so many hoops that they sometimes end up getting lost in the shuffle and we don’t hear them. 

AND!!!: From an A&R standpoint, we are very concerned with there being NO stylistic rules or formats regarding what we are looking for. Simply put, if it’s good, it’s good. And if we like it, we will release it. So go nuts, have fun, be yourself, and make the tunes that you need to hear! I can’t wait to hear them! So that’s it! Thanks, and we can’t wait to hear your tunes! 

LINK TO THE SPATULACITY PROMO + PROJECT SUBMISSION DROPBOX

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Organized Crime & Karl Almaria - Live At Grizzled Sets (05.03.08) available for download now!

Posted on 21. Dec, 2008 by Karl.

Hello hi! We are in the process of making all of the past recorded Grizzled live sets available for download … many of which our lazy asses did not share the first time around immediately following the party. Here are the sets from the May ‘08 Grizzled party. This night featured the Milwaukee invasion of pals up north, Organized Crime (aka Jonn Hawley and Marcus Aurelius). They served up a proper Brewtown beatdown which resulted in a memorable party with a thick-as-fuck vibe … plus, a great recording to be listened to time and again.  Also, check out Karl Almaria’s opening set …. highlight: Bobby Brown - Every Little Step, no joke!

To download:
PC - Right click on link, choose “Save Target As.”
Mac - Hold down Option key, click on link.

 

 Organized Crime | Live at Grizzled | 05.03.08 | Part 1 [59:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Organized Crime | Live at Grizzled | 05.03.08 | Part 2 [59:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Karl Almaria | Live at Grizzled | 05.03.08 [73:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Sizzled Launch Party with Aaron Dae was Two Tons of Fun! DJ SETS FOR DOWNLOAD NOW

Posted on 16. Dec, 2008 by John.

Sizzled did exactly what we hoped it would do: bring house heads and regular old neighborhood folks with all kinds of (good) taste back together in spite of this weird segregated lull in the scene we’ve all been experiencing as of late.

I think the best way of looking at everything that’s been going on as of late is that while all of this infighting and genre-bashing has been going on, the music and scene that prop it up are severely languishing. Realize that while people are fighting on the internet about whether or not some silly subgenre is crap or not, all of the “regular” people out there who can’t tell the difference between Lawnchair Generals and C&C Music Factory anyway aren’t being hipped to the cause, and it seems like we all have forgotten about just having fun.

Remember that wacky thing called fun? We were reminded this past weekend.

That being said, peep out the kick ass feelgood set from Philadelphia transplant and Dae Recordings label boss, Aaron Dae, plus an opening downtempo-in-to-house set from Karl Almaria and a midtempo techy workout from TSR’s John Mork! Hit the links up below, and enjoy it duders!

 

 Aaron Dae | Live at Sizzled 001 | 12.12.08 | PART 1 [50:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Aaron Dae | Live at Sizzled 001 | 12.12.08 | PART 2 [50:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 John Mork of TSR | Live at Sizzled 001 | 12.12.08 | PART 1 [53:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 John Mork of TSR | Live at Sizzled 001 | 12.12.08 | PART 2 [31:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Karl Almaria | Live at Sizzled 001 | 12.12.08 | PART 1 [47:10m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Karl Almaria | Live at Sizzled 001 | 12.12.08 | PART 2 [31:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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DOWNLOAD WestFest DJ Sets!

Posted on 16. Dec, 2008 by John.

Yo duderinos! WestFest and the afterparty at Lava Chicago were both off the gosh darned chain! Lava’s resident photographer and Chicago drum n’ bass legend, the one like Doctor Groo (more affectionately known as Ben Baez to us regular folk) took an assload of awesome pics from both days, and the great folks from IllMeasures (who provided the killer sound and the badass of Striz on the decks) managed to snag some really dope recordings of the festivities! That being said, they’re being hosted at the IllMeasures site, and I went ahead and put ‘em up here just in case too. So go ahead and peruse Ben’s dope pics while you peep some sets that will hopefully put you right in the moment. Here’s to another great year of the music we love in the streets of our neighborhood!

Derrick L. Carter - LIVE @ WestFest ‘08

John Mork TSR - LIVE @ WestFest ‘08

John BID Simmons - LIVE @ WestFest ‘08

Striz (IllMeasures) - LIVE @ WestFest ‘08

Enjoy!

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