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Photographic Ode to Old San Juan

July 13, 2006

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Five: Krush Groove (199...)

Quarter past midnight, and we’re late for the concert. Luckily, the Effenaar is too (true to form), so as we arrive, the doors are just swinging open. The crowd surges in, bubbling with enthusiasm and excitement. Once inside, I’m taken aback by the massive crowd already milling about the place. The size and high spirits of the audience are reminiscent of the Return of the B-Boy extravaganzas. The warm atmosphere slowly rolls over me. My limbs loosen, my head starts bobbing to the vibes DJ Deen is unleashing onto the dancefloor. A large number of people squat on a makeshift platform, resembling a stand. Anticipation builds up. Suddenly, a second figure materialises behind the wheels of steel, a Japanese man with blonde hair. DJ Krush has taken to the stage. Over the dying strains of Deen’s records, Krush starts cutting in a ghostly sound backed up by a sharp clacking rhythm. The crowd freezes and turns to face the stage. Most expect Krush to commence a cut and scratch show, exhibiting h...

Two: Legends

Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane. Two of my favourite jazz musicians. When they pair up... take cover. Or just close your eyes and zone out. I know nothing about music: can't read notes, don't understand complex melodies, and therefore am probably only appreciating a smidgeon of what is going on when these two play. I don't care though, I like it, that's enough for me. Been reading about when these two played together in 1957. Turns out they spent a seminal 4 months or so playing together. The day would start with John dragging Thelonius out of bed and over to the piano, upon which rehearsals would start. Evenings consisted of gigs at The Five Spot. At this time, they cut a record that appeared as "Thelonius Monk with John Coltrane ". And that was apparently the only testimony to the great sound of these legends paired up. Until all of a sudden Voice of America recordings were discovered of a Carnegie Hall performance from the same period. According to the ex...

Four: Bring the Ruckus or, a tribute to "indie"-labels

I love it when hip hop gets namechecked by non-rap artists that I really respect. I encountered it twice last week: first in listening to Jens Lekman, the somewhat melancholy but ever-melodic bard from Sweden, who intones "I still remember Regulate with Warren G, could that have been back in the sweet summer of 1993" in the great track Another sweet summer's night on Hammer Hill. Wrong year, but he hits the nail on the head nonetheless; that track evokes strong memories in a lot of people. Listen to this and more on his lovely CD "Oh you're so silent Jens" and check out some other songs of his here . Secondly, I read an interview excerpt in the Daily Telegraph of Tom Waits giving hip hop artists props, because he dug rap music's realness and immediacy (ok ok, the interview was from a 1988 Playboy, but hey...). But that is not what this post was supposed to be about: it was actually intended as a tribute to some of the small, impressive labels in hip hop,...

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