Journeys By DJ: Desert Island Mix

Product Description
Following the success of Journeys by DJs classic Coldcut mix album, the label revisits another peak with the special release of Gilles Peterson's highly sought-after Desert Island Mix. This album has been in constant demand by fans since it was deleted in 1999. Artists on this 18 track musical journey include Mark Murphy, Letta Mbulu, Roni Size, I-Cube, Kevin Yost & Jazzanova. Journeys By DJ/Shelter Music. Slipcase. 2002.

Tracks:

Windy City Theme [Promo Disco Mix][#] - Chi-Sound Orchestra, Carl Davis
Make Me Believe in You - Patti Jo
Wanted, Dead or Alive - The Voices of East Harlem
Afro Latin Concrete
Family Tree [Disco Version] - Family Tree
Breakin' in Space
Calm Down - Most Wanted Boys
Maneater - Hall & Oates
If It Don't Turn You On (You Oughta Leave It Alone) - B.T. Express
Little People - The Voices of East Harlem
Watermelon Man - East Harlem Bus Stop
Jammin' to the End of Time - Anorak Trax
Love Supreme - Alexander Robotnick
Stars - Nerissa
Blacker Revisited [Original Mix] - Ballistic Brothers
De-Funky Dumpy
Truth

Product Description

1. Carl Davis & Chi-Sound Orchestra - Windy City Theme
2. Make Me Believe In You - Patti Jo
3. Wanted, Dead, or Alive - Voices Of East Harlem
4. Afro Latin Concrete - Red Cloud & Digital Hemp
5. Family Tree (Disco Version) - Family Tree
6. Breakin' In Space - Key-Matic
7. Calm Down - Most Wanted
8. Hall & Oates - Maneater
9. If It Don't Turn You On (You Oughta Leave It Alone) - B.T. Express
10. Little People - Voices of East Harlem
11. Watermelon Man - East Harlem Bus Stop
12. Jammin' To The End Of Time - Anorak Trax
13. Love Supreme - Alexander Robotnik
14. Stars - Nerissa
15. Blacker Revisited (Original Mix) - Ballistic Brothers
16. De-Funky Dumpy - Denzil Dumpy Rice
17. The Truth - Truth All Stars

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

smooth grooves.......2007-01-06

I really like this CD. It is a well mixed set of some excellent b-sides and obscure titles - ol' skool, back in the day, stuff. It's got me looking for more Norman Jay mixes!

The man certainly Knows his music....I Give him that much!!!.......2005-04-15

Although largely recognised for his work in the U.K. Norman Jay has been a regular and respected figure on the London DJ Scene since 1980, having been one of the founding fathers of U.K. rare groove, house, and acid jazz, in the early days of the U.K. finding its own identity and largely responsible for creating an underground groove based music scene that mirrored elements of what was happening with the U.S. underground music scene around the same period. Normans growing music influences would later expand to include: Funk, Reggae, R&B & northern Soul. Norman himself has since assumed the role of a elder statesman, for his considerable knowledge of music, and remains frequently involved in U.K. based festivals & Carnivals....a frequent player in the yearly Notting hill Carnival. (It's even extended to him collecting an MBE a few years ago, for his services towards music, I believe). So you'd be hard pressed to find someone more suited to compiling a disk, that side-steps obvious track choices that have featured on a millions compilation disks before it, but yet remains accessible (& Funky) enough to appeal to a wide enough of an audience, without resorting to incredibly rare or obscure tracks that are purely the domain of the only people likely to have heard the tracks, being those sorts of people that pay a $100+ for music. What Norman does so well is blending Disco with Funk.....House Music with Soul, and Rare Groove with R&B, in a tracklisting that spans some 20 twenty years or so, yet is so sublimely incorporated, it almost begins to feel like a coherent mix album.

Norman's disk is unsurprisingly more informed by Rare Groove, Chicago House, Northern Soul, and a dash of Funk & Dub. Kicking things off brilliantly is the rare-groove sound of "Carl Davis & Chi-Sound Orchestra's - Windy City Theme", before moving into the sensual gospel-tinged Detroit Soul of the "Voices Of East Harlem's - Wanted, Dead, Or Alive", and it becomes quickly apparent that this man (Norman Jay) knows a thing or two about track selection. Norman drops the best track on the disk, with the utterly sublime/infectious retro-house of "Most Wanteds - Calm Down"....(several rewinds of this is required), after which the sentmental Blue-eyed soul of "Hall & Oates - Maneater" comes to the fore. What follows all this is a perfected realised mix of Funky Disco ("B.T. Express' - If It Don't Turn you on"), R&B-tinged Synth-pop (Alexander Robotnick's - Love Supreme"), Jazz-House ("Ballistic Brothers - Blacker Revisited"), and terminating beautifully with the smoked out Dub of "The Truth All Stars - The Truth".

This is arguably one of Norman Jays best compilation albums, and If you've liked his previous work, this truly is required purchasing. Which finds Norman digging deep with his selections and proving not only through inspired explorations in music, but tremendous mixing, and a (very) broad variety of genres, with no noticeable filler to pad out the album, that even when you think you've heard it in the field of mix/Compilation albums, that perfect excecution can throw up new ideas/takes on existing themes. I'd even go say far as to say that is easily amongst the greatest releases in the "Journeys by DJ's" series, ranking up their with Coldcut & Gilles Peterson entries into the series. And for that reason alone, this is very,very highly recommended.

Great stuff, especially for VOEH fans.......2004-09-27

This is a pretty good collection of rare R&B from groups like the Harlem Bus Stop and some reggae from The Truth, but this collection is extra special for the inclusion of the rare tracks from the underrated Soul Choir the Voices of East Harlem. This includes the legendary and breathtaking "Wanted Dead or Alive" which did well in England and on Black American Radio stations circa 1973 and "Little People," which is consistant with their message of empowerment. Hopefully, since the release of their spellbinding performance in the SOUL TO SOUL DVD, more CDs of the VOEH will be forthcoming, but in the meantime, this and RIGHT ON BE FREE are the next best things.

Grrrrrrrrrrrooovy baby!.......2003-06-19

This collection will transport you through time and space, from the moon to the stars. An essential part of any dance/soul/disco/funk collection.

Average customer rating:

A very cool album and a must have!
If you like Gilles Peterson, you really must buy this....!!!
Once Again, Great Selection by GP
as someone much cleverer than i said
An awsome, jazzy, ethereal, cool and pumpin' mix

Journeys By DJ: Desert Island Mix
Gilles Peterson , and Journeys By DJ (Series)
Manufacturer: Journeys By DJ
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Acid Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Techno-House | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Journeys By DJ: Desert Island Mix Part 2
Worldwide
INCredible Sound of Gilles Peterson
BBC Sessions
Gilles Peterson in Brazil

ASIN: B00006RHRD
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Tracks:

Dingwalls - Mark Murphy
What's Wrong With Groovin - Letta Mbulu
Comfy Club - Pnu Riff
Submersible - Juryman Vs. Spacer
Love Supreme - Ballistic Brothers
Yves Eaux - Buscemi
Fedime's Flight - Jazzanova
One Starry Night - Kevin Yost
Carnival Supreme - Los Quatros Diablos
Gabriel - Roy Davis Jr
My Beat - Blaze
Jazz With Altitude - Bel-Air Project
Breakbeat Terror - Breakbeat Era
It's Jazzy - Roni Size
Disorientation - Priest
Ding Ding Ding - I-Cube
Wondering - Drop Zone Productions
Black Gold Of The Sun - Rotary Connection

Album Description

Following the success of Journeys by DJs classic Coldcut mix album, the label revisits another peak with the special release of Gilles Peterson's highly sought-after Desert Island Mix. This album has been in constant demand by fans since it was deleted in 1999. Artists on this 18 track musical journey include Mark Murphy, Letta Mbulu, Roni Size, I-Cube, Kevin Yost & Jazzanova. Journeys By DJ/Shelter Music. Slipcase. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

A very cool album and a must have!.......2006-07-24

This is a wonderfully sassy, infectious and retro-cool sounding album in which Peterson has manged to collect a myriad of funky, jazzy and euro culture beats. Placed skillfully alongside an electic range of interesting and dynamic vocals, it is journey through many genres, styles and decades.
There is a smokey, jazzy edge throughout and reference to 50's/60's cool, spiced with salsa, samba and 90's/00's club mix cool. An upbeat but equally tranquil journey and one definitely worth taking.

If you like Gilles Peterson, you really must buy this....!!!.......2005-04-14

Gilles Peterson is arguably one of the most knowledgable and respected voices and figures in the the U.K. Jazz, Acid Jazz, Jazz Funk & Soul-jazz scenes. Even so far as, setting up (the now sadly defunct) "Talkin Loud" label. And with myself, having personally enjoyed several clubs nights, when Mr Peterson was spinning on the decks. Let there be no doubt that the man has impeccable track selection. An almost equally highly regarded 'eclectic' DJ, who's equally at home spinning: Rare Groove, Funk, Soul, Drum 'n' Bass, Northern Soul, Samba, Jazz, Hip-Hop...and any genre that fits in-between. And with a impressive selection of compilation disks under his belt, (especially the esteemed "Worldwide" selection compilation series), who better to compile a disk that takes the listener on a aural journey???....and has such a proven track record with these sorts of albums, this should be a case for massive celebration, shouldn't it??.........(of Course it is!!!)

Gilles' Disk accurately reflects his musical tastes admirably and features several songs that I've personally heard him play in club nights (as opposed to an artist randomly selecting tracks with no relevance to their profession), with a tracklisting that leans heavily towards Latin, Samba and Acid-Jazz, and leads with the scattershot spoken word Jazz of 'Mark Murphy's - Dingwalls', and the stylish Nu-Jazz of "Jazzanova's - Fedime's Flight". The utterly sublime garage mix of "Gabriel" (feat. Roy Davis Jr), gets a deserved airing, and is refreshing to see this incredible track not just relegated to Garage/2-step compilations. And it's here that the tempo increases, by moving into breakbeat /Drum 'n' Bass territory with two "Roni Size" productions....the hyperkentic breakbeats of "Breakbeat Era's - Breakbeat Terror", before surging nicely into the Jazzy/Drum 'n' Bass fusion of "It's Jazzy". Its also worth mentioned the effortless mixing by Gilles here. Seeing as a wide variety of genres of being interlaced here, its surprising and a testament to the DJ skills of Mr Peterson, that the transitions are superbly executed, without too many discernible contrasts in sound. Rounding out...is a Peterson favourite, "Rotary Connection's" legendary soulful "Black Gold of the Sun", which Peterson frequently drops in his Club nights, and has at least made one other compilation of his....although this version seems to contain more vocal and a little more laid back (it's probably the "4-Hero" remix that I'm familiar with), but a truly perfect album closer. The 'Journeys By DJ' series have arguably delivered a impressively consistent and reliably strong collection of compilation albums, that provided your familiar with the style of music that the DJ featured, trades in...has rarely disappointed, and to be honest, this is arguably one of the finest, that the series has to offer. Sure, It doesn't match the incomparable brilliance of 'Coldcuts 70 minutes of madness' effort in the series. But then it doesn't look like anyone else will ever quite match that level of brilliance (even Coldcut themselves), and those that aren't keen on stylistic shifts in music over the course of an album needn't apply, but then again, anyone that's well aware of Gilles music selections, this certainly won't be a problem. (in fact it's one of his best attributes)...so, go and buy and with confidence, that this easily matches up with anything else compilation-wise, that Gilles has put his name to.

Once Again, Great Selection by GP.......2004-12-31

"If you buy this Record Your Life will be better"... ha! I remember - that was a group called Tamperer Feat. Maya. Their big cut was "Feel It" back in 1998, a remake of the Jackson's old track.... it soared up the UK charts and they always played it at "Jelly Baby" and "The Dome" in Birmingham, England... or everywhere for that matter. Thanks for the memory!

Anyways, I've always respected Gilles Peterson as a DJ and music collector. You know that if you're picking up one of his cd's or compilations that he put together, you're bound to get some sort of mad, obscure, un-heard of track or cut in there. But then again, can you imagine his collection of vinyls and cd's? Yikes! Some people have a gift for making music and playing an instrument. GP's gift is putting the tracks together, finding them, making the connections and simply knowing music. He's done numerous series, from Trust The DJ to "The Incredible Sound of..." and this one, released a few years ago, was on a Journey's By DJ series which included other DJ's like Kevin Yost and even Coldcut.

But it's GP's that I dig. Admittedly I didn't fall for it at the first listen. But over time, it grew on me. Starting out with a sly cut remembering the name of a Jazz club and into a pure, old school track by Letta Mbulu, you'd think this would be soul. But then you have some electronica and beats added in this with Juryman and Ballistic Brothers who redid a classic old jazz track... break beat styled. Followed up nicely by some old school Buscemi then a surprisingly more commercial track, Jazzanova's "Fedime's Flight", you suddenly find yourself in break heaven. Kevin Yost's "One Starry Night" has a sound to it that reminds me of trance group Banda Sonora and "Guitarra G" that was popular back in 2001. Other cuts on this album that stood out where soulful tracks by Roy Davis and Drop Zone Productions. The CD finally winds down (well, not really a wind-down) with the classic Rotary Connection track, redone and remixed numerous times by groups like Nuyorican Soul or 4 Hero, called 'Black Gold of the Sun'. Ha... imagine, a group with Minnie Ripperton (mother to SNL actress Maya Rudolph) in it.

I definitely recommend this CD. It's got a bit of everything in it. Soul, broken beats, electronica, a little latin, a little Brazil. Not every track got me in this though. I never was a big Roni Size fan, and I-Cube's "Ding Ding Ding" is just downright creepy to me. But there's not enough of those tracks to prohibit you from the groove. If you dig this, definitely check out the Break Beat scene with Bugz in the Attic, Nathan Haines, Phil Asher and Patrick Forge among SEVERAL others... including guys out of the US and Germany (Compost), etc.

as someone much cleverer than i said.......2003-08-29

if you buy this record your life will be better.

An awsome, jazzy, ethereal, cool and pumpin' mix.......2002-12-21

Obviously, Mr. Gilles aural nature is in tune with my tastes in classic soul and jazz, and his funky sensibilities are unique unto himself.

Buy it now! You won't regret it!

Album Review: