This is a mix i made for the sunset sessions, since i am based in Bali now, it is an area where i try to specialize in... Me, the sun, the beach... there are worse places to be for sure.
So here is an ecclectic selection, the idea is to get a good vibe and progress with the sun coming down, turning from a chilled end of afternoon to a funky beginning of evening...

Enjoy

After a few years in Shanghai, i left that crazy city that gave me so much and took a bit also I made that mix including a few of my friends and people i like, to make it a souvenir. My bro Scott Hess helped me with his studio to record JQ on the trumpet, posing a great version of "little sunflower" in the middle of the mix and some great impro, percussions were made by the one and only Xeum, the last track is the song i produced, ruru is singing on it, what a great talent... I thought it would rather be ironic to ask my dear friend Matsume to do the intro in japanese, she has been a very important person in my life...
So this is a produced mix kind of, with a lot of edits, you never have one track playing alone, it was a lot of work and i hope you will enjoy it as much as i enjoyed making it.

Peace

this is my new track, a cover from Tracy Chapman called happy... Sung by the great RURU, additional music from Maxime Lenik (clarinet) and guitar from sir Scott Hess.

In this selection, I tried to present tracks that have been sampled or covered many times and I don't know if I prefer the originals or their interpretations...

I start with one of my fav blues from John lee hooker, the second track blends quiet perfectly into it, “moanin” from hooker slides into Ludovic Navarre’s version "sure thing" ...

Then, it's the "chef d'oeuvre": "God bless the child".
I play the Billie Holiday original version, then, well.... I had a very large spectrum of choice... I opted for Keith Jarrett’s interpretation, first because Jarrett is to me one of the best jazz pianist ever, then, because you can really feel he absorbs the song and make it live through a new perspective, bringing a groove to it.
After… well, this is a very sentimental choice... Richie Havens' version is the one that touches me the most... One of the most beautiful song I know (seriously). By the way, Havens is probably one of the most underrated musician of his generation, get anything from him, it's magic.

Woman of the Ghetto… … Very sampled also… An important song, as it was one of the first moves in topical songs from black American singers… Phyllis Dillon sings the first version I play here… A very good example on how Jamaican music built up first by covering soul songs coming from the U.S.A. and adapting them to the Caribbean flavours. The second version is the original from Marlena Shaw’s, a classic I never get tired of…

Then, another sentimental choice… I don’t usually dig this type of music but “landslide” has been in my ears since I was born and both versions are interesting to listen to I believe… The one I always knew is the Fleetwood mac, first one I play… it’s the original I believe… The Dixie Chicks covered it, and the fact I really appreciate the original made me like the cover too. Probably the only “country music” track I can listen to without my ears bleeding…

Next selection is the Isaac Hayes legendary “theme from Shaft”… Speaks for itself I think hehehe. I choose it because of the cover I found following, a purely genius version by a musician called Malik Adouane, French, Saharaoui soufiste from his Father's Side and Celt from his Mother. Malik represents perfectly the meeting of cultures and the funny results it creates! I like the kitsch aspect totally assumed…

To finish, another classic… The song that has been covered the most ever (right after “yesterday” from mc Cartney to be precise) “Louie Louie” Originally written by Richard Berry.
First version I play here is by the master Otis Redding, I just loved it… Second one is Mongo Santamaria’s version, Mongo was one of the greatest Cuban drummers, died in 2003 I believe.. His version brings another flavor worth listening to…

This mix was made last summer on my terrace, starting around midnight until sun rise. I made it with Ableton live, an amazing software that allows me to put all tracks together and edit them, blend them, add effect, my own instruments… It’s dark and funky, totally the clubbing music I enjoy, hope you will too.
Most of the tracks are made by other producers such as samin, gabriel ananda, villalobos, cabanne... I used quiet a few for that one and to tell you the truth, some of the tracks i don't even remember the name... Some of my own slipped into it also...

This is a selection i made after having to share office in open space with airport express... For those who don't know, it means you can connect your itunes to a wireless network that will broadcast your playlist through the speakers... And all the office can enjoy... Or go nut like it happened to me several times when one of the staff would play some punk version of "l' internationale" a monday morning... Or another one playing all the remixes of depeche mode during one entire afternoon... Music affects your nerves, i found it so true... So i tried to find musics and order them so anyone can play that selection with a choice of listening or not. I think this one is the first of many...