A Wet Dream, A Prescription, A Block Party Part II
15.05.22
Indigenous House Interlude
Someone give Tori Cooper her flowers. Give em’ to her now. Who better to serenade the annual honorable individual of Indigenous House than Candy J? She is Sweet Pu$$y Pauline to you. The original Queen B is in the house. Talking. Her raspy “Oooohhh” and “Chyle” with that Detroit drawl, is instantly recognizable. Talk about the who’s who of house music. Legends are everywhere at the park.
After a brief statement to support the 11th annual event by purchasing a wrist bracelet. Indigenous House’s founder John Dennis continues, “I was in London five years ago. I asked Teddy when can we do a show with all the guys in Atlanta. After much hard work and asking here they are.”
Karizma
The four count starts with a thump. Or is it a “BOOM?” Intermittent thunder is heard in the distance. Who cares? George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic are remixed into house glory as the lute strums on Saint Germain’s “Sittin’ Here,” the Atjazz Remix goes all Afro-house with handclaps and tambourine when Lady Alma sings “It’s House Music” (Kaytronik 2019 unreleased). More so, playing Black Coffee’s “We Dance Again” (JC Dub) that is filtered, warped, and slams highlights a house head’s journey thus far.
Witnessing those guys play together is magic. Take, Spen playing Lil’ Louis’ “Fable” (Director’s Cut Classic Club Instrumental) and dropping Candi Stanton singing “You Got the Love” (Acapella) that mellifluously blends into Mass Order’s “Lift Every Voice,” (The Take Me Away) the Classic Boot Mix that Douglas produced alongside the Basement Boys thirty years earlier. Karizma jumps into the mix, dropping his universal anthem, “Work It Out” as Spen plays back Ron Hall’s “Talk To God ‘Bout It” (DJ Spen’s Sunday Service Re-Edit) now evoked with Holy Ghost organ chords and hand claps that has feet Holy Ghost dancing across the pavement.
Apropos, Indigenous House brings out several hundreds and spotlights the Black Queer community. So. What’s up gays? Why stand and eyeball the pavilion? Assuming the age 35 and under did not do their homework. They are clueless. Clueless of the music playing. Clueless of the music selectors. Clueless of DJ Spen vs. DJ Spin. Faces are merely in presence to see and be seen. Bearded faces, their bodies wearing dresses and slides. Shirtless men wearing sagging britches and blue drawls. Is this gay culture in the 21st century?
King Louie
Dancing underneath shimmering stars, flooding reds and blues play search and spotlight over braids, curls, and ball caps. Visages of pearly whites and pupils shine bright as constellations in the night sky. The king of NYC house/disco, dressed in white trousers, a black tee and his signature black fedora opens with his Expansions NYC Extended Dub Vocal from Detroiters – Dames Brown, Andres and Amp Fiddler’s “What Would You Do?” You are dancing. As her body leans towards the asphalt, you drop to your knees and outstretch your left leg and bounce up into the air for a double spin. “Wow!” A spectator gushes. The dance continues when Barbara Tucker’s “I Get Lifted” (The Bar Dub) elevates. This party seems like a dream, no, a “Fable” read by the Director’s Cut Classic Club Mix from a Lil Louis storybook. What is a house party without the first lady of club? The posthumous Loleatta Holloway singing, “Can’t Let You Go.” The Louie Vega & Josh Milan Truth Dub 1 excites dance circles to crop. Where a youngin’ swings her arms in the air and braids around in syncopated rhythm.
Rock Steady’s parking lot turned Sunday night church service courtesy DJ Spen’s Re Edit of Ron Hall’s “Talk to God ‘Bout It,” the track is so fire right now, and Louie Vega’s Main Mix/Vonita Dub of Jasper Street Company’s “Praying for You” blurs into Louie Vega Starring Carol Wheeler’s “A New Day“. The master is in minister mode.
When the swirling keys crescendo to a dizzying high come Black Coffee’s “We Dance Again.” The JC Edit fully disappears. Then. BAM! When the drums and bass falls from the speakers. Yo, the game is over.
Louie does misstep. When playing the spooky song. That track complete with howls, moans, and cackles imagining Halloween. Is this a “Cosmic Witch” remix sans Anane? Dancing feet and resting bitch faces are thrown off.
When that track ends. Finally. Orchestrated strings fall from the stars. Grab your dance partner. NYC disco arrives. The people are blessed to hear the Louie Vega’s Expansion in the NYC recently released fan favorite, “The Star of A Story. The Heatwave cover stuns with empress Lisa Fischer nailing vocal duty. The Extended Version ending three minutes longer as you shimmy underneath the stars looking into the clear aphotic air, all smiles, from ear-to-ear with tears in your eyes.
Karizma
Back at the park, the sun sets into the arms of darkness. Spen fist bumps Karizma. A nod for the Son to journey onward solo. His quest continues of playing edits and unreleased bootlegs. Karizma becoming his alias Kaytronik, drops his Fo’ Sho’ Remix of Sade’s “Stronger Than Pride,” gifts the dancing millennials with Wizkid featuring Tems’ “Essence” and drops Quincy Jones’ “Razzamatazz” for the whistle blowing Generation X. Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star” sparkles bright as Derrick May’s “Strings of Life” (Danny Krivit Re-Edit) techs out. The Spencer and Harness Remix of Fantasia Barrino’s “Free Yourself” brings back good ole’ memories as Karizma beats the mixing board on Black Motion’s “Moya Wa Taola.” On his brilliant edit of Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” Karizma has dancers facing off. In the dance circle. Where a baby-faced cutie wearing matching blue denim booty shirts and crop top suicides to the floor. Duck walk. Voque hands. Lips pursed. His performance is a showstopper. “Why they (The Basement Boys) got to show out?” asks @Dancinhousehead. Kaytronik is not worried, his remix of Rocco and Keith Thompson’s “Break 4 Luv” comes to the rescue. However, playing the night’s Billboard Music Awards’ Icon recipient Mary J. Blige’s “My Life” with vocals pitched too high is a disservice. “She sounds just like a mouse,” mouths happily sing to Crystal Waters’ “Makin’ Happy.” Tall Black Guy X Chaka Khan’s “I know You, I Live You” (Re-Rub Vocal) gives all the feels when Chaka’s “I Love You” vocal is looped before closing with the heart-beating claves on Anthony George Patrice’s “Nujan.”
But who played it best? “You Brought the Sunshine,” DJ Spen or DJ Terry Hunter? “We Dance Again,” Karizma or Louie Vega? The answer lies not in individual push but measured in collective pull. As Rock Steady’s Sound System Block Party served a most exquisite dish. An exciting recipe of purpose, planning, and production thoroughly executed proved best. Partying with people not exposed to soulful house music’s delicacies was refreshing. A sigh of relief. Rock Steady’s audience participation vs the stand and stare at Indigenous, proved superior. As peace hung in the air. Not one raindrop fell. Love of unity straddled amongst the attendees. The event was so much more than Team House Heads over here or Team Hip-Hop over there. More so, the love of Black music united all. Something that Rock Steady both desires and understands. A lesson the entire world needs right now.
wrds: aj dance
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Tags: #dancefloormagic #housemusicexcellence, Atlanta Georgia, Baltimore House Music, Basement Boys, Candy J, deep house music, disco music, DJ Kelly Kel, DJ Rashida, DJ Spen, DJ Terry Hunter, Expansions In The NYC, gospel house music, house music, house music dancing, Indigenious House Music Festival, Karizma Kaytronik, Louie Vega, Piedmont Park, Quantize Recordings, Rock Steady restaurant, Rock Steady Sound System Block Party, Ron Trent, Sweet Pussy Pauline, Teddy Douglas, Unquantize Recordings