{"id":459,"date":"2012-04-28T12:35:26","date_gmt":"2012-04-28T12:35:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/?p=459"},"modified":"2021-06-13T19:24:05","modified_gmt":"2021-06-13T19:24:05","slug":"glenn-underground-27-04-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/glenn-underground-27-04-12\/","title":{"rendered":"GLENN UNDERGROUND 27.04.12"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

GLENN UNDERGROUND<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTell me. The Sound Table has an upstairs,\u201d mentioned friend number one to friend number two gathered at a burger joint for Sunday brunch.<\/em><\/span><\/strong>
\n \u201cWhy yes but the upstairs is used for dining purposes only.\u201d Explained friend number two.<\/em><\/span><\/strong>
\n \u201cOh my,\u201d friend number one gasped. \u201cYou all dance in that tiny space?!?\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAs We Rejoice<\/span><\/strong>\/Clap Your Hands<\/a>,\u201d sang Zakes Bantwini and Xolani Sithole into the ears of the chosen few already writhed in mid-dance. The restaurant\u2019s elongated dining tables and wooden dining stools served as wall holders as happy feet graced contortionists appearing to kiss and dry hump the floor. Chicago native\/Atlanta resident Ramon Rawsoul of House In The Park fame warmed up the crowd with musical selections from ATL\u2019s Miranda Nicole\u2019s, \u201c<\/span><\/strong>Kissing You<\/a>\u201d (Duce\u2019s Wild Vox) and South Africa\u2019s Culoe De Song\u2019s,<\/span> <\/strong>\u201cThe Bright Forest<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

The clock reads 12:30 AM when the night\u2019s headliner, Chicago\u2019s own Glenn Underground pulls the plug on Black Coffee\u2019s global unified theme,<\/span><\/strong> \u201cWe Are One<\/a>.\u201d From the sound system roared thunderous, \u201cvrooms\u201d as if a motorcycle chain gang zoomed down I-90 to Chicago\u2019s south side. After 60 seconds of the maddening intro the motorcycles came to a stop at South Side Disco. That is the cacophony gave way to a disco four-count with hissing snares that bounced off the speaker tops, elongated tables and wooden chairs. The GU moniker would offer not one <\/em>but THREE consecutive tracks more of less the same. Was it 1979? Hell Naw. While some appreciated yesterday\u2019s nostalgia, others shook their heads in abandonment, as some braved the classics panting for disco\u2019s bastard child; house music.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

With a slide of the CD player\u2019s pitch control the beats picked up pace. Boisterous thumps fell from the speakers to jolt the heart. A steady climax rushed rubber soles to dance faster and jump higher. There it was again, the “vrooms,” leaving South Side Disco, taking off to some unknown underground warehouse while a cant reminiscent of Dr. MLK Jr. directed its destination. The spoken word\u2019s volume was amplified so till it echoed with a distorted hiss. The making of the musical journey proved a bit off putting.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

What followed next delivered music to the ears and brought what the people came to hear a proper instrumental house music track built on a steady four-count thump, equipped with swirling keys and melodic chords that justified a true house experience. Transitioning from a music track to a song with vocals proved a no brainer as a male vocalist proudly proclaimed, \u201cI \u2018am Superman\u201d to warm cheers. The crowd\u2019s enthusiasm was kicking in high-gear perhaps due to alcohol.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Over the course of songs, hearts pounded with joy as additional musical offerings of the house and disco kind played at the Sound Table\u2019s alter. The crowd had swelled to gigantic proportions. The tiny restaurant could no longer contain the substantial bodies packed tight like an African slave ship. Shirts came off, hairdos fell flat and sweaty musk became le parfum du jour.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometime later from the recesses of a track played chirping guitars beeping vibrantly underneath warm orchestrated strings. The soft melody had that of an old Chicago soul. Yes, indeed it was the interpretation of Timmy Regisford\u2019s and Adam Rios\u2019 execution of Chicago\u2019s soul maverick Peven Everett\u2019s,<\/span> <\/strong>\u201cBurning Hot<\/a>.\u201d However, this accompaniment came equipped with a smooth saxophone providing opening credits. WOW! What an exclusive goodie. After two minutes of sax filled bliss Peven\u2019s vocals sung, \u201cGotta Keep It Burning Hot.\u201d Throughout the shoebox shaped restaurant hands flew up in praise as the people lost their minds all the while providing additional vocal support. The producer took the track even further by killing the bass to warp the highs that caused additional pandemonium.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Midwesterner gave a shout out to the east coast with Blaze\u2019s 1999 cut,<\/span> <\/strong>\u201cWishing You Were Here<\/a>\u201d remixed by U.K.\u2019s moniker Joey Negro. Then came the steady transitions to afro-house, then to 1980\u2019s Chicago house and then to disco. The night capsized with Chicago\u2019s vocal sensation the late Loleatta Holloway\u2019s,<\/span> <\/strong>\u201cDreamin<\/a>.\u201d The CVO (Chicago\u2019s Very Own) was at his best in his element delivering a stunning overworked vocal take on the classic. \u201cWhat\u2019s Mine Is Mine\/What\u2019s Yours Is Yours\/You See I Don\u2019t Want Nothing That\u2019s Yours.\u201d Loleatta\u2019s scat and Holy Ghost \u201cwhoohs\u201d were pitched, looped and allowed to scream till the hairs on the neck stood acute and chills surged up the spine. Even if not a fan, every heart had to admit, \u201cThis was REAL music.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s just something about that Chicago soul. That soul that can\u2019t be faked, funked, or forgotten. That soul that can\u2019t be caged, copied, or formulated. The kind of soul that reaches its arms back in time across deep musical waters. The soul that can be heard on African slave ships, heard on Mississippi\u2019s slave plantations and heard in Chicago\u2019s south side housing projects. That Chicago soul be it blues, jazz, disco, house or rap that makes happy feet two-step. That kind of soul slaps the approval of blackness in your face. That kind of soul makes you dance and shout in circles filled with the Holy Ghost. That soul will make you throw your arms in the air and cry, make your heart dance out of its chest cavity and make you jump on and dance on restaurant tables in public. Glenn Underground brought that type of soul to the Soul Table uh-hmm the Sound Table. That soul was crafted from the deep, transported through the trenches and delivered to the underground masses. Some may not understand the soul. If one allows their eyes to close, taking a deep breathe and plunging backwards into the sweet serene waters they will no doubt be baptized into the soul. Be it young, old, black, white, Jew, gentile this soul is for you.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t\t