Top Fives: Campbell Ngata and Jeff Neems

Top Fives: Campbell Ngata and Jeff Neems

Campbell Ngata
The Undercover Brother from the Bay
Top 5: Killer Modern Soul LP Tracks That Are Overlooked Because Of Another Track
1. Emotions - You've Got The Right To Know (Columbia)
From the 1976 LP Flowers, 'You've Got The Right To Know' is overlooked because of the classic title track, but holds its own. And by classic, I mean Gisborne RSA Club classic.
2. Champaign - Do You Have The Time (Columbia)
Champaign's 'How 'Bout Us' was a slow jam chart-topper, and was my Mum's jam in 1981, but hardly anybody flipped it over to expose modern killer 'Do You Have The Time'.
3. Ingram - Music Has The Power (H&L)
Ingram has been destroying dance floors since 1977 with 'Mi Sabrina Tequana', however 'Music Has The Power' has the, erm, power - from the That's All LP.
4. Atlantic Starr - Love Me Down (A&M)
'Love Me Down', from the 1982 Brilliance LP is a soulful mid tempo treat with killer b-line, often overlooked in favour of 'Circles'... play both though.
5. Brothers Johnson - Celebrations (A&M)
OK, 'Celebrations' ain't a modern spin, but I love my jazz-funk - this masterpiece is ignored because of another 1980 staple, 'Stomp', from Light Up The Night. Get them out, flip them, give them another lease of life.


Jeff Neems
Aka Cpt Nemo: DJ, Writer, Record Collector and Family Man
Hear him spinning everything from deep Jamaican roots and dub to contemporary house, soul, funk, Latin, Afrobeat and hip hop every Saturday night at Wonderhorse, Hamilton's leading cocktail and fine liquor bar.
Top 5: Current High-Rotate
1. Kamal Abdul Alim - Brotherhood
Originally released in 1983, this gargantuan piece of gorgeous instrumental jazz funk stretches out over nearly eight minutes. A truly uplifting piece, recently reissued on the BBE compilation Kev Beadle Presents Private Collection. Total killer.
2. Byard Lancaster - Just Test
Philly saxophonist Byard Lancaster is largely unknown, but Kindred Spirits reissued his awesome 1974 album Funny Funky Rib Grib in 2008, and this three-minute ditty is the highlight. It could be on an endless reel and I'd never get sick of it.
3. Byron Morris - Kitty Bey
Gilles Peterson added a live version of this potent uptempo jazz-funk cut to his Sunday Afternoon at Dingwall's release in 2006. Just the ticket for the dancers in the place, it even features an introduction from the band leader.
4. Wildcookie - Serious Drug
I paid way too much money for an autographed copy of the rare Drugs EP, by Wildcookie - producer Red Astaire and vocalist Anthony Mills, A stripped back Latin-flavoured head-nodder provides the basis for Mills to sing about the dangers of cocaine. Must-have tune which I often use to open or close the night at Wonderhorse.
5. Moodymann - Misled
Moodymann (Kenny Dixon Jr) is the greatest house musician to walk the planet and the King of Detroit. 'Misled' is the opening tune on his 1997 debut album Silent Introduction, and it eases the listener into the most sublime album of soulful deep house ever released.


(*both of these excerpts are taken from Issue #4 of the Soultearoa Shakedown fanzine. You can read the full issue, and all the other back issues, here.)

Top Ten: Jubt Avery

Top Ten: Soul Sheets

The characters behind the records you love.
1. "Marvin Gaye: Divided Soul" (David Ritz)
Harrowing yarns from Motown's Trouble Man.
2. Miles Davis "Miles: The Autobiography" (Quincy Trope)
High curse word count from the ever-opinionated Miles.
3. Nina Simone "I Put A Spell On You: The Autobiography Of Nina Simone" (Stephen Cleary)
A hell of a life from Julliard to Liberia.
4. James Brown "The Godfather Of Soul: An Autobiography" 
JB is a man of many titles, but you can add teller of unreliable tales to the list.
5. Ray Charles "Brother Ray: Ray Charles' Own Story" (David Ritz)
Forget the film, the autobiography is a rollicking, hedonistic ride with one of music's great characters.
6. Al Green "Take Me To The River" (Davin Seay)
Southern soul and selective stories.
7. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson "Mo' Meta Blues"
Meta musings from The Roots' meter man.
8. Charles Mingus "Beneath The Underdog: His World As Composed by Mingus"
Mind expanding musical insights and tangential tales.
9. Frederick Dannan "Hit Men: Power Brokers and Fast Money Inside the Music Business"
Fascinating industry backgrounder on the corporatisation of the record business.
10. Charlie Gillett "The Sound Of The City: The Rise Of Rock n' Roll"
The definitive backgrounder on the blues.
Also spun:
"Dream Boogie: The Triumph Of Sam Cooke" (Peter Guralnick)
"Prince: Inside The Music and The Masks" (Ronin Ro)
"To Be Loved: The Music, The Magic, The Memories of Motown" (Berry Gordy)

Written by Jubt Avery.
Hear him on 'The Boil Up', alongside Kirk James and AWDJ, Thursdays from 8pm on Base FM.


(* this excerpt taken from Issue #4 of the Soultearoa Shakedown fanzine. You can read the full ise, and the back issues, here.)

Last Record I Bought: Miles Tackett (Breakestra)

Last Record I Bought: Miles Tackett

Ray Sharp and The Soul Set - Earthquake

I heard this funky, syncopated, late-'60s psych-soul burner spun by my man Ray from East L.A.'s Spinout crew at a party last fall down in New Orleans, while hanging with Kris Holmes and other fellow Ponderosa Stompers. The record flipped my wig back a bit when I heard it, so I duly noted it - thanks to Ray's generous nature. Luckily there wa a copy sitting around collecting dust at Crazy Beat Records on the outskirts of London. (Incidentally, this was one of the first stores to buy copies of my first 7" Breakestra single 'Getcho Soul Togetha' in the UK.) Fortunately, I merely needed to go to musicstack.com to find out that 'Earthquake' was ready, rumbling and available to come back to the land of earthquakes for some spins at my Funky Sole party. Some records travel farther than the people who are looking for them...

Miles Tackett is the main man in Breakestra, runs L.A.'s Funky Sole party, and is an all round good dude.


(* this excerpt is taken from Issue #4 of the Soultearoa Shakedown fanzine. You can read the whole issue, and all the back issues, here.)

Last Night A Soul Song Changed My Life: Neil Kaiser

Last Night A Soul Song Changed My Life: Neil Kaiser

Charles Sheffield - It's Your Voodoo Working

This is a song that has particular meaning to me because up until I played this for my wife (who at the time was my girlfriend) she had been somewhat reserved around me. We were in the new stages of our relationship and feeling each other out. She heard that song and just let go, dancing like a crazy woman; silly and goofy, but rhythmic and wild. I am pretty sure that was when I knew we'd be together forever. That was eight and a half years ago, and we just celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary.

Neil Kaiser, out of Seattle, USA, is also known as DJ Zimmy.


(* this excerpt is taken from Issue #4 of the Soultearoa Shakedown fanzine. You can read the rest of this issue, plus all the back issues, here.)

Strangest Place I Found Records: Tarik Thornton

Strangest Place I Found Records: Tarik Thornton

I just picked up some records from an Adult Toy Store a few days ago. I found the spot on Craigslist, so I thought, let's go check it out. As I'm digging through a small section of 45s, I look back and there's a huge dildo - that was a little weird, I admit. I ended up grabbing three 45s and take them to the counter to check out. The owner says hey, I have some higher priced ones also, and points me to a box which has an OG copy of Mickey and The Soul Generation's 'Iron Leg'. I didn't pick it up, but hey, I was very impressed it was in an adult toy store!

Tarik is a DJ and Radio Host from Minneapolis, USA.


(* this excerpt is taken from Issue #4 of the Soultearoa Shakedown fanzine. You can read the whole issues, and all the back issues, here.)