Sleazy drops Soundcast #2: 'Free Byrd'

One of the most relentlessly talented Jazz musicians of the modern era, Donald Byrd, sadly passed away in February at the age of 80. He left behind a extensive body of work spanning nearly 50 years, whilst also dedicating his life to increasing access to the study of Jazz music and more importantly fighting for equality for black musicians.

Sleazy pays homage to Byrd via a two hour soundcast, showcasing only a fragment of the great mans catalogue from across the years. SW's accompanying mix notes are well worth a read too, including a full tracklist that can be found here.

Sleazy Wonder's Soundcasts

This week our resident musicologist Sleazy Wonder unveiled his plan to take us on a year long aural journey through a range of music close to his rum-soaked heart. In the form of 'soundcasts', each episode will focus on a different theme and guide the listener through a hand-picked selection of music bringing to the fore some unearthed gems, forgotten classics and downright leftfield.

The first soundcast 'Red Sun Rising' showcases the often overlooked contribution Japan has made to musical culture over the decades, focusing on the Japanese take on Jazz, Disco, Funk & Rock

We cannot recommend this enough, it is well worth a listen and we will be sure to let you know when future episodes become available. Enjoy...

A Swift Half with SK

The room was bouncing and A-Trak was mixing standing on a table, the lasers only briefly illuminating the dancefloor before plunging the crowd back into darkness. The silhouette of a figure donning a fresh new-era cap stood before us. What did this stranger want? Does he prefer partying next to Catalan Monasteries or on top of a double-decker bus? Or both? What happens when you mix vodka with Dandelion & Burdock? All these questions didn't fly through our head on the evening we first crossed paths with SK, but fortunately they were answered in the coming years.

A chance meeting in a nightclub between ourselves and SK (known to the taxman as Mr. Simon Kemp) was basically how this affair started, and 4 years on SK has been by our side every step of the way. One of the original believers in the Dub-Boro project, over the years Simon has been our graphic designer, head cheerleader AND even our very own personal Shazam, but all this was just a distraction on the way to becoming one of dbe's finest resident selectas. What this guy doesn't know about music ain't worth knowing, and this knowledge flows out onto the dancefloor like a sea of velvet rhythms when he is behind the decks.

We had SK tipped for greatness for a while, until one hazy summers evening a pedalo was spotted sailing up the River Soar, blaring out 80's disco beats without a care in the world nor an entertainments license. Sleazy Wonder was back. SK was seduced by his cousins stories of Caribbean ports and high sea battles to protect the cargo of dark rum. SK was so envious of his stories, he left with Sleazy the next day, armed only with a pair of questionable sunglasses and the latest future garage beats. On their return from the high seas there was no SK, only Sleazy in a jazzy shirt and some large Cuban cigars. We decided not to question this and gave Sleazy his own room, to keep the mirrorball spinning and the people grooving.

Alas Sleazy could no longer handle the cold winters and set sail from 'The Basin' last month, but as a parting gift he left keys and a map as to where we could find SK, who had been locked in a the basement below the mansion on Ashby Road for months on end, playing one long after party to no-one but himself. We unlocked the door to the sound of Hyph Mngo, dragged him upstairs, gave him £50 worth of Boomkat vouchers and told him to get ready for 11th October. This is where he is at so far...