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“Sanjina” is from the group Orchestre Régional de Kayes it appears on the 2005 compilation put out by Stones Throw Records called Love’s A Real Thing: The Funky Fuzzy Sounds of West Africa. I have no idea what they are saying but I can listen to this song over and over. From the guitar work to the rhythm of the words being said it just really works for me. So I thought it would make a good Friday Favorites post.

After Mali became independent they made it so each region and or city was represented by a local orchestra and this song is from the city of Kayes orchestra. So starting 1962 various cities would compete against each other in a yearly competition (this info is according to radioafrica.com.au / Graeme Counsel) and this song is from that era. The Orchestre Régional de Kayes have one album on vinyl as of yet it hasnt been reissued (legally) although this song and another “Duga” have made it to compilations.

Merchandise
Orchestre Régional de Kayes “Sanjira” MP3
Orchestre Régional de Kayes “Duga” MP3
Various Artists – Love is a Real Thing: The Funky Fuzzy Sounds of West Africa album CD / MP3

I’ve always been a fan of the piano sample in “Apple Juice Break” the interlude from the Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf album Big Shots. Recently I came across an old Masta Ace remix by LA Jay that used the same sample (it has been used by others such as Black Sheep on “Similak Child” but on it the sample is more in the background) so I thought these two would make a good Vs.

If you aren’t familiar with Charizma he was a nothern californian mc. He met Peanut Butter Wolf (who would go on later to found Stones Throw Records) in the late 80s / early 90s and they both worked on material in the early 90’s but Charizma was shot and killed in a mugging in 1993. Although the first record Stones Throw put out was Charizma’s “My World Premiere” in 1996 Peanut Butter Wolf didn’t put out the full length album, Big Shots, until 2003. For those who haven’t heard it I would recommend it.

“Saturday Nite Live” was a single on the Masta Ace Incorporated 1993 album Slaughtahouse so I’m guessing this LA Jay remix was on the vinyl released at the time, I heard it via a Masta Ace compilation called Grand Masta: The Remix & Rarity Collection. It seems like LA Jay didnt stick with hiphop producing for a long time. He did some work with Pharcyde (he produced “Pork” which was the B Side on the Passing Me Bye 12″ and he produced “Otha Fish” as well a few others) and a song for Kwest the Madd Lad. Unfortunly he did a lot of Brain Austin Green’s (of 90210 fame) 1996 album One Stop Carnival. I’m pretty sure if you produce a hiphop album for a 90210 star you are forced to leave hiphop and it seems like he did. He is still in the business playing piano/keyboards and writing songs but his hiphop output seems pretty small compared to his overall work, he uses his real name now (John Barnes) instead of LA Jay. I would be interested to hear some of his old beats he has laying around, I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a few nice joints tucked away.

And for those who are curious the sample is from a Ramsey Lewis song “Les Fleurs” from his album with the same name put out in 1983 (although I think it was released as a single prior to that). “Les Fleurs” was originally a Minnie Ripperton song, both are good.

Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf “Apple Juice Break”

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Masta Ace – featuring Lord Digga and Eyce “Saturday Nite Live” [LA Jay Remix]

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For this weeks Vs. I thought it would be good to pit brother against brother. Both Madlib and Oh No are artists on Stones Throw Records. Although Stones Throw has a variety of artists no one person is more important to the label then Madlib. Through is solo work, his work under alias and in groups he is the easily the most important artist on the label. And maybe at one time he helped his brother Oh No get on but he certainly doesn’t need his help now.

Oh No’s first album, The Disrupt, came out in 2004 but it wasn’t until his 2006 album Exodus Into Unheard Rhythms that people started taking notice. The following year he put out the instrumental album Dr. No’s Oxperiment which really solidified him as a talent. Nowadays Oh No isn’t in his brothers shadow just another talented artist on Stones Throw.

For this battle I’m matching up instrumental songs by both brothers that also later were used by other artists. The Madlib song is called “Freeze” from his Beat Konducta India Volume 3 & 4 (if you buy CD both 3 & 4 are on there if you buy vinyl they are separate releases). On the album Madlib samples Bollywood tracks from the 70’s. The Oh No song “Heavy” is from Dr. No’s Oxperiment where he samples Turkish, Lebanese, Italian, and Greek psychedelic rock. “Freeze” was used by fellow Stones Throw artist Guilty Simpson on his album Ode to the Ghetto and rapped over it and called it “Pigs”. “Heavy” was on the Mos Def album The Ecstatic where he rapped over it and called it “Supermagic”.

Madlib “Freeze”

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Oh No “Heavy”

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