Duppy Cousin?

As you should already know, this blog doubles as the Chicago division for The International Center of Duppy Research. Our team is hard at work digging deep into Jamaican folklore through dusty newspapers, microfilm, children's books, and documents that we can still access through our alumni JSTOR accounts. Dedicated to finding every piece of the puzzle, we have stumbled upon a missing link from the Caribbean brought to our attention by Soca legend Michel Montano's Trinidadian Thriller video Jumbie. A Jumbie, or Jumbee, in some ways follows the story of the Duppy but with transformations across the Black Atlantic that resulted in different demons than the Jamaican version. Mermaids, possessed animals, and witches are some common themes among Caribbean folklore, but in other places such as Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, the spirit of a dead person not yet descended into the afterlife by way of minibus* takes on different forms. In some ways, the Jumbee has a more mysterious and complex history, with more rules laid out as far as what form the demons will take. In Guyana, a Backoo is the spirit of a baby who died before being named which are known to look like short men with large eyes, long limbs, and who are absent of kneecaps. The spirit feeds off bananas and milk, and is stuck inside a glass bottle until released. Overall, the main factor separating the Duppy from the Jumbee are the influence of both Amerindian and European folklore which have altered things especially in places like the Dutch Antilles and Montserrat. While our resources are still being pulled (see picture above), our anonymous informants at Wikipedia tell us a few tips for living a Jumbee-free life:

• leaving a pair of shoes outside your door; jumbies don't have feet and would spend the entire night trying on the shoes to get them to fit before moving onto you.
• leaving a heap of sand or salt or rice outside your door; jumbies are compelled to count every grain before the sun rises.
• when coming home late at night, walk backwards so that the jumbie would be unable to follow you inside.
• if one is being chased by a jumbie, cross a river, as they cannot follow over water
• Leave a rope with many knots by your door step. Jumbies love to try to untie knots, so they will forget about you while trying to untie the knots.

Our people are being sent all over the world and the internet in search of more information for our readers to raise Jumbee awareness so you don't end up victim of ruckus. To those who dare confront ether a Duppy or a Jumbee, make sure you bring plenty of rum for both enjoy the sweet taste of fermented sugar cane.


* Winkler, Anthony C. "The Duppy". Akashic Books, 2008.

Circle Jerkin

DJ Nate aka Baka - You're A Jerk (from Bakastine the Halloween Mixtape vol 1 2009)

Chicago vs Panama vs Nigeria. Panama still wins but I couldn't resist. Nate sounds pretty keyed in the intro/outro.

Space Aged Juking

DJ Puff - Real Pimpin (from DJ Deeon Presents: DJ Puff - Lime Green 12" 1996)

DJ Puff put out two 12"s under the wings of Deeon in the 90s and nothing else which makes me believe it could have just been a fake moniker or his imaginary friend. I really don't like joking about these things though, because in some cases there's a reason why the discography just stops. Like the AJ Mcghee track I brought up a few weeks ago, this is a meeting between Ghetto House and southern Rap. Legendary Memphis duo 8 Ball and MJG get the Dance Mania treatment that I wish more on the bottom of the map would. And I don't mean Wayne or Gucci like you hear on the radio here, I wanna hear Pimp C shouting anthems fragmented by claps.

Bob Dylan Ferro Gaita Wrote Propaganda Songs

Kidy - Fuzilerus (from Funana and Batuku vol 6 2010)

I don't know a lot about Kidy aside from a few of his music videos, but there are some overwhelming sound effects here. The gun shots aren't used as hi-hats or anything but there are helicopters, screams, and old western pistol sounds. My Portuguese tells me this is an anti-military tune, but I don't speak Portuguese. I think I'm generally interested in these sounds used in music and this sorta works in the way Rogério Duprat used Music Concret in Tropicalia. Meaning it's actually part of the compositional aspect of the story rather than a sound effect.

Maladeee Maker

Zaza Twins - Instru Logobi Maladeee (???) 2009?

Man this needs to be played LOUD. On the street and at levels of public disturbance. Like how all those Tecktonik videos look, except with better dancing and people having more fun. Really exciting stuff coming from the kids in France that I can't get enough of. No surprise this transformation occurred ether, sounding uplifting and intimidating like current Kuduro. Coupe Decale Instrumental was one of those tracks that made me lose it in 2009, and I was glad to find more by Lyons' Zaza Twins. More music that fits perfectly under Soulja Boy. What Logobi really means I really don't know, I just watch Youtube videos, but there is some good information here, and here.

Thanks to Boima for help IDing this track.

Yuh

Vybz Kartel - Thank Yuh Jah 2010

Dude has been sick with the slow jams lately.

Por Barrios

Grupo Cordon - Subiendo Aun Mas (from "unknown street cd-r")

This is one of those weird internet finds that combines digital digging with actual field work, and I remain the arm chair researcher. I have no recollection of even trying to find this, but this was in a folder I grabbed on Soulseek titled Candombe Uraguay - Original CD Grabado en Las Calles de Montevideo (Por Barrios) Excelente! This is the real deal, por barrios! We've never been to Montevideo, but somebody brought back CD-Rs that are even more mysterious now that we can't physically hold them.

Without trying any harder to philosophy the situation, this mystery folder is a great mix of some of the bigger groups like Cuareim, Ansina, and these guys Cordon. Candombe is Uruguayan drum music that originated from people that escaped countries with heavy slave trade such as Bolivia and Paraguay. It's popular street and festival music that is still strong among the small Afro-Uruguayan and Afro-Argentine communities. I've yet to hear any digital club mutations, this is straight up drumming, and lots of it.

Nobody Move

DJ Moortje - Nobody Get Hurt (from I'm Back 1997)

This track is really interesting to someone like myself who never had a background in Drum and Bass, yet listens to plenty of music that was affected by it's existence. Discovering Bubbling has led me to rewind to the early days of Jungle to find missing pieces of the puzzle, but I haven't spent much time with DnB outside of a bit of DJ Zinc and DJ Hype. Even then it's not really for me, but Moortje pulling up Yellowman's Breakbeat hit like it was the Murder She Wrote Riddim is exciting as a parallel between genres. Technically and historically there's plenty to compare the two in a Venn Diagram, which forces me to backtrack down the paths I missed first time around and never particularly cared about. Questioning relevance is even more confusing and if the theory that technology=genres is right it will only get more so.

Believing

Manara - Miracles 2010

2009 was a great year for the Night Slugs crew that was obvious even if you never showed up to any of their parties. I've never been to London, but the output spawned from last year definitely got me more curious about the sound these guys push for. My awareness of UK Funky borderlines on ignorance, but when seasoned with some familiar territory like these guys tend to do I sink into the mix like a warm bath. Not that I'm afraid to listen to a set that only contains the unknown (quite the opposite), but hearing how well DJ Deeon fits in is exciting to this Chicagoan. Manara hooked it up with a short but sweet fix for the habit, and now we can stay warm inside with headphones. Sure, a hot sweaty club can be relief from the cold, but have you ever gotten drunk and slipped on the ice on your way home? Not fun.

Tracklist:

Paula Abdul – Cold Hearted (Dubstramental)
Roska- Gone to a Better Place
Aero Manyelo – My 8 Kids
Aaron Carl – Oasis (Nick Holder Vocal Dub)
DJ Gregory – Klappa
DJ Gazzeto – Cruel 22
Shaun-D – Spanish Fly (Kingdom remix)
Ikonika – Brown Acid remix
GIRL UNIT – I.R.L
Dj Deeon – Freak like Me (Brenmar mix)

My Dance Moves Science Fiction

Fabo - Gik Tales Mixtape 2010

I don't know if it makes up for his long absence, but it's pretty damned nice.

Like Two Bad Nurses.

Bun B - Adrenaline Rush Freetyle (from No Mixtape 2010)

It's obligatory that I post Bun spitting over one of my most cherished Hip-Hop beats ever.

Last Night a Pirate Radio DJ Saved My Life

Mosholu Park - At The Fire

Lamin is back with another transmission pretending to be a mix, though instead of seamlessness we have maplessness. Like a broken shortwave radio with good taste, a lot more compositional than just shooting off blanks to a make believe audience. I don't think our friend cares much for the technical triggers widely used for blending songs like the common disc jockey, but he knows the loopholes and secret tunnels scattered throughout his selections like the back of his hand.

Haiti Continued

Nu Look - Pedi Chelbew (live) (from DJ Flo: MVP Kompa Live Mix vol 1 2009)

Super winey guitars from a Kompa band out of Miami.

"Dominica Soca"

Mr Benji N2O - Fire 2009

A super sick Bouyon track I've been into lately, which is/is like Soca from Dominica usually done by bands (I guess?). I've been happy with Trinidadian production as of late, but some of the synths these cats use are off the chain. They even cover American Hip-Hop tracks, and while not on a funk tip I can't help but think about D.C. Go Go bands doing the same(?!). Pretty fucking cool, and there's a lot of extra energy in this stuff that is hard to achieve in a studio. Mr Benji N2O is the front man of Triple Kay, one of the biggest bands from the island. This one is just crazy, like they were channeling Sun Ra and Hurricane Chris at the same time.

Dahomey Diaspora

Rara La Fraicheur De L'anglade - M Pap Mache A Te Anye (from Vodou Music of Haiti 1997)

Rara is heavily rooted in the spiritual music of a 10,000+ year old religion known as Vodou, which made it's way to Haiti during the slave trade from places like the former Kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). I think most outsiders would immediately think of zombies, witchcraft, and old National Geographic images of Africans conducting heathen rituals if the word "voodoo" was brought up, but many religions throughout the world share it's original roots. Just look at New Orleans, where above ground it's commercialized and influenced a ton of music (hello Dr. John), and below ground where it's still practiced in secrecy. A lot of influences from Christianity have mixed in, due to former slaves covering up their "pagan" rituals from their oppressors. For those not familiar with Vodou Music of Haiti: Angels in the Mirror, it's a great compilation of spirituals ranging from gorgeous vocal tracks to this one which is straight up Rara. You can't hide from those horns, and while we're on the subject I think anyone who isn't scared of them should hear The La Drivers Union Por Por Group CD for an interesting phenomenon that most likely isn't a coincidence.

Hi Haiti 2

Ti Band L'avenir - Panamam Tombe (from Méringue: Haïti Chérie 1993)

Wayne Marshall comes through with one of his favorite Haitian joints.

Haiti Part I

T Man - Jump Up (From Ayiti Diasporap 4 Life vol 1 2008)

I'm not exactly helping out with the situation much, but I feel the least I can do is put up some Haitian tunes. That's all that's going to be posted here for a bit, and if you feel like contributing something, feel free to email me. Also, please show up to Dutty Artz Tropical Relief this Saturday if you happen to be near NYC.

First up we have a Hip-Hop track from a compilation my friend picked up for me when she was in Haiti last summer. I think you might be able to buy this somewhere, and it's worth hearing. Not much out of the ordinary as far as Haitian Rap goes, which to me sometimes sounds like Southern States Hip-Hop with Kompa influenced beats.

Re: Pendergrass

Teddy Pendergrass - Easy, Easy, Got To Take It Easy (from Teddy Pendergrass 1977)

RIP Teddy Pendergrass

1950 - 2010

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

DJ Slugo - Respect My Grine vol 1,2,3

Slugo was kind enough to give away his previous volumes of his Respect My Grine mixtape series while he's finishing volume 4 up. For those of you that don't know, the series covers local Chicago talent, much of the time shedding light onto the young artists making music in the city. Generally comprised of local rappers, you will find the likes of Tha Pope, DJ Nate, and sometimes people I know (what's up Khallee?). Definitely for those interested in following what the kids are doing Hip-Hop wise in the city today.

2010!!!!!

NGUZUNGUZU EP 2010

The club, the bedroom, and both at the same time.

Llet Ot Tog Ev'i, Yrots Elttil A S'ereh Won

Pappawheeli - Paul Revealed (Paul Revere Instrumental Backwards Un-masking)

Maybe it's my love for a lot of things Music Concret, perhaps it's just hanging around DJs but I can be a sucker for music sped up, slowed down, and even backwards. If this wasn't already obvious then I'll admit listening to Rihanna backmasked quite a few times. Miami Bass historian Pappawheeli flipped the Beastie's Paul Revere to unveil proto-Miami Bass from 1986 in the form of reversed white boy Rap, a bit different than how I remember hearing one of my first Hip-Hop songs. Played forwards it's already got the silence gaps and stop-and-start patterns that a lot of Electro tracks since Afrika Bambataa tended to have, but reversed it has even more hiss to the cymbals. That year was a pretty big one for the genre's predecessors, and this wasn't even able to influence those without the mechanism to play it at the speed that secret messages can be heard and therefore maybe a bit irrelevant and mostly for novelty enjoyment. I mean I'd be pretty psyched if a song played backwards sparked a highly influential musical movement, but hey we're in a new decade that will give us the Easy-Bake-Oven of screwed and chopped and backmasking machines via iPhone apps.

Crown Heights Affair "Galaxy of Love"

Here's a song for all you eager disco explorers. My newest vehicle for transport is by the late seventies hit by the

Crown Heights Affair, "Galaxy of Love".

The song opens different than the typical disco song. It sets us up delicately, with wind surf ambiance and piano tinklings, something that could be a whole song in its self, preparing us for a long flight. You take off and you realize that your flying very high and fast, with the SFX of space whizzing by your head. And with The high heaven vocals, the song soars bright and clear like a beautiful cartoon. This large group of hard working musicians play with vigor, and take the pleasure in bringing you higher than you've ever been. This is a Band of the Clouds, demanding you to dance with it's stern Horn Sorcery and disgusting Bass breakdown. The featured Synth Lazer even takes A Solo, flashing like a rainbow gradient gamma ray. And then suddenly, the band suddenly brings it all to stop, leaving you to drop from the highest point in the sky! Enjoy.

-J.Shorts

(The sound quality isn't too bad for a Youtube Clip)

Buckets

While I'm not willing to give up, this is probably the closest Juke will ever come to Go-Go.