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HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES BROWN!

Today is James Brown's Birthday and we can think of no better way to spend it than with this mix done by funk professor Cosmo Baker. Titled "The Land Of Milk and Honey" the mix covers a wide range of James Browns musical legacy, and features some of his lesser known production work, including the song by Vicki Anderson for which the mix is named. Click the player and get on the good foot...its Monday Yall.

Cosmo Baker- The Land Of Milk and Honey

I think it is safe to say that modern music would sound distinctively diffrent had the world never met James Brown. In fact he holds the distinction of being the "Most Sampled Man in History".....How sampled?

Below is a small portion of the immense list of songs that use his work in one form or another, taken from The Breaks.

• “Night Train”
  - Carlito - “Fame Game”
  - Kool Moe Dee - “How Ya Like Me Now?”
  - Public Enemy - “Night Train”
  - W.I.S.E Guyz - “Do the Eygyptian”
  - West Coast Rap All Stars - “We’re All in the Same Gang”

   

  Out of Sight: (King 1964)

• “Out of Sight”
  - Them - “Out of Sight”

   

  Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag: (King 1965)

• “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”
  - JAMS - “Candyman”
  - Kool Moe Dee - “How Ya Like Me Now?”
  - Kool Moe Dee - “I’m a Player”
  - No Face - “Stole My Shit”
  - Pharcyde - “I’m That Type of Nigga”
  - Salt-N-Pepa - “Swift”

   

  I Got You (I Feel Good): (King 1966)

• “I Got You (I Feel Good)”
  - GangStarr - “Gotch U”
  - LeJuan Love - “I Got You (I Feel Good)”
  - Public Enemy - “Contract on the World Love Jam”

   

  It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World: (King 1966)

• “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World” (Intro)
  - Alicia Keys - “Fallin’”
  - Big Daddy Kane - “Mortal Combat”
  - Black Moon - “Black Smif-N-Wessun”
  - Heavy D - “You Ain’t Heard Nuttin’ Yet”
  - Ice Cube - “This is a Man’s World”
  - Ice Cube - “Jackin’ for Beats”
  - Luke - “Arrest in Effect”
  - Nature - “Man’s World”
  - Tupac ft Dramacydal, C-Bo & Storm - “Tradin War Stories”

Cold Sweat: (King 1967)

 

• “Cold Sweat”
  - 3XDope - “Straight Up”
  - Chubb Rock - “What’s the Word?”
  - Cookie Crew - “Bad Girls (Rock the Spot)”
  - DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - “Takin’ it to the Top”
  - Ice Cube - “Jackin’ for Beats”
  - King T - “Bass”
  - Public Enemy - “Prophets of Rage”
  - Public Enemy - “How to Kill a Radio Consultant”
  - Public Enemy - “Welcome to the Terrordome”
  - Sweet T - “I Got the Feelin”
  - Terminator X - “Juvenile Delinquintz”
  - UTFO - “Wanna Rock”

   

  James Brown Sings Raw Soul: (King 1967)

• “Bring it Up (Hipster’s Avenue)”
  - Brothers Like Outlaw - “Kickin’ Jazz”
  - GangStarr - “Manifest”
  - Kid ‘N Play - “Gittin’ Funky”
• “Don’t Be a Dropout”
  - Red Hot Lover Tone - “Like a Virgin”
• “Bring it Up (Hipster’s Avenue)”
  - UMC - “See the Man on the Street”

   

  I Can’t Stand Myself (When You Touch Me): (King 1968)

• “I Can’t Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)”
  - Schoolly D - “It’s Like Dat”
  - Spacey B Experience - “Run That Go-Power Thang”

   

  Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud: (King 1969)

• “I’m Black and I’m Proud”
  - 2 Live Crew - “Ya Bad Self”
  - Big Daddy Kane - “Long Live the Kane”
  - Blackstreet - “Good Lovin’”
  - Brand Nubian - “Dedication”
  - Cypress Hill - “Insane in the Brain”
  - Divine Styler - “It’s a Black Thing”
  - EPMD - “Brothers on My Jock”
  - Eric B and Rakim - “Move the Crowd”
  - Intelligent Hoodlum - “Black and Proud”
  - LL Cool J - “Nitro”
  - Non Step - “Keep ‘em Steppin’”
  - Pete Rock & CL Smooth - “T.R.O.Y.”
  - Real Roxanne - “Her Bad Self”
  - Run-DMC - “Naughty”
  - Salt-N-Pepa - “Do You Really Want Me?”
  - Vanilla Ice - “Ice Cold”
  - West Coast Rap All Stars - “We’re All in the Same Gang”

   

  
  
  

   

   

   

   

A quick history of the Winstons "Amen Brother" drum break, which is a staple of sample based music production. 

Black beans (Brazilian style)

I lived in Boston in another life and had a friend (Brent) who worked at a Brazilian restaurant (very rare in the 1980's). Brent cooked up these beans on a regular basis and I took a liking to them, so I learned the basics from him, and they soon became a family favorite.- David 

Ingredients

1 bag of dried black beans

1 large pot

4-5 strips of uncooked bacon

4- 5 cloves garlic

fresh cilantro

salt & pepper

Process

1. soak the beans for 6-8 hrs covered with water in the large pot

2. After the beans have soaked for the allotted time drain them in a colander and rinse them with cold water.

3. Put the beans back in the pot cover them with water by two inches and bring to a boil.The beans should cook until tender.

4. When the beans are tender remove them from the pot and allow to drain in the colander once again, rinsing them.

5. Chop the bacon into 1” lengths and place into the pot on a lit burner.

6. When the bacon is fully cooked add the beans, mashing them as you go with appropriate kitchen gadget.

7. Add chopped garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste (for additional kick you can addadobe chiles or whatever.)

These beans are great with pretty much anything. Fry them up with eggs for a tasty breakfast, serve them over rice for lunch, or wrap them in a tortilla for a snack.

A few weeks back some friends and I spent a Sunday afternoon listening to 78s in Fort Green Park. I can't recommend this highly enough. Check out the photo album here

-THE BAG MESSENGER