ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.98

Eddie Harris. A Little Wes

I love this Eddie Harris mid-tempo groove, which gets going after its brassy intro. A sort of modal, latin rhythm backs Harris' famous electro-sax playing as well as a great relaxed guitar& piano solos while the track loops along offering a hypnotic groove for your listening pleasure. Always reminds me of a summer evening... relaxing & chillin'

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.97

Sanatana. Oye Como Va

Santana's cover of the Tito Puente standard was perhaps the first time I ever heard latin jazz (albeit here rockified) and it remains a favourite track some 50 years later. Taking the great latin rhythm & chants of the Puente classic & adding the organ & guitar sound of Santana just blew my mind, but you can also check out Puente's original for a different (more latin) take. A classic either way!

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.96

Mike Post (with Larry Carlton). Theme from Hill Street Blues

A bit of nostalgia for you today, this great theme by Mike Post brings back memories (for me) of one of the greatest police series ever shown on TV, and is a great bit of 'sophisticated' LA jazz. Its a very pleasing piano led, down tempo evocation of the early morning (for the titles of HSB). If you're of an age, this will take you right back to Rollcall!

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.95

Stretch. Why Did You Do It

Written in response to a music business 'betrayal' Stretch's only hit single is a great bit of rock-funk. Its a driving funk rhythm with a great sparse production including some great horn playing and backing its signature gravelly vocals. Its a bit like a sort of mutant Average White Band, which they never managed to repeat (perhaps they poured all the outrage into this one song?)

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.94

Led Zeppelin. Kashmir

Led Zep's Kashmir is a bit like a heavy rock version of Ravel's Bolero, a hypnotic repetitive swirling rhythm slowly building (albeit with added vocals from Robert Plant) into a cacophony; I was a big Led Zeppelin fan in my teens but this track transcends that early enjoyment, making it into killer cuts entirely on the basis of its mesmerising quality.... they knew what they were doing!

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.93

Jackie Moore. Make Me Feel Like a Woman

This is great bit of southern soul with a strong blues inflection; great horn section arrangement & a blues rhythm section back Jackie Moore's strident vocals to make this a soul classic. It may have been recorded 50 years ago but sounds as fresh today as it did then - just brilliant!

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.92

The Gap Band. Outstanding

This is a great bouncy, mid-tempo dance track, driven by a great rhythm arrangement & the Gap Band's vocals; its a great example of where modern soul was in the 1980s. But, its also a case of the 12" remix completely ruining the thing that made it such a great groove (so stick with the original LP version). Just lovely!

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.91

Pink. Stupid Girls

This is a great bit of feminist pop (and the video is great too); a driving pop rhythm backs a politically engaged Pink bemoaning the way that women's aspirations are narrowed by popular culture. Just goes to show that pop can be political (and doesn't have to sacrifice musical appeal, to be so)... and is perhaps more often political that we might assume. Punch that fist in the air!

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.90

Samm Henshaw. Church

This glorious gospel-infused track caught my attention nearly a decade ago (you'll have guessed mostly I listen to older music) and it really stood out from much else I was hearing on the commute to work (on the radio). It's a wonderfully up-lifting vocally led track with a great rhythm track featuring some groovy piano playing. Enjoy

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.89

Eddie Cochran. Three Steps to Heaven

This lovely mid-temp love song from Eddie Cochran is a wonderful piece of 1950s pop. The relationship between Cochran's guitar & vocals with his backing singers is just sublime. Its short & sweet, and is the sound of summer for evermore.

[a little bit of trivia: Sting sings a great solo version in the 1980 indie film Radio On, set in Bristol]

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.88

Isaac Hayes. Theme from Shaft

From its intro (on the high hat) to the funky rhythm this classic film theme almost defines the blaxploitation soundtrack; great arrangement, evocative vocals from Isaac Hayes and a killer horn section.... just timeless.

(and if you like a funky film theme song here's a Killer Cust bonus: Lalo Schifrin's main theme for Bullitt is also a groovy masterclass that also kicks)

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.87

The Futures. Ain't No Time Fa Nothin'

This classic (if lesser known) bit of funk from the Futures is just lovely lilting, funky bit of soooo groovy Philly Soul. Despite some great vocals and the usual Philly arrangements, this lovely track seems to be lesser known than much of Philadelphia International Records output... so I thought I'd contribute to changing that this morning. Enjoy.

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.86

Taste of Honey. Boogie Oogie Oogie

This great disco anthem was unusual in being by a band led by two women (including the bassist). Its a great bit of dance music, grooving along on a great bass rhythm & guitar playing (sort of Isleys' influenced), behind a great vocal inviting you to boogie, as you will be.

(you'll want the original not the remix, though!)

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.85

Lou Donaldson. Ode to Billy Joe

This little Blue Note gem comes from a sub-genre of popular song instrumentals that featured on many of their LPs during the 1960s. A great funky shuffle drives Donaldson's treatment which starts with just the vocal line & then slowly as the track progresses bends & stretches that into a funky bit of soul jazz. Some great other solos make for a glorious 60 minutes of groovy jazz

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.84

Ramsey Lewis. Wade in the Water

This Ramsey Lewis classic, spans gospel, jazz and R&B, and has been a Northern Soul favourite for decades. The live recording maximises the clap-along atmosphere of this great groove; Lewis' piano drive the track forward with his rhythm section making sure the beat is irresistible. For the whole track you're there clapping & shouting as the band raises the temperature!

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.83

Bruno Mars. Uptown Funk

There's a reason this bit of retro dance music was a massive world-wide hit; its just brilliant. From it knowing quotes from lesser knows dance classics (try & spot lifts from Jam on It or Chuck Brown), to is up-dated hard core funk rhythm, Mark Ronson's production offers Bruno Mars the perfect showcase for his strutting vocals. Always a dance floor filler & justly so!

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.82

Stealers Wheel. Stuck in the Middle With You

Famously rescued from semi-obscurity by inclusion on the Reservoir Dogs soundtrack, this was actually always a classic; a British version of US roots backing, some elliptical vocals and a great rhythm had in the Top 10 on release so hardly a real obscurity... but, now a ProfDJ party classic with everyone shouting & boogieing along!

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.81

Barbara Acklin. Love Makes a Women

This Northern Soul classic is a wonderful record, a driving rhythm section enlivened with some great horns, with Barbara Acklin's strident vocal & a great sax solo, what more could you want from a 60's soul classic? Its such a great couple of minutes of brilliant soul!

ProfDJ's killer cuts for your streaming shuffle, No.80

Bobby Darin. Mack the Knife

I don't imagine Kurt Weill & Bertold Brecht expected Mac the Knifeto turn into a pop-jazz sensation in 1959... but it did. Still the iconic version Darin's rendition is cool & ironic, just as the song deserves. A lovely brass driven arrangement makes this a classic of swinging jazz-infused popular music, that has spawned sooo many cover versions, but this remains a corker!