The Love Of My Girl - James Bell

A name synonymous with the worldwide underground Jazz Dance movement that spans from Tokyo to Canada via the UK. Adrian along with Snowboy, Perry Louis from the Jazzcotech dancers and a whole lot more people have worked hard at creating a true Jazz movement for the dancers and music lovers alike that focuses purely on the music and not on the fashion or 'scene'. The dedication and support within the Jazz Dance movement is second to none and should be an inspiration to us all. He is the musical programmer of The Jazz Cafe in Camden, London as well as running the groundbreaking club night Messin' Around and compiling the Messin Around compilations. Not forgetting his deep knowledge of funk and soul...



Johnny Burnette - Train kept a Rollin

1. Johnny Burnette - Train kept a Rollin
Was really into the Rockabilly thing in the mid-eighties. Johnny Burnette was the one for me along with Hasil Adkins I guess. Have also got a soft spot for Doo Wop, Swing & Jump Jive.



2. The Dentists - Strawberries are growing in my garden and it's wintertime
The Dentists hailed from Kent which is where I grew up. They were late 1960's Pysch / garage influenced music. Weekends were spent at the Nags head in Rochester watching either them, the Prisoners or the Milkshakes playing live. After a while they got bored and all starting joing each others groups which brought us Thee Mighty Caesars, Auntie Vegetable and eventually the James Taylor Quartet. The latter definitely being an influence on me getting into deeper funky jazz music in the 80's.



3. The Soul Believers featuring the Dapps - I don't want nobody's troubles.
After moving to London in 1987 I started going to all the warehouse parties like the Dirtbox and hearing Jay Strongman and Norman Jay spinning "Rare Groove" which at the time meant anything produced by James Brown alongside Disco / Boogie stuff. The JB's sound was big for me and I started searching out all of the originals on 45 & LP.



4. UDM - To Please you
This could be any disco / boogie / jazz-funk track really. This is just one that is currently never out of my dj box. Mad Mats turned me onto it a few years ago and it is just the deep boogie sound I like. I could have chosen anything from roy ayers, donald byrd, don blackman, patrick adams, leroy burgess just as easily.



Zito Righi y su Conjunto - Batucada

5. Zito Righi y su Conjunto - Batucada
Again, this kind of represents anything latin musicially. The track in question is a rarity which has recently been re-edited and released as "Jogando Capoiera" by Beatfanatic. Other latin acts that have been influential on me are Tito Puente, Kako, Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, Elis Regina, Brazilian Octopus, Irakere etc etc



6. Gregory Charles Royal - Dancer
One of my favourite jazz tracks, this one is an indie LP with the tune in question being in waltz time. Jazz is a major influence and I could have picked Maynard Ferguson's "Mambo La Mans", Pharoah Sanders "You've got to have freedom" from the Africa LP or many others for this slot.



7. Curry - Plea to the People
My current favourite funk 45. Other key funk tracks for me have been the JB's stuff, "Iron Leg", the Third Guitar, Damn Sam the Miracle Man "Smash", "hook n sling" and loads of others.



8. Master Jay & Michael Dee - T.S.O.B.
This one represents my love of all things hip hop. The Electro comps in the early eighties were big for me and then the late eighties stuff like big daddy kane, public enemy etc i also loved. have promoted shows in the nineties in the UK with such people as a tribe called quest, pharcyde, cypress hill, de la soul etc. Currently re-buying a lot of the stuff I had in the mid-eighties again which i foolishly sold for peanuts in 1986 ( doh! )



Marijata - No Condition is permanent

9. Marijata - No Condition is permanent
One of my most recent influences is the glut of stuff being discovered in africa thorugh the work of folk like miles cleret, duncan brooker & quinton scott. This is my current favourite but Ephraim Uzomechina Nzeka, Oscar Sulley, Fela Kuti ( of course! )& Dick Khoza all get an honourable mention.



Timeless Legend - I was born to love you

10. Timeless Legend - I was born to love you
In the late seventies everyone I knew was into Northern Soul. Being at school at the time this probably meant "Tainted Love" by Gloria Jones, "What" by Judy Street or "Footsee" by Wigans Chosen few. After a few local kent allnighters ( well, kent did have the largest concentration of mods in the UK ) I soon discovered some of the better stuff. The hefty prices made me lsoe interest at the time but I am now getting into Soul again in the past 5 years but more of the "Modern" sound such as the Timeless Legend tune which I also spin when DJ-ing.


city you live in?
LONDON

how long you have been collecting?
SINCE 1979

Top spots for record hunting?
BARGAIN BASEMENT AT RECORD & TAPE EXCHANGE,CAMDEN. HAVE FOUND ORIGINALS OF SABU MARTINEZ "AFRO TEMPLE", SAHIB SHIHAB'S "COMPANIONSHIP" AND OTHERS ALL FOR £1 EACH.

ebay. good or evil?
IT'S GREAT!

motown or stax?
BOTH

sneakers or shoes?
BOTH

favourite tipple?
SHANDY

where can people see/hear you play?
JAZZ CAFE, CAMDEN EVERY SATURDAY + VARIOUS PLACES AROUND THE UK & EUROPE.

Website
http://www.adrian-gibson.com