Jef Gilson ~ Archives ~ Jazzman Records

JUKEBOX JAM 2 Launch Party with YOUNG JESSIE - LIVE!!!

For tickets: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/239564

We are ever so proud and excited to present without doubt the biggest ever Jukebox Jam event yet. And the reason it’s the biggest is the exact same reason that we’re so proud – we will be joined by the legendary YOUNG JESSIE, flying in direct from Atlanta, US, performing a very rare and very special live show. Performing his classic R&B recordings of the 50s and 60s – ‘I Smell A Rat’, ‘Hit Git And Split’, ‘Mary Lou’, ‘Brown Eyes’, ‘You Were Meant For Me’ and more  - this is a very rare opportunity to see one of the legends of the era and music that we all love, in person.

Born Obediah Jessie in Dallas, Texas in December 1936, Jessie was born into a musical family, and begun to get involved himself in high school in Los Angeles, where he counted Johnny Watson and Richard Berry amongst his classmates and peers. With Berry he formed vocal group The Debonaires, who were then renamed as the Flairs. Obie signed as a solo artist with Modern Records in 1954, debuting with ‘I Smell A Rat’ (with vocal backing from the Flairs), and went on to release seminal mid-50s R&B sides such as ‘Hit Git & Split’, ‘Oochie Coochie’ and ‘Mary Lou’, before moving briefly to Atlantic where he cut more hits such as ‘Shuffle In The Gravel’. Young Jessie’s next major deal was with Mercury records, where he released a raft of high quality early soul / R&B sides like ‘Teacher Gimme Back’ and ‘You Were Meant For Me’. Just after that, he released the long-time Juke Jam favourite ‘Brown Eyes’. In fact it’s not an exaggeration to say that just about all of Young Jessie’s records are amongst our favourites, which is why we are so excited about this show.

Backed by the finest R&B players on these shores in a band led by one of our own legends, Big Boy Bloater, this is a set which will surely be remembered for a long time…

The night will also feature a support act TBC and the customary late night disc session, where we’re joined by guest DJ MIK PARRY. A resident at Sheffield’s celebrated POW WOW club, Mik is without a doubt one of the most influential spinners on the R&B scene, having given exposure to dozens of hard, minor key R&B dancers over the past decade or so. Alongside Mik will be myself JAZZMAN GERALD, plus the traditional JukeJam triumvirate of LIAM LARGE (me!), MICHAEL JEMMESON and SNAKESTER. All spinning the best R&B, JUMP, ROCK & ROLL, SOUL, LATIN, SKA, EXOTICA selections for the dance floor.

Oh yes, and a little about the album itself. Following on from the original Jukebox Jam LP, released in 2011, another set of 23 R&B juggernauts! Featuring wild sounds ranging from the late ’40s through on to the mid ’60s, each and every one of them sounding as fresh as the day they were first cut… Available on 2LP and CD from November 11th. The album will also be available for sale on the night.

And… I almost forgot, Jukebox Jam is now 6 years old, as if we needed anything else to celebrate…

The venue is the NEW EMPOWERING CHURCH, where we held the Jukebox Mambo launch almost exactly a year ago in November 2012. A spacious converted warehouse space in old East London.

1a Westgate Street
London
E8 3RL

9pm til 3am. Note – the live music will start early!

Tickets are £15 advance and available now from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/239564

Check us out on Bandcamp!

Bandcamp have just done a nice little feature on Jazzman and what we're all about, if you're quick you can catch it on their homepage, otherwise you can see it on their blog.

Paint it Black

Having moved the office to posh Henley almost exactly a year ago I felt a slight change was needed to the surroundings, so out came 12 tins of spray paint and the record wall turned black. It stank the place out for days, but I think the look is worth it. Here are a couple of shots, not all is showing but I squeezed a lot in so you get the gist of it:

Jazzman Radio on NTS

In case you didn't know already Orsi and I present a monthly show on NTS radio. Expect early listening of our new releases, as well as some bits dug out of my collection and some current sounds. Here's a link to the latest show, enjoy!

DJ Jazzman Gerald @ Hawaiian Bop

Join me here for music & dancing on 18 May - more details at http://www.clfartcafe.org/