Deviation Write Up. .

One tune that sounded so nice again last night - when Benji B dropped it out of the blue at Deviation - was Jasmine Sullivan’s “Go Brush Your Shoulders Off”. Still sounds fresh after all these years. And it begs the question (I think I asked this a few months ago): what’s happening to Jasmine? A few years back she looked all set to blow up like Jill Scott and Amerie….but she’s been strangely ‘quiet’. Anyway, big tune, still! I had a little moment to that!

Great night - and It was well busy. Got to the joint just after 10 and before I could spin around the place was choc-a-bloc!

Really loved the guy (his name escapes me) who was spinning a few tunes early-doors. He played a dope raregroove selection; Standouts for me being an old time fave favourite of mine from way back in the day: Dynasty “Adventures In The Land of Music”. Massive when I was growing up in Nigeria in the early 80s - and an original ‘London’ raregroove classic (much sampled as well!). The other tune he caught me of guard with Ethel Beatty’s “I Know You care” - Oh bwoy. Proper Boogie. This is on the flip of the much sought after “It’s Your Love” if memory serves. Roy Ayers was very adept at producing top quality boogie tunes in the 80s. Another Roy Ayers produced boogie joint we still love is Bobbi Humphrey “Baby Don’t You Know”. This always goes off! - and always sounds good at this time of the year.

Then the main man - Benji B - took to the decks. Benji B reminds me of Roger Federer in a way. His all-round game is faultless. In addition to the fact that he always drops the aces (pardon the tennis pun), his technical ability on the decks is always ‘faultless’ as well. His mixing abilities are almost second to none. And for about 45 minutes he effortlessly mixed one big tune into another to screams of pure delight. Joint tune of the night award for the biggest cheer of the night was when Benji dropped D’Angelo’s “Spanish Joint” - the whole joint went OFFFFFF. The honeys in the joint made the most noise..haha. BIG TUNE. Nice one Benji (always a pleasure). Also loved it when Benji dropped Ty’s “Do You want More” - sounded criss - and surprise surprise, who appeared out of the shadows, yes it was Ty himself (respect). Erykah Badu’s “The Healer” also went down a treat - as did Curtis Mayfield’s “Give Me Your Love” - still a big tune.
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Then we had a cameo appearance from a vocalist whose name is/was new to me: Zakki. But I tell you what, she can SING. I was mightily impressed. She did a couple of tunes (with a backing vocalist) and they were all well received. Zakki is surely a talent to keep an ear out for. Respect!
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*Rich Medina seems to be steadily making a name for himself; because last night I bumped into a few people I had not seen for an age. They told me they came to see Rich Medina. And he didn’t not disappoint. I caught the first 25 minutes of his set before I sneaked out of the joint at 12.30 (work this morning beckoned). Stevie Wonder’s “As” got everyone moving (never fails). And then Rich Medina dropped the other Joint tune of the night award for the biggest cheer of the night: Hot 8 Brass Band “Sexual Healing”. Unbelievable scenes. EVERYONE in the joint sang along to the tune - it evoked memories of when Marvin Gaye’s classic first came out and how we used to sing-along to it then. I still haven’t picked up that Hot 8 Brass Band version yet. Need to make amends - DREAD TUNE! Oh, big up The Peterson (as usual) on the Hot 8 Brass Band ‘exclusive’.

A special shout to Benji and Jude (yes rudebwoy..) - You guys are large.

Lovely night

: )

D

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Thanks to Dayo

For those with no clue. . all the prose above is with regards to Benji B's night. . See Flyer.
Details of the next one will be posted towards the end of this month.