Name Krafty Kuts
Occupation DJ, producer, label owner and funk-fuelled breaks master
Location Brighton. UK
Who’s he then?
Krafty Kuts. AKA Martin Reeves. started out running a record shop in Brighton, supplying the local south coast DJs with the choicest cuts of thick black vinyl. It wasn't long before he was producing his own tracks and one of his first efforts, ‘Gimme the Funk‘, was signed up by Fatboy Slim’s Southern Fried records. quickly finding its way into the record bags of DJs up and down the country.
Fast mover. What labels is he on these days?
As well as releasing on the hugely popular Finger Lickin' records. Krafty Kuts has his own Against the Grain and Supercharged labels. They were spawned from the Supercharged night in Brighton where he‘s been resident for over six years and often welcomes heavyweight breaks artists including Stanton Warriors and label mates the Freestylers.
What’s he going to deliver on the 31st then?
With a lot of scratching. cutting and chopping up records. a Krafty Kuts DJ set offers up an assorted feast of musical genres. Strong hip hop, funk and soul influences are a nod towards his former idols and the impact of artists such as Run DMC. Kool 8. the Gang and James Brown can be heard in many of Krafty Kuts' releases. His notoriety as an ideal dance floor DJ comes from this love for classic sounds mixed with a solid base of powerful dance music.
What’s the plan for the future?
Debut solo artist album Freakshow is released this spring and. with contributions from Dynamite MC. Tim Deluxe and
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URBAN
BROKE’N’ENGLISH
Saturday Night Fish Fry at the Jazz Bar. Edinburgh, Sat 1 Apr
In describing the sound of Broke’n’English, one of the brightest young talents on the British scene, it’s best to just stick to using the term ‘urban’. But let’s see if Broke MC DRS can think of a better word: ‘It's kinda like hip hoppy, broken-beaty, leftfield, midfield . . . I dunno. I’ve got really eclectic tastes and so has Strategy [his MCing partner, the pair forming the core of the Broke’n'English collective], so everything we love finds its way in there, reggae and everything.‘ That’ll be a ‘no', then.
You have to be careful when brandishing the term ‘urban’ around DRS though, because the MC — who got his big break on the 0&8 mic in support of LTJ Bukem - is quick to point out that the Manchester- based ensemble are a different breed from the east London grime contingent. ‘l’m beginning to think that Urbania is a part of London where all these artists
Fl FCTRO Bl Di 8 GEORGE DEMURE Tracktion at the Sub Club, Glasgow, Fri 7 Apr
Back in the 90s. along With a group of friends. George Draiiiuir- ran the incredibly successful Tribal Function nights and recorded under his GeOrge T and Plastic Avengers monikers on a plethora of 'ltrlepertrlertt labels including Moody. Stickinan and NRK as well as lt'?lll|XllV] many a tune for local label Glasgow Underground. Now he's .vorking on a new solo protect for Trevor Jackson's Output Recordings that is both geographically and musically miles away from where he started as a
house DJ.
The George that is due to visit Glasgow this fortnight is very different
from the one who left for London in 2001). His bluesy. hillbilly
influenced new wave electro sound is a far cry from his early house muSic leanings. He has. in his own words. rediscovered rather than 'reinvented' himself. With the move south lvlr Demure is proud to tell of an imponant personal discovery 'lhe real turning point for me
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come from,’ he laughs. ‘They‘re all living down there and no-one outside the M25 circle gets a look in. It's different in Manchester; it rains a lot so everyone‘s just indoors being creative, whereas they’re out all the time working the media in London. But we’re lucky that this world has come to us, because we‘re doing something different.’
Broke’n’English certainly are, with brilliantly downhome lyrics about ‘Durex survival gear' and ‘eating doner kebabs sober’ over a vivid, soulful broken beat soundtrack. Favourites of the DJs at BBC 1Xtra, their Terms and Conditions Vol 1 mix is a calling card ahead of the debut album in late summer — which they’re already being courted by majors for - and local notoriety has seen them support Jurassic 5, Xzibit and the Beatnuts in Manchester. Expect a night of energetic audience participation that will speak to any crowd that’s used to being rained on.
(David Pollock) I Broke 'n' [rig/i'./i.'1/so guest (if H'lre/ Wins. the Woods/(iv Sort/(ll, (ix/(i.'§_(}'()'.“.’, I ’l ."7 Apr
discovering my voice because I never used it before ‘.‘.’nep l '.'.as aw; in Scotland. used It a couple of tunes. txit it took a mom tr Landon to realise that it was also an instrument.’ Demure uses his three octave vocal range on almost all of his new tracks and is now. after three years. confident With his new instrument and excited abo'it playing in his hometown. ‘l'm really looking fomard to it and I really want to do a date in Edinburgh. It Will be nice to come back and do what I‘ve been dOing down here.‘ lSandra Marroni
US producer Dr Luke. it looks like variety remains the Spice of life for Krafty Kuts. (Richie Meldrum)
I Krafty Kuts guests at Sugarbeat, Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, Fri' 31 Mar.
34 THE LIST 30 Mar—13 Apr 2006