Name Kenny Dixon Jr Occupation Modern-day torch-bearer for the Detroit techno sound, and indefatigable producer, label boss, alias collector and live DJ.
Where might I have heard of him? If his given name doesn’t ring any bells, his arguably more famous Moodymann moniker is probably the one you've heard. Or maybe his work with the groups 3 Chairs. Pitch Black City, or Sherard lngram's Urban Tribe (alongside Anthony ‘Shake‘ Shakir and Carl Craig)?
Where did he come from? Detroit. Michigan, of course. where he ventured into production in the early 903 while working in several record stores in the city, including one owned by Blake Baxter. He made early inroads with the Detroit techno mafia when Carl Craig released his debut album Silent Introduction in 1997 on the Planet E label, with Dixon subsequently releasing albums and 12ins on Peacefrog and other high-profile techno labels. He also owns his own imprints. producing records under the KDJ and Mahogani umbrellas. What does he sound like? Straddling the barrier between house and techno, Dixon might also fall into the category labelled ‘deep house'. His music is dark but dynamic, and mixes the crucial elements of the early Detroit sound with a plethora of leftfield samples, from obscure soul and jazz records to Blaxploitation and B-movie lifts. These days he seems to make a point of not doing interviews, but his previously stated intention is to keep the Detroit techno genre close to its roots as a style originated by black musicians — and his modern update of the classic sound accomplishes just that. (David Pollock)
I Kenny Dixon Jr plays the Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 27 Apr; Jay Bar, Edinburgh, Sat 28 Apr.
28 m2 LIST 26 Apr—10 May 2007
PUNK PUNK
SPEKTRUM
Dfrnt Trouble at The Caves, Edinburgh, Fri 27 Apr; Classic Grand, Glasgow, Sat 28 Apr
Where London quartet Spektrum initially capitalised to good effect on the nascent punk-funk movement that American contemporaries like The Rapture, Radio 4 and the nascent LCD Soundsystem were developing, their new album Fun At The Gymkhana Club sees them move on a few steps from debut Enter The Spektrum towards becoming a truly unique live dance proposition.
Thus far, of course, the multi-national group - singer Lola Loafasoye is a Londoner born to Nigerian parents, Teia Williams and Isaac Tucker are New Zealanders, while Gabriel Olegavich is a Londoner born to Russian parents - have largely capitalised on the underground success of their song ‘Kinda New’, as remixed to
REGGAE. DANCEHALL SISTER CAROL AND SISTER NANCY
Mungo’s Hi-Fi at Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Fri 27 Apr; Messenger Soundsystem at the Bongo Club, Edinburgh,
Sat 28 Apr
Sister Carol and Sister Nancy. two of reggae's most revered and prolific artists make their Scottish debut at Triptych courtesy of Mungo's Hi Fi and Messenger Soundsystem. Jamaican-born and bred Sister Nancy is celebrating a quarter of a century at the top of her game. She is the voice behind the dancehall anthem ‘Bam Barn' and the reggae floor filler 'Transport Connection'. still a
favourite with DJs today.
Brooklyn-based Sister Carol aka Black Cinderella has made a slew of albums including the Grammy nominated Lyrical/y Potent.
and has also appeared in two Jonathan Demme movies
Something Wild and Married to the Mob with Michelle Pfeiffer. When they get together to perform you get: “good vibrations. good positive energy and spiritual orientation] according to Sister Carol. This energy is present in all aspects of their lives especially when Sister Carol talks about women in the music industry. ‘There are a lot of newcomers on the scene, but I always put a lot of emphasis on trying to empower and inspire the sisters to step up and to make their contribution. because too much emphasis is made of the brothers,‘ she says. For this lady. boundaries are meant to be
broken. ‘There are no limits to what you can do. You can
accomplish anything you want if you really put youi heart. your
mind and your desires and all your positive energies to it.‘ (Sandra Marron)
dazzlingly dancefloor—shaking effect by Tiefschwartz. ‘We started hearing it on dancefloors in 2004’, recalls Williams, ‘after our old label Playhouse had offered the track to them [Tiefschwartz]. It blew up just after that to become quite a big hit on the underground dance scene. 2004 was quite a good year for us.’
It’s been the highpoint so far of a long gestation for Spektrum, Loafasoye and Olegavich were in the first incarnation of the band, before Williams and Tucker joined them and started moulding them into the fully instrumental, club-friendly monolith they’ll be unleashing at Triptych. ‘The intention was always just to make good live music,’ recalls Williams, ‘but when we’re together, we just happen to make this really fast electro funk. It really works for the dancefloor, and I like the fact that we’ve become this late-night club band because of it.’ (David Pollock)
Sister Carol