7.5.09

FROM JAZZ FUNK & FUSION TO ACID JAZZ @ DESIGN WEEK: MILAN 221-21 April 09


Thanks to the vision of Roberta Cutolo and Elita’s Dino Lupelli - both former collaborators of Bari’s based Nu-Jazz guru, Nicola Conte - Mark ‘Snowboy’ Cotgrove and his publisher, Paul Bradshaw of Straight No Chaser, touched down in Milan to do the first official launch event for From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz: The History Of The UK Jazz Dance Scene.

Elita is the Design Week’s music festival and its invited guests included DJ appearances from Hot Chip, Shinichi Osawa, Alex from Tokyo, J Majik and Dubfire alongside live sets from Imelda May, Trio Valore and Rosalia De Souza. Guest speakers at various events and forums included coolhunting.com’s Brian Fichtner and Chicago based deep house producer/dj Tim Baker. Snowboy was in good company.

The Elita HQ on viale Montenero was buzzing when we arrived and there was an air of anticipation around the showing of Berlin Calling, a turbulent tale that focussed on the drug fuelled demise of one DJ Ikarus - geddit? After being immersed in that dark little episode, Snowboy, was happy to illuminate an altogether more positive twist on the evolution of contemporary club culture.

The combination of deep knowledge and enthusiasm he projects is a result of ten years research plus his own experiences as a DJ, conguero, band leader, recording artist, record collector and journalist but on this day it was his collection of short films that fired up the imagination of his audience. Footage of the Electric Ballroom’s IDJ dancers in Julian Temple’s Venceremos video gave us a glimpse into what was truly unique about this scene. The Brothers In Jazz’s more baletic and acrobatic mambo style was nicely portrayed in an arty Mura Dehn inspired film for Parco in Tokyo. A film of Snowboy’s own Jazzateria sessions highlighted the talents of Rocky Bryan, who to the delight of all present took the floor at the Elita HQ… live and direct… and showed us all how it could be done.

The Straight No Chaser DJ set that followed wound on into the evening and allowed the Italian soul and funk fraternity, some of had travelled to Milan for the session, to grab a few words with Mark about the book, the music and dance styles that he is so passionate about.

Following the Elita HQ forum we headed off to do what we thought was to be a small sedate, cool DJ set at a museum opening. However, on the way there, Dino explained this was a SERIOUS session. The expression on his face said it all. This opening for Fabio Novembre installation ' Fiore di Novembre ' at La Triennale ( www.triennale.it ) was to be one of the highlights of the Milan Design Week and was guaranteed to attract over a thousand guests including a host of major league iconic artists and designers.

The DJ set was to be short… one hour… and provide a warm up for a modest live set. Notions of a quiet gradual build up to the set vanished as a horde of guests swarmed through nave of the huge gallery. A pumping Joaquin Claussell / Spiritual Life ‘Live Field Recording’ of Salif Keita provided more than adequate accompaniment to this spectacle. Snowboy followed the Chaser selekshaan with a marvellous Inner Sense batucada which bounced of the walls of this cavernous space beautifully. Tribute was paid to Tokyo’s UFO and in typically reckless Chaser fashion Milan’s cultural cognescnti were confronted with the powerfully charged, rebellious sounds of Fela Anikulapo Kuti. As we know Fela doesn’t do short tunes… and this cut of JDD, recorded Live at The Shrine in Lagos, was LONG! However, the Milanese and their international guests didn’t seem to mind. It simply paved the way for more of the unexpected.

Fabio Novembre, is a celebrated designer, a young dude from Salento, in the South of Italy . His artworks are spiritually charged, witty and ambitious. Without formality he stepped up onstage, and smiling, requested a mic from Snowboy. When he spoke, a sense of anticipation rippled through the building. He enthusiastically introduced his musician friends onto the stage. The electric piano kicked in along with rolling bass lines and he welcomed onstage Jovanotti. Sporting a straw fedora and a goatee, this man was instrumental introducing hip hop into the Italian mainstream, and as he vocalised one his big hits the museum was buzzing.

Pure Italian raggamuffin bizniz arrived with the Sud Sound System crew. While they got busy on the mic, Jovanotti, stepped over to Snowboy and asked him if he could use the tune he’d line up on the technics. Unaware of what was to happen next, Snowboy had to look an in horror as, the man commenced cutting out beats for the MCs from his rare, £300.00, Willis Jackson LP. It was definitely a crazy moment. Once Snowboy snapped out his initial shock he quietly informed the turntablist of it’s value and without even interrupting the flow, replaced it with a less precious 12”. Within seconds Jovanotti was back on it, cutting and scratching out a ridim that allowed the MCs to wax lyrical about the pleasures of the good Herb! The tiny stage was packed with bodies arms in the air, jumping up (gwaan Rocky!) and as it drew to a close we were treated to a stage invasion of supa stylish women on stilettos who simply swept the security aside. Totally wild.

The night wound down to a four to the floor house set and we managed to spend a little time taking in the man’s excellent exhibition, before heading off into the night amid the clamour hundreds of people still hanging and chatting in the shadow of a Milanese institution that was akin to the V&A in London. That was it, a very entertaining and eventful addition to Snowboy’s very first European book launch. Nice.

Livingstone Marquis.





1 comment:

  1. Beautiful night.......with a great jazzdance set.
    See you soon in London Paul and Mark !!!

    Ciao
    Simone
    www.jazzitup.it

    ReplyDelete

THIS SUNDAY... JAZZMATAZZ meets SNOWBOY

JAZZMATAZZ meets SNOWBOY

Jazz Dance session & Book launch: This Sunday, November 1st, 8:00pm - midnight @ METROPOLIS, 135-137, Cheltenham Road, Bristol

JAZZMATAZZ returns for this one-off event at Metropolis to launch Snowboy's excellent book - From Jazz Funk and Fusion to Acid Jazz.

Jazz dancers from all over the UK will be ...in attendance including Bristol's own FLOOR TECHNICIANS and PHYSICAL JERKS

DJs on the night will include
Snowboy
Bobby Speed
Suisse Tony
Ben Daley

Tickets £5 on the door (Bristol Uni Dance Society members - £2)

DIG OUT THOSE SPATS!

THIS SUNDAY ... JAZZMATAZZ meets SNOWBOY

THIS SUNDAY ... JAZZMATAZZ meets SNOWBOY
BRISTOL: Book Launch & Session!

Felix, Snowboy, Occi, Chris - Educated Jazzmen - Leeds 09

Felix, Snowboy, Occi, Chris - Educated Jazzmen - Leeds 09
A night was had...

LEEDS 09: Jimmy 'Blue Note' Ambler

LEEDS 09: Jimmy 'Blue Note' Ambler
This is The Man behind the the www.brownswood.5.forumer.com blogspot... respek is due...

Leeds09

Leeds09
Ricky Challenger.... jazz!

LEEDS BOOK LAUNCH & SIGNING: SUNDAY 20th SEPTEMBER

Gip Dammone - jazz man and restauranteur - invites you to:

FROM JAZZ FUNK & FUSION TO ACID JAZZ: The History Of The UK Jazz Dance Scene - Book Launch and Jazz Session!

Host: Mark ‘Snowboy’ Cotgrove & Chaser Publications

Time: Sunday, September 20 at 7:00 - 11pm... Read More
Where: SELA BAR, 20 New Briggate, Leeds

DJs: Gip, Chico, Ian Hylton, Mike Walwyn

(Luby is outta town... gone outernational!)

PLEASE RSVP! follow the link below: for more info.
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=118256664230&mid=f4db91G605ab564G7faf22G7

THE MELBOURNE PODCAST

MELBOURNE: From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz... an hour long feature on 'From Jazz Funk & Fusion...' built around interviews with Snowboy and Gilles Peterson was broadcast last Thursday (10 September) .


CHECK THE PODCAST:
http://modalbailey.podOmatic.com

This is what John Bailey said:

"The show was a hit fellas.

We got enough text and emails during the broadcast - it was very humbling to be honest

As I was packing up the station manager came in and said phone call line 1.

Some lady was picking her son up from taekwondo and she said she couldn't leave the car to get him because she was engrossed with the show!

I was so chuffed - she said she was going to author house to get a copy - I'm sending her the show on cd.

It was such a buzz."

Watch out for news on a Melbourne launch!.

We are looking for a distibutor for the book in Oz... any ideas please mail us on chaserimprint@gmail.com

SNOWBOY ROADBLOCK @ THE BOATYARD...

SNOWBOY  ROADBLOCK @ THE BOATYARD...
LAST WEEKEND the whole of Essex woke to Snowboy chatting about his book 'From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz' and his Leigh On Sea session with the Latin Section on the breakfast show BBC Essex. As predicted the Boatyard was rammed to then rafters... they could have sold the gig twice over... and a slamming performance was the order of the day. Sadly the corrected version of the book was not ready on time and it left a number of very disappointed punters. Interest in the book in the Essex area is LARGE due to a marvelous double page feature in the Echo... next stop Leeds.

URGENT FAULT ALERT: : IMAGES MISSING FROM SNOWBOY'S BOOK

SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS A COCK UP AT THE PRINTERS!

There are images missing from the most recent copies of the book... pictures missing are on pages 31, 41,
51, 58, 63, 91, 148, 162, 163, 2 x 165, 168, 176, 184, 190, 213, 217, 218, 224, 225, 232, 233 and 238.

If you a have a faulty copy of the book please contact your supplier - authorHouse or Amazon etc - and they will replace it.

Please let us know you have done so in order that we can follow this up - email: chaserimprint@gmail.com
/
attn: P. Brad


CHECK THIS! subnav.com – share your mix! » classic dance jazz mix by colin curtis - Dance Music

classic dance jazz mix by colin curtis

This mix was put together for 2 reasons, to celebrate the launch of Mark Cotgrove’s (Snowboy to you and me) new book on the uk underground jazz dance scene between the 70’s and early 90’s’ - ‘From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz’ in the book he pays tribute to artists, dj’s and dancers. heavily featured is the influential dj, Colin Curtis. since he started dj’n in the 60’s Colin has stepped easily between northern soul, modern soul, jazz, jazz funk and soulful house. his knowledge on music is awesome to say the least. i have the pleasure to call him my friend. the second reason therefore is to provide a sample of the jazz he was playing at the time and you may then understand what a great time we had attending venues such as Blackpool mecca, the Ritz all dayers (Manchester), Rafters (Manchester), and the Berlin (Manchester), plus others. he still djs up and down the country at soul venues and including with us at any fro-disia session. we hope you enjoy it. all comments will be passed on to Colin – teecee

http://subnav.com/2009/08/15/classic-dance-jazz-mix-by-colin-curtis/

01 rare silk – new york afternoon
02 reverie – in every way
03 eddie jefferson – jeaninne
04 duke pearson – stormy
05 quartette tres bien – boss tres bien
06 jackie & roy – dont be blue
07 raices – parata gua gua
08 flora purim – casa forte
09 airto – toque de cuica
10 jon lucien – listen love
11 tobe – samba for heino r
12 jon hendricks – i bet you thought i’d never find you
13 joanne grauer – see you later
14 victor feldman – skippin
15 mike campbell – and it all goes round…
16 jimmy cobb – so that nobody else can hear

more @ myspace.com/frodisia
artwork by teecee

Posted in Acid Jazz, Audio, Funk, Fusion, Jazz, Mix, Nu-Jazz, Soul

Original post:
subnav.com – share your mix! » classic dance jazz mix by colin curtis - Dance Music

ON AIR: SNOWBOY talks to MICHAEL O'DONNELL about FROM JAZZ FUNK & FUSION TO ACID JAZZ

Just to let you all know Snowboy's interview with Michael O'Donnell on the Soul Discovery radio show is available as a podcast... check it out...

http://souldiscovery.podOmatic.com/


"Great show last Sunday - loved it." Steve Williams @ UK VIBE

Check the review of Snowboy's book in Soul Survivors magazine... respect to Anna and Fitzroy!

Check the review of Snowboy's book in Soul Survivors magazine... respect to Anna and Fitzroy!
From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz meets Soul Survivors

JAPANESE JAZZ WITH ATTITUDE

JAPANESE JAZZ WITH ATTITUDE
The killer dancefloor jazz 180 gram J.A.M ''quiet fire'' 12 on Mukatsuku records got played not once but twice at Snowboys book launch yesterday at Cargo....Big up the spinners Gilles Peterson who kicked off his dj set with it and of course Snowboy himself !! listen and judge yourselves !! http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/345152-01.htm

RESPECT TO THE DOOD & UK VIBE...

Big Mike comes through with one wikkid piece for UK Vibe.... very nice Q&A with Snowboy and bunch of shots from the Jewel Bar launch.

http://ukvibe.org/index.php/interviews/the_history_of_the_uk_jazz_dance

IDJ Jerry + Jazzcotech's Perry Louis

IDJ Jerry + Jazzcotech's Perry Louis

Snowboy: The Jewel Bar Book Launch

Snowboy: The Jewel Bar Book Launch
Snowboy & Doctor Bob Jones
TODAY.... SUNDAY 19th July - BEYOND THE BALLROOM.... A CELEBRATION OF UK JAZZ DANCE @ Cargo, Rivington St. Shoreditch, EC2 - 3.00pm onwards.... respek to the jazz dance posse that are travelling from around the UK... Snowboy is promising a serious work out... Gilles P is threatening to dig into the Brownswood basement to seek a bunch of classic post Dingwalls jazz 'n' nu-jazz cuts..

www.cargo-london.com/event/beyond-the-ballrooma-celebration-of-uk-jazz-dance

TODAY!!! SUNDAY 19th JUly

TODAY!!! SUNDAY 19th JUly
BEYOND THE BALLROOM.... BE THERE!

TODAY! SUNDAY 19th July - BEYOND THE BALLROOM at Cargo

Yes... TODAY - 19th JULY.... Snowboy & Gilles Peterson on the dex.... live inna the CARGO yard - Cuban Rumba from Dilanga... on the screen Dick Jewells' The Jazz Room... live Mighty Jeddo feat. Daniel Crosby and Shabaka Hutchins... check the Swifty prints... book signing.... kicks of at 3.00pm... it's BEYOND THE BALLROOM - Be there!

BEYOND THE BALLROOM -SWIFTY NICENESS!

BEYOND THE BALLROOM -SWIFTY NICENESS!
Check the SWIFTY prints at BEYOND THE BALLROOM

On Air this Friday - BBC Radio London : Snowboy Meets Robert Elms

Yes... on the eve of Beyond The Ballroom, the man called Snowboy drops into BBC Radio London to meet and chat with Robert Elms (2.30pm - this Friday!). Those who have read the book will know that Robert Elms has earned his own place in dance jazz history... looking forward to it. Tune in at 2pm to ensure you don't miss out!

DICK JEWELL'S 'THE JAZZ ROOM'... London Premier at BEYOND THE BALLROOM this Sunday!!

The Jazz Room traces the development of jazz dance at The Electric Ballroom in Camden Town. Shot on Super 8 it was finally completed in 1987. Film maker Dick Jewell regularly attended the Jazz Room over a three year period. The camera was placed in front of Paul Murphy's Dj booth and left to run. At the start of each night 'the film so far’ was projected above the dance floor, before continuing to shoot more material to incorporate into the film. This created an interaction between the dancers and the film itself which is a unique document of an era. It captures the dance styles along with the humour and intensity of that now legendary room. Last year Dick finally showed his edit of the footage at The Tate in Liverpool and Beyond The Ballroom is our chance to get a taste of that legendary session!

THE JAZZ ROOM will be shown at 4.30pm following a short selection of Ballroom classics by Snowboy.

Beyond The Ballroom... Cargo, Rivington St. Shoreditch... 3pm onwards ... Sunday 19th July

TO GET A TASTE OF THE JAZZ ROOM : http://www.dickjewell.dsl.pipex.com/Jazz%20Room%20movie1.html

Beyond The Ballroom... THIS SUNDAY... BE THERE!

Beyond The Ballroom... THIS SUNDAY... BE THERE!
BEYOND THE BALLROOM...THIS SUNDAY AT CARGO. Edge09 have joined forces with The Barbican to present a celebration of Snowboy's excellent book... and explore the potential for Jazz Dance in the summer of 2009. As the dancers hate Cargo... we have arranged for a sprung wooden danceflor to be fitted in the main room! Gwaan... it's going to busy.. Let's face it... where would you rather be... Lovebox in Victoria Park checkin' out Duran Duran? I think not!

Snowboy & Toshio Matsuura

Snowboy & Toshio Matsuura
Chillin after the British Council Tokyo Jazz Dance Forum. Pic: Philip Arneill (more pics soon + full report!)

Goto... A Legend!

Goto... A Legend!
The Sound Cream Steppers don

Dance Jazz Japan....

Dance Jazz Japan....

Tokyo flyer

Tokyo flyer
Big up the Tokyo launch party... respek to Haruki Naoi for boldly organising the publication of the book, the release of snowboy's CDs and a guest spot for Chris Hill!

British Council - UK Jazz Dance Flyer

British Council - UK Jazz Dance Flyer
Jazz dance + Snowboy: Live fom the British Council Tokyo....The legendary British Latin jazz percussionist and DJ Snowboy will be touring Japan in June as part of the promotion for the Japanese edition of his book From Jazz Funk & Fusion To Acid Jazz. He will be making a number of different appearances, some as DJ and some together with his band The Latin Section, but before that he will be appearing at a UK Jazz Dance event at the British Council in Tokyo. The event is a chance to see Snowboy give a talk about his book together with some video clips and photos. In addition to the talk, Lincoln (BeBop Square) will be DJing and there will be a dance performance from Stax Groove. The event is FREE, and tickets are strictly limited to two per person, so it's better to book sooner rather than later. Visit the British Council website and click on 'Event Information' to book your place. Thanks to http://tokyojazznotes.blogspot.com/ for the write up... Check the blog for all the Toky jazz action. Nice!

SHOOK

SHOOK
The Bottom End... respek to Matt 'Monkey Boxer' Bailey... bon chance with the new job...

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