SF WEEKLY :: SWEATER FUNK LOVE

Sweater Funk
Li Po Cocktail Lounge
Feb 26, 2012
Better than: Whatever else you were doing last night.

SF Weekly - For many, weekend nightlife ends on Sunday morning. Not so for the dedicated crowd that frequents long-running Sunday night boogie party Sweater Funk. Like a secret nightcap to the weekend's festivities, it's the place to go if you've got a little more dance left in you before Monday hits. Located at Li Po Cocktail lounge, the party has attracted a family of devoted dancers and DJs in its nearly four-year run. Last night's party was no different, as West Coast pop-lockers and vinyl obsessives crowded in the basement to celebrate the birth of locally curated music blog Beat Electric's new record label with the release of its official re-issue of Carmen's "Time to Move."
Chinatown on a Sunday evening is a desolate scene. The streets are empty, the stores shuttered, and the only thing warding off silence is the ghostly hum of sirens and automobiles. Amidst this quiet backdrop stands the loud facade of the Li Po Lounge. A giant glowing red neon sign beckons wanderers to the bar's cavelike entrance. There, two cement dragon statues keep a watchful eye, creating an overall ambiance not far removed from a strangely inviting Temple of Doom. The Orientalist facade extends into the exotically appointed interior with ornate Chinese lanterns, gold-embroidered everything, and a massive shrine to the Earth Buddha.





Squeeze past a battery of touchscreens, descend a two-flight staircase, and walk down a long black corridor, and you'll find yourself immersed in the Li Po's dungeon-like bowels. A discotheque decorated with Space Mountain in mind, there's only one thing that pops out at you: it's dark. The room's constellations and star patterns come courtesy of a scattered buckshot of laser beams and thin rope lighting that the DJs pump to the beat like a strobe light.




Sound for the party is provided by two refrigerator-sized speaker stacks that sound good and punchy in a way similar to Mighty's RLA installation. The music that Sweater Funk specializes in is called boogie. A narrow genre, it refers to the danceable R&B records that began hitting shelves in the later disco years and into the early-to-mid '80s -- think D-Train and George Benson, but slower and more rare. That last point -- rarity -- is the one to stress: Sweater Funk is an all-vinyl party, and the music on offer can be rare and expensive to extreme degrees. It's one of the best parties to visit if you're looking to hear amazing music that you've never heard before.


The dancefloor at Sweaterfunk is always moving. When I arrived downstairs, a circle of breakdancers had already commandeered the back of the room for a session of intense downrocking. In front, the less hardcore crowded around the speakers dancing in couples or bobbing their heads as wallflowers. It was packed, but not too packed that it ever felt uncomfortable.

Beat Electric was already in full swing when I arrived. Taking turns, they played back to back sets of three records each. First up was newest Beat Electric member Ben Johnson, who spun a set of deep cuts on 7" leading off with Together's "You're Just Teasing Me." Up next was Joel Brut, who moved closer to underground disco with Five Special's "Why Leave Us Alone" before surprising everyone with Reese & Santonio's "Rock to the Beat." Black Shag brought it back with a smooth blend into Zena Dejonay's "I've Got to Find a Way." And, finally, BT Magnum jumped in the DJ booth to play the aforementioned "Time to Move" repress.
Not all the mixes were razor sharp, but it was never an issue that anybody seemed to care about. Instead, there was a loose and freewheeling feeling that settled in early on. This might be the best part about Sweater Funk. It's a party that puts the music first, but never forgets that it's a party.

There's a reciprocal relationship between the DJs and the dancers. Often the dancers walk right behind the DJ booth to ask about a record or talk with someone they know. On the other side of that coin, the DJs themselves can often be seen running out onto the dancefloor to get a little time in before changing the record. This intangible vibe is a detail that might go unnoticed, but it allows for the uniquely social atmosphere that makes Sweater Funk such a good night out. It's the kind of place you want to keep returning to every weekend, no matter how bad it might make your Monday.

THE SELECTER DJ KIRK

Soul and funk guru The Selecter DJ Kirk has been dubbed the unofficial mayor of San Francisco by friends and peers. Born and raised in S.F., he is recognized for his all-embracing knowledge of soul music through the decades, his extensive record collection, and for producing events like Soul It's the Real Thing. He is also part of the Sweater Funk crew, whose all-vinyl parties are known throughout the nation. Taking place every Sunday in the basement of a Chinatown's Li Po Lounge, the party showcases a spectrum of old soul, R&B, and funk music. All Shook Down spoke with Kirk about the secrets of Sweater Funk and his favorite vinyl records. He plays New Year's Eve at Som Bar with the Sweater Funk members and headliners Opolopo & Amalia.

When did you start producing events and DJing? Which came first?

In the early '80s. Both came about hand-in-hand, since the 'mod' music that inspired us (The Jam, 2-Tone, and '60s soul and R&B), were not being played in clubs. It forced us at a young age to book bands, DJ ourselves, and produce events at the Kabuki, Mabuhay Gardens, Ruthie's Inn, and The Chi Chi Club.

How did you connect with the Sweater Funk crew?

In 2008, my old friend and SF member Sean Sullivan told me about a new party happening at Li Po Lounge that was focusing on medium-rare boogie and modern soul records from the late '70s and early '80s. I was stoked that folks were playing all-original vinyl from a soul genre that I loved, collected, and could only hear when I went to the U.K. Jon Blunck invited me to spin a few records, and I've been a member ever since. As soul music fan, Sweater Funk was the missing link and my motivator to get excited about DJing again.

Why do you think this event has still managed to stay somewhat underground?

In a nutshell, it happens on a Sunday in Chinatown and it is a destination spot rather than the usual hipster highway or downtown spots. There is no money involved, so there are no ads, no handbills, no VIP style, which is neither VIP or stylish. You've heard of the "slow food" movement; we are the "slow club" movement with organic growth, great records. Everyone's invited, no bullshit.



What's one thing about the quite exclusive Sweater Funk crew we might not know?

We love R. Kelly and are big fans of closets... comin' out or going in!

Who have been some of your favorite guests?

Too many to name, but a few include Daz-I-Kue, Spinna, Dâm-Funk, and our homies B-Cause and E da Boss.

Speaking of which, tell us a bit about your New Year's Eve guests, Opolopo & Amalia.

In 2008, we got turned onto Opolopo's mix of Karl Frierson's "Tall Green Grass," and it has become a Sweater Funk anthem. Since then we've been following the future funk sounds of the Swedish duo and are excited to present their U.S. debut. If you dig ONRA, Dâm-Funk, K-Maxx, The Pendletons, B. Bravo, Chico Mann... you're going dig them. They're like the Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn of modern funk and boogie-making, while singing beautiful music.

What made you guys want to book these two for the NYE party?

We love their sound, we want to share our love with as many folks as possible, and they have become our friends. Sometimes stuff just works out perfectly.

Sweater Funk mostly pulls from older jams. What's an element you think is missing in current R&B music?


There's a lack of music that inspires rather than tears down and is not afraid to show vulnerable emotions. In addition, soul music is all about the beautiful black voices. Leave the Auto-Tune for mofos who can't sing. Let's get more complete melodies and songs, not simply the "break" of the day. Like Leroy Burgess says, "create tension, take us up, take us down... music is life." Music should take us on journey -- more Mayfield, more Bacharach. With that being said, there is tremendous new soul coming out worldwide, like groups the Sunburst Band, Cool Million, Kloud 9, and Tortured Soul; you just got to seek it out. When in doubt talk to a progressive mod, they know the deal. Luxury soul forever!




What's one of your favorite vinyl records and why?

That's tough, how 'bout three beautiful songs for the luxury soul diaspora? For the stepper, "Human" by Brief Encounter, which is modern soul perfection with horns, harmony, and production. For the Northern soul smoothies, "You Can Win" by Bileo with up-tempo burner for the disco. If you got any kind of soul, you can't sit down. For the boogie heads, "Never Lookin' Back"


If you could tell the current generation to listen to one record that would teach them about soul, what would it be?

"We're a Winner" by The Impressions. Modern soul begins with black folks getting on the front of the bus, taking control of production, and incorporating new recording techniques. This song has a message, it is from my favorite artist of all time, and it's from my capital of soul -- Chicago. It's like Nadia Comaneci: 10-10-10!

You say your favorite music of all time is '70s modern soul. Why is that?

It's a perfect recipe... the coming together of the great voices from early soul, The Temptations, The O'Jays, Curtis, Ann Sexton, Aretha, Ronald Isley coupled with modern production -- think Gamble & Huff, Barry White, Rod Temperton, and Lamont Dozier. Add in self-determination, aspirational values, a whole lot of cool, and and you get masterpieces. Just listen to any TSOP record.




So you have been dubbed by some as the "unofficial mayor" of SF. What's your favorite thing about this city?

I don't know about all that. Maybe it's because I know the spots that natives dig and the stories that come with them, or maybe I'm just getting old and know a lot of folks. I guess my crazy background is pure San Francisco. My mom is Macanese, a Portuguese/Asian mix from Macau, and my dad is Cherokee from Oklahoma, a true S.F. city boy. My favorite thing about S.F. is that our culture is always seeking ways to improve and make the world a better place. We are not afraid of change or the future. The "we can do better attitude" is fantastic and inspiring. As someone who is a native, I love the transplants who just bring something to the table. Lastly, the coffee ain't too bad either!

LYRICS BORN LOVES SWEATER FUNK

Taken from SF Weekly:

Sweater Funk's irresistibly smooth '80s boogie is catching on. The new video, "Coulda Shoulda Woulda," from the Bay Area's Lyrics Born, features the same kind of funky grooves that dominate that DJ night.



The video certainly has its charms, with the warm colors, '80s film fuzz, and cartoon faces, but what sells it most is the song itself: the impeccably smooth boogie swagger of the band, with its fat, but precise bass, pointed horn accents, and singalong choruses, complemented by Lyrics Born singing, rapping, and doing that singsong half-rap thing he's so good at.

"Coulda Shoulda Woulda" is from Lyrics Born's 2010 release As U Were. The video premiered on May 23rd.