SWEATER FUNK ANNUAL MLK STEPPERS NIGHT :: PHOTOS

Thank you to all who came out and Stepped with us. This is one of our favorite events as a crew and you guys came out in full force. Enjoy the pictures I captured from the event.

Sweater Funk Steppers Night Photos.

SWEATER FUNK STEPS :: ANNUAL MLK EVENT :: CREW MIX

Sweater Funk presents our annual MLK two step soul night!
Join us for the deepest steppers this side of the pond and let's get those hands in the air and celebrate Dr. King.

SWEATER FUNK Two Step Soul Mix
Selection by The Selecter DJ Kirk, Jon Blunck, Renmin, and Two Step Lou
Mix by FA



SWEATER FUNK Two Step Soul Mix by SWEATER FUNK




Donna Washington "Going For The Glow" 1981
Brenda & Herb "Sweet Dreamer" 1977
Swing Out Sister "Better Make It Better" 1994
Kloud Nine "Special One" 2007
Towana & The Total Destruction "Wear Your Natural, Baby" 1974
Quietfire "You Make Me Wanna Shout" 1980
Family Brown "Never Had A Love" 1978
LJ Reynolds "Say You Will" 1983
C-Brand "Plenty Of Love" 1982
7 Miles High "She's Gone Away" 1981

SWEATER FUNK PRESENTS :: NIGHTWIND :: NOV 6th

MASTERPLAN :: DANCE ALL NITE

Killer 70s cross over tune from Masterplan (78)... This one is hard to track down, but I happened to pick this up for a very good price. "Dance All Nite" is one of those feel good uptempo numbers that keeps you going on the dance floor. I think I'm going to drop this 45 at Sweater Funk for our next steppers night.

MASTERPLAN - DANCE ALL NITE 1978

MATTHEW DAVID

Matthew David has been playing guitar since he was a young child and has played in groups and worked in studios and music stores in the Philadelphia area for years. Since embracing recording engineering as a passion he has been able to bring his creative forces together. He learned his craft from some of the greats in recording and has put his experience in the studio to good use on these songs.

This is funk, echoed down the halls of classic rock. These tunes are the ghosts of music past in the flesh of the latest music of the present. Listen for Queen and you will hear them. Listen for Fishbone and you will hear them too.

His music finds a way to incorporate the big beautiful sounds of your favorite legendary rock records into the raw bones frame of funk music of the seventies. Pick a decade, sixties, seventies and eighties… listen and you will hear those sounds on these tunes. Deep funky drum grooves are complimented by etherial guitar arpeggios and riffs and vocal layering to create some of the most growling, spacial rock tunes I have heard in decades.



These songs are crafted from the bottom up and produced from the top down. The lyrics are integral and meaningful and the music supports them all the way. As writer, producer, vocalist, player and recording engineer, Matthew David commands a level of control from conception to final mastering that allows the songs to be everything that they were meant to be. These songs are not corrupted by outside forces and interests. Each song has been allowed to follow it’s own compass heading and take on it’s own particular singular style to best capture the sentiment and meaning it was meant to convey.

MATTHEW DAVID - DON'T LET LOVE GET YOU DOWN 1986

STARPOINT :: YOU'RE MY SUNNY DAY

One of my favorite overlooked track from Starpoint. This smoothed out, mellow stepper screams "Summer In The Park"!!! Crack open a cold one and cool out.

STARPOINT - YOU'RE MY SUNNY DAY 1980

SWEATSHOP :: PARIS

Congratulations to my boy Fluxx who now runs one of the hottest underground Funk & Soul night in France. If you're ever in Paris make sure you stop by and check out this night dedicated to the music we love all on wax. Fluxx has been a regular at Sweater Funk prior to moving, and the Kid has heat.

Big Ups Sir...



Paris based DJ crew Sweatshop (Fluxxx & Brez Dillinger) is now presenting to you the only weekly night dedicated to boogie, modern soul and soulful steppers on original vinyl starting now in Paris France.

Inspired by Dam-Funk’s Funkmosphere night in Los Angeles, Jon Blunck and DJ Guillermo decided to recreate the Funkmosphere vibe in their new digs, San Francisco, in 2008. Using their own soundsystem, they took over a basement in Li Po Cocktails, every Sunday with the goal of throwing a free party that presents this sound on original vinyl strictly for the dancers. After going to a lot of Sweaterfunk party in SF, Fluxxx, dj, musician, producer, dance music fan, decided to bring back that californian vibes to Paris under the name of sweatshop and collaborate with international funk scene dj and musician.

BIRTHDAY PARTY RE CAP

Thanks again to every one who made it out to my birthday party on friday. I can t tell you how much it meant to me to have all my friends gather in one space to enjoy the music we love.

Before I thank everyone who came out, a special shout goes to my girl Cara for hooking up the party. With out her none of this would of happened. She hooked me up, including an adult Pinata filled with liquor, money, and candy. I love you :)

Second I would like to thank all the Homeys from San Jose, including Dulce Dee Lady, and All the crew from Street Low magazine including Richard Gypsy for taking pictures. I would also like to shout out The Pachuco Car Club SF, The Bombs Car Club, Street Low Magazine, Allen Thayer (wax poetics magazine), E Da Boss (Myron & E), Jesse Nason, Kerry and his wife Yoko, FTC, all the Sweater Funk Crew, and all my friends and family who came out in full force... You know who you are.


Check out the set of Pictures from this Event

SWEATER FUNK STEPS TWICE :: 2011

What is Two-Step Soul?

It is style of soul music initially popularized by UK reggae djs in the mid '70s as a change of pace to the all-night reggae sound system parties. The soul tracks selected tended to be mid-tempo and was differentiated from the uptempo driving disco style popular in most clubs at the time.The key to the genre was the short shuffle, swing or pause that created a cha-cha like rhythm.

By the early '80s the name Two-Step began to stick and certain djs made it their specialty. Many soul artists from the '70s until today have songs that have become Two-Step classics but the style is more about individual songs than any particular artists. A few tracks that many view as an essential examples of Two-Step are Natalie Cole's massive hit - "This Will Be" from 1975 or Luther Ingram's - "Do You Love Somebody" from 1978. More recently, R. Kelly's - "Step In The Name Of Love" is a contemporary Two-Step track that continues to light it up and has become an anthem for the genre.

Next time you listen to a New Jack Swing or J.Dilla track, that slight pause that "hooks you" is essentially a Two-Step beat with louder snare or bass. Whether uptempo or downtempo, Steppers have been keepin' the smooth groovers going for decades and at Sweaterfunk it's no different.

At Sweaterfunk, we love sharing our Two-Step Soul with you and every MLK Jr. Holiday Weekend 'til infinity we will showcase this style all night long! Hope you can join us!



-The Selecter Dj Kirk




MORE PICTURES FROM "SWEATER FUNK STEPS TWICE"

AFFECTION

The Fam over at Jazzy Sport came correct on this 1985 Synth pop cover from Ta Mara & The Seen. Affection covered by Grooveman Spot Feat Ahu gives the this classic tune an updated sound that is spot on as the original with a few tweeks on production, ultimately giving this track a steppers vibe for 21st century. Jazzy Sport also created this cute little animation video which I adore. Great Art Direction.



GROOVEMAN SPOT FEAT AHU - AFFECTION 2010

STEPPIN WITH STYLE

Back with some smoothed out grown folk ish... Thanks to my good friends Sabrina & Kirk (Sweater Funk) for put me on to this - Lets go Stepping with my man "Reggie Baked Bean Baker" where you'll learn the latest moves in Stepping, and lets not get started on the music. (take notes)

Ever wondered what 2 Step is check out "Steppin with Style" website

IMAGINATION - BODY TALK

WARNING - GROWN FOLK MUSIC!!!

I love the pianos and Synths on this track.

RANDY BROWN

Lyrics, Its all about the lyrics on this tune. Music like this is time less. Randy definitely hits the sweet spot on this 1981 Chocolate City release "Midnight Desire". Do you Love Me is my Joint!!!!!!

RANDY BROWN - DO YOU LOVE ME 1981

LISA SHAW

Most of you know Lisa Shaw as a Soulful house vocalist on OM/Salted records, but what most people over look is her Midtempo and slower tunes. As you may already know I like to bring you the Slept on tracks or underplayed tracks you might not here due to a majority of DJ's who only play for the dance floor.

Anyways here is a new school stepper from Lisa Shaw recorded in 2009

LISA SHAW - HONEY 2009

E DA BOSS STEPPER - DO IT ANYWAY

E da Boss - Do it Anyway from Dylan Freitas-D'Louhy on Vimeo.

SUNDAY SOUL

JEFFREE - MR FIX IT 1978

SUNDAY SOUL

AVANT GARDE - EVERYBODY'S LOVER

NAME THAT SAMPLE

DEBARGE - I LIKE IT

STEPPER'S EVENT - GROWN FOLK MUSIC - BAY AREA

August 28, 2009
Steppin in Shades of Brown Weekend
Meet and Greet
Chicago Style Steppers Only
Bayside Pavillion
2203 Marina Square., Alemeda, CA
8:30 pm - 1:30am
Ticket Details below

August 29, 2009
Steppin in Shades of Brown Weekend
Steppin in Shades of Brown Main Event
Chicago Style Steppers Only
Midtown Ballroom
420 14th St., Oakland CA
8pm - 2am
Tickets Only

August 30, 2009
Steppin in Shades of Brown Weekend
Finale Set (Brunch)
Chicago Style Steppers Only
Kimballs Carnival
561 1th St., Oakland CA
12pm - 4pm
Tickets Only

August 30, 2009
Steppin in Shades of Brown Weekend
After Party
Chicago Style Steppers Only
Arimosa
522 2nd St., Oakland CA
7pm - 2am
$5 Door

Package 1- Registration Fee $35.00
Includes Fri or Sat Event, and Panel Discussion
Package 2- Registration Fee $70.00
Includes Both Friday and Sat Events and Panel Discussion
Package 3- Registration Fee $95.00
Includes Both Fri and Sat Events, Sunday Brunch, and Panel Discussion
ALL ATTENDEES MUST REGISTER AND SUBMIT PAYMENT IN ADVANCE!!!!!
THERE WILL BE NO ONSITE-REGISTRATION AND NO TICKETS SOLD AT THE DOOR!!
Final Day to Register will be Aug 8, 2009

Email Damone @ Damone@steppersonly.com for more details
www.steppersonly.com


DONT KNOW WHAT STEPPERS IS ALL ABOUT. LISTEN TO THIS SET LIST.

Chicago Steppin CStyle!