hiphop vs. latin (was Re: Davina ? Cal Tjader "Django")

Tony Reid (t-bird@salata.com)
09 Oct 97 06:37:20 -0800


> The core riff comes from a song by Cal Tjader called "Django"

> . Ive heard of this before but i cant place it. I am afraid to buy
> Cal Tjader and(for that matter) Tito Puente because based on my
> experience with Jazz dance classics it is too "latin " for my taste as a
> hiphopper cruising for Jazz samples. I bet this Sample is from an
> intro before the "Latin" business Kicks in.

i personally think that hiphop could use a little more latin influence. i
don't know if you're a dj that plays out, or if you just make tracks, but in
my hood (l.a.) i've gotten away w/busting latin tunes in almost any set--you
could even throw in santana's version of "oye como va" in a classic rock
set!
people really dig that vibe (remember "la raza" by (kid) frost? that got
serious airplay--and wound up on *rebirth of cool 2*). nothing sounds as
cool as an expected (but dope) sample.

> Upshot :

> I Tito puentes version of "pusherman" on cubop funky in the hip hop
> sense? What Cal Tjader pieces should a man with an Eps check for?

hiphop is, as hiphop does. if you check out some of the source tunes for
some big hiphop tunes, you find out that some of the tunes were straight up
*wack*, (e.g. black moon's "who got the props" samples "tidal wave" by
ronnie
laws, one of the weaker tunes on ronnie's album) but the producer cleverly
took a part of it and made it funky.

or> If you are talking about what tracks would be good for samples perhaps
or> you should re-evaluate your stance on this to what tracks aren't good,
or> because all tracks from the "Gringo King" Tjader are ahead of there
or> time.

or> The tune Django you refer too was
or> written in honor of Django Rheinhart- a frnch guitarist from the 30's,
or> another amazing person. Although it sounds like you still have some
or> growing to do before you will truly appreciate him. When listening to
or> this music stand back from your turntable and thoughts of samples and
or> listen to it as a person who appreciates fine music and progressive
or> thought because when he was writing this stuff your parents weren't
or> even sipping on there ovaltine and watching howdy doody yet.

*my* dad always preferred "cisco kid" actually...

or> Yet Cal's
or> music is still as cutting edge today as it was the day it was released!
or> Listen and enjoy.

the points made about cal, are all on point--along w/listening to music as
music 1st, and sample fodder later. of course, the more you mature your
musical tastes, the easier it will be to integrate those two activities.

t-bird

... ...and that's the t-bird opinion (whether you asked or not!)