New Tracks From Dj Edgar

'Baile Funk Master', Dj Edgar (pronounced in rio: Edgy-gahr) and the San FranCarioca, just before he passed out on the dance floor

Last Tuesday night left me reduced to a helpless puddle of sweat on the dance floor. While every dj that played that night is guilty as charged (Beware, Joyce Muniz, Ben Mono, I'm talkin' to you!), one offender was particularly egregious...Dj Edgar!


Rockin' the decks since the Miami Bass era of rio funk and coming up under the tutlege of the Furacão 2000 Crew, Edgar has taken his sound international as of late. With regular appearances in Sweden, Denmark, France, England, Norway, Holland, Poland, Switzerland, Prague, Germany and Austria, the 'Gentle Giant' still makes time for the home town crowd. And it was in front of this home crowd at 00 (zero zero) Tuesday that I was so thoroughly abused. I was not alone; the carnage was total. The man from Man left everyone devastated with his mix of exclusive tracks, remixes and live displays of MPC dexterity (see photo).

Well, it's now Friday....three days later. I've had a chance to recover and was beginning to regain feeling in my bass receptors when these tracks showed up in my inbox from Edgar. Oh lawd, let the flash backs begin!

The first cut, 'Beat Goes On', is built around an Egyptian Lover vocal sample and a chopped and screwed take on the synth line from Axel F (note to the youngsters: if you think Axel F was originally by Crazy Frog, read about Harold Faltermeyer NOW!). I believe Edgar dropped this one tuesday and I believe the effect was total.

Download 'Beat Goes On'

The second cut brought a smile to my face. If you remember the post on Dj Marlboro a short while back, I had a clip of him playing 'Let's groove Tonight' by Earth Wind and Fire. Well to bring it full cirlcle, here's Dj Edgars 2008 Funk Carioca update.

Download 'Boogie Down Beat'

Edgar refers to his sound as 'Baile Funk With High Quality' and I would have to agree.

Much thanks to Edgar for sharing the tracks and photos and to his homie who was taking the photos. Respeito!

more Dj Edgar links:

djedgar-rj.com
Dj Edgar ORKUT page
Dj Edgar on Myspace
Dj Edgar demonstrating the MPC 500 (via Youtube)

Interview With Dj Beware (Man Recordings)

Born in Hong Kong, raised in the UK on a steady diet of skateboard culture and the music that accompanied it, and now based in Vienna Austria, Dj Beware is a one man international line up. Who better then to be one of the newest international artists to contribute to the funk carioca sound, a sound that prides its self on its ability to draw inspiration from all corners of the globe.

Earning his stripes in the trenches of DMC dj battles, Beware eventually garnered the attention of Daniel Haaksman, international funk carioca evangelist and owner of Man Recordings, baile funk's biggest non Brazilian distributor and proponent. He's contributed production to the Stereo MCs (remember them? well they're back!) and MC Gringo as well as a dj mix for Man Recordings.

I had been chatting a bit with B via the internets and when I heard he was coming through RJ on a mini tour do Brasil, I knew I had to track him down and say 'wutup'. I caught up with him after his show at Circovoador, before his gig at 00 (Zero Zero) and during his set at Diesel. The kid was going nonstop but was cool enough to take a breather long enough to conversate with the San FranCarioca. The four minute video was created from this conversation.


(L to R) Tee, the delightful and talented Joyce Muniz and Dj Beware

Godfather of Funk Carioca: Dj Marlboro

The Godfather Meets The San FranCarioca: Zero Zero, Rio de Janeiro, BR

We went out to Zero Zero last night to support a new party thrown by my girlfriend's friend, Polyana. Instead of the usual house music fare, the night was devoted to what Cariocas call 'Black Music', or what we know basically as funk. The distinction is necessary because what they call 'funk' is something entirely different. When they say funk, it means only one thing... carioca funk, or what we know as baile funk.

I had the pleasure of kicking it part of the evening with the godfather of carioca funk, Dj Marlboro....another old friend of Roberta (I swear, she knows the whole city). I think she was a tad hesitant to introduce me for fear I would geek out on him on the music tip and embarrass her (full disclosure: of course i did. but by the end of it we were singing his version of 2 live Crew's 'One & One' [the numbers song] in Portuguese together). The man really is a rock star here as the camera crew following him around and the constant stream of well wishers/jockers would attest. Despite all this, he came across with a deep humility and great sense of humor....a true ambassador to his art.


In 1989, Marlboro forever changed the course of Brazilian party music when he featured local MCs rapping in Portuguese over Miami style electro beats on his first album, 'Funk Brasil' [via rapidshare]. Even the great British dj, compiler and BBC Radio 1 presenter, Giles Peterson, couldn't hype him enough on his podcast from Brazil in 2007. I have taken an excerpt of the interview and posted it below for your listening ease but the whole series is worth a listen. [thanks to schnezzy for putting me up on this!]


Giles Peterson interviewing Dj Marlboro for his 'In Brasil' podcast

Marlboro returned to the pre funk carioca old school last night, hyping the dance floor with a throbing mix of 70's funk (Funk Americano, yo!) and disco. Nothing too deep or obscure, just solid party rockers presented in a way unique to carioca funk djs; cd mixer as instrument. Using the cue button, he would trigger sections of a cut in a percussive manner (it's all about the percussion here) while ridding out the previous track. I captured a bit of his set with my digi cam but, as you would expect, the audio leaves a bit to be desired. Irregardless, the godfather of funk carioca (a fairly rough & tough genre of music) returning to his disco roots... and feelin' it... is a fun moment worth sharing. Boogie on, brother.

Dj Marlboro dropping 'Let's Groove Tonight' for the kids at 00

Sany Pitbull: Master of the MPC & Tamborzão Pioneer

I had hoped to be posting an interview today with baile funk legend, MPC master and head of the Pitbull Soundsystem, Sany Pitbull. I was supposed to have gone to the funk ball in the favela Cantagalo last night to watch the man in action and to conduct the interview. Instead I slept on it... literally.

Fear not not dear reader, this interview will happen. Sany and his equipe (or soundsytem) have been holding it down in Cantagalo every Saturday night for the last 12+ years. There will be more opportunities.

Instead, I'm sending you over to Dj Rideon's excellent blog, 'Rio Baile Funk', to check out an interview that he did with Sany in 2007. In it, they cover Sany's innovative use of the MPC 500, the social roll of funk in the favela and the dominance of the tamborzão style in carioca funk at the moment. Read and enjoy and when I finally do get around to doing my interview, you'll be well up to speed.

Eu Amo Brasil: A Mix To Ease You Into The Weekend

It's Friday, the summer is here (at least for those of you in the northern hemisphere) and I'm posting a little mix to help ease you into the weekend. I put this together from records I picked up last time I was in Rio. It's a mix of música brasileira (tropicalia, funk, samba soul, psychedelic & folk) from the 60's and 70's and I challenge you to listen and not want to grab your bikini/trunks, suntan oil and head south to Rio immediately! have a great weekend, com beijous do Rio! xo->t.



[ download mp3 via sendspace. 66.5 MB ]