Revisiting Post: Hyper-Ballad

We start this October month with single handily the most beautiful and haunting song of the '90's, "Hyper-ballad". Released in 1995,  on Post which was her third studio album and a true masterpiece of musical explorations.  The album received critical praise and it's considered top on the list of the best album during the past twenty five years.  Rolling Stone magazine declared it as part of their 500 Greatest Albums of all time. Every song is a stroke of genius. She recorded it in 1994 in the Bahamas for Compact Point Studios.   Hyper-ballad was inspired by a dream and it's about a person who hides their destructive nature from their partner by "throwing little things off" a cliff.  I vividly remember being a recent transplant living in New York city as an art student doing my own explorations with media and was so inspired by this album to the point of doing a video using "It's Oh So Quiet" as the springboard for a performance wearing a vest made out of bubble wrap with blue paint on each bubble, white balloons on my head and a skirt made out of jello.  Here is video still of yours truly! Enjoy

"Quiet" Performance at Parsons School of Design

Hyper-ballad - Bjork

and here is the fierce classic mix by David Morales for you dance floor pleasure!

Hyper-ballad (David Morales Classic Mix) - Bjork

Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012

Today we mourn one of the greatest voices of our times.  Whitney Houston was undeniable a true diva and will always be remembered.  From her beginnings in Newark, New Jersey as a choir girl under her mom's Cissy Houston, her cousin Dione Warwick and her godmother, Aretha Franklyn's guidance and inspiration.  Her stunning looks and modeling career and then molded to perfection by Clive Davis making the world love the voice and the woman behind it.  Her life struggles aside, her voice was  her gift and that will always remain pure no matter what.  I remember being 18 years old when I heard her first LP and was blown away instantly by her voice and beauty.  She gave us countless and unforgettable number one hits that became the soundtrack of our lives.  On the dance floor,  she gave us so many memories and made pop music fun to dance to again from the emblematic "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" to "Love Will Save The Day", "I'm Every Woman", "Queen Of The Nigh", "Heartbreak Hotel", "It's Not Right But It's Ok", "My Love Is Your Love", "I Learned from The Best", "Watchulookinat", "Love That Man", "Try It On My Own" and recently "Million Dollar Bill" which is featured here.  Those songs were all number ones on the US Dance Chart.  There was not a night out where you didn't hear a Whitney song in the clubs or on the radio during the past three decades.  She was so full of life and her energy and magic was spread on the dance floor every time one of her songs would be played.  Countless mixes, remixes, edits have been made of her songs and even some bad remixes but it didn't matter because as soon as her voice would start, we were there on that dance floor.  Here is the acapella version of "Love Will Save The Day" to prove it and of course the David Morales and Jellybean Benitez classic house mix. There is a huge void in music today.  My heart goes out to her family and friends.  Bless your soul and hope you found peace!

Million Dollar Bill (Mike Simonetti Edit) - Whitney Houston

Love Will Save The Day (Acapella) - Whiney Houston

Love Will Save The Day (Morales/Jellybean Classic House Mix)

Edits by Mr. K Vol. 2

Last night I had the pleasure of hearing one of my favorite DJs around, Mr. Danny Krivit  who's holding the torch by keeping the spirit alive at his now legendary 718 Sessions at Santos Party House.  His party is what I believe,  to be the only one that captures the spirit of dance music properly now days.  The set was flawless and it kept me dancing all night long featuring many classics such as James Brown's "Get On The Good Foot" and  Touch's "Without You" to name a few.  The party was a celebration of his release of Volume 2 of his amazing edits series called  Edits by Mr. K Vol. 2.  So here is one of my current favorite "Let Me Down Easy" by Rare Pleasure and what a pleasure it is to hear  and dance to this tune.  According the the liner notes from this must have fabulous CD,  "this song is a scarce 1976 release from Cheri Records and a song that has grown in stature to a full fledge disco bomb, thanks in part to its relentless piano line and honeyed vocal from a young Sandy Barber (who later recorded the house smash 'Make World Go Round') which brings back memories of Johnny Dynell dropping this one at the legendary mid '90s party, Jackie 60.   The piano riff of this song, a clear precursor to the standard groove of early house music that was sampled prominently by David Morales for his 1998 hit 'Needin' U' (which took it's title hook from the Chi-Lites 'My First Mistake'). Danny Krivit wrote: "This was a big club record.  I thought of it as an extension of the Philly sound.  It's one of the first 12" singles too, in that first year." Enjoy!

Let Me Down Easy (Edit by Mr. K) - Rare Pleasure - Cheri Records

Make The World Go Round - Sandy Barber

Take Some Time Out

Happy Friday! Yesterday, I was going through my record collection and came across this great record and realized I did not mention Arnold Jarvis on a recent post I did about the male and soulful side of early house music which focused on Paris Brithledge's "Learn To Love" and his connection to DJ International.  On that posting, I also mentioned other greats such as Robert Owens and Rocky Jones and completely forgot the most compelling one.  Arnold Jarvis,  who is now considered one of the premier voices in house music today.  Like many singers, Jarvis received his initial exposure to music via gospel, which he performed as a teenager and that probably explains why his voice has the healing touch .  His secular career began in 1987, when he recorded "Take Some Time Out" for the legendary Fourth Floor Label.   This song made him an instant star on the dance music circuit and jump stared his career.  He then joined forces with the legendary Frankie Knuckles and David Morales with house classics such as "And I Loved You" and "Tears".  Arnold is still very much relevant in the dance music scene and  releasing poignant, beautiful and lush dance songs such as "Inspiration" and "Special Kind Of Love". Dance songs that make you move but also transcend and speak volumes on the dance floor!  Enjoy this amazing end of the week song!

Take Some Time Out (Original Version) - Arnold Jarvis - Creme Organization Label