Mr.KことDanny KrivitがGarage Classicsとしても名高いFunkmasters『Love Money』とJanice McClain『Smack Dab In The Middle』の2曲を7インチ・リエディット！

伝説のクラブParadise Garageと深く結びついた2つのダンスフロア定番曲を、Mr. Kが7インチ・ヴァイナル向けに編集。

A面のFunkmasters『Love Money』は、レゲエDJTony WilliamsがDennis Brownのヒット曲『Money In My Pocket』に触発されて制作。当初はイギリス初のラップ曲として注目されたが、ニューヨークではインストゥルメンタルのダブ・ヴァージョンが大ヒットした。Mr. Kはこの未来的なダブ・サウンドを7インチ向けに再構築。Larry Levanはもちろん、Mateo & Matosらにも影響を与えた歴史的音源が、現代的な解釈で蘇る。

B面はJanice McClainの『Smack Dab In The Middle』。15歳で録音したこのフィリー・サウンドの傑作は、Larry Levanによる12インチ・リミックスで知られる。Mr. Kはこのバージョンを基に、ジャジーなディスコ・グルーヴを強調。独自のフィルター処理を施したブレイクで、曲のエネルギーをさらに引き出している。

DJプレイを想定したラウドカット仕様のこの7インチ盤は、Paradise Garageの遺産とMr. Kの編集術が見事に融合した一枚。ヴァイナルならではの迫力ある音圧で、クラシックの真髄を伝える。

A. Funk Masters - Love Money (Mr. K Edit)
B. Janice McClain - Smack Dab In The Middle (Mr. K Edit)

Mr. K returns to the fertile ground of the Paradise Garage for his latest with two certified floor-fillers closely tied to the legendary club.

TW Funkmasters’ “Love Money” took an unusual path to its eventual elevated status as a dance classic. The brainchild of UK radio reggae jock Tony Williams (the “TW” in the group’s name), it was conceived in response to seminal rap release “Rapper’s Delight,” but with reggae superstar Dennis Brown’s 1978 hit single “Money In My Pocket” as the lyrical inspiration. Indeed, the vocal version of the Funkmasters’ song is considered the UK’s very first homegrown rap tune. But it was the flip side that garnered the most attention in New York however. “The original track was quirky and worked at the Garage,” Danny Krivit says, “but when the dub came out, it really blew up everywhere. After that very few people played the vocal.” Krivit’s edit here takes the influential, futuristic dub and tightens the arrangement up for the 7-inch format. “Love Money” went on to heavily influence the New York City dance underground, with homages coming in the form of subtle tributes (Mateo & Matos’ “Love Style”) to a virtual remake from Larry Levan himself (Man Friday’s “Love Honey, Love Heartache”) to the untold records that have sampled or been influenced by the spacey, heavy groove.

We’re back closer to home and a more traditional source for Garage classics with our flip side, Janice McClain’s “Smack Dab In The Middle.” The Philadelphia born and bred singer burst out of the gate with this very Philly sounding single in 1979. Written and produced by her uncle, the song was recorded when McClain was all of fifteen years old, a fact made more astonishing by a commanding vocal performance that resonated immediately with listeners. Recognizing a good thing when he saw it, disco maven Ray Caviano picked the song up for his newly minted RFC label and enlisted Larry Levan himself to mix it for 12-inch release. It is Levan’s version that provides the jumping off point for Krivit’s edit here — “the original 7-inch version the way it was never seemed worth playing,” Krivit says — and he makes the most of the jazzy Philly disco groove, injecting extra energy in the early minutes of the song with a tasty filtered break unique to this mix.

Pressed and mastered with DJs in mind, this loud and crystal clear single is the perfect combination of bonafide Garage classics and the talents of Mr. K, all on one compact piece of vinyl.