If knowledge is power, prepare to be charged with an eclectic musical equivalent to the national grid as New York's Body and Soul resident, Danny Krivit, takes you on a magical 1957 - 1990 time-telescoping tour of the artists and music that have inspired him in his evolution from dedicated clubber and collector to the world class DJ/ remixer / re-editor and producer that many have now come to know and respect.
Positive Force croon:Everybody gather round. [H]e got the funkiest sounds in town' on 'We Got The Funk', and throughout this double CD package - a respectful sophomore set for this series (Ashley Beedle led the way with GrassRoots 01) - this is how Danny Krivit delivers over and over again.
His is a comprehensive and varied selection that includes gems such as Earth Wind and Fire's shimmering and blisteringly cool 'Evil', Nina Simone's timeless 'My Baby Just Cares For Me', show-stopping epics like Patrice Rushen's 'Number One' and Chuck Mangione's 'Land Of Make Believe', War's funk extravaganza 'Galaxy'; then lays Talking Heads' dub-soaked 'Born Under Punches', alongside the uneasy skanked angst of Marianne Faithful's 'Why Ya Do It' and diva vocals like Margie Joseph's 'Prophesy', and Bill Withers'evergreen 'Lovely Day' without even missing a beat, and so much so that you'll find it impossible to dispute the Positive Force lyric.
More importantly, there is nothing pretentious about this collection. In the sleevenotes, Mr Krivit reveals the personal relevance of each track through anecdotal references: one can only admire a man who name checks the DJs (Nicky Siano, Walter Gibbons and of course Larry Levan) that turned him on to records and made him dance, and one can only respect a DJ who has and still enjoys music with a clubber's hungry ears.
Over 29 tracks we travel at warp speed through a trajectory of tribal beats and breaks, African rhythms, joyous jazz funk, underground disco with diva vocals on top and glorious gospel testimony with a twist of 90's house. This is about as close as England could get to the Lower East Side. Indispensable.
