Steaming hot from the printing press - we just received the brand new vinyl reissue of Brooklyn Funk Essentials featuring Laço Tayfa's seminal 'In The BuzzBag' album. Pressed on heavy duty virgin vinyl, and sequenced as a double 33 1/3 RPM album the music really explodes on this format. The album was recorded live at Imaj Studios in Istanbul during nine hectic days and nights in the winter of 1998, during which the twentythree collective members of BFE and Laço Tayfa combined their musical ideas and influences, which ended up earning them a Grammy nomination. Watch this space for info on how you can get your copy.
The Wrap-Up
The past weekend saw Brooklyn Funk Essentials rounding off the summer's touring with two last gigs in Lyon and Bordeaux, France. Photographer Richard Ahlstrom took some excellent pictures at the shows which we are sharing with you.
Photo by Richard Ahlstrom.
Backstage Secrets Revealed
Photo by Richard Ahlstrom.
How does Desmond Foster get that hot, yet smooth guitar sound? We can now reveal that the secret is that before each show, Desmond irons his strings. "I started off on the one dot mark", says Des "but these days, I'm up to the three dot mark on the Iron for that really scorching sound". Drummer, Hux Flux, prepares his drum sticks by marinating them in fresh brewed, black rough ground echo-logical coffee beans, just thirty minutes before hitting the stage. "Nothing like a bit of caffeine to get the drums singing", says Hux.
If you are lucky enough to have tickets, you can check out the result tonight (July 29) at New Morning Club in France and on Friday, July 1 when BFE will headline the Ile Utopie Festival in Lyon, France.
Hang With The Band
BFE's Iwan Van Hetten exchanges after-show impressions with a Swedish fan. Photo by Magnus Elgquist.
After every BFE show, the band likes to spend some time with members of the audience, to get to know them and get some feedback from the performance. This is also a time when fans can buy records and T-shirts and get them signed an dedicated. So if you're planning on coming to check the band at a show this summer, don't miss this chance for us to hang a bit. Looking forward to seeing you!