Ziemlich spontan hat es mich vor ein paar Wochen mal wieder ins Neuköllner Loophole gespült, “nur auf ‘ne Stunde”, um dann als einer der letzten Gäste heimzugehen. Schuld daran war natürlich die Musik: Der DJ zückte eine heiße Disco-, Funk- und Early-House-Platte nach der anderen. Disco Kiez hieß die Veranstaltung und der Mann hinter den Decks Manel, wie ich erfuhr. Mittlerweile haben Manel, Matt (der Veranstalter) und ich uns mal zum Plattenhören und Nerd-Talken getroffen und ich freue mich schon sehr, bei der nächsten Disco Kiez-Party das Warm-up spielen zu dürfen! Manel ist ebenfalls wieder dabei und ich habe ihn um 3 Kurze passend zu Disco Kiez gebeten.
Donald Byrd – Change (Makes You Want To Hustle) – Blue Note (1975)
When asked to pick up one record I’ll always go with this one, a record that is both past and present to me. Still remember the day I found out about “Places and Spaces” and the rest of Mizell brothers productions, either being Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey or Johnny Hammond, they changed my perception and opened my vision to something completely new to me at the time. After all this years I still carry their productions in my bag and it wouldn’t be fair to not mention this universe on a 3 picks challenge.
Peech Boys – On a Journey – Island Records (1983)
Different choice, different decade. The Peech Boys here have the burden to represent an era, a sound and an imaginary. Picked up this track from the album “Life Is Something Special” because it is my favourite track from them, but also because idyllically any night should be a journey, through sound, through emotions, through life. The same way Donald Byrd serves as a symbol for a vast array of music related to a place in time, also the Peech Boys here have the power to lead us into the early eighties New York and to all that it brought us and that you can expect also from a Disco Kiez night, for example.
Konfusion Kidzz – Remember – Prescription (1998)
And speaking of journeys, it is also naturally expectable to have some house music from a Disco Kiez night. Again, different time, different place and with a track that represents also a big musical universe. Konfusion Kidzz are Anthony Nicholson and Ron Trent. Could have picked an USG or a Lost Tymezz record, or just an Anthony Nicholson production, or just a Ron Trent one. It’s hard to choose words to describe what this duo has made in music. Conclusion: in the end it is all about dancing, it is all about movement, happiness and freedom, and closing this podium with this track feels to me as a warm way to invite anybody who reads this for a Disco Kiez party.
Manel kommt aus Portugal, wo er neben dem Studium beim Uniradio eine Sendung namens Magia Negra hatte. Die letzten zwei Jahre hat Manuel in Bern gelebt und für einen Plattenvertrieb und für IndieSuisse gearbeitet, den Schweizer Verband unabhängiger Musiklabels und -produzenten. Anfang des Jahres ist Manel nach Berlin gezogen. Folgen kann man ihm auf Soundcloud und Mixcloud.
