What better way to introduce our latest guest for the 'under the influence with...' series than to have the man himself talk about his musical journey so far before singling out the tunes that are key influences over the sounds we hear from his edits, productions and dj sets. much thanks to Blackjoy for taking time out to share these stories.
enjoying listening and reading into the sounds of Blackjoy.
Born
in a small town, raised in a just a lil bigger one, I had no clue of
what "growing with the commercial radios" was. I was trained under the
influence of Bernard Lenoir on France Inter (french John Peel), and I
got the feeling music is my favorite part of life. Later I went into
Jazz, Soul, House, Techno, Rare Grooves and so on. I got my first radio
show on Radio Campus Dijon for which I was playin' the early french
touch bands as Alex Gopher, La Funk Mob, Daft Punk and Mighty Bop. My
studies and connections made a job possible at Yellow Productions in
1998 and I started djing around Europe and Canada... I took the
decision of touring less and went deep into making music. A mpc2000, 2
turntables and a zip disk...and here we are: I met the incredible
keyboard player François Faure, I knew Thomas Naïm from Tom & Joyce
from the Yellow years and this outstanding guitarist became one of my
closest friend... And last but not least Guillaume Farley, « the » bassman.
Is Blackjoy
a band? Yes and no. I'm the brain and I handle the science. I do drums,
some keys, arrangements, editing, producing but the instrumentalist
parts of the music couldn't exist without the team...
The
first EP, Untitled was released in 2002 and got heavy plays from
specialists and legends such as Kenny Dope, Phil Asher, Lil' Louis,
Kerri Chandler, Benji B, Dj Deep... Then I started to work on remixes
but the next big job came with the production of Moustache for Yellow
in 2005. Still doing remixes I was going deep into producing the first
album which I started to work on in 2001. The album was released in
France since October 1st 2007. First
single was a song from General Elektriks', who’s signed on Quannum.
Then the second single Metalbossa included the remixes from Phil
Asher's Restless Soul. The album is called TIME and contains 2 songs
from Shawn Lee, a Weather Report's cover and diverse blues and soul
atmospheres.
Now back behind the desks, I spin the Blackjoy
disco sounds and vibes around the globe with more pleasure than ever.
Several Edits and Remixes have been released (Blackjoy Edits
Vol.1&2, Blackjoy Versions) and a new Blackjoy record project is in
process, with featurings from Sandra Nkaké, De Tropix and Aqeel.
My name’s Jérôme Caron, hope you’ll like the sound of Blackjoy.
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Michael Jackson -
Thriller
This
is my first time being scared by music images on TV. I was a kid when
the main shows broadcast the Thriller video. That's my most honest
memory about it. I didn't know anything about funky music, I was way
too young and my parents didn't have a big music background. My father
used to play some piano and guitar, he still does actually, but no big
record collection. A nice taste to music but... Back to Michael, I
maybe didn't know about the groove or the funkyness, I've been
listening to this album till he broke. For a long time Beat it was my
favorite, but now I'd say The lady in my life is maybe my diamond in
there. The ad lib is just insane.
Drumming
is something I can't do but this is anyway a passion. I love drums, I
can spend 2 days on a drum programming and John Bonham is responsible
for that obsession. Communication breakdown used to to make me jump
every on my bedroom when I was a kid. Of course the rest of the band
was amazing to me but the strengh Bonham had in his playing was
pure fascination to me.
English
music was my biggest influence until I got to my 20s. Manchester's
bands were very important and I was proud as hell to be able to go to
Manchester at 15. I actually discovered this Roses first album several
years after it's been released but Fool's Gold never went away, I
always kept that song somewhere. I love the idea that pop can be funky,
I mean this is a lazy melody on a funky drummer type of... somehow it's
insane but it works. Big tune.
Being
obsessed with England, I even went to Darlington for my holidays... in
the County of Durham. That's where Dirty from Sonic Youth became my
holiday friend. I was killing the tape I had the album on and Shoot had
a funky feeling that was always taking over the other songs. With few
more years I'd clearly say this album isn't my Sonic Youth favorite but
Shoot is my favorite groove from them.
Classic.
Unmissable. This tune painted part of my teenage years. The complete
Beatles post Rubber Soul made me what I am in term of harmony. But if
I'd pick one song that would be it. It's funny when you listen to
Caetano Veloso's cover of Billie Jean 'cause he's skipping at the end
to Eleonore Rigby, and you could think it's the same song..
Mc Solaar - Prose Combat
The
music on this record has been more influential than the rapping but I
loved this record. Boombass beats killed me. Same as Bonham, Boombass
got me into drumming, fat sound. I just got the chance to spend 1 hour
with him to do an interview for my show on Redbull Music Academy Radio.
It was hard not to tell him how much his music has been important for
me. I still love what he does but Nouveau Western was a revolution in
my world. I wasn't into hip hop but this even gave me a certain
sensitivity to go to electronic beats too.
Herbie
is the man who made me found in love with jazz but I didn't know...
short story but! Check that. I was talking to guy who was a drummer in
a funk band to get tips 'cause I didn't know about funk. I had my pop
rock background when I arrived in University. This guy is telling me
about Herbie Hancock, how much funky stuff he did. So the day after I
run in a record store and I found that little boxset witht the 3 first
albums Herbie recorded. Came back home and discovered these jazz
record. At first I was kind of disappointed but Invention &
Dimension changed my life. Literraly. I even try not to listen to it
too much 'cause I can't do anything else than listening when this is on.
Motorbass - Pansoul
Best
house / techno / whatever album. When this came out, I chased it
because these guys were involved in the Mc Solaar sound I loved so
much. When I finally got it, oh my god. Zdar is maybe one of my
favorite sound engineer. Plus this urban sound disappeared a little bit
in the newer stuff people are trying to produce now, especially for
albums. There was no single in there but who cares? This hasn't been
played on the radio but who cares? Best dance music album.
Disco
in France is a bad word, a nasty style. Disco means pop dance here. So
when Dimitri from Paris got big I was not sure being very french
myself... but he gave a disco mixtape to a friend of mine and we
listened to it so much. The breakdown version changed my vision for the
style. Disco was cool and dark too. This tune will stay top 10. Huge
vibe.
I
could have had Here 'my dear' from Marvin Gaye on that selection but
somehow Voodoo is even bigger because it's more new. D'Angelo has lost
himself, sad, very sad. What I know is Voodoo influence but way of
doing music, of thinking groove, and once again this album has one
single but this was a tv single because of the video more than a radio
single. But who cares? Fuck radios. I love album, this is one great
album.
Download 02 Devil's Pie (Raw)
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