It is now nearly thirty years since they produced together a variety of sounds, from electro clash to experimental post jazz. A wild bunch of eclectic sounds sums up Ninjatune, their trademark and label. Selectors, record producers, sound designers, thinkers, crate diggers, computer programmer Matt Black and ex-art teacher Jonathan More are veterans for too many DJ’s. For us, Jonathan selects five of his most influential tracks.
Scott Cunningham Band
Morning Madness (Black Horse Records – 4239)
« Wonderful jazz dancer, a privately pressed 7 inch with four great tracks. »
Advanced Workers With The Anti-Imperialist Singers
You Was Dancin Need To Be Marchin So You Can Dance Some More Later On/Better Red Let Others Be Dead (People’s War – JPU-1001)
« Possibly one of the best named tunes an oddball activist disco 7” from the 70’s? Featuring Amiri Baraka on Rap/Vocals. Amiri Baraka was a guest on our Coldcut ‘Sound Mirrors’ album with the track “Boogie Man”. »
Loose Joints
Pop Your Funk (West End Records – WES 1228DJ)
« Incredibly hipster now – Arthur Russell’s vocal version of “Pop Your Funk” cleared many a dance floor for me back in the late 80’s early 90’s… This came with a hand silk screened sleeve & was only released as promo 7” on West End Records. I found this on a trip to New York in the mid 80’s. »
Rudy Norman
Harmony / Back To The Streets (New Day Records – RBN-80 SRL1577)
« Rather overlooked odd soul rock jazz tune with a real homemade feel… »
Rolf Liebermann, George Gruntz
Les Echanges (Turicaphon)
« Crazy slice of early sampling – machines play latin on this 7” with a cool illustrated gatefold sleeve this was sampled by Cornelius ! Rolf Liebermann composed this for the Swiss Expo (National exhibition) in 1964. Scored for 156 machines – amongst which one can find 16 typewriters, 18 calculator machines, 8 accounting machines, 12 office perforators, 10 caisses enregistreuses, 8 humidificateurs-colleurs, 8 tele-scripteurs, 2 metronomes, 4 bells of signalisation, 2 entrance door gongs, 10 klaxons, 16 telephones… »
