Voted « best DJ » in this year’s Village Voice, « Best of NYC » Readers Poll, Jonathan Toubin is the man behind NewYorkNightTrain, one of the most exciting soul dance party in town. What else can you say, beside, you really want to experience the feeling of those nights when he comes with his unique 45’s collection, and make you dance, with some tunes you never heard before. He selected for us five gems from his huge collection.
Little Bob and The Lollipops
I Got Loaded
«One of my all time favorites not only because of the soulful vocals and rolling Louisianna groove, but also for philosophical reasons. Unlike the usual songs that view drinking in hindsight with regret, in this one, “he feels alright” about getting loaded last night and is ready to go at it again tonight! True New Orleans spirit all the way! You may recognize this from Los Lobos’ cover version.»
Ronnie Dawson
Rockin’ Bones
«I learned this track years ago from The Cramps but wow man! check out the original! The unenlightened will tell you that rock’n’roll died by 1959 and was brought back in the mid-1960s. While this may be true for the pop charts, some of the most vital music ever was churned out by the truckload during this period on small labels. Of everything, Ronnie Dawson’s sides may be pound for pound the wildest, most dynamic, and most unique in a genre where songs can start sounding the same once you hear a handful. “Action Packed” (under the pseudonym “Ronnie Dee”), “Do Do Do” (as “Commonwealth Jones”), and of course these bad boy also prove that his strong aesthetics and creativity were well beyond that of his contemporaries. I was blessed to live in Austin, Texas in the 1990s when he was still regularly gigging at the continental club – where he proved that he had lost none of his savvy or spark in his later years!»
Things To Come
I’m Not Talkin
«One of the most propulsive 1960s records! Since I’m a dance party DJ I can only get away with this hot little pepper once everybody is drunk and i’ve already snuck the tempo up past the ceiling while nobody was paying attention. Because it usually is too fast to succeed I have a sure thing record on hand to bring the party back when it’s over…»
Lorenzo Holden
The Wig
«Wig humor and wig songs were de rigueur in post-war black music but more so than ever in 1964/1965, which saw the release of the ideals’ immortal “Go Get A Wig”, Buddy Guy’s “I Dig Your Wig,” and this, my favorite of them all. The strong groove on this is top-notch exemplar of the new soul sound coming up that, while still retaining a strong bluesy foundation, was just starting to add latin elements and give some hints as to the foundation of funk. If this doesn’t make you want to dance, you should see the doctor to make sure you still have a pulse…»
Ken Williams
My Very Own (Trash Can)
«Tim Warren of Crypt Records has the best taste and the best comps. While he’s perhaps best known for his canonical “back from the grave” series, he single-handedly created the “tittyshaker” genre with the way he framed and assembled this one. Ever since a girlfriend bought me this LP over two decades ago “trash can” has been my favorite track. One day tim left a copy on the floor of a DJ booth we were sharing and I managed to hold on to it long enough to give it back to him – but while it remained in the safety of my sock drawer, it burnt a hole in my soul until the day I got my own copy to inflict upon the unwashed masses at my own parties. I think you’ll agree that fifty years later this is still so dark and demented and weird! and beyond any time or place or genre… The sound affects and voice groaning “trash can” are less corny than sound effects of the time and are employed musically like a contemporary samples. The creepy surf guitar (courtesy of Memphis Wunderkind Travis Wammack!) and wild organ are restrained and minimal enough to create an ambiguous tension understated enough to insure that I never get bored with this platter after years of repeated play.»
