HOT & LOUD
Turn up the volume and let the bass drop. That’s what Baltimore’s legendary DJ Spen, decked out in a black ensemble of a basement ball cap and MF (Muthafunkaz) tee delivered to Tambor. The venue’s walls contracted and the floor vibrated as four count beats gave birth to dancing feet, snapping fingers and raised arms. Not only did the thumping beats pronounce their arrival but so too the room’s temperature. The room was sooooo hot that even hell telephoned to complain.
Oh well, all is so when the venue’s owners push the regularly scheduled party (Tambor) from its regular residence from the larger air conditioned main room into a smaller side room with non-working air conditioning. But that’s another story saved for a later time.
Thankfully, the torrid temps could not thwart MuthaFunkaz production head and Code Red recording label owner, DJ Spen’s ambitious efforts from bringing additional hotness to the premises. Spen slayed the incense-scented room with heavy doses of hitting beats of four count bangers with enough bass to rattle the eastern hemisphere or at least, the eastern side of the building. Above all, two facts remained clear the entire night. One, Spen made his presence known and two, he strategically commanded the room to feel the spirit of house music. The song writer/music producer/DJ put a hurt on the mixer’s loops and cue knobs to repeat vocals and dub beats in a dizzying effect and a dazzling display. Only a true DJ from the old-skool can work a mixer like that. This time around though, there were no sound distractions or sound interruptions that caused the music to go out during the energetic set.
As the music’s volume progressively increased, so did the house anthems that kept coming like the never ending dog days of summer. In between DaJae’s reworked, “Brighter Days” (DJ Spen Muthafunkaz Anthem) and a disco dub of Brother Johnson’s, “Stomp” the tribesters found hidden inspirational nestled between glorious beats.
Several gospel house tunes reigned during the night that won critically acclaimed praise. “He May Not Come When You Want Him but He’s Right On Time” repeated its sweet sentiment of encouragement to hold on steadfast for your blessing is right on time. Then came gospel music’s chart-topping sister sensation, Mary Mary with their current offering, “Walking” a soulful house treatment that had people’s feet stomping as Pastor Shirley Ceasar meets house music kept the crowd cheering, “Hallelujah.” The newest release from U.K.’s Fanatix featuring Assurance, “I Trust You (Psalm 143)” taught the dancers how to trust through difficult times or at least dance through hot heat. However, the scorcher of the night came from BeBe Winans’ 1998 epic, “Thank You (Masters At Work Mix)” that caused the people to lose their minds and even got Tambor’s Stan Zeff dancing on the floor.
Overall, for those that could stomach the heat, the NRG in the room flew off the meter and combined with the hot temperatures became a fusion of combustible energy. Looped vocals and thumping beats echoed with the kind of intelligence that puts the soul into house music. With upfront beats played at a slap in your face pace, this party was not for the faint of heart or the soft of ears but for those that like to bathe in sweat and hear their music loud.
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Tags: Atlanta Georgia, Code Red Recordings, deep house music, DJ Spen, DJ Stanzeff, house music, Muthafunkaz, Tambor