Mr. Tea Party opened with his stellar crowd pleaser, Anto Vitale’s fiery, “Theorema Del Faya” (The Tea Party Vocal). Next up, Radiohead’s, “Everything In It’s Right Place” (Afefe Iku’s Mix) with lush synthesizers slowly built to a startling crescendo. Then came Peven Everett’s scorcher, “Burning Hot” that sent flames up and down the dance floor. Talk about burning the disco out, the track was on fire! Black Coffee’s heartfelt, “Superman” came to the rescue with soothing vocals by Bucie that cooled off the heated dancers with peaceful rains. After the downpour the dance floor was left flooded in sex oils by sexy siren Jill Scott’s, “Crown Royal” a white label demo provided by Shelter’s famed Quentin Harris and Timmy Regisford. Then Ian pulled out the old school radio sing-a-long of Rufus & Chaka Kahn’s, “Do you Love What You See.” The party people classic, “Off The Wall” by icon Michael Jackson followed suit for more dance and disco nostalgia. From the shores of North America to the coasts of South Africa, Culoe De Song featuring Thandiswa, “Gwebindlala” rang loud and free with deep tribal influences. South African’s current house reign continued with Black Coffee’s insane, “Crazy” by Manchester Englander, Charles Webster Slightly Deeper Mix. Ian’s own rework of Byron Moore’s classic, “Life Starts Today” (Tea Party Vocal Mix) jumpstarted the party as if the party needed more juice. Next the crowd lost it with Ian’s self-produced “Found Myself” (Yoruba Soul Mix). Immediately thereafter, house legend Kenny Bobien’s falsetto reigned from the heavens singing a soul stirring, “Don’t Be Afraid” (Libation Mix) another Ian Friday rework. Yet, the voice of another angel resounded gracefully this time from the late Jimmy Abney with “More of You” (Ian Friday’s Tea Party Vocal). Then the crowd was swept into its own “Heaven” (Marlon D & Groove Assassin Mix) with Detroit’s soul crooner Kem leading the way. Dance classics consumed the night with 1989’s “People Hold On” by Coldcut with British soul diva Lisa Stansfield. The Jackson’s, “This Place Hotel” made the room cry, “joy” while a downtempo jazzy number of Ultra Nate’s, “Twisted”(Re: jazz Mix) made dancers plie and triple spin around in circles. That wasn’t all, Manoo’s, “Kodjo” with its crashing cymbals and four-count thumps made the tribesters leap for joy in spiritual dance circles of breakers and fancy footers. The night’s closer and surprise, Elton John’s, “The Beenies and the Jets” knocked the socks off the music lovers scattered about the room. Needless to say, the venue’s once pristine dance floor resembled a worn torn aftermath culminated from Ian Friday’s catastrophic rampage.
WOW! What more was left to say? The diversified label owner and songwriter that seemed to have crafted half of deep house music’s lengthy catalog rocked Tambor into the next stratosphere. Needless, to say Tambor would never be the same from that night forth. What a Tamborific time!
Photography by Carlos J. Bell
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Tags: Atlanta Georgia, deep house music, DJ BE, DJ Stanzeff, house music, Ian Friday, Lil Jon Roberts, Tambor, Tea Party Music