OSUNLADE
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A brush of a shoulder here and a brush of a shoulder there detour not from the festivity at hand. A sea of brown and beige paints the room’s canvas. The lovely soul children have arrived. The people pack the place. They come ready to be baptized into the waters of deep. Digital phones and tablets rush front and center stage with bright red buttons aglow that records movement. Onstage busy bodies migrate to and fro as they prepare for the third coming. The return of one of the most anticipated Ministers of Sound that has defined a musical movement for this generation’s era.
“Tambor Party. Let us welcome back for the third time, all the way from Greece, Mr……”
Osunlade’s Tambor debut, three years earlier, saw the “Envision” singer share the bill with a fellow DJ from Chicago. Talk about running upstairs and running downstairs to catch both DJs at work. In addition, the venue’s shoebox shaped basement could not contain the crowd Osunlade commands.
One year later sees Osunlade-in support of his final house music offering ‘Pyrography’ with organic illustrations from artist Scott Marr-headline Tambor’s two-year anniversary soiree to a capacity crowd. Peculiarly, Tambor was pushed out of the venue’s more spacious accommodation and into a smaller adjacent corner with no air-conditioning in mid-August heat. Epic FAIL.
This time around, team Tambor envisioned correctly and secured the event facility’s main room, come hell or high water.
Reinvention is essential. Not only has Osunlade’s music manifesto evolved at each Tambor but so his appearance. Gone, the dreads traded for a military cut. Ever present: the ear gauges large enough to punch a fist through. Standing proud and appearing stunning in a golden tee, contrasted by a grey vest, the artist steps up to play.
The warm cheers subside. Quietly the people stand. A sense of anticipation shatters the atmosphere. An anticipation so delicate it borders on discretion. Suddenly, a shimmering vocal sounds. It softly dances on heads and drifts through the air. As so, eloquent discretion begets questions. Who is singing? What is the title of this track? Everyone’s response: petrified silence. Perhaps this is no expected powerhouse anthem, but more of a soft opener wetting the people’s appetite for more to come.
Punch the bass and hit throttle. The music kicks into high gear with Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” (Osunlade Mix). Stevie Nicks never sounded so distinguished than belting notes over a deep house treatment. The audience agrees. They sing along.
Questionable. Neophyte, Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games” (A Nooma Remix by Manoo) quiets the tone but keeps bodies in motion.
BOOM!!! Afefe Iku’s “Mirror Dance” shatters the sound sphere. The song’s vibrancy still has not lost its edge. The crowd jumps off. Their unbridled praise proves the Yoruba Soul Remix featuring Oveous Maximus is still relevant.
Anyone for a slow dance? Jill Scott’s “My Love” plays filler duties. The Jason B Remix is a sleeping beauty that needs to stay asleep.
“HEEEYY.” Dave Ghan screams. The crowd awakes and stands attentive. Depache Mode’s lead vocalist sings “Reach Out” on MasterKev/Tony Loreto and Polyrhythm’s interpretation of “Personal Jesus” against a stark beating percussion. “Reach Out And Touch Me” is what the crowd tries to do. With arms stretched high and hands raised in the air a spiritual pilgrimage begins.
The spiritual apex ascends. This time Atlanta’s Donnie sings “Olmec Save Us” (Yoruba Soul Mix) produced by Atlantan Kai Alce, who is in the house. People beg, “What is the name of this track? “Where can I download it?”
Jazzy Jeff featuring Erro’s “Rock With You” (Yoruba Soul Dub Mix) oscillates right into the hands of yesteryear. Chicago’s “Street Player’s” brass section dazzles dancers with dynamics, Lil Louis’ & The World’s “I Called You (But You Weren’t There) provides the wit with its tell-tale of love gone wrong, and later Candido’s “Thousand Finger Man” surprises and delights and refreshes seasoned ears.
01:00
The battle of the event occurs: Jack Son’s “Thrill Her” versus Prince’s “Controversy.” The room explodes. People scream. People dance. People sweat.
As this is the party of sweat stains. Perspiration accents brows, drops from foreheads, runs down bare arms and decorates T-shirts. Be careful. Even the slippery floor sweats.
One word describes a world-renowned DJ/producer/songwriter/singer that can slay a room with a belt-heavy of eclectic catalog hits, produced or remixed for the likes of mainstream artist Frank Ocean featuring Earl Sweatshirt’s, “Super Rich Kid” to indie repertoire Jazztronik’s, “Dentro Mi Alma.” The word is pride. A pride that sings so loud and so clear that it demands attention. Live and in person, singer soulstress Nadirah Shakoor does so. She takes the stage to sing her female fueled power anthem, “Pride.” Surprise! No one envisioned this moment where these two musical souls, the producer and the singer, would synergize together on Tambor’s stage. The DJ steps back; the singer steps forward. Osunlade digs out another cohort/producer, Andy Catana’s “Ironia,” a deep/tech house four-to-the-floor treat from his 2010, “Occult Symphonic.” From the OS to Pyrography, “Envision,” (Ame Remix) plays but right at the break where sonic beeps collide with bombastic bass the song disappears.
“Bleep, Bop”
“Bleep, Bleep, Bop”
“Errrrr”
“Bleep, Bleep, Bop”
“Ooooo, Yeee, Ooooo”
“Bloop”
“Errrr”
“Bah, Bah, Bah, Bah”
With every “Bleep” a Bozark knob turns clockwise. With perfect timing between intervals of FX, the sound is tweaked with skilled precision. The spectacle displays a master of music playing Space Invaders on an Atari gaming system.
A drum kicks. A four count rhythm startles. A climatic build of dizzying bleeps and bumps clash against stark fireworks. Galactic shrills scream “Bang.” This is the one minute opener to one of the most amazing pieces of music ever recorded.
“Fireworks”/ “Computer Games” is the song that might have made Kraftwerk uneasy. “Computer Games” inspired the hip hop and electronic/electro age of music. Tokyo Japan’s most successful outfit, Yellow Magic Orchestra’s opus takes the dancers on a magic carpet ride to the Far East where sound imagery intersects Asian arts. The song-composed of strings, steel vibes, warm keys and fluttering flutes, all played on synthesizers-plays in its entire glory for seven minutes and twenty seconds.
The party becomes a performance. Osunlade transforms from DJ to entertainer. He dances. He frolics to every count, every intricate detail of rhythmic expression via instrument. At best, Osunlade is a showman.
“I can’t take no more.” One dancer pants. “I’m about to pass out.” Osunlade slays the room. Dancers hold one another up. Even Tambor’s banner on stage lies on the floor.
Next, the crowd journeys along the Nile to the Motherland. Pyramids raid the distance and camels travel on cruise control. Listen. The Jones Girls sings, “Nights Over Egypt.”
02:00
Somewhere the music goes obscure between Latin rhythms of bossa nova and samba where African drums talk into the ancestral universe.
Osunlade returns the journey back to a safe destination, his Yoruba Soul catalog. Self- produced, “Cantos A Ochun Et Oya” and Erro’s “Don’t Change” (Main Mix) segue into remixed classics for the likes of Tortured Soul with “I Might Do Something Wrong” (Osunlade Lonely Remix) and the pimp-slap Vivian Green’s “Emotional Rollercoaster,” (Osunlade Late Night Mix) both nods to the early aughts.
A slight interruption by DJ Stanzeff can’t stop the music. Osunlade is where? He is zoned in the mix and unable to stop playing music even if he wanted too. Sadly, Osunlade has no choice. The room illuminates with fluorescents. Translation: Time To Go.
The event’s closing number a padapella of Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You” brings out the freaks. Several couples grind and grope one another as if this event is one large orgy. Pheromones fill the air. Sex is in the future for some tonight.
The Tambor Party is known for many surprises. But this party turned performance was the surprise of all. From a live singer to a DJ playing three instruments called two Pioneer CD players and one Bozark. This Tambor felt authentic, not forced, organic, not processed, yet cohesive lacking definition.
The music fit no formula, format or flow. The mixing of songs seemed cold. At times, one song slammed into the next that forced the music into unexpected genres. Why was this so? How did this work? Better yet, it worked! If this had been another DJ the experience would have largely failed flat. Word to the wise: Osunlade is often imitated but never duplicated.
03:00
DJ Stanzeff takes hold of the microphone to announce, “Tambor let’s give a round of applause to our good friend Mr…”
“I’m freaking family!” Osunlade interrupts. “I’m freaking family!”
Yes, Mr. Osunlade you are family.
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Words and photography by AJ Dance
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Tags: Atlanta Georgia, deep house music, DJ BE, DJ Stanzeff, house music, Osunlade, Tambor