Last night (Feb. 6th), the James Dewitt Yancey Foundation in association with Distrokid, Official Ma Dukes, Delicious Vinyl Records, Fusicology and BBE Records produced the first annual digital James "J Dilla" Yancey, Dilla Fest. Hosted by close friend and frequent J Dilla music collaborator, rapper Frank Nitti (of hip-hop duo Frank-N-Dank), the fest was put together in honor of Dilla's 47th birthday and 20th anniversary of his crictically acclaimed solo album, Welcome 2 Detroit.
What we usually experience yearly for Dilla during this week, which encases his birthday date (Feb. 7th, 1974) and his passing date (Feb. 10th, 2006), is national "Dilla Days" where promoters pack night clubs and venues with DJs and mega fans of the bounce master's music to enjoy. But with these Covid-19 times, like everything else, the love for Dilla is shared virtually through DJ sets and pre-recorded interviews with friends and fam on DillaFest.com and the Apple store app YouSound.
Featuring the heavy hitting line-up of individuals Affion Crockett, Amp Fiddler, DJ Spinna, Dank, Dres of Black Sheep, Guilty Simpson, Illa J (Dilla's younger brother), J Rocc, Mike Ross of Delicious Vinyl, Pete Rock, DJ Rhettmatic, Rich Medina, Robert Glasper, T3 of Slum Village and Terrance Martin, the fest started off with Frank Nitti explaining the run-down.
Ma Dukes (Dilla's Mother), then chats it up with Nitti about Dilla's early days of falling in love with music, especially James Brown tunes. Seeing that he had a keen connection to sound as a toddler shocked the family a bit. Words are ever so present in the loving way she smiles when she speaks of her son. DJ Rhettmatic, of the world renowned DJ crew Beat Junkies, kicked off the music action with a set of Dilla's classics. This then flowed into the clips of all of those previously mentioned answering questions about how they met Dilla, first heard his music and how amazed they are at his impact and innovation in production.
To cap the almost two-hour extravaganza off was an afterparty being spun by the great Brooklyn, NY turntable master, DJ Spinna. Rare grooves and exclusive cuts were the perfect follow up to all of the insider knowledge we get from the interviews by Frank Nitti. Do yourself a favor and check the playback of the event and be as blown away as we were to find out that the bassline for Bilal's "Reminisce" is three separate chops from three different bass samples in one line. Straight genius...but hey, that's a J Dilla production. Check the 20th anniversary edition of the Welcome 2 Detroit album as well. It really is a sonic game changer.
Happy Birthday J Dilla.
NEW RELEASES
An expanded edition of The Beatles’ ‘Rubber Soul’ is set to arrive with a previously unheard John Lennon demo included in the collection.
Read More: Paul McCartney: “Writing a song is still a magic feeling for me, and hopefully always will be”
The refreshed editions of the celebrated 1965 record will be released on October 2 through UMG and Apple Corps Ltd. Producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell handled the new mixes.
More than 60 years after its original release, the influential album will be available in updated stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes for the first time. The box set will also contain the initial mono mix and the original Capitol US Album edition.
In addition to the familiar tracklist, which includes popular songs such as ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’, ‘Nowhere Man’, ‘Michelle’, and ‘In My Life’, the collection features the double A side single ‘Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out’. Fans will also receive several previously unavailable studio recordings and home demos.
Different versions of the release include the 14 song Special Edition Standard, the 30 track Special Edition Deluxe, and a Blu ray Edition containing 16 tracks and four videos.
The largest package is the Special Edition Super Deluxe, which will be offered as either a five LP box set or a four CD box set containing 68 tracks. Its contents include the new stereo version of ‘Rubber Soul’, two Sessions and Demos discs, the album’s original mono master, the original Capitol US edition, and the seven inch A side single.
Among the demos is ‘Little Girl’, a track written and recorded by Lennon that has never been officially released since it was originally created.
The Super Deluxe packages also feature an 88 page hardcover book with a newly written introduction from Paul McCartney and a foreword assembled using Lennon’s own words.
‘Rubber Soul’ was completed across four weeks in October and November 1965. The sessions took place shortly after the Fab Four played their record setting show for over 55,000 people at Shea Stadium in New York.
Every new edition includes the updated stereo mix of the album, created directly from the original four track master tapes. The team used separation technology developed at Peter Jackson’s WingNut Films Productions Ltd.
Visit here to place a preorder and see the complete tracklist for the “Special Edition Super Deluxe” package below.
The ‘Rubber Soul Special Edition Super Deluxe Box Set’ tracklist is:
LP1: New stereo mix
Side A
Side B
LP2: Sessions, Demos and The Single, Disc 1
Side A
Side B
LP3: Sessions, Demos and The Single, Disc 2
Side A
Side B
LP4: Mono
Side A
Side B
LP5: US Album
Side A
Side B
Seven inch single
Side A
Side AA
Elsewhere in Beatles news, the group will be explored through a collection of four films directed by Sam Mendes. All four movies are currently scheduled to reach cinemas at the same time in April 2028.
Paul Mescal will portray Paul McCartney, while Harris Dickinson will play John Lennon, Joseph Quinn will appear as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan will take on the role of Ringo Starr. Each movie will present the band’s journey through the eyes of a different member.
It has also been announced that 3 Savile Row, the famous London location closely connected to the group, will welcome visitors for the first time next year as part of the first official Beatles fan experience.
Earlier this year, Paul McCartney released his latest album, ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane’. It marks his first solo project since 2020’s ‘McCartney III’ and includes his first duet with former Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr.
Before the record arrived, McCartney spoke with NME about both the past and future of his remarkable career. He discussed his “excitement” about appearing on the upcoming The Rolling Stones album and addressed whether retirement is part of his plans.
