This was by far more difficult than last year's list, since there were so many good releases, as I alluded to in my last post. Considering that there are CDs that I was late in getting - Pretty Toney, Jean Grae, and Modest Mouse just to name a few, I still feel like I've missed some things this year. This list is in no particular order, since the genres, moods, and tunes are all over the place, but in my mind, these are.....

The 12 Essential CDs of 2004.

Tortured Soul - Introducing Tortured Soul. Purpose Records, 03/04. Genres: House, Live Instrumentation. Tortured Soul's album is special because all of the instrumentation is live, which makes their shows even more exciting. While J-Notes' favorite song from this CD is Might Do Something Wrong, Honey For Oshun and I have concluded that Why is the song that we played repeatedly until our ears bled. They're also very skilled with mellow tunes, such as If You Want To Feel Alright.
See Also: Roy Davis, Jr's Chicago Forever.

De La Soul - The Grind Date, Sanctuary Records, 10/04. Genre: Hip Hop. De La Soul came back with a punch and demonstrated that they haven't lost their step. It's definitely JT's favorite CD. Church and Much More are highlights here.

Magic Number - That Day, StereoDeluxe, 07/04. Genres: Nu Jazz, Soul, Live Instrumentation, Electronica. Ross Hillard takes music to brand new heights. Brilliant instrumentation is the backdrop for most of the album. This album has been enhanced by many vocalists (Clara Hill and Rachel Foster for starters), but the one most prevalent is Jane Hamilton, with vocals on five of the tracks. While I literally could have placed the entire album on this radio blog, I've constrained myself to two, Suddenly, and a personal favorite of both Honey for Oshun and myself, Fly Away.
See also: Clara Hill's Restless Times, Beanfield's Seek, Jazzanova's ...Mixing.

The Unabombers - Electric Soul 2, Pias, 09/04. Genres: Soul, Nu Jazz, Hip Hop, Dance, Electronica. Manchester's DJ partnership drops the most eclectic and arguably the best compilation this year. While Prime and Todd Kelley can get down with This Thing, tracks on this compliation can be heard everywhere, like Dedication by Beef Wellington which was featured on The Wire.

Foreign Exchange - Connected, BBE, 08/04. Genres: Rap, Hip Hop. I mentioned Foreign Exchange here, but don't take my word for it- Jason and Todd are in agreement that this was one of the top releases this year. Nic's Groove and All That You Are have been provided for your ears.
See also Little Brother's Listening.

Gaelle - Transient, Naked Music, 11/04. Genres: Electronica, Soul. She's collaborated with Cee-lo and Esthero, and along with Eric Stamile, she's created a great album. Some of the tracks are gems. Just ask Trader Mike. My two here are Falling and Repetition, but if you were to ask Honey, there are some people who are partial to Parkway. *wince*

I've been banned from looking under the tree, and checking out presents, and I've been hitting the gym like a madman and listening to music/blogging/sleeping....but much love to everyone this holiday season. There's no Grinch here. Just lots of egg-nog and holiday cheer!

Merry Christmas!!!!!

This year was a challenge to come up with a top 10. Last year, however, was slightly different as it was extremely difficult to come up with 10. I struggled to even come with six if I remember correctly. This year was different in a good way in that it was impossible for me to come up with merely 10 - at last count, I believe I struggled with 25. While it would take far too much time to post these all in one big list, I've decided to place the dynamic dozen into the next music post (AKA the Essential CDs of 2004), and post the others for consideration here.

Note that just because these didn't make the top spots doesn't mean you shouldn't get them - it just means that 2004 more than made up for 2003's dry spell.

Essential CDs of 2004 - The Runner Ups.

Lewis Taylor - Stoned Part II, Slow Reality, 1/04. Stoned, Part I was one of my essential CDs last year. Stoned, Part II was a great CD in and of itself. With this year being such a tremendous year musically, compared to last year, Lewis just missed the dozens. For your listening pleasure, the synthesized funk/soul of Madman and another second take, Positively Beautiful 2.

Handsome Boy Modeling School - White People, Elektra, 11/04. The more and more I listen to HBMS, the more I shoot myself for not placing this in the dynamic dozen. From De La Soul and the Starchild Excalibur to John Oates (of Hall & Oates) to Cat Power to Pharell Williams, they manage to mix everyone in and maintain their consistency. It would have been easier for me to place the entire album here. The two highlighted here, If It Wasn't For You (with De La Soul and Starchild Excalibur) and I've Been Thinking (featuring Cat Power), are just the tip of the iceberg.

Roy Davis, Jr. - Chicago Forever, Ubiquity Records, 09/04. House music anyone? Roy Davis, Jr. has it. This is the first year in quite some time that there are two house CDs that I can place near the top of my list. If You Wanna and Wonderland are here for your listening pleasure, both graced by Terry Dexter.

I almost didn't have a theme this week, as I was trying to decide whether this mix this week was to be either slow grooves or mid-to-uptempo. After an informal poll, mid-to-uptempo won by a landslide. So, without further ado:

Old School Wednesday: Mid-to-uptempo grooves.

We were starting off on both sides of the Atlantic...

01 - Soul II Soul - Keep On Movin'
02 - Aaliyah - Everything's Gonna Be Alright.
03 - Vesta Williams - Don't Blow A Good Thing
04 - Swing Out Sister - Notgonnachange

..but then some Minneapolis came into play yet again....

05 - Mint Condition - Try My Love
06 - Sheila E - The Glamorous Life - Extended Version.
07 - The Family - High Fashion.

....and then some inspiration from Timi came through...
08 - Steely Dan - Do It Again.

...and then I got onto the 80's/early 90's vibe, with no particular groove in mind.

09 - Dazz Band - Joystick
10 - Cameo - Single Life
11 - Juliet Roberts - Tell Me
12 - EX Girlfriend - Why Don't You Come Home
13 - Guy - I Like
14 - Tom Browne - Funkin' For Jamaica
15 - Brick - Dazz

Enjoy.

Baker's Dozen: The 12th month, 12 thoughts, 12 Oceans. From KB's Bakers Dozen.

1. I tried coming up with a 101/1001 list and stopped at 48 (4x12). I couldn't think of an additional 53. Still...struggling.
2. ...and now it's even worse, because 2 of the 48 I had planned on seems to have taken care of themselves. I guess going to the gym IS a good thing, but dag! DJ Swole is back again....
3 ...in the worst way...my pants? They don't fit no more. Had to go shopping, and those pants themselves are still too tight. Waist size according to my trainer? 36. (3x12). Damn. Wardrobe malfunction this time of year. Hate it.
4. At least I got to work out with my IFP. Who says I need an iPod? (Still want one though! Hint hint!)
5. Finally figured out my top CDs of the year. YES! Now if I could just find time to blog about it appropriately....
6. Since there wasn't much to do this weekend, decided I'd take some pictures just to pass the time. Flickr anyone?
7. This weekend I got to be on a call with Honey For Oshun. I'll wait for him to tell you what he's been up to.
8. Saw Oceans 12. Great movie. About time I got out of the house and did something interesting. I think I'm going to go see it again.
9. Note to Datura Records - Got the CD and I'm absolutely feeling Deep Thinkers. Looks like I'll be posting about that....
10. The Wire - compared to the previous episode, it wasn't as biting, but was a good way for closure - both expected (Avon in jail) and unexpected (Bubble's friend dying). Very very good. I envision a fourth season.
11. That darn Lis. She made me spill my testosterone by giving me Fantasia's album. And I actually like it. That's it! I'm comin' back hard! Out with the sweet songs, in with the hip hop/boom bap invasion!
12. I actually finished all most of my shopping for Christmas. I wonder if CP time is still allowed this time of year.....

There's things that have been going on inside my head, in the gym, and in my workplace that have made this a seriously long week, and I'm just glad to get through it all. I know everyone's missed Old School Wednesday, and along that same token, even though I have lots of things around me, I'm lacking one small thing, and that's time.

Not to say there isn't a lot of good stuff out there, because there is. Let me shine some light onto three blogs specifically that have been lighting me up for the past couple of days.

1. Todd Kelley's Old School Wednesday was my personal highlight, and I forgot to mention it and give him his props. I grew up in the south and Zapp was played so frequently, I could pretty much sing all the songs from memory.
2. Toshi's Groovy Mix Volume 1. I would be lying if I said I had ever heard half of these songs. It's eclectic, it's danceable, and it's great stuff.
3. J. Brotherlove's Deck The Halls With Drum n Bass. J introduced me to drum and bass a while back and while my favorite music these days is mellow, electronica grooves, there's great stuff that I often miss when my mind is strictly in the old school vibe. I've got to say he's taught me well.

There's a lot of thoughts going on in my head, mostly my top 10 of the year, but it's coming slowly but surely. It's getting harder, however, considering there's some really good stuff out now and I'm not sure how fair it would be to put something in that I just started listening to a week ago.

Enjoy, people, enjoy. There's a little something for everyone.