Monday, September 21, 2020

Remembered Septembers of the Serpentine Fire Brigade


OK, this is a bit weird for me, but this has to count as an anniversary so I am doing it.

This all started because I wanted an EWF mix for my phone.
Then I started seeing all these articles online about how it's almost the 21st night of September and all.

These two thoughtstreams immediately converged faster than a cutaway to an Afro Sheen commercial on Soul Train.

But what to do? There are almost no EWF bootlegs, for whatever reason. Plus I wanted a mixtape, not a concert.

Cut to me spelunking on Soulseek all weekend, in search of things not sold in stores, but often present in the share folders of DJs the world over.

Seventy-two hours hence, we're here and hold my beer, because this thing came out way better than I envisioned or expected.

Before I proceed any further, I should state unequivocally that this is some of the most bumping, joyously grooving music that will ever be produced by human beings, and will be played thousands of years from now if our utterly fictive species somehow remains viable.

So here we are, on the 21st night of September just like the man said.
Earth, Wind & Fire
The 21st Night of September
essential EWF, remixed+remodeled
1975-1981

01 September (Shinichi Osawa joins Throttle remix)
02 Getaway (12'' extended mix)
03 Boogie Wonderland (Stretch & Vern Pussycat Club mix)
04 Burnin' Bush (Shout It On the Mountain mix)
05 Let's Groove (Restless Soul Inspirational Information mix)
06 Serpentine Fire (12'' promo mix)
07 In the Stone (DJ Meme Classic Intro extended mix)
08 Runnin' (original Hollywood mix)
09 Sing a Song (Barry Harris & T.G.I.D. remix)
10 Happy Feelin' (The Reflex Revision)
11 Shining Star (A Jimmy Michaels mix)
12 Kalimba Tree (12'' extended mix)
13 After the Love Has Gone (Mean Fiddler 12'' Mellow remix)
14 That's the Way of the World (with Latin expedition prelude)
15 Fantasy (Mike Maurro Twelfth of Never remix)
16 September (BRAGKEN remix)

Total time: 1:34:59
disc break goes after Track 08

alternate mixes and reimaginings of classic EWF, collected, compiled and a little bit constructed by EN, September 2020
A goodly percentage of these are not available on any CD or LP, having been mixes invented or collected by the DJ community. Every track is lossless, despite the propensity for mp3s to circulate in this realm.
Anyway I thought it'd be cool to share this on what surely must be the most appropriate day.
If you love these guys -- and I sure do -- there is simply no way you can justify missing this one, so get clicking 'til there's never a cloudy day, OK? Enjoy!-J.