This new installation to the LFG (Live From Gazuza) collection captures my musings through the music of what a strange and trying year 2011 was.  I am working on keeping my chi, my balance.

LFG 2012.1

• A Walk In The Park (Pional Remix) – Daniel Solar
• Your House (Rick L Remix) – Ricky L
• Proper Balance (Original Mix) – Consistent
• Mikes Garage (Mix) – Inland Knights
• Keep Moving feat. Lisa Shaw – Vincenzo
• Get Easy (The Deepshakers Dub Mix) – Mirco Sonatore
• Breath House – Armbar
• Hot Fridge – Ron Basejam
• Psyche Funk (Original) – KiNK
• Juju (Andre Lodermann Remix) – Black Coffee feat. Zakes Bantwini
• Interceptor (Kamo Remix) – Luke Solomon
• Trevoga (Original) – KiNK
• Finale – Guti & Luca Bacchetti

We have to find a way to live, laugh, love...

Contining on the previous post “Life Has No Guarantees“, I have personally observed the number of people with complaints has seemed to increase. There are complaints against him, her, this and that. Others whine about the environmentalist, the captains of industry, and everyone in between. The 1% and the 99% all have gripes. I just read a blog where some dude in a Jaguar ride complained about a bike rider in an urban environment!!  Seriously?!

I’m not suggesting these complaints aren’t legit–many are.  As Rich Medina in a collaboration with King Britt stated in “Planetary Analysis” opined,  the world  is  ”…full of complainers.  The have-nots being chased down by the haves, turned into a whole bunch of bullshit.  Complaint is nothing but a notion to be filed and forgotten.  The problems it that most people here have no cabinets.  So they pile their complaints in their living room  and live with them like furniture you can’t sit on, like ashes in an undumped tray, just sitting there waiting to be thrown away…”  Why don’t we throw them away?  Why, after rightfully venting, do we not move on?

I ask this not in complaint, but to draw attention to an obvious link that many believe to be missing.  The obvious aspect in life that we have little control over most  of what happens in life except our reaction to it.  Why don’t we then find a way to work around it, work through it, work with it?  Why don’t we find a way to live, laugh, love?

This doesn’t mean we are only serious or serious minded.  This does not mean that we ignore our obligations.  This does not mean we don’t have people and things that we do not fight for–just the opposite actually.  It does mean that move through the ether of this universe aware as possible.  As the so-called Serenity Prayer states:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.”

That last line being probably the most important.

–

Find A Way (the mix–the link is at the bottom of this article) features some hot music that contrasts some of the emotions touched on above.  I will be performing some original versions of some of those songs this Friday night at Lust4Life featuring Josh Vidal.

This mix was originally put together by Stylo in 2004 or 2005.

Are you going through a rough spot?  Has your rough period lasted a long time?  I’m sure sometimes life’s challenges can seem like they are insurmountable.  And make no mistake, a few might be.

It seems so many are complaining about things that might be life changing, yet not life killing.  Always be skeptical of guarantees offered.  Life has no guarantees–except maybe that of change, whether it occurs at a fast pace or slow pace.  And although I have had a distaste for this phrase, it really is true, ‘what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.’

I am the type of person that has a fair amount of confidence that we all can out-live, out-last, or overcome these challenges.  Maybe the key is not to get too attached to just one version of your dreams.  Dreams come true all the time.  However, most people would be lying if they told you the dream looks just like it did in their head, or that the path to that dream was clearly marked and unfettered.

So continue to dream!  However, be open to the many ways that dream might come about.  You will be a stronger person for it.

–

This mix is a throwback for me.  The themes and moods in it are slightly autobiographical.  And yeah, I do hip-hop and downtempo music too.  What?  You didn’t know?!

This new mix is a bitter sweet salute to any of you who have gone the distance only to be destroyed in the end.

(Don’t worry.  If you are reading this, you’ve also displayed the personality of the Phoenix and you have been reborn from those ashes.)

By the way…

It’s almost time for the next Lust4Life which is also my birthday party, Scorpio Tryst.

Jackie O lights up the decks

And although there is sooo much to talk about Lust4Life Scorpio Tryst 8, I thought I first should drop this heat on you.  Jackie O will always be one of my favorite local (DC/B-more) talents.  Why?  It’s actually quite simple.  She’s easy to work with (read=no DJ drama), she always brings some sleeper music (read=she does her home work), and she has always shows up early to gigs (also read=no DJ drama AND mad fellow DJ/promoter respect).  On top of that, she always has 10 to 20 friends in tow.

Now that is what I call a class act.

Don’t forget she runs a hip-hop show at DC9 on Thursdays in DC as well as a few other re-occurring gigs around the DC area.  This mix is all dance floor heat though!

B-Side aka Bart, is back the Lust4Life fold. And he brought out his deepest A-game to kick off the Lust4Life relaunch.

He will be back this Friday with myself and guest Jackie O.

Check out his mix…

Remember, packing 200 people into a small room and sweating out the night? Remember the smallish corner bar that seem to always have the hottest music around? Remember saying to people that you never know who you were going to run into or what would happened at Lust4Life??

We have re-launched that intimate feeling, this time at Dionysus. The same party that had the luck to host such House music legends like John “Julius” Knight and the sublime like DC’s Jackie O–who by the way is returning to Lust4Life October 9–is regular again and stands poised to bring the same type of excitement, plus some, to the Mt Vernon area of Baltimore.

One of the other reasons why we are excited about Dionysus (8 E Preston St) is that it is so close to everywhere because of access to transit options. If you are already in Baltimore, there is the Downtown Circulator FREE bus service that can get you there from most of the inner-city neighborhoods, the light rail for those who might be farther out, and for those who are traveling from DC, Philly, or NYC, Penn Station. Never before has Lust4Life been so accessible.

And finally the top reasons is the music people we will be bringing through. We are aiming to top the talent we brought in before, yet, not forgetting our hometown peeps. In this vein the first show will be an all-Baltimore affair with guest DJ Calvin Garner.

See you Friday night, Sept 9 at Dionysus!

***
And here is a little bit of a L4L throwback…

]]> http://www.mgrooves.com/4groovers/2011/09/04/lust4life-re-launches/feed/ 0 Ashley M,B-Side,Calvin Garner,Cornflake,Dionysus,Elly D Funk,lust4life,mgrooves,Stylo Remember, packing 200 people into a small room and sweating out the night? Remember the smallish corner bar that seem to always have the hottest music around? Remember saying to people that you never know who you were going to run into or what would ha... Remember, packing 200 people into a small room and sweating out the night? Remember the smallish corner bar that seem to always have the hottest music around? Remember saying to people that you never know who you were going to run into or what would happened at Lust4Life?? We have re-launched that intimate feeling, this time at Dionysus. The same party that had the luck to host such House music legends like John "Julius" Knight and the sublime like DC's Jackie O--who by the way is returning to Lust4Life October 9--is regular again and stands poised to bring the same type of excitement, plus some, to the Mt Vernon area of Baltimore. One of the other reasons why we are excited about Dionysus (8 E Preston St) is that it is so close to everywhere because of access to transit options. If you are already in Baltimore, there is the Downtown Circulator FREE bus service that can get you there from most of the inner-city neighborhoods, the light rail for those who might be farther out, and for those who are traveling from DC, Philly, or NYC, Penn Station. Never before has Lust4Life been so accessible. And finally the top reasons is the music people we will be bringing through. We are aiming to top the talent we brought in before, yet, not forgetting our hometown peeps. In this vein the first show will be an all-Baltimore affair with guest DJ Calvin Garner. See you Friday night, Sept 9 at Dionysus! *** And here is a little bit of a L4L throwback... Stylo of mGrooves and ScandalDC no 3:29:04 http://www.mgrooves.com/4groovers/2011/08/24/the-boogie/ http://www.mgrooves.com/4groovers/2011/08/24/the-boogie/#comments Wed, 24 Aug 2011 04:52:53 +0000 stylo http://www.mgrooves.com/4groovers/?p=901

The Boogie of Riot Now and Stylo

It’s not often anymore that I get the chance to play strictly or predominately vinyl.  But owing to the fact that I had recently invited Riot Now to join me for a ScandalDC Thursday at Gazuza Lounge, it was hard to resist.

Riot Now (aka Davey) will wax poetic in a second over vinyl.  So why hate? We are not talking about a hot button topic but for those who have never learned the medium.

So here is a hot house set by Riot Now and I called, “The Boogie”.

“I’m all yours
Your all mine
We could be together
Until the end of time”

This is the common refrain in the House song from Copyright featuring Nuwella Love. And it makes it a perfect piece to anchor my mid-summer mix. Summer can be hot, sticky, and never ending. But this seems like a bad thing if good times and adventure are not being had at the same time.

Interestingly, I had the awesome privilege to visit the nation of Hungary this summer on my first trip to Europe. The city of Budapest was amazing and the wine growing region was awesome–the hellish train ride back to Budapest, not so much. But therein is my point; a little bit of bitter doesn’t have to override the overall taste of sweet. It is easy to forget this when in the middle of the bad stuff.

So in that vein, I hope you are having and will continue to have an awesome summer. And I hope that at the end of time, the good times are what stay with you…

LFG: End of Time (mix)
1. Lowride Remixes (Junia Ovadose High Ride Dub) Nick Maurer
2. Like That Pointfive
3. I Can Be With You (Original Mix) Steve Dare
4. Go Girl Mr. Patron
5. Go Girl Vs Beep Me 911 (Stylo’s Live Remix) Missy Elliott Feat. 702 & Magoo
6. Science (Original mix) Ministry Of Funk
7. Riff Raff (Original Mix) Joey Johnson
8. We No Speak Americano (Original Mix) Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP
9. Camino (Original Mix) Sandy Turnbull
10. Villa Trip – Villa Trip Marcelo Castelli
11. I’m All Yours (Main Mix) Copyright Feat. Nuwella Love
12. Without You (Extended Mix) Ghosts Of Venice feat. Errol Reid

Hanging out with family and friends is what it’s all about…

Track List:
1: Promise (to Love You Forever) (Ralf Gum Remix) Leroyal
2: Waiting (Yellow Tail Mix) Farah
3: Our Future Paul Mad & Vick Echo
4: afreeka (louis marr rhythm remix) el boogie
5: Crazy (Quentin Harris Remix) Black Coffee feat. Thiwe
6: Simply Yes (Fred Everything Remix) Shur-I-Kan feat. Alexander East
7: Crossed Chris Stylo
8: Find A Way Giano
9: Tongue Twisted 2010 (Ralph Session’s Twisted Main Mix) Lorie Caval & Doc Link v P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (Album Version) Michael Jackson
10: Silent Knight’s Mr. Patron