Gilles Peterson

Pharoahe Monch came down to the Brownswood basement ahead of his sold out show at The Garage in Highbury a couple of weeks ago. We talked Hip Hop history, digging for records, sampling and his love of playing in the UK. It was fascinating to hear his stories of the early days of Organized Konfusion and Rawkus Records as well as the plans for his next album.

I avoided the really obvious hits that you can hear everywhere and went for my personal faves, and a solid dose of the music that went on to shape the unique sound of Earth Wind and Fire from his early years working with two great mentors to him, Ramsey Lewis and Charles Stepney. I got so much pleasure recording this – I hope you enjoy as much as I did!

Gilles was recently in Brazil to play at Boiler Room with the Sonzeira Reconstructed project, as well as working on the sophomore Sonzeira album. Whilst he was in Recife and Rio, Gilles found time to do some record shopping, and here are some of the highlights!

Gilles sits down with UK drum and bass pioneer Goldie, to talk about his life in music. Having been at the forefront of Drum and Bass for two decades, Goldie is back with new material. As well as the music that has helped him make his name, Goldie and Gilles discuss everything, from his breakbeat inspirations, telling the stories of his early days as a graffiti artist, through the history of Metalheadz to the current state of his scene.

Blue Note recording artist and jazz drummer Otis Brown iii swung by the Brownswood Basement back in May, and discussed his background including fellow New School graduates Bilal and Robert Glasper, and his links to legends like the most recorded drummer in history Bernard Purdie and Donald Byrd. Plus, Otis discusses his favourite drummers of all time, and the process behind his debut album from 2014, 'The Thought of You'.

Ahead of their live show at St Pancras Old Church, here's a chat I had with the two boys from LV, Will and Simon, discussing their beginnings, their D&B period, linking up with Keysound and Hyperdub, working with Joshua Idehen, Omkalumkoolkat, and the new project featuring Armenian pianist, Tigran Hamasyan. Ancient Mechanisms’ is the fourth album by globetrotting London production duo LV. It traces a train of thought that was sparked by a live session with Tigran Hamasyan back in 2012: two and a half years down the line and a trip to Belgium later, the finished record is as much about the workings of musical artefacts as it is about putting the virtuoso pianist into new contexts. lvlvlv.bandcamp.com/album/ancient-mechanisms dice.fm/lv-30th-oct-st-pancra…church-london-tickets TRACKLIST LV - Transition Ian Pooley - What's Your Number (Jazzanova Remix) Bad Company - The Nine Les Voleurs - Cabin Fever DJ Vadim - Got To Rock LV - Globetrotting LV & Joshua Idehen - Never Tired LV & Okmalumkoolkat - Boomslang Tigran Hamasyan & LV - Rain Shadow LV Ft Tigran Hamasyan - Jump & Reach LV - Carillon LV - Quick Return LV - Broken Moment LV - Dansaertstraat

As part of Worldwide Festival 2015, Wednesday was Japan Night, showcasing the best of Japanese talent and culture. Part of the program involved beat-makers Yosi Horikawa and Daisuke Tanabe exploring Sete and the surrounding areas, collecting field recordings to use as the backbone of a specially produced track, shaped by the locality. The amazing outcome was ‘Song For Remy’ which the premiered at the Theatre De La Mer before their performances, and so the next day Gilles swung by the guys’ apartment, to hear more about the track and how they enjoyed their experience. Tracklisting Yosi Horikawa – Wandering Daisake Tanabe – Kaidan Masayoshi Fujita – Deers Yosi Horikawa & Daisake Tanabe – Song For Remy

Last week Gilles had the legendary trumpet player and electronic music pioneer, Jon Hassell pass by the Brownswood Basement. Jon was a close collaborator with David Byrne and Brian Eno, famed for his 'fourth world' sound which in the 1970s and 80s was unique in merging third world tradition with first world technology. During a hour of words and music, Jon honestly and thought-provokingly discusses that Talking Heads period and some of the regrets he has from that time, as well as touching on his experiences working with German electronic music composer Stockhausen, his admiration for Gil Evans, and his developed thoughts on the north vs south/ mind vs body divide, which have significantly informed the way he creates his music and lives his life. His is an extraordinary story of learning, cultural discovery, and a resounding commitment to realising his unique creative vision. For a full tracklisting go to smarturl.it/5jmra6

Ahead of his forthcoming ‘Formats’ album, dropping May 18th on The Vinyl Factory, Trevor Jackson came by the Brownswood Basement for an in-depth chat with Gilles. A decade in the making, Trevor discusses how ‘Formats’ came about, his graphic design career, growing up as the London club scene emerged, his role in Output, releasing early Four Tet and LCD Soundsystem, right through to talking about the state of club-culture today, and some exciting future projects. Raze – Break 4 Love (Champion) Brotherhood – Alphabetical Response (Instrumental) (Bite It!) Hardnoise – Mice In the Presence of a Lion (Music of Life) Brotherhood – Clunk Click (Bite It!) Source Direct – Domina (Science) Julian Priester – Love Love (ECM) Pete Shelly – Witnes The Change (Dub) (Metal Dance) S-Express – Theme From S-Express Trevor Jackson – Reel 2 Reel (The Vinyl Factory) Trevor Jackson – They Came From New York (The Vinyl Factory) Trevor Jackson – Scuz (The Vinyl Factory) Four Tet – Glasshead (Output) Trevor Jackson – Icaro (The Vinyl Factory) Rapture – I Need Your Love (Playgroup Remix) (Output) LCD Soundsystem – Beat Connection (Output) Dub Syndicate – Over Board (On U Sound) Delta 5 – Mind Your Own Business (Rough Trade)