In 1959, Max Roach went to the Five Spot jazz club to take in a performance by the Ornette Coleman Quartet and became so incensed by what he heard that he followed Coleman backstage and punched him in the mouth. As if the physical assault weren’t a strong enough display of disapproval, Roach later stood outside Coleman’s apartment building at 4:00 AM, yelling, “I know you’re up there, motherfucker! Come down here and I’ll kick your ass!”
This is one of my favorite jazz legends, because it demonstrates that even the most innovative players, like Roach or Dizzy Gillespie — who said of Coleman, “I don’t know what he’s playing, but it’s not jazz” — can be caught off guard by the avant-garde. It also speaks to the passion with which great artists are willing to stand up for their traditions and to the idea that these same traditions can be and often are best carried on by those most willing to break from them.
Take Slauson Malone for example. It’s not hard to imagine one of rap’s elder statesmen hearing his 1 tape and remarking, “I don’t know what he’s making, but it’s not hip-hop,” which is of course exactly what makes it feel so alive with hip-hop, house, funk, rock, jazz, and all the shattered conventions vital to their existence. It’s almost an afterthought, but one worth mentioning, that Malone’s real name is Jasper Marsalis, because his music thrives on its own terms, both apart from and as a part of his family’s musical tradition.
Here then, as perhaps the perfect counterpoint to Tiny Mix Tapes’ Favorite 50 Songs of 2016 (and really to all year-end lists in general), is Slauson Malone’s casually ambitious Guest Mix titled peace, drugs, jesus, love, hate, and solitude, including blended bits of a whopping 38 tracks, all of which Slauson readily admits “do something that I wish I could.”
Stream below, and subscribe to our podcast here.
[0:00] Alice Coltrane - The Sun (Bonus Track)
[0:09] Ornette Coleman - Peace
[1:06] Death - Dannis On The Motor City Drums
[1:44] Art Ensemble of Chicago - Immm
[2:25] The Watts Prophets - Taste
[4:31] Death - Freakin Out
[4:31] James Brown - King Heroin
[8:26] Robert Johnson - Drunk Hearted Man
[9:39] Ada Richards - I’m Drunk & I’m Real High (In The Spirit of God)
[10:24] Robert Vanderbilt & the Fountain Of Souls - A Message Especially From God
[12:36] Flying Eagles Gospel Singers - Can’t Run This Race Alone
[15:39] Bad Brains - I Luv I Jah
[17:16] Tommy Wright III - caught you slippin
[17:26] Isaiah Rashad - Free Lunch
[18:37] Snoopzilla & Dam Funk - 1Question
[19:35] Kenrick Lamar - u
[19:57] Trevor Dandy - Is There Any Love
[23:35] Red Dog - Kickin’ Pimpin’
[26:24] The Lost Generation - Sly, Slick And The Wicked
[29:22] Son Little - Lay Dow
[30:58] Bilal - Holding It Back ft. Kimbra
[33:50] Cam’ron - O.T. (Skit)
[34:07] Stefan Ringer - Can’t Stop
[34:55] Mall Grab - Drive
[35:41] The Dream Team - Stamina
[36:53] Henry Wu - Don’t Want The Regular
[38:42] One Way - Music
[41:21] Firebolts - Everybody Party (Kon 12” Re-Edit)
[43:25] Stephen Encinas - Disco Illusion
[45:41] Monomono - Tire Loma Da Nigbehin
[47:37] Universal Togetherness Band - Taken By Love
[51:46] Death Grips - You might think he loves you for your money but i know what he really loves you for it’s your brand new leopard pill box hat
[52:46] Bad Brains - Suptertouch/Shift
[52:47] Arca - Entrañas
[53:20] Kanye West - Fade
[54:34] Alice Coltrane - Atomic Peace
[54:50] Flying Lotus - German Haircut
[56:12] Duke Ellington - Solitude
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