Gimme A Break: 70s Breakbeats & Future Samples

This is Volume 7 in an (initially) projected 10 Volume series "conceived and compiled with love by Ian Dewhirst". The stated aim of the collection being to "offer some of the best music in the world from some of the greatest independent labels over the past 50 years..(using)...only the full 12" or album versions". This is a sentiment previously expressed by Dewhirst in his previous role as conceiver and compiler of the 'Original Mastercuts' collection - a series that provided a musical education in quality black music. Since the demise of the 'Original Series' Dewhirst has continued his engaging in the issuing of quality driven music compilations, always displaying the light touch expertise and willingness to guide, in a manner that is never patronising.

For this edition Dewhirst takes a look at the phenomenom of 'breaks', a recycling and transformative process that Hip Hop History credits to Jamaican born DJ Kool Herc. In a well known narrative, Herc noticed that those dancing to his records at parties responded particularly well to the largely percussive sections of records drawn from 70s Funk and beyond (hence the term 'B-Boys' and 'B-Girls'). Taking such records, and concentrating on repeating the 'break' section (in an effort to sustain the propusive effect) Herc initiated a process that, coupled with vocal interjections drawing from an established oral tradition, would lead to the birth of Hip Hop. And whilst Herc's techinque would be adjudged as lacking finesse (it would of course be developed and expanded into the art of 'turntabalism' by Grandmaster Flash et al), all credit rests with Herc as being the foundation upon which a defining cultural experience from the later part of the 20th Century rests.

Obviously the original DJs had to scour record stores and search through dusty crates for new pieces of music to use, but life is far easier in 2010 as a vistor to Amazon can search for numerous compilations featuring records used as samples or breaks in popular songs, across a range of genres. The process is entirely evolving, helped by ever cheaper technology and ease of access to back catalogue. So whilst some music fans will recognise elements contributing to Ice T's 'Lethal Weapon', Beyonce's 'Crazy In Love', Kind 'N' Play's 'Last Night', Eric B & Rakim's 'Microphone Fiend', JVC Force's 'Strong Island' and Mantronix's 'Who Is It?', the possibilities and inspiration are endless.

So do you buy?

Arguably, and most importantly, one has to remember that a break might constitute anything from the use of a looped 2 second drum break to the wholesale lifting of an introductory or mid-section musical loop, which often bear little immediate resemblance to the record from which they have been taken. So whilst a 'break' might be funky, propulsive and provocative, the rest of the record might often lack those qualities. Thankfully, on this occasion, most of the records can stand as musical statements when considered as a whole (Freda Payne's 'Unhooked Generation', Vaughn Mason & Crew's 'Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll' and Al Green's 'I'm Glad You're Mine' for example). The collection does not pretend to offer a selection of definitive breaks (such as The Incredible Bongo Band's 'Apache') but Dewhirst has managed to present an interesting collection of records that await new contexts, new uses, new ears, and all for an incredibly reasonable sum. As he writes in the liner notes, "Many artists who thought their old recordings would be buried in obscurity have been nicely surprised to see them suddenly becoming popular some 30 years after they were recorded....long may they continue!"

For the price, and for the quality, this is good value, being a very solid 8/10 collection. Once again Dewhirst and the Demon Music Group are to be congratulated in presenting quality tangible product at an outstanding price.

Buy before deletion!

I got a few collections of breaks from the early 80's. I thought this one lacked energy, and a few of the songs are not-that-good covers.