Jailhouse Lawyers Mixtape - Mixed by DJ Ian Head

 

DJ Ian Head · Jailhouse Lawyers Mixtape

I really respect where DJ Ian Head is trying to go with his latest mixes. He is trying to use his craft of record knowledge (and mixing them together) to do something a little bit different, and say something. THIS IS WHAT ALL DJs SHOULD BE DOING! Push the boundaries and do something a little bit different. Highly Recommended.

Last month the latest edition of the Jailhouse Lawyer's Handbook was released by the Center for Constitutional Rights and the National Lawyer's Guild. Anyone in prison can write to either organization for a free copy, and family and friends can view and download copies at jailhouselaw.org. As part of the release, award-winning journalist and jailhouse lawyer Mumia Abu-Jamal recorded a segment on Prison Radio (prisonradio.org) regarding the critically important work of Jailhouse Lawyers. The Center for Constitutional Rights, where I work, also recorded a podcast featuring JLH co-editor and senior staff attorney Chinyere Ezie discussing the latest edition of the handbook. You can listen to that full podcast here: ccrjustice.org/activist-files

Also in the past month, the legend Brian Jackson released his new album with Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge on their label Jazz is Dead. It's an incredible piece of music and I recommend everyone purchase it! You can grab a copy here: thebrianjackson.bandcamp.com/album/bria…son-jid008

I decided it might be fun to throw together a quick mix of parts of Brian Jackson's new album beneath the important words of Mumia and my colleague Chinyere. It's a short mix, just around 15 minutes long, but hope everyone takes a moment to listen. Jailhouse Lawyer's are doing unbelievable legal and advocacy work from inside prison walls that is often unheard and unappreciated on the outside.

Many thanks to all who appear on this mix!

Summer Session #2 - Mixed by DJ Ian Head

DJ Ian Head · Summer Session #2

Laid back, instrumental mix; exquisitely blended together by DJ Ian Head to help you endure the summer heat. Highly Recommended.

Meant to have this together sooner, but you know how it goes. Second Summer Session mix is all beats with a laid back flavor, for the headphones or the ride. Tried to play a few things old and a couple new. Enjoy!

Pullin from the Stacks (Ep. 173) - DJ Ian Head

 

DJ Ian Head · Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 173

Short set of treats that have landed in the PO Box recently or popped up in the record store. Big shout to everyone tuning in! Leave a comment on iTunes / Apple Podcasts if you have a chance! Tracklist: The Silhouettes, Heads of the Family, Fried Chicken, The Gangsters, The Section, Gabor Szabo

Pullin from the Stacks (Episode 168) - DJ Ian head

 

DJ Ian Head · Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 168

Back after a short break with a short stack of high quality goodies! Strap the headphones on or roll the windows down and cool out to several records that touched down via US Postal in the past couple weeks. Don't let anyone tell you there's not great new music out there! Tracklist: Eje Thelin Group, Skymark, Vels Trio, Aver and Move78, Soul Surfers, Amanda Whiting, DJM Trio

DJ Ian Head Jazz 45s Mix for International Jazz Day - Mixed by DJ Ian Head

 

DJ Ian Head · Jazz 45s Mix for International Jazz Day

Since it's both International Jazz Day and #45Friday I figured I'd throw a mix of some jazz 45s together. This is completely rough and raw, I just grabbed a stack of 45s and did this in one take, just what felt good. Hope you enjoy.

Bernie Sanders Mixtape (2011) - Mixed by DJ Ian Head

 

DJ Ian Head · From the Archives: Bernie Sanders Mixtape (2011)

 I agree with my man DJ Ian Head; I'm not a fan of politicians. However, I am a fan of creative mixes. For that reason, this mix gets a post.

Ten years ago I made this mix in 2011 after Bernie made an eight-hour speech on the Senate floor. I'm not really a big fan of any politician but I remember at the time being impressed with Bernie taking it to the Democrats and Republicans for being elitist jerks and so I made this tape. Anyway, figured it was a good time to re-up.

Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 153 - DJ Ian Head

 

DJ Ian Head · Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 153

Back with a few more upbeat but smooth covers and selections this week! Thought folks would enjoy a few drum breaks, keyboards and smooth basslines. Much appreciation to everyone tuning in! Tracklist: Scott Grooves, Bobby Paunetto, Herbie Hancock, Alex Santos Orchestra, Joe Baer Magnant and the Ready, Soullive, The City

Pullin from the Stacks Ep. 147 - DJ Ian Head

 

DJ Ian Head · Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 147

 

DJ Ian Head is most definitely one of my pandemic MVPs for his jazz dissertations.

Laid back delights this time around. New and old selections. I hadn't pulled out this Norman Connors in a long minute. And I've probably played the Quiver in a couple sets over the years but that's because it remains one of my all-time favorites. Enjoy.

Tracklist: Norman Connors, Bobbi Humphrey, Azymuth, Le Deal, Cedar Walton, Quiver

Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 143 (Muse Records Selections) - DJ Ian Head

 

DJ Ian Head · Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 143 (Muse Records Selections)

Went into the crates to pull a few selections from the great jazz label Muse. Tried to stay away from some of the sample-favorites (no Walt Barr or Catalyst this time around). Instead, it's a journey into the a variety of styles and flavors, some creative and beautiful music made by a wide range of musicians in the 70s and early 80s. There's definitely another stack of records I wasn't able to include this round, so maybe a part two will be in the works for the future. Tracklist: Dom Um Romao, Pat Martino, Cedar Walton, Joe Chambers, Mark Murphy, Deodato and Joao Donato, Eric Kloss Release date: 14 October 2020

ABOLISHtrumentals - Mixed by DJ Ian Head

 

DJ Ian Head · ABOLISHtrumentals

Going to bet that even if you don't agree with the views expressed in this mix; you'll still enjoy the mix. Highly Recommended.

After Breonna Taylor again saw no justice this past week, I felt compelled to break from Pullin from the Stacks and put together something about abolition - abolition of the police, of prisons, of the systems of repression operating throughout this country. Took a few days but here is a mix in the vein of my "Zinnstrumentals" tapes, featuring some interview excerpts of brilliant people talking abolition over a blend of hip-hop instrumentals from the crates. I urge everyone to take a listen, especially if you're not sure about abolition yourself. And I also urge everyone listen to the full interviews and recordings, which I've linked to below. Thanks so much to all the amazing people pushing for abolition and social change right now. Interviews used (in no order): Andrea Ritchie and Derecka Purnell: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eii5WqeOHlA Ruth Wilson Gilmore on Democracy Now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HWqYANmWLY&t=226s Angela Davis on Democracy Now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ebWFnGWOaA&t=54s Marc Lamont Hill and others at Riverside Church: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCCJt2pLP_s Peter Murkuria on Prison Radio: www.prisonradio.org/media/audio/pet…0-peter-mukuria Mumia Abu-Jamal on Prison Radio: www.prisonradio.org/audio-listings Walidah Imarisha on the Activist Files podcast: Activist-files-center-for-constitutional-rights – Episode-11-walidah-imarisha-and-gabriel-teodros-talk-science-fiction-as-social-justice-strategy

Pullin from the Stacks: Episode 140 (Tribute to Brother Jack McDuff) - DJ Ian Head

 

DJ Ian Head · Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 140 (Tribute to Brother Jack McDuff)

Trying to do some more thematic episodes and tributes, and so this week I put together a little tribute to the great Brother Jack McDuff (RIP), who was born September 17th, 1926. I tried to mix different styles of his from my little collection, but keep it funky. So many of these records I bought many years ago, it was good to go back and re-listen. Hope you enjoy!

Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 136 - DJ Ian Head

DJ Ian Head · Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 136

Can't tell you how much of my quarantine time has been spent listening to the Pullin from the Stacks podcasts.

My podcast schedule has been a bit off with the upcoming move, but here's a new episode - this time around it's all digital jazz selections, some newish things found on Bandcamp recently. So much good new music out there, you just gotta do a little searching for it. Perusing Bandcamp and other platforms isn't the same things as digging up old records, but it is a whole new universe of music to navigate where cool stuff can be found. Anyway, enjoy.

Tracklist: The Expansions, Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange, Redline Trio, Ashley Henry, Ze Bigode Orquestra, SLOW GOLD, Mekbuda, Nate Maslowski

A Random Mix of Hip-Hop Vinyl I'm getting Rid of Because I'm Moving - Mixed By DJ Ian Head

DJ Ian Head · a random mix of hip-hop vinyl I'm getting rid of because I'm moving

Sorry to hear that blog favorite, DJ Ian Head has to deal with the arduous task of packing-up and moving his home studio for the second time within the year.  On the brighter side; Ian Head's move brings us a dope mix of random hip hop records he discovered while packing-up his record collection. Best of luck to all L.A. heads finding these gems in the used bin at Amoeba.

Pullin from the Stacks Episode 135 (Dedicated to Black Artists Who Inspire, Educate & Shaped Me) - DJ Ian Head

DJ Ian Head · Pullin from the Stacks Episode 135 (Dedicated to Black Artists Who Inspire, Educate & Shaped Me)

Had to take a break from the podcast this past month - there's so many more important things happening now that deserved, and continue to deserve, everyone's focus. As I come back to the records, I want to make clear a few things for all the listeners of this podcast and my mixes, if it wasn't clear before: BLACK LIVES MATTER - and have ALWAYS mattered - to me, and I am forever in debt to the role that Black people, and Black art, music, and culture have played in my life. As a white DJ playing majority Black music, I have never felt I could sit back and somehow separate music from the people, politics and issues contained within. In fact, my attraction to hip-hop music was much in part because of the political and social education I received from the Black people creating it.

And as a white person, I am a guest and a visitor in many places and spaces, and I will never know what it means to be Black or be able to understand the full power or meaning behind much of the music I play. That doesn't mean Black music and art hasn't had profound effects on who I am and my music and politics. The records that I collect and play have furthered my dedication to fighting white supremacy on all levels - individual to systematic - which includes being self-critical and hearing criticism from others in how I might perpetuate white supremacy in my own work or music. I FULLY support the ongoing efforts to ABOLISH POLICE AND PRISONS, as well as calls for REPARATIONS for Black people. If you are white and you listen to my podcasts, and you don't understand why I stand for these things, or have questions, I recommend checking out m4bl.org (Movement for Black Lives) for more information, and also feel free to reach out. I'd rather build on anti-racism and anti-white supremacy with folks who are open than immediately shun anyone. If you don't want to build and are white and just think the records I play are "cool" or "ethnic" or "raer" then, generally, fuck you.

BLACK LIVES MATTER. This should be plainly evident, especially to us DJs and record nerds, but unfortunately that's not always true.

This episode contains music from several records created by Black artists that had incredibly important impacts on who I am as a DJ and person.

TRACKLIST:
Ramsey Lewis - "Opus #5"
Charles Mingus - "Haitian Fight Song"
Alice Coltrane - "Stopover Bombay"
Curtis Mayfield - "I Plan to Stay a Believer"
Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles - "Spirit in the Dark (Live at Fillmore West)"
John Coltrane - "Trane's Slo Blues"
Eric B. and Rakim - "In the Ghetto (Drums-only Mix)"
Jungle Brothers - "Beeds on a String"
Blackalicious - "Lyric Fathom"
Digable Planets - "May 4th Movement"
Boogie Down Productions - "Ya Slippin"
A Tribe Called Quest - "Excursions"

Pullin from the Stacks (Bonus Episode) - Sunday Jazz Stacks - DJ Ian Head

More so than anything else, Jazz has been getting me through this pandemic. Thank you to Ian Head for putting me up on so many great names.

Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 129 - DJ Ian Head

Another excellent stack of jazzy cool-out.

Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 119 (Recent Finds) - DJ Ian Head

All sorts of cool-out to start your week.

Back with a short and crunchy set this week, almost all 45s I've grabbed in the last month or so, plus a few other treats.
Tracklist: Pipp, Willie West, The So On's, Fysah & the Get Down Underground, University of Miami Concert Jazz Band, 44th Street Portable Flower Factory, Lee Dorsey, E. Rodney Jones & Larry & the Hippies Band

Pullin from the Stacks Ep. 117 - DJ Ian Head

Highly Recommended selections if you're a jazz head (and who in the world isn't?).

Pullin from the Stacks - Episode 114 (A Short Set) - DJ Ian Head

This mix made my morning, and I hope it does the same to yours.  Sympathies to DJ Ian Head on the eve of his move.  Most crate diggers are not body builders, but moving our crates sure forces us to be.

Latest episode as I begin packing up my crates for an upcoming move.
Tracklist: Roy Ayers, Abase, Spirit, Sammy Nestico, Chaffey College Jazz Ensemble

Pullin from the Stacks Ep. 113 (New Jazz and Things) - DJ Ian Head

Back this week with a selection of records from the past few years, mostly out of the bubbling European jazz scene that just keeps producing incredible artists and records, and in addition a little slice of hometown gospel from Portland's Liz Vice. So much good music coming out right now it's hard to keep up! Hope you enjoy.