Paris DJs Soundstem presents Malcolm Catto & The Heliocentrics
(MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) T.I.M.E.C., 2008-11-30

Maybe you've never heard of Malcolm Catto or his band The Heliocentrics... and maybe you did. Anyway since Malcolm Catto is one of the best funk drummers in the world today and since he'll be playing in Paris at the next Stone Throw Party on December 6th, the Paris DJs Soundsystem has decided to cook up a special mix about the man, completed with a full story and discography. It's the New Deep Psyched Heavy Fuzz Hip Ethio Thing!

I had the chance to meet Malcolm Catto right before a Quantic Soul Orchestra show in Paris last year. I was proud to tell him that I loved the MRR-ADM limited edition 10 inch on which he was featured, a rare and expensive EP I had bought a few days earlier. The man was really nice and humble, I didn't get into the whole "I got your Mo' Wax records, your Stones Throw stuff, your Jazzman releases and your DJ Shadow collabs" thing, I didn't even start with "You stole DJ Shadow's show with your 10mn live drums thing on his tour (for The Private Press album)". I left him to the pre-gig concentration thing he was getting into... The QSO show was mind-blowing and Malcolm banged and funked like hell!
I thought at the time that we should do a Malcolm Catto special on ParisDJs.com. There aren't that many drummers that I trust to blow your mind (and the place) up everytime with incredible skills: Jon Fishman (Phish), Stanton Moore (Galactic), Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin & Wood) and Malcolm Catto are the first one of the current generation I can think of!

After a few seven inches with Sharon Jackson and The Soul Destroyers, at the beginning of the century, in 2001 Malcolm Catto started releasing some solo stuff on the famous Mo' Wax label. It was already all about the heavy funky drums, psyched-out guitars and tripping keyboards - which Trip Hop headz couldn't really appreciate at the time...
Things started really happening in 2003, with recordings for Egon (Stones Throw's honcho) solo album ("Curse of The Evil Badger"), for Madlib's Blue Note project ("Shades of Blue") and jazz collective (Sound Directions "Skyscrapers"), and the first 12 inch with The Keystones ("Selections From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Blood's Haul"). In 2004 Malcolm appeared on DJ Shadow's DVD ("Live! In Tune And On Time") and on the Connie Price & The Keystones album ("Wildflowers"). In 2005 he was to be found on the new Sound Directions compilation/album produced by Madlib ("The Funky Side Of Life") and started working with the Poet of Rhythm guys, recording some deep folk-funk as Das Goldenes Zeitalter. They were then backing a incredible new jazz/folk female singer called Bajka - but that's a story for another mix - which is already cooked so stay tuned!...

In 2006 Malcolm Catto launched with his long-time collaborator Mike Burnham the Heliocentrics project, with a rare 45 on Jazzman Records ("Winter Song/Dance Of The Dogon") and appearances on the new DJ Shadow album ("The Outsider"). The next year saw Malcolm Catto playing on 3 tracks from Quantic Soul Orchestra's second album ("Tropidelico") and on the tour which followed. You don't know what you should regret if you missed this show... But 2007 is also essential is our story, with the release of The Heliocentrics' album, "Out There". No one could give this one a more proper name. Singles followed, with featurings from hi-grade rappers (Doom, Percee P, Guilty Simpson), but that's more marketing to get to the b-boys rather than the real thing IMHO.

2008 is another big year in Malcolm Catto and The Heliocentrics' book. An appearance on the limited and obscure 10 inch from MRR-ADM (formerly known as MHE, notably on Sound & Vision records) was perfect for maintaining the buzz. Playing on Mr Chop's heavily psychedelic new releases on Jazz&Milk ("Sounds From The Cave") and Now-Again ("Lightworlds") helps too. But playing with Mulatu Astatke at Cargo in London last April - now that's what I call a performance! A collaboration is supposed to be planned for release in February 2009 on Strut Records.... We'll publish info on this as soon as possible. Also on the news tip, Mr. Melvin Van Peebles had just finished a ten minute opus with the Heliocentrics to be released on their forthcoming "Sirius B" EP on Now-Again.

Hoping that all the jazz & funk heads following us on ParisDJs.com will appreciate this mix of Sun Ra-inspired out-there Jazz, Hip-Hop, Deep Funk, Psychedelic Rock, Electronics and more HEAVY TRIPPIN' FUNK!!....

Djouls (T.I.M.E.C./PARIS DJS)

PS (1) I forgot to mention that Malcolm is a funk 45 addict, and helped research & compile the "Spiritual Jazz", "Texas Funk", "Carolina Funk", "Midwest Funk", "The World Rarest Funk 45s Vol.1" & "The World Rarest Funk 45s Vol.2" compilations on Jazzman Records!!!
PS (2) I don't know if it's either 'Malcom' or 'Malcolm' - both names have appeared on record covers...


[comment faire?/how to?]

Tracklisting :
01. DJ Shadow - This Time I'm Gonna DUB It My Way feat. The Heliocentrics
(from 'This Time (I'm Gonna Try It My Way)' single, 2006 / Island)
02. DJ Shadow - Skullfuckery feat. The Heliocentrics
(from 'This Outsider' album, 2006 / Island)
03. The Heliocentrics - Before I Die
(from 'Before I Die' 12 inch, 2007 / Now-Again)
04. Mr Chop - The Red Baron feat. Malcolm Catto & Mike Burnham (The Heliocentrics)
(from 'Sounds From The Cave' EP, 2008 / Jazz&Milk)
05. Connie Price & The Keystones - Fuzz and Them
(from 'Wildflowers' album, 2004 / Now-Again)
06. The Quantic Soul Orchestra - Melodious Wayfarer
(from 'Tropidélico' album, 2007 / Tru Thoughts)
07. The Heliocentrics - Distant Star (Strange Version) feat. DOOM and Percee P
(from 'Distant Star' 12 inch, 2008 / Now-Again)
08. Malcom Catto - Eastern Excursion
(from 'Popcorn Bubble Fish' album, 2001 / Mo' Wax)
09. MRR-ADM - 012 feat. Malcolm Catto
(from 'Platinum' 10 inch, 2008 / self-released)
10. The Herbaliser - Can't Help This Feeling (The Heliocentrics Remix)
(from 'Can't Help This Feeling' 12 inch, 2008 /!K7)
11. Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics - Yègellé Tezeta (Live)
(from 'Live At Cargo, London, 17 April 2008')
12. The Heliocentrics - Return Journey
(from 'Out There' album, 2007 / Now-Again)

Original record covers :


Credits :
Selected and mixed by Grant Phabao & Djouls from the Paris DJs Soundsystem (parisdjs.com)
Artwork by Djouls (djouls.com)
Audio mastering by Grant Phabao (grantphabao.com)