I was born in the suburbs of Paris in 1982 and I am not ashamed to say that the very first time I heard about Cameo was in the lyrics of IAM’s “Je Danse Le Mia” (1994)
I later bought my first Cameo album title “Cardiac Arrest” released in 1977 and discovered the Brand Nubian sampled track “Rigor Mortis” but also because of the one used in the French movie “La Haine”, it was the “Funk Funk” piece. It didn’t take me much more to start diving deeper in the complete history of the group formed in New York in the 70’s by Larry Blackmon and accompanied by Thomas Jenkins, Charlie Singleton, Anthony Lockett et Aaron Mills. The simple but efficient recipe would last until the end of the 80’s: heavy sweaty funk with bass slaps, power brass and drums and of course Larry Blackmon’s instantly recognizable voice. “Aaaoooooohhh”.
This tribute mix to Cameo retraces the history of the group but also of their productions and guest appearances which were so huge in the early 80’s. In the image of the Music Is My Sanctuary website, I voluntarily kept their 3 biggest radio hits (“World Up”, “Candy” and “She’s Strange”) out of the mix and went for a selection of deeper cuts you might not now about… or simply forgot.
Je suis né en 1982 en banlieue parisienne et je n’ai pas honte de dire que j’ai pour la première fois entendu parlé de Cameo dans les paroles du morceaux “Je danse le Mia” (IAM – 1994) :
“Dès qu’ils passaient
Cameo, Midnight Star,
SOS Band, Delegation ou Shalamar,
Tout le monde se levait
Des cercles se formaient
Des concours de danse
Un peu partout s’improvisaient”
J’ai par la suite acheté mon premier album de Cameo, “Cardiac Arrest”, sorti en 1977, à Romento Le Jazz, un de mes mentors en ce qui concerne le Funk dédié au danseurs. j’y ai découvert à l’intérieur un sample de Brand Nubian avec le morceau “Rigor Mortis” mais surtout un extrait de la Bande Original du Film “La Haine” avec le morceau “Funk Funk”. Il ne m’en allait pas plus pour apprécier à sa juste valeur ce groupe formé à New York City au milieu des années 70’s par Larry Blackmon et accompagné entre autre par Thomas Jenkins, Charlie Singleton, Anthony Lockett et Aaron Mills, La recette, simple mais efficace, durera jusqu’à la fin des années 80’s avec brio : du gros Funk mellant bass slappée, cuivres chaloupés, batterie puissante et une voix particulière mais reconnaissable parmi toutes de Larry Blackmon “Aaaoooooohhh”.
Ce mix dédié à Cameo retrace l’aventure d’un groupe mais aussi de leur productions et apparitions annexes qui furent particulièrement appréciées au début des années 80’s à Paris. A l’image du site “Music is my Sanctuary” je n’ai volontairement pas mis leurs 3 tubes des 80’s à savoir “World Up”, “Candy” et “She’s Stange” et fait le choix d’une sélection pointue à classer dans les “Forgotten Treasures”.
Big Up aux Parisiens OG Funk DJ’s et Danseurs qui m’ont introduit dans ce son : Romento Le Jazz, JP Mano, Somy King, Samad, DJ Chabin, Denis de Croco Disc, Mojo, DJ LC, Lord Funk, le Collectif Pass Pass, sans oublier DJ Pharoah, Mad Mats, Perry Louis et Deb Joy !!!
Psycut (Jazz Attitudes / 22tracks)
T R A C K L I S T
01 – East Coast – I Found you (1973, Group feat Larry Blackmon and Gwen Guthrie)
02 – Cameo – Funk Funk (1977, 12inch Version)
03 – Cameo – Post Mortem (1977, from “Cardiac Arrest” LP)
04 – Cameo – Rigor Mortis (1977, 12inch Version)
05 – Cameo – C on the Funk (1977, from “Whe know we are” LP)
06 – Cameo – Ugly Ego (1978, from “Ugly Ego” LP)
07 – Cameo – I Just want to be (1979, from “Secret Omen” LP)
08 – Cameo – Energy (1979, from “Secret Omen” LP)
09 – Cameo – Shake your Pants (1980, 12inch Version)
10 – Cameo – Cameosis (1980, from “Cameosis” LP)
11 – Cameo – Throw it Down (1980, from “Feel Me” LP)
12 – Cameo – On the One (1980, 12inch Version)
13 – Cameo – Roller Skates (1980, from “Feel Me” LP)
14 – Cameo – Flirt (1982, from “Alligator Woman” LP)
15 – The Reddings – In my Pants (1985, 12inch Remix Version, Produced by Larry Blackmon)
16 – Ca$hflow – Party Freak (1986, 12inch Latin Rascal Edit, Produced by Larry Blackmon)
17 – Mantra – Do You Wanna (1981, from “Mantra” LP, produced by Anthony Lockett and Larry Blackmon)
18 – Mantra – Doin’ it to the Bone (1981, 12inch Version, produced by Anthony Lockett and Larry Blackmon)
19 – Charles Earland – Earland’s Jam (1982, from “Earland’s Jam” LP, Produced by Cameo)
20 – MCB – Do it up (1983, from “MCB” Lp, with Aaron Mills)
21 – Mantra – Action (1981, 12inch Version, produced by Anthony Lockett and Larry Blackmon)
22 – LA. Connection – Burn Me Up (1982, 12inch Version, Produced and bacon Vocal by Larry Blackmon)
23 – Wynd Chymes – Stylin’, Smilin’ and Profilin’ (1982, 12inch Version, Produced by Anthony Lockett)
24 – MCB – Can’t Fight the Feeling (1983, from “MCB” Lp, with Aaron Mills)
25 – Cameo – Style (1983, 12inch Version)
26 – Mantra – Here We Come (1981, from “Mantra” LP, produced by Anthony Lockett and Larry Blackmon)
27 – Cameo – It’s Serious (1977, 12inch Version)
28 – Cameo – The Sound Table (1981, 12inch Version)
29 – Cameo – Is this the Way (1980, from “Feel Me” LP)
30 – Cameo – Skin I’m In (1988, 12inch Version)
31 – DJ Cam feat Cameo – Love Junkee (2002, from “Soulshine” LP)
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