The Night Shift

Hello, all!

Ah, the Ohio Players.

The funk; the album covers…!  Where did guys store their albums after they taped the album covers to their walls?

Shortly after Cupid’s Hunt, I promised some Class of ‘75 mixes to celebrate those friends and classmates, lost and found.  I hadn’t forgotten; I guess I needed a trigger.

Earlier today, I heard “Fire” on the radio, and remembered those evenings in Woody’s car with Woody, Joel and Patty, riding to Buxton’s after picking me up from work; and the parties, dj’d by Todd, where people just weren’t sure when to stop dancing to “Running From the Devil”.  Then, I started thinking about all the other good music we danced, studied, slept and parked to that year.  I loved those artists; I loved that music.  It’s still background noise when I work; it’s still my lullabyes.

Hello, Linden; hello Roselle; hello, Rahway.  I know Gold Bell Bakery is long gone; but, is Buxton’s still around?

Hello, All!

It has been awhile.

Cupid’s Hunt was like giving birth…and I was tired!  I’m still listening to all the wonderful music posted for the event; and surfing from site to site listening to podcasts posted since then.  I’ve also moved The Night Shift to a web host to allow more growth and flexibility.  The move was not without bumps in the road; I had to create a new domain and continue to use the original domain to host the large mp3 files.  There’s no need  to dismantle the old domain for now.

The needle has landed!  Gone are the days when I haunted the Radio Shacks for parts.  Now, there is actually a TurntabeNeedles.com, and other sites that offer parts I can use to repair old changers I’ve refused to discard.  I can’t wait to bust some vinyl, though.

But, in the meantime, shout-outs and prayers for some March birthdays; for those who have left us and for those who grace us still; and especially for the birthday girls featured in what is my first ‘Girl Power’ mix.

• March 1     Harry Belafonte
• March 4     Miriam Makeba
• March 9     Bow Wow; Chingy
• March 10   Timbaland
• March 11   Marlon Jackson; LeToya Luckett; Bobby McFerrin
• March 14   Quincy Jones; Les Brown
• March 15   Will.i.am; Sly Stone
• March 16   Flavor Flav
• March 17   Nat “King” Cole
• March 18   Queen Latifah; Irene Cara; Wilson Pickett
• March 22   Stephanie Mills; George Benson
• March 23   Chaka Khan
• March 24   Mase
• March 25   Aretha Franklin
• March 26   Teddy Pendergrass
• March 30   Norah Jones; M.C. Hammer
• March 31   Herb Alpert

March Birthday Girls

Song – Artist – Album [Time]

1. Do You Love What You Feel – Rufus – The Very Best of Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan [4:30]
2. Ain’t Nobody (Album Version) – Chaka Khan – Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan [4:40]
3. Papillon (AKA Hot Butterfly) (Album Version) – Chaka Khan – Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan [4:10]
4. I Feel For You – Chaka Khan – Epiphany: The Vest of Chaka Khan [5:46]
5. Swing Down Chariot – Rufus – Rags to Rufus [4:24]
6. Pata Pata –Miriam Makeba – Pata Pata [2:57]
7. Think – Aretha Franklin – The Very Best of Aretha Franklin [2:19]
8. Son of a Preacher Man – Aretha Franklin – A Natural Woman and Other Hits [3:17]
9. Spanish Harlem – Aretha Franklin – Spanish Harlem [3:35]
10. Bridge Over Troubled Water – Aretha Franklin – A Natural Woman and Other Hits [5:33]
11. Border Song (Holy Moses) – Aretha Franklin – Spanish Harlem [3:22]
12. Fly Girl (LP Version) – Queen Latifah – Nature of a Sista’ [4:02]
13. U.N.I.T.Y. – Queen Latifah – Black Reign [4:11]
14. Big, Blond and Beautiful – Queen Latifah – Hairspray – Soundtrack [2:35]
15. Hit It Again – Luther Vandross/Queen Latifah – Dance With My Father [4:37]
16. Here We Go Again (feat. Norah Jones) – Ray Charles – Genius Love Company [3:59]
17. I Feel Good All Over – Stephanie Mills – Ultimate Collection [5:02]
18. Home  – Stephanie Mills – Ultimate Collection [3:35]
19. I Know Where I’ve Been – Queen Latifah – Hairspray – Soundtrack [4:13]

I also would like to thank the members of the Music Podcast Consortium and all the Cupid’s Hunt contributors for inspiring me.  I was a child in your playground, and you pushed my swing.

Thanks, and enjoy!

I’m Every Woman Birthday Party – Chaka Khan, March 23 by JBethune

Hot Fun in the Springtime Birthday Party – Sly Stone, March 15 by JBethune

Happy Birthday to Sly Stone .  We miss him; and, he’s still around.  This is also dedicated to my brother.  It’s the hot summer of ‘69…he and his friends are in the cool basement listening to Sly records…I’m sitting at the top of the stairs (they can’t see me)…