It was two years ago that Gilles Peterson visited Cuba for the first time on a reconnaissance mission to check out the new generation of Havana-based artists. Suitably impressed, he was back within the year for a 5-day session at the legendary Egrem Studios with Roberto Fonseca and his superb band. Revelling in his role as executive producer, it was a hot, sweaty, intense session but a fruitful one nonetheless.
Brownswood Recordings released those tracks on an album entitled “Gilles Peterson presents Havana Cultura: New Cuba Sound”, and with GP living as much in the electronic/dance scene as in the jazz world, the decision to commission remixes of these session tracks was an easy one. Consolidating the numerous parts was by no means as straightforward, nor indeed was settling on our preferred remixers to coax the spirit of the Egrem session into the club. In the end, they settled on a squad of big-hitting producers that they trusted to do justice to the original jams: the likes of Louie Vega, MJ Cole, 4hero, Carl Cox, Rainer Trüby, Gotan Project’s Philippe Cohen Solal, Seiji, Michel Cleis and Mocky. All veterans of the Worldwide underground and all equipped with the skills and experience to flip Havana Cultura onto a another level. And of course, in order to maximise the Cuban flavour, DJ Wichy and Doble Filo got cut loose on their favourites from the album, with awesome results.
CD02 in the Havana Cultura Remixed package boasts a bonus DJ mix courtesy of Gilles himself that neatly weaves together the disparate threads that make up a typical Peterson DJ set. Be on the look out for the Havana Cultura Remixed album which will be out June 7th.
Havana Cultura Remixed Podcast with Gilles Peterson by Brownswood
:: Tracklist ::
1. Roforofo Fight (Louie Vega Remix)
2. Chekere Son (Alex Patchwork Remix)
3. Rezando (Michel Cleis Remix)
4. La Revolucion del Cuerpo (Skinner’s Owiney Sigoma Mix)
5. Afrodisia (Rainer Trueby Remix)
6. Lagrimas de Soledad (No Existen Palabras) (d’Wala Riddimix)
7. Think Twice (4hero Remix feat. Danay & Carina)
