jonathan-daddys

Jonathan Toubin tells us about his "Top 10 Party Platters of 2016" (all 45s) ++ upcoming parties (Daddy's, V-Day & more)

jonathan-daddys

King of the 45, DJ extraordinaire Jonathan Toubin will be saying goodbye to soon-to-close Williamsburg bar Daddy’s (where he’s DJ’d many times) tonight (12/14) with what he’s calling his “Last Stand”:

Daddy’s is one of the spots where Jonathan Toubin and New York Night Train first got on track a decade ago! Over the years The New York Night Train has been the DJ for Election Night 2008, many of the bar’s annual anniversary blowouts, Thanksgivings, Cinco De Mayo’s, St. Patrick’s Days, and dozens and dozens of other unforgettable nights. After fifteen years of being thee neighborhood bar, the Cheers of underground rock’n’roll, and the city’s coolest watering hole, Daddy’s closes its doors forever at the end of the month. Join Toubin as goes home for one last shot and tries not to get too sentimental.

Jonathan will be DJing at Daddy’s from 10:30 – 4 AM and it’s free.

Other notable upcoming events: Jonathan holds his annual New York Night Train New Years Ball at Home Sweet Home with live performances from The Baby Shakes, The Ar-kaics and more TBA ($10 at the door). He’s also just announced that the annual Panache & NY Night Train Annual Valentines Day Village of Love will happen again at Music Hall of Williamsburg in 2017. No details beyond that yet, but it usually features a bevy of talented folks performing to benefit Planned Parenthood. He’s also got his weekly Friday parties at Home Sweet Home — all dates are listed below.

While Jonathan might be known for his keen crate-digging skills, unearthing rare and crucial vintage soul, R&B and rock and roll, he does keep up with the now sounds, too. He’s told his about his “Top 10 Party Platters of 2016” which are all new 45s. He’s got commentary on them all too which you can read below. And while Jonathan has all these on wax, you can stream them below as well.

Jonathan Toubin’s Top 10 Party Platters of 2016 (all 45s)

1. James Hunter Six “Baby Hold On” (Daptone)
After a number of solid releases, James Hunter Six takes it to a whole new level with an eight-track recording by Dapkings bass/Daptone boss Gabe Roth. Despite the weird, wild, harmonically sophisticated arrangement and super-stylized Kennedy era production, “Baby Hold On” comes across so unpretentious, soulful, and sincere – as Hunter’s soulful wail effortlessly glides across its elaborate architecture…

2. Nick Waterhouse “Old Place” (Innovative Leisure)
Like James Hunter, Nick Waterhouse’s distinctive work towers above the glut of “neo soul” acts he’s (reluctantly) lumped in with. From “Some Place” to “That Place” to “Old Place,” the hardest working man in showbiz has also been far more prolific as a writer, producer, and touring bandleader than the rest. This year’s “Never Twice” LP finds him scaling a new creative peak and this dance floor favorite hits hard, swings loose, and finds Nick Waterhouse finally having some fun…

3. King Khan “Never Hold On” (Khannibalism)
The only ballad on this list. If you’ve ever even thought of questioning King Khan’s talent as a singer, writer, and arranger, check out this orchestral minor-key masterpiece that wouldn’t be out of place on Curtis Mayfield’s “Superfly” soundtrack. And stick around ‘til the end where his soulful screams make the whole thing levitate. “Never Hold On” is from a set of four excellent socially conscious funk 45s from his majesty’s soundtrack to Prichard Smith’s excellent documentary about 1960s Memphis black militants “The Invaders.”

4. Mystery Lights “Follow Me Home” (Wick)
NYC’s most compelling rock’n’roll band finally dropped their debut LP. As you probably know by now, it sounds big and bold, is chock-full o’hits, and rocks with the kind of immediacy you’ve been missing in your music! This limited one-song flexi disc is a massive fuzz bomb intended to give you a hint of the glorious thunder contained within the full length.

5. Thee Commons “La Fiesta” (Steady Beat)
East L.A.’s self-described “psychedelic cumbia punks” finally capture the rhythm and fire of their live shows on wax for this year’s #1 most party-worthy single. “La Fiesta” recalls that magic mid-60s moment when Tex-Mex spiced up American rock’n’roll and Mexico said “gracias” by translating the Wooly Bullies en espanol! And the entire world united responding “Let’s not be L-7 and learn to dance”… Esta es la fiesta!

6. Green Bananas “The Ape”
Our dance party continues with a simian stomper from down under! The Green Bananas are one of the many excellent projects of musician, producer, and tinkerer Owen Penglis of Sydney’s stellar Straight Arrows. I’m not only a fan of Owen’s music but I also can’t get enough of his warm primal homemade production. In this case the perfectly distorted analog drum sound here is the star of the show! Do the ape!

7. Thee Jezebels “Mover and a Groover” (State)
My naive Yankee perspective romanticizes this rambunctious UK trio as a further exit on the speedy route that chronologically ties one of my favorite threads of British music culture – to the heavier r&b leaning beat bands to the rawer glam gangs to the faster pub rockers to the more rock’n’roll punks. But if the trio were from our side of the pond perhaps I’d simply say that this outfit rocks with the roll, attitude, and frenzy of a Pleasure Seekers for today’s ears. Thee Jezebels have changed their name to Thee Dagger Debs.

8. The Courettes “Boom! Dynamite!” (Bachelor)
Thee Childish approach is no coincidence ‘cause this huge platter is straight outta London’s legendary Toe Rag Studios and its engineer/producer Liam Watson. While Brazilian/Danish couple Flavia and Martin Couri’s new offering will remind you of a lot of the finest late 20th Century garage punk, the dynamics, velocity, and vigor propel “Boom! Dynamite!” way above the generics and over the fence and outta the park… You need both the speed and the screaming right now!

9. ‪Bloodshot Bill and Shannon Shaw “Honey Time” (Slovenly)
Holy guacamole! Thee clash of thee titans! This is what Jay-Z and Alicia Keys are to you! While Bloodshot Bill and Shannon and the Clams both gradually became global institutions because they are huge talents who approach sounds of the past with their own distinctive personal styles. Here Shaw’s versatile vox shows its ability to stick with the melody while sliding into a high but coarse rockabilly growl that sticks to the signature clamor of Bill’s runaway train. Our stars cross and form a 21st Century Mickey and Sylvia constellation on the B-Side “True.”

10. Ramones “Judy Is a Punk” (Norton)
While this is the only entry on this list that’s not new material, and it would be unfair to compare anybody on any list or any other to The Ramones, I’m sticking this one on at the end because both tracks have never seen the light of day before now! Red Star Records employee Miriam Linna went on to build Norton Records with her husband Billy Miller and along the way the dynamic duo bought Marty Thau’s 1975 Ramones demos and released the original recordings of “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” and “Judy Is A Punk” in 1997. This year Norton discovered two killer previously unknown versions of “Judy Is A Punk” hidden deep in the same master tape and cut them into both sides of a 45 for you. An unanticipated gift to all humanity!

Jonathan Toubin – Upcoming DJ events
– Wednesday, December 14 Brooklyn – Daddy’s: Jonathan Toubin’s Last Stand, 10:30pm – 4am FREE
– Friday, December 16 New York, NY – Home Sweet Home: Shakin’ All Over Under Sideways Down! w/Jonathan Toubin and Jon Spencer
– Friday, December 23 New York, NY – Home Sweet Home: Shakin’ All Over Under Sideways Down! with Josh Styles and Friends
– Friday, December 30 New York, NY – Home Sweet Home: Shakin’ All Over Under Sideways Down! w/Jonathan Toubin
– Saturday, December 31 New York, NY – Home Sweet Home: Annual New York Night Train New Years Ball with The Baby Shakes, The Ar-kaics and more TBA soon! And dancing with Jonathan Toubin, Josh Styles, Todd-O-Phonic Todd, and Reyes Rodriguez! $10! FREE MIDNIGHT CHAMPAGNE TOAST! and, as always,… UNMISSABLE!
– Tuesday, February 14 New York, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg: Panache & NY Night Train Annual Valentines Day Village of Love