Dusty Crates

Earlier this week I recorded HouseWife, an exclusive hour-long mix and a short interview for today’s Brick City House (BCH) on ChicagoHouseFM.com. The online weekly show is run by none other than my girl Sista Stroke and it features mixes by DJ staples of the house scene worldwide. I’m extremely honored to be part of this set. Many thanks, girl!

Now, it’s no secret that some of my DJ roots go deep into house, so doing this mix was the perfect opportunity to go back to one of my first loves. So I dug thru a few of my favorite classics and added a dash of new house to come up with HouseWife, a mix I feel truly represents the house I get down to. It’s so house, it’ll make you wanna do your house chores! Here’s this Mami’s track listing:

“HouseWife” – Gracie Chavez (DIRB! 2009)

1. It’s Just Begun (Larry Levan remix) – Jimmy Castor Bunch
2. Last Night A DJ Saved My Life – Dcup’s Bootleg Remix
3. Enjoy Yourself – Soul Avengers
4. Stepping Out (Frankie J mix) – Candy Dealers
5. Why Don’t You – Gramophonedzie
6. Phat Mama (Sub Dub) – Troydon
7. Sweat of Your Brow – Jully Black
8. Hit the Ground – Mario Fabriani
9. Baby How Long (Johnny Fiasco remix) – Da Sunlounge
10. Bushes (Norman Cook remix) – Markus Nikolai
11. Fix My Sink – DJ Sneak
12. Hot City Bass – Hot City
13. Come On Girl – Magik J
14. Let You Go (Got The Funk Mix) (Da Fresh Remix) – The Freshmakers
15. Life is Changing – Cricco Castelli
16. Vision of Paradise – Bob Sinclair
17. Big Love – Pete Heller

After today’s live webcast at 1 p.m. CST (if you’re DIRB! in Texas), I’ll sideline I have sidelined the HouseWife mix here on DustyCrates’s Mixes. You can also catch the entire show, plus more, as a podcast at SistaStroke.Podmatic.com.

In short, BCH is all about those solid house tracks that make you wanna put your fist up in the air and say “Amen, Sista!” And you can’t hate on that!

Coincidentally, this BCH show is also a preview of what’s in store for this weekend.

Ladies of the Kitchen

Before she returns to Mr. Hun in London, Stroke is wrapping up her stay in Texas with a stop in Houston this Friday, December 4. The Kitchen Family has teamed up with renowned Les Femmes de la Nuit DJs Jessica Lozano, Candice Elliott and myself to support the all-female DJ event, Les Femmes de la Cuisine (Ladies of The Kitchen), at Avant Garden (411 Westheimer, 77006). The Kitchen Family — Drew, Pooks, Mr.Bristle, and Criminal V and Brad of the Lamborghini Crew–will play more delicious house, UKG and funky upstairs. There’s no cover for ladies all night.

So bundle up! It’s gonna be cold (and possibly snowy) outside, but it’ll be oh-so hott in The Kitchen with Les Femmes de la Cusine!

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve written here. What, maybe two weeks? Well, that’s way too long. Since then we experienced Oktoberfest in August, the start/end of a *ahem* new monthly (it had potential–just sayin), and the close of a high-flying venue (it went three months strong, yay! *applause*). Here’s the long-overdue recap:

Lasting longer than the requisite 16-day beer fest, Sista Stroke’s tour through Texas evidently still has some of us in an intoxicating honeymoon phase. The newlywed popped into the H for special “homecoming” performance at The Flat’s Sideways Tuesday with DJ Pooks & Drew and then played along with Eddie Spettro in her original hometown, San Antonio. Who knows how long she’ll be in the Lone Star State or if she’ll make another cameo behind the decks before jumping the pond back to London. But if you happen to somehow miss her Freaking Freely here, you can always tune into Mr. and Mrs. Hun’s Brick City House podcast sponsored by ChicagoHouseFM.com on Wednesdays.

Meanwhile, the DIRBY! came out of the starting gates at a slow trot. I’ll admit, we enjoyed the pageantry and newish spot; who cares if there wasn’t much participation–we still had fun. We did manage to declare a DIRBY! mustache winner at the end of the night. Thanks to TABC’s late entry, we thought G.Wizz had it in the bag until said agent and pahtnah swaggered in at 1:45 a.m. He won, hand(lebar)s down!

Speaking of going down, let’s all pause for a moment of silence for the untimely demise of the indirigible airship-themed venue. In it’s heyday it was a mecca for Rich’s over-spill; in its most recent short-lived rendering, it was a ragbag of music and misfits. And although it didn’t amass the notable acts and acclaim that Walter’s on Washington did, it goes to show that throngs of d-bags don’t always ruin it for everyone.

So now that we’re moving on, I should note that DIRB! Block Party is on an indefinite hiatus from Washington Ave. Last Saturday’s performance with Jessica Lozano at the Boo Williams show at Block was certainly memorable enough that I recorded our Les Femmes reunion. G.Wizz capped it off on the decks after 3 a.m. Click below for a listen.

On short notice, however, I’m closing out the HMNS Mixer & Elixirs summer series tonight before the lively Latin act Grupo Ka-Che takes over the Dino Exhibit Hall. It’s been a fun gig all summer long, thanks to the open-minded museum curators!

And tomorrow, Saturday, 8/29, Antonio & I are DIRH! (Doin It Real House) again at the swanky Zimm’s wine bar while LBO Takes 5. And heed this: no socks for shoes people! RSVP pronto on Facebook >>

Meanwhile, I’ve updated DustyCrates’ sideline events widget with upcoming event flyers. Peep it. iCal it. Twitter it.

And as promised, more music mixes:

DIRB! Live on KTRU (May 2009) (mp3)
Listen to the 3-hour long live mix with Squincy Jones, Gracie Chavez, Tonio, G.Wizz & Jep in it’s entirety.

Les Femmes Gracie Chavez & Jessica Lozano Live at Boo (August 2009) (Zshare)
Thanks to HMH’s Jep, I’m learning to record on the iKey-Audio. Here’s the raw, 3-hour live set from last Saturday.

Thanks for reading this extended DustyCrates Blog-a-thon of the Month. You’re now exempt from the pop quiz.

Click this link to become Stroke’s friend on PodOmatic:

http://www.podOmatic.com/path/friends/sistastroke?stp=reply

To Join the Brick City House group, please go to:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=88422800760&ref=ts

and sign up!

To join the Chicago House FM Family, please go to:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18811714104&ref=ts

Ya’ll show some love, for real!

Sista Stroke

UPDATE: Brick City House on www.chicagohouseFM.com actually starts next Wednesday, March 18. My bad–I was just buildin’ up the hype is all!

Sista Stroke has jumped the pond. Starting March 11 March 18, Stroke is taking from her Chicago roots and webcasting “Brick City House” live and direct from her new locale — London.

Webcast weekly at 1-3 p.m. (CST) via www.chicagohouseFM.com, the format is essentially house music but Stroke promises to dust off some house classics and sampled hip-hop and r&b tracks for good measure. So for two hours every Wednesday she’ll evoke more ’70s soul at the cusp of ’80s street with a b-girl element than we can shake a ‘fro at.

Now that’s mighty, mighty!

Also enjoy her latest EP and other releases…

Makin’ Moments EP (Stompy.com) plus more Stroke goodies

Sista Stroke just sent me her latest boot, Usher’s “Makin’ Moments.”

Apparently Nigerians were goin wild for Usher’s big ass ego at a recent show, but here at Dusty, we’re only strokin’ this Sista’s This Ain’t Remix!

Makin’ Moments (Sista’s This Ain’t Remix) – Usher (SS)

Sorry, folks. This hot little number got signed!

Many of you know that Sista Stroke has deep roots in Texas. Since leaving Houston in 2002, she’s made big strides and big tunes in Chicago. She’s released coveted whites and jackin’ tracks for Revolutionary Music, Rebel Crew, D’Lectable, Chi/Fi, Knockin’ Boots, DustTraxx, Hook-up Tunes, et. al.

My girl now calls Los Angeles home and she’s wasted no time in making herself comfortable there. More recently she was part of a podcast, “Sexual Toast,” with her Chicago mate funk/soul DJ S.

Here’s what he had to say about Stroke:

A truly inspiring lass in the Chicago house tradition, it’s our pleasure to give her a big smooch and welcome her to the studio for a solid mix that is sure to keep you movin’ wherever you at.
 
DJ S | Track Listing:

Ramsey Lewis – Sun Goddess
Joey Negro & The Sunburst Band – Journey Inward
Rondenion – Necessary One For Me
Joey Negro & The Sunburst Band – Fashion
Sylvester – Over and Over (Special 12″ Disco Mix)

Sista Stroke | Track Listing:

Karl The Voice – Music Makin Tool
Blackliquid feat. Sin-Q – Blame It
Scott Watson – Tight Summer
Lawnchair Generals – Imagine
Hustle & Flow – Step It Up
Eric Davenport & Smitty – Freak You
Natural Rhythm – Nacho Brass
Kinky Movement – State Of Mind

You can tune in or add the podcast mix to your iTunes here:

Sunstroke mix – DJ S and Sista Stroke

Sista Stroke also released a classic house mix for DJ Blackliquid’s radio show “L.A. Nights” called Put Some Grit In It (link includes a track listing, too). This mix soothed me and “I’ll Be There!” got me through some rough times this summer.

And as Stroke would put it, it’s sending you “nothin but love!”

Ditto, girl.

Download Put Some Grit In It. For more on Sista Stroke, visit her at SistaStroke.com.