Artist of the Day: Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician

Unorthodox producer/rapper Fat Jon is not only the beat-maker for the underground hip-hop collective Five Deez but a member of the 3582 crew and a solo artist with a string of albums that flirt with electronica, downtempo, and dub sounds. Sometimes credited as Fat Jon the Ample Soul Physician, Jon started out as a rapper in his native Cincinnati. There weren't many beat-makers on the local scene, so Jon learned how to make his own, working with a set of analog equipment that fit perfectly with his old school-loving, throwback style. As time went on, he became more forward-looking, but the analog equipment stuck around, creating a unique style that was both familiar and strange. Around 2000 his two crews began making waves in the underground rap community, and soon artists like Rakim, Talib Kweli, and Black Star were hiring Fat Jon for his dynamic production style.

A year later he struck out on his own with Humanoid Erotica, a laid-back, lounge-ish full-length credited to "Fat Jon as Maurice Galactica." The moody, mellow collection Wave Motion appeared in 2003, and a year later he began working with Stefan Betke, better known as Pole. Now based in Berlin, Fat Jon added his rhymes to Pole's 2003 self-titled release, a hip-hop-flavored album from a project that had been strictly icy cold and dub previously. Even if Pole's loyal fan base saw the jump in genres as heresy, the album introduced Fat Jon to a whole new audience. Now armed with computers and plenty of digital gear to go with his analog, Jon put his production hat back on for 2004's Lightweight Heavy, a breakthrough release that benefited from the attention he received with Pole. The year 2006 was extremely busy, with a new Five Deez album (Kommunicator), an instrumental album (Afterthought), and a collaboration with the indie electronic outfit Styrofoam (The Same Channel) all being released (Jeffries, 2010). 

You can listen to Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Fat+Jon+the+Ample+Soul+Physician

http://www.last.fm/music/Fat+Jon



Released Albums:
Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician - Humanoid Erotica
Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician - Hundred Eight Stars
Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician - Afterthought
Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician - Lightweight Heavy
Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician - Wave Motion
Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician - Stasis Ep
Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician - Dyslexic Ep
Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician - The Same Channel with Styrofoam
Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician - Repaint Tomorrow
Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician - Departure (Samurai Champloo Soundtrack)
Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician - Impression (Samurai Champloo Soundtrack)

Reference:
Jeffries, D. (2010). Fat Jon. All Music. Retrieved from
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:f9fixq90ldae~T1

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Artist of the Day: Nujabes

Nujabes (Noo-Jah-Bess). His alias was simply his penname "sebajun" spelled backwards. Nujabes was also owner of the Shibuya record stores, T Records and Guinness Records and founder of the independent label Hydeout Productions.

In addition to Japanese artists like Uyama Hiroto, Shing02 and Minmi, Nujabes collaborated with underground American hip-hop acts CYNE, Cise Starr (as a solo apart from the hiphop collective CYNE), Apani B, Five Deez, Substantial, CL Smooth, Terry Callier, as well as British rapper Funky DL. He was also a member of the production duo Urbanforest, an experimental collaboration with Nao T.

Nujabes was one of the most prolific contributors to the background music and soundtracks of Samurai Champloo, an anime which blends a feudal Japan setting with modern anachronisms, especially in regards to hip hop culture.

Another distinguishing feature of Nujabes' sound is Jun Seba's incorporation of Jazz samples in his tunes. Nujabes especially samples jazz in his song "The Final View" on his album Metaphorical Music. The Jazz Standard "Love Theme From Spartacus" by Pianist Bill Evans, as played by Saxophonist Yusef Lateef, is sampled over "The Final View." Nujabes incorporates Lateef's head melody on soprano, cuts of his solos, and background piano comping in his piece.

On February 26, 2010, Jun Seba was involved in a traffic accident upon exiting the Shuto Expressway late at night. He died at a hospital in Shibuya Ward after failed efforts to revive him. He was 36 years old. There was a private burial with only family in attendance. Hydeout Productions has stated that Nujabes has left behind tracks, which they plan to release in the near future (Artistopia, 2010).

May you rest in peace, Nujabes.

You can listen to Nujabes' music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Nujabes



Released Albums:
Nujabes - Modal Soul
Nujabes - Metaphorical Music 
Nujabes - Impression (Samurai Champloo Soundtrack)
Nujabes - Departure  (Samurai Champloo Soundtrack)

Reference:
(2010). Nujabes. Artistopia. Retrieved from http://www.artistopia.com/nujabes

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