LONDON, UK (www.ethermusic.net) - "Talkin Loud and Saying Something" or "Dingwalls" as it was more commonly known was the session that shaped a generation, in sound, style and attitude - its influence spread far and wide. It was the counterpoint to the rave generation's acid revolution, taking that same spirit and optimism and applying it to a very different music. It became the touchstone for everything that followed in it's wake, acquiring near legendary status, tempting folk to later claim that "I was there" whether they were or not. It was inspirational, revolutionary, celebrator and radical. It was a family, it was a congregation. It was our Paradise Garage." - Patrick Forge, August 2006
Celebrating 20 years since the now legendary "Talkin' Loud" Sunday Sessions first commenced at Camden, UK club Dingwalls, Ether Music is proud to present the definitive tribute CD collection "Sunday Afternoon At Dingwalls."
Running each Sunday from lunchtime until 6.30pm Dingwalls featured a live act almost every week. During the first hour or so Patrick Forge played less obvious music, spiritual jazz, mellow vibes, modal tunes, stuff that strayed from the obvious 500mph fusion and Latin bangers that the dancers traditionally loved. Different groups of dancers preferred different styles so it was important to mix up the rhythms, and contrast the mad percussive work-outs with more melodic material, mixing rhythmic and harmonic intensity.
Then the band would come on. For some this may have been the highlight of the afternoon, but whenever a live act failed to ignite the atmosphere it was obvious that for the majority, it was the records that really mattered. However some of those live shows were unforgettable: The JB's, Roy Ayers, Dave Valentin, Poncho Sanchez, the eternally hip Mark Murphy, the mighty Mongo Santamaria to name some of the U.S based artists who performed at the party. Then there was the acid jazz generation of home grown talent, The Brand New Heavies, Galliano, JTQ, et al. Dingwalls also brought about the renaissance of British jazz-funk pioneers Incognito, and it provided a platform to a generation of U.K. jazz talent, Courtney Pine, Cleveland Watkiss, Ed Jones, Orphy Robinson and many more.
Gilles Peterson would follow the band, often building his set from a whisper to a scream, starting with a record so subtle or minimal it seemed more designed to clear the floor than build the vibe, but it worked, allowing the drinkers to get to the bar and the dancers to set the tone for what would follow on the floor. What did follow was musically adventurous, diverse in style and tempo, and more often than not totally inspired. Gilles gave his all to those sessions and the crowd loved him for it. He was brave, dropping hip-hop and house tunes which upset the purists, but he was on a mission to present this music in a new way. Gilles could make an old Latin tune sound like the most relevant, modern thing you'd ever heard just by the way he dropped it; he had a great way of blending and making the unexpected work. The session would always wind down into a more soulful vibe, it's one thing to leave a crowd wanting more, to leave them smiling and wanting more because they've just shared a few special tunes with some wicked people, that was Gilles at Dingwalls. At the end everyone would roll out of there happy, delirious, sweaty, and intoxicated, in love with the music.
The last ever session on a Sunday afternoon at Dingwalls produced a queue that snaked from inside the market to half-way down the high street. Incognito provided the finale with Jocelyn Brown singing "Always There" and bringing the house down, setting the vibe for a session that maintained a fever pitch of emotional intensity until the last bars of "Family Affair" faded into eternity. "Sunday Afternoon At Dingwalls" is a CD collection filled with the music that inspired this "Talkin' Loud" generation.
