MIDWAY
mellow steppers + mid-tempo soul
MIXED by PROOF

Chicago’s got so much soul. From the warm-hearted people, the comfort food, to it’s rich musical history rooted in gospel, blues, and jazz… Soul runs deep in the Windy C. Just turn on the radio when you’re there, and you’re guaranteed to hear Marvin, Luther, or Anita at any given moment. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Chicago on the regular, and no trip would be complete without a stop at my favorite shop in the South Side, Mr. Peabody Records. I’d spend hours searching for rare boogie and obscure disco tracks on wax, which Mr. Peabody’s was known for. Mark Grusane, one of the owners, would play records for me while I shopped, and after awhile, he started picking up on what I was digging. On a recent trip, Mark was playing a smooth, buttery track, with infectious vocals that just hit me. I asked “Yo, what’s this?” He said, “Oh, you want steppers?” Steppers, or 2-Step soul, are mellow, mid-tempo groovers perfect for steppin’, a mid-70′s dance phenomenon that blew up in Chicago… Mark was playing “My Love Don’t Come Easy” by Jean Carn, a classic stepper, and I’ve been on that tip ever since.

MIDWAY is my latest mix that dips into the stepper sound — modern soul, R&B, and smooth grooves. It’s a collection of mellow steppers and mid-tempo soul inspired by Chicago. Step to classics by Jeffree, Starvue, Mtume, Archie Bell & The Drells, and Breakwater… Then glide to modern cuts by The Sunburst Band, Xscape, Martine Girault, and Erykah Badu. Selections include records I picked up at Mr. Peabody Records along with favorites played at SWEATER FUNK, San Francisco’s infamous all-vinyl boogie and modern soul party. MIDWAY was compiled and mixed together with love, letting each song to play out a little longer so you can get into the groove.

Limited Edition MIDWAY CD's available. Individually packaged + letter pressed with love in San Francisco. $10 plus s+h. Contact: proof[@]massiveselector.com to order.