Very excited to have my Trinidad James x Mark Ronson remix featured in this insane new mixtape from Spotify’s very own Will Page. The mix has been 1st in the Funk chart, 1st in the Disco chart and 2nd in the Hip Hop chart for several weeks, and was featured recently on Mixcloud’s blog. Press play below and head over to Mixcloud for an exclusive look at how it all came together.
What is the story behind your latest mix special “Downtown Funk 2016”?
Will Page: I wanted to get behind what made the success of the 2015 hit Uptown Funk so unique, as it seamlessly took music from a past generation to a whole new audience. Artists like the Johnson Brothers, The Time and Deodato – who I’ve worked with for years – were influencing on the biggest global hit of last year, yet many of the fans of Uptown Funk would be largely unaware of their repertoire.
How did you approach assembling the ‘runners and riders’ of this year’s mix?
WP: I needed to do something special with Uptown Funk, and getting Nashville based Amerigo Gazaway to remix Trinidad James vocal over the beat crushed it as he’s the only artist to get credited on the original record. From their I built out with the roots like ‘So Ruff, So Tuff’, as well dropping ‘Night Cruiser’, as I learned that this was an anthem for DJ Chris Hill who pioneered the funk scene in the UK long before my time.
Uptown Funk created a lot of debate about the ethics of sampling, what’s your take?
WP: Firstly, I was fortunate to work with producer Chris Read from Who Sampled, as their perspective on the emotive issue of sampling really gives me clarity. Secondly, Mark Ronson TED talk ‘How Sampling Transformed Music’ where he stressed sampling is ‘about inserting yourself into the narrative while pushing that story forward’. I share that stance, and simply focus on getting music across without crossing over.
Read the full interview here
