My next featured blog is the fantastic Mixtape Maestro.

The Maestro is responsible for my newfound love for one, Ms. Wynter Gordon. I'll scream it from the high heavens (as much as 2 of my coworkers simply cannot bear to hear me pound it into their heads anymore) but I am such a huge fan of her work and I owe it all to the Maestro.

The accompanying sister blog to Mixtape Maestro is Mixtape Maestro Presents: 90's R&B Junkie...which fills my cravings for those Keith Sweat jams I've been so desiring.


1. What made you want to start a music blog/when did you start your blog?
Obviously, I’ve always been a big music fan, and since I’ve loved to write since I was a wee one, the idea of morphing the two seemed to be the most ideal profession for me. After getting a Certificate in Journalism through Portland Community College, I opted on taking a break before pursing a four-year degree elsewhere. In the meanwhile, I began contributing to a couple webzines (TheNoyse.com, Chocolate Magazine) with the idea of beefing up my portfolio.

Soon after I discovered blogging, and quickly realized that starting my own could establish the kind of exposure (and instantaneous feedback) I yearned for. Mixtape Maestro (which I began in February of 2007) was basically my attempt at emulating the type of music review commentary I obsessed over growing up, where different types of artists and genres (whether insanely popular or criminally unknown) were covered equally. 90’s R&B Junkie came about a couple months later. A bit inspired by Rock Me Tonight, which covered every #1 R&B single from the ‘80’s, I decided to focus on the decade I cherished the most. Not only did the project re-acquaint me (and others, it seems) with past forgotten favorites, it also provided the type of niche music writing that would better serve in distinguishing myself within the crowded blog-o-verse.


2. What are your top 5 favorite songs of all time?
This is possibly the worst question to ask a music nerd like me, cause when it’s all done and printed, I’ll want to slap myself for forgetting something. Nonetheless, off the top of my head, here are five favorites:

The Beatles “Yesterday”
I love pop music (both as it’s own guilty pleasure genre, and of the notion that it stands for popular music), so I have to give credit due to one of the best pop songs ever written by the best pop act that ever did it. I’ll be the first to admit how blatantly corny McCartney is (and how painfully predictable this choice is), but the things he could do with the most simplest melodies just leaves me misty-eyed.

Sly & The Family Stone “Hot Fun In The Summertime”/“Family Affair”
Can’t pick between the two!!. It’s a shame that more artists today aren’t as imaginative as Sylvester. Both of these tunes stand as stunning aural masterpieces in my opinion.

Weezer “Island In The Sun”
Another expert display of pop simplicity. I’d loved to be a fly on the wall and just watch Rivers Cuomo create in the studio.

De La Soul featuring A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah and Monie Love “Buddy (Native Tongue Decision Version)”
The definitive hip hop posse cut in my eyes. Hate to sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but music was so fun back then.

Earth, Wind & Fire “Let’s Groove”
The musical equivalent to the type of universe I would create if I was God. Nothing beats this song’s sweeping, all-encompassing R&B/pop/funk/disco soundscape.


3. What is your ideal band formation…can be anyone alive or dead, from any genre. Must include at least a lead singer, lead guitar, bass guitar and drummer. (Bonus points for backup singers/keyboardists. keytarists/etc….)
I had to sit on this for awhile, and in the end it may seem like a giant mess, but this is what I came up with:

Lead singers: Randy Crawford (a truly underrated voice) and Freddie Mercury
Lead rappers: Andre 3000 and Lauryn Hill
Lead guitarist: Slash
Bass guitar: Larry Graham (of Sly & The Family Stone)
Drummer: ?uestlove (of The Roots)
Percussion: Shelia E
Keyboards: Ray Manzarek (of The Doors)
Horns: The Dap-Kings’ horn section
Background vocalists: En Vogue, Luther Vandross and Patrick Stump (don’t hate on the man’s chops!!)
Producers: Brian Eno, Sly Stone, Rick Rubin and Timbaland


4. Any other blogs, music or non-music related, that you recommend going to on a regular basis?
I miss the now-defunct Stylus Magazine, especially their Singles Jukebox section (a major Mixtape Maestro influence). Ummm.....Pretty Much Amazing is one I check out daily, also the AllMusic Blog, Fluxblog, Critical Acclaim, fourfour and of course Ali’s Blog (who I’m happy made a triumphant comeback after that stressing Mariah Carey ordeal). Can I Have A Word has emerged as a recent favorite, thanks to Net buddy Ken Cheng’s engaging accounts of trying to break in Hollywood as a writer. I think the best bet is to just peep out Hype Machine; I’ve discovered so many cool blogs (and great music I wouldn’t have otherwise known about) through it.


5. Any guilty pleasure songs that you might not readily admit to liking?
Say what you want about the Spice Girls, but those women made some really great pop songs (Stop is a secret favorite of mine). While I find Jordin Sparks a bit irrelevant and Chris Brown’s voice can be annoying, I have taken a liking to their duet, No Air. I’m also privately digging Taylor Swift’s Teardrops On My Guitar, Jonas Brothers’ When You Look Me In The Eyes, Ingrid Michaelson’s The Way I Am (damn commercials sticking songs in my head!) and Flo Rida’s Elevator (that humongous hook I can’t get enough of).


6. Who’s next?
I like Estelle’s flexibility as an artist. She’s like a less overstated version of Lauryn Hill and that’s appealing to me for some reason.

With the right producer, this LA band I recently came across named Casxio (think Talking Heads meets Cameo) could really be something big!!

Shwayze offer up a nice blend of pop/rap and Cali-rock.

One to really watch: this Canadian kid named Colin Munroe. His take on Kanye West’s Flashing Lights got heavy airplay on my iPod in recent months.

Special thanks go out to this bloggod for participating. Direct your browsers to Mixtape Maestro and 90's R&B Junkie every day!