I wanted to do something to celebrate Jose Padilla’s birthday, since his sets, and legendary mixtapes, have been such an education, and source of inspiration. I have long, long lists of records that Jose played, kindly provided largely by his close friend, and fellow Cafe del Mar DJ, Phil Mison, but also with serious additional input from the community of experts and aficionados that populated the DJHistory forum back in the 2000s. This list, though, sadly, is not endless.

I’ve put together a fair few Jose tribute mixes in the past – something like 15 to 20 hours worth – but a look at my notes showed that I still had around 30 tunes, once selected by Señor Padilla, left. Enough for a couple of last hurrahs. I suppose this might sound like a scraping of the barrel, but oh, what a barrel to be scraped. There ain’t no filler here, just gems that I either simply didn’t know about last year*, or previously couldn’t squeeze in. Much of this music is lifted from Jose’s online mixes, or later comps, those that followed his disputes with React and Cafe del Mar: 

Tones On Tails’ haunting post-punk synth pop. Richard Norris channeling Fleetwood Mac, to remix Midlife’s Roscoe. There are reworks of tracks from Jose’s own International Feel LP, So Many Colours – Bubbleclub’s Orb-like, dubby, downtempo, flotation tank, techno take on Solito, and I:Cube’s cute castanet clicking Casiotone reprise of Lollipop. Bubbleclub’s smashing Smokebelch-esque Goddess is also present, and Mr. Cube crops up again, as Chateau Flight. IFeel founder, Mark Barrott’s Baby Come Home is a cool, quirky Balearic Blue Peter theme.

Analog Roland Orchestra serve up some retro `60s / `70s cinematic electronics, and there are classic soundtracks from John Williams (The Deerhunter), Vladimir Cosma (Diva), and Bill Conti (his “Summer Madness” referencing B-Boy break, Reflections, from Rocky).  

There’s jazz, in the romantic ballideering of Chet Baker, on Blue Note (before mobsters broke his teeth), and a funkier jewel from Donald Byrd. Italian percussionist Toni Espositio shows off his poppier side. Lena Conquest introduces some consciousness. Barry White, a bad ass groove. 

I’m Not Afraid Of You is a magnificent moody moment from Carmel’s The Falling. Quiet Village craftily carve up The Chilites. Balanescu Quartet brilliantly cover Kraftwerk. Baden Powell and Azymuth bring Brazilian beauties. There’s a come on from Dylan, DJ Shadow in dub, Silent Poet’s stylish, serene shot of trip hop, and, finally, Mercury Rev’s heartbreaking Holes. Man, I had to make that fit.

“How does that old song go?”  

*There’s always more digging to be done. 

I planned to post this on Monday, December 4th, on Jose’s actual birthday, but Shane MacGowan’s passing stopped everything for me at the weekend. Saturday and Sunday were spent drinking and listening to Shane’s music, scribbling, and then, sober, deciphering, wanting to also pay tribute to the fallen Pogues’ frontman.

Track-lists:
Bill Conti / Reflections
Lena Conquest / Boundaries
Donald Byrd / Dominoes
Toni Esposito / Danza Dell Acqua
Baden Powell / Deixa
Azymuth / Seems Like This
Love Unlimited Orchestra / Midnight Groove
DJ Shadow / This Time
Bubble Club / Goddess
Jose Padilla / Lollipop (I:Cube Remix)
Balancescu Quartet / The Model
Chateau Flight / 1973
Mark Barrott / Baby Come Home

Tones On Tail / Lions
Midlake / Roscoe (Beyond The Wizards Sleeve Re-Animation)
Jose Padilla / Solito (Bubble Club Remix)
Analog Roland Orchestra / 1984
Vladimir Cosma / Sentimental Walk
Chet Baker / I’ve Never Been In Love Before
Carmel / I’m Not Afraid Of You
Quiet Village / Victoria’s Secret
Bob Dylan / Lay Lady Lay
DJ Shadow / This Time (Dub)
Silent Poets / Meaning In The Tone
John Williams / Cavatina
Mercury Rev / Holes

References:
https://www.discogs.com/master/336199-José-Padilla-Café-Solo-2
https://www.discogs.com/release/7090286-José-Padilla-Ibiza-Sundowner-Presented-By-José-Padilla
https://www.discogs.com/master/8775-José-Padilla-Bella-Musica
https://www.discogs.com/release/4737231-José-Padilla-Bella-Musica-5
https://www.discogs.com/release/3887462-José-Padilla-Bella-Musica-4
https://www.discogs.com/release/3125822-José-Padilla-Bella-Musica-Vol-6
https://www.discogs.com/master/1074462-José-Padilla-Blue-Note-Beach-Classics-Presented-By-José-Padilla
https://www.discogs.com/release/7295538-José-Padilla-Marinis-On-57-Sunset-Hours-Vol-One
https://www.discogs.com/release/1172680-José-Padilla-Bella-Musica-2
https://www.discogs.com/release/3084342-Jose-Padilla-Ibiza-Classic-Sunset