To celebrate this year's #DillaDay I went through my favorite songs flipped by J Dilla.
The result is a 2-hour selection of jazz, fusion, brazilian and soul tunes.
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Tracklist:
Don Pullen - Healing Force
Classic piano sample flipped on Illa J's "Timeless".
Minnie Ripperton - Inside My Love
Joe Sample's classic Fender Rhodes break was already made famous by ATCQ's "Lyrics to Go". Dilla sampled it on his remix of Slum Village's "Look of Love".
Thad Jones & Mel Lewis - Quiet Lady
Another Fender Rhodes sample already known to the public via Pete Rock's "Smooth Sailing". Sampled for "On the 1" included in "Vol. 2: Vintage"
Todd Rundgren - There Are No Words
Sampled in "Track 23" - later included in 2015's "Dillatronic". For a long time I thought it was James playing keys.
Perigeo - Via Beato Angelico
Even though I already knew this tune I wouldn't recognize it when I first heard J Dilla's "In Space" from "The New Slave". To me it's one of his most intelligent flips.
Yutaka - Evening Star
Sampled on "I'm so glad you're dorothy" included on "The New Slave". Such an incredible tune.
Pharoah Sanders - Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt
The bass line and the tambourine were used in "Flowers".
Joe Sample - Black Is the Color
Dilla sampled the final seconds of this fine tune on "Sunbeams".
Gary Burton & Chick Corea - Radio
Another sample used in "Vol. 2: Vintage", this time on "Circus".
Rodney Jones - When You Feel The Love
Smooth composition by guitarist Rodney Jones from his 1981 omonymous album.
Dave Grusin - The Colorado Trail
Dilla flipped this Rhodes piano solo tune on at least a couple of songs: his remix of D'Angelo "Me & Those Dreaming Eyes Of Mine" (also included on "Vol. 2: Vintage" as "Dreamy") as well as on a beat later used by Illa J's "DFTF".
Stanley Cowell - Maimoun
Another example of Dilla's unique ability in flipping piano samples.
Keno Duke - Some Other Time
Just another obscure jazz flute track used by Jay Dee for T-Love's "When You're Older".
Jackie & Roy - Deus Brasileiro
The intro was sampled for "Doo Doo" and later for Dwight Trible's "Antiquity". Also covered by Robert Glasper as well as Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and Carlos Nino.
Stan Getz & Luiz Bonfa - Saudade Vem Correndo
One of Dilla's classic flips: The Pharcyde's "Runnin'".
Ahmad Jamal - The Awakening
Already discovered and sampled by Shadez of Brooklyn for "Change", and flipped by Jay Dee on "Ahmad Impresses Me". We all agree Ahmad is impressive.
Craig Hundley Trio - It Was A Very Good Year
The chorus provides the main melody on "Flowers".
Dexter Wansel - First Light of the Morning
Another monster composition by Mr. Wansel.
Patrice Rushen - Remind Me
Possibly my favorite song by Ms. Rushen. I was pleasantly surprised when hearing the intro on Slum Village's "5 Ela (Remix)".
Dionne Warwick - You're Gonna Need Me
We should all pay thanks to James for bringing this gem to our attention by featuring it (can we still call it a sample?) on his final "Donuts" album.
The Isley Brothers - Don't Say Goodnight (It's Time For Love) (Parts 1 & 2)
On of the most touching and intimate flips, it appears twice on "So Far To Go" and "Bye".
Flip Nunez - See You Later
Sweet Rhodes and guitar cut which for me paved the way to lofi hip hop sampling.
George Duke - Love
Taken from his progressive-fusion-soul 1974 album "Feel", sampled on the posthumous "Here We Go Again".
Joe Pass - Daquilo Que Eu Sei
Possibly my favorite Dilla cut ever. Flipped on "Earl". I've been waking up to this tune for years.
Barney Kessel - On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Another Dilla flip which imho paved the way to lofi hip hop.
The Singers Unlimited - Clair
Flipped on Slum Village's "Players". I love how he turned "Clair" into "Players".
Dorothy Ashby - Django
Sampled for The Pharcyde's classic "Drop", and if you can't recognize it that's yet another proof of Dilla's genius on the MPC.
The Robert DeCormier Singers -- Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
An obscure country song flipped on an obscure beat from 2002, and later reused for Jaylib's remix of Quasimoto's "Hydrant Game".
Special EFX - High Society
Flipped on "Track 16" included in "Another Batch" (1998)
Stereolab - Come and Play in the Milky Night
Or how to turn an indie rock song into Busta Rhymes' classic "Show Me What You Got".
Miles Davis - Blue in Green
"Life".