Backbreakers presents: Spence Sax & Wax pa. @ Tantric Lounge, Toronto

[roller]

We broke your backs with the breaks of Hyper, Freq Nasty, Rennie Pilgrem, Slim, 10 Sui, Klaus Hill, and even the legendary Dj Rectangle, to name a few. Now we return from the underground once more to bring you...
NEXT LEVEL BREAKS




Saturday November 26th, 2005
Tantric Lounge - 422 Adelaide St. W.

featuring:




ANDREW SPENCE aka Slim
TCR, Pure Phunk, www.spencemusic.com, Vancouver

Mixing breaks with wicked scratch technique is second nature to Spence. Now gaining momentum as a producer and saxophonist, Spence is blowing up across multiple genres. Signed to Toronto’s Purephunk Recordings, his release “Hyperion” is making waves on the international breaks scene. As a member of Vancouver’s hottest afro-funk band, Five Alarm Funk, Spence sharpens his horn skills by playing sold out shows all around BC. In a special set for the Backbreakers, he will bust out the sax once again and prove why he is rapidly becoming a certifiable triple threat in the modern music scene.

Spence's skills on the Technics have gained him undeniable respect as one of Canada's top Breakbeat DJs. Now with emerging prowess as a producer and saxophonist. Andrew Spence was born on June 10, 1974 in New Westminster BC, Canada. He took piano lessons until the age of 13 then switched his focus to the saxophone. Showing natural musical ability, he excelled on the horn and earned awards at national levels for his soloing. In 1988, young Spence picked up his first set of decks and began spinning hip-hop and R&B at house and hall parties. After high school, he drifted away from the saxophone and sold his decks and wax. The silence didn't last long as Drew found himself hanging around in Vancouver's underground electronic music scene. 1994 rolled around and he was back spinning, only now he was blending up rude electronic rhythms, most notably Breakbeats. In a short time he was playing around Vancouver's warehouse circuit as DJ Slim, a name that fit his slender physique and freestyle mixing technique. Slim
quickly became a staple in the electronic music underground by amazing party-goers across Canada and the western U.S. with his deep mixes and furious scratching. For obvious reasons, he has long since put the DJ Slim moniker to rest and is now billed simply as SPENCE. He remains notorious for delivering intensely skilled DJ performances that shock trainspotters and fellow DJs alike. In early 2001, Andrew picked up a saxophone for the first time in 9 years and the reunion has been prolific. He quickly aquired a mic rig and introduced live saxophone into his DJ sets. The result is a stunning performance by a veteran turntable technician and gifted instrumentalist. In the past 4 years Spence has elevated his musicianship through private study, performance, experimentation, and university level scholastics. His sax stylings have been featured on Vancouver house labels Leaf and Village, as well as on the world's biggest breaks label, Thursday Club Recordings
Spence is currently signed as a producer to Toronto's Purephunk Recordings, with his first release scheduled for Summer '05. He spins for local Breaks squad, 20Hz, among others and is considered a venerable DJ talent from coast to coast and abroad. He plays sax with Vancouver's favorite funk machine, Five Alarm Funk as well as with many other acoustic and electric groups. Drew is also finishing his Jazz Studies diploma at Capilano College in North Vancouver. His future focus will remain on composition, production, and performance in both the electronic and acoustic realms.

Mixes

http://www.spencemusic.com/music/sp...0apocalypse.mp3
http://www.spencemusic.com/music/sp...k%20-%20cd1.mp3
http://www.spencemusic.com/music/sp...k%20-%20cd2.mp3
http://www.spencemusic.com/music/sp...hit%20-%20a.mp3
http://www.spencemusic.com/music/sp...hit%20-%20b.mp3

BIG LEAGUE CHU
Boa, Apt Entertainment, Breakfest, 1groove.com, www.bigleaguechu.com

Colin Chu, better known as Big League Chu, is simply the leading DJ talent in Canada’s breakbeat scene today. After nearly a decade of DJing, his name is synonymous with the funky, party-happy sound that’s become Chu’s rallying call - and it’s one that crowds answer faithfully. Whether it’s at his residencies at Toronto’s legendary Breaksfest events, Fridays bi-weekly on the Dynacord at Boa-Redux, or every Saturday at Toronto's superclub the Docks. In a city renowned as one of North America's largest party scenes, Chu has played alongside the worlds finest, allowing him to develop his own distinct style of breaks. Chu's sets can vary from hard beats to melodic funky down tempo sounds, but always remains a crowd mover. The born and raised Torontonian began spinning in London, Ontario while taking his undergraduate degree in psychology and sociology at The University of Western Ontario. Chu quickly garnered attention at local parties, leading to gigs in Toronto, including the Dose event in the summer of 1999 when he was asked to fill in for Barry Weaver for his second appearance in the city. He so impressed organizers that Chu was then asked to play the 14,000 plus crowd at the annual Dose Freakin’ Halloween event later that year, and as since become a mainstay for Toronto's largest party companies, like Metro Productions (Kickit and Out of Hand), Lifeforce Industries (Dose, Syrous and Renegades), Empire, and Liquid Adrenaline. Passion for music and fun are what motivates Chu, who plays the piano, flute and guitar, and counts the Dave Matthews Band and Public Enemy as his biggest musical influences. It’s this good-natured respect for good times and eclectic sounds that has garnered this humble DJ of Hong Kong and Singaporean descent to such a steady stream of press, from underground publications like Tribe and Klublife to mainstream outlets like the Toronto Star and Eye weekly. Away from the turntables, Chu produces original tracks, both on his own and in collaboration with fellow DJ, Incog, under the moniker of Zoo Soundsystem, which recently released the track “Fever” on Toronto’s Promo Records. His future projects include releases on DJ Love’s Stellar Music label.

DAVE SADDLER
Outofhand, Pure Phunk

TOMMY GUNNERS
www.nocturnalmagazine.net


10$ All Night. 19 + I.D. required at the door.

This is a limited capacity event

Arrive early to ensure entry to what will be an over the top breakbeat experience, a night dedicated to breaks in its entirety: funkynuskoolelectrooldskoolhiphopaciddar kdirty
breaks! Witness what is rapidly becoming the Spence phenomenon as he, alongside Big League Chu, Dave Saddler, and Tommy Gunners, fuse the genres under One Sound. This night is going to be filmed and recorded from start to finish. The Backbreakers crew thanks everyone who attended our events and supported us in the past, and look forward to seeing you at this very special and intimate event. Advanced tickets to ensure entry can be purchased from backbreakers@gmail.com

[roller]

The 8th release from Pure Phunk is set to make some serious waves for relative newcomer Spence. Spence produces how he plays: deep and techy. 'Hyperion' is a smooth, techy breaks journey. Tight percussion and rolling bass will make this tune an essential tool for all breaks DJ's.

On the flipside is the truly monsterous Skool Of Thought remix. Keeping close to the original, Skool Of Thought beef's up the bassline and chops up the drums to produce what is being reffered to as 'Skool Of Thought's best remix to date!'

Some Reviews:

Spence "Hyperion" (Pure Phunk)
Andrew Spence is yet another promising Canadian signing for Pure Phunk. His solo debut will be big with fans of early work from Precision Cuts, Chris Carter, and Rennie Pilgrem with its crisp beats and melodic synths. On the flip, Skool of Thought reworks the track into a peak time bass-laden nu skool electro banger with edits and fills-a-plenty. - URB Magazine (USA)

Spence "Hyperion" (Pure Phunk)
Spence is without a doubt the most talented breaks DJ/Musician in Canada. His live sets consist of DMC level scratching and the tightest mixing, all while playing a live sax. This is his first release as a solo artist and it will put him on the map without a doubt. Deep and smooth with tight drum programming and a deep bassline. On the flipside, Skool Of Thought reworks the tune into a dancefloor smasher! Referred to by many as the best Skool of Thought remix to date, this tune kills them every time with it's hard hitting beats and vicious bassline. - Rinse Mag (Canada)

Spence "Hyperion" (Pure Phunk)
Slick, skippy riddims are the order of the day with Spence, a man who's more than adept at making dark, moody monsters. Designed to set the tone, 'Hyperion' has a nu skool flava but still holds a healthy level of funk. Brighton's Skool Of Thought dish out an equally moody remix. Atmospheric stuff. - IDJ (UK)

Other Reactions:

DJ Icey: "With 'ever so nasty yet funky' Skool Of Thought on remix duty, his version combines some dirty hard funk and a freak loving beat, works a charm on the floor!"

Aquasky: "This is a label growing in respectability and a sure contender for Canada's top breakbeat output. Another great release!"

Bassbin Twins: "Sounds rather jammin!"

Jay Cunning: "I like the orginal but its the Skool Of Thought mix that i prefer, funk n dirty for the party!"

Madame Mercury: "I like the funky drum beats and the kinda acid old skool sounding synth, and the creepy electro stabs are wicked. The vocal cut adds more danceable funk as well."

Audio Samples of Hyperion:

Spence
http://www.purephunk.com/samples/ppr008b.ram

Skool of Thought remix
http://www.purephunk.com/samples/ppr008b.ram