DJ Marley Marl /Various

Straight out of the Westend crates is Mixtape Sessions, by the one and only, legendary DJ Marley Marl. This is a double album for lovers of disco, electro, b-boy breaks and classic Westend catalogue material. Disc two is basically the same as the first disc but unmixed for the purists. It plays more as a compilation than a mixed CD; the mixes are fast since most tracks use a live drummer. However, it’s smooth and flawless — what else would you expect from the man who brought you the Cold Chillin label and emcees like Kool G Rap, Roxanne Shante, MC Shan, Biz Mark, Big Daddy Kane and Masta Ace. Marl bridges the gap between disco, electro, break beats and hip-hop with tracks, "Is It All Over My Face” by Loose Joints, "Heartbeat” by Taana Gardner and break beats like "Sessomatto” by Sesso Matto, "B-Beat Classic” by Spyder D (B+) and "Get into the Mix” by DJ Divine. Mixtape Sessions is a good introduction to some of these classic joints that have been heavily sampled over the years and is essential for anyone interested in the evolution of disco, b-boy breaks and hip-hop — just ignore the tacky cover art!