Released three days before his untimely death and on his 32nd birthday, Donuts was released on February 7th 2006 and is widely regarded as one of the best hip-hop albums ever made.
Recorded whilst in hospital being treated for lupus, the album isn’t an instantly easy listen as it is a complex array of beats, varying in style and feel. Scott Heins of OkayPlayer described the album as “31 tracks of beatmaking brilliance take listeners through the throes of pleasure and pain on a trip into the mind of a genius who was running out of time.”
The sample based beats Dilla created would also be sampled themselves many times over furthering the legacy of the album by artists such as Talib Kweli, Ghostface Killah, Drake, Charles Hamilton, Big Sean, Nas, Lupe Fiasco. Panda Bear of Animal Collective stated that Donuts was “by far the album I’ve listened to most over the past year, and I feel like almost any of the songs off there I could say is my favorite.”
Join us of the 10th anniversary of the albums release (which would also have been Dilla’s 42nd birthday February 7th) with our worldwide special guests. In London we have Boiler Room Head Of Music Raj Chaudhuri, New York City with Jeff ‘Chairman’ Mao from Red Bull Music Academy and EgoTrip, Femke Dekker in Amsterdam and in Oslo we will be joined by journalist Martin Bjørnersen and artists Fredfades & Ivan Ave.
Come along hear the source material, personal memories, and the story of the album, followed by a full replay of the album on our world class audiophile soundsystem. During the musical lead up to the session we’ll also be featuring tracks from J Dilla’s ‘Welcome To Detroit’ album kindly supplied by BBE Records.
For our session in Amsterdam we’ll be featuring both ‘Donuts’ and ‘Welcome To Detroit’ in full creating the ultimate J Dilla listening session.
Why is the album called Donuts? According to the record company, Stones Throw:
“Easy explanation. Dilla likes donuts.”
London
Sunday February 7th two sessions: 2 – 5 pm (tickets up now), 5 – 8pm (sold out)
Brilliant Corners, 470 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4AE
Tickets: £10 online here for the 2 to 5 pm session and £12 on the door if available
Presenter: Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy with Raj Chaudhuri from Boiler Room and RajiRags
Audio Menu: Dynavector D17D3 MC Cartridge, Rega P9 Turntable, Rega IOS Reference MC Phono Stage, Audio Note Jinro Integrated Amp, Chord Signature Speaker Cable, Chord Signature Tuned Aray interconnects, ISOL-8 Substation Integra Power Conditioner and Klipschorn Loudspeakers
New York City
Sunday, February 21st, 4 – 7 pm
Good Room 98 Meserole, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Tickets: $8 online here / $10 on the door
Presenters: Jeff ‘Chairman’ Mao from RBMA and Ego Trip
Audio Menu: Rega Apheta MC Cartridge, Rega P9 Turntable, Audio Note UK pre-amplification and power amplification, AudioQuest Interconnects and cabling, Klipsch Loudspeakers, Klipsch SW-115 Subwoofers
Amsterdam
Sunday January 31st, 2 – 5pm
Doka, Wibautstraat 150 (basement Volkshotel)
Tickets: €7,50 in advance here, more on the door.
Presenter: Femke Dekker, as a creative consultant for musea and cultural institutes, radio host, dj and curator, Femke Dekker specializes in comtemporary culture and the sound of tomorrow. She recently started her own online radio station ‘Ja ja ja, nee nee nee’ focusing on new music and arts and aims to shine a light on underground and alternative movements.
We are delighted to announce that the audio menu for our events in Amsterdam will be provided by Avantgarde Acoustic and their dealer, Audio-Life in Buren. You can find out more about Avantgarde Acoustic in this fantastic video from their website here.
Audio Menu: Acoustic Signature Challenger Mk3 turntable, Acoustic Signature TA-1000 tonearm, Ortofon SPU Royal N MC cartridge, Air Tight 300B amplifier, Avantgarde Acoustic Duo XD loudspeakers in Pearl White, Furutech cables and power conditioning
Oslo
Sunday, February 28th, 6 to 9 pm
Venue: Cafè Mono
Tickets: NOK100 in the door or in advance here, Students/Seniors half price.
Presenters: Kent Horne with journalist Martin Bjørnersen and artists Fredfades & Ivan Ave
Audio Menu installed by Duet Audio: Cartridge: Ortofon Cadenza Black, Turntable: Dr. Feickert Woodpecker, Tone arm: Jelco 750 LB, Integrated Amp with phono stage: Soulution 530, Loudspeakers: Piega Classic 80.2, Interconnects: Midas Reference Silje, Speaker Cable: Midas Reference Silje, Power Conditioner: Oyaide
Brussels
Date and Time: Sunday 28th February 17.00 – 20.00pm
Venue: Le Cercle des Voyageurs, 18 Lievevrouwbroersstraat/Rue des Grands Carmes 18, Brussel/Bruxelles 1000
Tickets: €10 online here
Presenter: LeFtO and AME
We are delighted to announce that Avantgarde Acoustic will be supplying the audio menu for our Brussels events!!
Brighton
Date and Time: 28th February 15:00 – 18:00
Venue: Dead Wax Social, 18a Bond St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1RD
Tickets: £8 online here (Scroll down for Brighton tickets)
Presenter: James Meadows and Rod ‘Spin Doctor’ Gilmore, from The Doctor’s Orders
Audio Menu: provided by Audio Note UK
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