Ralph Session’s 15 Essential Brooklyn House Classics
With a brand new EP out on Jimpsters Freerange Records, Ralph Session continues to make serious career moves. As we have come to love from Ralph the Freaknik EP is unashamed quality NY laced house music. Club music with a truly classic flavour. You can check our premier of the Brooklyn Bounce mix of Freak below and grab the Freaknik EP HERE.
To celebrate the release of the EP we asked Ralph to pull together a list of some of his all-time favoruite NY house jams, all tried, tested and sampled from his time in the NYC club scene.
Ralph Session’s 15 Essential Brooklyn House Classics
Dj Romain – All Day, All Night
My brother from another mother is a Brooklyn staple. Between this track and his Philly Groove, you can safely call Dj Romain the legend he is.
Natalie Cole – Tell Me All About It (Alan Smithee In Blue Blackness Mix)
I remember hearing this at Shelter parties and we would all wait for the piano part. Then the dance floor would explode when it finally came in.
Jon Cutler feat Eman – It’s Yours (Original Distant Music Mix)
This is a classic no matter where you go in the world. If you really listen to the words, you realize what was involved to find a spot with dope music back in the day. You really had to look, but it paid off.
House Of Gypsies Todd Terry – Some Sigh Sey (MAW Remix)
Always sets the parties off. I wasn’t around for day one but you know from day one this was certified classic record.
Kim – Love Calls (Darryl James Remix)
Darryl James the former DJ on Kiss 98.7 before Ruben Toro took over Kiss Club Classics show turned out a bunch dope remixes. This one would later be remixed by Karizma on Twyst. The part he samples makes the place would go nuts no matter where it is.
Mr. V – Jus Dance (Sole Channel Mix)
The epitome of cool Mr V’s music was everywhere in NYC. This song is a NY staple.
Cielo, Sullivan Room, Sin Sin, Shelter, 718 Sessions. This was played guaranteed, once or twice a night.
Sunburst Band – Journey To The Sun (Dennis Ferrer Mix)
This one reminds me of my Sullivan Room and Cielo days. This was the start of Dennis coming out of his soulful house side into some heavier but proper shit. Way before Hey Hey this was and still is the joint.
House 2 House – Boom (A Touch Of Jazz Mix)
Henry Maldonado, David Carter and Rudy Staker as House 2 House back in the 90’s were dropping shit on Strictly Rhythm that years later lil’ old Ralph Session would come across and blow his mind. The added cool touch was getting to meet and play with Henry (Son Of Sound) once at a Galaktik Party back in Brooklyn.
Laid – Punch Up (Frankie Feliciano Original Edit)
Shit got real deep when this came on Automatic circle maker. That bounce of the bass and kick makes for the perfect NY head nod.
Karizma feat DJ Spen – 4 The Love (Karizma Instrumental Mix)
NY style is – we played the Instrumental mix and blended other acapellas because the original got played out way too fast. You had to be different. It was usually Louie Vega and Kevin Hedge’s Roots party at Cielo that I remember having the best renditions of this live.
Tortured Soul – Always In Heaven When I’m With You (DJ Spinna Mix)
One of my best experiences was hearing Tortured Soul for the first time at Santos.
But the DJ Spinna mix was well in full rotation around the city when it came out.
Norma Jean Bell – I’m The Baddest Bitch (In The Room) (Moodymann Mix)
This song I heard the most in small spots around the city. Lounge shit with us dancers in the corner trying not to kick someone. But as music follows the vocals, we also danced and made our moves mimic the words or instruments the same way.
Nuyorican Soul feat Jocelyn Brown – It’s Alright, I Feel it! (M.A.W. 12” Mix)
Off the classic Nuyorican Soul which is a NY must have was this single. Every party I went to that dropped this gem automatically gave you a burst of energy and put you in church.
Sterling Ensemble feat Sara Devine – Life Ain’t What It Seems (Ritual Mix)
Lots of nights dancing in the corner working out my problems of the week to this song. Perfection. I can only imagine someone who’s not from NY coming and hearing this tune somewhere and getting that feeling or energy that only music and being in NY at that moment can give you. Kinda like when you listen to jazz in the city.
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