Ontario Beats - Live at The Social

Arthur Baker

Underwater, London

The night train is coming… better keep on runnin', to catch the Baker man with his dancefloor bread'n'butter. He may have pioneered the first electronic rap record with Bambaataa but his musical career has encompassed virtually every genre with a bit of groove in it, and his influence widened far beyond 'Planet Rock'. Baker began his incredible journey as a DJ playing Philly soul 45s, before steeping himself in the underground disco scene after a move to the Big Apple. He contributed his share of anthems to the legendary New York club Paradise Garage in the late '70s/early '80s, like the rolling blunted funk of 'Rockers Revenge – Walking On Sunshine'. Another of those anthems was a track Arthur did with Salsoul virtuoso Joe Bataan, 'Rap-O Clap-O', one of the first records to incorporate rap, some time before he laid down the beats for the man with even more 'A's in his name (Bambaataa). And the Philadelphia soul beast reared its beautiful head again when he produced Hall & Oates' most electronic effort. These days you can find him as active as ever, on Darren Emerson’s Underwater label.