Spain is different we are told and Enrique Domenech is a DJ with a difference. To recap, The idea was for DJs to spend a week as residents at Xiringuito so that they can “explore all their musical tastes and influences before handing the baton to the next.” The result was a CD compilation of no less than 60 tracks being:

Glyn ‘Bigga Bush’ Bush - >Disk 1 (Cantaloupe Melon)
Nick Matthews of Best Kept Secret - >Disk 2 (Water Melon)
Gav Smith of Pantone - >Disk 3 (Pineapple)
Ben Mono of Compost - >Disk 5 (Kiwi Fruit).

The final ‘slice’ of the cocktail is orange and is by Enrique Domenech himself.

The CD includes a previously unreleased track by Wavelad (like BiggaBush, you’ll like this), ‘Me Love Hi’, Fly favourites Break Reform with a remixed ‘Medusa’ and their remix of ‘Where Is The Butterfly’ by Moro Project. Like other tracks in the set, things heat up towards the end and we particularly like Raw Fusion’s Beat fanatic remix of Jazzy P3z Orchestra’s ‘Ping Pong’ and Intuit’s track from last year (see full tracklisting below).

The seeds of A Slice Of Paradise were hatched with Nick Matthews (see link above) and since the launch of the CD there’s even been a promotional winter tour.

Enrique’s CD is in a summer style but at the same time different from the other four, he tells me, “That is the way I feel and DJ music, a lot of different styles into one and only goal: to get into people’s soul and mind, and make then feel and groove with any quality beat.”

And Terry Callier’s ‘Slice Of Paradise’, what’s the story behind picking this track? “Terry Callier is an artist and a person that I highly respect, and he has inspired me in a lot of things since first time I saw him live in Cork Jazz Festival. And when I was creating the A Slice of Paradise concept, I thought that I would love to have Terry giving a message to the world, and I called him up, told him my idea and he liked it and wrote the speech for Vol.1. I hope people listen to it and think about the meaning”.

The website says the difference between 2004 and 2005 is that “The DJs no longer reign. Now they share the throne with musicians, actors and lecturers. Monologues, concerts and talks take part of the game together with DJs”. What were the best non-DJ moments this year? He says, “Everything has been great this year. I loved the lectures, the comedians, and of course the bands, you love jazz over here. We’ve reviewed Latin Vibes: Lounge & Club Selection, which both had tracks by Gecko Turner, what was his gig like at the Bar? “Ufff, what a question, we couldn’t have Gecko at the Festival due to communication mistakes between the Label and him, but we will see him live very soon and I will tell you everything about it, but I already heard that they are wicked live.”

“For the winter tour, Gav came out to Madrid and Bigga to Lisbon. Gav and me had an awesome time in Madrid, we enjoyed Tempo and Kathmandu and they did as well, good vibrations. And Portugal with Glyn was spectacular. Biggabush is a big and well-respected name there; the Mercado Crow loved the set. Big Shout to Miguelinho and Maria Joao, Ricardo and Susana, Jose, Cristina, Jonny, João, Nuno and all the Portuguese Buz”.

Mike Stellar also joined you on the tour, how would you describe his music style? “Miguelinho is a ‘Melomano’, he is into everything that has a lot of quality, he loves jazz, bossa and he also loves drum ‘n’ bass and deep grooves. I would consider his style ‘Quality Music For Quality Ears’.”

With this all going on, I wondered if there were any plans for a winter tour dates in the UK. “Yes, we are planning to tour in the UK for December/January and lots of other interesting countries before that.”

Nick Mathews told us how you always told him how special the Xiringuito Beach Bar is in the summer and that I needed to come and see it. How advanced are plans for A Slice Of Paradise Vol. 2? “We will start with Volume 2 in January, we are still choosing the second beachbar and the compilers.”

And the DJs? “I have talked to Rainer Truby, Will Quantic, Lubi Jovanovic, and some others, I will tell you the final names in January and we are planning to have some exclusive remixes made for A Slice of Paradise Vol.2.

By the sounds of that, Vol 2. will be equally good as Vol 1 and I’ll certainly be following progress on this project. Don’t forget to use your vote wisely in the Worldwide Compilaton of the Year category. If there are any Fly readers struggling for Christmas present ideas, this CD set will get you friends for life. Now where’s me flip flops?

Tracklisting – CD4
4-01 Terry Callier- ‘Speech’ (A Slice Of Paradise Intro) (1:49)
4-02 Wavelad - ‘Me Love Hi’ (Unreleased) (5:54)
4-03 Mojo Project - ‘Where Is The Butterfly’ (Break Reform Mix) (5:38)
4-04 Break Reform - ‘Medusa’ (Dynamic Syncopation Mix) (3:36)
4-05 Les Voleurs - ‘Always’ (6:35)
4-06 Shur-I-Kan - ‘Half Step’ (7:22)
4-07 Les Voleurs - ‘It Don’t Matter’ (4:16)
4-08 Alcohol Jazz - ‘!!!Fenómeno!!!’ (6:48)
4-09 Javi P3z Orquesta - ‘Ping Pong’ (Beatfanatic Remix) (3:30)
4-10 Casbah 73 - ‘Cabo Verde Strut’ (5:55)
4-11 Intuit with Airto & Flora Purim - ‘Criança Das Ondas’ (8:57)

Links:
Xiringuito, Playa del Postiguet, Alicante, ESP www.xiringuito.net ‘A Slice Of Paradise’ compilation launched in September on Fusionova021 Records.
Enirque Domenech - see his tour dates and a mix Basic Soul.