Back To Mine with Kenny Summit

The Good For You Records boss digs out some diamond cuts…

1. Brand Nubian – Slow Down
This came out in 1990 when I first started breakdancing and really listening to lyrics as a young man. When I started Good For You Records, I said to my peoples “I’m gonna sign Grand Puba to my label” and they all laughed. Six months later I signed Puba to a deal. Who’s laughin’ now? 

2. Boston – Peace of Mind
My older brother was a huge Boston fan and would have that album on repeat all damn day.  =I just fell in love with the sonic quality and harmonics of the entire album. A real shame the lead singer killed himself. Never got to see them perform.  



3. Aly-Us – Follow Me

I don’t remember how old I was when Aly-Us dropped this joint, but Kyle Smith is from my home town of Linden, New Jersey and we have a lot of Jersey pride with our fellow producers. This track made me fall in love with house music and today it gives me a soothing feeling when I play it at the crib.  

4. Stevie Wonder – As
This is one of my top 30 Stevie tracks. Its hard to pick just one, but this is somewhere near the top of the list.  

5. Toto – Georgy Porgy
My family would dance around to this jam when I was a kid. Toto was in regular rotation at our family gatherings. Africa and this one were my favourite.

6. Steely Dan – Peg
Occasionally my family would spend a week or two at a sea side house on the Jersey Shore (no, nothing like the TV show) where my Aunt and cousins lived. I remember my cousins, who were much older than me, playing Steely Dan records in the house and smoking joints on the side of the house. High times.  

7. Gang Starr – Take It Personal
I met Keith at Fat Beats in NYC when I was still in High School in the 90s and then a bunch more times at events in Manhattan through this dude Blue who was working as a promoter with the Lyricist Lounge folks.  I was heavily into hiphop but was simply bad with faces and when we first met we just kicked it like two homeys and we got along really well.  He was a really cool guy.  

8. Steve Winwood – Higher Love
An amazing keyboard player, I got hooked on his voice when my Godfather would play this old Blind Faith record in his basement while he and my father drank the family wine and played chess. And Chaka Khan is on “backup vocals” which is pretty insane.  

9. Michael McDonald – Sweet Freedom
Call me corny, but I think Michael McDonald is a God. Doobie Brothers! This is a soundtrack song for the 80s movie Running Scared and I can’t listen to this track without getting an ear to ear grin.

10. Anita Baker – Sweet Love
Since this track came out in 86′ my mom played and still plays only Anita Baker in her car.  An elegant woman, and in my opinion the epitome of class on stage, I’ve seen her live about a dozen times and I hope this woman never stops performing. Love me some Anita Baker.  

‘Jesse Saunders Presents the 30th Anniversary Of House Music’ Mixed & Compiled by Jesse Saunders and Kenny Summit will be released world-wide on September 7th. Preview: https://soundcloud.com/kennysummit/30th-anniversary-of-house