Detroit producer, musician and educator Jon Dixon drops his soulful Want It EP. The piano player has spent the past decade performing with Detroit’s underground elite and a bevy of national artists. He has past performances with Mike Banks, Jeff Mills, Jessica Care Moore, Dwele, the late Leon Ware, Chick Corea and Eric Roberson. The Want It EP has guest vocal appearances from Amp Fiddler and Dames Brown, a dub version from Waajeed and an edit from Darrius Quince. All four interpretations are late-night goodness dipped in the deepest shade of blue. 

Amp Fiddler’s Amp Dog Knights resumes his work as a funk-oriented master of cool. Amp Dog Knights is Fiddler’s second album after returning from an 11-year hiatus with Motor City Booty in 2016. Fiddler’s contemporary funk connects with Black pop from the ‘70s’ up to the present. “Return Of The Ghetto Fly” appeared on Motor City Booty and is reworked with a beat from J.Dilla and a rap from Slum Village’s T3 to accompany singer Neco Redd. The newer version is a harder head nodder with the fierce strut of a Detroit hustler in its rhythmic stride. The hip-hop elements coalesce into Fiddler’s soulful terrain fluently enough to make the different styles sound like one genre. Amp Dog Knights is a winter release but the music has the warmth and nonchalance associated with summer. “Good Vibe” is organic deep house enlivened by Fiddler’s gritty half-rasp in the middle of an upbeat arrangement ideal for the dancefloor or a ride in a convertible. Fiddler’s affection for house is no less than his penchant for other sounds like ‘70s’ soul. “Put Me In Your Pocket” belongs in a Blaxploitation film because Fiddler’s falsetto, the James Brown-influenced horns and the succession of lazy Wah-wah modified guitar riffs recall some of the best soundtracks of the era. Dames Brown, Will Sessions and Chris Bruce are featured on “Put Me In Your Pocket” among the plenty of company Fiddler has on Amp Dog Knights. His brother Bubz Fiddler is featured on the melancholic “Through Your Soul” that also has J.Dilla’s touch.

“No Politics” is a soothing needed escape from the world’s madness lead by Redd’s unrestrained request to forget about stressful concerns amidst light keys and understated percussion. The three renditions of “Alright” have two uptempo remixes from Waajeed that are ideal for club nights and the other one’s slower pace and lack of a more defined electronic sound will please the R&B traditionalists. Fiddler’s emphasis on dance music is visited again with the new Moodymann collaboration “I Get Moody” a soulful piece of ambient house given texture by Moodymann’s unscripted vocals. Amp Dog Knights is a continuance of the tone initiated on Fiddler’s 2003 Waltz Of A Ghetto Fly with equal parts funk, R&B and house. Fiddler’s admiration for the stylish city slicker produced an album that is a bit more carefree than WOAGF but no less appealing.

Amp Fiddler is releasing his fourth studio album Amp Dog Knights on Mahogani Music and it has unreleased beats from J.Dilla. Fiddler was responsible for teaching Dilla how to use the MPC60 and introducing him to Q-Tip. Dilla co-produces two songs on the new album from beats on a ipZ drive that was stolen from him and retrieved by Fiddler. Dilla gave him the beats to use as a thank you for his mentorship.

“Return Of The Ghetto Fly” is from Amp Dog Knights and it features the smooth Ghetto Fly character who Fiddler describes as:

“Dressed like The Temptations every day and had attitude when they walked, they were almost dancing.”

T3 of Slum Village and vocalist Neco Redd are also on the track making it a pure Detroit collaboration.

Fiddler took a break from music in 2006 after the loss of his son and Amp Dog Knights is his second recording since his return. Last year he released Motor City Booty.

Amp Dog Knights will be released November 10th.

Amp Dog Knights Tracklisting 

1. It’s Alright I (feat.Waajeed& Ideeyah)
2. Keep Coming
3. ReturnOfThe Ghetto Fly (feat. J Dilla, T3 & Neco Redd)
4. Put MeInYour Pocket (feat. The Dames Brown)
5. No Politics (feat. Andres &NecoRedd)
6. Grandma’s Radio (feat. Sound Boy)
7. I’m Feeling You
8. It’s Alright II (feat.NecoRedd)
9. Free Your Soul (feat. JDilla& Bubz Fiddler)
10. I Get Moody Sometimes (feat.Moodymann)
11. Funky Say So
12. Good Vibes
13. It’s Alright III (feat.Waajeed& Ideeyah)

Amp Fiddler released his Motor City Booty album last year and he is currently working on his next project titled Amp Dog Nights. “No Politics” featuring Neco Redd is a successful attempt to provide a soulful refuge away from all of the ubiquitous political chatter and general stress in the world.