Greg Caz and Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus swing at the WHAM-O WATUSI!

The WHAM-O WATUSI is known internationally as an evening of boss DJs spinning 7” 45 RPM records imbedded with the reetest of sounds. On Saturday, March 3, it was a completely different WHAM at the Bootleg Bar. Guest DJ was Greg Caz. He played 99% LPs that spin at 33 1/3 RPM. In any other instance, this would be considered heresy of the highest order. However, Greg Caz is Greg Caz–a cat who was born in New York City and has been DJing his entire adult life, and quite possibly much of his adolescence, too.

First off, Greg Caz is internationally recognized as the King of Brazilian Records. He has had some legendary DJ nights of folks jumping around as he plays hot records from that Portuguese-speaking South American country. Indeed, Mr. Caz often goes down there to buy records and he is a popular DJ there, too. New Yorkers can hear him turn his records just about every Wednesday night at Nublu in the East Village. Greg also does time at the Brooklyn Bowl, Studio 151, Our Wicked Lady and other fine establishments in town.

But that’s not all; Mr. Caz is an all-around DJ. At the WHAM, he played some cool Brazilian beats, that’s for sure, but he also played a bunch of other boss tracks. He’s the kind of guy who can dig out an album and find the one cool track on it to play; like a Duke Ellington record with a funky drum break or a version of “A Night in Tunisia” that sounds as if it were recorded in outer space! He played some rock things, some funk things, some reggae things; and it was executed with excellence and beauty that only Greg Caz can supply.

How does a mere mortal DJ keep up with Mr. Caz? WHAM-O WATUSI host Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus played a bunch of rhythmic things: reggae, Afro-groove, hard funk, along with the usual surf and soul records he spins at every WHAM. He played a full half-hour set with no lyric sung in English. He played all six of the Brazilian records he owns. He played records from Jamaica and Colombia. He played two of the bossest records ever made by Perez Prado. Hopefully, that will suffice.

Vegan brownies and pecan tassies baked by Miss Nancy!

Once again, the WHAM-O WATUSI was graced with some delicious sweet things baked by Nancy Gardner: pecan tassies and vegan brownies! Man that was good. Just ask Greg Caz, who ate a bunch of them and even took some home to treat the family.

Here’s a list of all the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus:

• Freddy King–The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist (Federal)
• Mongo Santamaria–Bossa-Negra (Columbia)
• The Sentinals–Latin’ia (Era)
• Francis Bay and His Orchestra–Zumba (Philips)
• Jessie Hill–Woodshed (Downey)
• Earl King–Street Parade Pt. 2 (Kansu)
• The Performers–L.A. Stomp (Mirwood)
• Alvin Cash–Saddle Up (Chess)
• The Three Degrees–You’re the One (Roulette)
• Little Hooks with Ray Nato and the Kings–Give the Drummer Some More (United Artists)
• The Rumblers–Boss (Dot)
• Wanderléa–Prá Ganhar Seu Coração (CBS; Portugal)
• Willie Tomlin–Stroke My Yoke (Peacock)
• Harvey Scales–(Leave It For) The Trashman (Cadet Concept)
• Arthur Jackson–The Philosophy of Chopp Funk (Part 1) (A.J.’s)
• King Errison–Zola (Canyon)
• Cupit–Trainman (Akiwawa) (Neptune)
• Emilina and Her Brazilians–The Carnival Yeh Yeh Song (Mulata ie ie ie) (Columbia)
• Perez Prado y Su Orquesta–Mambo de King Kong (Inlopesa; Peru)
• De-Opels–I Started a Joke (Straker’s)
• Johnny Clarke–The Ruler (Total Sounds; Jamaica)
• Melting Pot–Kool and the Gang (Ampex)
• Cliff Nobles–We Got Our Thing Together (Roulette)
• Georgie Woods – The Guy with the Goods–Potato Salad Part I (Fat Back)
• Sly & the Family Stone–Love City [from jukebox EP Life] (Epic)
• The Jackson 5–Get It Together (Motown)
• Della Reese–Compared to What (AVCO Embassy)
• Eddie Jefferson–Psychedelic Sally (Prestige)
• Hank Diamond–Soul Sauce (Wachi Wara) (World Pacific)
• Roland Alphonso–Song for My Father (Pyramid; UK)
• The Heptones–I Shall Be Released (Coxone; Jamaica)
• The Exports–Seat Belts Please (King)
• The Surfaris–Moving (Bat Man) (Decca; Japan)
• Baris Manço–Quelle Peste! (Poison Ivy) (Rigolo; France)
• Hermínia Silva–Chunga Chunga – Sugar Sugar (Decca; Portugal)
• ZZ en de Maskers–Ik Bedoel ‘T Altijd Zo Goed (Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood) (Artone; Netherlands)
• Sonny Delane–Nossa Botas Foram Feitas Para Andar (Mocambo; Brazil)
• Os Baobás–Pintada de Preto (Painted Black) (Mocambo; Brazil)
• Mutantes–Banho de Luah (Tintarella di Luna) (Polydor; Brazil))
• Them Mushrooms Band–Mombasa (Polydor; Kenya)
• Ofo the Black Company–Allah Wakbarr (London; UK)
• Adjenar Sidhar Khan–Mahabaratha Kali (Festival; France)
• Underground Vegetables–Melting Pot (Ximeno)
• The Landlords–Soul Hoedown (United Artists)
• Gil Scott-Heron with Pretty Purdie & the Playboys–The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Flying Dutchman)
• The Staple Singers–The Challenge (Stax)
• Otis Williams and the Charms–Ain’t Gonna Walk Your Dog No More (OKeh)
• Wilson Pickett–You Can’t Stand Alone (Atlantic)
• Porgy & the Monarchs–The Girl and the Boy (Sylves)
• The Volcanos–Storm Warning (Arctic)
• Kenny Bernard–Ain’t No Soul (Left in These Ole Shoes) (Compass)
• The Vibrations–Gonna Get Along Without You Now (OKeh)
• The Lively Ones–Surf Rider (Del-Fi)
• Creedence Clearwater Revival–Walk on the Water (Fantasy)
• Tommy James and the Shondells–I’m Alive (Roulette)
• The Fat Albert Orchestra and Chorus–Fat Albert (Hey, Hey, Hey) (Tetragammaton)
• Monk Higgins and the Satellite’s–Mister Luckee (Satellite)
• The Honey Drippers–Impeach the President (Alaga)
• Gloria Walker & the Chevelles–You Hit the Spot Baby (Flaming Arrow)
• Tribe–Funky Kingston (Grenade)
• Honey & the Bees–Baby Do That Thing (Arctic)
• Los Corraleros de Majagual–Cumbia Campesina (Discos Fuentes; Colombia)
• Sonora en Bogata de Cesar Pompeyo–Pescao (Son Art; Mexico)
• Gilberto and His Orchestra–Pelé (Smash)
• Damaso Perez Prado y su Orquesta–Mexico 70 (Orfeon; Mexico)

None of these records are for sale. Some of them have links to the youtubes in order for the reader to dig.