Marshall Jefferson – INFLUENCES

Music

Marshall Jefferson. MARSHALL JEFFERSON. Asking Marshall Jefferson for his influences is like asking God what was going on before the whole 'let there be light' business. Everyone else we ask about influences can just say 'Marshall Jefferson'; job done. Marshall has to go back further, to that misty land that existed before Move Your Body changed everything for evermore… So here, today, we've got the tracks that infuse the DNA of the greatest acid house cuts ever written. OK, so we weren't ready for Elton John, but let's face it, Bennie & the Jets is a banger…

Need to know more about Marshall? Check here.
If you want to see the Godfather in action, he's playing at at Seth Troxler's Acid Future event this weekend – info here.

LISTEN

Kashmir - Led Zeppelin

Always aspired to enter another realm of consciousness and this one took me there. Of course I was blitzed out my head when I listened to it but there wasn’t a non bobbing head in the house when me and my friends listened to this.

Kashmir - Led Zeppelin

Always aspired to enter another realm of consciousness and this one took me there. Of course I was blitzed out my head when I listened to it but there wasn’t a non bobbing head in the house when me and my friends listened to this.
Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman

I love Mr. Mayfield’s lyrics and his musical versatility-this one is more on the minimal side but still awesome.
P. Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up) - Parliament (1975)

P-Funk directly flowing into Mothership Connection was probably the coolest thing ever recorded. I couldn’t find a Youtube link with both together but you have to hear it to understand.
James Brown - Soul Power. 1971 (12" Long Version)

Man, Bootsy on the bass and his brother Catfish on the guitar was just too awesome for words.
Jesse Saunders On And On

I have to include this one as an influence- if it wasn’t for this track I wouldn’t have made music at all. Jesse was a known DJ and he suddenly came out with a record. It made me think, “WHAT? I’m gonna buy equipment and make records too!”
Yes - Close To The Edge [Full Song]

This is something I always wanted to do- the non musical intro flowing into the music and song, with a long drawn out crescendo and a completely fulfilling ending.
Elton John - Bennie And The Jets (Yellow Brick Road 3 Of 21)

This is one of the songs that really got me into piano- but Elton John just had so many. EJ was an unbelievable piano player back in the day and I wanted to play like him. Hell, everybody did!
Inner Life Ft Jocelyn Brown - Ain't No Mountain High Enough (Salsoul Records 1981)

This is the one that really got me into soaring inspiring vocals- Jocelyn really killed all other versions with this one… for me at least.
First Choice - Let No Man Put Asunder (Frankie Knuckles Remix)

This was the first song I heard in a house club- The Music Box, and it blew me away.