Funk Busta
A Tribute to JonH -FortKnoxFive- (Mixed By Busta)

I didn't really plan this, it just sort of happened.
I've been putting off making this mix public for a few days now, because I really haven't known what to even say about such a tragic event such as Jon Horvath's passing - Just saying it still doesn't even compute properly. I've been so disillusioned and devastated by the fact. Death affects me VERY deeply, & ever since my Mum passed, I have always felt a very strong spiritual connection with it, & I don't know why - Because I don't particularly want to. Weird things tend to happen when death happens, but I don't think too much of it anymore as I've come to know & understand this.
So I'll tell a story & try to express myself through that.
There's been a few mixes floating around since Jon left us last week, as well as hearing of people playing Fort Knox Five originals over the last week in live sets. But what about their bootlegs? They wrote some of THE best funk bootlegs I've ever heard. I remember when I very first met Jon & Steve in Sydney in 2005 - The night that shaped my taste in music forever, the boys gave me "DC's Finest Vol.1" (Fort Knox bootlegs) & an early promo CD of the yet to be released "The New Gold Standard Vol.1" on Fort Knox Recordings. I was SO stoked about these CD's, I had an inkling about how good these may have been when they gave them to me, but no, I really didn't.. That DC's finest CD didn't leave my car CD player for about a year.. I, nor my ears just never tired of it. Obviously the album was also on par with this too.
Wow, Fort Knox Five. Maaaaaan, I was hooked.
Being a strict vinyl user for 15 years since I began djing in 2000, about a year or two later I was unbelievably freaking stoked to see that when I put the needle on the record one week at my local record store located in inner Sydney in Darlinghurst - "The Record Store", and the drum beats went like this. Three of the bootlegs from the DC's Finest CD, & another three on the next record! They released these under a no name-ish kinda label, "BOMBS".
Whoa, and that's exactly what they were. I think I've played these records more than any other in my whole collection.
The next year (I think it was around 2007) they released another two of these records, and these two I have showcased in this tribute mix in particular.

• And I don't know why, but in my head, the tunes on these two records ALWAYS reminded me of Jon. Jon, headbangin' that huge Fort Knox Fro of his. I think it was mostly due to him telling me about his vast knowledge of old rock/funk/etc music gained throughout his childhood via his parents when I interviewed Jon & Steve a few weeks prior to first seeing them in 2005 (how I got free tickets to their show, although I already was a huge fan having picked up most of their music released on vinyl at that point in time) whilst I was working for an internet radio station back then.
  I had no idea that one day, I would be lucky enough to be able to call these guys friends, let alone have one release on their label, remixing All Good Funk Alliance. That particular release means so much to me, even more so now. Blessed.
  Jon, you were a fucking amazing human being. We - The entire community worldwide, are going to miss you unconditionally.
  So I say, on behalf of EVERYONE, Love & light to you, our brother.
  But on a more personal level, I say to you, thank you.
  Because I honestly have no doubt in my mind, that Busta! would not exist if it weren't for yourself & Fort Knox Five. I have so much to be grateful for with this, as I would not know some of my closest friends on the planet, nor have done some of the incredible things I've been lucky enough to do.
  ♥ THANK YOU. ♥
  Also my whole hearted love, condolences & deepest sympathies to his family, closest friends, the ENTIRE Fort Knox Family, my fellow scene dwellers, all their fans - Basically anyone who knew this beautiful man.
  He wasn't nicknamed "The General" for nothing.