#afro house album 2019

[afrobeatsindacity]

ADEKUNLE GOLD IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING

Adekunle Gold, the Lagos-born prolific singer, is one of the handful of Nigerian artists who can boast of a lasting presence in the highly competitive space that is the country's music industry. His was a journey of talent, consistency, invention and reinvention.

He was born Adekunle Kosoko, a member of the royal Kosoko family of Lagos Island, so when he chose to follow his passion in music, the name Gold readily appealed to him. Days spent riding to school with his father while they played Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade, as well as lullabies sung by his aunt at bedtime, planted a love for music in the young Adekunle. With time, his love for listening to music spurred him to create his own. Like many other budding artists, he cultivated his talents first by joining the junior choir in his church and later, by forming a band with a close friend, Michael Bakare, before deciding to pursue a career as a solo artist. Michael remains a major musical pillar of Adekunle Gold’s career, his songwriting and production credits can be found as recently as Adekunle's latest album.

Nigeria's first introduction to the artist, however, was through his creative work as a photo editor. Prior to the release of “Sade” in December 2015, Gold had been given the title of 'King of Photoshop' for his creative editing of his images on pictures of actress Tonto Dike, OAP, Toolz and especially afrobeats queen, Tiwa Savage. A young Adekunle Gold had finished school with a diploma in Arts and Industrial Design and was putting his degree to good use, doing graphic design work for a number of YBNL artists, including Viktoh, Lil Kesh and even street-pop legend Olamide.

In 2014, Adekunle Gold released “Sade”, a cover of One direction's “Story of my Life”, and based upon a real life Sade who had turned his affections down. As the song gained ground, Pheelz, YBNL's in-house producer, saw there was more To Adekunle Gold's creativity than visual arts, and after conversations with label huncho, Olamide, Adekunle Gold was unveiled as a YBNL artist in March 2015. Then, he got a chance at a proper debut single, and "Orente" was born; a folksy Yoruba-supported love ballad, featuring distinct Yoruba instrumentation, which would grow to become his signature style. He followed this up with “Pick up”, which amped up production for a Juju-influenced song that would be an excellent fit for a live band.

All these built up to the release of his first studio album in July 2016, Gold that featured successes such as "Work", "Ariwo Ko", and another all time classic, "No forget", a duet with Simi, a friend and fellow artist who had previously mixed and mastered songs for him. His debut album was a critically acclaimed success, peaking at no. 7 on the Billboard World Album Chart.

His next studio album, About 30, was released in 2018 after exchanging amicable farewells with YBNL. He assembled a team of instrumentalists into a live band, named the 79th Element (Gold), and headed by Michael Bakare. As a result the album drew chiefly from his unique upbeat trad-style music which he christened Urban Highlife, and it housed a number of memorable songs like the energetic "Money", the evocative "Ire" and the sombre "Fame".

Until 2019 Adekunle Gold had operated firmly within the boundaries of his self-styled Afro Urban genre, where live instruments could meet with intoned delivery to channel some of the essence of Yoruba Juju music in a more modern setting. For the next step, though, it was time for an artistic refresh, and to achieve it, he will have to sacrifice some of his folksy essence for better mainstream appeal. And so he braided his boyish afro into a macho cornrow, while he discarded the Adire shirts for brightly coloured jackets and flowing kimonos, left unbuttoned to show his new buff physique, completing his look with tinted glasses and loose fitting pants. His switch in music was a lot less acute. For "Before You Wake Up", his first solo single of 2019, he maintained a similar delivery but production was different, employing more studio-made Afrobeats rather than the live drums and keys he was more popular with. Also subtle was his use of English and Pidgin for the entirety of the single, in the past Adekunle Gold had relied chiefly on Yoruba.

It was in 2020 that he properly donned the artistic personality he would take for his next era. First came "Jore", a duet with Kizz Daniel that leaned into Kizz's brand of casual afropop that was backed by catchy lyrics and a flowing beat. Then he released "Something Different", which was as it was named, a continual of the sonic detour he was making towards the mainstream. In mid 2020, “AG Baby" was released, the manifesto for his artistic vision; on the track he alludes to being the "street boy popping on the mainstream shit". “AG Baby’ was homonymous with his new persona, and on his next album, “Afro-Pop Vol. 1”, he delved properly into who he was now and what to expect of him. A song like “Okay” handled this orientation nicely, as he spun the mid-tempo pop groove into a song deriding his haters.

While AG Baby was morphing into the popstar, Adekunle Gold was settling into family life. His marriage to Simi was for many a bolt from the blue, but insiders into the couple’s lives knew they had been an item even before either of them made their debuts in the industry. Simi had produced, as well as mixed and mastered a chunk of Adekunle Gold’s Gold album, and Adekunle has gone on record to credit her with helping him find his music style. The pair had collaborated across a number of tracks over the years, each time bringing amazing chemistry that most fans did not know was the product of real life love they shared. On January 17th they released “Promise”, a tribute to their new union and the first official announcement of it. A little over a year later, in May 2021, “Happy Birthday”was released; a love letter to their daughter, Adejare on her first birthday.

2021 also saw him release three successful singles that would appear on his next album, “Catch me if You Can”, “Sinner” and “It Is What It Is” followed the laid back, less-is-more delivery of his newly perfected style. But “High”, featuring industry heavyweight Davido, was a different dish altogether; an Amapiano heavy hit, foreshadowing another shedding, or perhaps more accurately, an extra layering of personality that would lead AG Baby to give way to Tio Tequila. The lover boy Adekunle who had withstood the transition from Adekunle Gold to AG Baby evolved to another man for whom “Love is not enough”.

His latest project, Tequila Ever After, is named after this new persona, and here he slows down his Afropop cadences to take in parts of Dancehall and RnB. By far his biggest project, Adekunle Gold assembled RnB megastars like Pharrell Williams and Khalid as well as budding Nigerian street stars like Zinoleesky and Odumodublvck. He has already hit the charts with two singles, “Ogaranya” and “Party No Dey Stop”, so he will be hopeful others can quickly follow suit. More importantly, though, he will hope his new project, and the persona he introduces with it, can significantly advance his global intentions. Adekunle Gold has described his latest project as a celebration of his wins so far.

With a solid discography encompassing five successful projects, a recently bagged contract with an international label in Def Jam Records and a career about to reach the 10 year mark, a celebration is much needed and well deserved. As the artist readies himself to consolidate his position in the Nigerian market and expand his wings even further beyond the shores of the country, he can take a shot of Tequila and toast to his wins so far, because it only gets better from here.

This article was written by Afrobeats City Contributor Ezema Patrick - @ezemapatrick (Twitter)

Afrobeats City doesn’t own the right to the images - image source: Instagram - @Adekunlegold

[lageografiademicamino]

UMK 2024 Song Review - Jesse Markin

The hype is very real around Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK), the Finnish national selection for Eurovision and the race to Malmö continues with another entry!

Jesse Markin - Glow

Jesse Markin is one of the most promising upcoming Finnish indie artists who released his debut album Folk in 2019 and was widely awarded for it for example with an Emma (Finnish Grammy) as the best newcomer in 2020. He released his follow-up album Noir in 2021. Musically he would be categorized as a rap artist but his music is greatly influenced by other genres which shows also in his UMK 2024 entry.

He is one of the rare UMK artists taking a stand announcing that in case of winning UMK he would not go to Malmö if Israel participates ESC 2024.

Glow written partly in Finnish toilets but also in the streets of Ghana, is definitely something else. A fresh summer breeze in the middle of cold January - this is a song that no one expected to receive from Finland.

This ain't a simple track, instrumentally rich, would even call it noisy - a lot is going on in here. I hear reggaeton, afro-beats, hip hop / rap, electro / house well, smoothly produced urban sounds - musically this reminds me of Black Eyed Peas a bit. Chorus is memorable and uplifting with "you're gonna make it" where the verses tend to remain a bit flat.

The song doesn't have really a proper bridge and I don't think the rap section in the halfway of the song should be considered as such. And I don't think it's giving the correct energy here but this might be a personal preference. The track seems then a little long and repetitive. Visually this is on of the weakest of UMK video clips this year. Even though the lama is kind of cute!

However, there's a lot of love for this song out there. For those into this kind of genre, the track is an instant earworm but for others it has a risk of disappearing in the background as.. well background music. When speaking about views on YT and streams on Spotify Glow is losing in both lists for its competitors (being 7th and 6th). But Glow does serve a strong feel good vibe and I'm so glad it's here! It does bring light and different perspective to the 2024 UMK line up.

What do you think of the fourth UMK24 track and would you vote for Jesse Markin to go all the way to Malmö? UMK final takes place on February 10th!

[sosouthernsoundkits1]

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[moochilatv]

Sam Blacky x Niniola presents: Ronaldinho

Electronic metts soccer

Sam Blacky Joins Forces With Acclaimed Grammy-nominated Nigerian Singer-Songwriter Niniola On Inspiring Vocal Afro-House Single "Ronaldinho." Out Now on Easier Said

Powerhouse LA-based DJ/producer Sam Blacky partners with Grammy-nominated African singer-songwriter hailing from Nigeria, Niniola, for their new single "Ronaldinho," which celebrates the former's love for afro house and the latter's Nigerian history in a dynamic, soulful sonic journey. Sam has long loved pushing the boundaries of dance music and breaking music genres' molds, and over the past few years, it's become apparent that her true passion lies in creating globally-inspired, dance-worthy records. "Ronaldinho" is a shining example of this with its undulating, deep basslines, percussive instrumentals, and ethereal melodies courtesy of Sam, while Niniola's shining vocals truly turn the song into a spiritual listening experience. With the summer festival season just heating up, "Ronaldinho" is about to be heard on the beach, the festival stage, and the club dance floors around the world. The track is out now on Easier Said, which finds Sam exercising her artistic freedom by once again joining a formidable roster of forward-thinking artists such as Barclay Crenshaw, Life on Planets, Maya Jane Coles, Party Pupils, and Todd Terry.

"As the years have passed, my passion has become more and more integrated with what we know as afro house. When the opportunity came up to work with one of the original, most iconic singers in that realm, all the way from Nigeria, there was no question. I heard what Niniola had done with the vocals for Ronaldinho and knew I had to make this song with her. Having someone who is such an amazing storyteller, with such an incredible voice, who has lived this life through and through brings an entirely different message and meaning to the music." - Sam Blacky

Sam Blacky's forthcoming dates:

May 26 - Brooklyn, NY - We Belong Here Jun 05 - Los Angeles, CA - Academy LA Jun 08 - Montréal, QC - New City Gas Jun 22 - San Diego, CA - Horizon Music Festival Jun 23 - Long Beach, CA - Day Trip Festival Jul 06 - Kristiansand, NO - Palmesus Festival

Niniola

Niniola participated in several social activities and competitions. She finished third runner-up in the sixth season of Project Fame West Africa. Niniola released her debut single - "Ibadi," on 19 March 2014. The song received positive reviews, topped national music charts, and gained extensive airplay. Her singles "Ibadi" and "Gbowode" were included in the soundtrack for season 2 of "Gidi Up." Niniola was nominated in the Most Promising Act to Watch category at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. In 2017, Niniola went on to release another single titled "Maradona," which went on to become a global hit. "Maradona" enjoyed a good 13 weeks on the South African charts and was at the No.1 spot for over 6 weeks. It also earned Niniola a BET Awards and SAMA nominations. Since then, Niniola has gone on to receive nods from international heavyweights like Drake, Timbaland, and others. In 2019, elements of the single were sampled on "The Lion King: The Gift Album" by Beyoncé on the track "Find Your Way Back," where she also appeared as a songwriter and composer of the song, which has gone on to get Niniola a Grammy nomination. In April 2020 and later in June 2021, she received her 1st, 2nd Grammy nomination certificate for her work as a composer. In June 2021, she's got inducted into the Grammy Recording Academy Class of 2021. In July 2021, Niniola's single, "Maradona" was certified gold in South Africa by the Recording Industry of South Africa RISA.

Sam Blacky is a multitalented DJ, Producer, and Cultural Icon from San Diego, USA. She spent several years in Australia, where she first fell in love with producing music and performing live. Since moving back to the US, music, performing, and fashion have taken a front seat in her life. Performing since 2017, she's graced the stages from Mexico to Ibiza, Bali to Europe, and some of the world's premier electronic music festivals and clubs.

Since her first self-released EP in 2021, Sam has released on esteemed labels such as Repopulate Mars, Terms & Conditions, Easier Said, Thrive Music, and Hood Politics. Her standout remix of "Gaslight" for Grammy-nominated Inji was a viral sensation. Sam's signature style of blending Afro-House, Latin House, and everything in between is connecting with global audiences and has earned her the coveted 1001 Tracklists' "Future of Dance" producer list two years in a row. Her latest release - "Amor," was remixed by Brazilian producer Illusionize and cemented her place worldwide as a one to watch.

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[ear-worthy]

Latest Episode Of Underwater Podcast: Amplify Color On Bay Area & MTV DJ; The Layleen Polanco Saga

Latest episode of Underwater Fiction podcast released  This week’s new episode of "Underwater,” starring Jason Derulo and Alexandra Shipp, from Warner Music Group’s (WMG) in-house podcast network Interval Presents, dropped today, on all major podcast platforms. Listen to the fifth episode HERE.

This week’s new episode of "Underwater,” starring Jason Derulo and Alexandra Shipp, from Warner Music Group’s (WMG) in-house podcast network Interval Presents, dropped today, on all major podcast platforms. Listen to the fifth episode HERE.

In the just-released episode, Nico’s boss, Marcus, arrives at the island after Diego accidentally reveals that Nico filled him in on the secret assignment to bring Ana back to the states. As Marcus reaches the Destino resort and makes his way to Nico, Nico encourages Ana to leave. Ana wants answers, but Nico can’t provide any as he is forced into the car with Marcus and away from the resort. Check out a clip from the episode HERE.

Throughout the eight episodes of Underwater, follow Nico and Ana, whose deep romantic connection is threatened by lies and deception — both Nico’s covert mission and the skeletons in Ana’s closet. The scripted podcast series is a rollercoaster love story told in the form of a narrative album, featuring brand new, original music from Jason Derulo woven into the story and score, creating an innovative and immersive listening experience and making for a groundbreaking event at the cutting edge of audio entertainment. *****************************************************************

Amplify Color episode covers the career of Sway Calloway

Warner Music Group's in-house podcast network, Interval Presents, debuted the latest episode of its newest series, "Amplify Color" hosted by Ryan Cameron, a 2x Emmy winner, the host of “Voice of Atlanta,” a member of the Georgia and Black Radio Hall of Fame, and long-time Atlanta DJ. 

In this most recent episode, Ryan Cameron discusses the fascinating life of Bay Area’s own Sway Calloway. Sway Calloway began his career as a rapper but all that changed when he landed his first radio gig co-hosting a show on San Francisco’s KMEL. At the time, the Oakland music scene was bubbling up with acts like E-40 and Too Shoot gaining local acclaim. But the scene was constantly overshadowed by Los Angeles and New York City. Sway brought the Bay to the USA. And not just to the airwaves, but as a news correspondent on MTV – a move that opened doors and landed Sway some of the biggest interviews any disc or video jockey has ever seen. Produced by Double Elvis, the 14-episode “Amplify Color” series tells the stes of how trailblazers like Big Boy, Tom Joyner, Robin Quivers and more have left an undeniable impact on the radio industry. The next upcoming episodes will discuss the life of iconic TV host Wendy Williams and host of The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne tha God. ****************************************************************** The tragedy of Layleen Polanco on Rikers iHeartPodcasts has released a new podcast calledAfterlives: The Layleen Polanco Story. Known to light up a room, Layleen Xtravaganza Cubilette-Polanco was an Afro-Latina trans woman in New York City who was sentenced to the city’s notorious jail complex on Rikers Island and died there in 2019 at the young age of 27. On June 7th, 2019, Layleen Polanco suffered an epileptic seizure while in confinement and was rendered no medical aid by staff for nearly an hour, which could have saved her life. Sadly, but not surprisingly, no one was held responsible for Layleen’s preventable death.

Host Raquel Willis celebrates Layleen’s vibrant life through memories from her family of origin and the community she discovered in New York’s famed ballroom scene, while also unpacking the systems that failed Layleen leading up to her incarceration. Learn more about Layleen’s story and the fight that continues in her name today and every Monday.

[brookston]

Holidays 9.6

Holidays

Amed Forces Day (São Tomé and Príncipe)

Barbie Doll Day

Battle of Lake Travis Anniversary Day

Bonaire Day

Colour Blind Awareness Day

Day of Sex (Brazil)

Defence Day (Pakistan)

Dia de Elkano (Basque, Spain)

Fight Procrastination Day

Flag Day (Bonaire)

Great Egg Toss Day

Harvesting Basket Day (French Republic)

I AM MDC Day (Florida)

Karma Puja (India)

Khurat (Elder Scrolls)

National Afro Puff Day

National Do It Day

National Little Black Dress Day (Australia)

National Read a Book Day

National Sabrina Day

National Writing Day

Piggly Wiggly Day

Player Piano Day

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

Prosthetics & Orthotics Day (UK)

Read A Book Day

Rettir (Sheep Round-Up; Iceland)

Septemvriana Anniversary Day

Somhlolo Day (Eswatini, f.k.a. Swaziland)

Stillbirth Remembrance Day

Supermarket Day

Unification Day (Bulgaria)

World Oral Sex Day

World Shorebirds Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Coffee Ice Cream Day

Salami Day

1st Wednesday in September

Global Talent Acquisition Day [1st Wednesday]

Indigenous Literacy Day (Australia) [1st Wednesday]

Independence Days

Ichkeria (Chechen Republic of Ichkeria; 1991)

Eswatini, f.k.a. Swaziland (a.k.a. Somhlolo Day; from UK, 1968)

HSSR (Hot Lads Soviet Socialist Republic, f.k.a. Hugel; Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Begga of Cumbria (a.k.a. Bega or Bees; Christian; Saint)

Cesarean Section Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Chagnoald (Christian; Saint)

Diablo Sauce Day (Pastafarian)

Eleutherius (Christian; Saint)

Faustus, Abibus and Dionysius of Alexandria (Christian; Saint)

Gondulphus of Metz (Christian; Saint)

Horatio Greenough (Artology)

Krishna Janmashtami (Hinduism)

Macculindus, Bishop of Lusk (Christian; Saint)

Magnus of Füssen (Christian; Saint) [crops]

Media Aestas IV (Pagan)

Onesiphorus (Christian; Saint)

Pambo of Nitria (Christian; Saint)

Roxanne (Muppetism)

Sacrifice to Hera Thelchinia (Ancient Greece)

Saussure (Positivist; Saint)

Zechariah (Catholic Church; Hebrew prophet)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Perilous Day (13th Century England) [25 of 32]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [42 of 60]

Premieres

The Adventures of Spunky and Tadpole (Animated TV Series; 1958)

Alice Charms the Fish (Disney Cartoon; 1926)

Atlanta (TV Series; 2016)

A Bigger Bang, by The Rolling Stones (Album; 2005)

Candle in the Wind (Diana version), by Elton John (Song; 1997)

Desperately Seeking Susan (Film; 1985)

Double Indemnity (Film; 1944)

Go, Diego, Go! (Animated TV Series; 2005)

Hangin’ Tough, by New Kids on the Block (Album; 1988)

The Horse and His Boy, by C.S. Lewis (Novel; 1954) [The Chronicles of Narnia #5]

The House of the Rising Sun, recorded by Tom Ashley & Gwen Foster (Song; 1933) [Earliest known recording]

The Huckleberry Hound Show (Animated TV Series; 1958)

I’m a Slave 4 U, by Britney Spears (Song; 2001)

It: Chapter Two (Film; 2019)

Just a Little Heart Attack (Short Film; 2011)

La Clemenza di Tito, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Opera; 1791)

Lady Chatterly’s Lover (Film; 2015)

La Strada (Film; 1954)

Let Love Rule, by Lenny Kravitz (Album; 1989)

Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (Documentary Film; 2019)

Looper (Film; 2012)

Not Without Laughter, by Langston Hughes (Novel; 1930)

Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (Film; 1945)

Regular Show (Animated TV Series; 2009)

The Rescuers, by Margery Sharp (Novel; 1959)

Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur (WB Animated Film; 2011)

The Secret of Moonacre (Film; 2008)

Stranger Than Fiction, by Bad Religion (Album; 1994)

Superman: The Last Son of Krypton (WB Animated Film; 1996)

Weasel While You Work (WB MM Cartoon; 1958)

Today’s Name Days

Beata, Bertram, Gundolf, Magnus (Austria)

Boris, Davor, Zaharija (Croatia)

Boleslav (Czech Republic)

Magnus (Denmark)

Aiki, Angela, Angelika, Ingel (Estonia)

Asko, Felix (Finland)

Bertrand, Eva (France)

Beate, Bertram, Gundolf, Magnus (Germany)

Evdoxios, Vivos (Greece)

Zakariás (Hungary)

Uberto (Italy)

Balva, Magnuss, Maigonis (Latvia)

Faustas, Tautenė, Vaištautas (Lithuania)

Siril, Siv, Sollaug (Norway)

Albin, Beata, Eugenia, Eugeniusz, Magnus, Michał, Uniewit, Zachariasz (Poland)

Alica (Slovakia)

Eleuterio, Zacarías (Spain)

Lilian, Lilly (Sweden)

Bartram, Bertram, Veda, Yahir (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 249 of 2024; 116 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of week 36 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Muin (Vine) [Day 2 of 28]

Chinese: Month 7 (Geng-Shen), Day 22 (Ding-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 20 Elul 5783

Islamic: 20 Safar 1445

J Cal: 9 Aki; Twosday [9 of 30]

Julian: 24 August 2023

Moon: 50%: 3rd Quarter

Positivist: 25 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Saussure]

Runic Half Month: Rad (Motion) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 77 of 94)

Zodiac: Virgo (Day 16 of 32)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 9.6

Holidays

Amed Forces Day (São Tomé and Príncipe)

Barbie Doll Day

Battle of Lake Travis Anniversary Day

Bonaire Day

Colour Blind Awareness Day

Day of Sex (Brazil)

Defence Day (Pakistan)

Dia de Elkano (Basque, Spain)

Fight Procrastination Day

Flag Day (Bonaire)

Great Egg Toss Day

Harvesting Basket Day (French Republic)

I AM MDC Day (Florida)

Karma Puja (India)

Khurat (Elder Scrolls)

National Afro Puff Day

National Do It Day

National Little Black Dress Day (Australia)

National Read a Book Day

National Sabrina Day

National Writing Day

Piggly Wiggly Day

Player Piano Day

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

Prosthetics & Orthotics Day (UK)

Read A Book Day

Rettir (Sheep Round-Up; Iceland)

Septemvriana Anniversary Day

Somhlolo Day (Eswatini, f.k.a. Swaziland)

Stillbirth Remembrance Day

Supermarket Day

Unification Day (Bulgaria)

World Oral Sex Day

World Shorebirds Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Coffee Ice Cream Day

Salami Day

1st Wednesday in September

Global Talent Acquisition Day [1st Wednesday]

Indigenous Literacy Day (Australia) [1st Wednesday]

Independence Days

Ichkeria (Chechen Republic of Ichkeria; 1991)

Eswatini, f.k.a. Swaziland (a.k.a. Somhlolo Day; from UK, 1968)

HSSR (Hot Lads Soviet Socialist Republic, f.k.a. Hugel; Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Begga of Cumbria (a.k.a. Bega or Bees; Christian; Saint)

Cesarean Section Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Chagnoald (Christian; Saint)

Diablo Sauce Day (Pastafarian)

Eleutherius (Christian; Saint)

Faustus, Abibus and Dionysius of Alexandria (Christian; Saint)

Gondulphus of Metz (Christian; Saint)

Horatio Greenough (Artology)

Krishna Janmashtami (Hinduism)

Macculindus, Bishop of Lusk (Christian; Saint)

Magnus of Füssen (Christian; Saint) [crops]

Media Aestas IV (Pagan)

Onesiphorus (Christian; Saint)

Pambo of Nitria (Christian; Saint)

Roxanne (Muppetism)

Sacrifice to Hera Thelchinia (Ancient Greece)

Saussure (Positivist; Saint)

Zechariah (Catholic Church; Hebrew prophet)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Perilous Day (13th Century England) [25 of 32]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [42 of 60]

Premieres

The Adventures of Spunky and Tadpole (Animated TV Series; 1958)

Alice Charms the Fish (Disney Cartoon; 1926)

Atlanta (TV Series; 2016)

A Bigger Bang, by The Rolling Stones (Album; 2005)

Candle in the Wind (Diana version), by Elton John (Song; 1997)

Desperately Seeking Susan (Film; 1985)

Double Indemnity (Film; 1944)

Go, Diego, Go! (Animated TV Series; 2005)

Hangin’ Tough, by New Kids on the Block (Album; 1988)

The Horse and His Boy, by C.S. Lewis (Novel; 1954) [The Chronicles of Narnia #5]

The House of the Rising Sun, recorded by Tom Ashley & Gwen Foster (Song; 1933) [Earliest known recording]

The Huckleberry Hound Show (Animated TV Series; 1958)

I’m a Slave 4 U, by Britney Spears (Song; 2001)

It: Chapter Two (Film; 2019)

Just a Little Heart Attack (Short Film; 2011)

La Clemenza di Tito, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Opera; 1791)

Lady Chatterly’s Lover (Film; 2015)

La Strada (Film; 1954)

Let Love Rule, by Lenny Kravitz (Album; 1989)

Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (Documentary Film; 2019)

Looper (Film; 2012)

Not Without Laughter, by Langston Hughes (Novel; 1930)

Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (Film; 1945)

Regular Show (Animated TV Series; 2009)

The Rescuers, by Margery Sharp (Novel; 1959)

Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur (WB Animated Film; 2011)

The Secret of Moonacre (Film; 2008)

Stranger Than Fiction, by Bad Religion (Album; 1994)

Superman: The Last Son of Krypton (WB Animated Film; 1996)

Weasel While You Work (WB MM Cartoon; 1958)

Today’s Name Days

Beata, Bertram, Gundolf, Magnus (Austria)

Boris, Davor, Zaharija (Croatia)

Boleslav (Czech Republic)

Magnus (Denmark)

Aiki, Angela, Angelika, Ingel (Estonia)

Asko, Felix (Finland)

Bertrand, Eva (France)

Beate, Bertram, Gundolf, Magnus (Germany)

Evdoxios, Vivos (Greece)

Zakariás (Hungary)

Uberto (Italy)

Balva, Magnuss, Maigonis (Latvia)

Faustas, Tautenė, Vaištautas (Lithuania)

Siril, Siv, Sollaug (Norway)

Albin, Beata, Eugenia, Eugeniusz, Magnus, Michał, Uniewit, Zachariasz (Poland)

Alica (Slovakia)

Eleuterio, Zacarías (Spain)

Lilian, Lilly (Sweden)

Bartram, Bertram, Veda, Yahir (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 249 of 2024; 116 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of week 36 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Muin (Vine) [Day 2 of 28]

Chinese: Month 7 (Geng-Shen), Day 22 (Ding-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 20 Elul 5783

Islamic: 20 Safar 1445

J Cal: 9 Aki; Twosday [9 of 30]

Julian: 24 August 2023

Moon: 50%: 3rd Quarter

Positivist: 25 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Saussure]

Runic Half Month: Rad (Motion) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 77 of 94)

Zodiac: Virgo (Day 16 of 32)

[ok9ja]

Lyta – Geh Monie

All sharing options Lyta – Geh Monie Lyta makes his musical debut in the music area with the enthralling tune “Geh Monie,” a top-tier Nigerian music attraction. Also, this outstanding song acts as a brief continuation of his previous debut record, entitled “Stranger EP.” Lyta is the stage name of Opeyemi Babatunde Rahim, a Nigerian singer and songwriter. After having a disagreement with the label’s owner Olamide, he got a record deal with YBNL Nation in 2018, however he departed the label in May 2019. In 2019, he issued his 5-track Id debut EP. Before the song “Time” was released, he was spotted performing at numerous shows and executing a number of freestyles. In 2020, Lyta agreed to work with Naira Marley’s Marlian Recordings. He also released “Hold Me Down (Omo Gidi),” his label debut song. Currently, Mohbad, Zinoleesky, Tori Keeche, Emo Grae, Fabian Blu, C Blvck, and other artists are signed to Naira Marley‘s Marlian Music Record Label, which also houses Lyta. Following previously released tracks, the well-enchanted song is the most recent entrance this year. I’m hoping that the success of this album will help the Afro-classic crooner achieve greatness. Listen and share your thought below: Read the full article

[gazeta24br]

Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike trazem alguma influência latina sensual novamente para sua música em seu novo single, para o qual eles se uniram ao icônico hitmaker NE-YO, ao fenômeno juvenil mexicano Danna Paola e recrutaram uma verdadeira banda mexicana de mariachi para infundir em "Mexico" uma autêntica atmosfera latina. A combinação de vocais estelares da faixa por NE-YO e Danna Paola e as melodias orgânicas e groovy de Dimitri & Mike que preenchem a lacuna entre a dança e o pop realmente roubam o show, assim como a mulher nas letras da faixa. "Mexico" está longe de ser a faixa house de sala grande pela qual a dupla é bem conhecida, mas mostra sua proeza de produção através da exploração de outros gêneros e segue o estilo sonoro de seu recente hit dance-pop "Fuego" com Kim Loaiza. Se você está indo à praia para umas férias em Tulum ou simplesmente imaginando-a, "México" irá puxá-lo para um refúgio tropical e movido a tequila. Esta não é a primeira vez que NE-YO se junta a Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. Em 2015, eles se uniram para lançar "Higher Place", que ganhou platina e liderou a parada Billboard Dance Club Songs. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Desde sua estreia em 2007, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike têm feito ondas com sucessos como "The Hum", "Higher Place" em colaboração com NE-YO e "Hey Baby" com Diplo, todos os quais ganharam platina e passaram quantidades recordes de tempo na Billboard Dance. Gráficos. Flexionando ainda mais suas proezas, os irmãos se uniram a Hans Zimmer para um retrabalho de "Dead Men Tell No Tales" da 5ª parte de "Piratas do Caribe". Em seguida, juntou-se a David Guetta e Kiiara em "Complicated", que tem mais de 160 milhões de streams no Spotify e quase 90 milhões de visualizações no Youtube, e lançou uma das maiores músicas do verão de 2019 - "Instagram", que também contou com David Guetta, Afro Bros, Daddy Yankee e Natti Natasha . Emparelhando essas conquistas no topo das paradas com uma agenda de turnês lotada que incluiu Tomorrowland, EXIT festival, Creamfields, EDC Las Vegas e muito mais, o mundo se apaixonou pelas performances de alta energia e estilo dinâmico da dupla. Eles têm sido consistentemente classificados no Top 100 DJs da DJ Mag e se tornaram a primeira dupla a assumir o 1º lugar, flexionando ainda mais suas proezas, juntando-se a rebatedores como Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, Martin Garrix, Steve Aoki, Afrojack, Fatboy Slim para Lil Jon, e remixando superstars como Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Chainsmokers , Major Lazer e muitos mais. No ano passado, eles terminaram em 5º lugar, mostrando claramente que estão entre os artistas mais reconhecidos da história da dance music. Sempre evoluindo com os tempos, somando 30 milhões fãs nas mídias sociais, combinado com bilhões de transmissões de música e visualizações de vídeo de suas performances ao vivo e música, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike são certamente aqueles para assistir por muitos mais anos. NE-YO NE-YO, O TRÊS VEZES VENCEDOR DO Grammy Award-Award hitmaker de R & B, compositor icônico, ator, empresário e filantropo, vendeu um acumulado de mais de 20 milhões de álbuns ajustados em todo o mundo. Seu single de estreia, "So Sick", de 2005, atingiu o número 1 na Billboard Hot 100 e foi certificado 4 x Platina. Desde então, o artista da Motown Records/Compound Entertainment acumulou uma coleção de hits, incluindo "Sexy Love", "Closer", "Because of You", "Miss Independent" e "Push Back" (feat. Bebe Rexha e Stefflon Don). 3 de seus álbuns entraram na parada Top Current Albums do SoundScan em #1. NE-YO também provou ser tão poderoso com sua caneta quanto ele é no estúdio e no palco. O nativo de Las Vegas rapidamente se tornou conhecido como um hitmaker de referência, escrevendo bangers como "Unfaithful", "Russian Roulette" e "Take a Bow", de Rihanna, juntamente com o hino de separação de Beyoncé de 2006 "Irreplaceable" e músicas para artistas como Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Carrie Underwood e Celine Dion, entre outros. Os créditos de NE-YO no cinema e

na televisão incluem "World of Dance", "Empire", "Stomp the Yard", "Save the Last Dance", "Battle: Los Angeles", "Red Tails", de George Lucas, "The Wiz Live!", e "Step Up: High Water", da Starz. Mais recentemente, Ne-Yo lançou uma série de novos singles - "Stay Down" (feat. Yung Bleu), "Don't Love Me" e "You Got the Body" - abrindo caminho para seu ansiosamente aguardado 8º álbum, "Self Explanatory", lançado agora. Danna Paola O ícone do pop latino é considerado um dos fenômenos juvenis mais proeminentes dos últimos tempos. Versátil em todas as suas facetas: música, cinema, teatro, televisão e moda, para citar apenas alguns, foi indicada ao Grammy Latino, Premios Juventud, MTV Millennial Awards, entre outros prêmios internacionais. Ela pode garantir 2023 cheio de singles do tipo XT4S1S, shows esgotados em todo o mundo e muito mais. O single mais recente de Danna - "XT4S1S", entrou no Top Chart Global do Spotify em apenas duas semanas e foi posicionado durante a semana de estreia nas principais paradas no México, incluindo YouTube Videos Mexico, YouTube Songs Mexico, YouTube Artists e Spotify 200 no México. O single ganhou disco de platina em menos de 6 meses e é destaque na 2ª temporada da HBO Max.O programa de TV "Gossip Girl" da empresa. Em 2020, a artista se posicionou no topo da parada das artistas femininas mais ouvidas no Spotify México e fez movimentos sérios ao redor do mundo com sucessos como "Mala Fama", "Oye Pablo" e "Sodio". Com seu álbum de estúdio de 2021, "K.O.", a popstar varreu as paradas musicais globais, tornando-se a primeira artista solo mexicana a entrar no Top 10 Album Debuts do Spotify globalmente e no Top 10 Album Debuts nos EUA. "K.O." também foi certificado Platina no México. Como atriz, Danna Paola estrelou musicais de renome, incluindo "Wicked", no qual ela foi rotulada pela Broadway como um "orgulho latino" por sua incrível performance vocal que surpreendeu o público nos EUA e na América Latina. Ela também estrelou "Elite", a famosa série da Netflix, que estreou em #1, estava disponível para streaming em 190 países e se tornou uma das séries mais assistidas da história da plataforma. Atualmente, ela é considerada uma das 100 mulheres mais poderosas do México, de acordo com a Forbes. Artistas: Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, NE-YO, Danna Paola Título: México Gravadora: Smash The House Data de lançamento: 03 de março de 2023 Mais informações sobre Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike / NE-YO / Danna Paola / Smash The House: Dimitri Vegas e Curta Mike: Facebook | Instagram | Sítio Web | Spotify NE-YO: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify Danna Paola: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify Smash The House: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube (em inglês)

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 312: Joe Morris

I’ve had considerable difficulty putting down my thoughts concerning Joe Morris’ Exotic Language, though not because of the music…a sonic paradise so panoramic and immersive that my mind is completely overwhelmed with hyperbolic descriptors and imagined fantasy landscapes. No, the difficulty comes from determining how to properly contextualize the work of an artist whose music has meant so much to me over the last few years and who has been a constant guidepost as I’ve explored this vague soundworld we all call “balearic”. So perhaps it’s best to go back to the beginning, which involved me trawling through the Is It Balearic? Discogs page picking out titles whose label art resonated with me…visuals that captured some indefinable spirit of beachside meditation and solar fantasy dancing. This of course led me to Joe’s Golden Tides 12”, the label art of which was given over to impossibly beautiful sunset scenes, ones that were washed out into a sparkling tapestry of golden radiance. It was exactly what I was looking for and from then on, I’ve been in a near constant love affair with the producer’s work, which has led my spirit through so many wonderful musical environments, whether it’s the mystically inclined Bahia EP on Balearic Social, the Cloud Nine 12″ on Wonder Stories, or the increasingly esoteric remix work of Clandestino, Joe’s party crew and studio project run in conjunction with Iain Mac and Nick J. Smith, who have perfected a particularly tripped out style of jacking dancefloor ritualism.

But as great as those works are, the undoubted high point for me came with the release of Jacaranda Skies on Pleasure Unit, an EP that opened Joe’s sound up considerably and foreshadowed many of the adventurous environments he would travel to on his epic full length. Across the 12”, the listener was treated to a tropical house slammer, a futuristic acid jazz ritual, and one of my favorite tracks of recent memory, “The Lost Garden,” which melted the heart with timeless string descents while mallet instruments danced amidst sparkling synths, reverberating guitars, and island percussion exotica. After the release of Jacaranda Skies, I just knew Joe had to drop an album, one that would allow his increasingly adventurous and cinematic sonics to spread all the way out, unrestricted by space or time considerations. Thus I was completely blown away in 2019 as my fantasies came true in the form of Exotic Language, the producer’s magnum opus and a near perfect summary of the many colorful sonic universes he has visited across his career. It’s a true album experience, with well considered track sequencing taking the listener on a oceanic dream journey encompassing Italo deep house, Chicago club workouts, spiritual Afro-trance, ethereal pop-ambient, acid-laced downtempo, aqueous guitar mesmerism, amorphous dub, and so much more. And though mostly realized as a solo effort, including the fantastic artwork, Joe is joined by some crucial guests in the form of Private Agenda and his son Milo.

Joe Morris - Exotic Language (Shades of Sound, 2019) We open on “Firefly Beach,” with guitar swells creating aqueous ripples amidst cricket chirps and crashing waves...the vibe not unlike Onyricon’s “Sweet Dream.” Plucked harps flow through interstellar fluids and synthetic arps smear into seafoam as momentum builds, with hand drums and cymbal taps leading to a low-key climax of downbeat ocean grooving. Tambourines shake through layers of brass synthesis and basslines blur in and out of focus…all while crystalline tones descend amidst solar flare vibrato orchestrations. Next is  “Perfume,” a collaboration with Private Agenda that, if released in the 90s, would have appeared on every single balearic comp, so closely does hit that essential seaside pop vibe, with touches of ethereal R&B married to oceanic chill-out in away strongly evoking the work of Afterlife, especially “Dub in Ya Mind (Beach Club Mix)” and the legendary “Speck of Gold.” Rhodes keys sparkle, big bottomed jazz breaks keep the body vibing, and dreampop guitars swim through ether as funk basslines slide through sexual smoke. Elsewhere, pianos constructed from ocean glass play melodies of dream melancholia alongside blazing string themes and laserbeam sequencing. And carrying the whole thing is a chilling vocal performance from Sean Phillips, his multi-layered and soulful hooks pushing the heart towards pure sunset euphoria. Our first taste of club fire comes via “A Dance With Jupiter,” which touches on Chicago house as well as the intense rave workouts of Clandestino. The track starts with loon calls, spectral rattles, mermaid hazes, and bongos popping over tubular basslines before we flash into a jacked out four-four house groove. Anxious cymbal work cuts up the air, electrified claps crack on the beat, and waves of angel synthesis wrap around the spirit while elsewhere, we breakdown into smacked kicks, brass heatwaves, and hand drum tribalisms. And as acid lines filter in from the void, the track snaps back into a tech house fever dream, with increasingly wild 303 patterns spraying neon liquids over anthemic chord riffs while 90s rave whistles are danced around by polychrome pan-pipe tracers.

At the start of “Echo Station,” cymbals flow through timelag generators, guitars flutter, and hand drums pop through mutating fx chains until we drop into a subsonic bass groove, with dubwise drum beats pulsing through a stoner paradise. Weirdo reggae riffs wiggle in each ear, with organs and trumpets mutating into insect psychedelia and metallic chords wavering through delay-soaked mirages. Spacey six-strings shimmer, pianos skip across new age sunbeams, and flutes execute LSD dances as the rhythms refuse to coalesce, creating that classical drug touch…a sort of fevered fantasy space where everything constantly shifts through humid layers of rainbow fog…the vibe not unlike the recent work of Androo. There’s a moment where the rhythms fade to gas amidst rimshot cloudforms while anthemic ocean wavefronts fade in, with touches of ambient prog glory shining through the deep blue hazes. Fantasy sequences climb playfully towards the clouds and synthesizers filter into neon magic as the dub riddims finally return, now with piano starlight sparkling amidst drunken brass fanfares. Next comes “Celestial Plantation,” wherein pads settle like a ghostly ocean fog, one aglow in prismatic hues of mother-of-pearl. Birds chirp, waves crash, and hand drums cascade through delays before blurring into a flutter of blutterfly wings…all while bass pulses give the abstracted groove a touch of tribal body magic. Melodic brass themes peel away to reveal sparkling gemstone electronics and electro cymbals hiss across the spectrum as the vibe grows ever more blissed out, with the spirit soaring on waves of coral colored euphoria. The heart overflows with balearic majesty and all bad vibrations are washed away by starlight electronics and glowing melodic crystals as Joe sets the body afloat via gaseous chill-out rhythmics. And best of all, there are these glorious moments where the spirit seems to rise above the clouds, with synths swelling and white noise hazes parting to reveal spiritual whistle tones and elven pan-pipes…a sort of new age paean to the spirits of the sea pulling the mind towards a beachside oasis, with palm trees blowing in a tropical wind while birds of paradise flit amongst the fronds.

In “Dream Clouds,” galactic vapors rattle amidst an angel choirs comprised of male cyborg breaths and glimmering fairy voices. A four-to-the-floor pulse is accented by acid bass jacking, hi-hats spread into ticking psychedelia, and clipped snares give the beat a faint disco pulse as we soar through Joe’s own paradisal imagining of Italo dream house....a euphoria-kissed fantasy world of lush dancefloor exotica…spread out, gaseous, and with billowing waves of ether stoking hallucinogenic visions. Filtering phasers infuse the aqueous pad motions, paranoid rimshots transform into kosmische energy tracers, and feedback marbles glisten in cold solar light as the snares and claps fire in that distinctly Clandestino way…the mind never allowed to settle while pushing ever closer towards hyperventilated delirium. Elsewhere, kicks pull away for a machine jazz jam, all rigid robot bopping before slamming back into fantasy dance magic, with blistering chords ringing out, white light pads bending into dolphin sirensong, and crystalline chords conversing with reverb-soaked cricket chirps. “Acid Safari” hits similar notes of freaky forest acid as “Mangrove Dawn” from Jacaranda Skies, though replacing that track’s ritualistic percussion flow with fat-bottomed rave breaks and a dubwise bass skank. The baggy and zoned out 90s-style beat science is accented by industrial tom-tom splatter, echo-soaked hand percussion, cave crack snares, and mechanized cymbal hiss, with the mix increasingly suffused by monkey howls and orchestral heatwaves. Sunbeam guitar percolations and syncopated synth riffs morph through delay layers until the vibe grows murky, resulting in a mystical environment of dispersed rhythms and machines that growl like jaguars. Cosmic acid lines diffuse in and hand drums carry the soul towards the heart of the jungle, with sunlight filtering through the dark tropical growth in the form of six-string echo dances. Blasting back into sunshine rave breaks and dub-kissed psychedelics, mutating acid lines roar at the edges of the mind and as we move towards the end, saloon-leaning Rhodes chords portend a cinematic western sunset while string synths melt towards an impossible horizon.

There’s some mystical magic happening within “Spirit Walker,” with Joe taking deep inspiration from Larry Heard as he crafts an ambient house epic. But that’s not all, for amidst the mermaid choir fantasias, harmonious whalesong hazes, and clouds of cyborg psychedelia, snare drums rattle into a free jazz fever dream, shakers keep a hypnotic pulse, and hand drums alight on adventures of Afro-beat intensity…the track coming together as some inspired amalgam of ecstatic future dance energy and ancient tribal magic. Animalistic acid lines growl down low and dream house piano chords blur through sunset colorations until eventually being replaced by pure trance vocal synthesis…these chopping waves of angel bliss pushing the mind towards transcendence. There’s a moment where the basslines pull away, leaving behind a gaseous world of spiritual jazz, wherein pianos decay while cinematic pads are surrounded by whooshing layers of aquatic ambiance. Then, as we slam back into Afro-house firedance, balafons and kalimbas weave in and out of the Goan voice layers…a mix of idiophonic rainfall and slow motion trance ecstasy that could float my spirit forever. Closer “Milo’s Theme” begins with morphing synth chords…like pianos obscured by alien foam. Hovering sea-spirits radiate aquamarine while dream sequences dance ear-to-ear and after a gaseous burst, we flow into an immersive groove of downtempo drumming and bongo tropicalia. Chopping vibrato hazes diffuse in and out of empty space, guitars sing spiritual songs of seaside blues, and gemstone melodies flow upwards as feedback tracers mimic sad seagull cries. Then, the rhythms disappear and the song gives over to a new age soundbath, one that celebrates the newness of life with joyous baby babbles (sourced from Joe’s son Milo) and bubbling strands of melted ocean glass. And after a climactic reprise of sunset groove majesty, with layered guitars, tremolo psychedelics, and squelching piano chords hovering over post-rock rhythmics and balearic beat expanses, we return again to a world of ambient sea-spray, abstracted echo weirdness, and gurgling infant breaths.

(images from my personal copy)

[burlveneer-music]

Mr Raoul K - African Paradigm - a synthesis of African instruments and vocals with modern production (compost)

It took Mr Raoul K more than three years of work inside and outside the studio to complete his first album for Compost Records. His first goal was to show all the musical influences he came across during his time in Ivory Coast. Ivorian music has incorporated musical traditions and instruments from East-Africa, West-Africa and from Central Africa – a real musical melting pot. To complete 'African Paradigm', Mr Raoul K used lots of the instruments he bought during his trips to Africa - including a Kenyan Mbira and Senegalese talking drums, for example. All instruments you hear on 'African Paradigm' were played the old-fashioned analog way - no synthesized sounds. Mr Raoul K teamed up with vocalists Ahmed Sosso, Lady Parul and Sona Diabate to emphasize his message, because sometimes (only sometimes) words speak louder than music. His second goal was to share his view on Africa through his music, making 'African Paradigm' a political album as well. Mr Raoul K has always used his music as a means of political expression - 'Le Karantkatrieme Peul' dealing with Barack Obama's presidency, for example. The album's main track, 'African Paradigm', was an epic track with a running time of about 50 minutes. Mr Raoul K thinks of the track as a work in progress. Here he releases two finished parts plus an additional intro. The remaining parts are scheduled for a later release. If you listen closely, you can hear Mr Raoul K painting layer after layer after layer of sound until the whole picture finally appears. Showing a beautiful continent, torn apart by foreign powers, independent by law but still suffering from the burden of being colonialized for cheap labour and raw materials and suffering from inner conflicts and civil wars. The music mirrors this picture. You can hear the sense of urgency, the suffering - different kinds of driving drums, haunting percussion, dancing flutes, irie effects lurking in the shadows... But there are contemplation and hope as well - the hope, that there will be a better future for Africa. Shortly after the album release, Mr Raoul K will also present the “African Paradigm EP 2” in cooperation with Manoo.

[fiifiadinkra]

Shatta Wale Faints After Being Hit With Kofi Kinaata's Punchlines

Shatta Wale Faints After Being Hit With Kofi Kinaata’s Punchlines

Kofi Kinaata and Shatta Wale

Shatta Wale was part of the artistes who went to the Western Region to Kofi Kinaata’s Made In Taadi Concert at the Takoradi Jubilee Park. The place was filled to the brim with fans.

The dancehall King took to stage to perform and delivered his best as always. The King of the West joined him and dropped some crazy punchlines as well. Watch this video here:

  It was a…

[dammydus]

Bob Ezy & Mr Chillax Thandekile (Original Mix) Bob Ezy & Mr Chillax Thandekile (Original Mix) Mp3 Download. Here is a new release of South African Afro house Artist…

[writemarcus]

Charles Turner, Marcus Scott & Sean Mason in MELANIN or THE IN CROWD July 31, 2021 at Catskill’s Bridge Street Theatre

A Brand-New Musical in Concert at Catskill’s Bridge Street Theatre

Wrapping up a recent Artists’ Residency at the Catwalk Institute with pianist/composer Sean Mason and playwright Marcus Scott, Brooklyn-based vocalist and composer Charles Turner will present a one-night only “tasting” from the project they’ve all been creating together. This will be the very first airing of selections/songs from “Melanin or The In-Crowd”, an exciting new musical theatre piece in its nascent stages, to be performed live at Catskill’s Bridge Street Theatre on Saturday evening July 31 at 8:00pm.

Over the course of a weekend, a cadre of young, upscale, globetrotting professionals gather for one last hurrah in and around NYC’s lounge scene. Celebrating the newfound success of one of their own who has received a lucrative job offer overseas, the coterie spends an unforgettable weekend, touring various nightclubs in an endless cavalcade of booze, hookups and cheap thrills.

Inspired by the classic golden age MGM Hollywood musicals, but filtered through a modern lens, this splashy new musical encompasses a variety of musical styles such as blues, jazz, swing, big band, jazz fusion, progressive soul, psychedelic soul, cinematic soul, Sophisti-pop, quiet storm, urban, doo-wop, hip-hop soul, neo-soul, alternative R&B, funk, dancehall, reggae, highlife and afro pop. “Melanin or The In-Crowd” is a postmodern coming of age rom-com that explores themes including millennials and the youth of America, materialism, consumerism, capitalism and commodification, classism, colorism, selfishness, respectability politics, depersonalization and dating in the digital age, sexism, sexual freedom, and modern love, all through the prism of black bourgeois culture.

The multi-faceted Turner has performed at such venues as Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, Smoke Jazz club and the historic Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem. International performances include PizzaExpress in London, Sunset/Sunside in Paris, Sala Clamores in Madrid, and other venues abroad from Seoul, South Korea to Wellington, New Zealand. His passion is to bring swing and jazz to listeners of all generations, carrying the Spirit of Harlem and the torch of the past into the present day for music lovers and dancers throughout the world to experience, embrace, and enjoy. This new collaboration with pianist/composer Sean Mason and playwright Marcus Scott extends Turner’s range even further and promises to be an event to remember.

Charles Turner is a multi-faceted, Brooklyn-based composer and vocalist whose work transcends borders and styles from Jazz, R&B to Soul. Turner has held residencies, hosted, and performed at venues such as Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center,   Birdland, Smoke Jazz club and  the historic Minton’s Playhouse  in Harlem. International  performances include, Pizza Express, in London, Sunside Sunset in Paris, Sala Claomores in Madrid, and more venues abroad from Seoul, South Korea to Wellington New Zealand.

Turner’s Sophomore Album “ Single & In Love” , produced by Grammy award winning drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. has received critical acclaim and continues to  play all across the world. Berklee College of Music Graduate, he has extended his educational value by teaching at The American School of Modern Music in Paris, France in 2017 & 18.  Then then participated in “ Jazz for Young People” at JALC and conducted Masterclasses in various high schools and  Universities such as N.Y.U.

Charles’ passion to bring swing and jazz to listeners of all generations and backgrounds proceeds through his new band and project Charles Turner & Uptown Swing.  Bringing the Swing and Spirit of Harlem to music lovers and dancers around the world. Vibrant Swing , Virtuosic Bebop & Vital Blues, The band extends music from the swing era to present under the umbrella of swing .

Vocalist, Composer, & Educator, moving forward to bring this incredible music to the people ; Turner holds the torch  of the past  and brings it along with him to present day for all to experience , embrace, and enjoy.

MARCUS SCOTT is a playwright, musical theater writer, librettist, journalist, critic and teaching artist. Full-length works include “Fidelio” (Libretto; Heartbeat Opera at Baruch Performing Arts Center, 2018; called “poignant” by NY Times and “vital” by The New Yorker), “Tumbleweed” (Finalist for the 2017/2018 Humanitas Play LA Workshop, the Playwrights Foundation’s 2017 Bay Area Playwrights Festival, and the 2017 Festival of New American Plays at Austin Playhouse; semi-finalist for the 2017/2018 New Dramatists Princess Grace Fellowship Award), “Sibling Rivalries” (long-listed for the 2020 Theatre503 International Playwriting Award; semifinalist for 2021 Blue Ink Playwriting Award, the Landing Theatre Company’s 2020 New American Voices Playwriting Festival and the 2020 Campfire Theatre Festival), and “Cherry Bomb” (recipient of the 2017 Drama League First Stage Artist-In-Residence; 2017 Finalist for the Yale Institute for Music Theatre). His work has been developed, presented and/or produced by Joe’s Pub, Feinstein’s/54 Below, Abingdon Theatre Company, Astoria Performing Arts Center, Out of the Box Theatrics, Weathervane Theatre, Dixon Place, National Black Theatre (KSA series), Playwright’s Playground at Classical Theatre of Harlem, Space on Ryder Farm, Cherry Lane Theater (DUAF), Theater 80 St. Marks (DUAF), Across A Crowded Room – Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library (NYPL), NY Theatre Barn, CoLAB Arts, Symphony Space, NYC LGBT Center, Secret Theatre, MicroTheater Miami, among others. Residencies and retreats: The Center at West Park Virtual Performance Residency (2020-2021), Gingold Theatre Group Speaker’s Corner Writer (2020-2021), Liberation Theatre Company’s Playwriting Residency Fellowship (2018), Athena Theatre’s Athena Writes Playwriting Fellowship (2018), the inaugural LIT Council at the Tank (2018-2019), Fresh Ground Pepper Artist-In-Residence BRB Retreat (2017), One Co. Writers’ Residency at Little Farm (2017) and Goodspeed Opera House Retreat (2013). He was also the 2016-17 Musical Theatre Fellow at Playwrights Horizons and the 20172018 co-moderator of Musical Theatre Factory’s POC Roundtable. Scott is a four-time top finalist for the R&D Group at The Civilians, a two-time National Black Theatre I AM SOUL Playwrights Residency finalist and a 2019 finalist for the Bushwick Starr’s Starr Reading Series. His articles appeared in TimeOut New York, American Theatre Magazine, Playbill, Elle, Out, Essence, among others. BFA: State University College at Buffalo, MFA: NYU Tisch.

SEAN MASON. Born and raised in Charlotte, NC, Sean Mason taught himself by ear how to play the piano at the age of 13. His beginning musical roots included Gospel, Classical, Hip-Hop, and R&B music but then he discovered jazz and decided to make a career of it. To further his knowledge, Sean went to study music at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After two years of study, Sean decided to move to New York City and transfer his studies to The Juilliard School, studying for another two years before ultimately leaving to pursue his music interests independently. In his short but already groundbreaking career, Sean has played and toured with many jazz professionals, prominently including Branford Marsalis and Wynton Marsalis, but among many others. Sean is based in New York City and leads his own band, “The Sean Mason Trio”, which performs regularly in New York City and tours across the globe. Aside from his performing career, Sean is also a composer and an orchestrator in the musical theatre space. https://www.seanmasonofficial.com

[blackkudos]

Taj Mahal

Henry Saint Clair Fredericks (born May 17, 1942), who uses the stage name Taj Mahal, is an American blues musician, a singer-songwriter and film composer who plays the guitar, piano, banjo, harmonica, and many other instruments. He often incorporates elements of world music into his works and has done much to reshape the definition and scope of blues music over the course of his more than 50-year career by fusing it with nontraditional forms, including sounds from the Caribbean, Africa, and the South Pacific.

Early life

Born Henry Saint Clair Fredericks, Jr. on May 17, 1942, in Harlem, New York, Mahal grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was raised in a musical environment; his mother was a member of a local gospel choir and his father was an Afro-Caribbean jazz arranger and piano player. His family owned a shortwave radio which received music broadcasts from around the world, exposing him at an early age to world music. Early in childhood he recognized the stark differences between the popular music of his day and the music that was played in his home. He also became interested in jazz, enjoying the works of musicians such as Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk and Milt Jackson. His parents came of age during the Harlem Renaissance, instilling in their son a sense of pride in his Caribbean and African ancestry through their stories.

Because his father was a musician, his house was frequently the host of other musicians from the Caribbean, Africa, and the U.S. His father, Henry Saint Clair Fredericks Sr., was called "The Genius" by Ella Fitzgerald before starting his family. Early on, Henry Jr. developed an interest in African music, which he studied assiduously as a young man. His parents also encouraged him to pursue music, starting him out with classical piano lessons. He also studied the clarinet, trombone and harmonica. When Mahal was eleven his father was killed in an accident at his own construction company, crushed by a tractor when it flipped over. This was an extremely traumatic experience for the boy.

Mahal's mother later remarried. His stepfather owned a guitar which Taj began using at age 13 or 14, receiving his first lessons from a new neighbor from North Carolina of his own age who played acoustic blues guitar. His name was Lynwood Perry, the nephew of the famous bluesman Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup. In high school Mahal sang in a doo-wop group.

For some time Mahal thought of pursuing farming over music. He had developed a passion for farming that nearly rivaled his love of music—coming to work on a farm first at age 16. It was a dairy farm in Palmer, Massachusetts, not far from Springfield. By age nineteen he had become farm foreman, getting up a bit after 4:00 a.m. and running the place. "I milked anywhere between thirty-five and seventy cows a day. I clipped udders. I grew corn. I grew Tennessee redtop clover. Alfalfa." Mahal believes in growing one's own food, saying, "You have a whole generation of kids who think everything comes out of a box and a can, and they don't know you can grow most of your food." Because of his personal support of the family farm, Mahal regularly performs at Farm Aid concerts.

Taj Mahal, his stage name, came to him in dreams about Gandhi, India, and social tolerance. He started using it in 1959 or 1961—around the same time he began attending the University of Massachusetts. Despite having attended a vocational agriculture school, becoming a member of the National FFA Organization, and majoring in animal husbandry and minoring in veterinary science and agronomy, Mahal decided to take the route of music instead of farming. In college he led a rhythm and blues band called Taj Mahal & The Elektras and, before heading for the U.S. West Coast, he was also part of a duo with Jessie Lee Kincaid.

Career

In 1964 he moved to Santa Monica, California, and formed Rising Sons with fellow blues rock musician Ry Cooder and Jessie Lee Kincaid, landing a record deal with Columbia Records soon after. The group was one of the first interracial bands of the period, which likely made them commercially unviable. An album was never released (though a single was) and the band soon broke up, though Legacy Records did release The Rising Sons Featuring Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder in 1992 with material from that period. During this time Mahal was working with others, musicians like Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Muddy Waters. Mahal stayed with Columbia after the Rising Sons to begin his solo career, releasing the self-titled Taj Mahal and The Natch'l Blues in 1968, and Giant Step/De Old Folks at Home with Kiowa session musician Jesse Ed Davis from Oklahoma, who played guitar and piano in 1969. During this time he and Cooder worked with the Rolling Stones, with whom he has performed at various times throughout his career. In 1968, he performed in the film The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus. He recorded a total of twelve albums for Columbia from the late 1960s into the 1970s. His work of the 1970s was especially important, in that his releases began incorporating West Indian and Caribbean music, jazz and reggae into the mix. In 1972, he acted in and wrote the film score for the movie Sounder, which starred Cicely Tyson. He reprised his role and returned as composer in the sequel, Part 2, Sounder.

In 1976 Mahal left Columbia and signed with Warner Bros. Records, recording three albums for them. One of these was another film score for 1977's Brothers; the album shares the same name. After his time with Warner Bros., he struggled to find another record contract, this being the era of heavy metal and disco music.

Stalled in his career, he decided to move to Kauai, Hawaii in 1981 and soon formed the Hula Blues Band. Originally just a group of guys getting together for fishing and a good time, the band soon began performing regularly and touring. He remained somewhat concealed from most eyes while working out of Hawaii throughout most of the 1980s before recording Taj in 1988 for Gramavision. This started a comeback of sorts for him, recording both for Gramavision and Hannibal Records during this time.

In the 1990s Mahal became deeply involved in supporting the nonprofit Music Maker Relief Foundation. As of 2019, he was still on the Foundation's advisory board.

In the 1990s he was on the Private Music label, releasing albums full of blues, pop, R&B and rock. He did collaborative works both with Eric Clapton and Etta James.

In 1998, in collaboration with renowned songwriter David Forman, producer Rick Chertoff and musicians Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nile, Joan Osborne, Rob Hyman, Garth Hudson and Levon Helm of the Band, and the Chieftains, he performed on the Americana album Largo based on the music of Antonín Dvořák.

In 1997 he won Best Contemporary Blues Album for Señor Blues at the Grammy Awards, followed by another Grammy for Shoutin' in Key in 2000. He performed the theme song to the children's television show Peep and the Big Wide World, which began broadcast in 2004.

In 2002, Mahal appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Red Hot and Riot in tribute to Nigerian afrobeat musician Fela Kuti. The Paul Heck produced album was widely acclaimed, and all proceeds from the record were donated to AIDS charities.

Taj Mahal contributed to Olmecha Supreme's 2006 album 'hedfoneresonance'. The Wellington-based group led by Mahal's son Imon Starr (Ahmen Mahal) also featured Deva Mahal on vocals.

Mahal partnered up with Keb' Mo' to release a joint album TajMo on May 5, 2017. The album has some guest appearances by Bonnie Raitt, Joe Walsh, Sheila E., and Lizz Wright, and has six original compositions and five covers, from artists and bands like John Mayer and The Who.

In 2013, Mahal appeared in the documentary film 'The Byrd Who Flew Alone', produced by Four Suns Productions. The film was about Gene Clark, one of the original Byrds, who was a friend of Mahal for many years.

In June 2017, Mahal appeared in the award-winning documentary film The American Epic Sessions, directed by Bernard MacMahon, recording Charley Patton's "High Water Everywhere" on the first electrical sound recording system from the 1920s. Mahal appeared throughout the accompanying documentary series American Epic, commenting on the 1920s rural recording artists who had a profound influence on American music and on him personally.

Musical style

Mahal leads with his thumb and middle finger when fingerpicking, rather than with his index finger as the majority of guitar players do. "I play with a flatpick," he says, "when I do a lot of blues leads." Early in his musical career Mahal studied the various styles of his favorite blues singers, including musicians like Jimmy Reed, Son House, Sleepy John Estes, Big Mama Thornton, Howlin' Wolf, Mississippi John Hurt, and Sonny Terry. He describes his hanging out at clubs like Club 47 in Massachusetts and Ash Grove in Los Angeles as "basic building blocks in the development of his music." Considered to be a scholar of blues music, his studies of ethnomusicology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst would come to introduce him further to the folk music of the Caribbean and West Africa. Over time he incorporated more and more African roots music into his musical palette, embracing elements of reggae, calypso, jazz, zydeco, R&B, gospel music, and the country blues—each of which having "served as the foundation of his unique sound." According to The Rough Guide to Rock, "It has been said that Taj Mahal was one of the first major artists, if not the very first one, to pursue the possibilities of world music. Even the blues he was playing in the early 70s – Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff (1972), Mo' Roots (1974) – showed an aptitude for spicing the mix with flavours that always kept him a yard or so distant from being an out-and-out blues performer." Concerning his voice, author David Evans writes that Mahal has "an extraordinary voice that ranges from gruff and gritty to smooth and sultry."

Taj Mahal believes that his 1999 album Kulanjan, which features him playing with the kora master of Mali's Griot tradition Toumani Diabate, "embodies his musical and cultural spirit arriving full circle." To him it was an experience that allowed him to reconnect with his African heritage, striking him with a sense of coming home. He even changed his name to Dadi Kouyate, the first jali name, to drive this point home. Speaking of the experience and demonstrating the breadth of his eclecticism, he has said:

The microphones are listening in on a conversation between a 350-year-old orphan and its long-lost birth parents. I've got so much other music to play. But the point is that after recording with these Africans, basically if I don't play guitar for the rest of my life, that's fine with me....With Kulanjan, I think that Afro-Americans have the opportunity to not only see the instruments and the musicians, but they also see more about their culture and recognize the faces, the walks, the hands, the voices, and the sounds that are not the blues. Afro-American audiences had their eyes really opened for the first time. This was exciting for them to make this connection and pay a little more attention to this music than before.

Taj Mahal has said he prefers to do outdoor performances, saying: "The music was designed for people to move, and it's a bit difficult after a while to have people sitting like they're watching television. That's why I like to play outdoor festivals-because people will just dance. Theatre audiences need to ask themselves: 'What the hell is going on? We're asking these musicians to come and perform and then we sit there and draw all the energy out of the air.' That's why after a while I need a rest. It's too much of a drain. Often I don't allow that. I just play to the goddess of music-and I know she's dancing."

Mahal has been quoted as saying, "Eighty-one percent of the kids listening to rap were not black kids. Once there was a tremendous amount of money involved in it ... they totally moved it over to a material side. It just went off to a terrible direction. ...You can listen to my music from front to back, and you don't ever hear me moaning and crying about how bad you done treated me. I think that style of blues and that type of tone was something that happened as a result of many white people feeling very, very guilty about what went down."

Awards

Taj Mahal has received three Grammy Awards (ten nominations) over his career.

1997 (Grammy Award) Best Contemporary Blues Album for Señor Blues

2000 (Grammy Award) Best Contemporary Blues Album for Shoutin' in Key

2006 (Blues Music Awards) Historical Album of the Year for The Essential Taj Mahal

2008 (Grammy Nomination) Best Contemporary Blues Album for Maestro

2018 (Grammy Award) Best Contemporary Blues Album for TajMo

On February 8, 2006 Taj Mahal was designated the official Blues Artist of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

In March 2006, Taj Mahal, along with his sister, the late Carole Fredericks, received the Foreign Language Advocacy Award from the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in recognition of their commitment to shine a spotlight on the vast potential of music to foster genuine intercultural communication.

On May 22, 2011, Taj Mahal received an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He also made brief remarks and performed three songs. A video of the performance can be found online.

In 2014, Taj Mahal received the Americana Music Association's Lifetime Achievement award.

Discography

Albums

1968 – Taj Mahal

1968 – The Natch'l Blues

1969 – Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home

1971 – Happy Just to Be Like I Am

1972 – Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff

1972 – Sounder (original soundtrack)

1973 – Oooh So Good 'n Blues

1974 – Mo' Roots

1975 – Music Keeps Me Together

1976 – Satisfied 'n Tickled Too

1976 – Music Fuh Ya'

1977 – Brothers

1977 – Evolution

1987 – Taj

1988 – Shake Sugaree

1991 – Mule Bone

1991 – Like Never Before

1993 – Dancing the Blues

1995 – Mumtaz Mahal (with V.M. Bhatt and N. Ravikiran)

1996 – Phantom Blues

1997 – Señor Blues

1998 – Sacred Island AKA Hula Blues (with The Hula Blues Band)

1999 – Blue Light Boogie

1999 – Kulanjan (with Toumani Diabaté)

2001 – Hanapepe Dream (with The Hula Blues Band)

2005 – Mkutano Meets the Culture Musical Club of Zanzibar

2008 – Maestro

2014 – Talkin' Christmas (with Blind Boys of Alabama)

2016 – Labor of Love

2017 – TajMo (with Keb' Mo')

Live albums

1971 – The Real Thing

1972 – Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff

1972 – Big Sur Festival - One Hand Clapping

1979 – Live & Direct

1990 – Live at Ronnie Scott's

1996 – An Evening of Acoustic Music

2000 – Shoutin' in Key

2004 – Live Catch

2015 – Taj Mahal & The Hula Blues Band: Live From Kauai

Compilation albums

1980 – Going Home

1981 – The Best of Taj Mahal, Volume 1 (Columbia)

1992 – Taj's Blues

1993 – World Music

1998 – In Progress & In Motion: 1965-1998

1999 – Blue Light Boogie

2000 – The Best of Taj Mahal

2000 – The Best of the Private Years

2001 – Sing a Happy Song: The Warner Bros. Recordings

2003 – Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues – Taj Mahal

2003 – Blues with a Feeling: The Very Best of Taj Mahal

2005 – The Essential Taj Mahal

2012 – Hidden Treasures of Taj Mahal

Various artists featuring Taj Mahal

1968 – The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus

1968 – The Rock Machine Turns You On

1970 – Fill Your Head With Rock

1985 – Conjure: Music for the Texts of Ishmael Reed

1990 – The Hot Spot – original soundtrack

1991 – Vol Pour Sidney – one title only, other tracks by Charlie Watts, Elvin Jones, Pepsi, The Lonely Bears, Lee Konitz and others.

1992 – Rising Sons Featuring Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder

1992 – Smilin' Island of Song by Cedella Marley Booker and Taj Mahal.

1993 – The Source by Ali Farka Touré (World Circuit WCD030; Hannibal 1375)

1993 – Peace Is the World Smiling

1997 – Follow the Drinking Gourd

1997 – Shakin' a Tailfeather

1998 – Scrapple – original soundtrack

1998 – Largo

1999 – Hippity Hop

2001 – "Strut" – with Jimmy Smith on his album Dot Com Blues

2002 – Jools Holland's Big Band Rhythm & Blues (Rhino) – contributing his version of "Outskirts of Town"

2002 – Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III – Lead vocals on Fishin' Blues, and lead in and first verse of the title track, with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Alison Krauss, Doc Watson

2004 – Musicmakers with Taj Mahal (Music Maker 49)

2004 – Etta Baker with Taj Mahal (Music Maker 50)

2007 – Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard) – contributing his version of "My Girl Josephine"

2007 – Le Cœur d'un homme by Johnny Hallyday – duet on "T'Aimer si mal", written by French best-selling novelist Marc Levy

2009 – American Horizon – with Los Cenzontles, David Hidalgo

2011 – Play The Blues Live From Lincoln Jazz Center – with Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton, playing on "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" and "Corrine, Corrina"

2013 – "Poye 2" – with Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba on their album Jama Ko

2013 – "Winding Down" – with Sammy Hagar, Dave Zirbel, John Cuniberti, Mona Gnader, Vic Johnson on the album Sammy Hagar & Friends

2013 – Divided & United: The Songs of the Civil War – with a version of "Down by the Riverside"

2015 – "How Can a Poor Boy?" – with Van Morrison on his album Re-working the Catalogue

2017 – Music from The American Epic Sessions: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – contributing his version of "High Water Everywhere"

Filmography

Live DVDs

2002 – Live at Ronnie Scott's 1988

2006 – Taj Mahal/Phantom Blues Band Live at St. Lucia

2011 – Play The Blues Live From Lincoln Jazz Center – with Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton, playing on "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" and "Corrine, Corrina"

Movies

1972 – Sounder – as Ike

1977 – Brothers

1991 – Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey

1996 – The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus

1998 – Outside Ozona

1998 – Six Days, Seven Nights

1998 – Blues Brothers 2000

1998 – Scrapple

2000 – Songcatcher

2002 – Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

2017 – American Epic

2017 – The American Epic Sessions

TV Shows

1977 - Saturday Night Live: Episode 048 Performer: Musical Guest

1985 - Theme song from Star Wars: Ewoks

1992 – New WKRP in Cincinnati – Moss Dies as himself

1999 – Party of Five – Fillmore Street as himself

2003 – Arthur – Big Horns George as himself

2004 – Theme song from Peep and the Big Wide World

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil’s artists lead a chorus of resistance to Jair Bolsonaro

Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency was still a week away when Edu Krieger penned his first critique – a ballad lamenting the rise of Brazil’s incoming leader and lampooning him over the corruption allegations that continue to haunt his family.“It’s important for us to counterattack with our art,” said the 45-year-old singer-songwriter who has since become a specialist in musical parodies of the populist provocateur.

But as Bolsonaro completes his first year in power, Krieger is far from the only Brazilian artist finding their voice and continuing a rich tradition in one of the world’s most musical nations. From raperos to roqueiros, a growing chorus of musicians are denouncing the extremist politician and his assault on their trade.

Another artist joining the resistance is Manu da Cuíca, a 34-year-old composer who wrote the 2020 carnival anthem for one of Rio’s leading samba schools, Mangueira.   

The song’s standout lyric – which warns of the perils of “gun-toting messiahs” – is a clear swipe at the pro-gun president, whose middle name is Messias.

Chico César, a 55-year-old troubadour with seven albums to his name, is another setting his scores on Bolsonaro.

César, from the northern state of Maranhão, said he received insults and threats for a song skewering Bolsonaro’s “fascist” followers. The president’s assault on Brazilian culture was the reason for the artists’ backlash, he said.

Marina Iris, a 35-year-old singer from Rio, makes no explicit reference to the president on her new album. But it is infused with angst and upset over growing police violence and discrimination in Bolsonaro’s Brazil.

Continue reading.

Two honorable mentions by the mod:

Pitty (rock musician)

She’s a declared feminist who has joined the #EleNao (”Not Him”) campaign, iconically tweeted “I won’t go back to the kitchen, neither the black will go back to the slave house, nor the gay will go back into the closet. Crying is free [a common expression in Brazil to dismiss someone’s baseless negative reactions to something], and so are we”, and more than once has criticized Bolsonaro’s defense of the country’s past dictatorship.

As for her music, she released a new album this year, named Matriz (”Matrix”). About said album, with explicit inspiration in George Orwell’s work, she has said:

“We live in a time when things that have always been unacceptable and seemed eradicated have surfaced. Because of all that has happened in recent years and growing extremism, we see those who think it is normal to celebrate a nefarious period in our history such as our dictatorship. These shadows have come out of the closet, and many kinds of prejudice and violence have been normalized. You cannot normalize the absurd.” 

One of the songs in the new album is called “Noite Inteira” (”All Through The Night”). Here are some of its lyrics:

The trumpet sounded [...] It's war without headquarters, a clash through reason

[...]

If there is any heart left in the flag When it [heart] pulsates, it [flag] bleeds red  [referencing to a common chant in Brazil that says “Our flag will never be red” - red meaning left-wing]

[...]

I don't ask you to agree, don't stop me from speaking I understand you disagree, don't expect me to shut up Respect existence, or expect resistance

Violator (thrash metal band)

[”Go on, Bolsonaro, become a myth once and for all!”]

[“FUCK JAIR MESSIAS BOLSONARO”]

Some lyrics to their song ‘False Messiah’ (’Messiah’ is Bolsonaro’s middle name):

Civilization is putrefying And it feels like the end of times New idols ascending These idols must fall

[...]

Shall history bury your fame and time forget what you create

[...]

There's no humanity in your savagery So I must declare you my eternal enemy

And the poster for their 2019 tour:

Emicida (rapper)

He’s an Afro-Brazilian rapper who also joined the #EleNao campaign, besides launching, with other rappers, the #RapPelaDemocracia (” Rap For Democracy”) manifest. About Bolsonaro, he said “I will never vote for someone who pretends not to see the consequences of slavery and who says he’d rather have a dead son to a gay son. [...many, many Bolsonaro quotes...] Sewage is what runs through the veins of people like him [...] Whoever listens and truly understands rap music doesn’t vote for him.”

Some lyrics of his song Eminencia Parda (”Brown Eminence”), from his 2019 album AmarElo (a play with Portuguese words, amar [to love] + elo [bons] = amarelo [yellow])

There is no pain that will last Not even your hatred will shake us The mission is to recover Cooperate and empower It's been many years in breeching [meaning something like “barely holding on”] But black doesn't cry, bro, get up (get up) Don't beg or pledge to white flags Don't waste your throat with dumbasses, it's no use Focus and attention on our ascension Fuck the oppression

If anyone can add more (preferably people who already manifested in their art instead of just interviews and social media posts), feel free!