Archive for November, 2009

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Event: Mos Def @ the Forum

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

I stand corrected… In actual fact, there is another event tonight that is worth reaching. That is Mos Def at HMV’s Forum in Kentish Town.

Mos Def always seems to be paying homage to his predecessors whilst at the same time, thanking hip hop for giving him a medium of expression as well as a sustainable career. However, I feel that hip hop and its ancestors have a great deal to thank Mos Def for. He amongst a few others have diligently carried the torch of hip hop’s true message and have sought to share it untarnished by the tacky, diluted glitz and glamour of what it has become today. The word ‘inspiration’ is never too far from Mos and artists of his ilk. Staying honest in the game cannot be easy for someone that has obtained such global recognition, the temptations to ’sell-out’ must be immense, yet Mos Def has kept it pure. Thank you.

So tonight, his only London gig is at Kentish Town’s Forum (who are also hosting Mars Volta next month!) Mos will be dropping rhymes off his Ecstatic album and feeding the masses with the good news – being hip hop. Be there.

By the way, if you can’t make it… Check out his Japan tour (by Current Music) – big tings.

Event Details

Mos Def Myspace

Event: Legends

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

Sorry for the last minute.com drop but better late than never… Tonight, there’s a sneaky party in London’s East Village. The thing is, the line-up is so ridiculously massive, I fear attendees may end up finding themselves in a ‘tinned sardine’ situation. Regardless, not attending is NOT an option.

BBE and Bugz in the Attic have named this night “Legends” and rightly so. Somehow they have managed to recruit Carl Craig (Detroit), John Morales (NYC) and Victor Simonelli (NYC) for the event. If you are not familiar with these people, just think about some of the pioneers of electronic music and you’re beginning to get an idea of the magnitude of this party. I can guarantee that the djs tonight will sample a spectrum of sounds from techno to disco – so leave your preferences at home.

I wont go on too much but if you were wondering where the party’s at on a Sunday night in London…? It’s gonna be here for sure.

… Oh and you also have BBE and Bugz djs keeping things ticking. See below for details.

Sunday 29th November at East Village.

8pm – 1:30am

£5

www.eastvillageclub.com
www.bbemusic.com

Rhythm Talk: Gwo Ka.

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

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It’s been while since we spoke in depth. Apologies for the  hiatus. Time will show where time was spent. I’ve been busy collating some pieces for the site, some pieces for friends and getting our monthly sessions back up & running. Thankfully, Lola has been holding it down in the meantime despite her own hyper-hectic schedule. Props to her for keeping the flow…

Alright, I was rappin’ with my man Jocko last night and all he could talk about was rhythm. With any African diaspora music, you cannot isolate the rhythm. The rhythm is always linked and the rhythm is always moving. Back to Jocko, as he was talking, I had a realisation. I love the rhythm. The rhythm is the foundation for nearly all music I hold close. My recent delve into the cross-pollination of the rhythm in the Caribbean (click here for the first evidence of this) made me realise just how little I knew about the traditions that underpin our musical expressions. Journalists love to squeeze tags like ‘Afro-inspired, Tribalistic and Tropical’ into their descriptions of contemporary musical movements, but what do those things really mean? I can honestly say that digging the traditions of the French Antilles, and meeting some amazing personalities in doing so has changed how I perceive music. Forever.

‘Traditional music has another aim than to entertain. Traditional music is the past, it is the present it is the future. Eternal music. Popular music aims solely to entertain but with the traditional, entertainment is but one of many aims.”

That’s my friend and colleague Suga Kan’n’s word. When he’s not making organic ice cream, he travels the African continent absorbing it’s traditional rhythms, dance and song. He also happens to have roots in Martinique. Linking with him provided me with an introduction into the Gwo-Ka I share with you today.

Both the name of a family of drums and the music they create, Gwo-Ka runs deep. Most often used as a platform for social commentary and inextricably linked with Africa, her culture and the idea of ancestral lineage, the Ka is heavy. Before I continue, check this out to feel the real…

The big drums the brothers are holding the foundation rhythm on are Boula drums. You’ll find these type of drums or similar across the Caribbean. Again, the link… The soloist is playing something called a Kake drum. His job is to follow the moves of the dancer who is constantly trying to outsmart him with their steps. Traditionally, only one dancer holds the floor at any-time….pressure if your movement’s not fluid!
There are seven main rhythms in the Gwo Ka family each having dozens of variations. The tradition has been on Guadeloupe since the first slave ships docked. Some say the rhythms come from the Kongo (an idea I like) others say they developed with Guadeloupe’s slave communities. Either way, there’s a depth to the Ka you can’t ignore.
Alongside Velo, the official king of Ka (whose statue can now be found on la rue Saint John Perse, Point A Pitre). The work of Gwo Ka musicians like Germain Calixte, Ti Celeste and Carnot deserve a place on the world stage.
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Recognition is a sore point when it comes to Gwo Ka. For reasons which I explore  in an upcoming SHOOK feature, the style never made a strong impact on the collective consciousness outside of the islands and their ex-pat communities. There are a few heads who have bridged the gap and taken the Ka somewhere other – mostly somewhere Jazz.  Again, hold tight for the SHOOK piece. You’ll have all the info you need, past and present….
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When something touches you its good to share it. It cleanses the soul. My soul feels a little cleaner now. I hope this all means something to you. If it does, be sure to stay tuned for the fullness and for more rhythm talk…

Listen: Lola Recommends…

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

The limited sunlight has most definitely put me into hibernation mode. So far in this period, music has served me well. I’ll be more specific:

1. Coded Language – DJ Krust & Saul Williams

>> Coded Language (Universal/Island, 1999)

>>> What a throwback… Saul Williams seems pretty pissed off on this track. His call to action makes you wanna go and start a revolution. Hard-hitting and dirty. Soooo London.

2. The Cell – Erykah Badu

>> New Amerykah: Part One – 4th World War (Universal/Motown, 2007)

>>> “Momma hopped up on cocaine… Daddy on space ships with no brain…” Any track with lyrics like that is bound to be massive. The contrasting vocals, kitsch production and sheer urgency of the track make me wonder why she is still compared to the likes of crappy neo-soul artists. This song is living proof that Ms. Badu gets better with age.

3. Galaxy – Eddie Henderson

>> Sunburst (Blue Note, 1975)

>>> Jazz. Jazz. Jazz. 1970s: eat your heart out. Very simple stuff yet the trumpet and flugelhorn solos bring a whole new dimension to what would otherwise be boring repetitive loops.

4. Gamma Play – Jeff Mills

>> Blue Potential – Live With Montpellier Philharmonic Orchestra (UWe, 2005)

>>> The original is an undisputed classic but the godfather of Detroit outdid himself when he reversed the concept of techno during this project. Techno is ALL about machines yet this full-blown orchestra brings out the artistry of the composition. Beautiful and elegant. A benchmark for up-coming producers: This is the way to push EDM forward. I thoroughly recommend the DVD.

5. Livin’ in a New Day – Tribe (8)

>> Rebirth (Planet E/Community Projects, 2009)

>>> Woah. How smooth is this track? The bass licks keep things ever-so funky. This is what I call “music to chill to.”

6. Leprechaun’s Dream – Chick Corea

>> The Leprechaun (Polydor, 1976)

>>> Despite the fairytale theme of this concept record, I used to think that the dreamy intro didn’t do justice to the remaining 12mins of the track. This is no longer the case. The tune is somewhat of a tribute to its era. I have to applaud Corea’s intricate arrangement: the sporadic percussion teamed with tricky piano riffs and mulitple horns. Each sub-section is bursting with its own personality, yet everything is just about held together by the airy theme – fusion at its finest.

7. Land of Make Believe – Chuck Mangione

>> Land of Make Believe (Mercury, 1973)

>>> A perfect remedy for the depressing weather. Uplifting flower-power vibes. No instruments are spared on this track (except for guitars). If the Brady Bunch were musicians, this would be their magnum opus. A kind of ‘cha-cha’ sprinkled with some happy-go-lucky-hippy vocals for good measure. Has the tendancy to get slightly ‘prime-time-ish’ but this is to be expected with music in this genre.

News: Creation Stepper

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

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Those of you who have been with us for more than a minute will remember that we’ve appeared more than once alongside the mighty Will Stepper. Unfortunately, I learned yesterday that Will is no longer with us having passed away this Monday.

Revered in the roots scene for his distinctive brand of sweet yet melancholic vocals, Will aka Creation Stepper first hit the wax as part of the Fred Lock & The Creation Steppers outfit on their 1982 cut ‘Love and Only Love’. Although he continued to record, he’s best known for his mic work with UK roots soundsystems Jah Tubbys, Dubateers and Keety Roots.

Anyone who remembers the Dj session he played with us at Herbal a couple of years back or his energetic live show at Passing Clouds know that his unique tone and infectious personality will be sorely missed…

RIP Stepper. Our thoughts are with you on the next stage of your journey…

News: Soundscapes…

Monday, November 9th, 2009

SoundScapesnu

We’re feelin Amede, so much so we went to the trouble of interviewing him not too many moons ago. That was around the time of his Flat 17 Ep release….since then he’s been busy. Busy enough to put together a 24 track album AND start his own blog charged with pointing us in the direction of music we should know about…the brother’s not playing.

He sent us Soundscapes last week and I’ve been bumping select cuts ever since. My favourite so far is Herbs, which he’s let us pass on to you below. Don’t stop there though, if you do you’ll be 23 tracks short of a full album. A significant amount. Click here to make the jump to Amede’s new blog where you can find the missing beats…

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Download Herbs

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EVENT: Anti-Pop Consortium

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Despite the fact that this will kept short and sweet, doesn’t mean its not worth mentioning at all. Here’s what’s going down:

1. Big Dada signed APC

2. They dropped ‘Fluorescent Black‘ 7 years after their Matthew Shipp collabo.

3. They are touring and happen to be passing through King’s Cross’ Scala tonight.

4. Its gonna be messy.

If you haven’t heard any of the tracks off Fluorescent Black, hit up their MySpace… dope is an understatement.

Catch you in the mosh-pit.

Details are as follows:

Thurs 5th Nov, 7pm – 11pm

£14

Click here for more info.

Event: Heads High vs 12 Tone

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

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This is the the last event post for a while I promise, I just gotta get ‘em off my chest so I can concentrate on some more serious pieces…not that our events aren’t serious…you know what I mean….

We started sharing a session with 12 Tone last month. It went very well. We’re doing it again. Last time we held it down alongside United Vibrations. This session will be Heads High vs. the mighty 12 Tone Brass Band.

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but the people love a brass band…they just can’t help but get involved. 12 Tone have got the usual covers selection on lock…Hip Hop style naturally, but they come into their own with firing selections from their own fair hands.

Heads High represent in the blue corner with Connie Bell holding the notes…as usual, it’s FREENESS!

News: Messages from the void…

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

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You know what makes me feel good? Seeing things work out for someone who really deserves them to. Elemental and I used to go to school together and even then he was squeezing bleeps and beats out of the music department’s Atari STs. As you can imagine, having been on the production trail ever since, he knows his way around a studio better than most. After a long wait, his debut longplayer is finally ready to drop on the 16th of this month and to celebrate, he’s lined up a little party for us.

Just to keep us on our toes, the flyer lists Search & Destroy as the guest selectors but the flyer is lying. Make your way down to Gramaphone this coming Thursday night and you’ll hear the mighty bass tones of Pevrelist alongside a mammoth live set from Elemental himself which promises to explore new frontiers of live, electronic modulation….

Looks like this week will be a busy one…Sa-Ra are playing the same basement for Weds night’s Deviation session…i’m gonna get my sleep in now….

Click here for the full lowdown on the LP courtesy of ST Holdings.

Although the video clip below would make an excellent tutorial on how not to film a clubnight, the music is dope….Elemental naturally….

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