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November 11, 2009
November 09, 2009
November 05, 2009
BC Music Marker with Weekend Forecast
THURSDAY I'll be DJing at España for loom Weaves Strange Disco. Art wise it'd be worth checking out the Bemis' first-Thursday Art Talk featuring Shaun Richards & Mayumi Amada and Wayne Brekke is debuting some new work at Nomad Lounge.
FRIDAY Palindroseff will be throwing down @ Bar 415.
SATURDAY I'll DJing a charity to raise funds for Youth Care which provides group homes and independent living skills training for developmentally disabled youth. It's happening on the third floor of Blue Sushi downtown and I'm teaming up with Blandon Joiner on this one! Otherwise, if you're into dancey synth-pop jokesters, you'll dig Gil Mantera's Party Dream @ the Waiting Room.
SUNDAY the annual Dirt Fest @ Bar 415 with Che & Jeremy's bday celebration.
MONDAY Har Mar Superstar makes it back to Omaha alongside the infamous GOO DJs.
For more info on the places I'll be playing, check here. To stay up to date, join my mailing list here.
November 04, 2009
Don't wast time, make music
Constructed for easy, pass-the-time-use on the web, this site gives you an idea of what it might be like to perform on the tulmuteous Tenori-on.
Check it out HERE.
Strange Disco Primer with Arthur Baker
I've had a lot of people ask just what this whole strange disco thing is about. Someone even thought it was a new genre tag. Really it's just a party theme that is defined by the style and feel of music surrounding the "strange disco" moniker. If I get my act together in the future, I'll most likely do a series of Strange Disco parties on their own in various venues. While it is tied to a certain era, genres and their subsequent resurgence in pop culture, it's also associated to a feel that's hard to describe at times. Rather than tell you, I'd rather show you . . .
Amongst the various odes I'll be dropping tomorrow, one man of consummate taste in the realm of getting you all wet is the myth-able Arthur Baker. Beyond contributing legions of tunes that moved the loins at the Paradise Garage such as Rockers Revenge Walking on Sunshine, he was one of the first to put "rap" onto a record with legendary Salsoul slammer, Joe Bataan on Rap-O Clap-O before going on to produce Planet Rock with Bambaataa.
Check out his interview from the Red Bull Music Academy below . . .
And to while I'm at it, I'll throw in some unrelated Baker material that I'll also be dropping at loom tomorrow . . .
La Poppe - DFD Disco Edits - Download Here
01 White & Green Place (Extraterrestrial mix)
White & Green Place - Maximum Joy - Download HereNovember 03, 2009
Upcoming BC Events: loom, Salsa Magic, Somasphere
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FULL LIST @ A GLANCE
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- 11|14 - Sake Bombers Lounge
- 11|20 - HLN's 5-Year Anni @ Various Lincoln Venues
- 11|21 - w/Somasphere @ Waiting Room Lounge
- 11|28 - Sake Bombers Lounge
- 12|3 - loom Weaves World AIDS Day @ Espana
- 12|5 - Night of 1,000 Stars Pre-Party @ Jackson Artworks
- 12|11 - Nomad's Anniversary
- 12|18 - Kala Bash @ España's Art Gallery
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Fri 11|20 HLN's 5-Year Anniversary @ Various Lincoln Venues
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Sat 11|21 Somapshere @ Waiting Room
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Fri 12|18 Kala Bash @ Espana Art Gallery
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November 02, 2009
Healthcare Reform Forum at Slowdown Wednesday
On Wednesday, November 4th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Slowdown, come and inform yourself about:
-Why our healthcare system needs reform.
-Up-to-date details on the healthcare legislation, its process and future possibilities.
-The how and why of communicating with your Representatives.
Healthcare professionals will be there to answer your questions and help you form your own opinion on this crucial topic. Get informed, ask questions, get answers and voice your opinion.
More info and RSVP on Facebook here.
BOO Benefit pics
Friday's BOO Benefit in the Old Market helped raise thousands of dollars for the Nebraska AIDS Foundation, and we had a blast while doing it. Check out the photos by John Hustead here. Thanks to Scott, Steph and Brian for hosting and organizing!
October 30, 2009
Spanish Harlem Orchestra Feature in The Reader
Nuyorican lives on! Thanks to the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the sounds from the barrio's of NYC in the '60s and '70s are making a salsa-surgence and planting themselves at the Holland Performing Arts Center. I had the honor of interviewing Oscar Hernandez, the band leader of the 13 person escapade. Check out the full article here.
Authentic Nuyorican music makes a comeback
by Brent Crampton
“The essence of what this music is had been lost for the past 15 years,” said Oscar Hernandez, bandleader of the Grammy Award-winning group, Spanish Harlem Orchestra (SHO). “Now it’s our time to leave our mark.”
Hernandez, who has played professionally since age 16, grew up in 1960s New York City, living in El Barrio (also known as Spanish Harlem) and in the Bronx. His parents were part of the Gran migración of Puerto Ricans to NYC in the ’40s and ’50s. Making up the largest population of Puerto Ricans outside of the country itself, the culturally homogenous group began to refer to themselves as Nuyoricans.
“Back in those days you could hear Latin music from every window you passed by,” said Hernandez . . . read the full article here.
October 29, 2009
Mi Casa Es Su Casa Recap
I took a wonderful trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico from October 15-18th for the Mi Casa Es Su Casa Holiday organized by Julius the Mad Thinker and Jen Hurst. Below is a recap of the weekend. You can view the rest of my photos here.
❉Playa was all about playing in the sun, dancing after dusk and connecting with new and old friends. The first year's holiday excursion was a humble, intimate, yet impacting lift off. The Mi Casa crew consisted of about 50-some folks who traveled in for the weekend from NYC, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, San Fran; even France, all mixing in with the locals and other tourists. Many of the crew knew each other directly or indirectly from various experiences in the global soul sound movement, and those that didn’t soon shared an amalgam of dance floor and white beach memories by the time Sunday rolled around.
From a vacation stand point, it couldn't have been better. My two friends that joined me from Omaha were just going for the weekend get-away aspect, and I can't tell you how many times they've expressed their appreciation since we've been back. They even met some locals in Playa who plan to make a trip to Omaha to visit. The whole pace of the weekend, contrary to my original thought, was completely laid back. We even took an afternoon off to travel half an hour down the coast on a small fishing boat to snorkel with turtles and multi-colored fish.
Beyond the vacationer stand point, the networking amongst DJs was great. I got to tag team with Hallex M and Abel Rogers via France (not to mention DJ in Mexico for the first time). I had fantastic conversation over food, covering conspiracy theories and where-were-you-when-Obama-won recollections with Nickodemus of Turntables on the Hudson. Plus reconnected to my extended music family from various cities.
❉❉❉❉The Celebrations❉❉❉❉⥥ ⥥ ⥥ ⥥ La Santanera with Fela Lives! & The Future ⥥ ⥥ ⥥ ⥥
The Mi Casa organizers chose the best venue's the city had to offer. The main club spot, La Santanera, takes the cake. Laden with character, crazy regionally inspired art, top-notch sound system in the main room with an incredible chill-out area on the breezy rooftop, you would have never expected a club of this quality to be nestled away in the Yucatan Peninsula. The venue was no joke and you could tell by the locals that attended; this was the spots for the heads that dug quality dance music.
With cowrie shells spelling out the name of the man in honor on the shrine, the Fela Lives! tribute party in conjunction with Uhuru Afrika and Felabration set the festivities off the first night at La Santanera with flying, polyrhythmic Afro-tinged colors. Adam Gibbons and Sabine threw down the socially conscious odes of Fela alongside afrotech house heaters all the way until 6 a.m. And while the Mi Casa travelers were dropping off like flies due to travel exhaustion, we found out quick the first night that no matter the stamina of incoming tourists, you can always count on a healthy invasion of locals and service industry to show up real late and keep the parties loco all the way up until the lights come on.
⥥ ⥥ ⥥ ⥥ Cannibal Royal with Turntables on the Carribean & House on the Beach ⥥ ⥥ ⥥ ⥥
Cannibal Royal was the day-party spot, nestled right next to the beach. The DJ booth was orchestrated akin to an aquarium bubble, like something out of a dream. Hammocks abound in the palm trees that were fixated with speakers. You can boogie by the bar, chill out in any of the low-lying chairs or even dip in the warm Caribbean water and still rhythm with the music. The attractive wait staff was also a common topic of conversation.
Turntables on the Caribbean with Nickodemus, Netza 11, Sabo and Nappy G took over Friday afternoon. The tracks jumped continents faster and sleeker than Santa Claus drops his gifts around the world. Folks laid in hammocks like they were expecting to get fed grapes. A late afternoon rain drenched the beach portion, bringing everybody together under the roof and on the same beat. Nappy G was banging out the percussion, doing a classic call-and-response routine with Nickodemus, something only the TOTH guys can pull off. The collaboration was so hot they even had all the staff jumping in unison on more than one occasion.Nappy G was banging out the percussion, getting all the staff jumping in unison on more than one occasion.
House on the Beach went off Saturday afternoon with AQBT, DJ Peace and Brent Crampton on the music duties. Some danced in the waters, some lounged in the hammocks and others sipped on Modelo and gyrated hips. AQBT and Brent Crampton tagged everything from salsa, roots reggae and African drums before busting out sunny beach flavored house tunes. DJ Peace came out swinging with proper Chicago cuts, eventually playing the track that ended up sticking in everyones head, Barry Manilow's "Copacabana."
⥥ ⥥ ⥥ ⥥ Blue Parrot with France-n-Mexico ⥥ ⥥ ⥥ ⥥
Blue Parrot was the Friday night spot where the France-n-Mexico fiesta took place. I walked into the room to see Gota Ray, a local deep house gem in Playa just completely tearing up the scene. He's got this energy and presence in the DJ booth that is nothing short of contagious and dance-fever inducing, working the knobs incessantly and seeming to motion his hand to the music akin to a mad conductor guiding his grand orchestra. Afterwards, Hallex M and Abel Rogers of United Music graced the music selection and blending as only professionals could do, driving it deep and keeping the dance floor a-plenty. Folks frolicked on the sandy dance floor while bar patrons swayed on swinging chairs hung by rope that bellied up to the bar.
Later in the night, Hallex M was on a eight-minute build up, about to drop Louie Vega's "One Dream" with the crowd circling up ready to erupt when all of a sudden the music just flat out stopped, leaving only the ringing in our ears to stumble on. Julius later said, "Evidently 'Fade the music out!' didn't translate from Spanish to French," leaving Julius to abruptly end the night without warning to appease the venue.
⥥ ⥥ ⥥ ⥥ InFashion Hotel cocktail warm-ups ⥥ ⥥ ⥥ ⥥
InFashion was the host hotel and pre-party cocktail warm-up spot. While the Mi Casa crew either joined the beach party or ran off to see ancient ruins or swim in underground rivers by day, it was the cocktail parties where our 50-something intimate crew of strangers-turned-family got to connect and share stories. Grabbing a few drinks, warming up the dance muscles and getting the solid conversations in before things got heated up, InFashion was a great way to start the night off.
⥥ ⥥ ⥥ ⥥ Better join us next year! ⥥ ⥥ ⥥ ⥥
For more info on the Mi Casa Es Su Casa Holiday, stay tuned to the website here.
October 27, 2009
Classic Cuts
Because Erik B and Rakim Know You Got Soul, here's a classic dub cut for your listening pleasure.
October 23, 2009
Lotus feature in The Reader
I had the pleasure of interviewing Jesse Miller of the band, Lotus for this week's issue of The Reader. Also caught the show last night at Slowdown. Nothing short of phenomenal. I definitely recommend checking them out next time they tour through. Their high energy, dance infused, jam-based rock with an electronic edge had the whole place jumping for two hours.
Pick up any issue of The Reader on the street or read the online article here . . .
"Lotus and their roadies, in the name of their 40-plus North American tour dates, are something like superheroes, saving wallets and moving massive objects.
“We were on Sunset Strip in L.A. next to a bunch of clubs, and some metal band’s truck was blocking our bus in,” said Jesse Miller, the bassist and one of the samplers of the five-piece instrumental rock band.
The towing company was going to take too long, potentially pushing back their scheduled arrival in the next town. Instead, 10 or so folks teamed up to lift and carry the mechanical beast 30 feet to make way.
Or after their San Francisco gig, the street next to the club was completely shut down. The crew had to push all the cases up a block of San Fran’s signature summer loved-steep rolling hills to the trailer. The hills weren’t loved that night.
Perhaps it’s their revolutionary good will in financially dire times that sets them over the Superman top. While Radiohead popularized the name-your-own-price phenomenon for album sales, eight of Lotus’ tour stops on the West Coast were a name-your-own-price pre-sale ticket scenario, perhaps the first endeavor of its kind for a North American touring band.
“I’m pretty sure it cost us money to do it, but we were able" . . . read the full article here.
October Top Ten
I can't believe I've never done a top ten list on my blog. By the urging of my good friend Spence, I'm going to make time to also talk about what I'm listening to rather than where I'll be playing it. So below are some of the tracks I played out in Mexico and recent gigs. Enjoy!
October Top TenAmplified Orchestra - Disco Meltdown (album)
Buck Bowen - Beach (unreleased)
The Lower East Side Pipes - Disorganized Corruption
Marie Joly - Lovin' U (Roots Mix)
Valique - Hot Cha Cha (Bumping Soul Remix)
Hot Brass 8 Band - Jisten To Me (Hint Remix)
The Doors - Peace Frog
Nickodemus - Mi Swing Es Tropical
Fast Vision Soul - Babatunde
Dave Samuels - Dance Class (Todd Terje Mix)
