This is a blog used to help promote DJ Kool Emdee and dedicated to GOOD music and those
who love good music, be it old or new school. Any music or links posted are for SAMPLE PURPOSES ONLY. We wish that you would support all artists by purchasing their bodies of work.
Earl "Fatha" Hines, (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983) was "one of a small number of pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz". He got his professional start with Lois Deppe & his 'Symphonian Serenaders' in the "Liederhaus", a Pittsburgh nightclub. He has also played with Louis Armstrong's Hot Five, Duke Ellington and a string of the "who's who" of the Jazz world.
While touring the United States in the early 1940's with his own band, Hines and members of his band took time off to front Duke Ellington's band while Ellington was ill. Members of the Hines' band's late-night jam-sessions laid the seeds for the upcoming 'revolution' in jazz, Bebop. Duke Ellington later said that "the seeds of bop were in Earl Hines's piano style".
LaDonna Adrian Gaines (born December 31, 1948), known by her stage name, Donna Summer is a singer/songwriter who gained prominence and notoriety during the disco era of the 1970s with the majority of her early work produced by the team of Giorgio Moroder and Pete Belotte, earning the title "The Queen of Disco". She is a 5 time Grammy winner and has sold over 130 million records to date.
Summer was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach number one on the US Billboard chart and she had four number-one singles within a thirteen-month period.
Singer Teena Marie, the "Ivory Queen of Soul", also known as Lady T, passed away today in her California home from an unspecified cause. She was found unresponsive by daughter Alia Rose. Marie was a protégée of funk artist Rick James, and she was also a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer.
Personally, i'm pretty saddened by the news of the loss of another great in music. I saw her performing live years ago and to see her play the bass guitar like a true master. I will miss her voice, presence and skill as an artist.
Here's some local Houston talent from a new friend of mine named Cory Sinclair and his band called The Manichean, which means "pertaining to a strongly dualistic worldview." During the summer I purchased a copy of their Whispers EP which has the original version of this tune. Yesterday they dropped remix versions of this track which I already thought was good and should be on some major motion picture sountrack.
Check out the original and one of the remixes that really caught my ear. After a quick listen, treat yourself to the full maxi on their Bandcamp page. Enjoy!
Just had to post this pic of these fine and talented ladies, Sydnee Jane & The Jane-ettes because I think it's pretty dope. While you're gawkin' like I am, peep the video...
I first met B-New at my friends' artists showcase a few months back at one of the local venues. I have to give this guy mad props on his showmanship and delivery (along with the bangin' tracks). I was behind the board rockin' away as this dude killed it like he's been in the game for awhile. See video segment...
I recently caught up with him again to see he's been putting in work to make a bigger name for himself. One of his latest ventures is his Meet The Jeweler project that dropped this past summer. Keep your ears open for future works by this up and coming artist reppin' Houston. Oh yeah...almost forget to mention this is a FREE download on his Bandcamp page. Grab it while you can. Enjoy!
Ludwig van Beethoven (December 17, 1770 – March 26, 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is considered to have been the most crucial figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western classical music, and remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.
Billy Gibbons (born December 16, 1949) is a musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar known as Pearly Gates. Gibbons has a Bass vocal range, spanning E1 to E♭5, one of the widest ranges in Rock. He is noted for using a Mexican peso coin as a guitar pick and uses many pinch harmonics in his solos.
Joe Williams (December 12, 1918 – March 29, 1999) was a well-known jazz vocalist, a baritone singing a mixture of blues, ballads, popular songs, and jazz standards.
Williams has worked with the likes of Jazz vibraphonist Lionel Hampton and most notably with the Count Basie Orchestra where he got his biggest break and toured Europe with the ensemble in the 1950's. He later had a recurring television role in the 1980's on the hit sitcom The Cosby Show playing "Grandpa Al" Hanks, the father of Claire Huxtable.
Dionne Warwick (born December 12, 1940) is an American singer and actress who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health.
Best known for her partnership with Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest hit makers of the entire rock era (1955 - 2009), based on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Charts. According to Billboard Magazine, Warwick ranks second only to Aretha Franklin as the most charted female vocalist with 56 singles making the Billboard Hot 100 between 1962 and 1998. Warwick is the sister of singer Dee Dee Warwick, and also related to singers Whitney Houston (cousin) and Cissy Houston (aunt, Whitney's mother).
Frank Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was a singer and actor. Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became a successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, being the idol of the "bobby soxers." His professional career had stalled by the 1950s, but it was reborn in 1954 after he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (for his performance in From Here to Eternity).
He signed with Capitol Records and released several albums, such as In the Wee Small Hours, Songs for Swingin' Lovers, Come Fly with Me, Only the Lonely and Nice 'n' Easy. Sinatra left Capitol to found his own record label, Reprise Records (finding success with albums such as Ring-A-Ding-Ding, Sinatra at the Sands and Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim), toured internationally, and was a founding member of the Rat Pack.
In 1965, Sinatra recorded the retrospective September of My Years, starred in the Emmy-winning television special Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music, and scored hits with "Strangers in the Night" and "My Way". Sinatra retired for the first time in 1971. Two years later, however, he came out of retirement and in 1973 recorded several albums, scored a Top 40 hit with "(Theme From) New York, New York" in 1980, and toured both within the United States and internationally, using his Las Vegas shows as a home base.
Sheila Escovedo (born December 12, 1957), known by her stage name Sheila E., is a drummer and percussionist, perhaps best known for her work with Prince and Ringo Starr. Sheila E. is the daughter of percussionist Pete Escovedo, with whom she frequently performs.
She made her recording debut with jazz bassist Alphonso Johnson on "Yesterday's Dream" in 1976. By her early twenties she had already played with George Duke, Lionel Richie, Marvin Gaye, Herbie Hancock, and Diana Ross. She also plays violin and guitar.
Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), better known as Brenda Lee, is a performer who sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 37 US chart hits during the 1960s, a number surpassed only by The Beatles, Ray Charles and Connie Francis. She is best known for her 1960 hit "I'm Sorry", and 1958's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", a US holiday standard for more than 50 years.
At 4 ft 9 inches tall, she received the nickname Little Miss Dynamite in 1957 after recording the song "Dynamite"; and was one of the earliest pop stars to have a major contemporary international following.
Jermaine Jackson (born December 11, 1954) is an American singer, bassist, composer, a member of The Jackson 5, older brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson and occasional film director. He also produced and recorded duets with American singer Whitney Houston in her early years as a recording artist.
Here's my favorite track by Jermaine written and produced by the legendary Stevie Wonder (he also provided background vocals on this track). Pay close attention and you'll hear Wonder's signature sound.
I got this St. Louis To Madrid EP a month ago and feel I should have posted it sooner. Although, even if I wait a year these tracks would still be fresh from the preservatives added consisting of new classic material with no additives to make it junk.
I made a previous post about Duke Hugh a few months ago, and now he gives his spin on Olivier Daysoul and Oddisse's Mr. St. Louis EP released mid October. I plan to post more on Washington DC native Olivier Daysoul in the future. Be sure to visit both Bandcamp pages and support them. It's very well worth the cash. Enjoy!
Entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was primarily a dancer and singer, Davis was a childhood vaudevillian, and became known for his performances on Broadway and in Las Vegas, as a recording artist, television and film star, and as a member of Frank Sinatra's "Rat Pack".
John Elroy Sanford (December 9, 1922 – October 11, 1991), better known by his stage name Redd Foxx, was an American comedian and actor, best known for his starring role on the sitcom Sanford and Son. In the 1940s, he was an associate of Malcolm Little, later known as Malcolm X. In Malcolm's autobiography, Foxx is referred to as "Chicago Red, the funniest dishwasher on this earth." Foxx earned the nickname due to his reddish hair and complexion. His stage surname was taken from baseball star Jimmie Foxx.
Clerow Wilson, Jr. (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998), known professionally as Flip Wilson, was a comedian and actor. A routine titled "Columbus," from the album Cowboys and Colored People, brought Wilson to Hollywood industry attention and would lead to the development of his own television show. Wilson was the first African American entertainer to host his own weekly variety series, The Flip Wilson Show. The popular series earned Wilson a Golden Globe and two Emmy Awards.
Singer/songwriter Sinead O'Conner (December 8, 1966) rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U", written by Prince in the 1980's for The Family.
Ira Gershwin (December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century. With George he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love" and "Someone to Watch Over Me", and the opera Porgy and Bess.
The success the brothers had with their collaborative works has often overshadowed the creative role that Ira played. However, his mastery of songwriting continued after the early death of George. He wrote additional hit songs with composers Jerome Kern ("Long Ago (and Far Away)"), Kurt Weill and Harold Arlen.
His critically acclaimed book Lyrics on Several Occasions of 1959, an amalgam of autobiography and annotated anthology, is an important source for studying the art of the lyricist in the golden age of American popular song.
Dave Brubeck (born December 6, 1920) is a jazz pianist who has written a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranges from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills. His music is known for employing unusual time signatures, and superimposing contrasting rhythms, meters, and tonalities.
His long-time musical partner, alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, wrote the Dave Brubeck Quartet's best remembered piece, "Take Five", which is in 5/4 time and has endured as a jazz classic on the top-selling jazz album of all time, Time Out. Brubeck experimented with time signatures throughout his career, recording "Pick Up Sticks" in 6/4, "Unsquare Dance" in 7/4, and "Blue Rondo à la Turk" in 9/8. He is also a respected composer of orchestral and sacred music, and wrote soundtracks for television such as Mr. Broadway and the animated mini-series This Is America, Charlie Brown.
Little Richard (December 5, 1932), the undisputed King of Rock-n-Roll, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He began his recording career on October 16, 1951 by imitating the gospel-influenced style of late-1940s jump blues artist Billy Wright, who was a friend of his that set him up with the opportunity to record.
In 1955, under the guidance of Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, Richard began recording in a style he had been performing onstage for years, featuring varied rhythm (derived from everything from drum beats he would hear in his voice to the sounds of trains he would hear thundering by him as a child), a heavy backbeat, funky saxophone grooves, over-the-top Gospel-style singing, moans, screams, and other emotive inflections, accompanied by a combination of boogie-woogie and rhythm and blues music. This new music, which included an original injection of funk into the rock and roll beat, inspired many of the greatest recording artists of the twentieth century, including James Brown, Otis Redding, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Jackson, and generations of other rhythm & blues, rock, and soul music artists.
In October 1951, Richard began recording jump blues records for RCA Camden. In October 1953, he began recording with Peacock Records. Records were released each year from 1951–54, but none were significant hits. Richard recorded a demo for gospel/R&B label Specialty Records on February 9, 1955. Specialty's owner, Art Rupe, loaned him money to buy out his contract from Peacock Records and placed his career in the hands of Specialty's A&R man Robert "Bumps" Blackwell. Richard told Rupe he liked Fats Domino's sound, so Rupe and Blackwell booked Cosimo Matassa's J & M Recording Studio in New Orleans, and hired studio musicians who had worked with Domino (including Earl Palmer on drums and Lee Allen on sax) rather than members of Richard's road band on many of the mid-1950s Specialty tracks.
Following some recording that did not satisfy Blackwell, they took a break. Richard began pounding out a boogie woogie rhythm on piano and hollering out impromptu recital of "Tutti Frutti", a song he had written and had been performing on stage for years. Blackwell was so impressed with the sound that he had Richard record the song. However, in order to make it commercially acceptable, Richard's lyrics were rewritten. Blackwell recognized that the lyrics, with their “minstrel modes and homosexuality humor” needed to be cleaned up. For example “Tutti Frutti, good booty", were replaced with “Tutti Frutti, aw-rooty”. The song featured the a cappella intro "A-wop-bop-a-loo-lop-a-lop-bam-boom!", which Richard first belted out years before onstage based on a drum beat he heard in his voice, that had also been altered slightly to make it commercially acceptable. The recording was released on Specialty in October 1955.
Ozzy Osbourne (December 3, 1948), born in Burmingham, England, is a singer/songwriter whose career has spanned over 40 years. As of December 2010, Osbourne has sold over 100 million albums worldwide.
Osbourne rose to prominence as lead vocalist of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, a band whose radically different, intentionally dark, doom sound spawned the heavy metal genre. In his subsequent solo career Osbourne achieved a multi-platinum status in addition to the one he had earned with Black Sabbath. These things are what led Osbourne to become known as the "Godfather of Heavy Metal".
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is a rapper and businessman. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America having had a net worth of over $450 million in 2010. He has sold approximately 50 million albums worldwide, while receiving ten Grammy Awards for his musical work, and numerous additional nominations.
For those in Houston and areas surrounding the city, you don't want to miss this event. Badbwoy BMC of Texas Dub will be releasing his Welcome 2 Trillstep CD at this massive party. BMC is the godfather of "trillstep", which is the sounds of Texas rap mashed up and remixed over the wobbly basslines and thump of Dubstep. FREE CD's will be given away to the first 300 people who enter.
Los Angeles based Manuel Moran, better known as AFTA-1 to beat junkies, has released another gem for you to take in, as well as show your own creative side with the LOVE IS project that gives you a chance to submit your work to be a part of his latest venture. For more info and submissions, log on to trianglecircletrianglesquare.com. Take a listen to "LOVE IS" while you read the excerpt from his Afta1 Bandcamp page.
Love IS. That is really it. We choose to be aware of this truth & capture every fleeting moment through the act of creation. Life is a gift overflowing with constant inspiration , and as c r e a t o r s we are all blessed with the tools necessary to translate our experiences in it, into art.
Our mediums and methods are as unique and infinite as these experiences, yet, the vibration that unites us is the same; L O V E
Now it's time to feast your eyes on the "Create" video that shows AFTA-1 putting together the packaging for limited edition Triangle Circle Triangle Square cassettes. Yup....no mistake....CASSETTE TAPES. Enjoy!
Richard Pryor (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005)
In my opinion, Richard Pryor is the greatest comedian to practice the art of comedy. Highly respected by many for his genius in his stand-up routines that incorporated storytelling, that also addressed racial and social issues.
Before he broke into comedy, Pryor was a session drummer and MC at local Peoria, Illinois nightclubs. Inspired by Bill Cosby to do comedy, years later he moved to New York City to pursue a career as a comedian. First doing middlebrow, then later incorporated profanity into his act after performing for a sold out crowd at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas in 1967.
The start of Pryor's mainstream success started with several comedy recordings on Reprise, Laff, Stax and Warner Brothers record labels. Eventually he started appearing on television with The Richard Pryor Show, Pryor's Place and Staurday Night Live, as well as writing for Sanford & Son, The Flip Wilson Show and for Lily Tomlin. Pryor also appeared in several motion pictures as an actor and worked behind the camera as director, producer and writer.
For a complete bio, merchandise and more info, visit RichardPryor.com
Lou Rawls was a Soul, Jazz, gospel and Rhythm & Blues singer who got his start with a local gospel choir in his native Chicago, where he also met Same Cooke and Curtis Mayfield. He sang briefly with Cooke in the Teenage Kings of Harmony, a local gospel group, and then with the Holy Wonders. In 1951, Rawls replaced Cooke in the Highway QC's after Cooke departed to join The Soul Stirrers in Los Angeles. Rawls was soon recruited by the Chosen Gospel Singers and himself moved to Los Angeles, where he subsequently joined the Pilgrim Travelers.
Rawls was signed to Capitol Records in 1962 and released his first solo album Stormy Monday (a.k.a. I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water), a jazz album. Though his 1966 album Live! went gold, Rawls would not have a star-making hit until he made a proper soul album, appropriately named Soulin', later that same year. The album contained his first R&B #1 single, "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing". In 1967 Rawls won his first Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, for the single "Dead End Street."
After leaving Capitol in 1971, Rawls joined MGM, at which he released his Grammy-winning single "Natural Man." He had a brief stint with Bell Records in 1974, where he recorded a cover of Hall & Oates' "She's Gone." In 1976, Rawls signed with Philadelphia International Records, where he had his greatest album success with the million-selling All Things in Time. The album produced his most successful single, "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine", which topped the R&B and Adult Contemporary charts and went to number two on the pop side, becoming Rawls' only certified million-selling single in the process.
Rawls released more than 70 albums, sold more than 40 million records, appeared as an actor in motion pictures and on television, and voiced-over many cartoons.
Bette Midler is a singer, actress and comedian, also known (by her informal stage name) as The Divine Miss M. She has starred in live-action films such as Ruthless People, Beaches and Hocus Pocus, as well as featuring in animated films such as Oliver & Company and Fantasia 2000.
During her more than forty-year career, Midler has been nominated for two Academy Awards; and won four Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, and a special Tony Award. She has also sold over 30 Million records as an artist.
As the saying goes...."the early bird catches the worm". In my case, I keep vampire hours. Anywho, I say that to say Atlanta based Iman Williams has uploaded her Stupid Human Tricks album (of sorts) on her Bandcamp page just a couple of hours ago. Some of you may have heard me spin her "Ordinary Love" tune she dropped at the end of last year. This project contains a few bangers, as well as some mellow grooves, all produced by BusCrates 16-Bit Ensemble. Support Iman by purchasing this project. Enjoy!
Jimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970)
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix is widely considered the greatest electric guitarist in the history of rock music, and one of the most influential musicians of his era across a range of genres. After initial success in Europe, he achieved fame in the United States following his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. Later, Hendrix headlined the iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival and the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival.
Hendrix often favored raw overdriven amplifiers with high gain and treble and helped develop the previously undesirable technique of guitar amplifier feedback. He popularized use of the wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock which he often used to deliver an exaggerated pitch in his solos, particularly with high bends and use of legato. He was influenced by Blues artists such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Albert King and Elmore James, Rhythm and Blues and Soul guitarists Curtis Mayfield, Steve Cropper, as well as by Funk and some modern Jazz. As a record producer, Hendrix also broke new ground in using the recording studio as an extension of his musical ideas. He was one of the first to experiment with stereophonic phasing effects for rock recording.
Maximus Parthas
It's a great honor to personally know and befriend Maximus Parthas, who dubs himself as a "word warrior". Seeing him in action makes it more understandable why he calls himself that because he's an outstanding poet and activist. Out of the tremendous respect I have for him and his wife Tribal Raine, who's also an incredible poet, I can't use the "and the rest is history" statement because they both continue to make history. As a team, they both head Maximum Impact Poetry and Prysmatic Dreams, which are outlets for both established and upcoming poets, musicians, singers and MC's who work hand and hand with them to help spread messages of change, social issues, love and spirituality.
From their website MaximumImpactPoetry.com you can catch The Session Live!, a live video stream of the whole Prysmatic Dreams crew performing at the Art Bar in Columbus, SC. You can also hear streaming music and poetry, as well as purchase various projects. Here's another chance for you to support indie artists and help with a huge movement that supports us. Here are a couple of my favorite pieces from Max. The second video is when he and Tribal came to visit Houston. Enjoy!
I have been spinning Colonel Red's music for years. Especially his collab with Mustang titled "Help Me", that was a huge hit at my former residency that I did weekly. This is one of the main reasons why I love UK artists. They keep pouring out the SOUL. Here's Red's spin on a Marvin Gaye classic. Simply put...TIMELESS MUSIC.
You like? Well....get it HERE for FREE! Be sure to say thanks.
Composer/pianist Scott Joplin achieved fame for his unique ragtime compositions, and was dubbed the "King of Ragtime." During his brief career, Joplin wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas. One of his first pieces, the "Maple Leaf Rag", became ragtime's first and most influential hit, and has been recognized as the archetypal rag.
Joplin's music was rediscovered and returned to popularity in the early 1970s with the release of a million-selling album of Joplin's rags recorded by Joshua Rifkin, followed by the Academy award–winning movie The Sting which featured several of his compositions, such as "The Entertainer".
Coleman Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969)
Coleman Randolph Hawkins was a Jazz tenor saxophonist who was the first important Jazz musician to use the instrument. Hawkins is most strongly associated with the swing music and big band era, he had a role in the development of bebop in the 1940s. After an unsuccessful attempt to establish a big band, he led a combo at Kelly's Stables on Manhattan's 52nd Street with Thelonious Monk, Oscar Pettiford, Miles Davis, and Max Roach as sidemen. He was leader on what is generally considered the first ever bebop recording session with Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach in 1944.
On October 11, 1939 he recorded a two chorus performance of the pop standard "Body and Soul", which he had been performing at Kelly's Stables. A landmark recording of the Swing Era, recorded as an afterthought at the session, it is notable in that Hawkins ignores almost all of the melody, only the first four bars are stated in a recognizable fashion. In its exploration of harmonic structure it is considered by many to be the next evolutionary step in Jazz recording from where Louis Armstrong's "West End Blues" in 1928 left off.
I came across Swede:art by someone sending a link to another mix that was online. After viewing the tracklisting of his mix, it raised an eyebrow and I gave him a listen. Pure dopeness with his selections and transitions of funky soulful grooves. After doing a little research, I found out he dropped his Emotional Colors album during the summer on Tokyo Dawn. More recently, he released the remixes of that album with production credits from TOKiMONSTA, B. Bravo, KidKanevil and other RBMA alumni, which makes this a heater to add to your collection. Enjoy!
In this vast universe of music and the constant flooding of garbage through TV and radio, most think that there's not much good music out there. For that matter, some tend to think that there's a huge lack of talent to match. As I always say, if you look for what it is you want, you will eventually find it....especially if you use the internet. And thanks be to the almighty internet I met a cool classy singer/songwriter by the name of Lola Bleu on Twitter. She hails originally from Michigan, but now resides in Alabama. After visiting her website to listen to her tracks, I laughed at her. Why you ask? It's because her tag on Twitter read, "Up and coming R&B singer". I say that she has arrived.
According to her bio, it looks like she has put in plenty of work to reach a point of maturity. After listening to her silky vocals on her debut CD, Love Will Find A Way, I can only imagine for now where she will go in the future. My favorite track off the album is her song about finding love titled "I Found You". It's reminiscent of a fusion between 80's soft rock laced over funky R&B with a 90's twist added. "Journey" is also an attention grabber that's a good tune to ride to in your car while making that getaway with that special someone. Most of the album was produced by David Sanders II, except for "Deep Pain", which was produced by Matic Lee.
Now we get to the good part. You actually listening to her songs, then show your love and support by purchasing this talented young lady's debut project via her website at LolaBleu.com. We all know that good music makes great gifts. Enjoy!
Hello guys! I know I haven't been posting as much and for that I apologize. I have been preparing for the arrival of my son to come into the world, helping to organize events, production, writing and doing quite a few gigs. There are a few posts I already started from days ago that I need to publish...so i'll get to them a.s.a.p. and will be posting more goodies soon. I've come across some great artists who have some excellent material. You know I post the good shit anyway....LOL!
If you don't mind....spread the word about this blog. Thanks!
Here's a dope kat i've been knowing for quite a few years who rips it every time in true Hip-Hop fashion. In all the years of seeing him spin, he reminds me of the words Rakim said...."No mistakes allowed". That's because I have never seen this guy have a bad set or mess up anywhere.
Along with CG's amazing DJ skills, he's also coined his universal style of spinning as "Jazztronica", most notable via his "Chicken Soup" series of mixes he's done over time. Outside of trading his mic for turntables in his former Hip-Hop group Bass Tribe/Wasted Youth, CG also is credited with being the first non-Swedish talent signed on Swedish Brandy. As a result, his Swed.U.S.H. Connection 1 & 2 compilations were released featuring the sounds of Take, Hydroponic Sound System, Nick Nack, J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science and others. Be sure to log on to his site and purchase some goodies. You won't be disappointed.
Special birthday shout out to one of my best friends...DJ Noyz. This is one incredible DJ who I used to do 2 x 4 sets with back in the day before it was the thing to do, as well as rock cookouts and other gatherings with friends. Before there were what is now called "mash ups", he did what he called "flip-flop" mixes back in the early 90's. He was also the original DJ for EK Sqwad with my other friends Elliott Ness (RealNess) and 3Shot.
At the time of this post, he's currently on another tour of duty to "help save the world"....as he put it. The prayers of friends are with him in his travels. BLESS!
One week ago today, I was tuned in to Beatminerz Radio and caught DJ Evil Dee of Black Moon doing his thing by blending some classic breaks and throwing in a few acapellas to blend in as well. Next up on the decks was DJ Wayne-Ski with his lovely hostess Jessica, who both do a weekly called Independent's Day where Wayne-Ski spins a good selection of indie artists. An extra added bonus to the show was to see the legendary DJ/Producer/MC Pete Rock take over the wheels for about 3 hours and spin many of his classics like he had a vengeance to bring the art of true Hip-Hop back. All four displayed to all who tuned in that Hip-Hop is far from dead, especially with the art of the Hip-Hop DJ. I, for one, can lead by example from the countless hours of digging for records, practicing my craft, creating my own style of spinning and to get good enough to participate in DJ battles and tour with many Hip-Hop and Dancehall acts.
In my previous post, Technology Kills...Sometimes, I wrote about how new technology is taking away from the artform of DJing by those who are closet "DJ's" that don't take the time and to practice as many veterans do. This flood of non-professionals are nothing more than like a jukebox you pop a few dollars into. They have no personality to hype the crowd, poor selection and barely know how to use the cheap gadgets or software they bought (or downloaded) to attempt to do the job of a pro.
Lately there's a new trend happening that's a newer threat to professionals. It's the "celebrity DJ". These well known folks are no better than the non-professionals who buy the gadgets and software. Seems to me that they call up the real DJ's who are already well known (from hard work to get where they are on merit and skill) to get a few tips or just watch a tutorial video to get the basics of using a mixer, go buy equipment, then you have the managers of these celebs calling clubs to book them. In many cases this trend helps to phase out those who have been doing it for so long and have paid dues. One young lady who just started spinning a couple of months ago is the subject of quite a few people on other blogs who are asking if she can really DJ. Of course, there's gonna be one die hard fan of this celeb who will say that they have seen them and they did the job well. Is it just the person commenting is star struck or can they actually grade a DJ on skill? The pics I saw on this young lady had not one pic of her actually touching the Serato control records. All she did was touch the cue buttons on both the laptop and mixer, load up a few songs and looked confused. Those same blogs mentioned how she kept going back to Aaliyah tunes as if she had no direction to really go or attempt to take the people listening. The crowd also looked to not be paying attention to her, nor did it look like the spot was packed, even with her celeb status.
Curiosity Killed The Cat & The DJ
I was browsing YouTube for a series of videos produced and written by DJ Ali:On The Air and stumbled upon some joke of a video of this chick claiming to be the first "iPad DJ". I nearly puked after watching about 3 minutes of this 17 minute video of some dim light going on about the equipment she has and genres of electronic music, when she clearly has no clue as to what she was talking about. Then for her to go on as if a real DJ is crazy to spend money on CD players or turntables and other gear to help execute your craft more effectively. Her set up was 2 iPads, a $100 mixer and an interface connected to a laptop. The tracks she played were preloaded demo loops in some type of low end production programs. Naturally, I humored myself to see what her reasoning is to do what she's doing, and it turns out that it's all an experiment...of some sort. What I thought was more of a joke is to see her site called "Destroy The Silence" and all the media coverage she seems to be attracting. Then again, train wrecks do get mentioned in news.
Some may argue that i'm hating, as well as many other DJ's who have the same feelings and opinions. Those who accuse another of hating have to look at this like you would any other art or even how an everyday job is done. You wouldn't want a person working in your restaurant or in your own kitchen attempting to cook something when they don't know how, right? Furthermore, if they did try to make something, would you want to eat it? A couple of comments on Youtube under the train wreck video read..."No tables...no DJ" and "D.J. MEANS: DISC JOCKEY!!! IF YOU AIN'T JOCKIN' DISCS YOU AIN'T A DJ.... IT IS LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT BE JOCKIN' DISCS AND BE A D.J." On the other hand, there are some who use discs that do this thing called "slamming". Slamming is where a person who's attempting to DJ starts the next record from the downbeat without blending it with the previous song. Sort of the same effect you see in movies when they change to the next scene. Some don't match the tempos or BPM, some may get close.
As mentioned earlier, there is a series of videos who are talking about these people who try to call themselves DJ's. The concept is on point and pretty hilarious. If you're still not sure of how a DJ feels, just check out the videos below to see where we're coming from.
*Note* After posting this, I ran across a few short videos of several "celeb DJ's" who can't cut the mustard with a razor sharp samurai sword. And the celeb I was referring to does the slamming thing.
Earl "Fatha" Hines, (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983) was "one of a small number of pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz". He got his professional start with Lois Deppe & his 'Symphonian Serenaders' in the "Liederhaus", a Pittsburgh nightclub. He has also played with Louis Armstrong's Hot Five, Duke Ellington and a string of the "who's who" of the Jazz world. 
LaDonna Adrian Gaines (born December 31, 1948), known by her stage name, Donna Summer is a singer/songwriter who gained prominence and notoriety during the disco era of the 1970s with the majority of her early work produced by the team of Giorgio Moroder and Pete Belotte, earning the title "The Queen of Disco". She is a 5 time Grammy winner and has sold over 130 million records to date.
