My Top Music Releases for February

*Chi Duly, BALLOONS OF HAUS (house) – Brooklyn producer Chi Duly makes Balloons of Haus, an electro-inspired remix to The Weeknd’s dark R&B set, House of Balloons. 

*Lenny Kravitz, BLACK AND WHITE AMERICA {MIXTAPE} (rock/soul/hip-hop) – Kravitz brings Bahamaian DJ Military to the mixtape version of his recent album, Black and White America. It's made especially for a club or concert night.

*Raheem DeVaughn, DESTINATION LOVELAND (R&B/hip-hop) - free mixtape of original tunes by singer Raheem DeVaughn and hosted by DJ Snoop-a-delic a.k.a. Snoop Dogg.

*Robert Glasper Experiment, BLACK RADIO (jazz/R&B/hip-hip) - The Blue Note-debut from musician Robert Glasper is a potent mix of jazz, contemporary R&B, neo-soul, and hip-hop featuring a who's who list of Glasper's friends: Erykah Badu, Lalah Hathaway, Ledisi, Chrisette Michele, Meshell Ndegeocello, Stokely Williams (of Mint Condition) and yasiin bey (formerly Mos Def), to name but a few.

*The Hood Internet, “When The Night Knows”(electro/funk/soul) – Chi-Town duo The Hood Internet creates a mashup from Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know” and Chromeo’s “When The Night Falls" to make "When The Night Knows." Grooooovy!

29 Day Wrap Up

Today I wrapped my 29 days of music I loved as a kid, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Digging for all those songs brought back so many good and precious memories. But I have to tell you, creating that list was no easy task. 


I started writing down songs from memory on January 1st and came up with about 50. By the time February rolled around and I started posting, I had close to 100! But it became such a fun project that choosing an album or song per day was the most exciting part. I realized a lot of the music I listened to back then has seriously shaped what I listen to today.

That being said, I can’t close out this month without saying my heart still hurts from the loss of Whitney Houston on Saturday, February 11, and Don Cornelius on Wednesday, February 1. These two icons were a huge part of that time in my life.  Houston’s 1987 album Whitney was one of the first albums I purchased in the late 80’s, while Cornelius’ TV show Soul Train was a weekly mainstay from 1988 until it ended in 2006. So their sudden passing during this month was especially difficult for me. 

But I did find out some good news today. Last summer--during a 40th anniversary celebration, a few Soul Train items were donated to The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC. The exhibit opens to the public in 2015. And I will definitely be visiting shortly thereafter. But what this month has taught me is that we should appreciate our legends even more while their alive and do all we can to uplift their spirits instead of criticize their lives. So, I simply want to continue to do all I can to keep both Houston and Cornelius' legacies alive. 

KCRW Presents: Penguin Prison - "Don't Fuss With My Money"

Penguin Prison's synth-pop disco tune "Don't F*ck With My Money" was a big hit last year during the Occupy movement. So in promotion of his recently released self-titled album, Chris Glover performed a clean version of the song on NPR-affiliate, KCRW's Wednesdays Become Eclectic showcase. However to get a true feel for the track, peep the original version, which was filmed in NYC during the Occupy Wall Street march from Zuccotti Park to Times Square.

 

Day 29 of 29 Days: Prince, "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" (1994)

“Most Beautiful Girl In The World” (NPG Records) (1994)

Though Prince, then-known as that unpronounceable symbol, independently released the ballad "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" in February 1994, the hit single didn't actually appear on a full-length album until 1995's The Gold Experience, which dropped September of that year. The Warner Bros.-released LP was probably the artist’s best album in years with a slew of noteworthy tracks: "P Control," "I Hate U," "Shhh," "319," "Now," "Billy Jack B*tch" and "Gold."

Nevertheless, I’ve been a Prince fan since about age 14; seen “Purple Rain” an obscene amount of times; and was super-excited to find my first Prince CDs (really my first CDs ever) at a pawn shop in Killen, Texas, but I probably didn’t become a fan-fan, a true fan until I was about 21 or 22-years old. Admittedly, I just wasn’t aware of his true talent and musical genius. Didn’t know how much of an affect he has had on so many artists until I got older. For one, didn’t realize that Lenny Kravitz (prior to hitting it big) originally patterned his whole look, image and sound after Prince. But "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" just summarizes so much of who (I think) Prince is: dreamy, sensual, protective, tender and totally sincere. 

Performance Artist Queen GodIs Hits Up Brooklyn Museum's "First Saturdays" This Weekend

Spoken word, hip-hop artist Queen GodIs (along with special guests) will perform this Saturday, March 3rd at 9pm for Brooklyn Museum's First Saturdays. This month's theme: "Fierce Phenomenal Women."

New Album Releases: February 28, 2012

New music releases for today: February 28, 2012

Ana Tijoux, LA BALA (hip-hop)

Claude VonStroke, dirtybird HATCHED, Pt. 3 (bass/house)
Dave Matthews Band, LIVE TRAX, V.21 (rock)

DJ Scuba, PERSONALITY (bass/electro)

Estelle, ALL OF ME (R&B/pop)

Ja Rule, PAIN IS LOVE 2 (hip-hop)

Jason Mraz, LIVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD (pop/rock/jazz) [acoustic EP]
Kirk Whalum, ROMANCE LANGUAGE (jazz)

Miguel, ART DEALER CHIC, V.1 (R&B)

Nina Kraviz, NINA KRAVIZ (downtempo/deep house/tech house)

Nneka, SOUL IS HEAVY (R&B/soul)

Planet Asia, BLACK BELT THEATRE (hip-hop)

Robert Glasper Experience, BLACK RADIO (jazz/hip-hop/R&B/rock)

Take 6, ONE (contemporary gospel)

Wynton Marsalis, THE MUSIC OF AMERICA (jazz)
Wzrd/Kid Cudi - WZRD (rap/rock) 

Day 28 of 29 Days: TLC, CRAZYSEXYCOOL (1994)

CrazySexyCool, (LaFace) (1994)

Released November 1994, TLC’s sophomore effort focused more of T-Boz and Chili’s vocals and less on Left Eye’s raps. Still the album covered a lot of ground with Prince’s “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” charted singles “Creep” and “Waterfalls” as well as several Babyface-penned tracks (“Diggin on You,” “Let’s Do It Again” and “Red Light Special”). 

SPIKE TV Premieres Bruce Lee Doc on March 7th

In my downtime (when I do have it), I've a penchant for watching UFC fights. So I'm excited to catch the TV premiere of "I Am Bruce Lee" on Wednesday, March 7th.  Airing on Spike with limited commercials, it's a documentary on the life of martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Though he passed away in 1973, Lee is still considered a cultural icon in the field. But with interviews from former mixed martial arts fighter Gina Carano, actor Ed O'Neill as well as baller Kobe Bryant, the doc should be interesting indeed. 

I Am Bruce Lee

Get More: I Am Bruce Lee

The Weeknd's House of Balloons REMIXED

Balloons of Haus Remix Project (2012)

Brooklyn-based producer Chi Duly remixes Toronto-based The Weeknd's House of Balloons (as well as) the singer's latest Echoes of Silence. The dark electro-tinged R&B projects are now a booty bass-house-influenced mix called Balloons of Haus. One word: Dopeness.

 

Upcoming NYC Shows!

February 2012


Feb 28, Estelle (w. supporting acts Luke James & Elle Varner), Irving Plaza, 7pm, $22
Feb 28, Gordon Voidwell, SOBs, 9pm $12-$15

Feb 28, Shinobi Ninja + Erin Barra, The Studio at Webster Hall, 8pm, $15

March 2012
Mar 3, Body Language, Mercury Lounge, 11:30pm, $10-$12
Mar 3 & 4, New York City Vegetarian Food Festival, Metropolitan Pavillion (125 W. 18th), 10am-5pm, $5
Mar 8, Big K.R.I.T., Highline Ballroom, 9pm, $20-$23
Mar 17, Lee Fields & The Expressions, Music Hall of Williamsburg, 9pm, $20-$25 
Mar 19, Diggy Simmons, Highline Ballroom, 8pm, $20-$25
Mar 21, Bomba Estereo, Music Hall of Williamsburg, 9pm, $16
Mar 25 & 27, Toots and the Maytals, Brooklyn Bowl, 8pm, $28
Mar 26, Georgia Anne Muldrow w. Dudley Perkins, SOBs, 9pm, $12-$15
Mar 28, DJ Shadow, Irving Plaza, 8pm, $35
Mar 28, J*DaVeY, Le Poisson Rouge, 10pm, $12-$15
Mar 29, Bonobo Presents A Night of Black: "Black Sands Remixed" Album Launch w. Bonobo (DJ Set), MachineDrum, FaltyDL & Mike Slott, 10pm, $12-$15
March 30-31, of Montreal, Webster Hall, 6:30pm, $22-$25
March 31, Wolf + Lamb | Soul Clap, Music Hall of Williamsburg, 11pm, $30-$40


April 2012
April 2, SBTRKT DJ Set (w. special guests), Music Hall of Williamsburg, 9pm, $20-$23
April 2, Van Hunt (plus special guest), The Studio at Webster Hall, 9pm, $15
April 14, Shabazz Palaces, Brooklyn Bowl, 11:59pm, $15
April 15, The Black Seeds, Brooklyn Bowl, 8pm, $10
April 16, Mayer Hawthorne & The County w. The Stepkids, Webster Hall, 9pm, $20-$25
April 21, Esperanza Spalding, Webster Hall, 8pm, $40-$45
April 27, The 9th Annual MADONNATHON, Brooklyn Bowl, 8pm, $5-$7


May 2012
May 13, Rusko, Terminal 5, 8pm, $32-$40
May 17, Justin Townes Earl, Webster Hall, 9pm, $22-$27


June 2012
Jun 9, An Evening w. Anthony Bourdain, BAM, 7:30pm, $52.50
Jun 17, Ziggy Marley, Irving Plaza, 7pm, $35

Day 27 of 29 Days: Me'Shell Ndegeocello, PLANTATION LULLABIES (1993)

Plantation Lullabies (Maverick) (1993)

Plantation Lullabies was the 1993 debut-release of singer-songwriter and bassist Me'Shell Ndegeocello. Then signed to Madonna's Maverick label, the album was a hodgepodge of sounds and topics: pop, rock, soul, funk, jazz, hip-hop; race, identity, sexuality. It was a mesmerizing affair. Standouts were "Outside Your Door," "Sweet Love," "I'm Diggin You (Like an OldSoul Record)," "Soul on Ice," "Call Me" and Grammy-nominated "If That Was Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)." However, it's the seductive "Dred Loc" that gave me life.

PROFILE: Heights Vinyl Curator, Craig T. Brown waxes poetic about the record business and why vinyl still matters

Photo credit: Marc Brubaker

It’s hard not to call it a comeback but business owner Craig T. Brown has seen the resurgence of vinyl record sales  firsthand. As owner of Heights Vinyl (3122 White Oak Dr.) in Houston, TX, the "vinyl curator" is apart of this re-emerging success story.


In a 2009 am New York article (print version), Scott Rosenberg captured a particular essence (of which some may feel) and physicality of vinyl records, “They’re big, heavy and cumbersome. The sound crackles and pops. They’re relics of a bygone era.” But according to Nielsen SoundScan data (from the same article), vinyl sales jumped 89 percent in 2008, that’s 1.88 million albums sold (taking into account “the 14 percent overall drop in CD, LP and digital sales combined.) In 2010, the numbers rose to 2.8 million; last year it was estimated that nearly 20 million records were sold at independent record stores, concerts and niche websites,” according to the New York Times. 

Allen Stone visits "Live From Daryl's House"

Photo credit: Christopher Nelson

24-year old soul singer Allen Stone recently visited the set of Philly soulster Daryl Hall's TV series Live From Daryl's House, and what a treat it was. The two musicians' soulful voices mesh to create wonderfully lush, harmonizing vocals on Stone's hit song "Unaware," which is from his self-titled sophomore LP (out on iTunes now). Influenced heavily by Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin, Stone is from Chewelah, Wash., a suburb outside of Spokane. But be sure to catch his performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on March 13th.

Day 26 of 29 Days: TLC, Ooooooohhh...On The TLC Tip (1992)

TLC, Ooooooohhh…on the TLC Tip (LaFace) (1992) 

LaFace recording artists TLC (T-Boz, Left Eye and Chili) made it cool for females to be assertive and declare what it is they want. With hit singles like "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg," "What About Your Friends" and "Baby-Baby-Baby," the trio held their own on the Billboard charts during much of the early '90's. But wasn’t T-Boz the coolest b*tch ever?

Mayer Hawthorne Spring 2012 Tour Dates

With having just started the New Zealand/Australia leg of his tour two days ago, retro soul singer Mayer Hawthorne recently announced the full schedule of dates for his Mayer Hawthorne and the County How Do You Do World Tour 2012. Can we say, yes please?! 

Soul Train History Book: Remembering Whitney

After reading a moving recall on SoulTrain.com of Whitney Houston's first Soul Train appearance in 1985 (and several award shows years later) that was written by former Soul Train dancer Stephen McMillian, I had to post the video montage. 

Day 25 of 29 Days: Riff, "White Men Can't Jump" (1992)

White Men Can't Jump (20th Century Fox) (1992)

Paterson, New Jersey-quintet Riff, which included Michael Best, Steven Capers, Anthony Fuller, Dwayne Jones, and Kenny Kelly were famously known for singing the school song "Fair Eastside" in the bathroom of the 1989 movie Lean On Me starring Morgan Freeman. The group later released two albums, 1991's self-titled RIff and 1993's To Whom It May Concern. 

Album Review: DJ Snoop-A-Delic hosted mixtape of soul/R&B jams: Raheem DeVaughn, DESTINATION LOVELAND

Destination LoveLand (368 Music Group) (2012)

Raheem DeVaughn’s latest Destination LoveLand is a full-length LP that “The R&B Hippie Neo-Soul Rockstar” is giving away for free to fans. Known for dropping gems since 2005, the New Jersey/Maryland-native is like the king of gratuitous music releases (read: hustler) to which amazing production and tightly formed lyrical content are consistent norms. 


Not only does he host the recently-launched Blis.Fm radio show on Sunday nights called The Raheem DeVaughn Show that features hot topics and your favorite contemporary R&B and neo-soul superstars, but back in 2005 the singer released The Love Experience (with lead single “You”) while cutting his teeth on the D.C. circuit performing with local and national artists. Three years later Love Behind The Melody followed with two charted singles, “Woman” and “Customer” to which the former garnered the “Bulletproof” singer a 2008 Grammy-nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. A year later, “Customer” received a nomination for Best R&B Song. And in 2010, he became a three-time nominee with The Love & War Masterpeace for Best R&B Album.

On Destination Loveland, DeVaughn teams up with Snoop Dogg a.k.a. DJ Snoop-A-Delic, Phil Ade, Marsha Ambrosius and James Blake on his 14-tracks of up-tempo, mid-tempo and requisite bedroom jams (“All Ready” and “Radio Raheem” are my personal faves); but there’s also soul-inspiring tunes like “You Saved Me From Myself” and “All My Heart” featuring samples of Anita Baker’s “Sweet Love” and Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman.”

At first thought I imagined Snoop’s presence overwhelming the EP like some DJs tend to do on mixtapes, dropping bombs and ish but the West Coast rapper only appears briefly on “Intro-delic,” two interludes in the middle and at the “Outro.”

Basically, Destination is a place for those who enjoy “R&B Hippie Neo-Soul Rockstar” music. However you make think that may sound.

Destination LoveLand by Raheem DeVaughn

Day 24 of 29 Days: BOOMERANG Soundtrack (1992)

Boomerang soundtrack (LaFace) (1992) 

With an all-star cast like Eddie Murphy, Robin Givens, Halle Berry, Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, David Allen Grier, Tisha Campbell-Martin –- and scene-stealing moments from Eartha Kitt, John Witherspoon, Grace Jones and Melvin Van Peebles – the 1992 romantic comedy Boomerang was an instant smash.

The soundtrack, which was produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface, was just as--if not more successful. From start to finish there were major radio hits and personal hits (for me): “Love Shoulda Brought You Home” (Toni Braxton), “End of the Road” (Boyz II Men), “I’d Die Without You” (P.M. Dawn), “Give U My Heart” (Toni Braxton and Babyface), “There U Go” (Johnny Gill), “Tonight Is Right” (Keith Washington) and my absolute fave, “Feels Like Heaven” (Kenny Vaughan & the Art of Love).