Category: Artist Profile
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The Shaolin Afronauts Return to 1970’s Heavy African Grooves
The mysterious afro-soul of The Shaolin Afronauts first echoed across the dance floors of Australia in late 2008. Heavily inspired by the sounds of 1970’s West Africa, Ethiopia and the pioneering avant-garde jazz artists of the same period, The Shaolin Afronauts draw on the this highly innovative and sometimes volatile era in music, using it…
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Reggae From the Roots Up: St. Lucia’s Taj Weekes and Adowa
St. Lucian singer-songwriter Taj Weekes makes music that grooves like waves on a beach: seemingly gentle yet insistently powerful. On stage and on albums like the recent A Waterlogged Soul Kitchen (Jatta Records), Weekes and his band Adowa unite a vibrant diversity of sounds with thoughtful, lush arrangements and a long-honed penchant for telling tales…
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Reggae Africa: Youssou Ndour Journeys to Kingston
Youssou Ndour’s journey to Kingston began with the music pulsing from the Dakar market stalls of his childhood. It began during long hours of listening to reggae LPs from his uncle’s record store. It continued decades later, long after Ndour became one of the world’s best known and best loved African singers, as circumstances conspired…
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Latin Funk Cape Breton Style: Roots Pianist Neil Pearlman
“There’s a clave hidden in Scottish music, if you look for it,” explains piano player, arranger, and composer Neil Pearlman. It’s a secret place where Robert Burns does the boogie woogie. And where salsa brass and Tower of Power bass sneak into the frenetic triplets of island dances. Pearlman has found this sweet spot. The…
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African Bluesman Vieux Farka Touré (Son of Ali Farka Touré) Digs Deep on “The Secret”
“The secret” features production by Eric Krasno (of Soulive fame) and features Dave Matthews, Derek Trucks, John Scofield, Ivan Neville and Vieux’s final collaboration with his legendary father, Ali Farka Toure. Traveling down Linden Blvd towards JFK Airport, Vieux Farka Touré had a realization. Having just left The Bunker recording studio in Brooklyn, he was…
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Motown Gets Rewound by Quinn Luke aka Bing Ji Ling on “Shadow to Shine”
Quinn Luke (Bing Ji Ling) releases his third solo album, Shadow to Shine, featuring members of Antibalas, the Dap Kings, Scissor Sisters, and the Phenomenal Handclap Band. Enjoy a free download of “Move On,” the first single from Shadow to Shine at the end of this article. The nom de plume of one Quinn Luke,…
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Karsh Kale Goes to the “Cinema” on His Fourth Release
Karsh Kale (pronounced Kursh Kah-lay) is widely regarded as a pioneer of global fusion and electronica as his music has inspired and defined the worldwide club phenomenon known as “Asian Massive” or “Asian Underground” in the early part of the decade. Today Karsh’s music has travelled far past the underground club scene and has been…
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From Accra to America: The Blazing Rap of Blitz the Ambassador
With a lightning-fast mind, the political boldness of Chuck D, and the sixth groove sense of Fela Kuti, the Ghanaian-born, New York-based MC, composer, and producer Blitz the Ambassador unleashes psychedelic Afrobeat colors and triple-time rhymes on Native Sun (Embassy MVMT; May 3, 2011). The album was sparked in Accra, Ghana yet forged in the…
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Ojos de Brujo Celebrate 10 Years with “Corriente Vital” (Lifestream)
The Barcelona collective Ojos de Brujo could never be accused of going about their business conventionally as they celebrate their tenth anniversary with a special recording. A celebration in which many artist friends collaborate on the group’s songs as well as providing two brand new ones: the title track, produced by long time spar Nitin…
John Tripp Creative 