GOOD MORNING SADE

Stronger than pride album is so necessary on this rainy Tuesday morning. Quality sounds. Love you Sade!

NOSTALGIA 77 :: HUSH

Ben Lamdin has been a busy boy between his last album, and this, his fourth, working as producer, engineer, musician and on projects with, amongst many others, Jeb Loy Nichols, Lizzy Parks, Larry Stabbins, Alice Russell and his own Nostalgia 77 Octet. Probably due to these many influences, ‘The Sleepwalking Society’ changes the vibe a little from ‘Everything Under The Sun’ – there is a more bluesy and folksy theme, although the core jazz sound still remains, and we have the use of a single vocalist, German-born Rosa Peit, which gives the album a certain consistency and discreteness.



The quality of the music is, as you would expect from Ben, top-drawer, but this is accompanied but an assured intensity that flows through each of the tracks, even the more laid back instrumental jazz tunes such as ‘When Love Is Strange’ and the closing track, ‘Hush’. On the vocal tracks, Rosa’s voice builds on this intensity, perfectly suited to the yearning rhythms – just listen to the interplay of these on the brief, but disconcerting, ‘Golden Morning’. The more upbeat tracks such as ‘Blue Shadow’ and the single, ‘Simmerdown’, allow Rosa to show off her blues voice over delectable 3-and-a-half-minute pop songs. The LP is a real antidote to the manufactured output of the major labels and also a pretty good cure to any stresses you might have – play it at the end of a hard days work and you’ll see exactly what we mean. ‘The Sleepwalking Society’ is out now on Tru Thoughts Records.

ASHANTI MUNIR :: SO SMOOTH :: OFFICIAL VIDEO

Ashanti Munir, you might remember her song "So Smooth" featured on my smoothed out, Modern Funk & Soul Mix "Trust In Me" from Early this year. This is official Music Video online for the world to see. Warning, this is Grown Folk Music, with a Grown Folk Video Shoot. We Love The Cheese, Extra Cheese!!!

Big Up to Wadz on the production. If you like good music pick up "So Smooth" on I-tunes etc.

LIGHT OF THE WORLD :: UK STREET SOUL

Formed in London in 1978, Light of the World included Maunick, drummer Everton McCalla, bassist Paul "Tubs" Williams, guitarist Neville "Breeze" McKreith, percussionist Chris Etienne, keyboardist Peter Hinds trumpet playerKenny Wellington and on sax David "Baps" Baptiste.



The band's moniker was inspired by the title of Kool and the Gang's 1974 DeLite album Light of Worlds, which included "Summer Madness" and "Higher Plane." Signing with Ensign Records, the band had dancefloor hits with "Swingin'," "Midnight Groovin'," and "London Town." Etienne died while the band was on a promotional tour for their first album. A 12" single "Time" (Remix) b/w "London Town" was reissued by U.K. label Old Gold. Nigel Martinez, Gee Bello, and Nat Augustin joined Light of the World just in time for the release of their second LP, Round Trip, produced by Augie Johnson of Side Effect (disco hit cover of Ronnie Laws' "Always There," number 56 R&B, summer 1976). The band split up in 1981. Baptiste,Wellington, and McKreith formed Beggar & Co., and Maunick, Hinds, and Williams formed Incognito. In 1982, EMI released a Light of the World album,Check Us Out, that featured Bello, Tubbs, and Augustin, and the singles "Famous Face" b/w "Get on Board," "Ride the Love Train" b/w "Get on Board," and "I Can't Stop" b/w "Check Us Out." In 1998, EMI issued a limited edition vinyl pressing of the Check Us Out album.



In the '80s, Wellington played with Wham! (&"Wake Me up Before You Go-Go").Peter Hinds became a successful producer with hits by Scottish pop-soul trio the Chimes ("1-2-3," "Heaven") on Columbia Records, and plays keys on Incognito's albums (1991's Inside Life, 1992's Tribes, Vibes and Scribes, 1994'sPositivity, 1995's 100° and Rising, 1996's Beneath the Surface), Maysa's self-titled 1995 album and Inner Shade's 4 Corners, released on N2K Encoded Music in April of 1999. Gee Bello released an '80s solo album on Capitol produced by Jonah Ellis (The Gap Band, Yarbrough and Peoples) that included the single "International Lover," and in the '90s sang vocals on CDs by the jazz-funk band Shakatak. "Are You Ready (For Love)," a track from Nigel Martinez's album So Good, is on the 1999 compilation Jazz Steppin' from Instinct Records.


LIGHT OF THE WORLD - LONDON TOWN 1980

ALFONZO HUNTER

Smoothed out G-Funk. Taking me back to a time and place... GROWN FOLKS ONLY!!



Dont sleep on wadz.

STEPPER'S EVENT - GROWN FOLK MUSIC - BAY AREA

August 28, 2009
Steppin in Shades of Brown Weekend
Meet and Greet
Chicago Style Steppers Only
Bayside Pavillion
2203 Marina Square., Alemeda, CA
8:30 pm - 1:30am
Ticket Details below

August 29, 2009
Steppin in Shades of Brown Weekend
Steppin in Shades of Brown Main Event
Chicago Style Steppers Only
Midtown Ballroom
420 14th St., Oakland CA
8pm - 2am
Tickets Only

August 30, 2009
Steppin in Shades of Brown Weekend
Finale Set (Brunch)
Chicago Style Steppers Only
Kimballs Carnival
561 1th St., Oakland CA
12pm - 4pm
Tickets Only

August 30, 2009
Steppin in Shades of Brown Weekend
After Party
Chicago Style Steppers Only
Arimosa
522 2nd St., Oakland CA
7pm - 2am
$5 Door

Package 1- Registration Fee $35.00
Includes Fri or Sat Event, and Panel Discussion
Package 2- Registration Fee $70.00
Includes Both Friday and Sat Events and Panel Discussion
Package 3- Registration Fee $95.00
Includes Both Fri and Sat Events, Sunday Brunch, and Panel Discussion
ALL ATTENDEES MUST REGISTER AND SUBMIT PAYMENT IN ADVANCE!!!!!
THERE WILL BE NO ONSITE-REGISTRATION AND NO TICKETS SOLD AT THE DOOR!!
Final Day to Register will be Aug 8, 2009

Email Damone @ Damone@steppersonly.com for more details
www.steppersonly.com


DONT KNOW WHAT STEPPERS IS ALL ABOUT. LISTEN TO THIS SET LIST.

Chicago Steppin CStyle!