TALKING JAZZ WITH MARCUS MILLER

Great interview with Marcus Miller as he talks with Montreux Jazz TV. Sit back, relax and let Marcus Miller break some knowledge on Jazz music.

What, you don't know who Marcus Miller is?

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.

QUADRON - SIMILI LIFE

FULL SCREEN
The Sounds of VTech / Quadron: Simili Life   

I love everything about this. The message, the music, the art direction, its a sure win. Also big up About her films who are doing great visual productions.

Quadron is back with another exclusive video for the Sounds of VTech. Quadron’s “Simili Life,” directed and edited by Melinda James and produced by About Her Films shows us that just because something bad happens doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. You gotta roll with the punches. And in the end, all you really need is you…

Filmed in SF

JAZZ

MADLIB - SAN PAULO NIGHTS

GREEN AFRICA

On Mulatu Astatke's first official solo release in over 20 years, the revered Ethiopian musician explores new directions in fusions of Western jazz with Ethiopian modes, moving forward the pioneering sound he developed during the ‘60s and ‘70s. The tracks were recorded with members of Either/Orchestra in Boston, with contributions by traditional Ethiopian musicians in Addis, members of The Heliocentrics and some of the UK’s leading jazz and African players during the final sessions in London in November 2009. Mulatu Steps Ahead will be released March 30th on Strut.

MULATU ASTATKE - GREEN AFRICA

FLOOR VIOLENCE

In late 2008 Shottsman aka IG Culture brought together some legends of the UK jazz dance and boogie scene of the 1980s. This is what happened. Featuring rarely-seen archive footage from London's legendary Electric Ballroom. Another Holy Roller production!

Outkast "movin' cool"

one of my fave Outkast joints is "Movin Cool (afterparty" not really a hip-hop song, more of a jazz / swing track. No need to seek out the soundtrack, I ripped the vinyl in the other day . . . Andre, Big Boi ! We need more music like this. Oh yeah Cee-Lo's wife is on the hook NOT Erykah Badu

JAZZ

ITS A JON COLTRANE KINDA DAY