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This is the temporary holding site for BritishBlackmusic.com
(BBM) and Black Music Congress
(BMC)
To join the BBM/BMC mailing list, please write to: editor@britishblackmusic.com subject: put me on your mailing list STOP PRESS: The Jan. 15 debate/workshop was a resounding success. Report will soon be file. In the meantime, if you're interested in the Saturday Feb. 26 one-day music business overview course & showcase, or the Black Music Records & African Crafts Fair VI on March 19, scroll down for more information.
Happy new year to you all! The first TV programme I watched in 2005 was Later With Jools on BBC TV 2 during the very early hours of January 1. The first one concentrated on R&B and hip-hop. It featured several Americans, with only two Brits: Ms Dynamite and Craig David, who really did justice to their live renditions of their popular hit songs. The rest of the show featured the likes of The Roots, Fugees, Mary J Blige, Alicia Keyes, Kanye West, and Angela Stone. The latter was the only one to perform more than one song - good as she was, I wished that space had been given to a previous Brit Jools guest, like Dizzee or Estelle. When it came to the rock show, the British artists were more than the Americans. There weren't so many artists crammed into one programme. Hence, the likes of Elton John, Keane, and Bloc Party all performed more than one song. The best thing though was Elton's advice to developing artists. He said play live, that's the best way to develop one's craft. It underscores something I don't tire of telling my mostly black students, and which I highlighted in The State Of British Black Music (click on the Kwaku hotlink, or scroll down) on the BBM site many years ago. The other good thing was that the Block Party is an east London punk-ish rock band fronted by a black singer/guitarist. He certainly challenges the stereotypes and pushes the debate as to what's black music! We think the Jools programme is great, because it concentrates on those who can cut it live. But programme producer Mark Cooper should think about better black British presentation, next time. The media's been full of polls of one kind or the other. BBM will soon re-introduce the British Black Music List of essential British records. We hope to launch the finalised item in June, which we are decreeing British Black Music Month. You can check out what we came up with when we tried the list in 2001. They call it the music business - the music, many of you can take care of with little help. But the business side can be lacking, that's why we advocate need for music business courses. This month, City re-introduces its Business Of Black Music - it's quite good, and takes place on Monday evenings. BBM/BMC partner BTWSC has a music industry overview course for Harrow youths, and a music & media project for Brent youths. Although aimed at Harrow youths, it has a one-day music business workshop & live showcase session which persons of any age or from any borough can attend - so take advantage of these opportunities! Linkages from the above can be found in the information below. But let's end on a tangent. The tsunmani tragedy has featured centre-stage in the media, and rightly so. There's at least one major concert and record release being planned by British artists to raise aid. But how many of you are aware that vast parts of east Africa - Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, and the Seychelles - were also affected? The Indian ocean touches Africa, and not just Asia (click for BBC profile). Finally, who decides when the nation should observe silence? Whilst it seems appropriate that we observe three minutes silence for the tsunmani dead, one wonders who decides what tragedy merits this observance. Why was there no minute's silence for the Darfur, Hurricane Ivan, or the east African American embassy deaths? Maybe the songwriters can take it from there. Enjoy, Kwaku P.S. We'll also soon post review of some of the many albums released late 2004. Scroll
down or click these hotlinks: |
 Black
Music Congress debate/workshop: ‘What Can We Do To Build A British
Black Music Industry?Panellists include: Paulette Long (Westbury Music/Music Publishers Assn.), Akosua Annobil-Dodoo (New Nation), Hugh Francis (Jet Star), Greg Graham (Chewatribe/Afreex), Jordan Kensington (Urban Music Awards/Invincible); Chair: Kwaku (BMC) Date & Time: Saturday January 15 2005, 3-6pm. £Free Venue: Room U215, City University, Northampton Sq, London EC1 (Angel or Barbican tube; buses 4, 56, 153). £Free,
but it’s advisable to pre-book by emailing editor@britishblackmusic.com.
subject: booking to build, or use booking
form BOOKING
FORM at www.bbm-on.net/TheBookingForm.asp
One
of the decisions made after the last BMC debate, 'British Black Music Is Dead
-Discuss', was that we need to create solid infrastructures in order to build a
sustainable black music industry in Britain. This debate/workshop aims to focus
on steps needed to turn that vision into reality - and what role interested
parties can play
in that process. Industry guests will help facilitate workshops &
networking. |
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£Free,
but it’s advisable to pre-book, especially those that want to be on showcase,
by emailing info@btwsc.com
or editor@britishblackmusic.com
or calling Ms Serwah on 020 8450 5987 There was a great feedback from a similar event held in Forest Gate in November and Stanmore in January. So we have decided to replicate it at Stonebride in north-west London. It’s open to young people and adults from any borough, although our focus are those from Harlesden & Stonebridge. The first half of the programme consists of music business workshops, and the second half will focus of A&R surgery and live showcases. If you've got a demo CD, enter it into the A&R lucky dip for immediate response. If you're a singer, MC or rapper, you could enter the open mic showcase, which ends the programme. Performances also include up & coming singers and poets. Limited space, so it's advisable to pre-book for course and performance. Also, click for information on BTWSC's free music & media courses and projects for youths in Brent and Harrow.
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Learning
Outcomes: Website: www.city.ac.uk/conted/cfa/cultind/music/ce2312.html. Enrol online: Click here. By telephone: Courses for Adults office: 020 7040 8268 between 9am-5pm. Please have all the information that is required to complete the application form ready, including credit/debit card details. SORT IT OUT SHARPISH! |
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The outcome of this meeting should help inform the debate of what others are already, or planning on, doing to help build a British black music industry. We already know of these initiatives, such as Choice FM's 'UK Cuts', Urban Music Awards' 'Buy British', plus there's Afreex's 'Union Black', and the old radio campaign waged by MSI Asylum/Gran Kru's Bandit (anybody know where he is? Tell him to get in touch!) If you'd like an invitation to this meeting, please provide a brief background of your pro-British initiative by email. If you can't attend, but would like to make known of your initiative, email us the information in good time: editor@britishblackmusic.com. The BMC is working on two campaigns: Brit On The Bill (BOB) is to encourage promoters to put at least one British act on any bill headlined by a foreign act (click for background). We are also proposing that June be set aside as British Black Music Month (click for background). We feel that October has become too crammed with Black History Month activities, we need space to highlight British black music - not just in song and performance, but also with talks and historic programmes. |
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The Black Music Records & African
Crafts Fair VI
Our fairs now have an open mic session for
conscious (and that means NO four-letter words!) artists and poets, plus
organisations with something to the community. March 19, 12.30-5.30pm
at: Tavistock Hall, 25 High Street, next to the KFC, Harlesden, London
NW10.(Willesden Junction BR/tube station. Jubilee Clock stop: Buses 18, 187,
206, 220, 226, 260, 266). Admission is free. Stall: £20 Location
map Click for booking form. |
| BRITISH BLACK MUSIC LIST 2001 (See what people thought were the essential British records in our 2001 poll. We'll soon announce details of how to nominate records for the 2005 List). |
| Diligent
Music boss songwriter/producer Olu Sola is looking for young, early 20's
female singers to either to front a pop/R&B project as a solo act
or a trio. Most of the material for the first album has been
recorded. Good, strong voice, and right attitude required. You will have
to be available to do a live audition on Saturday January
22, between 7-8pm at the One-Day Music Business Course &
Artist Showcase for address and directions. To contact Olu on diligentmusic@hotmail.com
or 0794 779 2154.
The 'Diamond Girls' are seeking a lead Diva! Could you be the next Beyonce, Christina Milan, Alicia Keys, with just a hint of Aretha Franklin - got the picture? Aged 19-26, talented, image & charisma essential for a major record deal. Tel: 077 21035 077 or email photo/CV to mandie@rya-online.net ASAP! |
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Updated Jan 5 2005 Please
credit BritishBlackMusic.com at www.bbm-on.net when you use our
stuff! To join mailing list: editor@britishblackmusic.com subject: put me on mailing list |
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