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British
Black Music List 2005
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NOV. 5 2005 BBM/BMC EARLY BIRD MAIL OUT
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This mail out is for the early bird subscribers as it has some info about this weekend's events and plus the fact that our October freebie competition (new albums were added this weekend) is extended to midnight Monday November 7 2005! Also following London Mayor Ken Livingstone's rap and violence statement, we've invited him or a representative to the BBM/BMC and BTWSC organised Because... youth crime workshop on Saturday Dec. 3. ‘British Black Music: Where Is It At?’ Summary : The music business is presently upbeat about black music, oops, urban music, or more specifically: R&B/hip-hop. Indeed, some say R&B/hip-hop is the new pop. It’s all well and good to see black and white artists doing well in the market place selling R&B/hip-hop or urban music. However, what we ought to be doing is looking at what’s happening within British black music. Because until we create foundations for a wide spectrum of black music and for homegrown artists/stars to thrive and conquer the world, there is no future: career opportunities and the longevity of our artists will be limited. Click to read full ‘British Black Music: Where Is It At?’ paper. Click to read the campaign proposal to build our industry.
OCTOBER FREEBIE OFFERS ENDS MONDAY NOV. 7!: Our BHM freebie offer of CDs, DVDs and books has been extended till midnight today - Monday Nov. 7 2005. Newly included items are CDs, LPs and DVDs by Bob Marley, Sherrisa, Public Enemy, Destiny's Child, Angie Stone, Corinne Bailey Rae and John Legend. All you have to do is little more than click for these particular items! Go to: www.bbm-on.net/october_2005_freebies.htm MUSIC, YOUTH & CRIME?: London Mayor Ken Livingstone is stoking the fire of controversy by linking gun violence with the way some rap artists project themselves. The music industry certainly needs to explain (or defend) itself. A suitable occasion is the BBM/BMC & BTWSC co-organised Because... youth crime workshop on Saturday December 3 (3-6pm) at Harrow Civic Centre. Hopefully artists, their representatives, and other music industryites can join youths, parents, police, social, community and youth workers, politicians and other stake-holders in the Council Chamber to discuss the causes and propose possible solutions. Youths aged 11-19 can submit their opinion on the "I think youth crime is because..." theme, by writing no more than 100 words, which must be submitted to info@btwsc.com by November 26 - there are prizes for winning entries. Check: www.btwsc.com/because.htm URBAN ACADEMIA: If you're quick off the mark, you can attend today’s (Nov. 5) Love In The Community free urban music showcase/club night starting at 8.15pm at the Karamel Club, or else you can catch the Cuban rhumba and bata drumming sessions the following week (Nov. 12, from 5pm). It’s part of the Academy Of Urban Music (AUM) launch, which hits home with 7th November, 6pm – DJ Skills Workshop With DJ Logic and 8th November, 6pm – Exploring The Roots Of Hip Hop With Pee Wee Ellis and Sway. Karamel Club, 4 Coburg Road, Wood Gren, London N22. To reserve a place for either or both events, contact Tania on 0208 829 8907 or email tania@collage-arts.org. Click for further information on the Navigator/AUM programme URBAN UNDERGROUND THING: Hopefully yesterday's (Nov. 4) Urban Music Awards 2005 was all peaceful and lovely in its new venue, the New Connaught rooms in London's Covent Garden. www.urbanmusicawards.net KISSING AWARD: Fancy another award show? Then you can check out the inaugural Kiss Awards at east London's Excel tonight (Saturday Nov. 5). To find out more about this celebration of urban and dance music, click on http://promo.kissclients.com/kissclients/kissawards/homepage.htm HOUSING AWARDS: The HOUSE MUSIC AWARDS 2005 takes place Thursday November 17, Hammersmith Palais (7pm-late). Acts confirmed include Body Rockers (live), Barbara Tucker (live), Gadjo (PA), Shapeshifters (DJ set), and Tortured Soul (live). Plus a host of guest DJs including Joey Negro. The Awards was launched last year, evolving from the 2004 Miami Winter Music Conference as a response to honouring key players in an industry that continues to grow globally on the underground scene as well as driving worldwide chart hits. Tickets priced £22 now available via 0870 246 2050, www.clubticket.co.uk. THE GREAT BRITISH MUSIC EXPO: The back-patting of sorts continues with the first British Music Week on Nov. 11-12 at Wembley Conference & Exhibition Centre. A whole lot of conferences, seminars, and showcases promoting British music of all genres is promised. There's also an awards show! For more info, click: www.britishmusicweek.com/about.php. British Music Week will also be hosting a Best Rock National Unsigned Act 2005 on Nov. 11 at The Silver Spoon Club, New Light Banqueting Suite, Azure House, South Way, Wembley Stadium Complex, (behind Wembley Stadium Block 5) Wembley. Please contact Kizzy Donaldson at kizzy@britishmusicweek.com, 0870 743 6653 or www.britishmusicweek.com CHALKY CENTRE: Prof. Hollis Liverpool, a.k.a. Mighty Chalkdust will be at the Centerprise Bookshop in Dalston, east London today (Saturday Nov. 5) to speak on the subject of the Caribbean musical style known as kaiso. Call 020 7254 9632 for details. PAPER! PAPER!! PAPER!! READ THE NEWS:You'll have to get to the newsagents pretty sharpish, if you want to find out who are in the Top 100 DJs 2005 list (either get the bumper DJ Mag 01 issue out now or else click: www.djmag.com/top100-entry-form.php#stop). By the way, that issue also contains moi's BBM Pro-British Top 10 in the R&B page, which I co-write. If you're interested in the 100 Most Significant Events In Black History, then you'll need this week's 'British Biggest Black Newspaper' New Nation (Monday Oct. 31. www.newnation.co.uk has much, but not the special 20 page supplement). MANAGING THE NEW MUSIC INDUSTRY: After going along with most of the dictates of the record industry, the Music Managers Forum (MMF) has broking ranks by joining the downloading pricing dispute. The record labels want iTunes to increase its price and offer price differentials, but managers are unhappy with the cut their acts get on a £0.79 download from labels. They get around 4.5p (i.e. under 6%) compared to 35p on a £2.99 single (i.e. 12%). Jazz Summers, the manager of the Snow Patrol, and chairman of the Music Managers Forum, said: “Sale prices and royalties have gradually been eroded to the point where an artist needs to sell in excess of 1.5 million units before they can show a profit, after paying for recording time and tour support.” More importantly, the MMF are not supporting the record company body BPI’s fight against music collection society MCPS. MCPS wants a 12% royalty on digital downloads, BPI wants them to be happy with the 8% they’ve been getting. We hope the Copyright Tribunal will recognise the economics of the digital world means MCPS (songwriters and publishers) deserve more than the 8.5% ascribed for physical formats like CDs. 25%-30% is more like it! (culled from Timesonline). The MMF has a campaign called Know More! that “aims to raise awareness amongst people in the music industry, press and most importantly the future creators of music by campaigning against restrictive contracts and archaic practices that have no place in the modern music industry. It is a talking shop and think tank for the key digital issues that are facing the industry today.” Please check out the Know More! website, and if you’re seriously interested in copyright issues, check out the Musictank Copyright Conference on Thursday Nov. 10 2005. REMEMBER SARO-WIWA'S MURDER: Thursday Nov. 10 - you could spend the morning at the Saro-Wiwa vigil and memorial ceremony; the day by attending Musictank's Copyright Conference; and the night by attending the Remember Saro-Wiwa 'Dance The Guns To Silence' event of poetry, film, Afro disco and Afrogroov live set at the JAMM in Brixton: This will be a special evening at the Brixton Jamm (261 Brixton Rd.) from 7pm till late celebrating Ken Saro-Wiwa's life with poetry and music. The first half of the evening will feature poetry readings from contributors to the new poetry anthology, Dance the Guns to Silence: 100 Poems for Ken Saro-Wiwa. These include: JACK MAPANJE - HEATHER TAYLOR - SARAH MAGUIRE - ROMMI SMITH - HENRY BONSU - JOYCE OHAJA - STEVE TASANE - JOHN LYONS. Hosted by KADIJA SESAY. The second half of the evening will feature a special mix of African dance music, including live performances from The Soothsayers with special guests, including Adesose Wallace. Special performance from UK rappers Ty and BREIS. AfroGroov DJs include: Dr A4 (eclectica), Rita Ray (The Shrine), Dudu Sarr & Eric Soul. Further special guests will be announced soon. Tickets are on the door only, £5 B4 9:30pm and £7 after. www.remembersarowiwa.com/events.htm. TRACY’S BACK AGAIN: Tracy Chapman tours Europe in November as part of the international ‘Where You Live’ tour in support of her new album, ‘Where You Live’ (Elektra). Tracy Chapman will play five dates in the UK, beginning on November 6 in Edinburgh and ending in Brighton on November 14. The tour will include a night at the Hammersmith Apollo in London on November 9. AFRO HIP-HOP XTRA:
Nigerian-born, London-based JJC, frontman of Afropean hip-hop
outfit JJC & 419 Squad and producer to UK R&B stars Jamelia,
Liberty X, Big Brovaz and Lemar, looks at the rise
and rise of African hip-hop in a four-part documentary, Afropop – The rise
and rise of African hip-hop, from Wednesday, 2
November 2005 on BBC 1Xtra, broadcast as part of the TXU documentary
programmes 2 – 4pm GMT. You can catch archived
shows which will cover all parts of Africa. From the major label
presence of the South African region to the independent, self-financed
productions of the northern regions, JJC explores the music industry in
Africa, highlighting the ways it compares to the western world. He
hears stories from Senegalese hip-hop superstars Daara J (who won
the award for best African group at the World Music Awards 2004) and Reggie
Rockstone, the inventor of hip-life in Ghana, to the ghetto realism
of Kenya’s Ukooflani Mau Mau Camp (part of the 38-strong
collective Nairobi Yetu). He also learns about Arabic
hip-hop acts like Moroccan group H Kayne through to the
established music industry in South Africa which is ruled by acts like Zola,
Godessa and Bongo Maffin. 2 November 2005: Part 1 - West Africa; 9
November 2005: Part 2 - East Africa; 16 November 2005: Part 3
- Southern Africa; 23 November 2005: Part 4 - North Africa. BLACK WORLD CONTINUES: BFI’s Black
World audio-visual programme continues into November with Nov. 18 7pm, Burning An Illusion and Nov. 23
6.30pm, Black Joy, both at the Mayor’s Office, The Queens Walk, SE1.
020 8539 7913, info@3ci.co.uk.
For more info: www.bfi.org.uk/blackworld. SAVING SOULS: On Sunday 30th October, former Boogie Bunch member DJ Swing went into hospital for a bone marrow operation, and is desperately in need of someone with a bone marrow match to save his life (he was diagnosed with cancer of the bone marrow known as multiple myeloma in January 2003). Below are dates and details of where you can to do your bit to help by becoming a donor. Sunday Nov. 6: The Jewel (Formerly The Spot), 12pm-5pm, 29-30 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2 (Covent Garden or Strand tube 5 min walk) or The Hill Restaurant & Bar, 12pm-5pm, 6 Muswell Hill, London N10. If you have not yet registered please take just www.15mins2savealife.com, www.aclt.org or call 020 8667 1122. Also, as you should know, R&B singer/songwriter Lynden David Hall has been out of circulation for quite some time, despite dropping the well-received ‘In Between Jobs’ (Random Soul) earlier this year, due his suffering from cancer. On Tuesday November 15 2005, his British black music peers will be performing on the Lynden David Hall Cancer Fundraiser at London’s Jazz Café. For the last two years Lynden has been battling Hodgkin's Lymphoma disease, a rare form of cancer that mainly affects young people in their 20s, and around 1400 people are diagnosed in the UK every year. Confirmed artists include: Ms Dynamite, Omar, Beverley Knight, Terri Walker, Shola Ama, Don-e and Roachford, plus DJs Matt White and Ramdom Soul boss Diggz. Tickets are £22.50 from www.meanfiddler.com. All the proceeds go to various charities of Lynden’s choice, the including the Afro Caribbean Leukaemia Trust. For more information, contact: Diggz on 01865 792211 or 07813 788261. WWW.CANCERBACUP.ORG.UK, WWW..LYMPHOMA.ORG.UK. ALEX BABY LIVE: Soul crooner Alexander O'Neal's currently on an extensive UK tour. If you've never caught the only soul artist to sell out Wembley Arena six times over, click to find where to catch Alexander O'Neal live! FREENESS SEMINARS: Not all of can afford the expensive music industry seminars, so keep your eyes peeled – there are very good free ones out there. Like the Music Business Seminars at Stratford Circus. November 10 2005: THE BASICS OF PUBLISHING; December 8 2005: RECORD LABELS TODAY. www.urbandevelopment.co.uk. MAJOR OPPORTUNITY FOR RAPPERS & R&B SINGERS: Rappers and singers from anywhere in the world who’ve got the talent and determination are being offered a development deal with a production company working with a production team in the UK, who claim to have written for Xibit, Ludacris and produced for major artists like Beverley Knight and Jamiroquai. The key player is ex-A&R with a large UK label and is in regular contact with all the main UK labels. Their production team will develop you as an artist and ultimately sell the entire package to a label. This is happening more, now as labels hold back on their development budgets. This team write the tracks, and the artist will write his or her own lyrics and obviously perform them. The parent body of Urbanelite Promotions have known this team for a number of years and will vouch for them. Interested? Then email: urbanelite@aol.com. GOD’S DISCO: DJ Ministry.com
recently launched a new website www.djministry.com
and a club night called 1,2, STEP PON DE ENEMY 9pm-3am at
Dominion Centre, High Road, Wood Green, London N22. To be kept in touch
of the follow up club night, register on their website. If you’re a DJ
who would like to become a member of djministry.com team, send your mix
tape with a photo and bio to: DJ Ministry, PO.BOX 52141, London, E8 9AG. ONLINE HEADCASE: Talk about niche markets - can you believe there is an online shop just dedicated to selling all forms of headphones? Peep: new website www.247Headphones.com. THE ALLEGED I-RUMOUR: Has Apple allegedly produced the small, cheap(er) Nano i-Pod in order to clean up the music player market with bulk sales, before allegedly moving on to a new x-Pod platform, that combines a phone, TV receiver, camera, audio and video player/recorder in a pocket-sized personal assist product? ... schhh, keep it quiet, because you're only dreaming - you didn't read it here! WATCH GORGEOUS STAR CORINNE LATER: We've been enthusing about
a new Brit singer/songwriter and guitarist who reminds us Tasmin
Archer.
Her name is Corrine Bailey Rae. Her low key release of 'Just A
Star' (EMI) single has already won a Sureplayer accolade from our DJ Mag
R&B column, and we've caned tracks off the three-track single on our
LifeFM.org.uk programme. It's nice to see others championing her, like Jools Holland. Click to watch the gorgeous
star-in-waiting singing ‘Just Like A Star’ on Later... or the video
then scroll down the News section for video or Later...
Her
REGGAE LOVES QUEENS: Lovers rock queens Janet Kay and Carroll Thompson join forces to celebrate more than a quarter of a century of performing by once again joining forces on stage. They play London's Jazz Cafe Friday Nov. 18. Janet 'Silly Games' Kay can be heard on 'Lovers Rock Story Part 2' of which we're offering free copies in our compo. GETTING IT (W)RIGHT & FREE: The impressive American soul/R&B singer Jaguar Wright, who recently dropped the enjoyable 'Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul' (Ryko) album, supports the release of the 'Free' single with a London Jazz Cafe gig on Monday Nov. 14. "I don't sell anything else but me, or what I believe in or feel. I am finally free to do me, free to do my work," says Jaguar, talking about her new single and indie label status. C SWINGS IN JAZZ CAFÉ: C Swing a.k.a Colin Emmanuel, the UK writer, producer, and remixer of artists such as Jamelia and Beverley Knight, recently introduced himself as recording artist Emmanuel (not to be confused by London R&B singer and Starlight Crew member Emanuel) with the impressive and musically diverse forthcoming album ‘D’Illusions Of Grandeur’ album. You can catch him live at London’s Jazz Café on Tuesday Nov. 22 with guest singers and rappers, which include some of the album’s collaborators, such as Terri Walker, Mystro, Belle, Michelle Escoffery, Braintax, and Daniel Debourg. Oh, and they’ve got a full live band too! PINNING FOR RESISTANCE: “Everything I’ve done before has been easy to guess at. Okay, he’s black, he’s into reggae, he’s into ska, he’s into hip-hop. But this one, it seriously goes into some other areas,” says jazz-fussion saxophonist Courtney Pine of his new ‘Resistance’ (Destin-e/V2 Nuture) album. “It’s an album that’s as eclectic in its emotional range as it is consistent in its determination to groove hard and from the heart,” says the blurb. Courtney’s currently on the ‘Resistance Tour’ across the UK. He’ll pop into London’s Oxford Street Virgin Megastore, Wednesday Nov. 16 performing live and signing copies of the new album, and he plays London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall Saturday 19 (two separate shows) as part of his London Jazz Festival headlining gig, which also includes the first London screening of his ‘Jazz Daze’ animation movie. Click for info on album, tour, etc: www.courtneypine.co.uk. INDEPENDENT SCREEN: The film and TV lot get on the award game with the Screen Nation Film & Television Awards on Nov. 9 at Prince Charles Cinema, Leicester Sq, London W1. Former 57th Dynasty member Oshin’s in the running – his ‘Independent Hype’ is in the independent production category. To vote for ‘Independent Hype’ to win, email: "IndependentHype_the screen nation award" to FBS@boscar.co.uk. 'Bang Bang In The Manor', which we screened as part of our Welcome To Harlesbridge reasoning session, is in the running for best TV category. Again, click on FBS@boscar.co.uk to vote. Also check out: www.screennation.co.uk. AFRICAN
DANCE: Celebrate
the end of African History Month with A
Taste of Africa with a Twist of Latin
dance workshops, spoken word performances, singing, and social evenings
on November 12-13. It’s also a fund-raiser for the “poor and suffering in
Africa”. Yaa Asantewaa Community Centre,1 Chippenham Mews, W9 (tube
stations: Westbourne Park or Royal Oak). MOBO BOY’S
REALITY: Lemar came
third in the Fame Academy reality TV talent show. But he was the
fifth to get a recording contract. Who remembers what became of the four
that the record companies run after? Names like David Sneddon and
Sinead Quinn mean ziltch now! Many people said at the time of the
results that Lemar was the best singer of the lot. Belatedly, after
selling over 1 million records and winning a few MOBO awards this year,
Fame Academy judge Richard Parks has admitted Lemar was the
classiest of 2003 bunch! “I used to only listen to what I liked, now I
try to keep an open mind so that I can incorporate other sounds into my
music. I like The Darkness, The Neptunes and Coldplay,” says Lemar,
who’s gone on to deliver two good-selling albums. BLACK BULLET: Thanks to Brent Council’s free Black History Month screening of the Ashley Walters (former So Solider Asher D) starring movie ‘Bullet Boy’, moi was finally able to watch the movie and moderate a discussion afterwards. Apart from a rather gratuitous sex scene, which makes for an even more uncomfortable viewing experience when sitting next to one’s parenyts in law, and excepting the gritty language which was needed to keep it real, one can only say this is a powerful movie which works on many levels. It’s not a pretty story, but a plausible one that shows how the dark side of the streets can cruelly catch up with one. Probably a bit like the real life situation So Solid head honcho Megaman is currently facing. In the discussions, one person thought the Church should have played a stronger role helping to direct Ashley’s character’s life after coming from jail. Another person was upset that he was killed after he had decided to leave his manor. It’s actually a film that needs a 12-certificate version, as it would powerfully minister to our youths who need to see the brutal downside of on road dealings. BBM/BMC will be contacting the producers to petition a school-friendly version be made available! NOT
AN IMAGINARY SOS: Former
Imagination lead singer Leee John is now more into jazz
music. His splendid smooth jazz album ‘Feel My Soul’ (Candid) is out
now. Leee, who can expect some wonger on account of Mariah Carey
sampling Imagination’s ‘Just An Illusion’ in her latest top 5
single and upcoming album, is also keen to plug his work with the SOS
charity, which houses and educates orphans in Africa. Check it all out
on: www.feelmysoul.co.uk.
INSPIRING BLACK BRITAIN: Steven D'Souza and Patrick Clarke have written a book entitled 'Made in Britain' (available via www.amazon.co.uk), which aims to “inspire all people, especially young people within black and minority ethnic communities to see that positive inspirational role models exist, and that we each have potential that can be realised and can benefit others. It is particular geared towards education as a resource.” Now you know there’s one new item to fill our minds with uplifting and inspirational information. All royalties of the book are going to charity and educational/community projects which will support people in realising their dreams. www.possibilityplanet.co.uk MAXING THE QUAYES: We won’t pretend that the Terrace Restaurant in Le Meridien Hotel on Piccadilly is our usual haunt. Actually, we ended up there because a black restaurateur messed up a birthday dinner booking at the last moment. However, what made the French cuisine even more enjoyable was listening, and later chatting, to resident jazz singer-pianist Terri Quaye. Seeing that she had a typical Ghanaian name, we went over for a chat. It turns out she’s the brother of Caleb Quaye, who used to be a guitarist in the Elton John Band. He’s now a preacher in the US. Her half-brother is Finley Quaye, and her father’s a distant relative – the late jazz singer Cab Quaye! We ended buying a copy of her delicious and very relaxing album of jazz standards ‘An Evening To Remember’ (www.jazzcocktail.com). It certainly was a night to remember, like literally not seeing the fish in one of the main dishes! OLD SCHOOL
KARAOKE: DJ Old Boy Entertainment
and Lewis Recordings proudly present: Hip-Hop Karaoke London on Thursday November 17 at The Social, with the Xmas special
taking place on Thursday December 15. Hip-Hop Karaoke lets you
get on the mic and act out your rap fantasies to the fullest, whether
that includes teaming up with friends to rock through a Beastie Boys
jam, donning a pink Tshirt and kicking a Cam’Ron song, giving a new
gender twist to a sassy Salt-N-Pepa standard or singing along out of key
to Biz Markie’s heart-breaking ‘Just A Friend’. Free Tiger beer and super prizes (records, CDs, DVDs, video games,
t-shirts) for all those performing, plus an extra special goody bag of
prizes for the best performance on the night. The
Social, 5 Little Portland Street, London, W1 (Nearest tube: Oxford
Circus). £free to enter and to perform. Sign up from 7pm, performance
from 8-10pm. Full lyric sheets provided. Full song list available at http://www.hiphopkaraokelondon.com.
For more info: info@hiphopkaraokelondon.com.
THE BIG DISCO
RELAY: On Friday Dec. 9, at
least 60 DJs playing one record each, covering funk, hip-hop, electro,
house, techno, breaks and drum & bass, hope to set a world record
and raise money for charity in the bargain. They hope to break the
previous relay record of 59 DJs playing 59 records – each track must
be perfectly beat-matched. If not, they start all over again! All
proceeds go to the Brain Research Trust. It takes place at The
Egg, in London’s Kings Cross. To join the DJ lineup, contact: dj.barker@orange.net
or call 0786 347 678. TV MUSIC: More music related TV programmes to look out for: UK Music Hall Of Fame (Endemol/Channel 4): Induction ceremony Wednesday November 16, transmission Thursday November 17 2005; T4 Poll Winners Party with Smash Hits (Done & Dusted): November 20, Wembley Pavilion. www.pollwinnersparty.com. SMOKING
INDIAN NEWS:
Reggae star Apache Indian may be quiet in Blighty of late.
However, the recent fights between Asians and African-Caribbeans in
Birmingham, had him being wheeled out to make the rounds on various
radio station commenting on the tensions, which has resulted in the
death of one man. We’re not sure what the Apache said, but he must be
caught in the middle – An Asian, who’s fully immersed in
African-Caribbean culture. Expect him to be featured on the Pakistani
earthquake fund-raising charity recorded being put together by Billy
Bragg and Suggs of Madness fame. Apparently, Apache’s
‘Boomshakalak’ is the only outside musical track on Wallace &
Gromit ‘Curse Of The Ware Rabbit’ soundtrack. Expect his ‘Om Numah
Shivaya’ to be airing across video channels by end early December.
Finally, Apache’s ‘Time For Change’ (Revolver) album’s up for a
best world album nomination by critics in Germany. Proof that there’s
life outside of the British music market. THEY CALL IT MURDER, INI?: Simply Red’s not the only act taking charge of their back catalogue by re-recording them. Veteran Jamaican reggae artist Ini Kamoze, who has a Billboard chart-topping track ‘Here Comes The Hot Stepper’ to his name, has re-recorded many of his influential tracks on the double-CD ‘Debut’ (9Sound Clik), which has a street-primed release late November and is serviced to mainstream shops through Intergroove in Jan. 2006. Key track is ‘World A Reggae (Out In The Street… They Call It Murder)’, which underpins Damian Marley’s hit single ‘Welcome To Jamrock’, which is also featured on Alicia Keys’ ‘Unplugged’ album. His ‘Hotter This Year’ song is used by Beyonce Knowles in her hit single ‘Baby Boy’. “I’m not following no blue print for this, ya get that,” says the Hotstepper who recently breezed through London. “You can’t typecast me. I can rock whatever, but you’ll feel me. When ya think I’m on the ground, I’m in mid air.” Hmmm. FORD THE MUSIC SEER: Does the name Emile Forde ring a bell? The St Lucian born singer/producer's 'What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For' was not only a UK chart-topper, it's said to be UK's first 1 million-selling single. He went on to have a few more hits in the next three years, including 'On A Slow Boat To China' (no. 2) and 'Counting Teardrops' (no. 4). His back catalogue's available via Sanctuary. In more recent times, he's been developing revolutionary PAs and sound processing systems, which greatly enhance the soundscape because Emile has a rare gift known as synesthesia. It means he can see sounds as colours and patterns! For more info and new material, click: www.soundrevelation.co.uk/emile1.htm SEEN THE 11TH DON?: Brit jazz-funk/soul group Incognito celebrate more than twenty-five glorious years in the biz with the release of a very musically rich album 'Eleven' (Dome), which just happens to be Bluey's crew's 11th studio album! It has the welcome return of vocalist Mysa Leak. Catch them live at London's Jazz Cafe on Thursday Nov. 17. Fellow Dome recording artist Don-e, who recently released the impressive ‘Try This’ album (click for freebie compo), plays London Jazz Café on November 25. Heard Don-e’s single ‘Slow’? It features Birmingham newcomer Lornette Ford, Omar on ‘No Reason’, and ‘All We Need’ with rapper Grimm. Jazz Cafe: 0870 060 3777. HOW THE SONG COOKIE BREAKS: When you buy you iTunes song for 79p, how does the money break down? Here's a useful estimate: writers and publishers get 6p, 11p goes to the service provider, 7p to the credit card company, 5p goes on tax, and the record company takes 50p - some of which goes to the performers. GREAT ISLAM SONG: Singer-songwriter and guitarist Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, has been named Songwriter Of The Year by American collection society, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). He won the Song Of The Year accolade for his 1967 hit song 'First Cut Is The Deepest', which has been covered by the likes of PP Arnold and Rod Stewart. MAG GOT BIZ COVERED: The flexible music/entertainment industry Get On Track course at Newham College, which was launched last year by Usher and which had a then unsigned Nathan taking the microphone to show off his vocal skills, is getting ready to publish an edu-tainment magazine in the new year called Get On Track (GOT). “The mission of the GOT magazine is to provide a platform that actively gives a valuable insight to the arts and entertainment industry. Each issue of the free magazine will examine the career paths and experiences of the movers and shakers and aspiring young talent in the music business and give invaluable advice by showing today's youth how to realise their maximum potential.” The full magazine will be available online as part of the Get On Track online website (www.getontrack.co.uk), that will be fully operational by the end of November. The Get On Track programme is a very flexible way of studying the arts and music business within a formal educational institution. You can design the course around your lifestyle or commitments, as you learn at your pace. 020 8257 4247/4498. EAST LONDON REGGAE: A
new reggae night comes to London’s East End. Zinc Fence plays
reggae, rocksteady and ska to fresh from yard, every other Monday
at Soma, 230 Mile End Road, London E1 4LG (opposite Stepney Green tube).
9pm-1am. Admission: £free.
However House
Of Reggae continues to offer the best reggae night on a Friday –
records and live music. Palace Pavilion, 229 Lower Clapton Rd, London E5. 0208 986 2993/07887
555897. £5 B4 Midnight £10 after. www.thehouseofreggae.com.
SIMPLE RECORDINGS: Mick Hucknall is re-recording as
faithfully as possibly all Simply Red’s Warner-owned albums. Since
leaving the major, he’s successfully released records on his
simplyred.com label. Simply Red’s latest album
‘Simplified’, is out now. TOTP WHAT NOW?:Once the nation’s flagship pop TV programme, Top
Of The Pops just doesn’t know what it ought to be. One minute,
it’s being molded into a magazine type prog, the next minute, it’s
being moved to the weekend, then, from BBC1 to BBC2. As its executive
producer Andi Peters exited, expect more tinkering with the TOTP
format. We say - take it back to the old slot: BBC1 on Thursdays at 7pm! VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT VOICE OF AFRICA RADIO: VOAR is recruiting volunteers to work in an internet radio station. For more information, go to: www.voiceofafricaradio.com. WEST BEACH BOYS: Looking for something interesting? Why not check out Lush's Kanye West meets Beach Boys mashup 'KanyeWestSounds' via: www.kanyewestsounds.com (last time we checked it was 'temporarily suspended'. Perhaps EMI and Universal's been on Lush's case!) COPYRIGHT CONFERENCE: Copyright underpins the music industry, and allows most of us to be paid. Musictank have a cool conference on the subject this Thursday Nov. 10 at The Foreign Press Association, Piccadilly, London. Top notch speakers are lined up from 12.45pm-18.30pm. Costs £79.90 including VAT. The top-notch panellists come from music and record industry bodies, higher education, law, management and new media. Go to www.musictank.co.uk/events_copyright_conf.htm for full details (see you there!) HIP-HOP GOES
UPTOWN: Serious
b-boys, b-girls and body poppers with at least 3 years professional
experience required for Jonzi D’s
new hip-hop dance theatre production TAG.
Me vs The City. TAG
is a ground-breaking new show exploring graffiti art lettering through a
collage of break dancing, body-popping and on-stage video animation. It
features hip-hop beats and sound design by DJ Pogo
and set design by the legendary PRIME
and Sculptural Graffiti.
Rehearsals take place November 28- December 23 2005, and January 9 -30 2006,10am-6pm, Monday-Friday at London’s
Sadler's Wells Theatre. UK tour: January
31-March 42006, plus one. If interested
in participating, you may be well late, but you never know – dancers
do actually break a leg, so there could be some last minute place. Email
jonziDproductions@sadlerswells.com
or call 020 7863 8231 to find out. JAH’S
GOSPEL HIP-HOP: Jahaziel, the gospel-tipped rapper who graced our end of summer
2005 Connected projects at Tavistock Hall, is recording his debut album,
which features hip-hop and dancehall. We hope the song he performed,
which feature a sample of ‘My Redeemer lives’, gets cleared in order
to make the album. Jahaziel’s made numerous
guest appearances rhyming on hits by the likes of Raghav, David
Beddingfield, Lemar, and Craig David. He works with
the Blacksmith remix camp, and UB1 Music. on the hits of
others. What does he care most about? “Love for God, love for mankind,
and love for hip-hop,” Jahaziel.
DESIGNER CENTS: Online mag Designer has scored a scoop –
its photographer was on the scene when 50 Cent decided to record
at a Wigan recording studio! For more on the story plus, a couple of
exclusive picks: http://designermagazine.tripod.com/50CentREDCAT.htm FIRST
BETA TESTING:
Artist First is a company that offers an international platform
for artists to efficiently sell their music to fans from their website.
The UK business is currently being beta-tested. www.artists-first.net
MANUVARING TROUGH NOVEMBER: Idiosyncratic UK rhymster Roots Manuva hits
the road in support of his third album, 'Awfully Deep' (Big Dada): Weds
23-Nov-05 London Forum 01159 129000; Thurs 24-Nov-05 Sheffield
Leadmill 0870 010 4555; Fri 25-Nov-05 Manchester Academy 0870
010 4555; Sat 26-Nov-05 Glasgow ABC 0870 169 0100: Mon
28-Nov-05 righton Dome 0115 912 9000; Tues 29-Nov-05
Birmingham Academy 0870 010 4555; Weds 30-Nov-05
Norwich UEA 0115 912 9000; Fri 02-Dec-05 London
Alexandra Palace (supporting Franz Ferdinand) 0115 912
9000. www.gigsandtours.com. SURPRISING UNDYNAMIC TIMES: First we had Ms Dynamite’s come-back single, with a special limited edition having a DVD containing the videos of the single’s double-header: ‘Judgement Day’, and as noted on the packaging, “the controversial ‘Father’”. What’s controversial about the video is its use of youngsters engaged in different forms of hooliganism and boisterous behaviour, including illegalities, such as smoking. One fails to see any connection between video imagery and the lyrics of the song. Though there doesn’t have to be one, the song about abandonment, childhood strife and angst, would have lent itself powerfully to a literal visual interpretation of the lyrics. The video certainly has potential of being talked about due to its controversial imagery of acts such as the wanton destruction of a grocery store, etc. However more surprising is the fact that after an extensive billboard and PR campaign, and a couple of upbeat coverage in Music week, her sophomore set ‘Judgement Days’ (click to read review feature) bounced out of the charts after just a couple of weeks! A definite blow to Polydor, who obviously were expecting it to match the platinum-plus sales of its predecessor – the Mercury Music Prize-winning debut ‘A Little Deeper’. However, judging by the quality of the tracks on the newie, we expect it to jump back into the charts on the back of a well-chosen second single. On the sleeve of the first single, one can see a tattoo on Ms Dynamite’s wrist stating: “Without struggle, there’s no progress”. This initial struggling by the album will not stop the eventual progress of an impressive and enjoyable (bar the gratuitous four letter words!) album. STAY AT HOME WEEKEND: BBC 1Xtra and Asian Network announce Homegrown Weekend 2005, running from Friday-Sunday November 11-13. It’s is a celebration of UK music, showcasing the best talent from the UK black music and Brit Asian scenes, and recognising 1Xtra and the Asian Network’s part in supporting new music. Fellow BBC digital networks 6 Music and BBC 7 will also contribute to the weekend. 1Xtra’s Ras Kwame and Asian Network’s Nikki Bedi will launch the weekend at 7pm on Fri. November 11. 1Xtra will offer a non-stop 53 hour broadcast, while the Asian Network will dedicate 27 hours of programming leading up to and over the weekend, in a celebration of genres from hip-hop, UKG, dancehall, drum & bass, to desi and bhangra, plus live performances and interviews. Both networks will broadcast the ‘UK Anthems’ listener vote. The most popular anthems will be broadcast on 1Xtra’s ‘UK Anthems’ (hosted by Ras Kwame and Twin B) on Sunday Nov. 13 at 7pm and Asian Network’s ‘Top Ten Homegrown Anthems’ (hosted by Ameet Channa) on Saturday Nov. 12 at 6pm. Other highlights include: 1Xtra: ‘The Greatest Show’, hosted by Rodney P & Skitz will feature UK MCs passing through. ‘In Conversation’ will be six music shows each hosted by 1Xtra DJs with UK stars Shy FX, Klashnekoff, Wiley, Asher D, Craig David and Floetry. For more in, go to the 1Xtra Homegrown Weekend minisite: www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/events/hgweekend05/. PARISIAN SOUL DIVA: UK soul diva Mica Paris is supposed to have released ‘Soul Classics’ (Sanctuary), but we’re yet to see or hear this “simply stunning album of 100% pure classic soul tracks .. a collection of the most celebrated and loved soul tracks, to which she brings her very special vocal magic” album. SOUTH AFRICAN INDIE: One of the indie labels pushing local music in South Africa is Johannesburg-based African Dope. It’s secured distribution in Europe, so look out for the first of its many releases: ‘African Dope Soundsystem’ and ‘Silvertab Harambe Dope Sessions’. The former consists of reggae and dancehall music by artists including Teba featuring Crosby & Red Lion, and Chronic Clan. Juan Thyme featuring Crosby add rocking drum & bass. “Our in-house producers got locked in the studio for nine months with our artists and this is the result,” says joint label manager Roach of ‘…Soundsystem’. “To me, the blend of styles and cultures is what this country is about,” says joint label owner Roach. Of the latter CD, Roach says: “This is what can happen when a big brand gets involved in the underground with a genuine development motive. If you're looking to peel back the bling and see where South African hip-hop is really at - look no further.” The “illest unsigned, unreleased Mzansi hip-hop” comes courtesy of the likes of Blazin’ Spear, and R&B-laced Crisis. NU MC’S & MUSIC BIZ TALK: Catch Ian Solomon-Kawall (KMT) presenting Live Music Business Talk Show on Wednesdays 18:00-19:00 on Genesis 91.6FM (also presents “Diver-City” on Fridays 18:00-20:00 and Wednesday 16:00-19:00). He’s also involved in the New Microphone Cyphas club night which gives an “opportunity to see the true essence of rap and positive music in the UK”. At Ruby Lo’s 23 Orchard Street W1 every first Thursday of the Month, The night consists of singers, live drums and PAs from the best artists in the U.K, Cypha rappers and dancers, DJ sets from KMT and X-Ray (Genesis 91.6) and guests. Previous events have unearthed the talents of Estelle (V2),Tubby T, Yung Gun, David J, Manage (Speakers corner), Jack Jones (SE14/8) and Banna Clan (Roots Manuva) to name a few. They actively encourage women and disabled performers. For information, membership or to submit your demos contact: Ian Solomon-Kawall (KMT). + 44 (0) 07921 917 453. kmt@postmaster.co.uk www.nu-kmt.com HURRICANE MUSIC: Whilst we wait for Michael Jackson to finish off his multi-artist featured Hurricane Katrina fund-raising single (hopefully brother Jermaine's record company's website www.2seasrecords.com will release the info soon-ish, two albums are set for a November release Stateside. The four major companies have their Hurricanes Katrina and Rita fund-raiser double-CD compilation entitled ‘Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now’, whilst Blue Note Records is “honored to be able to distribute 'Higher Ground', an album that documents the Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Concert that took place in the Rose Hall Theater at the Lincoln Centre on September 17th.” It features jazzers Wynton Marsalis, Norah Jones, Diane Krall, Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, plus the likes of Paul Simon, James Taylor, Herbie Hancock, Joe Lovano, plus New Orleansers like Art & Aaron Neville, Allen Toussaint, and Terence Blanchard. MADDENING SOCA VIBES ON THE STREETS: StreetVibes UK has launched 'Get Mad Now', a soca-reggae/bashment compilation double-CD ‘Get Ma Now). The concept behind the album was to bring together the diverse sounds and styles of the different islands of the Caribbean on one CD - the result is Trinidad-inspired beats alongside bashy flows, Barbadian and Jamaican artists featuring on zouk and calypso rhythms injected with a UK urban flow. The album used the innovative recording and production techniques to feature UK artists together with Caribbean artists as a way of raising the profile of talented musicians and artists in the international market and providing greater recognition for Caribbean music. The CD is distributed by international reggae label Jetstar: http://www.jetstar.co.uk/product-detail.asp?ProductID=SVUKCD001 and by CRS in the Caribbean & US: http://www.crsmusic.com/album_details.cfm?AlbumID=154&CategoryID=11 HIP
HOP HIPOPERAH: Glyndebourne,
home of genteel country house opera and black-tie picnics, is to stage a
rap version of Mozart's opera ‘Cosi Fan Tutte’ in a bid to
attract a younger audience by calling upon former 57th
Dynasty and now The Good Samaritan Music Project producer Charlie
Parker aka The Baptist and MC/lyricist Paradise to bring this
musical mashup together. Expect the Hip-H'opera next March as part of a
season celebrating Mozart's birth and will involve young people creating
and performing, as well as taking the art forms of hip hop & opera
into new musical territories. For more info, contact: fasfwd@aol.com. AFRO-ASIAN HEAT:
HEATWAVE 2005 should warm the cold British weather with a tour featuring
Malagasy valiha master Justin Vali, world-renowned Senegalese
kora maestro Seckou Keita, and rising Batak stars Marsada from
Sumatra in Indonesia. Infectious
rhythms, beautiful close harmony vocals and expert instrumentation
combine to make this an unmissable event.
The tour are: Wed 16th November: GLASGOW, The Arches
Thur 17th November: DERBY,
Assembly Rooms Fri 18th November:
MORECAMBE, The Platform Sat 19th November: LONDON,
Purcell Room (London Jazz Festival) Mon 21st November:
SALISBURY, City Hall Tues 22nd November:
BRIGHTON, Corn Exchange Wed 23rd November:
COLCHESTER, Colchester
Arts Centre Thur 24th November:
SWANSEA, The
Welfare, Ystradgynlais Fri 25th November:
SOUTHPORT, Southport Arts Centre Sat 26th November: BRAZILIAN
SYLVIA TELLA:
British reggae, pop and soul singer Sylvia Tella has been quiet
of late in Blighty, because she now lives in Brazil with her beau. Her
last album is ‘Tella & Friends Made In Brazil’, with
participation from the likes of producers Sly & Robbie, Mad
Professor and several Afro-Brazilian musicians. GENDER CONFUSION:
Female Japanese R&B singer Utada must have things bad,
because her single’s entitled ‘You Make Me Want To Be A Man’
(Mercury). Meanwhile, red-blooded East Ender Tyler James’
single is entitled ‘Your Woman’. It’s a cover of White Town’s
ironic 1997 chart-topper. White Town is Brit-Asian Jyoti, who
despite scoring a hit in America, was disenchanted with the music
industry, and is much happier plying his music in nondescript northern
towns. TALKING AFRICAN-CARIBBEAN BUSINESS: A year ago on Sept. 12 2004, the weekend Hurricane Ivan struck the Caribbean islands, Nottingham-based African Caribbean Development Agency (ACDA) organised the African Caribbean Trade and Information Exchange. It was a great idea – there were many exhibitors covering business, media, and community organisations. There was a film show, and panel discussions – Black Music Congress represented on the youth and media panel (click to read Kwaku’s speech on the State Of British Black Music), along with the likes of Kickin Music MD Peter Harris, former BMG head of marketing (now TVT marketing) manager Martin Moulton, film-maker and BFM magazine and awards head Menalik Shabazz, and BTWSC co-ordinator Ms Serwah. Although ACDA exists to promote the long term development of the African and Caribbean community in Greater Nottingham, we feel the Exchange was a great idea that should have been promoted nationally. It had the potential to draw people from London and the regions into Nottingham. We are not sure if it was repeated this year. ACDA’s chief executive is Mike Meadas, who was involved in the London music and arts scene for many years. For more information on the ACDA: 0115 875 8846, acda_01@yahoo.co.uk. SEARCH FOR
CLASSIC SOUL?: Sony-BMG
has come up with a novel way of selling some of its soul and R&B
albums that are either neglected or do not receive a near simultaneous
UK release. It will brand them under the Soul Searching marketing
banner. The first bunch to drop in November 2005 include Babyface’s
‘Grown & Sexy’, Vivian Green’s ‘Vivian’, Lyfe
Jennings ‘Lyfe 268-192’, Lina’s ‘The Inner Beauty
Movement’, and Raheem DeVaughn’s ‘The Love Experience’.
Our mate Fatface has an unofficial remix of Lina’s ‘I Am’.
Hopefully, he’ll get the gig to remix Lina’s next single in early
2006 entitled ‘Leaving You’. BROTHERS
MITCHELL: The UK rap duo Mitchell
Brothers, who are signed to The Streets’ The Beat label,
and who’ve been causing a buzz, are not brothers, nor are their real
names Mitchell. There was once an American sibling duo called Mitchell
Brothers, who made porno movie, though! DUNE SIDE:
Harrow based jazz label and management company Dune Music, run by
jazz muso Gary ,Crosby and Janine Irons, who was a most
gracious panellist at the BBM/BMC co-organised Music Power! BHM event
last October, has quietly been getting on with releasing award nominated
and winning albums in the UK and internationally, and getting their acts
gigging – be it concerts, musicals, and lately radio presenting. Soweto
Kinch presented the very interesting two-part BBC
Radio 3 'Where Musical Worlds Collide' programme mid-October, looking at
the connection between hip-hop and jazz. Peep www.dunemusic.co.uk
for more info on Dune. SONG FOR ANTHONY & LONDON: Rapper Young Kof has a heart strings-pulling R&B-laced rap tribute to Anthony Walker, the young black Merseyside A-Level student who was killed in an unprovoked racist attack. Called ‘Where Did We Go Wrong (Tribute To Anthony Walker)’, it’s an impressive track saying something that deserves wider recognition. You can listen to it by clicking: ‘Tribute To Anthony Walker’. |