DJ Underdog-Africa Plays On 5

He's back again. Africa Plays On, the recurring afro-heavy mixtape from D.C.'s dopest beatmaker, DJ Underdog, has reached Vol. 5 status. If you missed the first four, all will be forgiven if you snag this juicy chunk of rhythmic flavor.

Zongo Junction @ Public Assembly-11/19

Zongo Junction, the new monthly afro-jam at Public Assembly in Williamsburg, is going down this Thursday night. No Small Money Brass Band and Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds are hitting the stage along with Zongo Junction. It's about time afrobeat grooves started emanating from venues other than Zebulon on a regular basis. Zongo Junction is leading the charge, carrying the afrobeat torch, breathing life into the music on a monthly basis. Come out and support a band that's on the cusp of the afrobeat movement.

Public Assembly-Front Room-Thursday Night

New Single from Toumani Diabaté and Ali Farka Touré

Kala Djula is the new digital singe taken off the forthcoming album from Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté, Ali and Toumani. The slow, enchanting song will be released with the rest of the album in February 2010, but is available via Amazon and Itunes in the meantime. The collaboration between the two icons of Malian culture was the second and last album they recorded together. Cachaito Lopez is featured as well.

Booty Crisis at Public Assembly this Saturday Night!

It's that time again party people, Planet Rump is throwin down at Public Assembly this Saturday night in a legendary night of electro-funk that will be sure to make history as one of the craziest parties to hit Brooklyn in years...

Planet Rump presents BOOTY CRISIS, the monthly dance party devoted to showcasing funky-fresh electro acts that will make you shake your ass HARD. This month they present flavors from around the world: Chico Mann the king of instant-vintage electro-freestyle-Latin-Afrobeat, Tayisha Busay ---glitter-garnished fly-girls armed with synths, drum machines and live percussion, and Hiro Tha Jap---fashion icon spinning booty-shaking club music all night. Planet Rump will perform their infectious brand of live electrofunkrap. DJ A-ko will get the party started on the ones and twos. Plus the National Breakin' League will present a special dance showcase. It's a futuristic party from the past, every month at Public Assembly.

In partnership with Sound Liberation Front & AfroMarc Productions.

BOOTY CRISIS
Saturday, November 14th10pm-4am$10
Public Assembly-front room

70 N. 6th St. (between Kent and Wythe)

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

(718) 384-4586

L to Bedford

Public Assembly

New Single from Kokolo-Afrika Man

Kokolo, one of the dopest afrobeat bands that's been doing it the longest on the international scene, recently put out a new single, Afrika Man. Get the track here. If you're reading this from Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, or Turkey, look for Kokolo at an afro-spot near you, as they're touring Eastern Europe in the month of November. Check out the video below.

The Best of the Black President-Best of Fela Reissued by The Knitting Factory

As I mentioned in my article in the Huffington Post about FELA! the Broadway show about the Black President, The Knitting Factory is re-mastering and re-releasing all 45 Fela Kuti titles - his entire catalog - in unique digi-packs with the original artwork over the next 18 months. The reissue series marks the first time that all of Fela's titles will be released on vinyl in North America, as well as the first official release of the entire Koola Lobitos catalog, Fela's 1960s highlife band.

The first release, the Best of The Black President, comes with a dvd, A Slice of Fela. This dvd is jam-packed with amazing concert footage, segments of documentaries, and interviews with Bill T. Jones, Carlos Moore, and Sahr Ngaujah. As someone who considers himself pretty knowledgeable about Fela Kuti, I gained a lot of insight and information about Fela's life and music from the footage on that dvd, a reason to get the re-issued album alone.

Fela, and afrobeat, have been picking up considerable steam over the last several years due to the work of several artists and dj's like Antibalas, Akoya, Rich Medina, and host of other people too numerous to name here (see my Afro-links section). This reissue series will only give that revival a serious kick in the ass. Get T-Shirts, tracks, ringtones, and a whole bunch of other Fela related goodness here.

EarthRise Sound System-The Yoga Sessions

Any aspiring yogi knows that when channeling transcendental energy, nothing helps focus the mind like music. Especially music that is downtempo, deep, and steady. EarthRise Sound System, Derek Beres and David “Duke Mushroom” Schommer, have put together an album of remixed chants and percussive elements that will definitely help the mind channel its energy.

Derek Beres is a writer, yoga instructor, and dj. He blends those three elements of his personality with his production partner Duke Mushroom—a producer, writer, and performer who has played on over 50 records in the past two decades. Their objective with this record is to move you inside and out. They channel elements of their multicultural experiences seamlessly to create a deep expressive collection of songs.

Derek Beres and Duke Mushroom are two multi-talented cats are capable of making great music. The album doesn't officially drop until January 2010, but you can check out the tracks on their myspace in the meantime.

New Chico Mann Video-Say What Short Film

Chico Mann just released a new short film/music video that is downright funky. The storyline, production value, and music are all tight. Check it out!

Album Review: Warm Heart of Africa-The Very Best

If you were lucky enough to catch Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit Are The Very Best, the free mixtape that took the music world by storm when it came out in late 2008, then you were most likely blown away by Esau Mwamwaya's voice and Radioclit's ability to seamlessly create inventive mashups that conveyed creativity, originality, and most of all, potential.

That potential is realized and then some on Warm Heart of Africa, the debut full-length album from The Very Best out September 29, 2009 on Green Owl Records, that upholds their claim and reputation. While Warm Heart of Africa doesn't have the instant gratification of the mixtape, its grooves are every bit as infectious. The album also features guest appearances from industry icons Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend and M.I.A.

The Very Best's ability to fuse their disparate sensibilities so seamlessly is unprecedented. Esau Mwamwaya's irrepressibly vivacious voice makes no effort to hide his Malawian roots singing in his mother tongue, Chichewa, on over 95% of the album. Radioclit, Johan Karlberg and Etienne Tron, are able to blend their self-proclaimed "ghettopop" sensibility perfectly with Mwamwaya's African personality creating a uniquely contemporary international sound.

Radioclit showcases their ability to recreate a track with an original identity on the album's title track (my personal favorite song on the album). Remixing "Guitar Boy", a highlife song originally recorded by Nigerian star Sir Victor Uwaifo in the 1970's, Radioclit create a backdrop that's irresistibly catchy over which Esau Mwamwaya and Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend's voices dip and sore. The Very Best remix of "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" was one of the most popular songs off their mixtape; "Warm Heart of Africa" could be their signature hit this time around.

Other irresistibly danceable tracks include "Nsokoto", a beat that bumps hard like a club track yet still has an African identity. "Rain Dance" featuring M.I.A. is equally contagious and conveys a strikingly similar combination of raw African energy with an electronic dance beat. The Very Best remix of "Paper Planes" first caught international audiences attention, so it's good to see M.I.A. collaborating with the group again. "Kamphopo", a remix of "Heart it Races" by Architecture in Helsinki, is the only track held over from the mixtape.

Albums like this don't come around very often. The group's ability to turn mainstream audiences on to music with an unfamiliar African sound could result in a reception most African musicians singing in their native tongues are incapable of obtaining. Critics from mainstream outlets like the NY Times, Rolling Stone, Spin and a host of others have already lavished praise on the album, so time will only tell if mainstream listeners will open their minds, their ears and their wallets to give this album the success it deserves.

Album Review: King Coya-Cumbias de Villa Donde

Imagine if The Rza composed a film score to a horror movie set in the Argentine Andes. That's the vibe of Cumbias de Villa Donde, the new album by King Coya out October 13, 2009 on Nacional Records (the record label pushing the envelope the hardest in Latin Music). Downtempo, yet still danceable, the beats are eerily, electronically, funky.

King Coya is the digitalized, imaginary version of Gaby Kerpel, the renowned Argentine composer whose credits include the scores to De La Guarda and FuerzaBruta. Kerpel is part of the critically-acclaimed Argentine experimental cumbia collective Zizek, an ensemble known for pushing genres and breaking rules.

Coya is a term used in Northern Argentina, referring to a local in a yarn cap, reserved in nature and small in stature, playing an instrument like the charango; the miniature guitar used in Argentine folk music. King Coya tracks grew out of live sets at Zizek’s infamous club nights, performing in front of raucous late-night crowds in Buenos Aires.

With the help of some special guests like Grammy-nominated Petrona Martinez and Cucu Diamantes (of Yerba Buena), King Coya has contributed a strong album that truly pushes the envelope of contemporary Latin music to a new level.

OK Africa CMJ @ The Knitting Factory BK

As most New Yorkers know, CMJ is the time of year where you can see the most live music in the shortest period of time if you're so inclined to do so. I've stayed out of the mix for the most part this year, but I have to give a shout to my peoples over at Okayplayer and Modiba Productions for putting on this little soiree at the Knitting Factory this saturday night. African Hip-Hop luminaries Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew and Blitz the Ambassador are headlining the evening full of African beatmakers guaranteed to make that ass shake.

Help Support the New Chico Mann Album

Ever wanted to be an executive producer of a dope nasty album? Well, here's your big chance. Chico Mann is trying to raise some funds for their next album, and are accepting contributions to the beat-making fund. There's all kinds of incentives to contribute, and all kinds of levels at which you can. Even if you can just throw a few dollars their way, you'd be doing the world a favor by helping an artist share their gift with the world.

Three Felabrations Coming Up

October 15th, the birthday of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, is fast approaching. As is the case every year, disciples of the chief priest will be celebrating the day Fela came into the world at a few dance parties across the city. I give my afrobeat endorsement to these two Felabrations.


On Thursday October 15th at SOB's: This is definitely one party you do not want to miss. DJ's Rich Medina and Ian Friday will be hitting the decks in the same night with one common cause--paying hommage to the chief priest. Both DJ's are fully capable of unleashing a ferocious dance party on their own, but when their powers combine, Thursday night at SOB's, things could get crazy.



On Wednesday October 14th at the Knitting Factory: If you don't already know, Ikebe Shakedown is one of the dopest up-and-coming afrobeat bands on the ny scene. Their soon to be released EP, Hard Steppin, screams potential. Teaming up with DJ Frank Gossner of Voodoo Funk = one slammin dance party.

This latest addition to the docket is something particularly special. Zongo Junction, a new afrobeat band on the Brooklyn scene that recently started a monthly at Public Assembly in Williamsburg is celebrating Fela's B-day with Mamarazzi, one of the hottest bands on the scene. Stay tuned on this one, as it could turn into something special.

Album Review: Pax Nicholas and the Nettey Family-Na Teef Know De Road of Teef

Na Teef Know De Road of Teef, the previously unreleased album from Pax Nicholas and the Nettey Family, is a seriously funky slice of afro-funk recorded in Lagos at the height of afrobeat's summit. Nicholas Addo-Nettey performed and recorded with Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Afrika 70 as a conga player and backup singer from 1971 until 1978 debuting on Shakara and leaving the band during the Berlin Jazz Festival along with Tony Allen and several others. While Allen moved to Paris, Nicholas stayed in Berlin where he continues to make funky music today.

Na Teef Know De Road of Teef was recorded at Ginger Baker's studio in Lagos, Nigeria in 1973, one of two solo albums Nicholas recorded while with Afrika 70. The album previously went unreleased at the behest of Fela who upon hearing how uncontrollably nasty the album was forbade it to be played again. As Nicholas was currently living under Fela's rule in the Kalakuta Republic, he had no choice but to obey. As a result the album was virtually unheard until Frank Gossner (voodoofunk.com) discovered it in a record store in Philly. He brought it to the attention of Daptone Records who gave the world a gift of extreme afrofunk flavor.

This album is heavy. As a percussionist, Nicholas emphasizes a rich texture of interlocking percussion that takes on the identity of the tracks. Nicholas' voice is melancholy and gloomy which matches the keyboards and guitar lines that have an underproduced raw feel. Na Teef Know De Road of Teef represents the craze James Brown unleashed across West Africa and the legions of musicians who were enraptured by the funky interpretation Africa had to offer. Pax Nicholas and the Nettey Family is a cut above the vast majority to come out of the Afro-funk wave. Nicholas and the other musicians playing on the album had the pedigree of Afrika 70, the band able to put the most unique stamp on afro-funk, and their musicianship and attitude is evident.

Album Review: The Budos Band-The Budos Band EP

The Budos Band EP, out June 2009 on Daptone Records, represents the latest progression of the eleven piece afro-funk ensemble. From their start, Budos has always had a complex, layered, deep rhythmic sound, but with each album (this is their third) they’ve advanced to new levels of intricacy and depth.

If their first album was an introduction, a beginning of exploration to the concept, and their second a refinement or improvement, The EP is a continuation of that process. The grooves are more enchanting, more captivating and ornate. The principal strength of Budos has always been its power and strength generated by their ability to mend sharply contrasting sounds like the deep baritone sax and the sharp, piercing, trumpets all the while maintaining a steady groove with their unshakable rhythm section. That theme is continued upon and improved in this EP.

While Budos is often in between genres and classifications, they have always been and will continue to be universally funky. If you like the first two albums, you're going to really like this one.

DJ Underdog-Africa Plays On 3

He did it again. DJ Underdog came back to make the world dance for a third time with his monthly mixtape, Africa Plays On. Check it here, but be prepared to move.

New K'Naan Mixtape

When a nasty producer and one of the hottest mc's on the scene use three of the biggest musical protest icons ever to live as inspiration, this happens: The Messengers, an ep featuring Somali rapper K'Naan and Okayplayer producer J. Period. Remixes of tracks from Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, and Fela Anikulapo Kuti will be released in four segments with a comprehensive release coming later. Check out the first three tracks here.

BLK JKS Album Release Party @ SOB's-9/8

THE baddest music promoter in the city, Manchild Black, is presenting South African rockers BLK JKS September 8th at SOB's to celebrate the release of their new album, After Robots. BLK JKS' multi-faceted sound combines ska, dub reggae, pop, rock, psychedelic, jazz and blues leaving everyone in the audience happy, impressed and ready for more. Coming from South Africa, they represent a long history of musical innovation and ingenuity. More than anything else, they represent the NEW South Africa with an updated consciousness and contemporary, global sound.

Two Dope Shows This Saturday Night

A dilemma that faces many New Yorkers every weekend: two parties that will blow your funky mind on the same night. This Saturday, that very problem will be testing my funkability with these two jams:

Planet Rump-The Booty Crisis
Saturday, August 15th
10pm - $7
Public Assembly (front room) 70 N. 6th St.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L to Bedford

Planet Rump is a new monthly dance party hosted by musician/DJ/promoter collective Planet Rump. Every third Saturday at Public Assembly, expect to see the freshest funkiest livest acts on the electro/dance/hip-hop scene. Kicking off the new party, we present Claire Hux, a hype Baltimore club duo with plenty of bass, booty and baby powder to spread around. Then Planet Rump will perform original club bangers using just a casio keyboard, some secret pedals, and 3 mics. Finally, Purple Crush will blast the party to freestyle bliss with catchy electro house that bumps, pops, and glides all over the dancefloor. Planet Rump DJs will keep you dancing between sets. It's a futuristic party from the past.

The Sound Liberation Festival
Saturday, August 15th
2pm-2am-$18, advance $15. Advance tickets available through ticketfly.com
Littlefield-622 Degraw St (between Third and Fourth Aves)
Gowanus, Brooklyn
Subway: M, R to Union St

The Sound Liberation Front, devotees of “the power of music as a socially liberating and unifying cultural force,” tosses a full-scale party in Brooklyn’s copacetic art-and-performance space Littlefield. The event kicks off with the Sound Liberation Family Jam—a DJ workshop from DubSpot, dance instruction by the Afro Mosaic Soul Collective and similar activities for the young’uns. At 7pm, the party proper kicks in, featuring sets from the venerable hip-hop trio Brand Nubian, Afro-electro combo Chico Mann, dub producer Ticklah, Boogie Down Productions DJ Kenny Parker, the Rub’s Cosmo Baker, Libation’s Ian Friday and others. Go to soundliberation.org for more info.

Album Review: Aphrodesia-Precious Commodity

Precious Commodity, the new album by Aphrodesia out July 8, 2009 on Shackrobeat Records, is an infectiously funky, diverse album that leaves you no choice but to get up dance while listening. Aphrodesia is a politically opinionated Afro-funk collective out of San Francisco, CA that has a reputation for their electric stage presence and ability to master a variety of African musical styles.

Aphrodesia came into existence as a band in 2003 in the "backyard shack" of bassist Ezra Gale. Their sound has always been powerful and innovative fueled by funked out guitar lines and churning percussion with an industrial-strength horn section belting out section lines and solos. What sets Aphrodesia apart perhaps the most are their female lead vocalists. Afrobeat was created as, and has been for the most part continued to be, a male-dominated genre where female voices were secondary, backup accompaniment, to the male lead vocals. As they've always been unafraid to do, Aphrodesia turns that institution on its head.

Their feminist, anti-establishment leanings extend past their arrangements and into their song lyrics throughout Precious Commodity. The song's title track is an allusion to prostitution in SE Asia. "The song is the story of this trans-continental sex trade, a kind of mockery of this old game where man thinks he is winning," explains singer and songwriter Lara Maykovich. "Power and money are evidently not the final quench. The thirst is satisfied by a more precious commodity. Sex, our most powerful possession and that which connects us to the unstoppable nature that man will never control. We began to think about the West's misconceptions on what is of value. The fear-driven mass of consumption, our denial of death that obstructs us from seeing what is truly precious.”

Aphrodesia as a whole takes on Maykovich's identity--her voice, the range of African styles and languages in which she sings, her forthright and dynamic style. Having spent time in Zimbabwe and Ghana, she brings an ingenuity to the band making it more than just an afrobeat band. That ingenuity is accentuated and replicated by the rest of the band who adhere to the same heterogeneous approach and philosophy.

Precious Commodity is a sensational album that continues Aphrodesia's trend of albums that push the genre of afrobeat to new levels. Incorporating instruments like thumb pianos and broadening their approach to their style has allowed for the group to make an album that is truly phenomenal. The album is available on Itunes as well as at aphrodesia.bandcamp.com. You honestly do not have to be a fan of afrobeat, African music, world music, or whatever other label people you don't like to be associated with to enjoy this album. It is simply great music that is accessible to anyone.