Zongo Junction and Turkuaz Summer Tour

Zongo Junction/Turkuaz Brooklyn Bowl Residency & Summer Tour from Zongo Junction on Vimeo.

Two of the dopest young bands on the Brooklyn scene are hitting the road this summer playing 14 dates across the east coast, Zongo Junction and Turkuaz. Zongo is more inclined towards afrobeat and Turkuaz more towards the funk, so no matter where you come from, your preferences will be met. Definitely check them out:

5/28 - 5/30 - Equinunk, PA - Equinunk Express Festival
6/2 - Philadelphia, PA - The Blockley Pourhouse
6/4 - Washington, DC - The Bayou
6/6 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl*
6/13- Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl *
6/17 - Hardford, CT - Sully's Pub
6/18 - Burlington, VT - Nectar's (w/ Buru Style)
6/20 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl*
6/27 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl *
7/7 - Brooklyn, NY - Cameo Gallery
7/8 - Cambridge, MA - The Middle East Downstairs (w/ Love in Stockholm)
7/9 - Worcester, MA - Tammany Hall
7/14 - Hamden, CT - The Space
7/16 - Portland, ME - The Big Easy

Music Frees All Festival-June 1-3 NYC

Music Frees All is a concept and saying coined and embraced by Miles Arntzen, one of New York's most promising young musicians. As a drummer, he plays with Superhuman Happiness, Antibalas, and his own band EMEFE. Miles is producing a three-day multiple venue music festival June 1st-3rd in New York to join together as many musicians, dj's and fans of liberating joyful music as possible. I'll be on the 1's and 2's on Friday June 3rd at Drom in the East Village. The details for all three nights of the festival are as follows:

June 1 – Southpaw – Opening Night
 w/ Turkuaz, Melanie Charles & the Journey, Top Shotta, and Super Osei & Money Jungle 
feat. DJ Cool Hand Luke
 18+, $5, 7:30 doors, 8pm show
The kickoff show with hip hop, soul, reggae and funk to set the mood and celebrate the music.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 2 – Public Assembly - Horns Take Over
w/ Ikebe Shakedown, Gato Loco, Brooklyn Soul Survivors, and Underground System Afrobeat
 feat. DJ Petra 
19+, $10, 7:30 doors, 8pm show
Night 2 brought to you by four powerful bands and four powerful horn sections.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 3 – Drom – A Benefit for Scotty Hard 
feat. Mago (John Medeski/Billy Martin), EMEFE, Ben Perowsky’s Moodswing Orchestra, Mokaad, Nyle x Naysayers, DJ Afro-Marc and more TBA 
18+, $10, 7:30 doors, 8pm show

The Music Frees All festival concludes with a special night on June 3rd at Drom for producer Scott Harding aka Scotty Hard. Proceeds will go directly to the Scotty Hard Trust.

I interviewed Miles a couple weeks ago about his inspiration for the festival, the goings on of his music career, and a few other topics that came up in conversation:

Marc Gabriel Amigone: So how did you come up with the idea for the festival? Is this something you've been wanting to do for a while?

Miles Arntzen: I hadn't had the idea to put a festival together pretty much ever until this one day, I wanted to bring together all these bands that I love and I know a lot of other people love and that are doing really great things for live music. And wanted to bring them all together for a few nights. Thats really it, I called it a festival. I have this idea of Music Frees All which is all about playing music for the cathartic side of it, the side of music that releases you from anything that's bringing you down for that particular moment. I first experienced that with afrobeat music and that's what turned me on to this whole idea, a lot of other types of music do the same thing, but anyways I just wanted to bring together a bunch of bands who fit that mold.

MGA: Word up, so it's a benefit festival as well right?

MA: Yea the third night of the festival, on June 3rd is going to be a benefit for Scott Harding, who is an old friend of my dad, so through my dad he's basically been a part of my family. He's an amazing producer and engineer. He was partially paralyzed in a car crash a few years ago. Since then a bunch of his friends, he knows so many people in the music industry who have played on records he produced or just friends of his, there's just so many people that know him that have been coming together over the last few years to help raise money and keep the support going and so I thought that this would be a perfect opportunity to do that.

MGA: So he's got a foundation?

MA: Yea his close network of friends set up the Scotty Hard Trust which is a website where you can go straight in and donate money or help plan an event or anything like that. The website is scottyhardtrust.org. Basically its just his close friends keeping track of him getting the support that he needs because something like that is such a drastic change of life style that he really needs people around him to help out. And luckily he has a lot of amazing people around him to help out, so that's what the Scotty Hard Trust is.

MGA: That's really cool. Who are some of the musicians with whom he's worked?

MA: That I know of, Antibalas, Wu-Tang Clan…I need to do my research a little, he's done a lot of underground hip-hop, Sex Mob, Medeski Martin and Wood, Charlie Hunter, DJ Logic, just this whole circle of people, Michael Blake is another one.

MGA: So he's still doing his thing musically? He's still able to work and produce and stuff?

MA: Yea, it's obviously been hard for him, but he has kept working. Since the accident he's gotten a studio together and adapted to his new situation. It's really inspiring because his spirits are so high and he's such a positive person that he's such an inspiration to all of us to keep doing what you love no matter the obstacles.

MGA: That's really awesome that he keeps moving forward like that. So tell me a little more about what you're up to these days, you were just down in Miami with Antibalas this past weekend?

MA: Yea I was in Miami with Antibalas on Saturday night. Playing with them just keeps getting better and better for me just because I'm such a huge fan of them and I love playing that music so much. That was an amazing show.

MGA: What was the show? It was part of a festival or something?

MA: The Antibalas show was part of the Heineken Trans-Atlantic Music Festival or something like that. And it was at a bandshell on North Beach, with one opening act and then Antibalas played a long set. The weather was beautiful. With those guys…they're one of the reasons why I'm getting all this together just because of their whole group of friends and musicians that play together to me is really inspiring. Just the fact that there are so many people in their circle that make music, as a side note the music they make happens to be the best music out there.

MGA: Yea I totally agree with that. But I think that whole Daptone, Brooklyn, whatever you wanna call it family, definitely ascribes to that mentality of Music Frees All, and is in it for the right reasons for that cathartic release.

MA: Yea what they have is so great and I want to create that with not necessarily a specific group of people but just to keep that feeling going of having a circle of people that have each other's backs and at this festival cross contamination with each other's bands is highly encouraged, someone playing with one band and jumping in with another, just getting the whole feeling of community is really important and something that really sustains for a long time.

MGA: How did you start playing with Antibalas? Was that through your relationship with Stuart?

MA: Well, with Antibalas it's kind of a full-circle story. There was a benefit for Scott a couple years ago at The Highline Ballroom where there was a ton of amazing musicians where I went with my parents because he's a friend, and my dad who plays trumpet sat in a little bit, so I was just watching. Antibalas was the very last band to play at 1am or something. I wanted to leave but I couldn't find my dad because he was off backstage or something, so I just ended up staying and watching. And that was the first time I heard afrobeat or Antibalas and that night it was just like BOOM, something got in me, from that day on, I listened to them all the time, I checked out Fela, so if it wasn't for Scott I wouldn't have even known who Antibalas was and then a few years later I got in touch with Stuart Bogie of Antibalas as well as Victor [Axelrod] separately and kind of told them about how much I love their music and basically started meeting up with Stuart a lot to play in my basement and also met up with Victor here and there and started becoming friends with them and simultaneously learning all about the music. Stuart kind of became a mentor of mine and teacher and then I started playing with his band, Superhuman Happiness, then eventually Antibalas needed a sub and Victor contacted me. And they saw how much I listened to their music and how much I listened to Fela's music and how consumed I was with it so I think that's what made it a good fit.

MGA: Did you study with Victor at The New School? You go to the New School right?

MA: No, I go to NYU.

MGA: Oh word. So you didn't study with Victor and Aaron Johnson's afrobeat ensemble at the new school or anything.

MA: Yea I did actually sit in once and watched him teach that class, just because I would meet up with him weekly just to talk about stuff, and I did sit in on that class, but no I didn't formally take lessons with any of them, it was purely just on our own time.

MGA: Yea the night we first met at Southpaw last summer I think Stuart was telling me you guys met through Facebook or something. Is that how you first reached out to him?

MA: Yea after I saw the FELA! show on broadway I messaged Stuart on Facebook and that was our mode of communication for trying to find time to meet up for dinner or something.

MGA: I think that just speaks to Stuart's personality, he's one of the most open-minded chill dudes. You can just straight up be a fan and just hit him up and he's totally open to it. Not that many musicians in the world, but especially New York where people tend to have really big egos and would let that get in the way of that sort of thing. I just think that's such a telling story that you guys just met from being around each other and then eventually you're playing together. Not everyone would be so open to that experience, you know?

MA: Oh yea, I know. I owe so much to Stuart after only knowing him for only a couple years, I feel like I've known him for so long. He's really taken me and introduced me to so many people. It's because of him I'm playing in Antibalas and meeting a lot of other people, doing sessions, it's true he's a great guy. You can't really say anything else. I'm really grateful to know him.

MGA: That's really cool, man. So what are you doing with Emefe these days? You guys put out your first full length album Music Frees All like six months ago or something like that?

MA: Yea, we put out Music Frees All, the first record, also we put out another EP called the Europe EP, we basically have been playing as much as possible the last few months, trying to spread our music to as many people as much as possible and build up a fanbase which has definitely helped us out a lot. I think the next step for us is to move out of New York a little bit and start playing in Boston and Connecticut and Philly. We're pretty soon going to be honing in on our new songs. I really think we'd like to record a new album on an indy label or something like that. For me Emefe is a really amazing thing to write songs for, play amazing shows, it's actually because everyone in the band is so in love with playing in it. It's not just some band where I take every gig and I get all these subs to come in just so I can play my music. That's not really the situation. It's more like we actually have this tight knit group of eleven people and everybody is at every show. And everybody is totally committed and its becoming a brotherhood. I couldn't be happier about it because I'm all about that.

MGA: That's really exciting. I've seen that dynamic play out in a lot different ways in a lot of the different afrobeat bands I'm friends with, because it's just so hard to keep such a big group of people together. That's really cool you guys have such a good thing going.

MA: I owe so much to the guys, they make it so easy for me.

MGA: How do you all know each other? Do you all go to NYU?

MA: Half of them I know through NYU and half I have been playing with my whole life basically. Me and the bass player have been playing together in a lot of different bands forever. A couple of guys like that. But yea it's kind of half and half. It's kind of putting together musicians from my past and my present. That's what exciting about it for me I could put tougher these two sides of my career as a musician and luckily they all get along.

MGA: So you're saying you're trying to get out of New York a little bit and spread the music around and what not?

MA: Yea, little by little we're seeing opportunities to come and play, and other colleges want us to come up there. We had a really successful weekend in Boston recently, and we're gonna possibly go down to Florida this summer. We have stuff in Chicago down the line. I just want to spread the word, spread the vibes around. I just want to bring our amazing show that we have here in New York, I want that to happen everywhere, every night of the week.

MGA: That's dope man, I definitely hear the passion in your sound. You guys really have that youth, that youthful energy and that's something you really have to hold on to and stuff. I don't mean to be cynical, but I've seen other bands start out like that and then lose their stride. You can hear that in the music when a band is passionate and energetic, it comes through on the records for sure.

MA: You have to be energetic and passionate. In my eyes you have to let other people into that. Include the audience in that feeling. There are a lot of great bands who play a lot of great music, but they kind of have an attitude like you know, when they're playing on stage and then you can hear that, like they're not letting it go too much. The way I like to do things is to let it all out there every time, include the audience in it, creating a unified feeling in the room get everyone on the same wavelength on the same page and its all kind of swirling together. I always try to get that when I play. That's definitely something playing with Stuart has taught me and Antibalas has taught me and playing with Superhuman Happiness and I took that and wanted Emefe to get that same feeling, where you're out of breath, and you just say let's keep doin it, I don't want to stop.

MGA: I think that's an afrobeat thing. When you're at a live afrobeat show, there's so many musicians in one room and there's so many elements where the rhythm section meets the horns and it's such a unique genre like that. That's the way it was designed. When Fela invented afrobeat he created it in order to make people just go nuts and unleash this frenzy in the shrine or wherever he was playing. Whenever someone really does it, because not everyone can really pull it off, but whenever someone unleashes that energy in a room its so evident. You can really feel it.

MA: You know Fela was making music for more serious of a cause. He wasn't lying when he said Music is a Weapon because he was making music to help deal with all the pain they were going through where they were in Nigeria in Africa in that time. He made his music to have a release from that and also fight it. That can't be forgotten either. There's still that spirit of getting together to fight and unite.

MGA: Absolutely, so before we wrap up, tell me a bit about the bands you've got going in the festival, you've got Mokaad, a seriously nasty funk band, your band, Emefe, who are some of the other cats you want to shout out a bit.

MA: Well on Friday night at Drom I'm excited to have John Medeski and Billy Martin playing, Billy Martin is another person who I've learned a lot from. They go way back with Scott so I'm excited to have them playing. As well as Nyle, the rapper who's a friend of mine. As well as DJ Afro-Marc, cutting it up all night.

MGA: Haha yea I'm pumped for that.

MA: And then the other nights we have some awesome bands including Ikebe Shakedown, Turkuaz, Gato Loco, Melanie Charles and The Journey, just a bunch of different bands, differing in genre here and there. Just all musicians that are making great music.

MGA: Yea, it's a really dope lineup. I'm looking forward to feeling the energy in the room because like you said it's not all just afrobeat, so as the dj I'm looking forward to playing with the energy between all the different acts throwing a lot of different stuff out there and seeing how it sticks.

MA: It's going to be a really special night. I only have the resources that I have, I mean it's not going to be Bonnaroo or Coachella but it's definitely a start and I want to make it something that people depend on every year to not pay that much for tickets and see the same energy shows that they would at some big name festival if not more energy or more connection to the people that are playing. So I think it's going to be a really special few days.

MGA: Word up, well thanks so much for asking me to be involved I'm really looking forward to it. I'm going to do my best to bring some people out, and it's going to be a really good time that's for sure.

Fokn Bois

M3NSA and Wanlov the Kubolor are two of the baddest mc's on the planet in their own right, but when they combine forces to become The FOKN Bois, they are downright unstoppable. Their new album out on Akwaaba Music is an innovative collaboration influenced by their journey through Eastern Europe. If you've ever wondered what Eastern European club music combined with Ghanain hiplife would sound like, this is your chance to find out:

Preview Mix from Osunlade

I've never heard anything like hearing Osunlade spin. He is a god among DJ's. Dig this mix...many thanks to Underdog The DJ for the look.
Pyrography by Osunlade

DJ Logic remixes Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars

If you dug Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars album Rise and Shine, I'm willing to bet you'll dig this as well. DJ Logic, one of the world's preeminent beatmakers, has lended his talents to a remix project collaborating with the All-Stars on an EP of dubbed out reinterpretations of their amazingly soulful album, out May 10, 2011 on Cumbancha Records. Preview the tracks here and then pick up a copy if you like:

Free Single from VFT

In advance of Vieux Farka Toure's upcoming album, The Secret out May 24, 2011 on Six Degrees Records, check out Aigna, the first single featuring Derek Trucks. The budding guitar hero kicks off a tour across the western US this Friday. If you haven't seen him live before, definitely take advantage of the opportunity.

Happy Mother's Day from The Very Best

To all the mothers and their children in the world who love good music that will make you dance, dig this.
04 The Very Best feat Moroka - Ndekha by Ragged Words

Interview with Orchestre Poly-Rythmo

Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou are some of the most influential and virtuosic African musicians ever to play a note. Similar to the Rail Band of Mali and Afrika 70 of Nigeria, OPR were superstars in their home of Benin and throughout West Africa in the 1970's. After Analog Africa put out two compilation albums in 2008 and 2009, the band was re-introduced to the world and their popularity sky-rocketed as more and more African music fans discovered their hypnotic sound. I had the honor of speaking with founding member Vincent Ahehehinnou and producer Elodie Maillot several weeks ago about their new record Cotonou Club, which recently came out on Strut Records, as well as a range of other topics. Our convo got cut a little short, but we managed to fit plenty in:

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - Pardon by Strut

Elodie Maillot: Hello Marc!

MGA: Hi how are you?

Elodie: We're good, where are you calling from?

MGA: I'm in NY.

Elodie: Oh ok.

MGA: And you guys, where are you? In Benin or somewhere else?

Elodie: No, we're in London we're about to go to Paris. We have a big show over there.

MGA: That's great, let's get started then. My first question is who are some of the musicians to whom you listened and who inspired you the most to create your own sound?

Elodie: American musicians, French musicians, African musicians?

MGA: Any of those.

Vincent Ahehehinnou: Of course Fela, also Congolese music and James Brown and other American musicians.

MGA: Who are some of the other American musicians besides James Brown?

Vincent: Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley so many…all of those people who were so successful in those years.

MGA: And some of the other African musicians, besides Fela?

Vincent: Fela and Franco from Congo mainly.

MGA: Vodun is such a major source of your sound. When one listens to your music which elements specifically could one hear which are taken from Vodun?

Vincent: We take Vodun rhythms and modernize them, we don't really take Vodun rhythms because they're traditional rhythms, we use elements of them and modernize them. If we want to do traditional Vodun rhythms, we need huge drums and some outfits, some clothes, so it's not possible to record these, so we take from it and to mix it with other influences.

MGA: Right, I understand. Since 2008, when the first compilation album was released on Analog Africa, how has your life changed since your music has been re-introduced to a contemporary international audience?

Vincent: It has changed significantly because in the beginning when people came to look for our records in Contonou, we were surprised we didn't really know what they were looking for. Some people came to buy the record and make a compilation, we didn't believe in it. We thought they'd take the cash and run away with it, get a little bit of money. We didn't think it would bring other things to us. The real change was when we came to Europe and were able to perform there. When we met Maillot we were surprised that people had heard our music before from the compilation.

MGA: Yea when that record came out it mad a big impression on a lot of people. And I'd imagine it was a really big event back in Benin as well to have the international music community take notice of something that had been going on locally for so long.

Vincent: For us it was a big big emotion especially for our generation and see old guys like us. Some people even cried when we told them we're traveling through Europe. We thought our time was finished. I think that has really changed. People look at us so much differently.

MGA: That's great. So since the band last recorded together, how much time has passed between then and now with the new record coming out on Strut?

Elodie: 25 years.

MGA: Wow, so how did the project come about? Did Strut approach the band or did the band approach the label?

Elodie: Actually I'm the producer. Strut is distributing the record in the US and Europe.

MGA: Oh ok, so did you approach the band?

Elodie: Well, yes, it's kind of a long story actually. I was a radio producer in France and I went to Benin to produce some radio shows in 2007. I knew the band from the record library at Radio France where we have about 1,000,000 records, so when I travelled I always listened. So I became a fan of the band and I thought if I go do some interviews and some work I could meet the orchestra. So when I started to ask some people, they told me no, they're dead, they're not playing anymore, you're not going to find them again. Then I find them when they were playing at the national independence day. I tried to record them live but the sound was really rough. I interviewed them, and they saw how much I love the band. So they told me, you help us, you help us travel and play in Europe, because we've never done this, not even one day outside Africa. I told them I don't think I can help them because I'm just a journalist. But they said yea but you can do it. You have to promise us, you can help us travel and make a good show. And then they keep on calling me, and then a few months later and I interviewed Franz Ferdinand, and we started to talk about African music and they told me Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo they signed a deal to put out a compilation with Luaka Bop, and how much they love the band and their dream is to play with them. They keep on calling me, to help them. On the other hand I saw there is an interest for musicians to play with them, and I wrote an article in a magazine in France for a jazz festival and I talked to them and they said they we are ready to program the festival and bring the band if you can manage to bring them which was a big long story because people wouldn't believe they're still alive and playing good. There's no record, just old compilations so there's no proof they're still alive and playing good. So I realized in order to find shows for them, I'd have to start producing an album. Financially, I had a car accident so I got some money from the insurance, and that's how it all started.

MGA: Well, that's an interesting story, the world will definitely thank you for your efforts. As soon as the compilations came out on Analog Africa the demand and popularity of the band sky-rocketed. I didn't even know who they were before the compilations came out and I'm a huge fan of African music. I've listened to the album and it's really great. What do you think is different about the new album, what can someone expect to hear in this album that will distinguish it from their previous work?

Elodie: You want me to ask Vincent?

MGA: I'd be interested in your opinion as well as Vincent's.

Elodie: Ok well in my opinion, the idea was to keep the energy and sound that is not always perfect and sometimes a bit funky, which is the great energy the band has. So the idea was to capture the same energy and to reach a certain level of quality of song which can reach radio stations and achieve a little more clean sound, not to change the song at all, to respect the song, but to embellish it a little bit because of the means. That was the idea. It's a real journey for us. You want me to ask him?

MGA: Yes Please.

Vincent: Well today, we're convinced there's no other album we can do. This is our best album because when we released a record in the 70's we did them very quickly, and our producer was just releasing it very local on vinyl, but this time we're making an album that can reach such an international audience which will be distributed worldwide on the same day. It's a real gift from god. It's very exciting for us to penetrate the rest of the world.

MGA: Do you think the popularity of African music has grown over the last several years?

Vincent: Yes, not only African music but all music. Which is what we realize and we're so happy about it.

MGA: You mentioned it a little earlier, but how has your music been received on your first European tour and your more recent tour dates?

Vincent: We had a warm welcome wherever we went. The music is perceived in a totally different way than in Benin. From country to country, but it's always really warm. People are clapping, people are standing, something people don't really do in Africa.

MGA: How does the reception vary between Europe and Africa?

Vincent: It's a very big difference because in Africa if you really play good, people don't really clap for you. In Europe, people really clap though. So when people really clap you can't disappoint people.

MGA: Does the band plan to tour The US and Canada?

Elodie: Yes in the summer.

MGA: Awesome, I hope to catch you guys.

Elodie: Yes it depends on the album, hopefully it will go well.

MGA: How does it make you feel to have your music compared to Fela Kuti.

Vincent: Fela is the greatest. We cannot be compared to Fela. We really respect him and his memory. We cannot really be compared to him, he is too big for us.

MGA: Really too big?

Vincent: Of course. Because of his political involvement, and also the way he stands on stage.

MGA: Did you ever see him perform live?

Vincent: Of course, we used to record in the same studio in Lagos. And the best tribute we could do we covered one of his songs at a big festival in 77 in front of 10,000 people. We played Lady. He saw us on TV and he came to the national arena. So its's important for us to give people tribute.

MGA: How did the dictatorship of Mathieu Kerekou effect the band and its ability to function?

Vincent: He really stopped people from going out. So there's no music without and audience. He put a curfew at 11 o'clock so it killed all the nightclubs. Some bars tried to play music in the night and some people got arrested

Les Nubians' New Album Drops Today

Nu Revolution, the new album from Afro-Parisian chanteuses Les Nubians, drops today from Shanachie Entertainment. Les Nubians blend an array of soulful afrocentric elements to create a truly unique sound. Singing in French and English, mixing various African elements with neo-soul, jazz, funk, and afrobeat this album is definitely in a genre all its own. The sisters sing of a Nu Revolution, bringing love to the forefront of society in place of war and negativity.

Les Nubians are touring the US kicking things off Thursday in Philly. They'll be performing material from their new album and spreading their positive message of love and empowerment ten cities from coast to coast. Definitely check them out when they come near you.

April
21- Philadelphia, PA @ Kimmel Center for Performing Arts
29- New York, NY @ BB Kings

May
11- Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
12- Minneapolis, MN @ Dakota Jazz Club
13- Minneapolis, MN @ Dakota Jazz Club
14- Chicago, IL @ The Shrine
17- Seattle, WA @ The Triple Door
18- Seattle, WA @ The Triple Door
19- San Francisco, CA @ Yoshi’s (2 shows)
20- San Francisco, CA @ Yoshi’s (2 shows)
21- Los Angeles, CA @ Conga Room
22- San Diego, CA @ Anthology
24- Santa Cruz, CA @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center (2 shows)

In the meantime, check out this dope new video for Afrodance:

Les Nubians - Afrodance from Nice Dissolve on Vimeo.

New Single from The People's Champs

Dig the new single, Family, from Brooklyn based afro-funk ensemble The People's Champs. They'll be throwin down for their EP Release Party May 6th at Piano's. Dig the single until the EP drops.

Tony Allen in Toronto this Friday Night

Without Tony Allen, there would be no afrobeat. While, I certainly believe that to be the case, Fela Anikulapo Kuti once said the same thing. The legendary drummer and African musical icon is touring N. America starting tomorrow night at LPR in New York and continuing on in Toronto Friday night at the Phoenix Theater presented by Small World Music. If you can catch him when he comes to a city near you, definitely take advantage of the opportunity. In the meantime, check out an interview I did with him last year:

MGA: My first question is you’re about to embark on a N. American Tour, are there any dates about which you’re particularly excited?

Tony Allen: No, not really.

MGA: So you’re excited about the whole tour?

Tony Allen: I’ll be coming to NY, and Toronto, and then I go back through the states and do the rest of my shows in the states.

MGA: I heard you’re going to be on Jimmy Fallon with The Roots and ?uestlove?

Tony Allen: Yes, in New York.

MGA: Do you have a relationship with ?uestlove or the Roots? Have you played with them before?

Tony Allen: I’ve never played with them before, but I’ve seen them play. You know,` so now we’re going to be working on the same program.

MGA: And you like The Roots?

Tony Allen: Oh yes, ?uestlove is a drummer himself too, so…

MGA: Right. So on your new album, Secret Agent, I’ve been listening to it a lot recently. How would you describe the direction you’re taking your music on your new album?

Tony Allen: Direction? It’s afrobeat I’m playing, you know? And I like different styles of afrobeat. It just comes from evolution.

MGA: Cool, cool. So throughout your career, I’ve heard a lot of your albums, you’ve been doing it for a long time. You’ve always demonstrated openness to new ideas, new sounds and instruments. For instance on Secret Agent you feature an accordion, which is not traditionally seen as an “afrobeat instrument” per se. Could you describe you the way that new sounds inspire you and the process by which you incorporate them into your music?

Tony Allen: Well, you know, it’s music. It’s not the instrument, the instrument doesn’t play itself anyway, you know? The point is the music of the instrument, whichever instrument I put in my music. It’s the sound, it’s soundwise, you know? It’s not a question of which instrument I use, it’s what I compose.

MGA: So if a sound catches your ear, it doesn’t matter what it is, you just want to put it into your music.

Tony Allen: Exactly.

MGA: Cool. So how would you describe how your music has developed and evolved from your first solo album, NEPA, to now, with Secret Agent.

Tony Allen: Ah, I will not try to explain it, I’ve done enough explaining. I’ve done NEPA, I’ve done Afrobeat Express, I’ve done Black Voices, I’ve done Psycho on The Bus, I’ve done Homecooking, Lagos No Shaking, and this one. Every one has its direction, but its still afrobeat.

MGA: One of the most famous quotes that’s most often associated with your name is from Fela Kuti, who said, ‘Without Tony Allen, there would be no afrobeat.’ Could you elaborate on that a bit, and explain how you contributed to afrobeat’s creation?

Tony Allen: Well, that is something that people are not supposed to be saying that, people that have been watching me, people that spoke with me. I’m just doing my job. I’m doing my job, and I’m creating. I like to be creating all the time because I can’t just keep playing the same shit all the time, you know? I have to create something else, whether people are going to take it or not, I’m just going to be moving forward, you know? That’s all.

MGA: What musicians or musical styles were you and Fela listening to when you were coming of age in Nigeria?

Tony Allen: I was playing my music before I met Fela, you know? There is a lot of music in the country, all different types of music. Jazz, waltz, two-step, tango, whatever, highlife, before I met Fela. Then when I met Fela, he said ‘ok, stop playing all those other styles’ and dictating.

MGA: Right, and do your own thing.

Tony Allen: Right.

MGA: So who are you listening to right now that’s inspiring, what are you listening to these days that you find interesting?

Tony Allen: Right now, I’m working with my band, I just finished our latest album, and now we’re taking things on the road, so that’s what I’m concentrating on now.

MGA: Cool, so what other bands or musicians within the genre of afrobeat do you find interesting or inspiring?

Tony Allen: Ah well, there’s a lot of them. Everybody’s doing their own style, so as long as they have the afrobeat, it’s cool. I don’t want to commit myself for anything. They’re all good.

MGA: You don’t want to single anybody out since there’s so many out there?

Tony Allen: No, I don’t.

MGA: What is your take on the Antibals-Bill T. Jones FELA! Production currently running on Broadway in New York?

Tony Allen: It’s afrobeat, so it’s cool. I’ve said before I would not comment.

MGA: Have you noticed any increased interest from the mainstream culture due to the popularity of the play?

Tony Allen: No.

MGA: Really, you haven’t noticed any increased interest?

Tony Allen: Well, when I said I wouldn’t comment, it means that… well you know there’s positive side of things. I can’t analyze everything, but it’s very good to expose afrobeat to people that never know what afrobeat is. I know there’s a positive side of things there, and I just hope it expresses enough to make more spring up.

MGA: Right, right. So in what direction do you see afrobeat evolving as more and more musicians take up afrobeat? Do you think the electronic side of things will take the lead with artists like Wunmi is going to grow, or do you think on the instrumental side of things?

Tony Allen: Well, it’s ok, I just know that afrobeat is music that has to be played by human beings together. I’ve experimented with electronics in my music but not taking out the drums that’s supposed to be played with it, so it depends on what everybody likes, you know? That’s why I don’t like to criticize what everybody’s else is playing. I just know what I’m playing.

MGA: Are there any goals or things you’d like to accomplish by the end of your career?

Tony Allen: The point is I look forward, I look forward. I never preview nothing, with my music. The day I decide, the day is there. If I decide I like something then I do it. There is a song on Secret Agent called Celebration.

MGA: Right, Celebrate Your Life, that’s a great song.

Tony Allen: Celebrate means celebrate everything, not just Christmas, or marriage, or anything it means celebrate all the time. Why should we not celebrate every day? Every day. You see, because every time you can go to sleep and wake up the next day, that’s something to celebrate. Because whatever you do is whatever you do. Simple as that.

MGA: Yea man, I agree 100%.

Tony Allen: Haha, you agree 100%?

MGA: Absolutely. I agree, I think every day should be a celebration.

Tony Allen: Absolutely, that’s the way I look at my life.

MGA: One last question. Your album Psycho On The Bus, I’ve always thought of as the quintessential afro-dub album. Were there any particular dub artists that inspired you to make that album?

Tony Allen: No it was a collaboration. It’s music. It’s afrobeat with a certain production style. You know, I have other things to think about.

Hammock House 'Africa Caribe'

What do you get when you take classic cuts of Fania Records' glory days and hand them over to Joe Claussell, one of the dopest Nuyorican house producers alive? Africa Caribe, the new compilation of remixes out May 17, 2011 on Fania Records. This album is extremely danceable, featuring remixes of Fania greats such as Lou Perez, Celia Cruz, Eddie Palmieri, Mongo Santamaria, and Ray Barretto. Dig Claussell's remix of Santamaria's jam Mambo Mongo:

Club D'Elf-Electric Morocco Land Tour

If you dig deep, entrancing songs, dig this: Electric Morocco Land, the new album from Club D'Elf, the Boston-based ensemble led by Mike Rivard. Featuring Moroccan rhythms, instruments, and musicians, Club D'Elf is a revolving cast of musicians including John Medeski and DJ Logic. Electric Moroccoland includes everything from deep, downtempo trance to danceable groove-laden funk. Rivard, a bassist by trade, was first turned on to traditional Moroccan Gnawan music while studying at The Berklee School of Music. He eventually learned to play the sintir, and fell in love with the music. Club D'Elf has since earned a reputation as an original and signature voice in the Boston music scene. They're touring the Northeast starting tomorrow night at World Cafe in Philly. Def check em out when they come near you:

04/21/2011, Thu Portland, ME Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St. Tix: $10 adv/$15 door/$28 VIP, Doors Open: 8:00 pm, Show: 9:00 pm with John Medeski. Ph: 207.899.4990

04/22/2011, Fri Cambridge, MA Lizard Lounge, 1667 Mass Ave. Tix: $15 adv/$17 door, Doors Open: 7:00 pm, Show: 8:00 pm with John Medeski. Ph: 617.547.0759

04/23/2011, Sat Newmarket, NH Stone Church, 5 Granite St. Tix: $8 adv./$10 door, Doors Open: 7:00 pm, Show: 9:00 pm with Dave Tronzo. Ph: 603.659.0878

04/30/2011, Sat Cambridge, MA Mimouna Festvial @ Harvard University, Northwest Labs Bldg, Harvard University 52 Oxford St Tix: $30 Adv./$40 Door/$20 Student, Doors Open: 9:00 pm, Show: 10:15 pm Ph: 617.531.4610.

Shotnez-New Collaboration from Members of BBB

Shotnez, the new album/side project featuring members of Balkan Beat Box, is out tomorrow on JDub Records. This album takes the inventive production style and unmistakable energy of BBB and combines them with industrial sounding elements of crime-Jazz and trash rock. Check out the first single, Stolen Goods. If you like what you hear, dig the whole album tomorrow.

Dear Africa

Blitz The Ambassador is one of the most inventive hip-hop artists on the planet. Coming originally from Accra, Ghana by way of Brooklyn, NY, Blitz has a consciousness that spans continents and cultures. Native Sun, his new album out May 3, 2011 on Embassy MVMT Records, is a portal into his soul capturing the essence of who he is and from where he comes. The first single to drop, Dear Africa, is a letter to the motherland featuring Les Nubians. I'll be delving much deeper into this album and Blitz as an artist in the near future. In the meantime, dig this track and do what you gotta to catch Blitz on his spring tour:

Blitz the Ambassador - Dear Africa ft. Les Nubians by embassymvmt

4/1/2011 Ferme du Buisson Marne la Vallée, France
4/2/2011 106 ROUEN, France
4/6/2011 LE CARGO CAEN, France
4/7/2011 LA SIRENE LA ROCHELLE, France
4/8/2011 GAROROCK FEST MARMANDE, France
4/9/2011 Le Transbordeur / ORIGINAL FEST LYON, France
4/10/2011 Cabaret Aléatoire MARSEILLE, France
4/13/2011 LUNE des PIRATES AMIENS, France
4/14/2011 LE TAMANOIR GENEVILLER, France
4/15/2011 LE HANGAR IVRY, France
4/16/2011 SUPREMASSY FEST MASSY, France
4/19/2011 L'ATELIER CLUSES, France
4/20/2011 Bahnhof Ehrenfeld Cologne, Germany
4/21/2011 Cafe Nelson Mannheim, Germany
4/22/2011 EXIL ZURICH, Switzerland
4/23/2011 PRINTEMPS FEST 22 EST D'AURON / BOURGES, France
4/28/2011 La Pena Oakland
4/29/2011 Stanford University Stanford
4/30/2011 Kimmel Center Philadelphia
5/4/2011 SOBS New York
5/5/2011 TBC Washington
5/11/2011 Beachland Ballroom (w. Les Nubians) Cleveland
5/12/2011 Dakota Jazz Club (w. Les Nubians) Minneapolis
5/13/2011 Dakota Jazz Club (w. Les Nubians) Minneapolis
5/14/2011 The Shrine (w. Les Nubians) Chicago

Africa Undone

If you read my blog, you know damn well you should download this mixtape immediately. If not, DJ Underdog is an incredibly gifted curator of afro-love doled out on free mixtapes with the support of The Lunchbox Theory on a regular basis. This is his/their latest. Dig it.

New Remix from DJ Underdog

Troy (dj underdog refix) — Bobo ft Wunmi & Lijadu Sisters in rehearsal by DJ Underdog
Dig this new remix from DC's dopest beatmaker, DJ Underdog.

Album Review: The Liberators-The Liberators

As the afrobeat wave continues to crest, more and more bands are tapping into the power of the afro-groove from every corner of the globe. The Liberators, an afrobeat band out of Sydney, Australia whose self-titled debut album came out March 14, 2011 on Record Kicks Records, is the latest addition to the global afro-repertoire.

This album is about as good as any afrobeat record I've heard in a long time. The production quality is extremely high throughout the record. They've mastered the delicate balance of guitars and percussion that make up the rhythmic afrobeat backdrop over which their horn section careens and cuts. Several vocalists appear on the record, including Afro-Legend Jojo Kuo, Roxie Ray, and Afro Moses, each lending their own style and attitude to their respective tracks.

What I like the most about this album is the attitude and feeling it has from track to track. Similar to Budos Band or the early Antibalas albums which came out on Daptone Records, there's a production value and sound quality that conveys a theme throughout the record. The grooves are tight, the horns are intoxicating. Listening to this record puts you into a certain mood. This is the type of record to which you can't help but strut.

The Liberators - Monkeyface by afrobeatblog

Dele Sosimi Spring UK Tour

Former musical director of Egypt 80 and current musical director of FELA! in London's National Theater, Dele Sosimi, is about to embark on a tour of the UK. After beginning his musical career at the foot of the master at age 16 as part of Egypt 80, Dele went on to tour with Femi Kuti and Positive Force for ten years. In that time he developed his own sound, which he'll be showcasing on his spring tour. If you're in the UK, check him out on one of these dates:

Afrobeat Vibration Spring Tour 2011

19 March Manchester Band on the Wall

Tel. 0161 834 1786 / www.bandonthewall.org

24 March, Bristol Fiddlers

Tel. 0117 987 3403 / www.fiddlers.co.uk

25 March Exeter Phoenix

Tel. 01392 667080 / www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

26 March London Afrobeat Vibration New Empowering Church, Hackney

Tel. 07944286822 / www.delesosimi.org

8 April Birmingham Midlands Arts Centre

Tel. 0121 446 3232 www.macarts.co.uk

15 April Colchester Arts Centre

01206 500 900 / www.colchesterartscentre.com

Turbulent Times (live) - Dele Sosimi from Beija Films on Vimeo.

Kokolo European Tour

Kokolo, one of the dopest afro-bands on the scene who've been doing it for about as long as anybody, are going on a European Tour kicking off in Toulouse, France on March 31st playing 26 shows in 30 days in 13 countries. No matter where you are in Europe, they're coming to a city near you, so definitely go check them out:

March 31 Thu Toulouse, France @ La Dynamo
April 1 Fri Montpelier, France @ Le Jam
April 2 Sat Cambes, France @ Salle des Fetes
April 3 Sun Bordeaux, France @ Le Sain
April 6 Wed Zagreb, Croatia @ Klub Purgeraj
April 7 Thu Cadiz, Spain @ Jerez De La Frontera
April 8 Fri Granada, Spain @ BoogaClub
April 9 Sat Lisboa, Portugal @ Music Box
April 10 Sun Sevilla, Spain @ Malandar
April 12 Tue Terracina, Italy @ La Scalette
April 13 Wed Rome, Italy @ Big Mama
April 14 Thu Athens, Greece @ Gazarte
April 15 Fri Thessaloniki, Greece @ Block 33
April 16 Sat Sofia, Bulgaria @ Sofia Live Club
April 17 Sun Bucharest, Romania @ Popa Nan 82
April 19 Tue Koln, Germany @ Club Banhof Ehrenfeld
April 20 Wed Strasbourg, France @ Mudd Club
April 21 Thu Newport, Wales @ Delilah's
April 22 Fri Newcastle, England @ World Headquarters
April 23 Sat Birmingham, England @ The Yardbird
April 24 Sun Leeds, England @ The Hi-Fi Club
April 25 Mon Nottingham, England @ The Golden Fleece
April 27 Wed Usti Nad Labem, Czech Republic @ Circus
April 28 Thu Dresden, Germany @ Altes Wettburo
April 29 Fri Antwerp, Belgium @ Storm
April 30 Sat De Panne, Belgium @ Dranouter Festival


KOKOLO "Afrika Man"

KOKOLO | Myspace Music Videos