Archive for December, 2011

I’m proud to announce Forward Listening Vol. 21, available now on The Noise Academy’s website and iTunes.  2 hours of goodness from Chris Berry, MdCL, Captain Planet, Colman Brothers, Toro Y Moi, DJ Cam, and more…

Lots of great music for you to enjoy.

Download

Hour 1

Charles Lloyd Quartet – Dream Weaver [ Concert in Athens; ECM Records ]
Me’shell Ndegeocello – Don’t Take My Kindness For Weakness [ Weather; Naive Records ]
Chris Berry – Lari’s Theme (End Theme) [ Oka! OST; Oka Productions ]
El Rego – Do Do Baya [ El Rego; Daptone ]
Empresarios – Cumbia Savage (Instrumental) [ Bestia EP; Fort Knox Recordings ]
Amerigo Gazaway – Stakes Is High [ Fela Soul; Self Released ]
Jonwayne – Just A Minute [ I Don’t Care; Self Released ]
DJ 2-Tone Jones – Blue Hype [ Shaolin Jazz: The 37th Chamber; Self Released ]
DJ Center – You Got The Love (Applejac’s Hookah Lounge Remix) [ Everything in Time Remixed; Push The Fader ]
MdCL – Alabi (feat. Sandra Nkake) [ Renegades; Tru Thoughts ]
Bio Ritmo – Dina’s Mambo [ La Verdad; Electric Cowbell ]
Mongo Santamaria – Mongo’s Mambo (Joe Claussell Remix) [ Africa Caribe; Hammock House/Fania ]
Captain Planet – Samba Radiante [ Cookin’ Gumbo; Bastard Jazz ]
Colman Brothers – Another Brother (Big Band Mix) [ Colman Brothers ; Wah Wah 45’s ]

Hour 2

Mocean Worker – Do Like Ya Like [ Candygram for Mowo!; MRI ]
Sun Singleton – Ready (Opolopo Remix) [ Stilnovo Sessions Vol. 1; Stilnovo ]
The Getalong Gang – Better Than This [ It’s All House; Public Recordings ]
Aischa Traidia – What’s Going On [ Single; Melting Pot Music ]
Toro Y Moi – All Alone [ Freaking Out EP; Carpark Records ]
Kutcorners – Diamond (Wajeed Remix) [ Single; 11-inch Records ]
DJ Cam – A Loop [ Seven; Laurent Daumail ]
Garfield Adams – Build and Destroy (feat. Derrick Buck) [ 1st Things First; Stemulated Music ]
J-Live – No Time To Waste [ Said Person of That Ability; Triple Threat Music ]
Evidence – You [ Cats & Dogs; Rhymesayers ]
J.Bizness – 260 Dionne [ Flips Vol. 1; Self Released ]
Jose James – Trouble [ Single; Self-Released ]
Sarah Linhares – Here [ Messages from the Future; Public Transit ]
Grace Jones – This is Life [ Hurricane; Play It Again, Sam ]
Daedelus – Penny Loafers [ Bespoke; Ninja Tune ]
Bjork – Dark Matter (With Choir & Organ) [ Biophilia; Nonesuch ]
Moby – When You Grow Old [ Destroyed; Mute ]

For whatever reason, the Fela! broadway musical was moved from April 2012 to December 2011 in Los Angeles, and we are not complaining!  I watched this in a HD simulcast from London a few months back at the La Mirada Performing Arts Center, and I was damn near in tears from the first note.  This is an amazing story based in Fela’s “Shrine,” a performance space where his live evening shows would last until the morning.  Sometimes 7 or 8 hours of afrobeat heat.  This production is, without a doubt, my favorite musical of all time.  No questions asked.  The music, the choreography, and the story will reach anyone who connects with afrobeat music.  Fela is running in Los Angeles through January 21st, so you have plenty of time to see it.  Do not sleep on this!  Get your tickets at www.centertheatregroup.org

Making a “best of” year-end list is always difficult for me.  The main reason is because I can’t remember what came out in January!  Stay tuned for the last Forward Listening of 2011, which will feature my absolute favorite cuts of the past 365.  While I haven’t nearly completed the list, here are a couple of sure bets. Much much more to come…

LDFD – “Outtacontrol”
Mark de Clive-Lowe – “Koko & Lee Roe”
Velella Velella – “BBQ Claus I & II”
Agnes Obel – “Close Watch” (December 2010)
Bing Ji Ling – “Dreaming”
Robin Hannibal – “Transit”
Bombino – “Tar Hani (My Love)”
Dengue Fever – “Uku”
Kraak & Smaak – “Wasted With a Smile”
Amerigo Gazaway / Fela Soul – “Breakadawn”
Thundercat – “Boat Cruise”

This is from a new project from White Denim that I could not for the life of me seem to find about a month ago. Now it’s all over the place.  Not connecting to the vocals, but the production here is really fresh.  Love the breakdowns, and the solo!

I’m on a high from last night.  After standing in the cold (L.A. cold, that is) for about twenty minutes, I was one of the first few people to step through the door at Bardot for “School Night,” a weekly Monday night series curated by Chris Douridas of Los Angeles independent radio station KCRW. Michael Kiwanuka was the opening act, making his U.S. debut, but, for me, he was headlining.  He hit the stage with just him and his guitar, and his friend on bass and backup vocal.  The sound was stripped down compared to what most of us have heard from his “Tell Me A Tale – Isle of Wight Sessions” EP, which is what really embedded his sound into my mind and made me a fan.  But his powerful voice filled the room and hushed the crowd.  I would definitely check him out when and wherever you can.

Michael Kiwanuka closed out his amazing set with a cover of Bill Withers, whom he credited for really making him interested and passionate about being an acoustic guitarist.

This month’s edition of Forward Listening includes music from James Blake, Thundercat, Nas, Antibalas, Mr. Scruff, and more.  Enjoy!

http://thenoiseacademy.com/podcast/forward-listening-20/

Our man, Closed Caption, put this together on one of our first nights at The Straight Ahead.  Many more to come.  Enjoy!

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/29771724″]

Playlist:

1. Jack Bruce – Born to Be Blue
2. The Heath Brothers – Smilin’ Billy Suite Part II
3. Robert Glasper – F.T.B.
4. Dexter Gordon – A Night In Tunisia
5. Aldo Romano – Cité Soleil
6. Galt Macdermot – Golden Apples Part II
7. Horace Silver Quintet – Senor Blues (Vocal Version)
8. P.E. Hewitt Jazz Ensemble – The Winter Wind
9. Donald Byrd – Stepping Into Tomorrow
10. George Benson – Face It Boy, It’s Over
11. Quincy Jones – Summer in the City
12. Omar – Syleste (Lounge Lizzard Mix)
13. Miles Davis – Water Babies
14. Andrew Hill – Illusion
15. Giovanni Mirabassi – Dear Old Stockholm
16. Oliver Sain – On the Hill
17. George Benson – Shadow Dancers
18. Herbie Hancock – Speak Like a Child
19. Mulatu Astatke – Gubelye
20. Galt Macdermot – Ripped Open by Metal Explosions