Going back to that magic place Thursday. I am recording with Mell Dettmer. She captured and crafted some of my greatest vocal performances, particularly in the last year or so. Listen to the vocals on ‘Jack The Ripper’, my Dennis Brown cover of ‘How Could I Leave’, ‘I Don’t Want to Leave’, ‘Free Your Mind’, …
Month: August 2018
The Minnesota State Fair is a gathering of all souls – the quintessential merging of country, suburban, and city folk – over the course of 12 days, ending on Labor Day. Affectionately known as the “Great Minnesota Get-Together”, it is situated on permanent grounds in St. Paul. My parents took the family to the State …
Only in America do teams find it better to be hot than good, floundering for weeks at a time only to make a run in the playoffs and claim the trophy. In those crazy other countries, the team that wins the most games takes the league title. So little imagination. I bet they measure things …
This Thursday, I am recording on a Sly & Robbie Riddim for the Reggae Powerhouse Band‘s debut album. I gotta do what I do, because I hear this riddim the way I hear it: Listen Mamacita, You can call me papi Second coming of Daniel Santos, embodies The Rebel spirit, my blood is Taino a loyal …
Any chance to post “Both Sides Now” is a chance I’ll take. They don’t dance ’em like this anymore. Fans of “Bob’s Burgers” will recognize an early, chaste version of the Hiney Limey when they see it.
This is a beautiful poem.
NEW SONG ALERT: I trying to get to Adam Kutchman‘s place in one hour to cut this song at his house before work. I know we’re all busy. I have just never been this busy. I know it’s just a moment, a grind. At some point it looks like I am heading out on tour with Reggae …
It dawned on me that we’ve been choking on the incinerated corpses of giant life forms that died horrific deaths. No wonder everyone had headaches. Not to be a tree hugger. Because yeah, yeah, yeah, trees need to burn; it’s the savage and brutal circle of life. Watch an Orca munch on a baby seal. …
This post apocalyptic Seattle smoke hellscape is deeply concerning and will have grave consequences. But healthwise I am fine. All my friends have headaches, bleeding sores, mutations, cholera. But I hit the sauna. I am both a Shark and a Jet. I am a hybrid. I will survive. But can we really survive the demise …
I love the Euro travelogue scenery in this video. Long Tall Jefferson is a Swiss songwriter & storyteller. He has been on permanent tour for the past two years, playing over 200 shows across Europe, captivating the audience with ambiguous stories about bad days, old friends and never ending marches. STAY A LITTLE LONGER is …
After channeling the 18th Letter on the previous single from his upcoming FER EP, Rock Mecca channels The Blastmaster and taps New Jersey greats Artifacts (El Da Sensei & Tame One) for his new single “Survivor Series (Remix)”. The unapologetic boom bap anthem 21- gun salutes all emcees who keep hardcore Hip-Hop alive and maintain …
Elyse Cizek New, Raw, Bold, Female Singer-Songwriter/Model/Poet Milwaukee–>Los Angeles +Debut EP Afterlife Available Sept 27, 2018+ https://www.elysejustelyse.com/ https://www.instagram.com/elyse_just_elyse/
https://youtu.be/CDYAqz603TE “After its release in 1970, the song quickly became well known in Jamaica. According to Brent Dowe, the song was initially banned by the Jamaican government because “its overt Rastafarian references (‘King Alpha’ and ‘O Far-I’) were considered subversive and potentially inflammatory”. Leslie Kong, the group’s producer, attacked the government for banning a song …
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Legendary American singer, songwriter and performer Don McLean recently helped raise funds for Teen Cancer America (TCA) and UCLA Health. At the Backyard Concert 2018, McLean joined Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Van Morrison and Roger Daltrey, as well as GRAMMY Award winner Ed Sheeran and others for a once-in-a-generation …
On a smoky Saturday night I ventured to Seattle’s Pioneer Square to a club I used to frequent often thirty years ago, the Central Tavern. This 100 plus-year-old tavern was hosting a night of local ska starring Mister Blank (with former members of the now defunct It Gets Worse). As I’ve mentioned, James Sweazea (bass, …
I had a couple days to prepare for Aretha’s passing and this video, but find my efforts to be largely inadequate in the moment. Thank you, Ms. Franklin for being a voice from God. Thank you, personally, for teaching me how to bend words in such powerful, yet melodic ways. Rest In Peace, sister. Now …
Stingshark is part of the actual backbone of the Seattle music industry. It takes players, it takes songwriters, it takes engineers, it takes seasoned veterans to pass on knowledge and opportunities to the younger versions of themselves. Stingshark is frankly among only a small handful of Seattle artists that is doing all of these things. …
Conn Raney lives in Los Angeles now, but he spent some formative years in East Portland while his father attended Multnomah Bible College, which is now called Multnomah University and is located around 85th NE and NE Glisan. In Portland Raney first heard Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” and life was never the same after that. Another …
Oruam is an Italian record producer, songwriter and DJ currently based in Perth, Australia. Oruam started working on “Looking Straight” while on vacation in Broome, he was locked up inside a hotel room while a cyclone was happening outside. The track features a mix of dance elements, from the soft intro to the breakdown and …
To be honest, making hot records make me fear less the hands of time and the strangeness of aging. There are old men, and then there are old men with hot records. There are guys like Willie Nelson you wouldn’t even recognize before they were 40. Well maybe there is just Willie Nelson. But as …
This video is a master class in fingerstyle picking. Watch and learn kids… Darling Cora herself says, “Here is my cover of Scottish folk singer-songwriter and guitarist Bert Jansch’s “Angie”, which was based on Davey Graham’s original “Anji”. Hope you enjoy!” http://darlingcoramusic.com/
Too Fast is the breakthrough collaboration of three seasoned artists- electronic music producer Cyran, singers K-Lien and Dave L- introducing a tantalizing new sound to the music world. At its core a bracing blend of EDM and Hip-Hop, their music is infused with bold topical themes to move even the most jaded, weaving a powerful …
My word, KEXP really scored when they hired Eva Walker as the new host of Audioasis. This woman is a mega talent and I absolutely adore her long view and careful study of history. It makes her music and performances hit so much harder than what a Hipster might do scratching the surface with same the chord …
‘FUNKY KINGSTON’ is sounding nice with Hold in Fyah at rehearsal. I am coming on stage to this Maytals anthem on September 12th at Nectar when we open for Israel Vibration & The Roots Radics at Nectar Lounge. Big show and a song that I want to make a part of my sets as my album West Indian Rock come …
Heather O’Neill is a supremely gifted songwriter working out of Chicago. Take a listen to her Transmute EP. A few months ago she sent her amazing acoustic track “Red Roses for Lady Blue.” I loved it then and still do. As I said, the guitar playing on this track is haunting and tender and perfectly …
Oozing attitude and commanding attention, PSA’s new video for “Ghost” embodies the bombastic spirit of the rising Seattle pop star. Cheered on by her team, PSA lambasts a love gone sour with tongue-in-cheek flair. Native to the Pacific Northwest, PSA embodies the creativity and freedom of DIY culture as well as the drive and ambition …
On a hot August night I ventured to SE Seattle to see the highly pedigreed Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra. This outfit, fronted by Greg Lee (of Hep Cat fame) was a combination of a big jazz band, a ska band and modern mixed in with old and traditional. Greg Lee was fascinating to watch. …
On the inspiration for the song “Cadillac” William Dolan says: “It’s okay to talk about, and even worry about what’s happening in the world. But, you can still enjoy yourself whether you are a kid or an adult. I’m trying to open kids eyes about important issues and help make the world a better place. …
Check out Sly Dunbar and Anthony Red Rose discussing the making of ‘Free Your Mind’. Thank you Enriek Thomas for shooting this, Mike Martin for editing, and Roy Roy Ce for embracing the unique challenge of sending this footage to America via the series of tubes we call the Internet. Davin’s new song has been released and has become a global earworm …