Just How I Feel



I really love The Wiz! It is a shining example of Black creativity and art. It references cultural nuances that permeate my life. It retells the Wizard of Oz and relates it to the Black experience in a brilliant fashion. The original already has a strong political and social commentary, but the former is more relevant to my experience. Cabs that don't stop. Dancing graffiti. Crazy ass subway. Soulful crows. And Richard Pryor. Nuff' said. It also has protruding elements of positive thinking, which i think is interesting...that piece doesn't translate well into the Black experience. We(black folks and other folks of color) know that its more complicated than just willing your way into anything. But I found this political interpretation of the original characters that I found insightful and thought to myself how it would look for The Wiz. I don't have any thoughts yet, but maybe y'all do. Feel free to comment.

Dorothy: America, with its traditional values
Toto: Prohibitionist party (also called Teetotalers)
Scarecrow: western farmers
Tin Woodsman: industrial workers
Cowardly Lion: William Jennings Bryan
Munchkins: Citizens of the East
The Lollipop Guild: National Labor Union [Note: The Lollipop Guild does not appear in the book (see Chapter 2: The Council with Munchkins), only the 1939 movie by MGM.]
Wicked Witch of the East: Grover Cleveland
Wicked Witch of the West: William McKinley
Wizard: Marcus Alonzo Hanna
Oz: abbreviation for ounce of silver or gold
Yellow Brick Road: Gold Standard, established by William McKinley
Cyclone: economic panic following the Dust Bowl
Winged Monkeys: Plains Indians
Emerald City: Washington, D.C.
Emerald Palace: The White House
Silver Slippers: The silver coin system: Free Silver
Monkeys: child labor
Poppy Field: Rise of the Opium trade ring

Here's a little treat to help you get through the day:
Diana Ross & Michael Jackson - Ease On Down The Road

Soul Glo Party



Enjoy the musical musings courtesy of DJ Flaco from our last installment!


Soul Glo Set Part 1- DJ Flaco


Soul Glo Set Part 2- DJ Flaco

The Listening

I don't have much to say these days. I'm relatively happy. But I have to share that I've been listening to some amazing music lately. And I believe it is partially responsible for my happiness. Here are three albums(courtesy of Okayplayer.com) worth integrating into your life:

The Green Album
Appropriately timed, right on the heels of Al Green's new release Lay It Down, comes The Green Album put together by Omer Saar of UniverSOUL Productions. Using acapellas from MF Doom, Biggie, Jay Z, and De La Soul among others, Omer mashes up some of hip-hop's best with classic Al Green tracks. See after the click, where you can view the tracklisting before you download.

Wale: Mixtape About Nothing

Inspired by the Larry David produced 90s sitcom Seinfeld, Wale drops The Mixtape About Nothing today, mixed by Nick Catchdubs and presented by 10 Deep. Wale includes his Roots hit "Rising Up," also featuring Chrisette Michele, as the #2 joint on this mix. Good taste! The whole mixtape is hot, so download c/o elitaste and let that go-go inspired hip-hop hit you in the head.

Wayna - Higher Ground

.... the soulfully sophisticated sounds of Ethiopian-born, Maryland-based singer/songwriter Wayna’s new album Higher Ground might be so slick that no special dexterity be required to achieve auricular penetration. But once its sonics saturate your insides even the creakiest of joints should feel well lubricated and the many irritating frictions of life smooth to the touch...

(All text courtesy of Okayplayer.com)

Throwback Thursday

Patra feat. Yo-Yo - Romantic Call


Notes: 1. Reggae videos from this era really exposed the world to dancehall choreography and movement vocabulary, truly impactful work. 2. This song/video captures the natural relationship between dancehall and hip hop. We know there were influences from the infancy of hip hop, but seeing the collaboration here, makes it more palpable. Gyals whinin', 6-4s and motorcycles--classic! 3. The tune is dope, hip hop inspired riddim with a great narrative to boot. Patra is in full form: raw, fly and unapologetic. 4. TUPAC is in the video!! Nuff said.

Xaymaca: An Experience Part II
As promised I'm sharing few more snapshots from my visit to da Yard. Enjoy!

Da Yout' tryin' ta fool me..


Dunn's River Falls


Dunn's River Falls fa' real! Dope experience.


Only cuz he got peeling skills...Peruvian-style


Teachin' da youts how to mural...

Quote of the Week
"I'm gonna give'em all money to buy tickets to Jerusalem so they can go bathe in the river Jordan, cuz they crazy!" (c) Ray Jean Knight

**My G-Mama in reference to my family's dysfuntionality. I love that woman...a true healer with a prescription.

Throwback Thursday

Chuck Brown - Bustin' Loose


Notes: 1. I love Go-Go and this is a seminal cut by the Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown. This track essential birthed a new genre. 2. The video isn't the best(layers and superimposition withstanding), but everybody is jammin', its a reminder of a time when dancing was popular among both men and women. 3. Undercelebrated, never duplicated, Chuck Brown(and Go-Go) remain fairly obscure. But this video is a time capsule of a genre still waiting to be properly honored--here's to posthumousity.

Throwback Thursday

Lo-Key - I Got A Thang 4 Ya


Notes: 1. Mature and sexy...totally appropriate. 2. When Take 6 meets H-town. 3. Video(artistic direction) definitely captures the period a la BBD 4. The outro is bananas! Great vocal dexterity.

Wish of the Day

I really wish I had this button in my office right about now.
Especially after reading your f*ckin' email.

But, I guess its best I didn't have it...I have too many Naomi Campbell moments.

f.negro/

Sound Bite Sunday

I love Timba! So much that, seldom do I go through a day without hearing at least one Timba track. Timba is what many call Cuban Salsa, but its much more than that. I won't go into extreme detail here, but there are a few points of importance. Most know that what is now known as Salsa developed out of Cuban Son. Puerto Ricans in New York are responsible for the giving it the name and bringing it into the mainstream via Fania Records. But while Salsa in the U.S., Puerto Rico and elsewhere was developing, a similar musical style was evolving simultaneously, but independently. Timba developed out a Cuban Son as well, but it has had several other influences. Timba is also strongly influenced by Rumba, Cuban spiritual traditions(Yoruba, Carabali, etc.), Songo(Los Van Van), Latin Jazz(Irakere), Funk and Hip Hop. All of this is heard in the music and seen in the aesthetic of Timba. For all of these reasons and more I dig Timba; musically it is extremely rich, full of incredible polyrhythms, fantastic harmonies, unconventional chord changes.... it is just inspiring and intelligent music! Anyway, one of my favorite bands is Bamboleo. Mostly because Lazaro Valdes(Founder and Director) is funky as hell and has a profound understanding of musica bailable. While the roster has continued to change, like most Timba bands, the sound has remained somewhat consistent--driving, edgy, forceful and melodic. But in my opinion Bamboleo was at its height when they possessed the voices of Haila María Mompié and Vannia Borges, Haila in particular. With a powerful and soulful croon reminiscent of a young Patti LaBelle, Haila has the skill and charisma to match her tremendous beauty. She went on to do several other projects(e.g. Azucar Negra) and is still a relevant artist today. However, I believe her most valuable contributions are found in her Bamboleo discography. Here is a live performance, a brief comeback if you will, singing two Bamboleo classics: Con Un Canto Con El Pecho and Yo No Me Parezco A Nadie. Enjoy!

Throwback Thursday

A Tribe Called Quest featuring Leaders of The New School - Scenario



Notes: 1. Inventive and Fresh: Challenged previous notions of video making 2. New Packaging: Redefined the structure and approach to the posse cut 3. Classic and Transformative: All 5 emcees are in rare form(especially Phife), but this is the true introduction of Busta Rhymes to the world. As a result Hip Hop, as we know it, is forever changed.

The Lush Life

I live in the middle of no where. So there are moments when I wonder what the hell I'm doing here, and when the hell am I gonna liberate myself from this dysfunctional-ass, barren wasteland. Then I remember that (as always the case) this experience has purpose and that I should make the most of it. I learned long ago that even the most difficult and unlikely situation can be turned into a paradise of cultural and social intersection, and I've developed a knack for pulling it off (thanks Stillwater/House of Nubians). So, in honor of the (Social)Lush Life I thought it would only be fair for me to celebrate the success we've been experiencing.

A close friend (ethnomusicologist, fellow music enthusiast and astrological compliment, Flaco) and I would sit and rant about the need for an alternative social space which not only brought together a diverse group of folks, but also provided an outlet for an experimental musical experience. We would discuss the possibilities for a year with no result. Then I met another young professional( Emily) in the area who was on the same wavelength. We both had been building community, hosting random parties and functions, but we were also looking for some way to consolidate our respective networks. After brief discussion and a little footwork, we arranged to host a gathering at a local bistro & bar. The irony is that some 15 years ago a similar movement occupied the same venue, so it seemed timely and appropriate that we would resurrect that energy. With Flaco at the helm as DJ and the advertising efforts of Emily and myself, the first function(AfroFunk) was a success-- with a significant turn-out and phenomenal participation. So much that, the management of the bar wanted to have the events monthly. The next function(AfroReggae) grew in numbers and left an equally significant impression on attendees, which has brought us to date.

Now, I've always loved Stevie Wonder, and it turns out so did Emily and Flaco. As the musical director for these functions, I knew that eventually I wanted to do a tribute to the Wonder of Stevie. March would have been the ideal time being that that's the month of his birth, but it just didn't work out that way. This weekend is the Billsville Jazz Festival and really the first sign of Spring, so we thought it would be a great time to bring Mr. Wonder to the fore. I know that DJ Spinna & Bobbito have being doing these "Wonderfull" parties for some time(in NYC, LA, every-damn-where) and I've never been, but I've always imagined that it would be a sight to behold. Inspired partially by their genius, I decided to title our function, "Wonder-ful," my own cheeky way of respecting their creativity, but stating the obvious: the world has been transformed by this man, so a tribute party is not really all that original. I just wanna do my part in honoring his legacy, while trying to maintain the sanity of myself and others. If you're in the area, feel free to drop by(check flyer below). Or better yet do your own tribute to Stevie! I'm sure your neighbors/co-workers/children/friends or whoever is in the vicinity when you're paying homage will appreciate the beauty and funk(see: Tricia Rose)! Otherwise just enjoy this clip of Stevie live--at his best! This is my mantra for the upcoming week...I'm gonna need it.

Stay Suck Free- f.negro

Party Flyers:

Sound Bite Sunday

As with most folks, my love affair with music is organized around memories: people, places, pain, joy, anger, genius, etc. I remember one of the first time's I feel in love with a band because of a woman. There was this sister named Fenyx who I was interested in at the time, and on her outgoing voicemail message was this song that always made me want to leave a message. The track was lush, jazzy, soulful and thematically rich. The lead singers' voices had such gravity that you couldn't help but listen and hope for more. I later found out that the group's name was Incognito. That was almost 10 years ago, to this day I'm still thankful for that sister's sophisticated musical tastes as they have continued to influence my listening choices and consumption.

This band has always touched me in very complicated and diverse ways, challenging and developing my emotional intelligence along the way. Hopefully, this introduction will open a similar portal for you. Please enjoy Still a Friend of Mine, one of my favorite tracks and in my opinion, Incognito at their finest--with Maysa Leak singing lead.

*Incognito are a British band, widely regarded as one of the key members of the English acid jazz movement. Throughout the band's history, it has been led and driven by composer, record producer, guitarist and singer, Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick.


Incognito - Still A Friend of Mine



Stay Sucka Free,
f.negro

Top Five Friday - Books This Year (So Far...)

1. Timba: The Sound of the Cuban Crisis by Vincenzo Perna

2. Sibusiso Mbhele and His Fish Helicopter by Koto Bolofo & Sibusiso Mbhele

3. An Unbroken Agony: Haiti, from Revolution to the Kidnapping of a President by Randall Robinson

4. Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

5. Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World by Vijay Prashad

Do the knowledge and check one or two if you get a chance. Great reading!

f.negro

Lykke Li - Little Bit

I just had to share.

Bobby Brown - Get Away


Just because I know the feeling. Nothing like a lil Bobby to get you by.

Sound Bite Sunday (part 2)

f.negro: Hi. My name is fidel and I am a new found house junkie...
HA(Housers Anonymous) attendees: Hiiiiiiiiiii fidel!!!!

Yes bloggership, I am in love with house music. This is relatively new for me, but I have been feeling the need to publicly own my passion for deep, soulful, beat heavy house! I came to house through a rather unconventional route. I first begin to listen to music that had been strongly influenced by house, namely South African Kwaito and Angolan Kuduro. Both of which are infectious and pulsating, popular dance music in their respective countries and region. I have some good friends from South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique and Angola, they're truly the ones to blame for this unhealthy addiction that I have recently developed. Whenever I talk about house I feel the need to emphasize its origin in the Black community. As with most Black musical expression, house music has been appropriated and given a new face and cultural viability. Anyhow, I've chosen a couple cuts that speak to me. Whether you're a house-head or fairly new to the genre, I hope that you're able to appreciate.

• Stardust was a one-time musical collaborative effort consisting of producers Thomas Bangalter, Alan Braxe and vocalist Benjamin Diamond. The short-lived group released the immensely popular club track titled "Music Sounds Better with You" in June 1998. The song, which is based around a sample from "Fate" by Chaka Khan, was an instant smash, and many have dubbed it the greatest house song of the millennium. It was recorded in Paris by Daft House productions, of which Bangalter, one half of the popular French house duo Daft Punk, is head. The song was conceived in Rex Club, Paris, where the trio were playing a live set. Bangalter and Braxe created the instrumental, which Diamond instinctively sang the title words over. The next day they laid down the track in the studio, adding the Chaka Khan sample. Enjoy this classic! Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You



• Shaun Escoffery is a British Soul/R&B singer who collaborated with turntablists/producers DJ Spinna and Ticklah to recreate his already soulful tune, "Days Like This". DJ Spinna(born Victor Williams) a relatively underground DJ and producer is known for his experiments with hip hop, soul and funk. He has done a tremendous amount of work remixing artists such as Mary J. Blige and Stevie Wonder, but is probably most known for his contributions to the underground hip hop scene. That being said, this track comes as no surprise, but is in fact an incredible testament to his musical sensibilities. Victor "Ticklah" Axelrod is the keyboardist for afrobeat supergroup Antibalas, but is also known for his trans-genre production, working with the likes of Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse and a number reggae artists too great to mention. Obviously this terrain is not unfamiliar to him either. So, please sit back and enjoy this new classic! Shaun Escoffery - Days Like This (DJ Spinna & Ticklah mix)

Stay Sucka-Free Y'all!

f.negro

Sound Bite Sunday(part 1)


So, I'm sorry folks. I've been locked in the hyperbolic time chamber and have now emerged with some more biscuits(2) to share...I graduated from Oklahoma State University. There I met many of the folks that would eventually become my extended family. We were part of a small tightly-knit pan-African community that inadvertently responsible for my diverse and densely populated musical palette. One friend, in particular, was(and still is) largely responsible for developing and deepening my appreciation for reggae music--Ermias Wondimu. He helped me to understand the transcontinental importance of this expression, he helped me discover the political agency in the music, and lastly he helped me situate reggae in the dual consciousness of the African living and breathing diaspora. Now, before I met Ermi I listened to reggae, but did not realize the breadth nor the depth of the art form. From Wondimu I learned how to hear the difference between dancehall and ragga, roots and rocksteady, lover's rock and dub, and I'll be forever indebted to him for that. So courtesy of my Habesha brotha please, enjoy these biscuits from the Yard!

• Gregory Anthony Isaacs (born 15 July 1950) is a Jamaican reggae musician. Isaacs was born in Fletchers Land, Kingston, Jamaica. In the 1970s, he emerged as one of the most prolific and popular recording artists in Jamaica. He released a number of self-produced singles on his African Museum (JA) record label, formed in 1973 with Errol Dunkley. Much of Isaacs' output reflected the 'conscious' themes of roots reggae, but Isaacs is probably better known for his lovers rock material. The 'Cool Ruler' never fails to creatively inject romance and tenderness into a tune with his honey-laced vocals. These tracks capture Issacs' ability to be delicate and firm. Gregory Isaacs - Special Guest Gregory Issacs - Body Language



• Steel Pulse is a well-known roots reggae musical band. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, in Birmingham, England and comprised of David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals) and Ronald McQueen (bass). Hinds, as songwriter, has always been the engine behind Steel Pulse, from their early days establishing themselves in the Birmingham club scene onwards. Formed in 1975, their debut release, Kibudu, Mansetta And Abuku arrived on the small independent label Dip, and linked the plight of urban black youth with the image of a greater African homeland. Their first release for Island was the Ku Klux Klan 45, a considered tilt at the evils of racism, and one often accompanied by a visual parody of the sect on stage. By this time their ranks had swelled to include Selwyn 'Bumbo' Brown (keyboards), Steve 'Grizzly' Nisbett (drums), Alphonso Martin (vocals, percussion) and Mykaell Riley (vocals). Handsworth Revolution was an accomplished long playing debut and one of the major landmarks in the evolution of British reggae. Pulse has always struck a chord with me because of their musical clarity and ability to perform fiery protest material. Hopefully these tunes will convey, in part, their profound impact on the genre. Steel Pulse - Ku Klux Klan Steel Pulse - Blues Dance Raid

Stay Sucka-Free Y'all,

f.negro

Richard Pryor At His Finest


Just a reminder of why our comedians are important.

Sound Bite Sunday

I grew up in Sand Springs, OK. A place where my appreciation for the blues was nurtured deliberately and inadvertantly. At this point in my life that appreciation has become a signifcant part of my identity as it reminds me of home, informs my world perspective and comforts me in those moments of frustration and despair. Because of my childhood experiences I've grown to enjoy bluesicians such as John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, Leadbelly and Muddy Waters, but that wasn't my generation of the blues. I was introduced to the blues through my constant visits to this juke joint down the street from my house called QV's(Queen Victoria and yes that was her legal name, gotta love Black folks). I loved going to QV's because they had a Ms. Pacman game, a pool table, a jukebox and some of the most colorful personalities ever! From Wayne Jenkins the most popular neighborhood wino to Baker the neighborhood womanizer(and father to some 10-20 children, no one really knows). QV's was a place where conflict was negotiated, a place where revenge was exacted, a place for celebration, a place to gamble, but most of all it was THE source of music during my adolescence. It was the only place to get the most up to date music from Hip-hop to R&B. But QV only had those tunes in the jukebox for us young folks who came to play Ms. Pacman and an occasional game of pool. For the most part she had the contemporary blues classics spinning. I'm talkin' 'bout Clarence Carter, Johnny Taylor, Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Millie Jackson, Tyrone Davis and Latimore. Yeah, those where the giants, but there are some signature tracks that define my experience in her juke joint. Hopefully y'all can appreciate these quintessential blues artists and tracks...

• Arziel Hill (September 30, 1935, Naples, Texas — April 27, 1984, Dallas, Texas) known popularly as Z. Z. Hill, was a blues singer, in the soul blues tradition, known for his 1970s and 1980s recordings for Malaco. His Down Home Blues album (1982) stayed on the Billboard soul album chart for nearly two years. The title track was the best-known blues song of the 1980s.This track, plus the songs, "Someone Else Is Steppin In" and "Open House" have become R&B/Southern soul standards. Z.Z. Hill has been a integral part of my life soundtrack. Down Home Blues is a quintessential blues cut, rich with a classic bassline and incredible guitar solos. Z.Z.'s signature voice is gritty, passionate and provoking, easily inspiring the most sober of us to grab a fifth of Wild Irish Rose and find somebody to grind on. I only hope that this tune reminds you of or properly introduces you to one of the last great blues icons. Z.Z Hill - Down Home Blues

• Milton "Little Milton" Campbell, Jr. (September 7, 1934 - August 4, 2005) was a blues vocalist and guitarist best known for his hits "Grits Ain't Groceries" and "We're Gonna Make It." Most popular in the sixties, he eventually became one of the lesser known greats of the genre, combining traditional lyrical structure with smoother production. Although Little Milton has greater notoriety for the aforementioned tunes, his 1984 classic "The Blues Is Alright" is somewhat of a modern anthem for the genre and briefly revived his career. If you've never heard the blues, this is a great place to start. Its uptempo, funky and emotional. Guaranteed to get any southern party jumping, listen to Little Milton and learn to testify. Little Milton - The Blues Is Alright

Stay Sucka-Free y'all...

f.negro