Siimba Selassie, formerly known as Siimba Liives Long, recently debuted the music video for his latest single, “Bes’mam.” Directed by Nick Von Gremp, the same director behind Selassie’s critically acclaimed videos “Bad for the Soul,’ ft. Kamau, “Bes’mam” provides a stripped back window into the world of Selassie. “Bes’mam’s” simplistic aesthetic allows Selassie’s quizzical and mesmerizing bars to be the focal point of the three-minute video.
For the uninitiated, Siimba Selassie is a Brooklyn-based musician born in New York, and raised in a myriad of places from Ethiopia and Washington DC to New Jersey. “Bes’mam” follows Selassie’s recent critically acclaimed single “Patiently” with his group Splash Brothers that includes Allan Kingdom, Topaz Jones, Kamau, and brother Haile Supreme.
His debut music video, “Cocaine Biimbie,” featured the emcee return to his Ethiopian roots to play quite literally with lions and eat fire. This cut from Siimba’s 2017 project “Zemenay’s Gemiinii,”awarded Siimba critical praise from tastemakers including NPR, Noisey, FADER, Complex, DJ Booth, Hot New Hip Hop,and more. Selassie, an artist described by NPR as “sportive yet serious, playing equal parts esoteric and quizzical,” will be gearing up for the release of new sonic series VIICES coming June 2019.
Colorado Springs mother, musician and trauma therapist, Xanthe Alexis, pierces the heart with emotion and unmistakable conviction. She is otherworldly; transcending mind, body, music and soul. Alexis remained on the Top 20 Alternative Folk Charts for six months, and Top 200 for the entire folk genre. Her spiritual workings are proven through a deep connection with the world around her, confronting realities of society through song.
Today, June 17, Alexis will begin her Artist Residency at Mothership – a space for international artists across multiple disciplines to live and hone their craft. Their mission: to support and promote artists through collaborative opportunities; build sustainable artists networks; and help retain creative forces in New York. Alexis will bask in the Greenpoint-neighborhood of Brooklyn through Wednesday June 26. She will perform an intimate Stage One, Rockwood Music Hall matinee at 3 pm, on Sunday, June 23.
At first listen to Xanthe Alexis’s 2016 debut-album, Time of War, nothing crosses your mind. In this blank slate, you involuntary start to breathe deeply into meditation, with finger-style guitar. Alexis’ breath (accompanied by Colorado local, Curtis Boucher) slowly restores your soul, filling you as you inhale – and hold. “Hey Love,” is just the beginning of the 10-track, fan-funded release that weaves-raw throughout your body, giving you that one-on-one feeling with Xanthe. A self-release so soft and filled with intimacy, it articulates a chaotic world with grace.
Her Mothership residency is special for threefold: Xanthe admits, Time of War was mostly first takes, recorded in six hours; She has recorded, but not yet finalized a second album; and already has four tunes in mind that will bloom towards a third release – hopefully to be influenced by the wonders of Mothership, Brooklyn, working artists and the inner workings of Xanthe’s Muse.
“With the last album, I had a lot – a lot – to say about mental illness. I don’t say it directly. I say it poetically. I think people get what I am talking about; and we need to talk about in our culture,” said Xanthe. “As A kid I was always sup-er sensitive, and emotional. I found music was the safe place for all of that. When you hear a powerful vocalist and all of that emotion, it is accepted in that arena. I was drawn it.”
There was this force, that transposed our phone conversation. We were connected by more than just music, and had oddly-specific parallels in our spiritual lives. “That otherness is what we weave throughout the music. It is close to all of us, and some of us are more aware of it,” said Xanthe, soothingly. “These strands of conscious explain to a whole other forum,” perhaps in more ways than we know.
Strangely enough, Xanthe feels zen-ed out in New York, a therapeutic calmness juxtaposed to the city. ”I’m going to live there [Mothership] for a few days with painters, poets and dancers. That is where everybody comes to work and live.”
For her upcoming album, Xanthe thought: I’m gonna put something out that is radio friendly that I still feel stayed the course of musical expression that I wanted to capture. But It’s been a long road. It will be interesting to see how this weeks experiences shape her final production of album two, as the lines between her professional world and musical pursuit disappear.
“It wasnt until recently that my patients knew about my other life,” turning her words plafully. “ I had a music program for middle aged school children. It was totally like School Of Rock; Kids would come together with no experience and become a total band. They would write all their own music and I would teach them chords – the language of music. I’d teach them: the chords are like a painters pallet.” Xanthe would play them a C and ask, “what doesn’t this sound like.” And they would talk about it.
“What does a D sound like: Oh, Its bright. What does an Em sound like: It’s dark and sounds a little angry. All of a sudden we would have this shared language through emotion. Kids are like sponges, they don’t have all that insecurity and fear yet, so they would just do it, ya know. They are at that age where they are coming out of their innocence, and they need to know that is alright.”
By combining life’s passion with professional life, those surrounding Xanthe realize “I Practice what I preach. They realize, this is a brave chick.”
A note from Xanthe: “If you want to be pleasantly spooked-out and hear your heart break a little bit and maybe then soar a little bit, [giggling] Come see me at Rockwood Music Hall, Sunday, June 23 at 3 pm.”
Brooklyn based funk outfit, Lettuce, has been one of the pioneers in modern funk and jam music. The band’s skill and taste, combined with their ability to blend historic and popular music aesthetics together puts them in the spotlight for aspiring bands. The spotlight is nothing new to Lettuce and they are perpetually growing a global fan base. In fact, members Adam Deitch (drums/percussion), Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff (guitar), Erick “Jesus” Coomes (bass), Nigel Hall (keyboards/vocals), Ryan Zoidis (saxophone) and Eric “Benny” Bloom (trumpet) have been doing this for 25 years, scoring Grammy’s and working with some of the biggest forces in music such as Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Kanye West, and Stevie Wonder, to name a few. It’s no wonder the glamor for more original Lettuce music after a three-year wait was at an all time high. That time has come with their new album, Elevate.
The opening track, “Trapezoid” walks the listener in slowly, offering a close listen at the eccentric synth patches featured. Soon enough, a dark, unrelentingly ‘dub’ bass shatters the ground underneath the lush combination of squeaking synth, ambient whistles and palm-muted guitar. Deitch’s live drums are performed with machine-like technical skill. That is, until the unmistakably Lettuce horn lines kick in. Absolutely huge melodic phrases are composed with ease into tighter chorus hooks and are climaxed right before a colossal bass drop. While there is a chance that mashing up elements of trap, dub, funk, ambient and hip hop could go wrong, Lettuce navigates each mood change with confidence and expertise. The band’s grasp of their song’s structures at large is most easily seen by their ability to essentially re-write “Trapezoid” at the end of the album in “Trapezoid Dub.” There’s much more music to go before that arc is completed, but it is something to keep in mind when considering the magnificent flow of the album.
Something Lettuce does as well as anything else is write true funk tunes. “Royal Highness” is a great example of this, with simple yet effective instrumentation coming together with well-organized rhythmic grooves blooming into a great dance tune. This instrumental leads in for the 60’s Ethiopian funk song, “Krewe,” which features arguably the best sax solo on the album. This track has a nice blend of high-energy rhythm with darker but upbeat instrumentation; an intriguing juxtaposition.
The cover of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is a fresh take on a classic tune. Lettuce brings the song out of its comfort zone, adding a swing, along with a more compelling instrumentation. The vocals make their debut here and do a great job of adding flavor and depth to the song, outside of simply holding down the famous melody. The bass really shines and punches along the deep end, supporting the layered vocals and the occasional soaring flute line.
Flourishing trumpet fanfares and melodic horn phrases find their rhythmic soulmate in “Larimar.” The bass heaves along with a parallel guitar line, yielding a thick baritone guitar feel without sacrificing density. This song hits in two halves; the first half being a funk groove with attitude, which transitions into a cheekier outro groove. The instrumentation remains largely the same keeping the experience of the song isolated, but still very unique in its progression. “Love Is Too Strong” is a blues rock song, heavily influenced by the gospel and blues of the 60’s, but with some more 70’s styled mixolydian guitar solos and tones. The vocals are a highlight here as well, offering a strong, resonant lead melody with a raspy blues aesthetic, with accents and emphasis being added by a backing gospel choir.
There’s a lot in this album in the way of genre, evinced by the Brian Eno/J Dilla inspired ambient hip hop instrumental, “Purple Cabbage.” Lettuce flexes their creative muscles here. The output is an atmospheric soundscape, which acts as the backdrop for an echo-laden layering of guitars to sputter around an unmistakably potent beat from Deitch. The horns, which maintain a strong presence throughout the album, remain front and center for much of the tune, stabbing right at the heart of the melody hidden in the backing soundscape the band creates. Running at just over nine-minutes, this song is steeped in timbre of all sorts. Listeners will be able to find something completely new with each listen.
To be clear, this is the case with the album as a whole. Such a diverse selection of songs can be tough to wrangle into one concise piece of work, yet Lettuce does just that. The band transforms constantly from the start to end. Their final song “Trapezoid Dub” is a different version of the first song on the album, which is hardly noticeable unless looking at the track titles. Once you notice though, it becomes apparent that the framework for both tunes are the same, but Lettuce has managed to create an entirely different listening experience. A shining example of the band’s ability to adapt and reimagine.
They change, while remaining just enough of the same Lettuce, that fans have known for all these years. The improvisational aspect is not lost among the composition, and the experimentation takes front seat just long enough for each tune (and the album in general) to have an unexpected but fulfilling arc. It’s not enough to say, “keep an eye on Lettuce.” Rather, this album marks the opportunity to appreciate their determined foray into seemingly unrelated genres and pull out exactly what pieces best fit their sound. Mesh those into tracks that are not only stunning, but also a whole lot of fun.
Last year, Brooklyn-based entertainment and production company, City Farm Presents, debuted a brand new outdoor concert series called Summer Series at Industry City. Starting this week the series is making a return for its second consecutive year. Running from the beginning of June through the end of September, the City Farm Presents Summer Series will see evening performances from over 35 artists and bands, held each night in the outdoor space of Courtyard 1/2.
While City Farm Presents was officially launched in 2017, the core team behind the company is made up of the brains behind two of Brooklyn’s most cherished indie music venues, The Bell House and Union Pool. Those who have seen intimate, one of a kind concerts and performances at these two lower Manhattan music havens know the unexpectedly special talent they often bring in.
The schedule for this season includes a lot of big, Brooklyn-born artists, like legendary afrobeat band Antibalas, JRAD’s Marco Benevento, and formative alternative rock band, Blonde Redhead. At the same time, the festival is pulling hot artists from all over the map; like Nigerian guitar prodigy, Bombino; Brazilian psychedelic rock group, Boogarins; electronic dance guru, RJD2; and indie rockers Guided By Voices, both from Dayton, Ohio.
Summer Series is in fact already underway, with R&B and hip hop artist Lady Wray scheduled to perform Friday night, and rising anti-folk artist Frankie Cosmos and her band performing Saturday night.
In addition to music, Industry City hosts a Food Hall, with a worldy menu of dining options, art installations, and more. To find out more info and to see the full schedule of music events, head to their website here.
Listening to Baby FuzZ’s Plastic Paradise is like playing a game of musical hopscotch – you’re skipping from alt-rock to indie pop to EDM. The influences that inspired the music on this album range from 70’s glam to 2000’s emo, and touches on everything in between. Spectacular hooks and danceable rhythms are he golden threads that hold it all together.
Baby FuzZ has seemed to come out of nowhere, but founder and frontman Sterling Fox has paid his dues in spades. He spent years working primarily behind the scenes as a songwriter, studio musician, and producer, working with some of the biggest names in the music industry. After years of supporting other musicians, he’s pouring his heart and soul into his own musical project.
Plastic Paradise opens with an emo anthem entitled “Burial,” then switches gears to the electro-pop number “Disneyland.” From there, it delves into a shoegaze ambiance of “Andy Warhol” and the slow ballad “I’m Still Holding Out For You.” The lyrics so far are playful and roguish. In “Disneyland,” Fox sings: “I don’t want to be your prom date. I don’t wanna take you home to meet my famz. I just wanna be a player, and ride the rides like it’s Disneyland.”
Perhaps the most poignant and honest song on the album comes about halfway through. “Cig” is a song of love and loss about someone who “drove off into the sunset, drinking pinot, singing ‘Livin’ on a Prayer.’” The sentimental reminiscence about what was and what could have been concludes; “in the end we all burn out like cigarettes.”
On the B side, “Drip Drop” is about love and loss too, but is built on a foundation of rock n’ roll, channeling some Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis vibes. “Mr. Blu” is an alternative take on a lounge song, where crooning vocals meet swimmy guitar effects. There are a couple more electronic songs on this side too, for good measure.
The album ends with the piano-driven dark ballad “Shadowland.” It feels like a reflection on the cost of being a professional entertainer, with its references to people cheering for tragic anthem, and the open road becoming the highway to Elysium. But yet, he forges on. “I was raised in plastic paradise and I’m still here, deep in Shadowland.”
Plastic Paradise is a showcase of Fox’s skill as a songwriter and performer. He’s comfortable. With a variety of styles and subject matter – in fact, he’s able to pull them off with panache.
It’s fitting that this romp through a sonic candy-land comes in bubble-gum-pink vinyl. If you enjoy the music, be sure to check out the series of music videos that accompany the songs featuring a cast of characters including puppets, a magician, and a karaoke king. Each video is like a mini art-student film which delves further into the storyline of the song.
Plastic Paradise was created with a host of collaborators in addition to band members. With two exceptions, the songs were written, or co-written by, Sterling Fox (aka Brandon Lowry). They were mixed by Chris Connors, and mastered by Emily Lazar and Pete Lyman. Album Art was created by Kristin Eichenberg and Merideth Truax, with Album Design by Ashley Pawlak.
It’s available now to purchase and stream on all major music platforms. Visit Baby FuzZ online, where you’ll find their store, stocked with music, merch, sheet music, and even a comic book about the band’s origin.
At The Well in Brooklyn, hosts Mike & Lauren invited 55 craft brewers, several local food vendors and two regional bands to come together for the 6th Annual Five Boro Craft Beer Fest. Attendees enjoyed 100+ beer and cider choices, gourmet eats and one hell of a rock ‘n’ roll show in an open, sunny setting splashed with bright and colorful street art, providing a pleasurable experience for both the palate and the eye.
The day began with a lot of hustle and bustle; craft beer vendors buzzing around, ice trucks loading in, and the bands plugging in for soundcheck. Individual tasting glasses featuring the rockin’ Five Boro Craft Beer Fest logo were lined up at the registration table, the guest line formed and at 4 P.M. the party began. The event was an all-inclusive one, wristbands provided attendees with all you can eat, drink and dance for the duration of the afternoon into the evening.
Beers were flowing, toes were tapping and it was time for some snacks. Staying true to the well balanced theme of the day, the food vendors provided festival goers choices of all things sweet, salty, savory, spicy and tangy to compliment the plethora of liquid libations. Traze, a Queens-based food shop that offers up gourmet “grandma-style” pizza were slinging slices as fast as the brews were pouring. Little Chef, Little Kitchen, a personal chef service served up “adobo chicken and waffle bites,” the sweet and savory combo hit with the crowd. More top-notch tastiness was brought to the party by The Huntress Whiskey n’ Wings, with delicious chicken wings, Sigmund’s Pretzels,with the ever-favorite salty pretzels and Kalahari Biltong, providing samples of “air dried, thinly sliced beef” a provision that beer drinkers, hikers, campers, festival goers alike would find handy. None went hungry at the 6th Annual Five Boro Craft Beer Fest, that is for sure.
Little Chef Little Kitchen serving up “adobo chicken & waffle bites”
Traze slinging little slices of pizza heaven.
The Huntress dishing out a variety of addicting chicken wings and flavors.
Kalahari Biltong sharing their “air dried thin beef.”
Next, the tunes. First to take the stage was Black Brant, a rock trio hailing from New Jersey. Comprised of Pat Seiler (guitar), Mike McCabe (bass), and Shawn Latham (drums), the threesome got the crowd moving with a wide array of cover songs ranging from alternative, reggae, blues and classic rock. Sing-a-longs and “rock-on!’s” were heard coming from the dancing crowd.
After a short changeover, Brooklyn-based band Of Clocks And Clouds hopped on stage. The stage and crowd warmed by Black Brant, they started right into a strong set of rock ‘n’ roll. Of Clocks And Clouds is comprised of Brooklyn-bred brothers Joe Salgo (guitar, vocals), Tom Salgo (lead guitar, vocals), Nick Salgo (drums), Russian-born Yuri Soussov (bass), and Connecticut native Zander Ryzinski (keys/synth), forming a powerful force that is both predictable and imperceptible; much like clocks and clouds. The first set featured several original songs and closing out with a saucy rendition of Cream’s “Sunshine Of Your Love.” OCAC opened the second set with “Worst Look,” into an impressive, hard hitting cover of Metallica’s “For Whom The Bell Tolls,” led by drummer Nick Salgo on vocals. The sun was starting to set, the crowd was having a blast and the band jammed out six more big, emotive, rock tunes closing with another bang “Who I Am,” led by drummer Nick Salgo. The song is new to their repertoire, but quickly became a staple fan-favorite.
Black Brant, rockers from New Egypt, New Jersey Brooklyn band Of Clocks And Clouds close out the night.
The 6th Annual Five Boro Craft Beer Fest was an incredible success, a great time was had by all. Sunshine, delicious food, tasty brews, great music, friends and family all made for an event that will be attended year after year. For more information on this event, the breweries, provisions, and musicians, visit the Five Boro Craft Beer Fest website.
Brooklyn Bowl was host to the 3rd annual Relix Live Music Conference this past week, featuring speakers from every corner of the live music industry. Attendees gathered, eager to absorb as much knowledge as possible from the scheduled panels, ready to gain inspiration in one of the most iconic venues in the live music scene. Peter Shapiro, Seth Hurwitz, David Fricke and Warren Haynes were a few of the legends that sat on stage to share their insight.
Throughout the two-day conference, there was one common denominator – community. It is clear that the live music industry has created a family comprised of staff, fans and artists themselves. The live music scene provides a sense of “home.”
Day 2- A Conversation With Warren Haynes & Rolling Stone’s David FrickeDay 2- In Conversation: Peter Shapiro & Seth Hurwitz
The Relix Live Music Conference showcased entrepreneurs, activists, journalists and everything in between. One of the conference’s highlights included a panel on social media featuring Roger McNamee, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist and author of the book Zucked. In the panel moderated by Dean Budnick of Relix, McNamee discussed the ubiquity of social media in our lives today and what companies like Facebook and Google do to retain as much data about us as they can. One particular poignant comment by McNamee was that despite his resistance to Facebook, the bands he’s involved in need the platform to stay viable.
Not only did Brooklyn Bowl and Peter Shapiro host a great networking and professional event, they also hosted some incredible bands to close out the event.
Midnight North and Lucky Chops took the stage, one that had just been warmed up by a who’s-who of the music industry, to provide a night of music that certainly did justice. Midnight North is a San Francisco based Rock/Americana band with a tight, timeless sound. Guitar, vocals and charisma from Grahame Lesh led the band through a thoughtful set of true rock ‘n’ roll.
Lucky Chops, a New York City-based brass band with a self-dubbed genre, “Happy Horns,” closed out the night with a huge breath of wind instrument spectacle. Comprised of Josh Holcomb (trombone), Daro Behroozi (tenor sax), Joshua Gawel (trumpet), Charles Sams IV (drums) and the incredible Raphael Buyo, aka Patchy Brian Sousaphone. The band closed out the third show of its Brooklyn Bowl album release residency in support of their soon-to-be-released crowd-funded album with a hefty mix of new songs and their longtime repertoire. Keeping with the beat of the previous two shows, Lucky Chops welcomed several friends to the stage including former bandmates, high school band classmates, and a special guest from Snarky Puppy.
Some say that time is an illusion, a human construct, a shimmer in the otherwise bright light of life. The passage of time, however, is a certainty, leaving its trace strewn throughout the landscape and in between the years as they come and go. After a one-year hiatus, preceded by a decade of non-stop creativity, the jam scene powerhouse quartet Dopapod has set May 24 as the day to unveil to the world their interpretation of this concept, ironically immortalized via their latest album, Emit Time.
Dopapod has always had a knack for tricking time. Odd time signatures, overlapping melodic content, and live improvisation that extends the length of their songs beyond their studio counterparts mark the bulk of their compositions. Their palindromic album titles wink to the infinite nature of time and they’ve broken the rules in the past by performing intricate works in reverse. This new collection is a true emission of time, containing never-before-heard songs among others that have been in the live rotation for a few years. As many creative people will tell you, true artists must have the ability and see the necessity to keep pushing forward, to embrace the inevitability of growth and change. This band has taken strands of their DNA and weaved them into works that feel fresh. They are unfamiliar in their display yet familiar to the Dopapod formula of rock solid rhythms,
The album opens with a lone pulsating organ that bursts wide open into a deep-pocket funk beat with a chomping guitar riff. “Numbers Need Humans” is a testament to the “live in the moment” attitude that energizes so much of the progressive jam scene. As was proven with the first song in the second set at the band’s recent Capitol Theatre reunion gig, this track is a great opener, prepping listeners by reminding them, “Time is all we have / So let’s have a good time.” Placed before a tightly executed guitar solo, the lyrics operate as a thematic entrance for the topic at hand through the rest of the album. “Tick tock, hands move around the clock / On the dot, that’s when time stops.”
Following in the order of when it was released as a single, “Test of Time” comes second. This 7-minute, multi-section, progressive number is evidence that the layers time has piled onto this group are beginning to show signs of evolution. Guitarist Rob Compa leads the way, singing through a “gateway to another time.” Next to a familiar synth hook, sure to cue Eli’s signature head-bop, there is a rocking chorus and expressive singing, something that has made more and more of an appearance in Dopapod music on the last few albums and certainly on this one.
“23 Forever” gives bassist Chuck Jones a turn on lead vocals, bringing his sense of humor to a memorable and extremely catchy chorus. This song feels like the band is revisiting a funny memory and having a good laugh about it. Another new song, “Live In The Dream” offers a consistent mid-tempo groove that gets progressively aggressive leading up to its guitar solo crescendo. A descending vocal round, “..live in the dream, live in the dream, live in the dream,” leads the song down to a decisive close.
For the most part, this collection of songs is the most thematic that Dopapod has released as an album. As mentioned by Eli in the bands press release for Emit Time, “Interestingly, we had been developing a semi-concept album about time and time travel before the hiatus.” In combination with the feelings from that hiatus, a new album about time and time travel feels pretty appropriate.
Still leaving room for some road tested material, “Superbowl” and “Weedie” give the album a taste of the past. “Superbowl,” a song debuted in 2016, slows up the pace but is a well-crafted atmospheric blend of synthesizer, orchestral strings, and resounding guitar. From there, “Weedie” hits with a guitar-heavy rock riff. Again, the lyrical content refers to the mindful present-living ethos, “We have our ups and downs / But life is lived in the now.”
“Landmines” is another debut that starts to bring the album down on its two-song final descent. The bulk of this song is based on a down-tempo 16th note groove, accentuated by a tinge of spy-guitar reminiscent of something to be found in a classic James Bond film. The mid-section, however, creates a distinct change with a straightforward rock progression and brief organ solo. As it peaks, the main theme is called back as Rob plays passionately with a slide. The final track, “Whale (I Am),” is a beautifully executed landing that pairs a drifting and uncluttered tone with delicate keyboard lines and airy vocals.
Though the album seems short in length at 8 songs, it clocks in around 45 minutes in total. It does unload a powerful punch with its production and covers a lot of ground, but it still feels like there is room to tag on one or two more tracks. “Superbowl” begins to feel a tad drawn out at the end and the album’s finale might benefit from a more energetic closing jam. Dopapod fans are a hungry bunch and when you’re as creative as these guys, new songs are always welcomed.
Dopapod has executed their return well. They have managed to keep their fan base interested and committed for an entire year, without playing a single show, just by promising to come back. They made good on that promise, they have fresh material to present, and are keeping their appearances this summer to a unique minimum. The focus on ideas relating to time make this a relatable and inspiring listen. The band does a great job of exploring creative opportunities here, testing the potential of their inventive approach to music by applying it in new ways, taking them in new directions.
Key Tracks: “Numbers Need Humans,” “Live In The Dream” and “Weedie.”
Griz’ Ride Waves: Season One tour rolled into Brooklyn’s Kings Theater last week. Griz is an electronic music producer and saxophonist from Southfield, MI who combines the saxophone with his self described “future funk,” electro-soul, hip-hop and funk beats.
Griz
Ride Waves is Griz’ fifth album, and came after a prolonged hiatus from social media and music. Griz used this time to hone his craft and travel the country while recording new music. He was able to recruit talent such as Snoop Dogg, Matisyahu, Bootsy Collins and Dram, as well as address social issues like gun control. He also recorded his first rap verse.
King’s Theater warmly welcomed Griz and his openers, Dwilly and Yung Bae. LA-based DJ and producer Dwilly took the stage first and delivered urban pop beats and remixes that got the crowd moving. Yung Bae, the Portland-based producer who has amassed millions of streams on Spotify, followed with his disco-centric funky beats.
Fans enjoy the Yung Bae set.
The crowd was on their feet as Griz took the stage. His setup included a raised area for his DJ equipment and saxophone, and an area to perform near the front of the stage, with a huge LED display illuminating with positive messages. Griz was accompanied on stage by guitarist Muzzy Bearr, vocalist Chrishira, and horn/trumpet players.
“Can’t Get Enough” featured Griz’ first rap verse, and showed his depth and talent. He sounded great and the crowd was loving it. The lyrics pulsated in bold letters behind him, and the light show was incredibly well timed.
Guitarist Muzzy Bearr, Griz, and vocalist Chrishira
The saxophone and guitar combination in “Caught Up” has a classic disco funk meets reggae feel. It’s hard to not start dancing, and that is exactly what the crowd did.
“It Gets Better” emanated with positivity, and combined elements of hip-hop, jazz and funk into one danceable tune. The LED screen displayed the lyrics and was a positive reinforcement of the chill vibe. The crowd enjoyed the song, and was singing along in unison by the end.
Griz seamlessly intertwines his funk and hip hop beats with positivity and the saxophone, creating pure musical bliss in Brooklyn. This show was an enjoyable party, from start to end, that is not to be missed.
The New Mastersounds will hone in onBrooklyn Bowl Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18 for two nights, back-to-back, in honor of their 20th anniversary of creating music together. The intimate yet energetic venue encapsulates the explosive nature of the band – that is, if their kinetic energy can be jam packed into such a short window.
Each night will host two evening sets and a Saturday matinee. Friday will feature support from Lamar Williams Jr. on vocals, saxophonist, Jason Mingledorff and Mike Olmos on trumpet on top of the Leeds-based quartet. Doors at 6 pm. Set one at 8:45 pm and a follow up set at 10:15 pm.
Saturday brings on a support band, Control The Sound, for an all ages show with doors at noon. Later on, The New Mastersounds reignite for a recurrence of Friday’s collaboration, mirroring an identical lineup and set times.
The time to celebrate is now. The band’s vast accomplishments and endless discography is complimented by the recent 7” record release. A-side’s “Shake It,” featuring Brooklyn Bowl guest Williams Jr. and B-Side’s “Permission to Land,” featuring Jeff Franca are quintessential NMS, horn-driving and grooving from the start. Written and recorded in Denver, CO, the record was put out by guitarist’s Eddie Roberts own label, Color Red. The release coincided with the two-night appearance at House of Blues New Orleans earlier this month during Jazz Fest. Respectively so, it would only be appropriate to give New York the same courtesy.
More inside The New Mastersounds:
From Leeds, United Kingdom, to the heart of American soul, The New Mastersounds are intuitive to a sonic mold created by their audience. Over the past 20 years, NMS have emerged as one of the prominent bands in a new-funk scene. Elevator-esque consciousness fuses with razor-sharp funk and syncopated drums that results in a dancing frenzy.
The band’s short instrumental songs, what drummer Simon Allen, refers to as a post-Grateful Dead jam band scene with a “snappy, quirky funk,” stretches across the pond. Distinctive as Tatton’s Hammond organ itself, the band shimmers, shines and grooves beyond belief. NMS are hard to stump, fueled by necessity, gritty grooves and the deep rhythms that leak through the cracks of a late-night dance club rage. New generations of people flood, in an overwhelming word-of-mouth craze.
NMS engages the audience directly and harnesses their energy. All of this translates to a unique concept that Allen refers to as “believing in the groove.” By stripping the groove down and keeping it going, it makes the music consistent. Suddenly, fans hip to the groove burst out in dance. NMS generated this loop-like feel of today’s electronic music to give listeners something to hold on to.
At its core, NMS found a common interest in Black American music in the 1960s spun by DJs in Leeds. EDM Electronica was hip and the band quickly began to add this ammunition into their arsenal.
