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New Music, R&B

New Music: Leela James

Leela James - A Change is Gonna Come

(buy from Amazon)

Leela James almost became the victim of numerous major record label mergers and acquisitions. Her new album, A Change is Gonna Come has been delayed for almost 2 years because of record industry reshuffling.

A Change is Gonna Come, gets its title from the 1964 socially charged civil rights anthem by Sam Cooke. In fact, Leela credits most of her style to the soul singers from back in the day, such as Gladys Knight, Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Chaka Kahn. Although this album sounds like it could have been born in the mid 70s, it features todays hottest producers, such as Raphael Saadiq, Wyclef Jean, and the ubiquitous Kanye West. Much credit also goes to James Poyser (of the famed Axis Music Studio) and Chucky Thompson as well for creating Leela???s silky sound.

On her first single, “Music,” this LA-based singer complains about the lack of creativity and the overly misogynistic lyrics on urban radio today. The lines, “We don't sing no more,” and “All the Soul is Gone,” make frequent appearances in the chorus. Of course, this clichéd theme has been used too many times by too many underground artists to count, but even so, by the end of the track you will be singing Leela???s praises as well.

The rest of the album is a mix of soulful vocals and timeless lyrics, influenced by Leela's love for hip hop and her Southern upbringing. Leela doesn???t have to revert to shakin' her booty like Beyonce or flaunting her sexuality like Lil' Kim to make waves. Instead, Ms. James will fit perfectly in your CD collection if you already like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and Angie Stone.

Leela's album, A Change is Gonna Come is in stores now, and she will be performing at the “Stone Cold” Picnic in Washington DC on July 30. More information on Leela can be found at her website.

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Politics + Music Television = Spreading Old Messages to New Viewers

Nick Cannon's new video for his song Can I Live? may raise some eyebrows.

The concept of the video is taken from the true story of Cannon's mother. Based on the visual, she apparently considered having an abortion when she found out she was pregnant with Cannon, but changed her mind last minute.

In the video, Nick Cannon follows his “mom” (played by Tatiana Ali…that's right, Ashley from Fresh Prince) into an abortion clinic. Through his singing and that of Anthony Hamilton, Cannon convinces the young woman to keep her baby, who will eventually become a superstar singer/comedian/actor.

In the video for Kanye West's latest track Diamonds (From Sierra Leone), little black eyed children tell horror stories of how they are bought, sold and killed in the diamond mines. The video ends by flashing “Please buy conflict free diamonds.”

With these videos and the soon-to-be taped Live 8 concert, it seems that musicians with a conscious are on the rise again. And while artists have always seemingly been aware of the world outside their champagne and gem encrusted lives, the messages they are promoting are different than previous ones.
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Music News

I love it when you call me big lawsuit

Biggie’s mysterious death lives on in a wrongful death suit.

A former FBI informant and key witness in the Notorious B.I.G. wrongful death trial has backed away from a previous statement linking a rogue police officer to Death Row Records.

Kevin Hackie’s testimony on Wednesday was a blow to the slain New York rapper’s family, which has filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles and its police department. The trial was to resume Thursday.

Hackie, a former bodyguard for rapper Tupac Shakur, denied several remarks attributed to him in a June 2004 declaration prepared by plaintiffs’ attorneys, including an assertion that a former officer, David Mack, “was a covert agent” for Death Row Records.

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New Music: Sy Smith

I first heard about Sy Smith when I recorded the Podcast with Anthony David. He said that Sy's new album, The Syberspace Social, is (in his own words), “Coooollllldddd Bloooooded.”

I most definitely agree.

First Sa-Ra, then J*Davey, and now Sy Smith. LA is now the king when it comes to progressive R&B.

Ms. Smith is armed to take over your headphones in 2005 with The Syberspace Social, bringing a sound reminiscent of outernational superstar Kelis.

This CD will delight your ears and massage your mind. The album lends some of its production credit to Nicolay, the man responsible for the Foreign Exchange which dropped last year. Sy brings heavy doses of space funk to the table, and takes her genre to a new level.

Smith is not a newcomer to the music scene. Growing up in Washington, DC, Sy has performed extensively in our city's go-go circuit. After taking over DC, she moved to LA, where she has appeared on the hit Fox television series Ally McBeal, and has produced music on several TV shows and movies.

Smith will be performing this Sunday night at Raheem DeVaughn's Chocolate City Cotton Club in Takoma Park, DC.

More Information:
Sy Smith - official website
Sy Smith at Myspace.com

Album Information:

Sy Smith - The Syberspace Social

Buy from MobileUnderground.com

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The Couch Sessions Podcast 002: Anthony David

Atlanta artist Anthony David is a throwback to the soul legends of the 60s and 70s. On his album, 3 Chords and The Truth, David blends his love of guitar with soulful vocals and soothing melodies.

After growing up in Savannah, Georgia, David moved to the music mecca of Atlanta to pursue his career. While in Atlanta, he developed a friendship with recording artist and Grammy winner India Arie. Anthony's music parallels India's organic soul influences.

David talks to us about his influences, the term “neo soul”, and working with India. His album, 3 Chords & The Truth is in stores now.

Podcast:

• Couch Sessions Podcast #1 - Anthony David (MP3 - 18MB)
• Podcast RSS Feed

More Info:

• 3 Chords & the Truth - Buy from Amazon
• Anthony's Official Website
• Anthony's MySpace Site

Artists that Anthony Mentions:

• India Arie

• Sy Smith
• Platinum Pied Pipers
• Bebel Giberto

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Hear Hope

I don't know why, but lately I've had a soft spot for female R&B singers. I've been diggin' Kierstin Gray, J*Davey, YahZarah, Sy Smith for the past few weeks, and now Hope has been added to my that list.

I don't know much about this singer other than the fact that she's playing at the Temple Bar in Santa Monica, CA this Friday (June 24th). However, these two teaser tracks from her album look very promising.

• Hope - “The Rain Don't Last” (MP3)
• Hope - “Under The Moon (Teaser)” (MP3)

“The Rain Don't Last” is a terriffic acoustic soul track, while “Under the Moon” has some serious Sade influences. (from HearHope.com)

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Advertising

Old Skool Basketball Meets Cool Advertising

Mos Def teams up with Converse in order to promote their old skool shoes.

It’s been on tv a lot, but it’s a pretty cool commercial.

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Independent Film

Short Films in Brooklyn

FlatFoot Fête presents - The Screening, a night of shorts and works-in-progress

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 ??? 7pm ??? 10pm
Sputnik
262 Taaffe Pl
Brooklyn, NY

Why catch a film in the dark when you can enjoy a film salon with other creative minds?

The Screening is a monthly series exploring the creative process through shorts and works-in-progress. The intimacy of the gathering allows for a loose exchange between filmmakers and an audience of artists and creative-influencers. Always welcoming submissions.

(more info after the jump)
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Don't Care What You May Say…We Got that Attitude!

In 2003, a documentary called Afro Punk emerged on the film festival circut. The film tells the stories of many young people who listen to punk rock and are in the scene as fans, musicians and promoters of the genre. The one thing they have in common is they all share the experience of being black.

Within a music genre that was historically known for being about a “minority” audience (i.e. working class youth who wanted to rebel against the upperclass elite), the concept of race within the scene was never really questioned. Everyone was equal under the punk rock flag. Afro Punk definitely turns that idea on its head. It forces the audience to look and question what it is like to really be the only black face in a sea of white.

The film has over 80+ “Afro Punks” but focuses mainly on four individuals, each of whom have a different relationship to the music and the scene. Spooner follows these four through their daily routines while each describes his or her own difficulties and insecurities with being a black punk. Each one raises different questions about the varying comfort levels many young black people in the punk scene feel. The sentiments range from denying any sort of connection to race as a form of identity to using blackness as inspiration from which the music stems. Interspersed are bits and pieces from the various other interviews Spooner conducted. Whether it is talking about the influence Bad Brains had on the punk rock scene to the feeling of being the only black person at a concert, it is clear that these experiences are common enough, yet seem to go unnoticed under the punk ideal of equality.
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What Makes a Pop Song?

A group of sociologists at Columbia University are attempting to answer this very question. The Sociology department, with the help of funding from the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, has created the Columbia University Music Lab, an online experiment set up to gather information on how people form their musical tastes.

Matthew Salganik, a graduate student and one of the researchers conducting the study, says, “We became really interested in why some bands become popular while similar bands don't.”

One of the main inspirations for this study was current pop sensation Nora Jones. “She is a good singer, but there are plenty of other people who are just as good,” Salganik explains. He and his colleagues, Columbia University Professor Duncan Watts and Dr. Peter Dodds of the ISERP, designed this study to determine how and why people choose certain music.
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