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Is Jazzanova’s Of All Things The Album of the Year?

It’s not that I don’t like “street” hip-hop, or the pop music that plays on the radio, it’s just that I feel sorry that most of America won’t ever hear this new album from Jazzanova, and it’s my duty to spread the word. We already heard the collaboration with Phonte that I posted in October, however, I’m just getting around to copping the album, and it’s so good that I almost want to cry.  Even though I still believe that this neo-Motown sound needs to die a slow death, I will make exceptions for tracks like ” I Can See,” which takes the sound and modernizes it to perfection.

(ok, the video is a little suspect, but whatever)

The track, “Rockin’ you Eternally,” has Leon Ware & Dwele leans towards 70s era soul, which is a no brainier since Ware collaborated Marvin Gaye, Minnie Ripperton, and The Jackson 5 back in the day. Again, solid production and amazing vocals make this song a masterpiece. This track is a Leon Ware cover. My bad, people.

Seriously, is there any better R&B/Soul track released this year? If you think so, let me know in the comments.

Tags: Dwele, Jazzanova, Leon Ware, Phonte

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Album Review: Foreign Exchange - Leave it All Behind

Foreign Exchange
Leave It All Behind

Netherlands producer Nicolay, and MC, Phonte one half of Little Brother have come together for their second Foreign Exchange effort entitled Leave it All Behind. With Nicolay moving to North Carolina where Phonte is from and still resides, one would think studio sessions as opposed to the Internet and file sharing that occurred while Nicolay was stationed in the Netherlands would be more frequent. Wrong, the combo figured if it worked, why fix it? As well, with our current economic state where gas is $4.00 per/gallon even though they’re in the same state, money is money.

Lyrically we were all privy to Phonte’s singing qualifications on the first FE album in addition to the sample we received on the first LB album the Listening, and in this day in age where Andre3000, Pharrell, and as of recent Kanye West have flirted with expanding their lyricism to carry a melodic tune this is one of the best experiments from the aforementioned group of artists. Phonte delivers real time stories that everyone has or will experience and can relate to, the disturbing reality is since the disappearing acts of D’Angelo and until recently Maxwell there hasn’t been act[s] besides the usual suspects that have written vivid experiences of life and love. You won’t hear Tigallo talking about buying a drink or getting someone is his ride but you will hear stories with a clear, distinct and fresh Nicolay sound that is in the same vein as the debut FE album. Since his solo efforts and producing for other artists Nicolay meshes perfectly with the North Carolinian and they sound as if they’ve done this before.

FE also reintroduces the world to Washington, DC’s own Muhsinah, who was heavily featured on the album, if you don’t know her, she was recently on tour with Common as a background artist and singer and she has her own EP entitled Daybreak and she proves to play the perfect supporting role on tracks like “House of Cards” and “Daykeeper.” Overall, Leave it All Behind is more than an experiment but a work that stretches the possibilities of good music and makes people forget about the purpose of genres.

Tags: Muhsinah, Nicolay, Phonte, The Foreign Exchange

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R&B

New Music: Jazzanova feat. Phonte: “Look What You’re Doin’ To Me”

Jazzanova feat. Phonte - “Look What You’re Doin’ To Me”

Phonte is putting his singing skills to work…first with Zo! and his 80s joint, then with the excellent new Foreign Exchange album, and now with a new track from German beatmakers Jazzanova, which highlights his finest vocal work to date.

The track is featured on Jazzanova’s latest album Of All Things, which combines beatmaking with live recording and also features Dwele and Jose James. Of All things drops next week.

myspace.com/jazzanovask

(via SoulBounce)

Tags: Jazzanova, Little Brother, Phonte

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Hip-Hop

Album Preview: Foreign Exchange - Leave It All Behind

Foreign Exchange - Leave It All Behind (Album Sampler)

I’ve been listening to this album sampler for a day now and I’m hooked. I will leave my final judgements for when the official copy slides my way, but so far, Leave It All Behind is making me excited for music again. From first listen, Leave It All Behind carries Nicolay’s already smoothed out beats further into the downtempo territory, and so far Phonte’s move from MC to vocalist is proving more than surprising.

For more information, check out the Foreign Exchange site.

Tags: Foreign Exchange, Little Brother, Phonte

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Upcoming DC Shows: Mos Def, Chromeo, Kool Keith, Clipse, Wale

Wow, the line-up of shows for September and October in this city is going to be insane. Mos Def is going to be in town this weekend at the Kennedy Center (don’t get mad if you didn’t buy tickets–I warned y’all) doing his rendition of hip-hop and jazz classics. Should be tight. Phonte rolls through Busboys and Poets on Monday night and Raphael Saadiq comes BACK to Black Cat for MN8’s 7th Anniversary celebration on the 25th.

October is going to be insane. Girl Talk, Chromeo, and Hot Chip take over 9:30 Club and my homegirl Lykke Li takes on the Black Cat on the 19th.

Much thanks to Lady Glock for helping compile the list.

Sept 21st - Mos Def at the Kennedy Center (Sold Out)

Sept 22nd - Phonte of Little Brother and Zo! Q&A - Busboys and Poets

Sept 22nd - Upset The Setup Presents: Band In DC feat Ras Lidj & Deep Band and Godisheus - Velvet Lounge

Sept 25th - Clipse feat Wale, Consequence and Southeast Slim - University of Maryland

Sept 26th - The Chavy Boys of London (Scottie B, Shawn Caesar, King Tutt), Will Eastman, Gavin Holland, Dj Stereofaith - Rock and Roll Hotel

Sept 28th - Raphael Saadiq - The Black Cat

Oct 2 - Ratatat - Black Cat (Sold Out)

Oct 3 - Kool Keith - 9:30 Club

Oct 4 - Chromeo - 9:30 Club

Oct 8 - Hot Chip - 9:30 Club

Oct 9 - Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra - Black Cat

Oct 10 - Girl Talk - 9:30 Club (Sold Out)

Oct 15 - Janet Jackson - Verizon Center

Oct 19 - Lykke Li - Black Cat

Oct 20 - Talib Kweli, David Banner and B.O.B. - 9:30 Club

Oct 26 - Little Brother - Black Cat

BONUS:

Nov 1 - Murs and Kidz In the Hall - Rock and Roll Hotel

Tags: Girl Talk, Mos Def, Phonte, Raphael Saadiq

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As the Phonte Turns…

More Phonte drama. Man, the dude can’t catch a break. Now, Eternia (whom we’ve featured a couple times on this site), is all upset because Phonte called her Tit-ernia in a joking matter and sent her off the deep end.

According to her MySpace blog, after the “incident”, she ” I felt as small as…. as small as Phonte would feel if a white businessman he respected shook his hand one day, greeting with a smile and an embrace, calling him “boy” more than once repeatedly.” And now, she’s no longer a little brother fan and will most likely rish her professional and personal relationships over a cheesy come on line.

I never got the chance to meet Eternia in person. We kicked a few emails back and forth, and she seemed like a cool chick. (She’s Canadian, so that means that you’ve never heard of her.) But I gotta side with Phonte on this one. If you go off the deep end when someone calls you “Titernia,” then, as Phone responds, “this is a symptom of a much larger personal issue.”

As a dude, we’ve all been in this situation. We say something that’s slightly vulgar (but seriously, is that vulgar?), yet absolutely harmless and the female blows it out of proportion. In fact, there are girls who aren’t speaking to me to this very day because of things I might have said in jest. It’s not a big deal. Don’t ether your career just cause some dude is starin’ at your boobies.

Oh, and Little Brother haters like Tit-ra Henley are reveling in this one. Go figure.

Tags: Eternia, Little Brother, Phonte

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