Category Archives: sydney funk

Music Film: MR SOUL! DOCUMENTARY, Australian Premier presented by Groovescooter at Golden Age Cinema

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Our good friends at GROOVESCOOTER are presenting the Australian Premiere of the documentary Mr. SOUL! at Golden Age Cinema this monthon the pionerring TV host Ellis Haizlip who hosted New York city’s SOUL show with an incredible mix of A-list music guests, poetry, performance and Black politics three years before SOUL TRAIN.

ABOUT /
America’s first “Black Tonight Show” was New York City’s SOUL!, with its host Ellis Haizlip ensuring the revolution would be televised! This critically acclaimed documentary features rare live performances and interviews from the likes of the legendary Al Green, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, Ashford and Simpson, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Black Ivory, Bill Withers, The Last Poets, Odetta, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Nikki Giovanni, Merry Clayton, Mandrill, Kool & the Gang, Toni Morrison, Stokely Carmichael, Patti LaBelle, Roberta Flack, Muhammad Ali, Sidney Poitier, and many more. Launched in 1968, SOUL! went on to be the first nationally broadcast all-Black variety show on television, merging artists from the margins with post–civil rights Black radical thought. At a time of great turmoil and social unrest in America, SOUL! became a platform for political expression and the fight for social justice. By 1973, Ellis Haizlip had produced over 130 hour-long shows featuring a dazzling array of A-list guests.

WHY YOU SHOULD SEE THIS FILM

From 1968 to 1973, the public-television variety show SOUL!, guided by the enigmatic producer and host Ellis Haizlip, offered an unfiltered, uncompromising celebration of black literature, poetry, music, and politics—voices that had few other options for national exposure, and, as a result, found the program an improbable place to call home. The series was among the first to provide expanded images of African Americans on television, shifting the gaze from inner-city poverty and violence to the vibrancy of the Black Arts Movement. With participants’ recollections and a bevy of great archival clips, Mr. SOUL! captures a critical moment in culture whose impact continues to resonate. Featuring Questlove, Harry Belafonte, James Baldwin, Kathleen Cleaver and many more. The soundtrack features original performances from the SOUL! series and new artists Robert Glasper performing original music score. The story unfolds with Blair Underwood as the voice of Ellis Haizlip, in a series of vignettes that are both poignant and intimate, revealing the interiority of Haizlip’s thoughts and the impetus behind Mr SOUL!.

Links:

BLOG: Stevie Wonder – Can’t Put It In The Hands of Fate (2020) Political Go-Go Funk

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Political Go-Go Funk inspired by African American struggle.. messages in music beautifully crafted by Stevie Wonder with a lot of help from Rapsody, Cordae, Chika & Busta Rhymes.

Check out more here at SW website
https://steviewonder.lnk.to/CPIITHOF

Check out more here at SW website
https://steviewonder.lnk.to/CPIITHOF

BLOG: New Jazz Funk / Soul Food – Cookin with Maceo Parker

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Funk legend Maceo Parker has just released ‘Soul Food – Cooking with Maceo,‘ his first studio album in eight years, via Mascot Label Group’s new imprint, The Funk Garage. Described by American Songwriter as “ten sizzling selections that haul buckets of funk,”thealbum finds Parker’s signature punchy saxophone sound partnering with New Orleans funk royalty to cook up a fresh selection of soul and funk classics, as well as Parker originals. The album was recorded at New Orleans House of 1000hz with Andrew “Goat” Gilchrist and producer Eli Wolf (Norah Jones, Madlib, Al Green).

‘Soul Food – Cooking with Maceo’ blends raw, old school funk with the flavors of New Orleans, featuring collaborations with Ivan Neville, Nikki Glaspie, Tony Hall, and a host of local musicians. The funky flavor of the city weaves its way through the album, as Maceo and the band take on iconic songs from Mississippi masters like Dr. John (“Right Place, Wrong Time”) The Meters (“Just Kissed My Baby”) and Allen Toussaint (“Yes, We Can Can), as well as Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady,” Prince’s “The Other Side of the Pillow” and David “Fathead” Newman’s “Hard Times.” We also get funky workouts from Parker’s own back catalogue on ‘M A C E O’ and ‘Cross The Track,” the staple song of Giles Peterson’s iconic WAG Club in Soho, London in the 1980s.

It is almost impossible to separate which came first – Maceo or the Funk. He has played with each and every leader in the funk genre, starting with James Brown in the 1960s before jumping aboard the Mothership Connection with Parliament-Funkadelic, and later spending a decade collaborating with Prince.

Maceo’s career as a band leader began in 1970, and since embarking on a second solo career in 1990 he has released a catalogue of stunningly evocative releases from Maceo and All The King’s Men ‘Doing Their Own Thing’ (1972) all the way to 2012s ‘Soul Classics.’ This is not to mention working with titans of the music world such as Keith Richards, Bryan Ferry, Living Color, Dave Matthews Band, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction and De La Soul. He has also been sampled by hip hop icons including the Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac and Busta Rhymes.

In the 1994 documentary ‘My First Name is Maceo,’ George Clinton said, ”You just transcend things and just be energy and beautiful, that’s where Maceo can play and sing, to me, that’s where I really enjoy Maceo the most.”

“One of the things that I have enjoyed about being an artist is that sooner or later it’s time to record new material. Somehow, this time around, we decided to cover some tunes. So, that’s what this album is all about. In the studio, you have the luxury of recording songs by groups that you have enjoyed throughout the years. 

Once you become a recording artist, there’s a satisfaction that you are now part of the collective group of artists that you admire. 

Maceo & All the King’s Men was the first band I formed after leaving James Brown’s group. There is a sense of pride when, as a musician, you reach a level where your own material is in stores and being played on the air. It’s almost like graduating from local musician to world-renown artist. So it was fun to revisit two songs from that period.

I’ve always been inspired by everyone, simply everyone who has worked with Ray Charles, including the Raelettes and Hank Crawford, so it’s especially nice to have included a David “Fathead” Newman tune on the album. I’ve worked with the Meters, with Dr John and Aretha Franklin over the course my rather long career, so it’s a pleasure to include some of their songs.

More than anything I miss Prince. He was a genius, so it was special to re-record a song he and I had once toyed with idea of releasing and give it that special New Orleans feel while also referencing the person I most admired growing up, the Genius Mr Ray Charles.” – Maceo Parker

‘Soul Food Cooking With Maceo’ Track List
1. Cross The Track
2. Just Kissed My Baby
3. Yes We Can Can
4. M A C E O
5. Hard Times
6. Rock Steady
7. Compared To What
8. Right Place Wrong Time
9. Other Side of the Pillow
10. Grazing In The Grass

BLOG – New Funk, Soul, Hip Hip Hop: BADGE and TALKALOT – FRAGMENTS OF THE SOUL ft. Georgia Anne Muldrow, Lisa Kekaula, Rahel, Amp Fiddler + more.

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Really feeling the Badge and Talkalot project by DJ & Producer Gilberto Caleffi after hearing a few songs a few weeks ago on Craig Charles Funk & Soul radio show.

The latest release ‘Fragments Of The Soul‘ is such a powerful listen about touching stories of life, love, heartbreak, civil rights & social politics in America beautifully told by the likes of; Georgia Anne Muldrow, Lisa Kekaula, Kevin Mark Trail, Rahel, Neco Redd & Amp Fiddler, Pugs Atomz & Psalm One, and Ian Whitelaw who all feature immaculately on the release.


More Info:
Links
https://www.facebook.com/badgeandtalkalot
https://www.instagram.com/badgeandtalkalot/
https://www.twitter.com/badge_talkalot

Badge and Talkalot is the brainchild of Gilberto Caleffi, DJ and producer with an eclectic style that straddles the genres of funk, soul, hip hop, r&b.

The new album “Fragments Of The Soul” is about life, inner feelings and the outside world, social situation and racism exposed, hurt and loss. Events you can’t control that can shatter your soul. Then the need to overcome bad things, move on and evolve. Pick up the pieces and put them together again.

Moving from the totally vintage sound of the previous album, Gilberto reintroduces samples and electronics, funky guitars, piano and a broader range of featuring artists:
Georgia Anne Muldrow, Lisa Kekaula, Kevin Mark Trail, Rahel, Neco Redd & Amp Fiddler, Pugs Atomz & Psalm One, Ian Whitelaw and Adam Topol.

“Giving Up Your Ghost” is a previously unreleased song written by Ben Harper.

credits

released April 17, 2020

CREDITS:

Gilberto Caleffi: Sampling
Geoff Woolley: Keys

Kevin Mark Trail: Vocals on Evolution, Giving Up Your Ghost
Georgia Anne Muldrow: Vocals on The Situation, Showdown
Pugs Atomz: Vocals on One Nation
Psalm One: Vocals on One Nation
Rahel: Vocals on Long Time Gone, The Wire
Lisa Kekaula: Vocals on Can’t Find Your Love
Ian Whitelaw: Vocals on Help Me
Neco Redd: Vocals on Shameless
Adam Topol: Drums on Showdown, Can’t Find Your Love
Erio Simonini: Synth on The Wire

Mixed by Michele Pazzaglia
Mastered by Giovanni Versari
Produced by Geoff Woolley and Gilberto Caleffi

Artwork by Gilberto Caleffi
Original photo by Filip Bunkens

BLOG: Tony Allen – The Story of ‘Rejoice’ – A SHORT FILM CAPTURED AT TONY ALLEN’S LAST SHOWS IN MARCH 2020 | Afro Beat African Funk Documentary

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PRAISE FOR REJOICE:“Rejoice is a remarkably coherent blend of swing and Afrobeat, featuring some
of Allen’s finest work to date and Masekela’s inimitable horn melodies shining
on numbers such as ‘Agbada Bougou.’”—The Guardian“A love letter that could only be written by two masters at the peak of their powers, a fitting send-off to a friend…it’s also a record defined by wisdom and experience. As it celebrates the end of one journey, it looks hopefully upon the start of many new ones.” 8.0/10—Pitchfork “A welcome blessing for listeners and an exquisite example of Allen and Masekela’s magnificent talents.”—Associated Press “Eight gem-like tracks that breath and groove gloriously…Thank God the tried-and-true World Circuit team was there to record it—truly one for the ages!”—Afropop Worldwide“One of the African releases of the year.” 4/5—Evening Standard“Worth the wait.” (Album of the Week)—The Sunday Times“Genuinely spectacular…stands alongside both artists’ greatest work.” 4/5—MOJO“Warm, uplifting and fizzing with both passion and virtuosity, Rejoice is not only a
fitting last will and testament from Masekela, but a glorious affirmation
of music at its most potent and universal.” 9/10—Uncut“Loose-limbed, laidback and effortlessly cool, the album
is infused with unhurried, organic joy of playing.”—The Line of Best Fit

www.worldcircuit.co.uk
www.tonyallenafrobeat.com
www.hughmasekela.co.za

UK FUNK: FLEVANS (aka Nigel Evans) – Mr. Right feat. Laura Vane (Jalapeno Records)

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Totally loving this new UK dancefloor heat by Brighton’s Multi-instrumentalist and producer Flevans.

Teaming up once again with soul songstress Laura Vane the pair offer a little nod to Chaka Khan for the bouncing and groove infused pop bubble of “Mr Right“. Prince-style harmonies weave between spoken word sections and a sensational top line from Ms. Vane, as Flevans plies his playful and funky production style expertly as always. Electro influences and dancefloor synths line up alongside horns and slap bass to create a jam that everyone can’t help but bump to. Adding more bounce to the ounce the single also includes a brand new, killer instrumental track “Speculate” – Flevans goes back to basics, mixing up gritty percussion, drums loops and vocal samples over a four to floor groove – guaranteed dance-floor heat! If you’re already salivating best to prepare a bib, this is just the entree!

More Info:
Flevans’ website
Flevans on facebook
Flevans on twitter
Flevans on bandcamp

About :

Flevans aka Nigel Evans is a multi-instrumentalist, DJ and producer based in Brighton, UK, with an eclectic yet accessible style that straddles the genres of funk, breaks, soul and electronica. Known to all the big guns in funk and soul circles, Flevans is a specialist at expertly fusing an encyclopaedic knowledge of samples and breaks with a natural talent for playing multiple instruments, resulting in killer musical concoctions that make you want to move.

Flevans‘ early work showcased a love of classic funk and soul, contemporary beats and an ear for sunny, uplifting samples. The young Flevans rolled into Brighton in the early noughties with nothing to his name but a crudely produced demo tape, lovingly assembled on a battered four-track while he should have been attending lectures at veterinary college. This tape made its way to Rob Luis who immediately signed the project up to the renowned Tru Thoughts imprint for a string of EPs. Settling in alongside label mates Bonobo and Quantic, our young Flevans found his feet quickly with his first three 12” releases on the label selling out in record time. Collecting the standout tracks of these EPs into one glorious studio album, his first LP “Make New Friends” debuted on the Brighton imprint to critical acclaim in 2004.

Flevans rode the momentum into a globe-straddling maelstrom of DJing that took him to Australia, the USA, the Cannes film festival and too many sweaty basements full of wig-flipping funk’n’breaks cognoscenti to accurately remember. The learnings and yearnings of those adventures were poured into “Unfabulous”, his 2007 release on London’s Jack to Phono label. Keeping the same focus on clever use of samples, the album demonstrated a more diverse mix of styles and started incorporating more of Flevans‘ musicianship, giving the record a more live and polished sound.

Taking a break from production duties, Flevans picked up his bass guitar and joined the Steve Lamacq-championed downtempo band Backini for a whirlwind few months of touring. Chalking up gigs at high profile venues and festivals he played Glastonbury and The Big Chill as well as recorded live sessions at Abbey Road and Maida Vale. This further encouraged a shift towards a more organic, song-based dynamic in his own work and led to Flevans’ third studio album “27 Devils” being his first totally sample-free LP. Here Flevans plays keys, bass, guitars, percussion and even lent a few vocal snippets and it’s also his first work collaborating with vocalists Sarah Scott and Shona Foster. The album was quickly snapped up by Tru Thoughts who soon after released an accompanying remix LP which featured reworks from the likes of Lack Of Afro and Regal.

2016 saw the release of “A Distant View” on LOA Records, a return to the uplifting funk and soul rhythms and hooks that made Flevans’ name. It shares a heartfelt and uninhibited approach with his earliest releases but struts and swings with a compositional and multi-instrumental confidence that has been honed over many years. Featuring contributions from keys specialist and regular Lack Of Afro collaborator George Cooper and the lithe bass playing of Greg Houghton, the new LP offers up a crisp warm sound and production finesse sharpened to a gleam by recent genre-wanderings and mastering work.

Long considered a member of the extended family, 2018 saw Flevans arrive at his spiritual home of Jalapeno Records, where he releases his 5th album “Part-Time Millionaire“. This release sees him furthering his trajectory of song-led compositions, including more collaborations than ever with the talented Elliott Cole, Laura Vane, Sarah Scott and Izo FitzRoy all lending their vocals to the record.

With 5 studio albums under his belt, countless tours throughout the world as a DJ and music placements in high profile adverts for the likes of Nokia, BSkyB & ESPN, it’s safe to say Flevans is no tenderfoot. And you can hear all his experience distilled into a finely blended brew of funk-inspired tunes on his 6th full-length “Accumulate” out May 1st 2020 on Jalapeno Records…

Soul of Sydney LOVES DIVA Vocals.. Danny Krivit Dropping Whitney Houston Acapella in 2016 at Soul of Sydney

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Danny Krivit in Sydney about this time 4 years ago.. What a magical moment seeing him drop this killer 3min acapella under purple lights.. This still gives me goosebumps..

We cant wait to do this again soon.. stay safe 

Erykah Badu & Jill Scott IG Battle – [Full Video 2.5 Hours]

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SOUL POWER: Erykah Badu & Miss Jill Scott filled us with love this morning with their all queen’s IG Battle. Love it when good music brings the world together.

A little moment in music when two QUEENS came together to show the world how it should be done. The music was amazing, but it was their interactions between each other that put the biggest smile on our faces, loved how close they are & how much positivity they give each other.

  1. Round 1: You Got Me & You Got Me (Live)
  2. Round 2: On & On & Getting In The Way
  3. Round 3: Didn’t Cha Know &. Rolling Hills
  4. Round 4: Back In The Day & Slowly Surely
  5. Round 5: Other Side Of The Game & Calls
  6. Round 6: Appletree & Whenever You’re Around
  7. Round 7: Time’s A Wastin’ & Can’t Wait
  8. Round 8: Cleva & Watchin’ Me
  9. Round 9: Danger & Fool’s Gold
  10. Round 10: Next Lifetime & Honey Molasses
  11. Round 11: Smile Today & Jahraymecofasola
  12. Round 12: I Want You & Love Rain
  13. Round 13: Love Of My Life & So In Love
  14. Round 14: The Healer & Crown Royal
  15. Round 15: Honey & A Long Walk
  16. Round 16: Bag Lady (Radio Edit) & Blessed
  17. Round 17: Window Seat & The Way
  18. Round 18: Tyrone (Live) & He Loves Me (Live)
  19. Round 19: Green Eyes & Cross My Mind

This was pure magic, Jill Scott was scheduled to play later this month at Jill Scott | Vivid LIVE – 22, 23 & 25, 26 May. I only hope this gets rescheduled once things get back to normality.

Watch full version HERE.

 

#erykahbadu #jillscott #battle #neosoul #soulmusic #badu #theroots #questlove #igbattle #verzus #Verzuz

UK Soul Jazz – Sooner of Later – Nyah Grace

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Sooner or Later from Nyah Grace’s debut album titled HONEY-COLOURED which is due out very soon.

Originally from the depths of rural Oregon, Nyah grew up listening to Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo and Estelle, artists whose neo-soul sound echoes the jazzy chord progressions of those early icons she admired, like Billie Holiday.

Nyah wanted to be a singer “but didn’t think it was a rational dream” until her Manager came on-board and introduced her to Steve Chrisanthou, the Grammy, Ivor Novello, BRIT and MOBO nominated producer/songwriter who is best known for his work with Corinne Bailey Rae and Lianne La Havas.

Now residing in the UK, she has found her musical home, and with her debut album “HONEY-COLOURED” Ms Grace with her young band are ready to take the stage. A cool, subtle Neo-soul vibe with delicious hints of jazz is awash with hooks destined to capture ears eager to hear some fresh new sounds.

Check out more via links below
https://www.nyahgrace.com/

https://www.instagram.com/_nyahgrace/
https://www.facebook.com/nyahgraceofficial/