In London again yesterday and after a particularly stuffy-roomed
meeting near the Houses of Parliament with a few rather difficult
people, a lovely walk up St James' Park and through Horseguards
Parade (flags fluttering in the winter sun reflecting off ancient
windows) up Charing Cross Road and through Soho to meet Jessie and
pass the decorations in Carnaby Street (right). It really is
another world. Look carefully and you'll see that the snowman's
anus is fitted with a loudspeaker. Fortunately these were not
active at the time!
It seems to be the season of missed gigs, I'm going to have to get
my priorities sorted out.
Get on with it - Val Emmich
(New Jersey, USA)
I played
Hurts more later
on SnC 141. Since then Val has joined the cast of
Ugly Betty, as a recurring character.
Val is playing Jesse, Betty's love interst and a musician (no type
casting there then). Ugly Betty is screening on ABC in the
States.
http://valemmich.com/
www.myspace.com/valemmich
Ibobodub - Manze Dayila and the Nago
Nation (St Marc. Haiti)
That song is taken from her album
Solé. You may have already come across
her music.
Haitian New Yorker, Manze Dayila, was inspired to write "CHANGE
(The Barack Obama Song)" after being invited to perform at an
Obamarama rally in her Brooklyn, NY neighborhood. Inspiration for
an anthem stating "Barack Obama is my president," struck one
morning in the shower and the rest is now history-in-the-making on
YouTube, Myspace & Facebook.
This video is available for viewing and the MP3 single is available
for free download on her site.
www.manzedayila.com
www.myspace.com/manzedayila
www.cdbaby.com/manzedayila
Giraffe - Afterthem (East
Brunswick, NJ, USA) [Drop.io]
Afterthem describes their sometimes polished...sometimes raw music
as "Avant Garage Funk"...Keyboardist and alleged vocalist Dave
George sites Frank Zappa as one of his musical heroes....Lead
vocals are done mostly by Joy Epting but they also have featured
guest singers Laurel Barclay (of New York rockers "Daddy") and Liz
Matta...who also plays sax but neither are on this track - I
think.
Dave says you should hurry and buy their music while it is still
inexpensive because even as you read this they will be attending
conferences and seminars so they can take their music to the "next
level"
Windy Jones...Bass...
D.George...Keyboards...
Joe Positive...Guitars...
Richard Johnson...Bass
Tomar DeFresco...Vocals
Giraffe is taken from
their new CD
Time Is Fun When
You're Having Flies
cdbaby.com/afterthem8
www.myspace.com/afterthem
The Answer - Josh Charles
(Brooklyn, New York)
"Since I was a kid, I've played the gamut -- the worst dive bars
with piano keys so jagged that I cut up my fingers every night,
some amazing concert halls, outdoor festivals, great clubs and even
floating theaters at sea. My mentor/teacher and friend is Dr. John
and I can say that I am blessed to have had the opportunity to
learn from a master."
Josh has just released his debut Josh Charles EP which features
members of Dr. John's band, his touring band, and was recorded in
New Orleans and New York.
www.joshcharlesmusic.com/
www.myspace.com/joshcharlesonline
A really interesting set of influences here.
Munya - Yaya Ouedraogo
(Shimotsuruma, Kanagawa, Japan)
From his album
Clay
Bora.
Yaya Ouedraogo, 22, musician from African street is singing the
message of peace with African traditional music. Yaya, for long
time, has not known his age. But he never thinks it really matters.
Once he was asked by his friends when his birthday is, and he
answered 'Everyday'. He says that he thanks everyday for that fact
that his life is still continuing, and he wants to celebrate for
that fact.
He is a survivor: survived through African poverty with his luck
and his strong will, When he was in his mother's womb, his mother
used 'African medicine' to cease his life, but he survived. When he
was born, he was left in the street of Burkina Faso.
www.imeem.com/people/SgBG5FZ
Darkside of the Blues - Alexandria
Quartet (London, Bergen and Sømna, Norway)
I played this track in an "extra” mini-show that I slipped in last
weekend to let you know about the very first
Get Wanted night that I wanted to
get to but was totally unable to make. I thought the sound here was
really interesting - some great vocal work. My thanks to Øystein
for getting the track to me so quickly.
Based in Bergen, Norway's main student city and the country's
unofficial pop epicentre, the Quartet have been holed up in studios
and rehearsal rooms for the last 18 months polishing their
album.
Martin Skålnes - vox, git, keys
Øystein Braut - guitars
Kim Åge Furuhaug - drums
Chris Holm - bass
www.thealexandriaquartet.com
This - Tryad (USA, France,
etc)
I've played a couple of tracks by Tryad in the past couple of weeks
and I've been in touch with band-member Vavrek who tells me that
Jamendo have flown him over from the States to perform a show with
a live band on Wednesday of next week, 26th November. I have been
trying very hard to get to get there but it just hasn't worked out,
yet. I'm committed to a meeting in Birmingham in the English
midlands in the afternoon and I just don't think I can get to Paris
in time for the show nor the 6pm press conference. SO frustrating.
If you can, it starts at 7pm and is at
Glaz Art on Avenue Porte de Villette,
Paris 19e quite near the Periferique.
The show features three artists, the Parisian rockers Hype,
Drunksouls from Aix-en-Provence (France) and Tryad. Of course all
three are on Jamendo.
http://tryad.org/
www.myspace.com/tryad
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/tryad
Promenons nous dans les bois - Drunksouls
(Aix-en-Provence, France)
A strange team composed by a former dictator, a pedalo world
champion(the famous Brazilian star Borgelao), a vicious
missionaire, an Eric Clapton sosie and a couple of Chuck Norris fan
twins. Don't be scared by their troubled individual path, just
listen to the music they perform together and take a look at the
rather fun video at
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Bueeu_7aBeE
www.drunksouls.com/
www.myspace.com/drunksouls
The Galway Fiddler - Linda
Welby (Galway, Ireland)
A native of Loughrea, and now living in Roscahill, Co. Galway,
Linda Welby has a very defined vision of where she is going and
what is important to her in life. As a composer, songwriter, multi
instrumentalist and singer, music has always been at the forefront
for Linda. "I love music and have a great interest in people with
stories to tell of the older days of singing and music". Brought up
in a very musical household with sessions on a regular basis, local
musicians would gather for an all-night song and dance affair.
"
The Galway Fiddler is an
interesting song as for me it represents the real talent that can
be found on the side of the street that isn't always showcased in
the music industry".
Other songs on the album
A story
to tell are more on the country side of Irish but there is a
really interesting influence from the like of Pat Boone and other
1950s artists getting in there in a was that really hasn't been
heard for a long time. Perhaps now is the right time. Have a listen
with fresh ears on her CD baby page where you can also get the
album.
www.lindawelby.com
http://cdbaby.com/cd/lindawelby