I’m a little tardy to the party this week. A sista has been enjoying the warm weather and indulging in some of her other passions like film, football and sangria!
Here’s a look at what went down around the music blogosphere last week.
This week we finally saw videos from two of my favorite songs of 2008. “Take Off the Blues” with Foreign Exchange and “Fly Away” with Sy Smith.
Hurry and watch Prince’s video for “Crimson and Clover” and the replay of his appearance on Ellen before he sicks his big, bad web sheriff on you. [via Pinboard]
As usual Nu Soul is confabbing with another great artist. Catch up with Amel Larrieux. [via Nu Soul]
It should go without saying that this is going down as one of the top live performances I attended this year. Ain’t nothing changed.
Correction.
Something did change with this stop through DC for Phonte and Nicolay. At last, we had all of the artists that blessed Leave It All Behind on stage. DC showed it’s appreciation with a sold out venue.
Darien Brockington, who I last feasted eyes on when he performed withLittle Brother here in DC back in 2007, rejoined the tour to lend his smooth and soulful vocals (and dashing good looks – but we’re focusing on the music here!)
While it was all peaches and cream seeing DBrock perform with Foreign Exchange, I made sure to badger him after the show as to when we will see another full length effort from him.
Sir, it’s been more than a minute.
1,577, 846, give or take a few, to be exact.
He said he was in the studio working on it. I’ve heard that before! So he shall continue to get the side eye of death until we get something more concrete – like a single perhaps.
Anyway we kissed and made up and and cheesed it up for a nice photo.
Couldn’t forget about Phontigallo aka Cat Daddy. He was in rare form as usual and looking quite suave and debonair in his Harlem Nights attire.
Enough preliminaries.
Check out a few videos from the show. You know, after listening to this album for the fifty eleventh time that morning and then seeing this show, I think I will go ape-shit, literally, on the next person who dares to bump their gums and say any of the following:
“There’s too much sangin!”
“Phonte needs to rap more!”
“This album ain’t like Connected!”
Evolve people. Seriously. I simply don’t understand anyone who doesn’t get this album. You’re a stranger to me.
As always, I got the entire show for you over at my You Tube channel. I’ll post different songs from the last review. They performed all of my favorites (and yours I’m sure). So head over to the channel and check them out. Subscribe while you’re there. More goodies coming!
All Or Nothing
Darien Brockington shining on Come Around
Something To Behold
Covering the Rude Boys Written All Over Your Face
Enjoy responsibly and support whatever they come out with collectively and individually.
As I mentioned, after the election, I took a brief trip South that started out well and ended badly. Another longterm friendship is likely kaput but this one is a bit more complicated than the situation earlier this year. At some point I may blog about it. Suffice to say, I came back feeling very out of sorts. I definitely needed to take off the blues and leave some shit behind. Good thing I had two spectacular concerts lined up to make it all better.
You already know how Maxwell left me in a state of pure bliss. I was just as excited to see Foreign Exchange the next evening. I am a huge fan of Nicolay’s production and you already know how I feel about Phonte and and Yahzarah.
Leave It All Behind has been on constant rotation in the pod and is sure to make my top albums of the year list. I could not wait to see Phonte and Nicolay bring the album alive on stage. Then to hear that Yahzarah, Muhsinah and Zo (of Zo & Tigallo Love The 80s) would perform with them was music to my ears.
I’m sure you are still as worn out from reading the Maxwell review as I am from writing it. So I’m going to keep this one brief and let the music speak for itself!
I’ll just say that this was one of the best shows I’ve been to this year. The multi-talented (rapper, singer, and comedian) Phonte and underrated female soul singers Yazarah (longtime Foreign Exchange collaborator) and Muhsinah didn’t just sing over Nicolay’s beats. They performed and entertained almost all of the songs from the album. I’ll just highlight my favorites here. The rest you can view over on my You Tube channel.
In between songs from Leave It All Behind and the first album, Connected, Phonte interacted with the crowd as only he can. He broke down for us the key to a successful relationship (which made me crush on him even harder – if possible) and shared the story of the day he met Stevie Wonder *swoon* and Stevie actually knew who he was! Can you imagine what that’s like for a real artist who is grinding his ass off and is not on the radio fourteen times an hour? Good stuff indeed!
So for those of you not yet subscribed to my channel, here is some video of my favorites.
House of Cards (Check out Phonte looking real dapper in his fedora. Too clean. Too pretty.)
Sweeter Than You (Yahzarah sounds so beautiful on this one)
I Wanna Know (Phonte’s relationship seminar is in session at the end of this one)
Nic’s Groove (from Connected)
Take Off The Blues (yes, I did!)
Daykeeper
Okay, obviously like Lays, I can’t have just one. The entire album is really a must-own for any lover of real music. They are just beginning to tour to promote the album with stops planned in North Carolina and Atlanta so far. This is one not to be missed when they come to a city near you. Don’t get left behind!
SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE 