 Greenwood "Wambali" Mkandawire (1951 - January 31, 2021) was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Malawian parents from the Mlowe village in the north and then later lived in Mzuzu. He died at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe. According to multiple reports, Mkandawire has died of Coronavirus at aged 70.
While residing in Mzuzu, Mkandawire set up a mission rural center and pastoring an indigenous church. Together with his wife, they started a publishing company, “Kajimete Arts Publishing,” to help promote Malawian talent. Mkandawire was a Malawian jazz and Traditional Beat musician. He wanted to become a musician but his grandparents were against the idea since he was still a student. When he dropped out of school in the 1970s he put his efforts into music.
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 De Britse gitarist Hilton Valentine is op 77-jarige leeftijd overleden, meldt de website Deadline. Valentine speelde in de jaren zestig bij de band The Animals en is vooral bekend vanwege de intro van ‘House Of The Rising Sun’, de grootste hit van de band. Hilton Valentine was een van de oprichters van de Britse groep The Animals. Hun ‘House of the Rising Sun’, eerder ook al eens gecoverd door Bob Dylan, haalde in 1964 de eerste plaats in de Britse, Amerikaanse en Canadese hitlijsten. Volgens het toonaangevende magazine Rolling Stone is het een van de ‘beste songs aller tijden’. The Animals scoorden verder nog hits met ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’, ‘It’s My Life’ en ‘We Gotta Get Out of This Place’. In 1994 werd de band opgenomen in de Rock ‘n' Roll Hall of Fame. Valentine verliet de groep in 1966, maar kwam nog verschillende keren opdagen voor reünies. In 1969 bracht hij een solo-album uit, ‘All in Your Head’. De laatste jaren toerde hij met de band Skiffledog, ze brachten ook twee albums uit. Een doodsoorzaak is niet bekendgemaakt. Valentine laat een echtgenote, Germaine, achter. ‘The Last Soul Company: The Malaco Records Story’ viert Amerika's oudste onafhankelijke label30/1/2021  "Het verhaal van Malaco had eigenlijk nooit mogen gebeuren", zegt Rob Bowman, auteur van de collectie. Dat verhaal is een van de grootste, en zeker meest onwaarschijnlijke, van elke onafhankelijke platenmaatschappij in de geschiedenis van de Amerikaanse muziek. Malaco Records kondigt de op 23 maart-publicatie aan van The Last Soul Company: The Malaco Records Story, een prachtig nieuw retrospectief boek van Grammy Award-winnende auteur Rob Bowman (Soulsville, VS: The Story of Stax Records) dat het verhaal van een halve eeuw van Malaco-producties, waarin de carrières en catalogus van baanbrekende Malaco-artiesten als Mississippi Fred McDowell, Bobby Blue Bland, ZZ Hill, Johnnie Taylor, Little Milton, James Cleveland en nog veel meer.
Door Malaco's verhaal te presenteren in bijna 200 kleurenpagina's gevuld met exclusieve verhalen, tientallen nooit eerder vertoonde foto's uit de illustere geschiedenis van het label - en met een voorwoord van de legendarische muziekauteur Peter Guralnick - is The Last Soul Company een onschatbare documentatie van een uniek en essentieel Amerikaans muziekinstituut. "Het verhaal van Malaco had eigenlijk nooit mogen gebeuren", zegt Rob Bowman, auteur van de collectie. Dat verhaal is een van de grootste, en zeker meest onwaarschijnlijke, van elke onafhankelijke platenmaatschappij in de geschiedenis van de Amerikaanse muziek. Na het uitbrengen van een reeks tijdperkbepalende soulhits in de jaren zestig en zeventig breidde het in Jackson, Mississippi gevestigde label zich uit naar de werelden van gospel en blues, en overleefde Motown, Atlantic, Chess, Stax, Sun, Ace en elk ander indie-label. daarbij Afrikaans-Amerikaanse muziek uitbrengen. Na zijn 50-jarig jubileum te hebben gevierd, is Malaco trots het oudste onafgebroken onafhankelijke platenlabel in Amerika en het grootste en belangrijkste gospellabel ter wereld. En het label blijft van vitaal belang: het blijft niet alleen een belangrijke speler in de Black gospel-wereld, maar wanneer Kanye West, Drake, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Solange, Snoop Dogg of 2Chainz op zoek zijn naar soulvolle, krachtige samples om staan onder enkele van de grootste hiphopalbums van de 21e eeuw, keer op keer wenden ze zich tot Malaco's ongelooflijke catalogus. "Voor het geval dat we geen succesvolle platenmaatschappij zouden worden, hield ik mijn als afgestudeerde apotheekers vergunning nog een paar jaar actueel, als een reserveverzekering." zegt Malaco mede-oprichter Tommy Couch Sr. over Malaco's onwaarschijnlijke weg naar succes. “We bleven platen maken en ze op onze eigen labels uitbrengen en al snel hadden we een Gold-album op Z. Z. Hill en waren we op weg om een echte platenmaatschappij te worden. We waren al jaren aan het bouwen aan content voordat we ooit hoorden 'Content is King'. "Door de jaren heen zijn er bij Malaco een paar constanten geweest: de muziek, de onafhankelijke geest en de onafhankelijke distributie", zegt Tommy Couch Jr. van Malaco. en onafhankelijke distributie blijven Malaco's topprioriteiten. "  The Blues Foundation heeft de genomineerden voor de 42e Blues Music Awards (BMA) bekendgemaakt. Rock-‘n-rollzanger Dion, gitaargrootheid Robert Cray en drummer Bernard Purdie behoren tot het brede scala aan artiesten die zijn genomineerd voor de 2021 Blues Music Awards.
The Blues Music Awards weerspiegelt de groeiende invloed van bluesmuziek door de jaren heen. De nieuwe muziek die door BMA-genomineerden wordt gepresenteerd, onthult de vitaliteit van het genre. Alle leeftijden komen in de lijst voorbij. De genomineerde BMA’s laten zien hoe bluesartiesten generaties doorkruisen. We hebben het hier over leeftijden van zeven decennia! Elvin Bishop en Dion zijn allebei al opgenomen in de Rock & Roll Hall of Fame en ook dit jaar weer genomineerd voor BMA. En hoe zit het met de bluesvrouwen? Ook Bettye LaVette is al een zogenoemde ‘Hall Of Famer’. LaVette hoopt dat ze haar titel Soul Blues Female Artist mag houden. Operazangeres Rhiannon Giddens strijdt voor de Koko Taylor Award. ,,Jaa ik wil graag de titel Traditional Blues Female Artist!”. Sommige genomineerden behoren al heel lang tot de kern van de blueswereld. Zo strijdt de 81-jarige Bernard Purdie om de eer van topdrummers. En ook Robert Cray hoort in dit ‘oude’ rijtje thuis. Hij ontving eerder de Americana Music Lifetime Achievement Award en is dit jaar genomineerd voor de categorie Soul Blues Album. ,,Ik heb er hard aan gewerkt en ben heel trots dat ik met mijn album That’s What I Heard ben genomineerd!”, aldus Cray. Bovenaan de lijst met nominaties staat opnieuw Rick Estrin & the Nightcats met maar liefst vijf nominaties. Wegens covid-19 wordt de ceremonie dit jaar virtueel gepresenteerd. Wil je meekijken? Geen probleem. ,,De wereld is uitgenodigd om naar de viering te kijken en kan op onze Facebookpagina en ons YouTube-kanaal worden gestreamd”, aldus The Bluesfoundation. De Blues Music Awards vindt dit jaar plaats op 6 juni 2021. Wil jij stemmen op je favoriete bluesartiest? De stemming begint op 28 januari en sluit op 12 maart. Alleen leden van The Blues Foundation mogen stemmen op de BMA’s. Klik hier voor meer informatie over deelname en lidmaatschap. 42nd Blues Music Award Nominees BB King Entertainer of the Year Shemekia Copeland Rick Estrin John Németh Sugaray Rayford Lil' Ed Williams Album of the Year 100 Years of Blues, Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite Rawer Than Raw, Bobby Rush Rise Up, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcaster Too Far From the Bar, Sugar Ray & The Bluetones featuring Little Charlie Uncivil War, Shemekia Copeland Band of the Year Anthony Geraci & The Boston Blues Allstars John Németh & The Blue Dreamers Rick Estrin & The Nightcats Southern Avenue Sugar Ray & The Bluetones Song of the Year “All My Dues Are Paid” - written by Kathy Murray, Rick Estrin, Frank Bey, Kid Andersen (performed by Frank Bey) “All Out of Tears” - written by Walter Trout (performed by Walter Trout) “Blues Comin' On” - written by Dion DiMucci and Mike Aquilina (performed by Dion Feat. Joe Bonamassa) “Is It Over” - written by Don Bryant and Scott Bomar (performed by Don Bryant) “Uncivil War” - written by John Hahn and Will Kimbrough (performed by Shemekia Copeland) Best Emerging Artist Album Hard Workin' Man, Andrew Alli Harlem, King Solomon Hicks Here I Come, Jose Ramirez High Risk Low Reward, Ryan Perry Peace In Pieces, Betty Fox Band Acoustic Blues Album Dustin Arbuckle & Matt Woods, Dustin Arbuckle & Matt Woods Prove It On Me, Rory Block Rawer Than Raw, Bobby Rush Three Pints of Gin, Richard Ray Farrell Traveling Man – Live, Watermelon Slim Blues Rock Album Ain't Done Yet, Savoy Brown Ice Cream In Hell, Tinsley Ellis Mike Zito and Friends - Rock ‘n’ Roll: A Tribute to Chuck Berry, Mike Zito Mississippi Suitcase, Peter Parcek Ordinary Madness, Walter Trout Contemporary Blues Album Cry Out, Kat Riggins My Blues Pathway, Kirk Fletcher Self-Made Man, Larkin Poe Stronger Than Strong, John Németh Uncivil War, Shemekia Copeland Soul Blues Album All My Dues Are Paid, Frank Bey Found! One Soul Singer, Sonny Green That's What I Heard, Robert Cray Band Where Have All The Soul Men Gone, Johnny Rawls You Make Me Feel, Don Bryant Traditional Blues Album 100 Years of Blues, Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite Blueswoman, Nora Jean Wallace Every Day of Your Life, Jimmy Johnson Rise Up, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters Too Far From the Bar, Sugar Ray & The Bluetones featuring Little Charlie Acoustic Blues Artist Dom Flemons Catfish Keith Harrison Kennedy Doug MacLeod Keb' Mo' Blues Rock Artist Tinsley Ellis Reverend Peyton Ana Popovic Kenny Wayne Shepherd Mike Zito Contemporary Blues Female Artist Shemekia Copeland Samantha Fish Sue Foley Ruthie Foster Shaun Murphy Contemporary Blues Male Artist Selwyn Birchwood Chris Cain Rick Estrin Christone "Kingfish" Ingram J.P. Soars Soul Blues Female Artist Annika Chambers Thornetta Davis Bettye LaVette Dorothy Moore Terrie Odabi Soul Blues Male Artist William Bell Don Bryant John Németh Johnny Rawls Curtis Salgado Traditional Blues Female Artist (Koko Taylor Award) Rory Block Rhiannon Giddens Diunna Greenleaf Trudy Lynn Teeny Tucker Traditional Blues Male Artist Billy Branch Sugar Ray Norcia John Primer Jontavious Willis Kim Wilson Instrumentalist Bass Willie J. Campbell Larry Fulcher Danielle Nicole Patrick Rynn Michael "Mudcat" Ward Instrumentalist Drums Tony Braunagel June Core Derrick “D'Mar” Martin Bernard Purdie Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith Instrumentalist Guitar Christoffer "Kid" Andersen Chris Cain Laura Chavez Kirk Fletcher Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Instrumentalist Harmonica Billy Branch Rick Estrin Dennis Gruenling Jason Ricci Kim Wilson Instrumentalist Horn Mindi Abair Jimmy Carpenter Doug James Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff Nancy Wright Instrumentalist Piano (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award) Mike Finnigan Anthony Geraci Johnny Iguana Bruce Katz Jim Pugh Instrumentalist Vocals Thornetta Davis Ruthie Foster John Németh Sugar Ray Norica Sugaray Rayford   Sonus Umbra came to life in 1991, formed by a group of physics and math students in Mexico City who drew from their shared love for all things dark, hard rocking and melodic. 30 years later, now based in Chicago and including some of the most accomplished veteran musicians of the Chicago rock music scene, the band continues casting shadows made of sound.
Sonus Umbra has played many progressive rock festivals in North America, including RoSfest, ProgDay, FestivAlterNativo, Progtoberfest and Terra Incognita, toured Mexico and Canada with Discipline, and shared stages along the way with the likes of Spock’s Beard, PFM, Stick Men, Haken, Thank You Scientist, Necromonkey, Deus Ex Machina, Tiles and Glass Hammer. The band’s new studio album “A Sky Full of Ghosts” concludes the journey that began with “Beyond the Panopticon” and closes a chapter in the band’s own journey. The new album is a milestone of elaborate and ferocious progressive rock, and yet it is also their most melodic material to date. Part 1 (“Beyond the Panopticon”) tells a story about the misconceived identity of a nameless protagonist who reminisces about lost love and near misses with death until he suddenly discovers that all of these memories are false. As he awakens to the reality around him, he realizes things are not as they seem, and that he is being watched... Part 2 (“A Sky Full of Ghosts”) starts with the protagonist at war with his identity and environment. He learns that he is on board a vessel, deep in space and very far from home. The date is unknown. His mission is to assist the AI that runs the vessel and keeps him healthy and alive as they search for an exoplanet suitable for human habitation. In his broken mind, he personifies the AI that watches over him as a supernatural adversary: the Lorelei, with a bewitching song that will eventually lure him to his death. Ultimately, the protagonist realizes that the Lorelei was always his ally, and the Earth of his memories is long gone, its flora and fauna decimated and no longer able to sustain life, destroyed by humanity’s hubris and senseless greed. As denial gives way to acceptance, the album is a plea for reason to prevail: it is suicidal and insane to wage war against your ship, which is the only thing keeping you alive in space. This is true whether the ship is an artificial vessel or the planet we call home. We are all in this together, and we all are the same in the dark. Sonus Umbra: Roey Ben-Yoseph: Lead Vocals Rich Poston: Electric Guitar, Keyboards Steve Royce: Flute, Keyboards David Keller: Cello, Orchestral Percussion Tim McCaskey: Acoustic and Electric Guitar Andy Tillotson: Drums, Keyboards, Guitars, Sound Design Luis Nasser: Bass, Keyboards, Sound Design For more information: shadowsmadeofsound.com facebook.com/sonusumbra twitter.com/sonusumbra  NASHVILLE, TENN. – Versatile powerhouse vocalist Carrie Zaruba has kept busy over the past few years. With the release of her new album titled Natural Disaster, Carrie is ready to return to the music scene in a mighty way.
While drawing back the curtain on her journey to self-discovery and following the momentum of her previous albums, Carrie decided she needed to take some time to be with her family and find her true self as an artist. “I took time to develop my own writing styles without thinking they'd ever see the light of day,” says Carrie. “It most definitely plays a part in this record and where I stand in releasing it. Introspective would be the best way to sum up that period.” What she ended with was a collection of 10 stunning songs, all of which tell a unique story. The lead single Still Here is a personal one, telling how the version of herself she was afraid was gone had been there all along. With her beautifully vulnerable voice, Carrie belts out this heartfelt anthem, longing for this familiar self she thought she lost and pours her heart out in the driving chorus. This emotionally explorative album, Natural Disaster, which is peppered with hints of country, soul and pop comes in two parts. The first five tunes are full-scale studio recordings with heavy production while the second five have more of a scaled back, acoustic feel. All songs were penned by Carrie along with Kent Wells (Grammy-nominated producer for Dolly Parton). In fact, Carrie recorded all of the acoustic songs the day after they were written, often in one vocal take. “I wanted to fully capture the chemistry and magic, or as I like to call it, the lightning in the bottle, from when they are written,” she says, and it certainly comes across clearly. All of the songs come together beautifully as an entire work full of heart. About Carrie Zaruba: Passion and soul emanate from country songstress Carrie Zaruba. She draws inspiration from the likes of Brandi Carlile, Cam, Joy Williams, Lori McKenna, The Highwomen, The Secret Sisters, Tanya Tucker, Yola and of course Patty Griffin. The South Baltimore native grew up on rock and roll, singing along to the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell and Rolling Stones. Carrie became classically trained in 18th Century counterpoint, studied opera and chamber music and went on to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Carrie began writing songs purely for therapeutic release and the next thing she knew she developed her own unique sound and released her debut album Woman On A Mission in 2016. Two years later, Hearts Beat was released. Carrie then took time off to spend with her family but she never stopped writing or singing. After her brief hiatus, she returned by opening for Joan Osborne in 2020, right as the world was beginning to close down due to the pandemic. Now Carrie is ready to share her heart with you as she continues to take you on her journey filled with music of love, redemption and unapologetic authenticity. For more information on Carrie Zaruba, visit her website and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out her mini documentary on Youtube titled “This is Who I Am.”  new single out 29.01.21 from the album DREAMERS DON’T COME DOWN out 12.03.21 CD / digital (Eightspace Records) out 23.04.21 LP (Plane Groovy) League Of Lights are an electronic pop-rock duo comprised of Farrah and Richard West. Their third and most accomplished album to date, ‘Dreamers Don’t Come Down’ is an outstanding collection of songs that is redolent in places of early '80s synth pioneers like John Foxx, as well as '00s exponents of the genre such as Ladytron. With a powerful secret weapon in Farrah’s voice, plus up-tempo songs such as ‘The Collector’ and ‘Persephone’ boasting club-banger choruses to kill for, the duo possess crossover pop nous in abundance. Meanwhile, slower and lyrically introspective tracks such as ‘Dreamers’ and ‘Lines In The Sand’ show off a neat line in seductive progressive pop à la Kate Bush, Bat For Lashes and Goldfrapp that is no less compelling. Describing their modus operandi for the album, Richard explains that “we wanted it to be more piano-driven than our previous release and deliberately utilized a smaller pallet of sounds. We had just recorded the song ‘Modern Living’ and that helped to define how our new material would sound - more open than before with less synths and more space for Farrah's voice to really lift off. It's as much about the space as it is about the notes.” Promoted with an anime video, ‘Modern Living’ is being released as a single ahead of the album. A three minute indie club floor filler underpinned by a chunky, distorted bass line, the addition of textured guitars and synth provide an effective accompaniment to Farrah’s commanding vocal performance. The majority of the album was written and recorded during the 2020 spring/summer lockdown, with Farrah stating that “it is about the past, the present and the future; about taking the best from all that you have been through, the pressures of modern life and keeping your dreams alive in dark times.” Outside of League Of Lights, Richard is a sought after producer and session musician in the rock world and is also a member of the band Threshold, whose albums have regularly charted in mainland Europe.
 Meer dan een halve eeuw stond Oscar Benton (1949-2020) op het podium. Eind jaren zestig formeerde hij zijn Oscar Benton Blues Band. De start van een kleurrijke carrière die op 8 november 2020 plotseling zou eindigen. In De Zeven Levens Van Oscar Benton laat muziekjournalist Peter Bruyn het roerige artiestenbestaan van de Haarlemse muzikant, met al zijn pieken en dalen, de revue passeren.
In 1968 wint de Oscar Benton Blues Band op een jazzconcours een platencontract. Zijn carrière beleeft een vliegende start. Hij verliest bandleden die overstappen naar Barrelhouse. Maar gaat door. Hij staat op bluesfestivals met zijn band. Bij Toppop met zangeres Monica. Als achtergrondzanger van Jack Jersey in feesttenten. Met een orkestband in discotheken en nachtclubs. Maar ook met een groot orkest voor de Franse televisie om zijn hit ‘Bensonhurst Blues’ te zingen, wat een evergreen zou worden. In stadions en arena’s in Bulgarije en Roemenië. In gala voor de Tsjechische president in Praag. Internationale successen waar in eigen land, ondanks drie Top 40 hits, vrijwel geen mens weet van had. Dit is de geschiedenis van een artiestenbestaan met pieken en dalen, waarbij alcohol en bordelen niet weg te denken zijn. Bentons talent om het bluesgevoel over te brengen is boven iedere discussie verheven. Dat om zichzelf ten gronde te richten eveneens. In De Zeven Levens Van Oscar Benton komt zijn eigenzinnige opvatting van de Chicago cityblues ter sprake, zijn succes op het Loosdrecht Jazzfestival alsook de reeks vrouwen in zijn leven, zijn Franse nummer 1-hit en de helende kracht van muziek op het moment dat zijn lichaam het liet afweten. Tegelijk is dit niet alleen het verhaal van het leven van blueszanger Oscar Benton, dat op 71-jarige leeftijd ophield, maar evenzeer dat van de genadeloze showbizz. Van de honger naar roem en vooral de totale overgave daaraan. De passie van het volhouden tot het bittere einde, het laatste applaus. Het verhaal van de blues in Nederland. Tenslotte gaat de schrijver diep in op de moeizame periode die volgde op de tijd dat Benton door een val een paar weken in coma lag. Dit langzame herstel leverde met hulp van gitarist Johnny Laporte, twee comeback bluesalbums op plus een tour die gepland stond voor 2021. (Over deze wonderbaarlijke en succesvolle comeback maakte documentairemaker Roel van Dalen de TV-docu Oscar Benton- I’m Back, die op 23 februari op NPO2 te zien zal zijn.) Muziekjournalist Peter Bruyn schrijft o.a. voor Haarlems Dagblad, Lust for Life, Gonzo (circus) en Frnkfrt. Hij schreef De Plaat Die Rock Volwassen Maakte (over het album The Velvet Underground & Nico) plus boeken over de muziekgeschiedenis van Haarlem en het Patronaat. Uitgeverij In de Knipscheer is een onafhankelijk, vooral literair uitgevershuis met tevens een fonds muziekboeken, over o.a. The Velvet Underground, CCC Inc., Doe Maar, Kralingen Popfestival, Kaz Lux.  Dean Owens: The Desert Trilogy EPs A prelude to Dean’s upcoming Sinner’s Shrine album, recorded with musicians from Calexico and special guests Release dates: Fri 5 March The Burning Heart – The Desert Trilogy EPs Vol 1 Fri 7 May Sand And Blood - The Desert Trilogy EPs Vol 2 Fri 9 July Ghosts - The Desert Trilogy EPs Vol 3 Sun 31 Jan – Dean Owens and Joey Burns, with Martin Wenk and Kevin McGuire Performing at Celtic Connections Online [see Video Trailer below] The Desert Trilogy EPs are the prelude to award winning Scottish singer songwriter Dean Owens upcoming album, Sinner’s Shrine, recorded with desert noir icons Calexico at Wavelab Studio, Tucson, just before the pandemic struck, and due to land in Autumn 2021. The songs on The Desert Trilogy EPs include a track each from Sinner’s Shrine plus songs from the album sessions, and songs recorded long distance with Calexico’s John Convertino, and other special guests. There are stories of love and lust, sinners and saints, the displaced, the wanderers and the border ghosts. The songs showcase Owens’ gift for storytelling, with his searingly soulful voice infused with the dramatic Panavision desert sweep of Calexico, with Joey Burns’ guttural guitar, Convertino’s masterful drumming and percussion, and sweeping mariachi horns. The Desert Trilogy EPs were partly recorded at WaveLab Studios, and partly long distance during various COVID lockdowns, with guest musicians recording from makeshift home studios in USA (El Paso, Denver, Nashville, New York), Germany (Berlin) and Scotland. All of them refusing to be stopped by a global pandemic, with Dean at the helm, driven by the irresistible urge to keep following his inspiration, and keep creating music. Special guests include Guatemalan singer songwriter Gaby Moreno and Grant Lee Phillips (Gilmore Girls TV show, Grant Lee Buffalo). The songs were inspired by Dean’s love of the great American Southwest - the desert states of California, New Mexico and Arizona. There are big production numbers like New Mexico and Land of the Hummingbird (sung partly in Spanish), quiet reflections like Tombstone Rose, sad love songs and a Morricone inspired whistling instrumental (Here Comes Paul Newman). Riverline, The Hopeless Ghosts, and Mother Road reflect on the displacement of people and the dislocation of lives on the road, while in Dolina the singer is looking for snakes and watching the desert burn. The EPs will be released digitally worldwide, and as limited edition CDs through Bandcamp. Joey Burns and John Convertino, having been an in demand rhythm section for numerous Americana acts, became Calexico in 1995, developing the music over the years into their celebrated trademark “desert noir” sound - a thrilling mix of Latino border rock and Morricone influenced soundscapes. Years to Burn, their 2019 collaboration with Iron and Wine, was a worldwide hit, and their non stop global touring was only halted in 2020 because of the pandemic. The Desert Trilogy EPs and Sinner’s Shrine are the latest stop on a lifetime’s journey - from the post industrial heartlands of Scotland to the untrammelled wide-open vistas of the American Southwest - for troubadour and musical adventurer, Dean Owens, as he surrenders to the intoxicating sounds of the south west. A chance meeting with Burns when Owens visited Tucson during a US tour in 2019, developed into an invitation to record at the legendary WaveLab Studio, with Joey, John and regular Calexico musicians. And the start of a beautiful collaboration. The first single release is New Mexico, out on 5 Feb. New Mexico was originally recorded for Dean’s first solo album, The Droma Tapes, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The original recording was very lo fi, made with bassist Kevin McGuire in a tiny cottage in the Highlands on DAT tape. As Dean says: “The Droma Tapes is like the black and white version, and I always thought New Mexico should have the full Technicolor treatment. And now it has!”
 Abel Ghekiere (1996) is een Belgische muzikant, momenteel gevestigd in Antwerpen. Zijn unieke sound komt voort uit het samenvoegen van moderne jazz, traditionele folk en field recordings. Door klassieke arrangementen en een filmische benadering van compositie, vertelt Ghekiere een verhaal over verdriet en de zoektocht naar troost. ‘Love Supreme’ is de eerste single van het opkomend album "voor het verdwijnt, en daarna verschijnt". Op zowel klarinet, gitaar, piano als cello gaat hij op zoek naar resonantie aan de hand van een intuïtief en soms uitgekleed proces van muzikale expressie. De herinneringen aan zijn vader, beeldend kunstenaar Joris Ghekiere (1955 - 2016), vormen de basis van het gehele album maar komen bijna letterlijk tot uiting in deze eerste introductie tot Ghekiere’s muziek. ‘Love Supreme’ komt 29 januari uit op op alle platformen, gereleased bij RotKat records. Het debuutalbum: voor het verdwijnt, en daarna verschijnt in april 2021 met release show in DEStudio, Antwerpen. De werken van de Belgische kunstenaar vormen een grote inspiratie voor zowel de muziek als de bijhorende video, gemaakt door de cinematografe Camille Ghekiere.  photo credit: Stefan Meekers Frank X. Gallagher, the host of the podcast Soundman Confidential is on a mission to keep the magic of live music in the public’s imagination. Having graduated from roadie to the soundbooth, the legendary soundman mixed the live shows for some of the biggest bands in rock music, running tours, traveling thousands of miles on tour buses, and living the life of rock and roll.
Soundman Confidential finds Gallagher playing host to conversations with some of the biggest players and artists in the music business, opening up about their careers performing live, and how they see the future of live music, post-pandemic. Add to the lineup, celebrities and other artists recalling live music’s importance in their lives. Having graduated from roadie to the soundbooth, To kick off the Season two, Frank speaks with blues legend Buddy Guy. Buddy’s influence on music is massive. Born in Louisiana in 1936, he headed north to Illinois to become part of the Chicago Blues sound with Muddy Waters and Junior Wells, and touring with B.B. King. Gallagher was Buddy’s tour manager and sound engineer through much of the 1990s. Buddy was remark inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 and performed at the White House for President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama in 2012. On January 27th, Frank will be speaking with Scottish music mogul Alan McGee. McGee has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian. He co-founded the independent Creation Records label, running it from 1983 until its closure in 1999. He subsequently founded the Poptones label, running it from 1999 to 2007. Alan discovered an amazing collection of bands including Oasis, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Teenage Fanclub, and a whole bunch more. Based in Arizona and California, Frank awaits the call to get back on the road with the band. He left his home village, Banknock, in Scotland, as a sixteen-year-old in the mid-1960s and has been taking his gypsy spirit across the world ever since. He hears music, not so much through his ears but his heart. It’s the Celtic in the man. Season Two: Jan 13 – Buddy Guy Jan 20 – Dolette McDonald Jan 23 – Luke James Jan 27 – Alan McGee Feb 3 – Clockworks Feb 10 – Richard Jobson Feb 17- Jane Wiedlin & Gine Schock / The Go-Go’s Feb 24 – Vernon Reid Mar 3 – Richard Butler Season One: Jim Kerr Tina Weymouth David Byrne Chris Frantz Jerry Harrison Kate Pierson Listen to Buddy Guy episode Listen to all archived podcasts  youtube Zanger Herman Brood krijgt in november zijn eigen herdenkingsmunt. De Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt brengt dan, rond de dag dat Brood 75 jaar geworden zou zijn, drie speciale munten uit als 'ode aan een Nederlandse legende'. Dat meldt de KNM in de 'Muntpers Jaarcatalogus' die zaterdag is verschenen. De uitgifte vindt plaats in samenwerking met zijn dochter, Lola Brood (35).
Behalve de 75e geboortedag van Herman Brood, markeert 2021 ook de twintigste sterfdag van de kunstenaar. Herman brak in de jaren zeventig door als toetsenist van de bluesband Cuby + the Blizzards. Na het uiteenvallen van deze groep begon hij zijn eigen band, Herman Brood & His Wild Romance. Zijn grootste hit was het nummer 'Saturday Night' uit 1978. De artiest werd naast zijn muziek ook bekend door zijn schilderijen. Zijn werk stond bekend om de felle primaire kleuren die hij gebruikte; dit was nodig omdat de kunstenaar kleurenblind was. Brood gebruikte jarenlang drugs en maakte daar geen geheim van. Hij maake op 11 juli 2001 zelf een einde aan zijn leven. De munt is niet de enige manier waarop aandacht wordt besteed aan de 75e verjaardag en de twintigste sterfdag van de kunstenaar. Filmmuseum Eye werkt aan een documentaire, Knockin' on Herman's Door, die unieke opnamen bevat uit de periode dat hij de cultfilm Cha-Cha uit 1979 maakte. Behalve herdenkingsmunten brengt de Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt komend jaar ook speciale uitgiften op de markt voor het Jeugdjournaal dat 40 jaar bestaat, Pride Amsterdam dat als het dit jaar wel doorgaat haar 25e editie viert en het Eurovisiesongfestival dat in mei gepland staat in Rotterdam. Deze uitgiften waren eerder al aangekondigd. Ook Richard Krajicek, die 25 jaar geleden Wimbledon won, en judoka Anton Geesink krijgen een eigen munt.  Thomas Howard "Tom" Stevens (September 17, 1956 – January 24, 2021) was born in Elkhart, Indiana. Stevens was based in Los Angeles in the 1980s but later returned to Indiana. In the 1990s, Stevens received a degree in computer science and worked for many years with computer and networking technologies alongside music. Stevens died at 64.
He started playing music at age nine in various garage and hard rock bands in the 1960s and 1970s. Classically trained, he received scholarship offers from several universities to study double bass, but turned them all down, as he wanted to play rock music. "The thought of either playing in a symphony orchestra or teaching music in a high school did not appeal," he said. In 1975, after graduating from high school, Stevens joined Indiana hard rock band Magi, who released their sole album Win or Lose in 1976. It was recorded in August 1976 at Uncle Dirty's Sound Machine Studios in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and co-produced by the band and Bryce "Uncle Dirty" Roberson, a former session guitarist with Chess Records. He was an American bassist, guitarist, singer, and songwriter, often associated with the Paisley Underground and alternative country movements as bassist for the roots-rock band the Long Ryders. He was a member of Magi and Danny & Dusty and recorded as a solo artist. In his solo work, Stevens incorporated elements of folk-rock, country, psychedelia, and garage rock into his music, and released what music reviewer Stewart Lee calls "fascinatingly different solo albums." As Magi was dissolving, Stevens began looking for bands and session work in Los Angeles. He found several bands, but "none that I felt were worth my time," he said. The only session work he found was for "some disco singer that was doing an update on "Sealed with a Kiss." During this period, in between working shifts at the Tower Records music store on the Sunset Strip, Stevens seriously began writing songs and played his first solo acoustic gig in December 1980 at the Troubadour in Hollywood. In November 1981, Stevens recorded a demo with Sunny Paul, then a co-worker at Tower Records, and a former touring guitarist for R&B singer Geno Washington. The four-track recordings were recorded and mixed by Paul, who also played drums on the tracks. The demo lead to a deal with Los Angeles independent record label Pulse Records. Stevens then enlisted the help of drummer Mark Cuff of the Textones and bassist Johnny Bethesda of Rubber City Rebels and, with Stevens on guitar and vocals, they recorded six songs at Perspective Studios in Los Angeles on September 29, 1982. By 1983, Stevens had left his day job at Tower Records for another job at Sounds Good Imports in Santa Monica. He recounted in 2004 that one of his co-workers "brought a pre-release cassette of his old roommate's band, which was 10-5-60 by the Long Ryders, and played it a lot while we were working. I was impressed with that EP and wound up buying it." A few months later, around Christmas time, that same co-worker revealed to Stevens that the Long Ryders had just fired their bass player. "Without missing a beat, I said, "hell, I'll play bass for them," Stevens remembered. Soon after, Carla Olson phoned up Long Ryder guitarist Sid Griffin, recommending Stevens for the job. "I didn't even have to formally audition. The Long Ryders had gigs coming up in the San Francisco area and needed someone quickly," he said. Stevens officially joined the Los Angeles-based Long Ryders in January 1984, recording three studio albums with the band between 1984-1987, all featuring Stevens-penned songs. Along with other members of the Long Ryders, the Dream Syndicate, and Green on Red, Stevens recorded the Danny & Dusty album, The Lost Weekend in 1985.  wereldwijde release op 29 januari op alle platformen: Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon, Deezer, … uit het recente succesvolle live album “Live on Stage” Enkele wapenfeiten:
Nr. 1 Top 50 Blues/Rock charts Roots Music Report - USA (Dec 2020) Nr. 1 Top 40 charts Independent Blues Broadcasters Association - UK (Dec 2020) Nr. 4 Powerblues chart Collectif des Radios Blues - France (Dec 2020) Nr. 5 Australian Blues charts- Australia (Dec 2020) Nr. 8 Top 50 Blues charts Roots Music Report - USA (Dec 2020) Waarom Demon Blues op single ? Nico De Cock (zanger): “We puren uit het album een single, die iets wat verschilt van de andere tracks. De band wordt steeds onder blues rock gecatalogeerd, maar ik denk dat er meer in ons schuilt en dat we verschillende genres beheersen. Voor mij is Demon Blues gewoon een ander facet van The BluesBones” LEGENDARY MUSIC LABEL PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY IN 202127/1/2021  Photo credit: Gamble Huff Entertainment Historic Music Label, Legacy Recordings & Warner Chappell Music Collaborating On Yearlong Campaign Paying Homage To Incredible Music Legacy.
Anniversary campaign to include exciting partnerships with Sonos, Vinyl Me, Please, Snapper Music and more alongside exclusive product and content releases throughout the year. AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW! NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Chappell Music, the global publishing arm of Warner Music Group, are thrilled to announce today the launch of the yearlong campaign in 2021 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of music's most historic record labels, Philadelphia International Records. The anniversary campaign will highlight the extraordinary musical output of this storied label and spotlight milestone musical moments, artists and songs from the remarkable Philadelphia International Records family that have defined the landmark label and its incredible impact over the past 50 years. Throughout the year, Legacy Recordings, Warner Chappell Music and Philadelphia International Records will collaborate on an exciting series of exclusive partnerships, product and content releases, artist initiatives and much more. The groundbreaking label, founded in 1971 by innovative and prolific songwriters/producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, became the birthplace, incubator and launching pad for the sophisticated Philly Soul sound also known as "The Sound of Philadelphia." The duo amassed an extraordinary array of producers, songwriters, musicians and engineers including Thom Bell, Dexter Wansel, Bobby Martin, MFSB, Joe Tarsia and more to help craft some of the most memorable lyrics and melodies of the past five decades. The legendary roster of music stars who helped bring these chart-topping disco, R&B, soul and funk sounds to life included The O'Jays, Patti LaBelle, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Billy Paul, Teddy Pendergrass, Lou Rawls, McFadden & Whitehead, The Three Degrees, Phyllis Hyman, The Intruders, the ultimate "house band" MFSB, and many others. You can watch a highlights reel spanning 50 years of Philadelphia International Records: https://PIR.lnk.to/PIR101Ep1PR "It's a blessing to celebrate all of the writers, musicians, engineers, disc jockeys, and all the people that were on our team," said Philadelphia International Records co-founder Kenny Gamble. "When I listen to this music now, I can close my eyes and the music brings us all back together again. Hearing this music reminds me of all the hard work and dedication our team went through to make such a long lasting catalog, that has been embraced by the world and I'm thankful." Philadelphia International Records co-founder Leon Huff shares the sentiment saying, "Long live the music of Gamble and Huff!" To get the anniversary party started, Legacy Recordings teamed up with renowned producer/DJ/musician Eric Kupper and executive producer Brad LeBeau to release inspiring new remixes of one of the label's most iconic hits which has been adopted as an anthem for a new generation, the McFadden & Whitehead staple "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now." The remixes are now available to stream or download here: https://McFaddenWhitehead.lnk.to/ANSUNRemixesPR Additional partners who are coming on board the Philadelphia International Records "Love Train" in 2021 to help celebrate the label's rich musical history include: In celebration of the 50th anniversary, leading sound experience company Sonos will premiere a new station on Sonos Radio HD, the ad-free, CD-quality audio tier of Sonos Radio, the popular streaming service available to all Sonos customers globally. The new station, titled the Sound of Philadelphia, will be hosted and hand-curated by Kenny Gamble himself. In partnership with Warner Chappell Music, The Sound of Philadelphia will explore the label's greatest hits from artists including The Jacksons, Patti LaBelle, the O'Jays, and more. The Sound of Philadelphia will take listeners behind-the-scenes with Gamble, who will share stories from his time writing, producing and working on 120 internationally-beloved albums and over 40 gold and platinum records. The station will feature special guests, as well unique programming for Black History Month, Women's History Month and more. The Sound of Philadelphia will be available February 24 on Sonos Radio HD. VMP (Vinyl Me, Please) in conjunction with Legacy Recordings will partner on VMP Anthology: The Story of Philadelphia International, an exclusive vinyl box set celebrating the renowned Philly Soul label coming in 2021. The Story of Philadelphia International reinvents the box set experience to take listeners on a sequential journey told across eight albums remastered from their original tapes and paired with liner notes and an exclusive podcast interview series in celebration of the label's 50th anniversary. Snapper Music-United Souls in conjunction with Legacy Recordings will release a volume series of limited edition 8-CD sets throughout the year celebrating the 50th Anniversary of PIR. Each set will contain a unique giant poster, exclusive 12" single, endorsed numbered certificate, a lavish 48-page hardcover book with a comprehensive archive of rare photographs compiled and curated in association with artists, engineers, and producers relevant to the label's story. All discs will be mastered from original tapes bringing together the entire PIR studio album collection for the very first time. In 2014, Sony Music Entertainment announced their historic deal with Philadelphia International Records, securing global ownership of all recordings made for PIR. The landmark deal added all post-1975 PIR recordings to the PIR titles already owned by Sony Music Entertainment, reuniting the entirety of the Philadelphia International Recordings catalog under a single global licensing and reissue entity. For nearly 30 years, Warner Chappell Music has had the privilege of representing Gamble and Huff and their legendary music catalog, spanning approximately 3,000 songs. For updates on more anniversary news and releases throughout the year, fans can visit www.SoundOfPhiladelphia.com and on Facebook or Instagram @soundofphiladelphia SOURCE Legacy Recordings http://www.legacyrecordings.com  The music industry is mourning the loss of singer Edgar “Gemini” Porter of the R&B duo Men At Large. Without question, Men At Large was one of the most beloved acts of the 1990s. Discovered by the late Gerald Levert, the Cleveland-based duo was formed by David Tolliver and Jason Champion. With Gerald Levert’s assistance they signed a recording contract with EastWest Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1992. The album featured the top ten single “Use Me”, and the duo, named humorously for the plus size of its members, was on its way. Men At Large released their sophomore effort “One Size Fits All” two years later. The album featured their signature song “So Alone”, which became a huge pop and R&B hit. Men At Large’s recording success faded in the late 1990s, and the duo disbanded. Champion went on to successfully record gospel music, but reformed the group with Porter, finding success in 2016 with the single “Date Night.” It lead to live performances by the duo over the next few years. Porter didn’t see the biggest years of Men At Large up close, but he was part of one of the most surprising and pleasing comebacks of the past few years. May he rest in peace.
 FLOREJAN "The Second Fall" EP via Petrol Music op 29 januari en live op 30/01 via livestream Met 'The Second Fall' brengt Florejan een vervolg uit op 'The World Stood Still'. Het is de 2de EP van zijn drieluik waarmee hij reflecteert op de laatste maanden en deze als het ware in een soundtrack goot.
Op 30 januari stelt Florejan hem voor in een live-stream-concert, samen met nummers uit debuutalbum 'Piano Piano' en de 'When The World Stood Still EP'. Het concert wordt gestreamd vanuit de studio van Jef Neve ! Het concert start om 20uur en zal gratis te beluisteren zijn via oa deze link/FB-Event Vooraf: 2019 zag de release van zijn debuutalbum 'Piano Piano', een niet aflatende zoektocht naar de puurheid van de melodie. Ze zijn ogenschijnlijk eenvoudig, die melodieën, maar verbergen een diepe rijkdom. Dat merkte ook het grote publiek want via Spotify vond hij al behoorlijk wat bewonderaars en werd beluisterd in bijna 80 verschillende landen... van Amsterdam tot Sidney...met vandaag meer dan een miljoen streams en telkens verscheidene nummers in twee gereputeerde internationale Spotify Playlists ('Calm and Focused' en 'Classical New Releases'). Begin juli '20 zag een een opvolger verschijnen in de vorm van de EP 'When The World Stood Still' , of hoe in moeilijke tijden als dit, reflectie leidt tot schoonheid in zijn puurste vorm. Florejan zei daarover "In deze vreemde periode nemen we allemaal afstand van elkaar, maar we nemen ook afstand van ons normale, alledaagse leven. De wereld staat op zijn kop." Florejan over (zijn) "Second Fall' 2020 was mijn tweede herfst als kunstenaar - en het is een bewogen jaar geweest .... Leven in deze complexe tijden heeft mijn zoektocht naar essentie en eenvoud nog prangender gemaakt, zelfs noodzakelijk. Met slechts een paar noten probeer ik in de melodie een ander universum op te roepen, een plek waar ik veilig ben, waar ik in tijden van nood terecht kan. De muziek is gelaagd, en verschillende harmonieën lopen door het nummer heen, maar de melodie varieert slechts een beetje. Ook in het leven kunnen we veel verschillende situaties tegenkomen, maar we houden ons 'zelf', onze ziel, onze basis intact. 'The Second Fall' gaat over een langzame bewustwording, subtiele hoop. En de wetenschap dat we er stilaan bovenop komen en ons lied opnieuw zal klinken, op een dag.  Perry Botkin Jr. (April 16, 1933 – January 18, 2021) was born in New York City to Perry Botkin Sr., who also was a successful musician and composer. Botkin Jr. died at age 87.
He was an American composer, producer, arranger, and musician. The tune "Nadia's Theme", composed by Botkin and Barry De Vorzon, peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. His career spanned four decades and also included work for such other TV programs as Laverne and Shirley, Adam's Rib, The Smothers Brothers Show, and Quark. Botkin had a successful career in music for more than forty years. As an arranger, he worked with Bobby Darin, Harry Nilsson, Gary Crosby, The Lettermen, Ed Ames, and Harpers Bizarre, among others. The film scores that he composed are similar to the music of his partner and counterpart, Barry De Vorzon. In 1990, Botkin retired from the commercial music industry and began self-producing CDs of electronic music. James Harbert, in the liner notes for the first of these recordings, says, "With these new musical works, Perry Botkin has achieved his musical goal. He has succeeded in being himself."  Genesis have once again delayed the start of their The Last Domino? reunion tour, which was originally supposed to kick off in November 2020 and then was moved to April 2021 because of the pandemic. It is now slated to launch at Dublin’s 3Arena on September 15th and wrap up October 13th after a three-night run at London’s 02 Arena. As of now, there are only dates in the United Kingdom and Ireland, but it is expected to eventually hit mainland Europe and North America. “We’re ready,” they wrote in a short statement announcing the delay, “but the world isn’t…yet.” The postpone announcement was paired with a 50-second video of the band rehearsing, which is the first glimpse the public has had of the band since the conclusion of their 2007 Turn It On Again reunion tour. Since that time, Phil Collins has faced significant physical problems that have left him unable to play drums or even stand for extended periods of time. Much like his Not Dead Yet solo comeback tour of 2017-2019, he will be singing from a chair perched near the front of the stage. The drumming duties will be handled by his son Nic, who has been playing with Collins for the past five years and can replicate his signature parts with incredible precision. Rounding out the lineup of Genesis will be founding members Tony Banks and Michael Rutherford along with longtime touring guitarist/bassist Daryl Stuermer.
The new rehearsal footage also reveals that they’ll be joined by two backup vocalists for at least part of the show. This will be a first in Genesis history, and also an acknowledgment that Collins doesn’t quite have the vocal range that he did in his younger years. The setlist has been a closely guarded secret, but they’ve promised a mix of hits and fan favorites from all eras of the band. The rehearsal footage shows them playing “Behind The Lines” from their 1980 LP Duke.  Junior Mance, the jazz pianist and educator who played with Dizzy Gillespie, Cannonball Adderley, Dinah Washington, and countless greats, has died, The Washington Post and The New York Times report. Mance died in his Manhattan home on January 17. His wife Gloria Clayborne Mance told the Times that he had suffered a brain hemorrhage caused by a fall last month. He was 92 years old, and had been living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Mance’s career spanned over seven decades, during which he recorded dozens of studio albums. He picked up piano as a child, and was playing the blues professionally by age 10. In his late teens he became the pianist for Chicago saxophonist Gene Ammons, but Mance’s career really took off after a fortuitous encounter during his service in the military. Mance was drafted into the Army in 1951. One night while stationed at the base in Fort Knox, Kentucky, Mance heard live music coming from the service club. The band playing at the club included Cannonball Adderly on saxophone. Intrigued, Mance asked if he could sit in on piano. Mance impressed Adderley with his performance, and the following day the saxophonist helped arrange a transfer for Mance, who would leave his fellow infantrymen to play in Adderley’s traveling Army band. Mance spent his post-Army years playing in the house band at the Beehive in Chicago, working as Dinah Washington’s pianist for two years, and joining Dizzy Gillespie’s group. In addition to performing with the aforementioned legends, Mance played with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, and many others. Mance was an educator as well as a renowned musician; he taught in the B.F.A. jazz program at New York City’s The New School from the late 1980s until 2011. In 1967, he published a book titled How to Play Blues Piano. In 2015, Mance released his final studio album For My Fans, It’s All About You. He retired the following year. 'See you in the next live' AB blikt vooruit met een nieuwe look en een focus op jong talent.25/1/2021  Livemuziek moeten missen is niet zo simpel als het lijkt. Met de campagne ‘See you in the next live’ wil AB haar publiek moed inspreken en blikt ze alvast vooruit naar betere tijden. Ze koppelt deze campagne aan een frisse nieuwe look en presenteert haar programma voor februari en maart 2021. Om haar publiek een hart onder de riem te steken lanceert AB vandaag de campagne ‘See you in the next live’. Samen met enkele AB-ambassadeurs kijkt ze reikhalzend uit naar intense live-momenten, hoe ver die ook in de toekomst mogen liggen. Ayco Duyster, DVTCH NORRIS, Blu Samu, Benoît Do Quang (A$IAN ROCKY), barverantwoordelijke Grâce Kamashi en productiemedewerkster/tourmanager Yacoba Corral Davalos dromen in onderstaande video alvast van een eerste live-concert. AB koppelt deze campagne aan een compleet nieuwe look. Ze zet 2021 in met een herwerkt logo, intense kleuren en een vernieuwde website. “Na 6 jaar was een opfrissing aan de orde. De nieuwe stijl weerspiegelt mooi de muzikale diversiteit op ons podium én toont een duidelijke ambitie om ook het publiek in al zijn diversiteit aan te spreken. Daarnaast belichaamt deze facelift perfect de intensiteit van een concert in AB. We hopen dat de nieuwe look ons publiek kan inspireren en dat het doet dromen van nieuwe onvergetelijke AB-momenten, nu volle zalen nog veraf lijken." vertelt Tom Bonte, algemeen directeur van AB. Samen met deze nieuwe huisstijl presenteert AB haar programma voor februari en maart 2021. De focus wordt daarbij gelegd op een resem nieuwe formats en jong aanstormend talent. Zolang er geen versoepelingen zijn aangekondigd voor de cultuursector, blijven de fysieke deuren van AB nog even gesloten voor het publiek. Daarom valt het volledige programma online te bekijken via de website en socialemediakanalen van AB én via PODIUM-19, de gloednieuwe pop-up cultuurzender. Artists in Residence Tijdens een normaal concertjaar zit de AB-kalender doorgaans propvol. De gewonnen ademruimte gebruikt AB momenteel om de directe noden van artiesten (zoals repetities, opnames & preproductie) op te vangen. We geven de sleutels van AB tijdelijk aan enkele nieuwe Artists In Residence. Zo werkt Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe in AB aan een nieuwe opera, legt Whispering Sons er de laatste hand aan hun nieuwe plaat en stoomt Soundtrack-winnaar Coline & Toitoine er zich klaar voor een roemrijke live-toekomst. Verder biedt AB onderdak aan het Immersive Music-project van David Poltrock & Adriaan De Rover en ondersteunt AB de nieuwe releases van Hi Hawaii & The Extensions en Stakkatak. Week Van de Belgische Muziek Van maandag 8 tot en met zondag 14 februari zetten VI.BE, VRT en verschillende spelers uit de muzieksector samen de schouders onder de ‘Week Van de Belgische Muziek’. Ook AB zet die week met volle overtuiging muziek van eigen bodem in de spotlights. Onder de noemer ‘BLOOM TOWN’ zal lokaal Brussels talent Bryn, Ana Diaz en Chibi Ichigo op het AB-podium staan voor een krachtige live-set. Met de online reeks ‘Homegrown’ blikt AB terug op een aantal onvergetelijke live-opnames van Belgische artiesten. Charlotte Adigéry, Arno, Whispering Sons, Brihang, Melanie De Biasio en Balthazar zijn slechts enkele namen uit de reeks, die volledig gepresenteerd wordt door Lisa Smolders. Black History Month Voor het eerst gaat AB de samenwerking aan met Black History Month Belgium, dat dit jaar in het teken staat van de ontwikkeling van een Zwart Belgisch Archief. Samen met BHM zal AB graven in haar verleden, nadenken over haar toekomst en zo een muzikale bijdrage leveren aan de Belgische Black Archives. Aan de hand van een podcastaflevering van ‘Guestlist’ en een door BHM gecureerde talk over de ervaring van de zwarte muzikant in België wil AB het thema onder de aandacht brengen. Omdat AB haar blik op de toekomst wil richten, focust ze ook hier op een reeks jonge en opkomende artiesten. Via liveoptredens, kunst, videodocumentatie en fotografie zet ze onder andere Badi, Ikraaan, Esinam, Sunday Rose en NanaKill in de kijker. Nieuwe formats: podcast, videoreeks en een virtuele Ancienne Belgique “De coronacrisis heeft ons uiteraard getroffen in de kern, maar ze heeft ons ook aan het denken gezet. De huidige beperkingen dagen ons uit vernieuwend uit de hoek te komen en nieuwe vormen van muziekbeleving te onderzoeken.” zegt Tom Bonte, algemeen directeur van AB. AB presenteert daarom dit voorjaar een aantal nieuwe online formats. Vanaf 1 februari lanceert ze ‘Guestlist’, een maandelijkse podcast over het reilen en zeilen in AB. ‘Guestlist’ wordt gepresenteerd door Stubru-gezicht Rik De Bruycker en snijdt elke maand een nieuw en relevant thema aan. Op de agenda staan thema’s als de ‘New wave of Belgian Jazz’ en ‘Black History Month’. Met de videoreeks ‘ABXL’ creëert AB een nieuw platform voor de bloeiende Brusselse scène. AB nodigt jonge, beloftevolle artiesten uit een nieuw nummer te spelen op hun favoriete plekje in onze hoofdstad. In een eerste aflevering zien we Hiphopper Linca in Cité de l’Amitié, de wijk waar hij is opgegroeid. Hij vertelt er over zijn jeugd en de invloed van de stad op zijn artistiek parcours. Afsluiten doet AB in stijl. Met de steun van visit.brussels, Poolpio en Proximus wordt er druk gebouwd aan een virtuele Ancienne Belgique, inclusief rode balkons en AB-bar. Eind maart zullen onze bezoekers voor de eerste keer als avatar een (virtueel) volle AB kunnen betreden. Digitaal pintje, iemand?  Jonas Mosa Gwangwa (October 19, 1937 – January 23, 2021) was born in Orlando East, Soweto, South Africa. He was an important figure in South African jazz for over 40 years. Jonas died at the age of 83. His death comes a mere days after the passing of his wife, Violet Molebatsi Gwangwa, who passed away on January 6, 2021.
He was a South African Jazz musician, songwriter, and producer. He first gained prominence playing trombone with The Jazz Epistles. After the group broke up he continued to be important to the South African music scene and then later abroad. In the 1960s he began to gain notice in the United States, and in 1965 he was featured in a "Sound Of Africa" concert at Carnegie Hall. The others at the concert included Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, and Letta Mbulu. Despite his international fame, he was not seen favorably by the apartheid government and went into exile in the 1970s. From 1980 to 1990, he was the leader of Amandla, the cultural ensemble of the African National Congress. In later life, he became important as a composer doing the scores of films like Cry Freedom and, at the 60th Annual Academy Awards in 1988, he performed his nominated song Cry Freedom. Also, in 1988, he performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute in Wembley Stadium. In 1991, he returned to South Africa and in 1997 composed the theme for their Olympic bid. He is the subject of a thesis entitled Music as a Cultural Weapon in the Life of Jonas Gwangwa (University of the Witwatersrand, 2004), written by Colette Szymczak. Gwangwa is paid tribute as the subject of the composition "Portrait of Mosa Gwangwa" by Johnny Dyani, which appeared on the CD reissue of Dyani's Angolian Cry.  PENSACOLA, Fla. — One-half of the duo group, James and Bobby Purify, has passed away to complications to COVID-19.
James Purify died in Pensacola on Friday January 22. James Purify and his brother Bobby were popular in the 1960s for their single, "I'm Your Puppet." The single reached #5 on the US R&B chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966. The single was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1967 for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. It also was featured on their 1967 album. The single ranked #46 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1966. Purify leaves behind six children and a host of grandchildren. The services and arrangements have not been determined.  Foto credit: Louise Palanker Een tv-special ter gelegenheid van het 60-jarig jubileum van de Beach Boys zou binnenkort in de maak kunnen zijn, aldus mede-oprichter van de band Al Jardine
De groep viert dit jaar 60 jaar sinds ze zijn begonnen, en Jardine vertelde Rolling Stone dat hoewel een volledige herdenkingstour onwaarschijnlijk was, hij de gelegenheid graag wilde vieren. “Nou ja, geen (grote) tour. We zullen enkele zeer belangrijke ... 10 of 20 delen van de wereld treffen. Wie weet, misschien hebben we geluk en hebben we een renaissance, en presenteren we wat van dit geweldige materiaal opnieuw, "mijmerde hij. "Het is moeilijk te zeggen, maar het is logisch. Ik weet dat er iets in de maak is. Ik kan je gewoon niet vertellen wanneer en waar," vervolgde de zanger. Op de vraag naar een tv-special, antwoordde Jardine: "We willen die mogelijkheid onderzoeken." "Het is altijd goed om nu uit te kunnen kijken naar iets positiefs, vooral als je uit dit afschuwelijke jaar komt, om weer mooie, frisse, positieve muziek naar de wereld te brengen", zei hij. De band heeft adviseurs aangenomen om hen te helpen alle opties in termen van hun carrière te verkennen. En terwijl twee van de oprichters van de Beach Boys, Dennis en Carl Wilson, niet meer in leven zijn, is een van de andere overgebleven leden - Brian Wilson - niet op de hoogte van enige jubileumplannen. "Er ligt op dit moment niets op tafel", verklaarde Jean Sievers, Wilsons manager, en voegde eraan toe: "Niemand heeft er met ons over gesproken of contact opgenomen."  This year will mark the 55th anniversary of the passing of Tommy Bolin, the supremely talented guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work with Deep Purple and The James Gang, who captivated the world with his sophisticated and ferocious playing. Bolin’s tragic death, he was a mere 25 years old, has been one of rock music’s great “what ifs” forcing critics and fans to grapple with what Bolin might have been able to accomplish in subsequent years were he still alive, given that he managed to produce such amazing works of mature artistry at such a young age. Many point to Bolin’s most fully realized, and sadly final, album, the magnificent Private Eyes, as proof that for all of Bolin’s success, the man was just getting warmed up!
Now a new collection of never before released outtakes and demos from those recording sessions will be released showing the many sides of Bolin’s talent. The collection is called Shake The Devil - The Lost Sessions and will be released on February 12 courtesy of Cleopatra Records. Licensed directly from Bolin’s estate and with informative liner notes from rock journalist Dave Thompson, these recordings offer both acoustic, instrumental and alternate versions of some of Bolin’s best known tunes including his most popular song, “Bustin’ Out For Rosey.” That track is today offered as a special sneak preview of the album, which will be available on both CD as well as a gorgeous gatefold vinyl with your choice of white, purple or red vinyl! Track List: 1. Shake The Devil (Alternate Mix) 2. Bustin' Out For Rosey (Alternate Version) 3. Hello Again (Outtake, No Strings) 4. Gypsy Soul (Outtake) 5. Sweet Burgundy (Alternate Version) 6. Someday We'll Bring Our Love Home (Instrumental Demo) 7. You Told Me That You Loved Me (Instrumental Demo) 8. Post Toastee (Acoustic Demo) 9. Tommy's Instrumental (Outtake) 10. Gypsy Soul (Acoustic Demo) 11. Gypsy Soul (Rehearsal Demo) 12. Someday We'll Bring Our Love Home (Instrumental Demo) |
