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Friday, December 18, 2015

Monday, November 30, 2015

Groove Book Report: Geoff Murphy's Autobiography



Read the review here:
http://adventuresofthecoffeebarkid.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/were-taking-this-bloody-car-to.html

Sorry Folks. Groove is off air at present. We hope to be back soon.

3 is the Magic Number: De La Soul will play WOMAD

De La Soul is a massively influential hip hop group, hailing from Amityville, Long Island, New York.They are best known for their eclectic sampling and quirky, surreal lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap subgenre.
The members are Kelvin Mercer (Posdnuos, Mercenary, Plug Wonder Why, Plug One), David Jude Jolicur (Trugoy the Dove, Dave, Plug Two) and Vincent Mason (Pasemaster Mase, Maseo, Plug Three). The three formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer Paul Huston (Prince Paul) with a demo tape of the song "Plug Tunin'".
Their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989), was a critical smash that saw the group labeled hippies due to the message of peace and love. They quickly became prominent members of the Zulu Nation, along with A Tribe Called Quest, Black Sheep, Queen Latifah, The Jungle Brothers and others.
They were also members of the famed Native Tongues Posse and mentioned the group often in their music (though they have since left the group for various reasons). "Me, Myself and I" became a huge hit, further cementing the group's popularity. However, rock group the Turtles sued the group for sampling "You Showed Me" without permission on De La Soul's "Transmitting Live from Mars". From that point on, sampling required permission from the sources before it was released.
After 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul was pegged by audiences as hippies and were expected to continue creating the same type of music. This greatly agitated the group, as they always envisioned their career as a constantly changing style. This would influence their next recording sessions. De La Soul's second album, De La Soul Is Dead (1991) was a much darker album. It featured skits that criticized the direction that hip hop was heading in at the time, though it still managed to maintain a light sense of humor. While the album is a fan favorite today, it received mixed reviews and did not sell as well as 3 Feet High and Rising - probably the best hip hop album eva!


1993's Buhloone Mindstate and 1996's Stakes Is High saw the group evolve a new sound, that although again did not garner commercial success, did cement their position as mainstays of the alternative hip hop movement. Four years later, De La Soul announced that they would release a triple album series entitled "Art Official Intelligence" (or AOI). All three albums were intended to be released within a year, beginning with the release of Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump.
This was followed by AOI: Bionix in late 2001. After this, however, the public saw no release of the third and final album in the AOI series. For the next two years, the only De La Soul releases were singles or remix compilations. Jolicur (Dave) stated in an interview that it usually takes about four years for the group to record an album, promote it with advertisements, touring and so on. The group was having trouble finishing the last AOI installment for many reasons, one of which being an ongoing struggle with Tommy Boy Records, who had been releasing their albums ever since their debut.

St. Germain is coming to WOMAD!!!!

Oh, yeah, Groovers.  He’s back.  And he’s still the same, only more unpredictable than before.  Twenty years after Boulevard, fifteen years after the multi-platinum album Tourist (over 3 million copies sold worldwide) and a world tour spanning several continents, Ludovic Navarre, alias St Germain, finally found his way back into the studio.  An uncontested and respected figure in the world of electronic music for the past two decades, a pioneer of the “French Touch” and a creator of intelligent, sensual and original deep house, St Germain  has always stood out.  His consummate art thrives on a subtle mixture of machines and instruments, of authentic roots and modern influences.
His music is a complex blend, reflecting his love of the blues, jazz and Black music of all kinds, with hypnotic electronic loops and harmoniously intertwined vocal samples.  Who can forget the renowned “Alabama Blues” or “Rose Rouge”, the hit single played all around the world… even during Rolling Stones’ concerts!
This new eponymous album is a colorful and exceptional musical journey.  Recorded with the participation of African musicians, the album features traditional Malian instruments like the kora, the balafon or the n’goni, that mingle with electric guitars, pianos, saxophones and electronic loops, following a secret formula only St Germain could concoct.
The first single, “Real Blues” a perfect summer track, sets the legendary voice of Lightnin’ Hopkins to the beat of wild, fiery drums and percussion.  The original single sleeve is decorated with a 3D mask conceived by Urban Art creator Gregos, known for his smiling and frowning faces stuck on walls throughout Paris and Europe.

Check out the new Tom Jones Biography : The new Book Report from the CoffeeBar Kid



http://adventuresofthecoffeebarkid.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/over-top-and-back-biography-tom-jones.html

Thursday, October 22, 2015

WOMAD 2016 Line Up Annunced

WOMAD 2016
FULL FESTIVAL LINEUP ANNOUNCED!
Hot on the heels of the first announcement that Ladysmith Black Mambazo and John Grant will headline WOMAD NZ 2016, the full line-up can now be revealed – and it’s one of the festival’s most diverse and colourful yet.

Adding to the vibrant lineup this year is ethio-soul Queen, Ester Rada. The Israeli-based singer-songwriter has been turning heads worldwide with her soulful blend of jazz/funk/soul/rnb fusion, opening for Alicia Keys at her Israeli concert in 2013. With her ravishing voice, she is not one to miss on the circuit this year.

Making the list of ‘must-sees’ are alt-country rockers Calexico. The Arizona outfit is returning to Kiwi shores after wowing audiences here in 2013 with their genre-bending mix of mariachi, spaghetti western and folk.
 
Country darling Tami Neilson is another major draw card. The 2014 Silver Scroll winner has just released new album DON’T BE AFRAID to critical acclaim and her star is soaring high. The Auckland-based singer songwriter’s new mix of rollicking country, blues and soul, offset by heartbreaking balladry, is guaranteed to delight.
 
Critics’ choice DakhaBrakha also joins the line-up. Although still little known in these parts, the four-piece from Ukraine is guaranteed to be a festival favourite. Fusing Ukranian folk with R ‘n’ B and rap, and often adorned head-to-toe in full traditional garb, this is self-described “ethno chaos” not to be missed.
 
Carrying the flame of Afrobeat's spiritual inheritance is Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 from Nigeria. Sean Kuti, the youngest son of the late legendary Fela Kuti, stands tall as the charismatic leader of Fela’s renowned Afrobeat orchestra, Egypt 80.
 
WOMAD NZ 2016 also delivers one of the best local line-ups in years, with Bic Runga, Tiny Ruins, Julia Deans, Katchafire and Pass The Gat (Warren Maxwell, Louis Baker, Thomas Oliver) joining the aforementioned Canadian-born, but also proudly Kiwi, Tami Neilson.
 
WOMAD is not just about the music, foodies are in for an absolute treat with celebrity chef Jax Hamilton returning to host the Nova Energy Taste The World stage. Running over the course of the weekend, Taste The World is a dedicated area where musicians swap their instruments for cooking utensils and cook up a storm while interacting with festival-goers. It’s a lot of fun, and becoming increasingly popular year-on-year with the mix of world recipes and Jax’s hilarious hosting.
The three-day festival returns to the beautiful Brooklands Park and TSB Bowl of Brooklands. From the moment the gates open, the 55-acre park becomes a magical wonderland brimming with energy and bursting with colours, flavours, sounds and smells.
 
Smaller stages, the Global Village’s food stalls, craft stores and workshops spaces are dotted around the venue’s heart – a stunning natural amphitheatre, which provides the main platform for three days of music and allure.
 
The park is only a short and easy stroll from New Plymouth’s centre and if you book early you could even get a motel or hotel within walking distance. And don’t forget to bring a blanket, an essential item on the WOMAD NZ checklist that allows you to kick back and soak in the warmth of the WOMAD vibe.

For everything WOMAD stay with GrooveFM.  Also check the official info at womad.co.nz

Saturday, October 17, 2015

LISA CRAWLEY’S NEW EP – RELEASED YESTERDAY

Lisa Crawley’s new EP, UP IN THE AIR, is released today via Bandcamp.
https://lisacrawley.bandcamp.com

The five-track EP is produced by acclaimed Australian producer Ryan Ritchie whose work with Kiwi singer Kimbra on ‘Cameo Lover’ earned him an ARIA.

UP IN THE AIR contains four new songs penned by Crawley in the last year, documenting recent adventures in Canada, the United States and her new home, Melbourne.

It also features a fifth song, ‘Mayday’ – a demo she reworked for the EP, originally written eight years ago in the UK by fellow Kiwi Matt Michinson, who was in a band with Crawley in London at the time.
 
UP IN THE AIR builds on the retro vibe of 2013’s ALL IN MY HEAD, showcasing a singer-songwriter who has found her place in a dreamy, melodic pop world, with an edgy darkness.
 
Crawley can’t wait to bring her new material home to New Zealand with an eight-date tour that kicks off on November 5.
 
"I'm very excited to be touring New Zealand. I'll be playing my new EP alongside favourites from my previous two albums. I promise there will be no sign of an Australian accent!" says Crawley.
 
For more information check out http://www.lisacrawley.com
 
TOUR DATES:
 
Thursday November 5 – Darkroom, Christchurch
 
Friday November 6 – Taste Merchants, Dunedin

Saturday November 7 – The Sherwood, Queenstown

Wednesday November 11 – Cabana, Napier

Thursday November 12 – Meow, Wellington

Friday November 13 – Tuning Fork, Auckland

Sunday November 15 – Leigh Sawmill, Leigh

Thursday November 19 – Nirvara Lounge, Hamilton

All tickets available from www.eventfinda.co.nz - apart from the Auckland Tuning Fork show, which are available from www.ticketmaster.co.nz

Friday, October 16, 2015

Watch This Space! New ep by Lisa Crawley!

Melbourne based Kiwi Lounge Singer Lisa Crawley has a new ep dropping on bandcamp today. It's calked 'Up in the Air' . The Coffeebar Kid talked to her yesterday. Look out for an interview here, exclusively on the Groove web site.  In the meantime check out:
http://www.lisacrawley.com/

Friday, May 08, 2015

Jack Body announced as A New Zealand Arts ICON.


Tonight I went to the book launch of 'Jack- Celebrating Jack Body, Composer' edited by Jennifer Sheehan, Gillian Whitehead and Scilla Askew, which was held Victoria University. Jack, unfortunately couldn't make the even, being in a hospice with terminal cancer. Brushing aside tears all the speakers talked of his insatiable energy and creativity, Publisher Roger Steele and Contributor Elizabeth Kerr mad...e a number of fitting tributes to Jack's spirit and effervescence.

The event also had one or two surprises. Sir Eion Edgar, patron, trustee and founder of the NZ Arts Foundation announced that Jack had been recently been presented with a Icon Award. There are only ever 20 presented, and only to living artists. Jack's specific medal was passed on from the late Ralph Hotere, with whom jack had collaborated on a series called 'Song Cycle'. Apparently Ralph had rubbed a substance into his medal to bring out the patina. Jack appreciated that. Other awardees include Peter Jackson, Janet Frame and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jack is the first composer to be awarded the honour.





The audience were treated to 4 tribute works played by Victoria University of Music Piano teacher Jian Lu, and a sax duet by Dita Max called 'Ecstasy for Jack". Steve Garden announced two CDs of Jack's recent composition - "Passing By" (Rattle) and "Songs of Death and Desire"(Atoll). The night finished with some audio from Jack and his most famous work "The Street Where I Live" Performed by Jian and narrated by Jack (via a recording. Jack is a fitting tribute to a unique New Zealand - look out for the Book review on the Groove website very soon.


Sir Eion Edgar, Patron to the Icons, announced the award at the book launch of 'Jack! Celebrating Jack Body, Composer' this evening in Wellington. A formal celebration of Jack receiving the Icon Award will occur at Government House later this year, along with the announcement of two further Icon Award recipients.

https://www.thearts.co.nz/news.php?news_id=535

Passing By is a double album set of chamber works by one of our most revered and cherished composers, the inimitable Jack Body. With new recordings from NZTrio and Stephen De Pledge, recent recordings from Kronos Quartet, Del Sol Quartet, Stroma New Music Ensemble, New Music Works Ensemble, David Radzynski, and Ensemble Nomad, Passing By is a testament to the career of one of New Zealand’s most inspired (and inspiring) artists.

http://www.rattlerecords.net/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=303&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=999


 

Tuesday, May 05, 2015

NZ's best jazz album announced

This year's Best Jazz Album in New Zealand has been announced in Tauranga as part of the National Jazz Festival 2015.

Auckland band DOG has been crown the winner of the annual award for their self-titled debut album.
Dubbed a jazz super-group, DOG comprises four of New Zealand's most renowned jazz musicians, composers and educators: Kevin Field (piano), Roger Manins (saxophone), Olivier Holland (bass) and Ron Samsom (Drums). They are all music lecturers at the University of Auckland.
The self-titled album DOG has been described as a thrilling and vibrant recording, filled with innovative tracks and improvisation.
Recorded Music NZ CEO Damian Vaughan said DOG's album was a reflection of New Zealand's world-class jazz scene. 
"A wealth of talent and experience went in to creating the album. DOG are masters of this difficult craft and I congratulate them on recording an exceptional album which is well deserving of a Tui."

DOG – dubbed a jazz super-group – comprises four of New Zealand’s most renowned jazz musicians, composers and educators: Kevin Field (piano), Roger Manins (saxophone) and Olivier Holland (bass) and Ron Samson (Drums) are all Music lecturers at the University of Auckland.
The group began playing together in 2014 and were greeted with enthusiastic support, prompting them to release their self-title Rattle Jazz debut album Dog.
The other finalists for the 2015 Jazz Tui were The Jac for Nerve and solo artist Jonathan Crayford for Dark Light, both from Wellington. 

What started as a rehearsal band for students and tutors at the New Zealand School of Music jazz school in Wellington eventually turned into the octet The Jac. The group developed from transcribing and performing charts by New York and San Francisco composers to writing and performing their own music.
The eight-piece’s recording Nerve is regarded as a sharp five-track album that bursts with colour and ideas, taking influence from the older members’ wealth of experience and coupling it with the students’ youthful enthusiasm.

Jonathan Crayford is a stalwart of the New Zealand Jazz scene having spent more than 20 years performing and honing his craft. His latest album Dark Light – a trio recording featuring New York-based Ben Street on bass and Dan Weiss on drums – was composed in London in 2013. It aims to explore the ‘subtle wonders’ and mystery between the dark and light.
Critics dub Street and Weiss two of the most remarkable and sought-after jazz musicians in the Big Apple with the New York Times naming Weiss ‘One of the five Most Promising Drummers of the New Generation’.

And Crayford himself comes with high acclaim, critics calling him ‘profound’, ‘luminous’ and simply ‘terrific’.  His work doesn’t stop at simply composing great jazz albums either; Crayford also has a cinematic opera project in the works – which he is writing and composing – called ‘El Diablo de Cadaqués’ or ‘The Devil Of Cadaqués’.

Recorded Music New Zealand chief executive Damian Vaughan says this year’s line-up of collaborative albums showcases the many talented jazz musicians in New Zealand.
“The result of having multiple-talented jazz musicians come together on an album is superb. The collaborations give each a unique, world-class sound that truly showcases the diversity and brilliance of the New Zealand jazz scene. Congratulations to all three finalists.”
National Jazz Festival president Darryl Haigh says jazz continues to grow in New Zealand and 2015 has a fantastic group of finalists.
“The Tauranga National Jazz Festival is one of the cradles of New Zealand Jazz. It is a privilege for the festival to be the home of the Best Jazz Album Tui. The 2015 finalists are a joy to listen to”
The festival is hosted over Easter weekend and is the longest running Jazz Festival in the southern hemisphere and one of the oldest in the world. It acts as a showcase of both local and international jazz talent.

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees!

Recent previous winners of the Tui for Best Jazz Album
• 2011 - Reuben Bradley for Resonator
• 2012 - Rodger Fox's Wellington Jazz Orchestra for Journey Home
• 2013 - Nathan Haines for The Poet's Embrace
• 2014 - Nathan Haines for Vermillion Skies

Saturday, May 02, 2015

Jenny Wollerman, Michael Houstoun, and Rattle Records proudly announce the release of BETWEEN DARKNESS AND LIGHT


 
On Friday 1 May soprano Jenny Wollerman and concert pianist virtuoso Michael Houstoun release their new beautiful album Between Darkness and Light to a select audience at Victoria University.  Surrounded by friends, family, academics, Jenny’s students and loyal members of the Rattle Records family Jenny and Michael showcased one of the tunes from the new release, which was conceived as part of a concert for Wanaka’s Festival of light three years ago.  The project features compositions by some of the world's most beloved composers, including Gabriel Fauré, Samuel Barber, Richard Strauss, André Previn, and Claude Debussy.  The title comes from a quote by poet Rabindranath Tagore:   Between darkness and light is where the poet Rabindranath Tagore places “the silent meeting of soul with soul … where the infinite prints its kiss on the forehead of the finite.”
 

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

On ANZAC Day and the 'ANZAC Spirit'

With the 100th year commemorations of WWI there comes an outpouring vicarious emotion and jingoistic fervour as both individuals and states alike clamour to align themselves with the myth of righteous sacrifice. There are two phrases that will be repeated endlessly in this part of the Pacific: “Gallipoli: The birth of a Nation” and the “The coming of age”. Both really grate with me. I’ve just been in Australia and witnessed first-hand the exploitation of BRANZAC: clothing, ornaments and trinkets, maps, books and TV docs that all point to the honour and sacrifice made by the ANZACs, a cashing in on the “spirit of the ANZACs. That spirit – “honour, sacrifice, mate-ship” is the unashamed currency both the New Zealand and Australian Prime Minsters recently chose to spend in when justifying their decisions and support for troops to return to the same part of the world where all this started: The Middle East. Granted, Iraq is slightly south on the map but the underlying, unspoken rationale for sending the troops is the a same. Commerce - The same driver as gross commercialisation of the ANZACs, and the same driver that brought any of us to Aotearoa in the first place. Cry all you want but I am pessimistic...

Saturday, March 28, 2015

WOMAD 2015 - a few thoughts



It’s always to cover a festival like WOMAD.  There’s so much to cram into three days.  But what I can give you are my own personal highlights.  Friday afternoon began with a search for a campsite.  When they say the world comes to Taranaki – they literally mean that!  There were 5,000 pitching on the nearby racecourse this year. 

Estere - Photo Tim Gruar
Ticket sales were fantastic, too – selling out all the three day passes.  Early estimates suggest 12,000 attended over the weekend.  And with three days of near perfect festival weather spirits were high.  I found forgetting the can opener was the perfect icebreaker to meeting my neighbours – four women in their 60’s with a retro caravan – which, ironically was kitted out with everything except that specific kitchen tool!  Behind me was a family of four and two over a group of 20-Somethings.  A perfect slice of this all ages festival audience.  Friday night kicked off with a drum display by Taikoz (who later led ran the kid’s parade), followed by a slightly nervous Estere, who with her MPC Lola, got the crowd moving with her edgy brand of ‘electric blue witch-hop’. 

 
A VW Tent at the campsite - Photo Mckenzie

Thursday, February 05, 2015

On Yer Bike CoffeeBar Kid

The Kid goes adventuring with the Wellington Regional Council.  Listen below.