genre

Vail Soul Music Fest Partners with EBONY & JET

Now in its second year, Vail Soul Music Fest, together with iconic Urban publications EBONY and JET magazines, bring an authentic and stirring celebration of a rich and vibrant international music genre to the majestic natural backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.

As exclusive print media partners with Vail Soul Music Fest, EBONY and JET bring their powerful reach as the essential voice in Black America to more than 20 million consumers. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with iconic publications EBONY and JET, who have been at the center of the urban soul scene for more than 60 years,“ said Vail Soul Music Festival producer Rhonda July.

EBONY and JET Group Publisher Stephen Gregory Barr said, “The Vail Soul Music Fest is a sanctuary for national and international soul music artists and fans. By positioning our legendary publications with this celebration of soul music and lifestyle, we hope that more people have the opportunity to experience it and be part of the movement.”

For the second annual Vail Soul Music Fest - happening August 19-20-21, 2011 at Vail, Colorado’s Ford Amphitheater – four-time Grammy nominee Ledisi, soul royalty Lalah Hathaway, and genre-bending Cuban singer-songwriter Alex Cuba top the bill during three days and two nights of music. Additional artists include British slam-champion poet and Floetry co-founder Natalie “The Floacist” Stewart, soul revival golden boy Ryan Shaw, and - back by popular demand - mighty R&B singer Liv Warfield, among many others. Visit www.vailsoulmusicfest.com for all the details.

Anticipated by those in the know as the only-of-its-kind in the state of Colorado, Vail Soul Music Fest offers a hand-picked mix of emerging and established artists - from the greatest R&B legends to ballad hit-makers to conscious hip-hop to neo soul artists from around the world. Vail Soul Music Fest is the face of the modern, multicultural soul revival. Vail Soul Music Fest is bringing the story of soul music back to the people, and it feels oh so good.

Indeed, Soul music’s stories of heart, truth, and transparency are more universal now than ever before. In this spirit, Vail Soul Music Fest is more than just a music event; it’s the ultimate soul experience. In addition to some of the best performers in the genre, Vail Soul Music Fest features three days and two nights of soulful cultural experiences including:

• Youth Day Music and Mentoring,
• “Soul Studio” featuring artist “Talk Back” sessions hosted by Hip Hop scholar Adam Bradley,
• A Spa and Fashion Sanctuary at Aria Spa at Vail Cascade Resort,
• Fan favorite the “Soul Stroll,” where participating bars and clubs along Vail’s Main Street are transformed to represent each decade of soul music and lifestyle,
• and much more.

Stay tuned for full details on Vail Soul Music Fest’s many unique experiences and offerings and visit www.vailsoulmusicfest.com for more information.

Soul music originates from depth of experience and lives in its ability to connect to others. Vail Soul Music Fest taps into that spirit – with an unparalleled alchemy of mood and grooves and a breathtaking natural backdrop with wide-open skies. A premier international mountain town destination on its own, Vail Soul Music Fest offers an intriguing excuse for Colorado city dwellers and out-of-state visitors alike to descend on Vail Village for an exceptional soul experience getaway. Says Rhonda July, “A lot of people ask – why Vail? It’s an awe-inspiring setting, and really lends to providing a truly unique experience void of distractions.” July continues, “Colorado is rated the 5th most prolific arts scene in the Country, and quite frankly is still lacking events in the soul genre, despite plenty of interest and support.” Vail Soul Music Fest is for Colorado’s many music savvy residents, and for music fans all over the country looking for an ultimate soul music experience. Come for the uplifting music, great company, tasty food choices, world-class spa facilities, a huge variety of outdoor activities, and so much more.

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LINEUP INFO:

The artist line-up for Vail Soul Music Fest is as follows:

Friday, August 19
Lalah Hathaway
Alex Cuba
Natalie Stewart
Lee England Jr.

Saturday, August 20
Ledisi
Ryan Shaw
Liv Warfield
Chaz Shepherd

Sunday, August 21

“Fan Appreciation Day” with artist meet & greets, free activities and experiences, free music events throughout town, and more.

Additional performers to be announced.

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TICKET INFO:
Tickets available at www.vailsoulmusicfest.com or at www.TicketHorse.com / 1-866-461-6556. Local Vail Residents can purchase through the Ford Amphitheater Box Office

Vail Soul Music Fest Announces Artist Lineup

Vail Soul Music Fest, happening August 19-20-21, 2011 at Ford Amphitheater in the majestic mountains of Vail, Colorado, today announces its artist lineup.

Four time Grammy nominee, Ledisi, soul royalty Lalah Hathaway, and genre-bending Cuban singer-songwriter Alex Cuba top the bill during three days and two nights of music. Additional artists include British slam-champion poet and Floetry co-founder Natalie “The Floacist” Stewart, soul revival golden boy Ryan Shaw, and - back by popular demand - mighty R&B singer Liv Warfield, among many others. The full day-by-day lineup is included below. Additional performers will be announced soon for the 2nd annual Vail Soul Music Fest on August 19-20-21 at Ford Amphitheater.

Anticipated by those in the know as the only-of-its-kind in the country, Vail Soul Music Fest is an authentic and stirring celebration of a rich and vibrant international music genre. Offering a hand-picked mix of emerging and established artists - from the greatest R&B legends to ballad hit-makers to conscious hip-hop to neo soul artists from around the world – Vail Soul Music Fest is the face of the modern, multicultural soul revival. Vail Soul Music Fest is bringing the story of soul music back to the people, and it feels oh so good.

“The Vail Soul Music Fest is a sanctuary for national and international soul music artists and fans,“ says Soul Music Festival producer Rhonda July. “By celebrating soul music and lifestyle, which is the inspiration for so many popular American art forms, Vail Soul Music Fest hopes to preserve the authenticity and relevance of the genre, and nurture its always-evolving and ever-important role in music and culture. It’s an exciting time for soul music, and we’re making sure people have the opportunity to experience it and be part of the movement.”

Indeed, Soul music’s stories of heart, truth, and transparency are more universal now than ever before. In this spirit, Vail Soul Music Fest is more than just a music event; it’s the ultimate soul experience. In addition to some of the best performers in the genre, Vail Soul Music Fest features three days and two nights of soulful cultural experiences including Youth Day Music and Mentoring, a “Soul Studio” featuring artist “Talk Back” sessions hosted by African American scholar Adam Bradley, a Spa and Fashion Sanctuary at Aria Spa at Vail Cascade Resort, fan favorite the “Soul Stroll,” where participating bars and clubs along Vail’s Main Street are transformed to represent each decade of soul music and lifestyle, and much more. Stay tuned for full details on Vail Soul Music Fest’s many unique experiences and offerings and visit www.vailsoulmusicfest.com for more information.

Soul music originates from depth of experience and lives in its ability to connect to others. Vail Soul Music Fest taps into that spirit – with an unparalleled alchemy of mood and grooves and a breathtaking natural backdrop with wide-open skies. A premier international mountain town destination on its own, Vail Soul Music Fest offers an intriguing excuse for Colorado city dwellers and out-of-state visitors alike to descend on Vail Village for an exceptional soul experience getaway. Says Rhonda July, “A lot of people ask – why Vail? It’s an awe-inspiring setting, and really lends to providing a truly unique experience void of distractions.” July continues, “Colorado is rated the 5th most prolific arts scene in the Country, and quite frankly is still lacking events in the soul genre, despite plenty of interest and support.” Vail Soul Music Fest is for Colorado’s many music savvy residents, and for music fans all over the country looking for an ultimate soul music experience. Come for the uplifting music, great company, tasty food choices, world-class spa facilities, a huge variety of outdoor activities, and so much more.

Look for a very special “Road to Vail” event at Denver’s Soiled Dove on Wednesday, June 8. Details coming soon.


LINEUP INFO
:

The artist line-up for Vail Soul Music Fest is as follows:

Friday, August 19
Lalah Hathaway
Alex Cuba
Natalie Stewart
Lee England Jr.

Saturday, August 20
Ledisi
Ryan Shaw
Liv Warfield
Chaz Shepherd

Sunday, August 21
“Fan Appreciation Day” with artist meet & greets, free activities and experiences, free music events throughout town, and more.

Additional performers to be announced.

TICKET INFO:
Tickets available at www.vailsoulmusicfest.com or at www.TicketHorse.com / 1-866-461-6556. Local Vail Residents can purchase through the Ford Amphitheater Box Office

Pretty Lights New Video | New Years in Chicago

Pretty Lights is showing no signs of slowing down as the year winds to an end- this morning, PopMatters premiered his new video for “Future Blind,” which can be found on Spilling Over Every Side, his second (of three!) EP’s of 2010. Pretty Lights will also be performing two shows at Chicago’s Congress Theater during his New Year’s Eve run, 12/30 & 12/31. Supporting the shows will be Major Lazer and Michael Menert on the 30th, and Holy Fuck and Tobacco on the 31st.

Besides releasing his trilogy of EP’s this year, Derek Vincent Smith (accompanied by live drummer Adam Deitch) has been busy touring the U.S. and Europe, including many festival appearances and sold-out shows on both sides of the Atlantic. The super-producer has come to be known for his genre-bending beats, which seamlessly blend electronic elements with funk, jazz, hip-hop and classic soul.

Combine that with his elaborate, visually-stunning live shows, and you can see why he has captured the attention of music fans worldwide. He also recently surpassed one million album downloads through his website, where he distributes all of his music for free (although his material is available on iTunes as well).

Grateful Web’s Interview with Elephant Revival

I feel absolutely terrible and I never want to drink again.

MoogFest 2010 Announces DEVO As Recipient Of Moog Innovation Award

The Moog Innovation Award celebrates pioneering artists whose genre-defying work exemplifies the bold, innovative spirit of Bob Moog. Moog Music would like to congratulate DEVO on being the 2010 recipient of The Moog Innovation Award, to be presented to the band during MoogFest 2010 weekend, October 29-31 in Asheville, NC. As part of this award, Moog Music will present DEVO with a very special synthesizer, details of which will be revealed in the coming weeks. Past recipients of the previously titled Moog Award include Keith Emerson, Herb Deutsch, Gershon Kingsley, Jan Hammer and Bernie Worrell.

“MoogFest is about shunning limitations, opening your mind and rejoicing in what’s next. MoogFest is about celebrating the marriage of technology and art, fearlessly embracing the future while respecting the genre-definers of the past. That’s why we created the Moog Innovation Award, to celebrate artists that helped to catapult pop music into the future and commemorate those artists that boldly burst through established norms to pave the way forward. That’s the spirit of Bob Moog and that’s the essence of the Moog Innovation Award.

The first recipient of the Moog Innovation Award is DEVO and we feel that they are a perfect representation of innovative sound-sculpting and genre-defying electronic music. Like Bob Moog, DEVO enthusiastically charted their own course and thus dramatically affected pop culture because of it. Not to mention the fact that they used Moog instruments to create their inimitable sound. MoogFest and the Moog Innovation Award is the perfect way to pay homage to Bob Moog and his adopted hometown of Asheville, NC where he raised his kids, gave birth to some of his greatest inventions and where he re-established the company that bears his name and carries on his legacy, Moog Music.”   – Emmy Parker, Moog Music

DEVO, along with many more internationally renowned performers known for pushing creativity towards new dimensions, will play MoogFest 2010, a three-day festival celebrating the innovative vision of Bob Moog. MoogFest 2010 tickets are on sale now. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit moogfest.com.

 

MoogFest 2010 Lineup:

Friday, October 29

DEVO

MGMT

Big Boi

Girl Talk

Panda Bear

RJD2

Mutemath

Dan Deacon

Van Dyke Parks

Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich & Fussible

Saturn Never Sleeps (Featuring King Britt & Rucyl)

The Octopus Project

Kuroma

Clare & The Reasons

Saturday, October 30

Massive Attack

Thievery Corporation

Jonsi

Disco Biscuits

Caribou

Four Tet

Matmos

Dâm-Funk

School of Seven Bells

Jon Hopkins

Emeralds

Mountain Man

Ikonika

Sunday, October 31

Cee Lo Green

Pretty Lights

Hot Chip

Sleigh Bells

El-P

Neon Indian

Omar Souleyman

Mimosa

Two Fresh

DJ Spooky

For more information about Moog Music and its founder, Bob Moog, visit moogmusic.com.

TAEKO June 16 at the Kitano | NYC

TAEKO's latest CD, Voice, is a tasteful collection of songs from some very different sources that she treats with the same skillful execution.  Taeko Fukao, a native of Japan, has acquired the command of her instrument, her voice, and applied it to the genre of jazz in a way that is both technically significant and entertaining.  Her handling of the intricacies of the jazz genre has a clear sense of remarkable talent honed by a recognizable work ethic.

Under the coaching of Juanita Fleming, Taeko has evolved in her jazz voice and has taken on some interesting projects on Voice, including a lyric written by Fleming for Herbie Hancock's familiar tune, "Cantaloupe Island."  Taeko has a soulful, wistful voice with an ever so faint hint of her Asian ancestry, that sneaks into the tunes in the most appropriate way, especially during her expressive phrasing.  Taeko puts together a set list that includes the works of Marvin Gaye, "Inner City Blues," Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes," and Stanley Turrentine's "Sugar." Then mixes it up a bit with titles such as "Spring Nocturne," an original by the singer, and "Biwako," a traditional Japanese folk song that was a hit in Japan in the 1940's.

Taeko's approach to each of these songs is different, but consistent in each of them is the attention to execution, the precision and skilled management of her instrument is coupled with a playful and emotional coloring that conveys a shear joy with the work.   Taeko's voice is a pleasure to listen to.  Even when in its deepest range it is still lite and gentle, while remaining full.  Her scat capability is remarkable in and of itself and presents itself in a lively rendition of Sly Stone's "Stand!"

Overall, Taeko is brilliant in both her native language and her acquired language.  She demonstrates the skills built on a native talent that has been honed by a significant effort to convey the art of jazz vocals with all the musical elements in place and the heart and soul of a true jazz singer.

I found the entire CD to be a delightful departure from the run of the mill standards singers I have been hearing lately.  A refreshing new twist on some old favorites and an introduction into some new music from a Japanese influence, Taeko bridges both worlds exceptionally well.   If you haven't heard of TAEKO, or listened to her Voice, then you must check it out!

Groundation's 10th Annual Bob Marley Tribute Tour

Groundation began their annual Bob Marley Tribute Tour in 2000 as a means of celebrating the life and material of a true musical prophet. Marley's impact is hard to overstate. No other musician of the 20th Century is more well known across all parts of the globe than Marley.

His music united people of all classes and creeds through its easily relatable parables of overcoming social injustices by ways of unity and love. And though his music is often associated with the downtrodden and dispossessed, for surely those were who his music was made, mainstream media outlets served notice too; Time magazine famously listed Marley's Legend as the best album of the last 100 years.

But Groundation does not simply rest on the well known hits from Marley's hugely successful 'best-of' albums. Their tribute tour differs than other bands' similar outings by exposing those people familiar with Marley's music and message to the lesser known material of his catalog. While true that the inescapable sing-alongs do occur at these tribute shows, more often than not even the most seasoned Marley aficionado will hear songs they have yet to see performed live.



Groundation has drawn international recognition through their musicianship, which is unrivaled in the genre. A nine-piece band featuring swirling horns and keyboards, multiple percussionists, thundering b3 organ and bass, and a trio of lead and harmony vocalists, Groundation covers all bases with their wide ranging sound. Their live shows are renowned for over the top improvisational energy and positivity and their progressive sound is catching on, having played in 35+ countries on four continents in just the last few years, including headlining slots at major multi-genre festivals the world over.

These are not lame imitators attempting to replicate Bob's music. Groundation uses the template of Marley's music and liberally adds their own colors of the sonic palate creating altogether new and unique versions of timeless tracks. Groundation is the biggest, most respected American Reggae band in the world today and their tribute to the King of Reggae music is unlike any others. Come join us and find out why...

More Info / Buy Tickets