This Sistah Here Can Sang!: Presenting Avery*Sunshine

You know, I always say that the very best music cannot be found on mainstream radio, or even on the top ten charts, but reside somewhere off the beaten path, sometimes out of an open window, sometimes in a small smoky room, sometimes at some obscure, small town soul food festival, sometimes sitting on a blanket in a park on a lazy Sunday afternoon armed only with a beautiful smile, dimples, and an acoustic guitar.

Good music sometimes sounds best when it surprises you, grabs you, and demands that you sit and listen.

And as of late, my main man Dewan of Soul Reservoir and I have been on a mission to find these hidden jewels and bring them to you.  We complain about the lack of quality music, but we often overlook that which is right there within earshot.

Take this sistah here out of Pennsylvania, Avery*Sunshine, that Dewan pulled my coat to.  So, I’m sitting here listening to a few cuts she is offering as downloads on her site, and scrolling through the picture gallery, and I thanks to myself, “Dang, girl child.”  And you know when I cease thinking and begin thanking, I usually end up in some kind of trouble.  But that sultry, soulful voice coupled with those looks and a personality that shines through even in photographs, even on stage is where the whole concept of soul begins.

Her musical journey has taken her from the church to the stage, even to a number of private performances during President Obama’s inaugural celebrations.  On her first CD which is due out soon, she states that she sings about the possibilities of being a single woman and the promise of God.

But anyway, check out the cuts embedded below, let me know what you think, and throw your full support behind this sister’s career.  And one day when you are driving down the street with her beautiful voice serenading you, and in that brief moment in which everything seems just right in your world, remember that the soulbrother told you so.

Avery*Sunshine Homepage

Avery*Sunshine MySpace

Avery*Sunshine on ReverbNation 

Previously unreleased remix of Goapele's "Different" featuring Mos Def just for the taking

I was poking around over at Goapele’s site today, and she was offering this previously unreleased remix of “Different” from her CD Change It All featuring Mos Def  just for the taking, and I thought I would put y’all up on it. Take a listen and let me know what you think.

Finally! Gil Scott-Heron returns with new music and tour

Finally, after all this time, Gil Scott-Heron is returning with new music. After being absent from the industry for years amid reports and rumors of disabling drug abuse and other destructive behavior, and after a few stints here and there behind bars, he has returned to announce the release of a new CD entitled I’m New Here which is due out in January 2010 on XL Records. In fact, the Gil Scott-Heron Facebook group recently sent this preview out to its members [Click here for video preview.]

After listening to the preview a few times which contains bits of new songs on the CD—“A.M.,” “I’m New Here,” “Me and the Devil,” and “I’ll Take Care of You”—it becomes plain that his physical voice has changed drastically. His once deep, rich, baritone sounds strained, abused; nevertheless, it seems to add another dimension to his work. His voice bespeaks, belies a narrative of pain and anguish—a search for self. It lends a certain authenticity, a certain authority to his poetics.

But however changed his physical voice, his artistic voice remains soundly intact. It remains honest and uncompromising, and reminds me how much we missed him during the eight years of the Bush administration. If any time we needed his honest, uncompromising critique, it was then.

Gil Scott-Heron has often spoken of his love of the blues. And I once heard a noted blues artist state that all true blues artists are flawed in some way. In fact, the blues artist went on to state, often the reason blues artists choose the blues as a medium of expression is simply because they are flawed, because they have been through something, and the blues becomes the medium most suited to articulating that pain.

It follows, then, that I’m New Here is perhaps an apt title. Perhaps, this is not Gil Scott-Heron’s comeback, his re-emergence, but the coming out party for a completely new individual. Gil Scott-Heron has been through something; he seems to be waging an on-going, pitted battle against himself, and finally he is winning. And he has returned, reborn, remade, all new, to share that experience with us.

For those of you living in the New York City area, Gil Scott-Heron will be playing at B.B. King’s Blues Club and Grill on November 4th. Also, following the album release, he will be embarking on a European tour.

New Music Find: Funk Forever!

For this tonight’s new music spotlight, I have a new site for you—www.funkforever.com—in lieu of an artist. But in recommending this site, it’s necessary that I reveal something very personal to you.

The man you know as my father is not my father. The woman you know as my mother is not my mother. After the Mothership landed on stage in Houston in 1976 during perhaps the greatest Parliament/Funkadelic concert ever, the stage crew found me safely stored away in a corner of the ship.

As the Parliament/Funkadelic family gathered around, George Clinton wrapped me in the very raiment he had worn on stage that night. The band wanted to keep me and raise me on the road; however, the people you know as my mother and father stepped forward and convinced them that the road was no place to raise a child. They agreed to take me home and care for me and raise me in the ways of the Funk.

And this very week, a lurker on this blog stepped forward and revealed himself to me. He identified himself as a soldier from an ancient guild sworn to protect the Funk and keep it alive for all generations. And he recognized me as the child they had been looking for for so long; a child sent to earth to aid them in their mission, to spread the message that the Funk lives to all corners of the globe.

There was a child before me, soulbrother v.1, but he mysteriously disappeared during the Nixon administration and has never been heard from again.

These gentlemen have put together perhaps the most comprehensive collection of Funk known. They have gathered rare, little known cuts, live performance videos, interviews—anything pertaining to the Funk.

Let me now ask you this question: Where do you get your funk from? And if you do not currently have a Funk home, go on over to their site, the repository of the Funk—www.funkforever.com—and get all Funked up before it’s too late.

And if you are suffering from any ailments—the nubs, gout, a bad overbite--just put keep your hands on the keyboard as you surf the site. The Funk not only moves. It removes.

George Clinton himself left a special message for you in support of the Funk Soldiers at Funk Forever. Just click here to watch.

New Music Find: The Fresh Cut Collective

Fresh Cut Collective @ Summerfest 2009 performing "Loveless" from Adebisi Agoro on Vimeo

I quit listening to mainstream radio long ago. Music had just gone too commercial to the point of everyone sounding exactly the same. All originality seemed to be sapped from music, especially rap and hip hop. That’s partly why I get so excited when I make new music finds like this one.

This hip hop band out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The Fresh Cut Collective, and front man and emcee Adebisi, are everything contemporary rap and hip hop is not.

First of all, they are a real band. Note the guy absolutely going off on the electric violin. That’s not something you see every day in a hip hop band. I bet his parents did not envision this when they were paying for violin lessons all those years. Moreover, this speaks to the originality of their approach to hip hop music. They are, at once, thoughtful, provocative, and willing to take risks.

Perhaps, attempting to find your spot in the spotlight affords new artists such luxuries, but it is, nonetheless, refreshing to find in this era of canned beats and inane lyrics.

I’m far from a music expert, but I do know what I like, and I have a feeling that pretty soon these guys are going to break out in a big way. And when they do, just say soulbrother Max Reddick told you so.

For more information about the band, and to listen to additional tracks and find concert dates, click here for Adebisi’s Myspace page.

Cool Music for a Hot Summer Night: Jill Scott & George Benson "Summertime"

And let me know if you are feeling it!

43rd Montreux Jazz Festival Images and Sounds

For all you music lovers out there, and that should be everyone because everyone needs somebody to love, if you haven’t heard, the Montreux Jazz Festival has been going on this week. And the website for this year’s festival features images and sounds of the performances to include video. So, you don't need to be there to get some of the flava'. Most notably, though, the site also contains a Prince track exclusive to the festival.

So, if you like good music, especially live music, go on over and check it out. [Click here to go to the site.]

Tribute to James Brown featuring Michael Jackson

Speaking of musical icons who have passed on. I know this comes late, but this one is another must see. Tribute to James Brown featuring Michael Jackson. Picked up via Twitter from @Bootsy_Collins.

Let me know whatcha think!

Classic Moment in Music History: James Brown, Michael Jackson, and Prince on Stage Together

Michael Jackson Prince James Brown
Uploaded by ramdesham. - Independent web videos.

Had to drop this one off as I cruised on through. I came across it via Twitter. The video quality is not that good, but this is classic—James Brown, Michael Jackson, and Prince all on stage at one time. I’m not sure if this happened any other time. And notice how Prince comes to the stage being carried by his bodyguard. Now that’s gangsta’!