Check out this new single off Mr Sef’s new project “Devils Angel”, featuring Laroo the Hard Hitta and Schmoplife Boss Kool John.
Archive for the ‘Bay Area Music’ Category
Posted in 
Krall, Shorter Top 2013 Monterey Jazz Fest
May 19th, 2013 
CustomBread 
Jazz sensation Diana Krall headlines the 56th annual Monterey Jazz Festival, Sept. 20-22, 2013
Grammy-winning singer and pianist Diana Krall, saxophonist Wayne Shorter (celebrating his 80th birthday), vocal gymnast Bobby McFerrin, Bob James and David Sanborn, guitarist George Benson, bassist Dave Holland, saxophonist Joe Lovano and Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club featuring Omara Portuondo and Eliades Ochoa are among the headliners at the 2013 Monterey Jazz Festival.
Also on tap for this year’s festival, which takes place September 20-22, are the Dave Douglas Quintet, Carmen Lundy, the California Honeydrops, the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola, Mary Stallings, the Lou Donaldson Quartet, the Cedar Walton Trio, the Tammy Hall Quartet, Along Came Betty, and this year’s ever-popular “Hammond B3 Blowout!” with the Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio and the Anthony Wilson Trio with Larry Goldings and Jim Keltner.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on May 21, and single-day Arena tickets will be available July 8.
Saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master Wayne Shorter, who’ll perform and be honored at the 2013 Monterey Jazz Festival
This year’s edition of the longest-running jazz festival on the West Coast features 500 artists in 90 performances on eight stages to serve up more than 30 hours of live music over two days and three nights, accompanied by an array of international cuisine, shopping, art exhibits, educational events, seminars and conversations with iconic and emerging jazz artists on the oak-studded 20 acres of the Monterey County Fairgrounds.
Saxophonist Joe Lovano will serve as the Festival’s 2013 Artist-In-Residence, and will perform with Us Five, Dave Douglas (this year’s Showcase Artist, performing a special set entitled “Sound Prints” “inspired by and commissioned from” Shorter with the Joe Lovano/Dave Douglas Quintet, an all-star ensemble including up-and-coming pianist Lawrence Fields, bassist Linda Oh, and drummer Joey Baron), and as a soloist with the Festival’s all-star student band, the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. He’ll also be playing music inspired and commissioned from one of this year’s most lauded musical guests: saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master Shorter, who’ll be performing Sunday night himself in the company of his current working quartet (pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Brian Blade).
Another artist making multiple appearances at this year’s festival, award-winning trumpeter Dave Douglas returns to Monterey as the 2013 Showcase Artist, and will perform three times throughout the weekend: with his own quintet, and with Sound Prints in the Arena and on the Grounds. Sound Prints acts as one of the dual 2013 Commission Artists along with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, which will debut newly commissioned music in tribute to the late Dave Brubeck in the Arena.
Hieroglyphics “The Kitchen” Release Date, Tracklist & Cover Art
May 14th, 2013 CustomBread 
Hieroglyphics returns with “The Kitchen,” its first studio album in 10 years.
Oakland underground super group Hieroglyphics will release its third album, The Kitchen, July 16. Sacramento-based DJ and beat-chopping crew The Sleeprockers contributed to Hiero’s third studio album, a project they “mixed and cooked.”
The Kitchen single “Gun Fever” discusses the group’s perspective on gun control, a topic that’s getting a lot of national attention thanks to the high profile shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, among others. ”We are not promoting guns or violence,” Hieroglyphics member Tajai said on the group’s website, “but simply expressing our thoughts on the issue and encouraging further dialogue.”
Hieroglyphics consists of Souls of Mischief (Opio, Phesto, A-Plus, Tajai), Del The Funky Homosapien, Pep Love, Casual, Domino and DJ Toure. The members of Hiero have been involved in a number of projects and have collaborated with Jurassic 5, George Clinton, Dilated Peoples, Q-Tip, Xzibit and Gorillaz, among others.
The Kitchen is the follow-up to 2003′s Full Circle. The crew released 3rd Eye Vision in 1998 and also has various compilations and EPs under its belt.
The cover art and tracklist for The Kitchen is as follows.
1. The Kitchen Intro – PROD. Sleeprockers
2.. Livin’ It Up – PROD. Del The Funky Homosapien
3. The Mayor – PROD. Gully Duckets
4. Golden – PROD. Del The Funky Homosapien
5. Gun Fever – PROD. Gully Duckets
6. Indonesia – PROD. Opio
7. wShores Galore – PROD. Opio
8. That Merch – PROD. Unjust
9. Nutrition – PROD. Opio
10. Indonesia Interlude – Sleeprockers edit/PROD. Opio
11. Highway Five – PROD. Opio
12. All As Above So Below – PROD. Opio
13. Nano Salt – PROD. Opio
14. Immortals – PROD. A-Plus
15. Exciting – PROD. Phesto Dee
16. It’s Partly Me – PROD. Opio
17. Passing Fads – PROD. Stephen King
1-O.A.K. & Trackademicks – “How Soon Is Now”
May 10th, 2013 CustomBread 1-O.A.K. & Trackademicks – “How Soon Is Now”
2-Player Co-Op: Lovelorn is a covers project cooked up by the Honor Roll’s Trackademicks and 1-O.A.K.. This particular cut is a remake of The Smiths‘ 1984 hit “How Soon Is Now.” 1-O.A.K. brings an R&B flavor to the alternative rock record, but he and Tracks keep the song’s original melody and melancholy intact. The song is an anthem for the lonely, but the twist that this video introduces is the notion that the prospect of love is often around us, but our moods, dispositions, and/or traumas can cloud our ability to see it. Sometimes our longing is a projection of our pain rather than an open invitation – an energy that 1-O.A.K. captures on this record. Download 2-Player Co-Op: Lovelorn and peep their infectious bonus remake of James Blake’s “Petrograde” below.
40Love Drops Trippy New Video For “Think Too Much”
May 10th, 2013 CustomBread 
Two MCs plus two DJs/producers equals San Francisco’s 40 Love. A good beat, plus rapid flows, plus trippy visuals, equal “Think Too Much.” The treatment for this video could have been really simple. But then again, if you’re going to make a video, why not make one that people want to keep going back to? The SF crew enlisted David Dutton, an award-winning Bay Area filmmaker who has created visuals for major brands and indie artists, including a “Internet Killed the Video Star,” which has over a million Youtube hits.
The result is product that you have to watch more than once. The trippyness of the merging shots match the some-times nonsensical flows– both of which make perfect sense on a track called “Think Too Much”. We recommend that you don’t, and just watch it… twice.
Source: 38th.notes
V-Nasty Explains Absence From The Scene, Upcoming Project With Ryan Seacrest (Video)
May 5th, 2013 CustomBread was like ‘V-Nasty,’” the rapper revealed. “What? Ya’ll inspired by me? Bitch, I need my bread.”
Video of V-Nasty’s interview with Vlad TV can be found below.
Fresh off news of a reported $750,000 record deal with Pinnacle Records, Oakland rapper V-Nasty is doing well. But, for a minute, she had stepped away from the industry to gain some perspective. During a recent interview with VladTV, the female rapper explained why she stepped away, claiming her previous management tried to keep her from flourishing as a solo artist.
Later, V-Nasty revealed that she has an “epic” project in the works with Ryan Seacrest, which the later refers to as “movie sh**.”
Chuuwee – Hear No Equal (Mixtape)
April 24th, 2013 CustomBread 
The Sac Town emcee teams up with Risea07 to release a collection of unreleased music (from 2008-2013). Stream/download after the jump.
DOWNLOAD: Chuuwee – Hear No Equal (Mixtape)
OKOLO: Boss Chick (Music Video)
April 23rd, 2013 CustomBread Oakland-bred up-and-comer, OKOLO “ThaDonDiva”, hits fans with a video for her brand new single “Boss Chick”. In Tha Razor-directed clip, the femcee shows everyone how a boss has fun, while taking care of her man and kids and staying focused on her career.
Hieroglyphics x General Hyroponics at Paid Dues 2013 (Video)
April 18th, 2013 CustomBread @HieroImperium footage taken at Paid Dues 2013 in San Bernadino California.
Buxton, Kline Honored as 2013 “Jazz Heroes”
April 11th, 2013 CustomBread 
Radio broadcaster, impresario, educator, historian and community activist Sonny Buxton and SFJAZZ founder and guiding light Randall Kline have been selected as recipients of 2013′s local “Jazz Hero” award from a national jazz writers organization.
This year’s “Jazz Hero” awards will be presented in conjunction with the 2013 Jazz Journalists Association‘s Jazz Awards honoring significant achievements in jazz music and journalism.
“Jazz Heroes” are activists, advocates, altruists, aiders and abettors of jazz who have had significant impact in their local communities. Previous award winners include multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer and educator Dr. John Calloway (2012), jazz singer Ed Reed (2011), Jazzschool founder and director Susan Muscarella, record producer Orrin Keepnews, musician and educator Khalil Shaheed, guitarist Bruce Forman, educator Dr. Herb Wong, and publicist Terri Hinte.
Buxton and Kline will be honored ilater in the month of April, which is celebrated internationally as “Jazz Appreciation Month” by the Smithsonian Institute and a number of jazz organizations around the world.
Presenting the award to Buxton this year will be JJA member and JazzWest editor/publisher Wayne Saroyan. Other testimonials and musical performances will be announced soon.
Kline’s nomination comes at the hands of the Western Jazz Presenters Network, a coalition of jazz presenters in the western region of North America.
Nominees in 38 categories were chosen by the votes of the Professional Journalist Members of the Jazz Journalists Association, and were made on the basis of work done in calendar year 2012 (with the exception of Lifetime Achievement Awards categories, in which nominations are for a lifetime body of work).
Among this year’s jazz musicians nominees are legendary jazz musicians McCoy Tyner, Muhal Richard Abrams, Randy Weston and Wayne Shorter (Lifetime Achievement in Jazz), along with Chick Corea, Henry Threadgill, Maria Schneider, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, Joe Lovano Us Five, Jason Moran and the Bandwagon, Kurt Elling, Dianne Reeves, Tom Harrell, Charles Lloyd, Lee Konitz, Branford Marsalis, Chris Potter, Ravi Coltrane, Bill Frisell, Dr. Lonny Smith, John Medeski, Christian McBride, Ron Carter, Zakir Hussain and Brian Blade.
Also nominated: up-and-coming jazz musicians Aaron Deihl, Brian Skonberg, David Virelles and Ryan Truesdell.
Winners in the various musical categories will be announced online at the JJA Jazz Awards website, and winners in jazz journalism categories (writer, print publication, website, blog, best book, broadcasting, photos and videos) will be announced at a media awards party on June 19 at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City.
Here’s a link to the complete list of this year’s nominees.
Buxton: Broadcaster, Musician, Impresario & Educator
Buxton, well-known in the local jazz community for decades, has been a beacon for jazz since arriving in the Bay Area in the 1960s. A seasoned broadcast journalist who worked as a reporter and talk show host for KGO TV & Radio in the 1970s, the Seattle-born nightclub impresario and jazz deejay has kept quality jazz alive in San Francisco, presenting artists from the Bay Area and out-of-towners alike in his clubs Milestones and Jazz at Pearl’s, and since Pearl’s closing in 2003 through his radio work at KCSM-FM.
He’s also taught jazz history at several local colleges and universities.As a youth, Sonny was a talented athlete and budding musician, playing congas and trap drums. He accompanied Billy Strayhorn in the pianist-composer’s final trio, during a period when Buxton was also playing football with the Oakland Raiders, and kept swinging behind his kit for 15 years. That background, as well as Buxton’s skills as a radio show host, smarts as a club owner (his business partner Pearl Wong deserves credit, too) and daring as an impresario has gained him the kind of impact and dedication to the community that the JJA looks for from its Jazz Heroes.
“Sonny’s been an educator at several local universities, a writer and a historian” says jazz journalist and JazzWest publisher Saroyan. “Throughout the 2000s he’s been involved in virtually every notable community-focused event, and very active in a loose network of advocacy and support for African-American jazz musicians in the Bay Area. He’s often involved in fundraising efforts to support local jazz musicians in need.”
Of his radio style, he is admittedly talkative, but says, “I’m trying to make the music come alive.” Buxton is a master storyteller who conveys his jazz experiences as a prince of hip, in the league of past radio greats like Al “Jazzbo” Collins and New York’s “Symphony Sid” Torin. In his off-time he likes to paint, and is currently rumored to be writing his memoirs.
Kline: Founder and Guiding Light for SFJAZZ
Kline is the Founder and Executive/Artistic Director of SFJAZZ — the San Francisco jazz organization — and pulled off one of the most spectacular achievements of 2012-2013. Having built SFJAZZ as a small community-based operation to what’s become an internationally recognized, year-round presenting institution some 30 years later, Kline most recently presided over the opening of the SFJAZZ Center, the nation’s first permanent home dedicated to jazz, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 21, 2013.
SFJAZZ was originally named “Jazz in the City,” launched by Kline and Clinton Gilbert in 1983. Initial funding was provided by the Grants for the Arts of the San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, with a matching grant from the San Francisco Foundation. In December 1999 the establishment of SFJAZZ, the San Francisco Jazz Organization, was announced, with much-expanded presenting and educational programs.
Kline has been a steady, seemingly low-key but totally involved steward of SFJAZZ, creating a world-renowned autumn festival and the touring SFJAZZ Collective band, with revolving personnel and original as well as locally-drawn repertoire carrying his brand’s name to concerts and club performances globally. He serves on the boards of directors of the San Francisco Convention and Visitor Bureau, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (SF Chapter) and the Western Jazz Presenters Network, whose members voted to honor him as a Jazz Hero this year for his many accomplishments.
