Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Filmwerk :: Wheedle's Groove: Seattle's Forgotten Soul of the 1960's and '70s

Wheedle’s Groove is a feature documentary by director/producer Jennifer Maas, released on Light In The Attic Records, about Seattle’s long-lost soul and funk music scene of the 1960s and 70s. During the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, and decades before Nirvana, Microsoft and Starbucks put Seattle on the map, Seattle’s African American neighborhood known as the Central District was buzzing. The soul sounds of groups like Black On White Affair, Cookin’ Bag, and Cold Bold & Together filled local airwaves and packed clubs seven nights a week. As many of the bands began breaking out nationally via major record deals, television appearances, and gigs with the likes of Curtis Mayfield and Stevie Wonder, the public demanded disco and the scene slipped into obscurity. With commentary by Seattle notable music figures like Quincy Jones, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Mark Arm (Mudhoney), Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie), Ben Shepherd (Soundgarden), Kim Warnick (The Fastbacks) and Kenny G, and using interview footage, archival materials, original music, and live performances, the film paints a picture of a thriving and vibrant music scene centered around the city’s small African-American population.

Find out more about Wheedle's Groove The Movie and The Music

New Release: Impressions Of Curtis Mayfield

Impressions of Curtis Mayfield is a new collection of a dozen reimaginings of some of the late, great soul man's most potent compositions, recorded by a collective of jazz aces calling themselves the Jazz Soul Seven: Terri Lyne Carrington-drums, Russ Ferrante-piano, the late Master Henry Gibson-percussion, Bob Hurst-bass, Wallace Roney-trumpet, Phil Upchurch-guitar, and Ernie Watts-saxophone. Read More

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Filmwerk :: I Need That Record - The Death (or Possible Survival) of the Independent Record Store

Guerilla filmmaker Brendan Toller unleashes “I NEED THAT RECORD! THE DEATH (OR POSSIBLE SURVIVAL) OF THE INDEPENDENT RECORD STORE,” a documentary feature examining why over 3000 independent record stores have closed across the U.S. in the past decade. Greedy record labels, media consolidation, homogenized radio, big box stores, Ecommerce, shoddy "stars" pushed by big money, and the digital revolution all pose threats on the very well being of our favorite record stores and the music industry at large. Will these stores die? Will they survive? Featuring- THURSTON MOORE of Sonic Youth, IAN MACKAYE of Dischord Records Fugazi/Minor Threat, activist/author NOAM CHOMSKY, MIKE WATT of the Minutemen, LENNY KAYE guitarist of the Patti Smith Group, CHRIS FRANTZ of the Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club, guitar composer GLENN BRANCA, PATTERSON HOOD of Drive-By Truckers, PAT CARNEY of the Black Keys, punk author LEGS MCNEIL, rock photographer BOB GRUEN, BP HELIUM guitarist from Of Montreal, and many indie record stores across the U.S. of A! Amazon

The Jazz Photography Of Francis Wolff: John Coltrane - Blue Train Session 1957

At Blue Note recording sessions in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Francis Wolff was building an archive of great photographic value and a visual documentation of jazz history unmatched at any other record company. This video takes us inside the making of one of the greatest albums in the history of modern jazz, John Coltrane’s "Blue Train" with actual images from the session at Rudy Van Gelder's Hackensack studio by master photographer Francis Wolff.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Featured Video :: Robert Glasper - Make Jazz Cool Again

iRockJazz.com caught Robert Glasper recently in Chicago where he discussed how jazz needs to be cool again and not a exclusive society for a certain style of jazz or a certain type of jazz listener. Chicago 2011.

Filmwerk :: Down The Rhodes – The Fender Rhodes Story

A much-needed look at one of our favorite instruments ever – the irreplaceable Fender Rhodes keyboard! The Rhodes has a sound that's unlike anything else – and has become a favorite of musicians over decades of use – as you'll hear in the film's interviews with Deodato, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Patrice Rushen, Ramsey Lewis, Dave Grusin, Rodney Franklin, Joe Sample, Jerry Peters, Les McCann, Maurice White, Ronnie Foster, D'Angelo, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and other jazz and soul legends – an incredibly large roster for a project like this! The film was partially put together by Gerald McCauley – a keyboardist himself – and it shows a love and respect of the Rhodes that really comes through. Almost 2 hours long, in color, with a special "Rhodes Scholars" feature. © 1996-2012, Dusty Groove America, Inc. DustyGroove

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Bookwerk :: The One: The Life and Music of James Brown by RJ Smith

The definitive biography of James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, with fascinating findings on his life as a Civil Rights activist, an entrepreneur, and the most innovative musician of our time

Playing 350 shows a year at his peak, with more than forty Billboard hits, James Brown was a dazzling showman who transformed American music. His life offstage was just as vibrant, and until now no biographer has delivered a complete profile. The One draws on interviews with more than 100 people who knew Brown personally or played with him professionally. Using these sources, award-winning writer RJ Smith draws a portrait of a man whose twisted and amazing life helps us to understand the music he made. The One delves deeply into the story of a man who was raised in abject-almost medieval-poverty in the segregated South but grew up to earn (and lose) several fortunes. Covering everything from Brown's unconventional childhood (his aunt ran a bordello), to his role in the Black Power movement, which used "Say It Loud (I'm Black and Proud)" as its anthem, to his high-profile friendships, to his complicated family life, Smith's meticulous research and sparkling prose blend biography with a cultural history of a pivotal era. At the heart of The One is Brown's musical genius. He had crucial influence as an artist during at least three decades; he inspires pity, awe, and revulsion. As Smith traces the legend's reinvention of funk, soul, R&B, and pop, he gives this history a melody all its own. Amazon

Don't Forget About The Fifth Annual Record Store Day Saturday April 21, 2012

We're always looking forward to National Record Store Day every April. This Saturday is the Fifith Annual Record Store Day. Although we buy vinyl and support our local record stores frequently throughout the year, there is always something special about that one Saturday in April where independent record stores and crate diggers around the world come together to celebrate the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the USA, and hundreds of similar stores internationally. So grab your list and get to diggin'. Below are a few vinyl records that we'll be diggin' for this Saturday at our local record store. Happy Record Store Day!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Bookwerk :: The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy

When Fortune 500 companies need to reenergize or reinvent a lagging brand, they call Steve Stoute. In addition to marrying cultural icons with blue-chip marketers (Beyoncé for Tommy Hilfiger's True Star fragrance, and Justin Timberlake for "lovin' it" at McDonald's), Stoute has helped identify and activate a new generation of consumers. He traces how the "tanning" phenomenon raised a generation of black, Hispanic, white, and Asian consumers who have the same "mental complexion" based on shared experiences and values. This consumer is a mindset-not a race or age-that responds to shared values and experiences, rather than the increasingly irrelevant demographic boxes that have been used to a fault by corporate America. And Stoute believes there is a language gap that must be bridged in order to engage the most powerful market force in the history of commerce. The Tanning of America provides that very translation guide. Drawing from his company's case studies, as well as from extensive interviews with leading figures of multiple fields, Stoute presents an insider's view of how the transcendent power of popular culture is helping reinvigorate and revitalize the American dream. He shows how he bridges the worlds of pop culture, brand consulting, and marketing in his turnkey campaigns offers keen insight into other successful campaigns-including the election of Barack Obama-to illustrate the power of the tan generation, and how to connect with it while staying true to your core brand. Amazon

In The Making :: Generations Of Go-Go - A Film by K. Dene Mitchell

Just found this amazing 8 minute trailer for a documentary that is still in the making about Washington, DC's Go-Go music culture. For forty years, the sound of the DMV has been go-go music. Now filmmaker K. Dene Mitchell and writer Deidre Gantt have set out to uncover the love affair Washingtonians have with the go-go. How does go-go mirror our identity as DC residents, youth and adults? How have the musicians, business people, and the fans kept the culture alive all these years? How is go-go changing and being preserved from generation to generation? What is the future of go-go music, especially in a changing city? These are all questions that Generations Of Go-Go will seek to answer in the hour long documentary. We'll be keeping an eye out for the arrival of the finished project.

Featured Video :: Esperanza Spalding feat. Algebra Blessett :: Black Gold