Featured below is a retro funk/soul mix by former Detroit based digital-artist/remixer known as Recloose. He once moved to live life in the New Zealand music scene, but recently moved to NYC for yet, another change. Recloose's real name is Matt Chicoine. This song below is titled Danger Zone.
What can be said about Bettye LaVette that has not been said already? She is the ultimate indie. Even though she was best friends (like family) with the biggest artists of her youth, like Sam Cooke, and she has been on several major labels that included Motown and Atlantic, she always maintained her independent ways.
Today, she is with Anti- Records, a division of the indie label, Epitaph Records. Epitaph is not a place for dead artists like it's name might imply, by the way. Bettye is independent like their Anti- label portends. And in that independent spirit, Bettye LaVette's music has probably never been more excellent in recent years. No matter what stage she is on, grandiose theaters to humble small venues, she always delivers it the same. She digs so deep into her soul, you feel it and you believe it because it's real.
Below are some handpicked favorite performances and videos from this truly inspired authentic uncontrived soul/funk artist deserving of the highest honors for her longevity and adherence to keeping it real and never selling out. She is a gem who is way to far under the radar. She is refreshing to hear, at this time when bad art seems to be a trend of a society in free fall. And perhaps this is the best kind of success for real artists like Bettye, coming from the longer road less traveled. She gained and has maintained "street credibility" with musician's musicians. She is as tight and relevant today, musically and soulfully speaking, as she ever was. Her sense of the funk has not been diminished and has only increased, which is not the case for many of her peers, who for one reason or another, have been unable to maintain their chops and their stage hustle. Turn it up and enjoy!
This live performance featured below below is of a song she recorded for her most recent 2015 album titled Worthy, which is excellent in every way. Visit BettyeLaVette.Com to hear more and buy that directly from the source.
Bettye LaVette - Wait
Whilst, we would love to feature Bettye's new material here, we instead, hope fans will go straight to Bettye for that. Instead, we are going to flash back on some of Bettye's earlier material that is also worthy of a listen, again.
The next two songs below are lyric videos to songs from her 2012 album titled Thankful N' Thoughtful.
Bettye LaVette - I'm Not The One
Bettye LaVette - Everything is Broken
And here is a terrific live performance of a Pink Floyd cover. It was filmed by a solo camera operator.
Bettye LaVette - Wish You Were Here, Highline Ballroom, NYC
Here is a song that is one of my favorites. It was written in 1965 by Dee Dee Ford under her birth name, Wrecia Holloway. Bettye's 1965 recording of the song was very successful for her. This version below was recorded and filmed in 1990. She sings her heart out and has a slightly different edge to it than the original.
Bettye Lavette - Let Me Down Easy
Next, is a great Bettye LaVette performance at the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors in honor of The Who, where she delivers her own interpretation of The Who classic written by Pete Townshend titled Love Reign O'er Me with her trademark style.
Bettye LaVette - Love Reign O'er Me (Kennedy Center Honors in honor of The Who)
Last, but not least, is is a fantastic full concert that was filmed for Canal+ TV in France ad featured five six excellent songs: Joy, How I am Different, Little Sparrow, Freedom, Sleep to Dream, and I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.
Back in April 2012, we wrote about and featured the music and videos of Sting's daughter, Eliot Sumner. At that time her act was known as I Blame Coco. Click here to view that post. A lot has happened since then.
Eliot Sumner has been paying her music dues the old fashioned way, through trial and error. In Part I, below, Eliot explains that with her previous I Blame Coco material, after it was released and she listened to it, she felt "no relation to it". That is part of the trial and error music journey she joined before her adult life began.
But if you were ever a fan of her father and his band The Police, you will see and hear a bit of the Sting gene in Eliot. But, she is all original and not copping someone else's groove, including her father's. And it's a real delight to listen to, both that material she has moved on from, as well as the present.
Most recently, director John Lindquist, in association with legendary i-D Magazine which is now part of the growing & influential Vice media network, followed Eliot in Europe where she is the supporting act for Lykke Li's tour.
Tracks featured in the three candid videos below include Come Friday, Halfway to Hell, Wobbler and Information. All are originals written by Eliot Sumner.
Eliot Sumner's bandmates are Nick Benton (guitar), Jan Blumentrath (keys) and Adam Gammage (drums). We don't have links on the first two bandmates, yet, but you can connect direct with Adam Gammage at facebook.com/AdamGammageDrummer and at adamgammage.blogspot.co.uk where he has all sorts of great music links.
Those who were part of the production with Director/DP/Editor John Lindquist include:
Director of Photography: Isaac Eastgate
First Assistant Camera: Joe Bird
B camera: Liboni Munnings
Editor: Tom Chick
Sound mix: Ania Przygoda
Additional dialogue interview: Scott Normand
Associate producer: Shabana Mansuri
Special thanks to Ellie Shaw, Gavin Maxwell (Backline tech) and Sarah Boardman.
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Was just about to give up on this Twitter thing until it helped us learn of a highly positive Reggae artist on the Reggae Livication Records imprint. His name is Zemroy Thomas, but he goes by Da Fuchaman. He has a really nice song titled I Feel Love from his most recent EP titled Rasta Will Be There.
Da Fuchaman - I Feel Love
Here is one more of his positive songs titled Don't Give Up. It was released a few years ago on his album titled Rise Up. It's great as a song, a statement and as a filmed medium.
Da Fuchaman - Don't Give Up
Da Fuchaman has also developed his chops as a documentarian/film maker. The description of his film reads: "Da Fuchaman returned to his homeland/Middle Buxton in the hills of St Ann's, Jamaica. Linking up with old friends, families and showing the beauty of the countrysides in the land of sunshine. Featuring pictures of Marhouse Boxton, Lower Buxton and Browns Town."
Following up on a lead took us to the following artist and companies in The Netherlands. First, we were led to Tin Ear Management. Just below is an act they handle that is on the Quadrofoon label/imprint. Their artist calls his act Man From The South.
Please click the play button of the video below and choose the
high-resolution & full screen options. When this music video
ends, it will automatically be followed by many more excellent curated music videos. Press forward to
skip any video or click the reverse button to replay or return to
previous songs. Or, exit full screen mode to browse pick a new video.
Man From The South - Before The Flood (Track #1 on his Paeonia Album)
Ariel Scherbacovsky and Sagit Shir are Hank & Cupcakes, a unique indie husband and wife duo that founded their act in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2008, eventually stationing themselves in Brooklyn, New York. They happen to be the first act I ever followed on Twitter. I first featured them in 2011 here and here. Their most recent record is titled CA$H 4 GOLD. They are in the middle of a U.S. tour. Please check the dates at the bottom of this post. Just below are the official videos from this most recent record that have so far been released.
Please click the play button of the first video below and choose
the high-resolution & full screen options. When the first
music video ends, it will automatically be followed by the other
videos, and several more hours of excellent music videos if you choose
to let it roll. Press forward to skip any video or click the reverse
button to replay or return to previous songs, or exit fullscreen to choose a new video.
Last month, it was announced that the original living Grateful Dead members would reunite to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Grateful Dead.
The reason for this post is because this weekend, a Grateful Dead story made the front page of the Wall Street Journal due to the strength and cosmic ethics behind the group's indie operation that is processing concert ticket orders for the shows through an old-school method of the U.S. mail. Fans decorate their envelopes that hold ticket requests, covered in hand drawn psychedelic art in hopes of sending the right impression that they are not part of a scalper network, but real fans. The fact that the story is newsworthy to the journal is a testament to the value of the indie spirit that Grateful Dead has always been known for.
Just below are some select songs recorded live on November 24, 1978 at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey, USA. Turn it up!
Please click the play button of the video below and choose the
high-resolution & full screen options. When this music video
ends, it will automatically be followed by many more excellent curated music videos. Press forward to
skip any video or click the reverse button to replay or return to
previous songs. Or, exit full screen mode to browse pick a new video.
Grateful Dead - Estimated Prophet / Shakedown St. / Fire On The Mt / Sugar Magnolia
