Home Blog Page 1648

What about the Forex Broker Services and Features

0

For all investors who wish to engage in currency trading or who already trade, it is always a good idea to seek the services of a regulated Forex broker. However, not all brokers are regulated by the same rules and regulations. While some brokers will offer you all the services that you need to understand the market, there are others who would only render regulated services to those investors who they personally supervise and manage. In order to choose a Forex broker that will best meet your investment goals, the following are the reasons why you should only deal with regulated brokers:

One of the many reasons why investing in regulated forex brokers is advised is because of the extreme leverage they provide. Because of the large amount of investment capital each individual and organization have access to, leverage can play a very big role in the successful trading of currency. Most investors fail to remember that leverage is the key to earning huge profits in any investment venture. But while they may succeed in earning high profits, they also run the risk of incurring very high losses, which may even bring them financial and/or personal losses.

Another reason why investors should go for best forex brokers is because of the fees they charge their clients. Because of the extreme leverage provided by these brokers, traders are often required to pay extremely high transaction fees to use their service. In some cases, these fees could reach hundreds of dollars per trade. For traders who only wish to open a few accounts, this may not be a problem, but for those who wish to start an extensive trading business or those who already have several accounts, these fees could become quite expensive.

Many traders find it easier to do their transactions using a web-based interface instead of a computer. Some brokers, however, still require traders to use a physical platform in order to execute their trades. If you decide to go with a web-based regulated broker, make sure that it offers this as an option. Otherwise, you may have to spend time getting your account set up on a physical platform.

It is also important to note that if a regulated broker advertises himself as a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FII) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This simply means that the broker has passed the certification round. In order to become a member, brokers need to pass the exams conducted by the FII or by the SEC. Once the broker passes these tests, he can then claim membership in either body.

Regulated Forex brokers cannot solicit the investment money from clients. However, regulated brokers are allowed to provide advice on various financial products. They also can open new accounts and provide general information on various products such as indexes and indices. In order to obtain their license, brokers should have completed training courses on money management and be accredited by the FINFA.

The forex broker maintains a large number of financial transactions in a variety of different locations. These include several banks that act as financial intermediaries for the larger investment banks. These banks allow companies like yours the opportunity to trade in a bid to make you a profit. In order to do this, they have to be able to access the various currencies being traded on the forex exchange itself. This is known as the interbank system.

The interbank system was created to keep currencies from flowing freely to one another. Foreign banks were forced to compete with one another in order to win your business and keep you as a client. This competitive environment made for a level playing field, which meant that new entrants could make some money relatively quickly. Newer brokers can gain access to the trading information directly from these banks without having to rely on middlemen such as your brokerage firm or even individual traders.

The advantage of using a forex broker to trade in the foreign exchange market is that you’ll have direct access to the live market. This means that all of your trades are handled in real time. Best of all, you won’t need to use any software to monitor your transactions or to keep track of when they’re happening. You’ll just need to be sitting in front of your computer and clicking on trades as they happen. Some retail forex broker providers offer a wide variety of different trading platforms, allowing you to customize your trading experience exactly the way that works best for you.

Many retail forex brokers also offer a huge number of different options for investors. Many foreign exchange traders can use automatic forex trading systems that automatically enter and exit trades on their behalf. They can also provide many different risk/reward profiles, allowing investors to adjust their risk level parameters as necessary in order to maximize their profits and minimize their losses. While some investors stick to the same software platform as their larger clients, there’s no reason that smaller investors couldn’t take advantage of some of the features available on the leading platforms.

If you’ve been looking to start investing in the foreign currency exchange market but don’t know where to begin, you should definitely consider using the services of a forex broker. These individuals and firms offer you the opportunity to access the largest currency exchange network in the world. With so much riding on your decision to invest, it’s important that you take the time to carefully research the different platforms and brokers available. Make sure to find a broker that offers custom-trading features such as human intelligence, stop-loss parameters, and news feeds. By taking all of these factors into consideration, you’ll be able to find a forex broker that is right for you.

The Smashing Pumpkins If They Were An 80s Band

0

Smashing Pumpkins’ Bullet with Butterfly Wings is reworked by Martijn Frazer as an 80s club banger.

How to Download Videos to Mp3 Music Online?

0

Bad internet connection sucks – we all have been there, and since we are using our tech devices more than before, we keep looking for effective ways to remain connected to the internet all the time. There are many ways you can benefit from a video converter, especially in today’s world, where our lives revolve around technology and the internet.

Read on to learn more about video conversion.

You Can Watch Videos on Your Phone

Understandably, we don’t carry our smartphones with us all the time, which is why we use our smartphones for nearly everything, including accessing social media, such as YouTube, Facebook, etc. While our friends like to share videos on their social media, we might want to save some and watch them later. This is where you can benefit from video to Mp3/ Mp4 conversion.

The best video converter will allow you to save videos, audio files, and even pictures from social media and save them in your desired format on your tech devices.

What would you do in the absence of public Wi-Fi when you are waiting for the public transport to arrive and take you to your school or workplace? Suppose you like to listen to some motivational podcasts. Instead of becoming moody and upset, you can make good use of a video converter and access the downloaded videos without the internet or signing in to public Wi-Fi.

It doesn’t matter where you are; your favorite playlist will only be one click away. You won’t need to depend on a strong and always available internet connection anymore. You can download, convert videos, and save them on your tech device, such as your iPhone, smartphone, desktop, MacBook, you name it.

 

How to Use a Video to Mp3 Converter?

The best thing about using an Mp3 video converter is that with a few simple steps, you can have all your favorite songs/ videos/ podcasts downloaded in your desired format. After installing the youtube to mp3 converter, go to YouTube and copy the video URL of your desired video.

Subsequently, open the downloader and paste the URL into the downloader, which will then initiate the converting process. Before the converting process, you need to select the preferred format in which you want to save the YouTube video.

After applying the Mp3 format, the YouTube video will be derived from the social media platform to a music audio file. By clicking on the option of “convert,” you will initiate the converting process. Simply select the button placed underneath the input field, and the video will be converted into an Mp3 file.

Lastly, select the option of “Download,” and voila, your video has been successfully converted into Mp3 format. The video’s conversion rate to Mp3 is quick, smooth, and displays a high quality, which is why it is the number one choice for many music lovers who want to enjoy their favorite playlist when on the go to work school etc.

 

There Are No “Lonely Days” with Folk-Pop Artist ADRIENNE NYE’s New Single

0

Canadian folk-pop and roots artist Adrienne Nye is prepared to transfix even the loneliest listener with her pulsing new harmony-driven song, “Lonely Days” — available now.

A song steeped in utter truths, hinging on pleading, and questioning, and ultimately surrendering to reality, the Montreal-born, Vancouver-based singer/songwriter strikes a chord both on her stunning acoustic, and straight through the heart of any lover lost to love.

This indie songstress has a voice as rich as mahogany and a sensibility in songwriting that flows eagerly between traditional roots, with a nod of country folk, for good measure. Seizing listeners with her enchanting intros that rush like a freight-train as the song churns along the track, Nye dares you to join her on the journey — regardless of where it goes.

“This song was written as an anthem to all binational couples separated by border closures,” Nye explains of “Lonely Days.” “Being separated for a long time from someone you love can be gut wrenching and heartbreaking. It impacts everything from our mental health to our support network to our general sense of wellbeing. It leaves us longing for connection and feeling the deep sting of isolation and separation. My heart goes out to everyone trying to get to someone they love and just can’t. It is my hope that this song brings us together to relate to each other’s struggles and find strength in our collective pandemic stories of love, loss and uncertainty.

“Together or apart, love is essential.”

The multi-instrumentalist has had an incredible tenure in music, having started singing at the tender age of four, and booking her first professional on stage show at age nine. Cultivating a passion for music and composing, the young Nye grew up honing her craft in her high school productions, her specialized arts and training programs, and eating up every opportunity placed on her path – including composing a full length Missa Brevis in three-part harmony for her choir when she was 14. “It was performed at Place des Arts in Montreal and broadcast live on Radio-Canada,” Nye says. In addition to performing acoustic, the musician is also taking up mandolin and turning her attention to Nimbus School of Recording and Media where she’ll be studying music production, recording and business.

Among her ranking influences, Nye reveals Brandi Carlile and Joy Williams at the heart of her musical soul, “although I listen to everything from bluegrass to Americana to Pop these days,” she adds. It was in 2017, she formed Fallow State with Christopher D. Olson, a former classmate at Rogues West (British Columbia), and their music became known around the Vancouver music scene as a rich tapestry of clever song writing, refined musicality and shape shifting harmonies. Their debut EP was released in 2017, with a subsequent sophomore offering in 2020. With accolades and fans to their credit, the duo spent two years in a row performing at West Vancouver’s coveted Harmony Arts Festival.

“Lonely Days” marks Nye’s first solo single in more than a decade. Enlisting a host of talented collaborators to see the track through, including JP Maurice as session musician, producer, and even backing vocals. As Nye says, he brought “everything to the table.”

“JP Maurice is a dream to work with,” Nye reveals. “From backing vocals, to piano, guitar, bass, synth, organ, drums, and I probably forgot some other things in there too… He threw everything at the wall, and then some, and we got to select the best of what we had.

“It was so much fun to try different things and see what felt right. It’s amazing to find someone who hears music the way you do but also throws some creative curve balls into the mix that you might not have considered. I learned so much from him and from my time with him in the studio.”

Part of what makes the concoction of “Lonely Days” so spectacular is the attention to detail you can pluck from each layer of the song, including the pulsating “porch stomp” that can be felt like a metronome throughout the piece. “After tracking the acoustic guitar first, we decided to add a ‘porch stomp’ which was meant to serve as a sort of marching heartbeat throughout the song,” Nye goes on to explain. “JP ran a mic under a ramp in the courtyard of the studio and literally stomped on it. I couldn’t stop laughing as we went back and forth trying to decide whose shoes made a better thumping sound.

“His won.”

What became of the song is a love-letter to musical prowess and captivating penmanship. “Lonely Days” makes no bones about telling the truth, standing behind it, feeling it through its rawness and agility to break under the weight of loss and wondering how to fit the pieces back together. Adrienne Nye is no stranger to letting the realness of her world shine brightly on even the darkest tales, but her sense of longing has the listener relating, and rooting for a happy ending.

“Lonely Days” is available now.

Pat Metheny Announces SIDE-EYE NYC (V1.IV) out September 10

0

Pat Metheny has unveiled the latest chapter in his wildly prolific career – SIDE-EYE, a new setting featuring the 20-time GRAMMY winner accompanied by a handpicked and rotating cast of players featuring some of the most exciting and innovative new musicians on the New York scene. The new album, SIDE-EYE NYC will be released September 10 through BMG Modern Recordings. Recorded just before the pandemic, SIDE-EYE (V1.1V) deftly balances a mix of stunning new originals with inventive reworkings of some of Metheny’s most beloved compositions such as “Timeline,” which originally featured Metheny performing with fellow icons Michael Brecker and Elvin Jones. Now bringing that same unmistakable spirit to a new crop of players who grew up with his music as a part of their musical heritage, Metheny’s SIDE-EYE seamlessly flows in his usual genre-defying way from post-organ-trio grooves to expansive mini-suite forms to simply Metheny at his most rocking.

As is only fitting for a musician known for an extensive touring regime, Metheny has announced over 100 concerts world-wide to accompany the release of SIDE-EYE— returning to the road this fall and spanning well into 2022, with even more shows to be announced soon. As on the recording, the live version of SIDE-EYE will feature the phenomenally talented pianist/organist/keyboardist James Francies. The drum chair in SIDE-EYE has been filled to-date by some of the most exciting players around including Eric Harland, Anwar Marshall and most notably, Marcus Gilmore, who is spotlighted on the recording. The exciting young New Orleans drummer, Joe Dyson, will be featured in the upcoming live performances around the world.

SIDE-EYE NYC is the latest in an unmatched run of eclecticism from Metheny, whose most recent albums include From This Place, named Downbeat’s Jazz Record of the Year for 2020, and March 2021’s multi-movement classical guitar suite Road To The Sun – which the Wall Street Journal’s Allan Kozinn hailed as “beautifully nuanced” and “presenting significant additions to the solo, ensemble and transcription repertory.” This wide range of musical experimentation is of course nothing new for Metheny – he is in fact the only musician ever to win GRAMMY awards in twelve different musical categories. Widely sought out amongst sonic worlds for decades, his collaborators on past projects have included Steve Reich, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Hancock and David Bowie.

SIDE-EYE – NYC Tracklist
It Starts When It Disappears
Better Days Ahead
Timeline
Bright Size Life
Lodger
Sirabhorn
Turnaround
Zenith Blues

PAT METHENY SIDE-EYE TOUR DATES
September 16, 2021 – Jazz Alley – Seattle, WA
September 17, 2021 – Jazz Alley – Seattle, WA
September 18, 2021 – Jazz Alley – Seattle, WA
September 19, 2021 – Jazz Alley – Seattle, WA
September 21, 2021 – Revolution Hall – Portland, OR
September 22, 2021 – Cascade Theater – Redding, CA
September 24, 2021 – Monterey Jazz Fest – Monterey, CA
September 25, 2021 – SFJazz Center Miner Auditorium – San Francisco, CA
September 26, 2021 – SFJazz Center Miner Auditorium – San Francisco, CA
September 27, 2021 – Crest Theater – Sacramento, CA
September 29, 2021 – Lobero Theatre – Santa Barbara, CA
September 30, 2021 – The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park – San Diego, CA
October 1, 2021 – Irvine Barclay Theatre – Irvine, CA
October 3, 2021 – Mesa Arts Center – Mesa, AZ
October 5, 2021 – Fox Tucson Theatre – Tucson, AZ
October 6, 2021 – National Hispanic Cultural Center – Albuquerque, NM
October 7, 2021 – Boulder Theatre – Boulder, CO
October 8, 2021 – Strings Music Pavilion – Steamboat Springs, CO
October 9, 2021 – Paramount Theatre – Denver, CO
October 11, 2021 – Lied Center Performing Arts – Lincoln, NB
October 12, 2021 – Pantages Theatre – Minneapolis, MN
October 14, 2021 – Pabst Theatre – Milwaukee, WI
October 15, 2021 – Thalia Hall (2 shows) – Chicago, IL
October 16, 2021 – Memorial Hall – Cincinnati, OH
October 17, 2021 -Orchestra Hall – Detroit, MI
November 4, 2021 – Flying Monkey – Plymouth, NH
November 5, 2021 – State Theatre – Portland, ME
November 6, 2021 – Foxwoods- The Fox Theater – Mashantucket, CT
November 7, 2021 – Wilbur Theatre – Boston, MA
November 9, 2021 – Ridgefield Playhouse – Ridgefield, CT
November 11, 2021 – Keswick Theater – Glenside, PA
November 12, 2021 – State Theatre New Jersey – New Brunswick, NJ
November 13, 2021 – The Music Center at Strathmore – N Bethesda, MD
November 14, 2021 – Patchogue Theater of Performing Arts – Patchogue, NY
November 16, 2021 – Williams Center for the Arts – Easton, PA
November 18, 2021 – Kodak Theater – Rochester, NY
November 19, 2021 – Troy Music Hall – Troy, NY
November 20, 2021 – Academy of Music – Northampton, MA
February 3, 2022 – State Theatre – State College, PA
February 4, 2022 – Ferguson Center for the Arts – Newport News, VA
February 5, 2022 – Jefferson Center – Roanoke, VA
February 7, 2022 – Schermerhorn Symphony Center – Nashville, TN
February 8, 2022 – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – Asheville, NC
February 9, 2022 – Carolina Theater – Durham, NC
February 11, 2022 – Blumenthal Knight Arts Theater – Charlotte, NC
February 12, 2022 – Variety Theater (2 Shows) – Atlanta, GA
February 13, 2022 – UAB’s Alys Stephens Center – Birmingham, AL
February 14, 2022 – Charleston Music Hall – Charleston, SC
February 16, 2022 – Lyric Center – Stuart, FL
February 17, 2022 – Dr. Phillips Center – Orlando, FL
February 18, 2022 – Arsht Center Knight Concert Hall – Miami, FL
February 19, 2022 – Florida Theatre – Jacksonville, FL
February 20, 2022 – Capitol Theatre – Clearwater, FL
February 23, 2022 – One World Theater – Austin, TX
February 24, 2022 – One World Theater – Austin, TX
February 25, 2022 – Cullen Theater – Houston, TX
February 26, 2022 – Majestic Theatre- Dallas, TX
April 26, 2022 – Sono Centrum- Brno, Cz
April 27, 2022 – Wiener Konzerthaus- Vienna, Au
April 28, 2022 – MUPA – Budapest, Hgy
April 29, 2022 – Forum Karlin – Prague, Cz
May 1, 2022 – Alte Oper Erfurt – Erfurt, Gr
May 2, 2022 – Alte Oper – Frankfurt, Gr
May 3, 2022 – Tollhaus Karlsruhe – Karlsruhe, Gr
May 4, 2022 – Tonhalle Dusseldorf – Dusseldorf, Gr
May 6, 2022 – Grand Teatro Geox – Padova, It
May 7, 2022 – Teatro Alighieri -Ravenna, It
May 8, 2022 – Teatro Umberto Giordano – Foggia, It
May 9, 2022 – Auditorium Parco della Musica – Rome, It
May 11, 2022 – Auditorium Del Lingotto – Torino, It
May 12, 2022 – Teatro degli Arcimboldi – Milano, It
May 13, 2022 – Volkhaus – Zurich, Sw
May 14, 2022 – Philharmonie im Gasteig – Munich, Gr
May 15, 2022 – Philharmonic Luxembourg – Luxembourg
May 17, 2022 – Admiralspalast – Berlin, Gr
May 19, 2022 – Oetkerhalle Halle – Bielefeld, Gr
May 20, 2022 – Geblasehalle – Neunkirchen, Gr
May 21, 2022 – L’Olympia – Paris, Fr
May 22, 2022 – Ancienne Belgique – Brussels, Bl
May 24, 2022 – Beethoven Saal – Stuttgart, Gr
May 25, 2022 – Konzerthaus Dortmund – Dortmund, Gr
May 27, 2022 – Haus Auensee – Leipzig, Gr
May 28, 2022 – Laeiszhalle – Hamburg, Gr
May 29, 2022 – De Roma – Antwerp, Bl
May 30, 2022 – Tivoli Vredenberg – Utrecht, Hld
June 2, 2022 – Opera Nova – Bydgoszcz, Pl
June 3, 2022 – Opera Lesna – Sopot, Pl
June 4, 2022 – Palladium – Warsaw, Pl
June 6, 2022 – National Forum of Music – Wroclaw, Pl
June 7, 2022 – Centrum Spotkania Kultur – Lublin, Pl
June 8, 2022 – Church of St. Kolbe – Bielsko-Biala, Pl
June 9, 2022 – Kunsthaus Weiz – Weiz, Aus
June 12, 2022 – Hammersmith – London, UK
June 14, 2022 – Rocher de Palmer – Cenon, Fr
June 15, 2022 – Sala Mozart – Zaragoza, Sp
June 17, 2022 – Aud. Mar de Vigo – Vigo, Sp
June 18, 2022 – Botanical Garden – Madrid, Sp
June 19, 2022 – Teatro de la Maestranza – Seville, Sp
June 21, 2022 – Palau de la Musica – Barcelona, Sp
June 22, 2022 – Palau de les Arts – Valencia, Sp

SIMS Foundation Launches “Founders’ Challenge” To Bring Affordable Mental Health Care To Musicians And Music Industry Professionals

0

The SIMS Foundation – an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit specializing in bringing affordable mental healthcare to musicians, music industry professionals and their dependents – has launched their summer-long Founders’ Challenge initiative; an effort to aid SIMS in bringing these services to as many in the national music community as are in need during these unprecedented times. Since its founding in 1995 by a group of Austin musicians and music industry professionals mourning the loss of beloved local songwriter and bassist Sims Ellison, the SIMS Foundation has grown to help provide low cost or no cost mental health and substance abuse recovery treatments to nearly 1,000 members of the Austin music community per year – amounting to tens of thousands of hours of counseling sessions, psychiatric visits and days of treatment without barriers. Now, as so many in the wider music community have struggled with increased challenges like unstable income, distance from support systems, severe lifestyle changes and processing immense loss, SIMS launches the “Founders’ Challenge” to help make those steps into post-pandemic life easier on musicians, music industry professionals and their dependents across the nation by providing access to affordable and personalized mental health care options.

Learn more about the SIMS Foundation at www.simsfoundation.org, and text “SIMS” to 44321 to find out how to support the organization

SIMS Foundation co-founder Alejandro Escovedo joined NPR’s Here & Now today for a conversation about the Foundation’s work, the Founders’ Challenge and to share his thoughts on mental health challenges from a musician’s perspective here.

As the only organization in the United States providing affordable mental health care and substance abuse recovery treatment to not only musicians but also their dependents, and to music industry workers generally, SIMS is uniquely qualified to meet this moment for the industry as a whole. Their emphasis on intensive case management and taking a one-on-one approach with each client they work with has also been a core tenet in their success, and will be the integral root of any and all expansion to come. This includes offering training and de-stigmatization programs on issues like inclusion and trauma within music communities. SIMS is also the only non-profit in the United States that provides everyone in the music industry and their dependent family members with every level of behavioral healthcare services that the country’s healthcare system offers. SIMS’ “Founders’ Challenge” was conceived in an effort to meet the increased need for mental healthcare among musicians, music industry professionals and their dependents during the COVID-19 pandemic and for the SIMS founders to honor the memory of their beloved co-founder Don Ellison, Sims’ father, who sadly passed in April 2021.

Judy Collins Released “Since You’ve Asked” Podcast Series

0

The ever-prolific and expectation-defying Judy Collins has announced Since You’ve Asked, her first podcast series that will debut on July 8. She has also announced a new live album, JUDY COLLINS – LIVE AT THE TOWN HALL, NYC, that was recorded in February during the pandemic and will be released on August 27. Collins will also make her return to touring this summer and fall after nearly two years off the road.

*Since You’ve Asked – An audio podcast series hosted by Collins, featuring some of her favorite musicians, artists and luminaries from her colorful life. Since You’ve Asked will debut on July 8, and a new episode will debut every two weeks. Guests include Jeff Daniels, Arlo Guthrie, Clive Davis, Molly Jong Fast, Christiane Amanpour, Jac Holzman, Betty Buckley, Julia Cameron, Ben Harper and Pat Allerton. In the 1960s, Collins evoked both the idealism and steely determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. Five decades later, her luminescent presence shines brightly as new generations bask in the glow of her iconic 60-album body of work, thriving in the music industry for over a half a century. This new project is a perfect platform for Collins, as her recordings of musical greats like Randy Newman, Jimmy Webb, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen helped launch their careers and create the foundation of our current pop history.

Since You’ve Asked – episode schedule:

July 8th Julia Cameron

July 22nd Jeff Daniels

August 5th Ben Harper

August 19th Pat Allerton

September 2nd – TBD

September 16th – TBD

September 30, TBD

October 14th -TBD

JUDY COLLINS – LIVE AT THE TOWN HALL, NYC – Collins will release a new album on August 27. She recorded it live at the Town Hall in New York City with a full band in February of this year, when she hosted a livestream concert from the historic and otherwise empty venue due to the pandemic. This new live recording revisits her legendary 1964 performance at the Town Hall, which was her solo concert debut in NYC. The recording of her performance was subsequently released as The Judy Collins Concert. In February, Collins revisited nearly the same set list as her 1964 concert, including “Winter Sky,” “Both Sides Now” and “Cruel Mother.” Collins’ setlist reflected the need for comfort and protest in light of the turmoil that beset the nation, both then and now.

JUDY COLLINS – LIVE AT THE TOWN HALL, NYC track list:
1. Winter Sky
2. My Ramblin’ Boy
3. Anathea
4. Me And My Uncle
5. Wild Rippling Water
6. Tambourine Man
7. Both Sides Now
8. Cruel Mother
9. Coal Tattoo
10. Last Thing On My Mind
11. John Riley
12. Send In The Clowns

2021 Tour Dates:
Sat – July 24 – The Stephen Talkhouse – Amagansett, NY
Tue – August 10 – Ravinia Pavilion – Highland Park, IL
Thu – August 19 – Memorial Hall – Cincinnati, OH
Sun – August 22 – Koussevitzky Music Shed Tanglewood – Lenox, MA
Fri – September 17 – Humphreys Concerts By the Bay – San Diego, CA
Mon – September 20 – Yoshi’s Oakland – Oakland, CA
Tue – September 21 – Yoshi’s Oakland – Oakland, CA
Wed – September 22 – Yoshi’s Oakland – Oakland, CA
Fri – September 24 – Uptown Theatre Napa – Napa, CA
Sat – September 25 – Golden State Theatre – Monterey, CA
Sun – October 17 – Birchmere – Alexandria, VA
Thu – October 21 – The Colonial Theatre – Phoenixville, PA
Fri – October 22 – Scottish Rite Auditorium – Collingswood, NJ
Sun – October 24 – Mayo Performing Arts Center – Morristown, NJ
Fri – December 3 – The Cabot – Beverly, MA
Wed – March 2 – Tower Theatre – Bend, OR
Thu – March 10 – Celebrity Theatre – Phoenix, AZ
Tue – March 29 – Schermerhorn Symphony Center – Nashville, TN
Thu – March 31 – Grand Theatre – Frankfort, KY
Sat – November 5 – DE ROMA – Borgerhout, Belgium

National Museum of African American History and Culture and Smithsonian Folkways Announce Aug. 20 Release of the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap

0

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) has partnered with Smithsonian Folkways Recordings to produce the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap to be released Aug. 20. This first-of-its-kind collection chronicles hip-hop’s growth and impact from the parks of the Bronx to the broadest areas of the American experience and worldwide influence. A track list and additional information [1] about the anthology are available, including images from the set.

“Born in Bronx and raised across the American West and South, hip-hop is one of the most influential genres of music in the modern era,” said Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of NMAAHC. “Through beats, dynamic rhymes and pointed lyricism, hip-hop has provided a platform for communities and generations to voice their ongoing struggles and has changed society and culture around the world.”

The project is the latest in the Smithsonian African American Legacy Series, a collaboration between Smithsonian Folkways and NMAAHC to tell stories about music by African Americans and the experiences that inspire it. The launch of the anthology comes as the museum prepares to celebrate its five-year anniversary and highlights its ongoing mission to tell the stories of American history through the African American lens. The anthology details the evolution of hip-hop over four decades through 129 tracks spread across nine CDs, along with a 300-page coffee table book featuring 11 essays from prominent music scholars, authors and journalists covering topics such as entrepreneurship, graffiti, women in hip-hop and more, as well as extensive notes on each track.

“We wanted the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap to be reflective of the culture, of the music, of the people, of everything that is part of hip-hop,” said Dwandalyn R. Reece, NMAAHC’s associate director for curatorial affairs, curator of music and performing arts and producer of the anthology.

In addition, the anthology features hundreds of photographs spanning decades of history. It was designed by artist Cey Adams, founding creative director of Def Jam.

In hip-hop’s early years, some critics refused to acknowledge the art form as music, dismissing it instead as unoriginal and uncreative. As a result, hip-hop spent its first decade of growth as a niche genre that much of the music industry assumed would burn out in a short time. Now, as hip-hop nears its 50th anniversary, it is the most popular musical genre in the U.S., with notable influence and impact in all aspects of American culture. Arguably one of the last music counter cultures, hip-hop is instrumental in shaping and narrating the stories of America’s inner cities.

The Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap is a thoroughly researched and thoughtfully curated set of essays that tell the story of hip-hop and rap, acting as an extension of the museum’s permanent collections. The project was produced over seven years from launch to completion, with the care and intention befitting the weight and scope of hip-hop’s story. The work began in 2014 from an executive committee composed of key figures in the music and culture of hip-hop, including rappers Chuck D and MC Lyte; writers and scholars Adam Bradley, Jeff Chang, Cheryl Keyes and Mark Anthony Neal; early Def Jam senior executives-turned-cultural advisors Bill Adler and Bill Stephney; artist and writer Questlove; and producer and educator 9th Wonder. An additional panel of advisors was assembled with equal representation from all facets of hip-hop culture.

While music is the centerpiece, the anthology dives into the cultural impact of hip-hop and global influence. It is not a greatest-hits compilation but a narrative of hip-hop’s music, culture and legacy. Spanning musical eras from 1979–2013, the final collection of 129 songs is the first with music from all three major record companies: Sony, Universal and Warner. The anthology is a contextual education on hip-hop’s origin, social and cultural impact, commercial dominance and more. It follows other defining collections from Smithsonian Folkways, the Anthology of American Folk Music and Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology.

Disc 1 (1979-1982):
Fatback – King Tim III
Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight
The Sequence – Funk You Up
Kurtis Blow – The Breaks
Funky Four +1 – That’s the Joint
Spoonie Gee feat. The Sequence – Monster Jam
Treacherous Three – The Body Rock
Blondie – Rapture
Grandmaster Flash – The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock

Disc 2 (1982-1984):
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – The Message
The Fearless Four – Rockin It
Cold Crush Brothers – Punk Rock Rap
Herbie Hancock – Rockit
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Looking for the Perfect Beat
Run-DMC – It’s Like That
Whodini – Friends
Cold Crush Brothers – Fresh, Fly, Wild & Bold
T. La Rock – It’s Yours
The World’s Famous Supreme Team – Hey! DJ
Newcleus – Jam On It
UTFO – Roxanne, Roxanne

Disc 3 (1984-1987):
Roxanne Shanté – Roxanne’s Revenge
Fat Boys – Fat Boys
Doug E. Fresh & MC Ricky D – La Di Da Di
LL Cool J – I Can’t Live without my Radio
Schoolly D – P.S.K. ‘What Does It Mean?’
Run-DMC feat. Aerosmith – Walk This Way
Beastie Boys – Paul Revere
Ultramagnetic MC’s – Ego Tripping
Ice-T – 6 ‘N The Mornin’
Kool Moe Dee – How Ya Like Me Now
LL Cool J – I Need Love
Eric B feat. Rakim – Eric B is President
Mantronix – King of The Beats

Disc 4 (1987-1989):
Stetsasonic feat. the Rev. Jesse Jackson & Olatunji – A.F.R.I.C.A.
Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Parents Just Don’t Understand
Audio Two – Top Billin’
MC Lyte – Lyte As A Rock
Big Daddy Kane – Raw
Marley Marl feat. Master Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, & Big Daddy Kane – The Symphony
MC Lyte – I Cram to Understand U (Sam)
Tone Lōc – Wild Thing
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock – It Takes Two
Jungle Brothers – I’ll House You
N.W.A. – Fuck Tha Police
Public Enemy – Fight the Power
The Stop the Violence Movement – Self Destruction
Too Short – Life Is…Too Short
Slick Rick – Children’s Story
3rd Bass – The Gas Face

Disc 5 (1989-1991):
Queen Latifah feat. Monie Love – Ladies First
Public Enemy – Bring the Noise
De La Soul – Me Myself and I
Biz Markie – Just a Friend
The D.O.C. – It’s Funky Enough
2 Live Crew – Me So Horny
Digital Underground – The Humpty Dance
MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This
Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby
Brand Nubian – All for One
Geto Boys – Mind Playing Tricks on Me
A Tribe Called Quest – Scenario
Black Sheep – The Choice is Yours
Salt-N-Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex
Yo-Yo feat. Ice-Cube – Can’t Play with My Yo-Yo
Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.

Disc 6 (1992-1994):
Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang
Ice Cube – It Was a Good Day
Sir Mix-A-Lot – Baby Got Back
Arrested Development – Tennessee
Digable Planets – Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
House of Pain – Jump Around
Positive K – I Got a Man
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
UGK – Pocket Full of Stones
Wu-Tang Clan – C.R.E.A.M.
Cypress Hill – Insane In The Brain
The Pharcyde – Passin’ Me By
Eightball & MJG – Comin Out Hard
Common Sense – I Used to Love H.E.R.
Da Brat – Funkdafied
Nas – N.Y. State of Mind
Craig Mack feat. The Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes – Flava In Your Ear

Disc 7 (1994-1997):
Beastie Boys – Sabotage
The Notorious B.I.G. – Juicy
Gang Starr feat. Nice & Smooth – DWYCK
Warren G feat. Nate Dogg – Regulate
Snoop Doggy Dogg – Murder Was The Case
E-40 feat. Suga T – Sprinkle Me
Goodie Mob – Cell Therapy
Coolio feat. L.V. – Gangsta’s Paradise
2Pac – Dear Mama
Mobb Deep – Shook Ones, Part 2
Method Man feat. Mary J. Blige – I’ll Be There For You / You’re All I Need To Get By
Foxy Brown feat. Jay-Z – I’ll Be
Lil Kim feat. Puff Daddy – No Time
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Tha Crossroads
Wu-Tang Clan feat. Cappadonna – Triumph
Busta Rhymes – Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
Master P feat. Silkk The Shocker, Mia X, Fiend – Make ‘Em Say Uhh!

Disc 8 (1997-2003):
Missy Elliot – The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)
DMX – Ruff Ryders’ Anthem
The Roots – The Next Movement
Mos Def – Mathematics
BG – Bling Bling
dead prez – Hip Hop
Eminem feat. Dido – Stan
OutKast – Ms. Jackson
Nelly – Country Grammar (Hot Shit)
Ludacris feat. Pharrell – Southern Hospitality
Nas – One Mic
50 Cent – In Da Club
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz feat. Ying Yang Twins – Get Low

Disc 9 (2004-2013):
Talib Kweli – Black Girl Pain
Kanye West – Jesus Walks
Three 6 Mafia feat. Young Buck, Eightball & MJG – Stay Fly
Rick Ross – Hustlin’
Lupe Fiasco feat. Nikki Jean – Hip-Hop Saved My Life
Young Jeezy feat. Nas – My President
David Banner feat. Chris Brown & Yung Joc – Get Like Me
Lil Wayne feat. Robin Thicke – Tie My Hands
Jay Electronica – Exhibit C
Nicki Minaj – Super Bass
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz – Thrift Shop
J Cole feat. TLC – Crooked Smile
Kanye West – Blood On The Leaves
Drake – Started From the Bottom

Sonic Reducers: Remembering Amy Winehouse, 10 Years After Her Death

0

Sonic Reducers. One topic. Two music nerds. Five minutes. Join us as we mark the 10th anniversary of Amy Winehouse’s death, share personal recollections about her music and concerts, and wonder whether it’s time to stop talking about the 27 Club.

Smithsonian Folkways Presents “Let Love Be Your Guide”, Dan + Claudia Zanes’ First Duo Album

0

On September 10 from Smithsonian Folkways comes Let Love Be Your Guide, the first duo album by internationally renowned family musicians Dan + Claudia Zanes. The collection is a welcoming, freewheeling musical conversation about anti-racism, racial justice, and the joys of community. Conceived during the 2020 Black Lives Matter uprisings and coronavirus pandemic, the songs describe the new terms of togetherness – how we understand it, how we build it, and how we strive for more.

Dan + Claudia Zanes like to describe their style – rooted in many different traditions including gospel, country, R&B, and traditional Haitian music – as electric folk. At the core it’s two voices and an electric guitar. The eclectic, warm, and accessible music the duo makes reflects the kindness and openness that underpin their message: out of isolation and hardship we can learn how to accept and heal the wounds of the past, and how to change and face the future with grace and compassion, regardless of our age. In addition to the usual ways that music enhances our daily lives, the artists imagine that families will use these songs as a starting point for important and uplifting conversations at home.

Let Love Be Your Guide was written and recorded in Baltimore shortly after the couple moved to the city from Brooklyn at the end of 2019. They had been there just a few months when the pandemic hit and they were left, like all of us, at home. In an effort to connect with others, they decided to record and share a new song online every day, creating a Social Isolation Song Series. The popular series, which was later acquired by the Library of Congress, delivered inspiration and hope by bringing people together when we were forced apart, providing light when things were so dark for the artists and their virtual audience. The series ended after two hundred days. The experience changed the couple as they realized more clearly what folk singers have always known: songs are here to inspire and uplift, but they’re also here to tell the stories and reflect the times, and these were indeed unprecedented and unforgettable times.

“As we put this album together, we were reminded again that there is a time for dancing and a time for protest. When we sing, we share a sense of possibility and love. The songs, like the conversation, can tell us where and who we are and what we might become…together.” – Dan + Claudia Zanes

Fans of Dan Zanes will discover a collection that represents the full evolution of his work since he started creating family music, with songs that are inclusive and speak to people of all ages about love, community, and activism. Listeners can hear the joy and fullness from a singer now joined by the love of his life, Claudia, whom he credits with helping him become the person and artist he was meant to be. He declares this is the album that expresses everything he’s always wanted to say and is a representation of life’s greatest possibilities: a creation from their love that shares what they can accomplish together. Claudia brings to the album, her first, her life’s story, her observations and personal experiences.

The title track “Let Love Be Your Guide (for John Lewis)” is dedicated to the Georgia congressman and civil rights icon. In the final weeks of his life Lewis wrote an op-ed for the New York Times entitled “Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation” and arranged to have it published on the day of his funeral. Dan and Claudia we were so moved by John’s life and words that they sat in their kitchen that afternoon and wrote this song. On “Coming Down” the duo envisions the dismantling of white supremacy, patriarchy, capitalism, and militarism. Who doesn’t want freedom for one and all? Join the cause and enjoy the party on the other side. Faith provided them much comfort and strength this past year, and “In These Troubled Times” comes from a call-and-response they practice in church. “The Bridge” is about the assumptions we make about each other based on appearance and features MC J Pope. The first single off the album, “Reparations Is a Must (4th of July Love Song),” is a loud call for healing, freedom, promise, acknowledgement, truth, love, and most importantly justice.

As Dan is no stranger to making music aimed at families, and Claudia is a jazz vocalist of Haitian American heritage, here the duo offers songs like the playful “Arriba,” the soothing jazz lullaby “Startime,” and “Ki Lè M’ap We Ou Anko?” (When Will I See You Again?), a song about longing for and missing the people we care about and love. As an interracial couple Dan and Claudia acknowledge that they live in “Two Different Worlds,” and on this song they embrace this truth as they walk together towards a better tomorrow. “For the Long Night” is about looking ahead and imagining possibilities, and the dreamy “Hold On” reminds us to hold on to hope, joy, faith, songs, peace, and in the long shadow of night, to each other.

The album was 100 percent a Baltimore-based production: produced by Dan + Claudia Zanes, recorded live in studio and mixed by Steve Wright at WrightWay Studios, and mastered by Tony Eichler at GoldTone Masterworks, LLC. Guests on the album, all locals, include Amadou Kouyate, Eze Jackson, Greg Corneille, Yesenia Mejia Herrera, Ashley Sierra, Isabelle DeLeon, Mike Lowry (Future Islands), Jeff Reed, David Morales Mejia, Kylie Grace, Eva Grace, Haven Grace, Prince Phillip, Reverend Korcoran Smith, Keenan Smith, Lilly Smith, Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead, J Pope, Black Root, and Max, Grace, and Phillip Ferrell.

Grammy award–winning children’s performer Dan Zanes and Haitian American music therapist / jazz vocalist Claudia Zanes have been making music with each other since the day they met in the fall of 2016. In their early time together the duo began performing sensory friendly concerts which brought about the notable Night Train 57: A Sensory Friendly Comic Folk Opera, commissioned by the Kennedy Center, in 2017.

Their love of songs and communal music-making led to an award-winning songbook entitled Dan Zanes’ House Party: A Family Roots Music Treasury, published by Quarto Group USA in 2018. In late 2019 the now married couple moved from Brooklyn to Baltimore. When the coronavirus brought about a national state of emergency just after their arrival, Dan and Claudia started their Social Isolation Song Series. For the next 200 days, in an effort to stay connected and uplift others, they performed a different song every day. This remarkable series of videos currently resides in the Library of Congress.

The two continue to adapt and reinvent and sing their way to new beginnings. In addition to music-making, Claudia runs her flourishing handmade skin care business called CLEO Soaps, and Dan continues his work with Constructive White Conversations, a white anti-racist organization he co-founded in 2011. Let Love Be Your Guide is the couple’s first album together and Dan’s second with Smithsonian Folkways after Lead Belly, Baby! which released in 2017.

LET LOVE BE YOUR GUIDE TRACKLISTING:
1. Let Love Be Your Guide (for John Lewis)
2. Open Windows (Here I Am)
3. Long Hot Summer Nights
4. Ki Lè M’ap We Ou Anko? When Will I See You Again?)
5. Coming Down
6. New Beginnings
7. In These Troubled Times
8. For the Long Night
9. The Bridge
10. Reparations Is a Must (4th of July Love Song)
11. Hold On
12. Arriba Means Up!
13. Two Different Worlds
14. Star Time