tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12074767398761166782024-03-19T14:19:12.801-07:00They Say I'm DifferentThe Incredible Journey Of African American Female RockersDanni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-12944627563517669962010-02-28T09:07:00.001-08:002010-03-04T11:10:15.131-08:00Felice Rosser of Faith<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqA3jxqk2BZYO6uI7JEqI9l92P7rrkkKoMtUa-hWQvjZIOd-_iafg-Clnh4s_KvauIyc7UFDgg13fawEOYZEc1KFdlU9bY3bYc2KEn8UHYMx-iuoja3FHZYxqylTyghSkh0YM-fYXJSJQ/s1600-h/21974_1318994769549_1071171258_943550_938276_n.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqA3jxqk2BZYO6uI7JEqI9l92P7rrkkKoMtUa-hWQvjZIOd-_iafg-Clnh4s_KvauIyc7UFDgg13fawEOYZEc1KFdlU9bY3bYc2KEn8UHYMx-iuoja3FHZYxqylTyghSkh0YM-fYXJSJQ/s320/21974_1318994769549_1071171258_943550_938276_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443548155617495218" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>photo by Sari Henry</div><div><br /></div><div>Ms. Felice Rosser is a singer/bassist with a bluesy voice and a deep tone on her bass and one third of the band Faith. Faith is also comprised of Guitarist Naotaka Hakamada and Drummer Billy Ficca from Television. Together, these three passionate people make music as Faith. Faith's unique blend of psychdelic rock, reggae, African music and groove has been praised by some of the toughest critics, earning rave reviews. Here is the interview I did with Ms. Rosser.</div><div><br /></div>DC: What made you say yes to participating in this documentary?</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: Well it seemed like a nice thing. You seemed like a cool person who was passionate about telling this story, and I like movies and music. It's an interesting topic and I saw other women participating like Shelley of BlakBushe, who I know, and the other women on the blog who were talking about their experiences, so I decided I wanted to do the same.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: How long have you been performing with your band Faith?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: I've been performing with Faith since the early nineties. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: What made you decide that you were going to perform rock music, as opposed to traditional jazz or pop music?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: It wasn't a conscious decision, it just was who I am as an artist. I certainly don't really see too many separations between music the way that people seem to see music as these categories of this is rock, this is jazz, and this is R&B. I understand that there are differences, but this is naturally the music that I play and the styles cross over and overlap to create the sound of music that I play.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: What opened the door for your interest in the Rock scene?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">What open the door for me was the early punk rock movement at CBGB's. It was music that was saying that everybody could do it. It opened a door for women to play instruments, because before that not many women were playing instruments in pop music that I was aware of at the time. You had a few but not that many. It was mostly singers when it came to women and maybe a few instrumentalist. That was my milieu when I started. There were a lot of people who were just learning to play and others that were accomplished musicians, but they were all learning and perfecting their craft. It became a lot of people playing simple music, and simply learning how to play, and that's how I came up. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: That had to be an amazing time at CBGB's during that time? Can you tell us a little about that?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: CBGB's was very small club. I came to NY from Detroit to go to college. I've always loved music from going to see bands in Detroit where the music was very mixed up as well. One night you would go to see Howlin' Wolf, the next night you would try and sneak into Bakers Keyboard Lounge to see Alice Coltrane, the next night you could go and see Stooges of Funkadelic, and two days later go and see Jethro Tull and the Rolling Stones. That's how we came up seeing all this different kind of music and loving it all. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">So when I came to new York, the New York Dolls were just starting out and they were moving and singing in some new directions that really kind of set things in motion. Patti Smith came to my school and did a reading, and after the reading she said that she had a band and they're playing downtown. Myself and few others stumbled our way downtown to CBGB's to see her perform and that was my introduction to the club. I mean the first time I saw the band Television there may have been 8 people siting in the audience. It was a small dark place. It was a place where a lot of people who didn't feel they fit in other scenes could come and be comfortable because nobody bothered you at CBGB's. That's what I loved about CBGB's, nobody bothered you, nobody judged you, because it allowed all kinds of people to just be free. Everybody was there for the music and to just be free. You have to understand that Rock & Roll music had just been stadium music, where you would go to see a band like Led Zepplin at Cobo arena in Detroit, or at Madison Square Gardens in new York. Rock was arena music. CBGB's allowed you to see bands up close and personal. The setting was close and intimate. You would see the drummer in the crowd after a set and you could talk with him, grab a drink, and mingle with the band. People would come from all over to go to CBGB's because they loved being able to connect with their favorite artist in a different way. I mean people would come from, Detroit, DC, Boston, and Cleveland just to see and hear the bands up close. That was the magic of CBGBs. It was a great place and very inspiring because it allowed you to open your mind and get turned on to different things, different people, and different artistic mediums. CBGB's wasn't just a place for musicians. There were painters, plays, writers, and filmmakers. You would have a friend who was a filmmaker who would grab all of their friends, shoot on Super 8 and make a movie, go and edit, and the next day show the movie, and you could see yourself in it. It was a time where creatively things were raw, and organic. It was a fun time because we were all learning together and growing. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: Who are some of your musical influences while you were in the period of growth and learning?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: Well I definitely brought some of my roots with me. People like Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, Funkadeilc, The Stooges and Chaka Khan. Those were some of the people from Detroit that I carried with me in my head. I was a huge a Jethro Tull fan and that whole english rock folk sound that they have. Then when I moved to New York I enjoyed bands like The New York Dolls, Television, Patti Smith they are my favorites. The Talking Heads, Devo. Then you had the english bands like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, and Public Image Ltd. I would say that Public Image Ltd. is one of my biggest influences musically, and as a bassist their music really helped me define what I wanted to do and the style of their bassist Jah Wobble. Then there was the Clash that had a lot of Reggae influences to their music which was great.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: Coming to New York was great because it introduced me to Reggae music. There is a huge West Indian community in New York, and I began playing in Reggae music with several different bands, because I loved the music. The Basement 5 was another group that mixed Reggae and Rock in an interesting way. i liked the Bad Brains as well.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: What made you gravitate to the bass?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: I had a friend Deerfrance who I met at CGBG's and we became best friends. She had a guitar and I played a little guitar as a kid, so we decided to start a band. My friend said that we didn't need two guitarist, but we needed a bass player, so I went out and bought a bass form a friend of mine for $40.00 bucks and it took me like a year to pay him, but that's how it all started. That's how a lot of base players started. They begin with the guitar and then they shift because there is no need for more than one in the band. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: How did you find the right musicians to form the band Faith?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: I had been in a few bands before Faith, learning what I could. I was learning from women like my friend Myra, Annette Brissett, and Jenifer Jazz. They were great songwriters and performers who I was learning from and I'm still learning. Myra and I were writing songs and recording on a little 4 track, and decided to put together a band. In those days to find a band, you placed an ad in the Village Voice. So I placed the ad and I got a drummer, and a guitarist Rene Akhan and his girlfriend Diana Baker who played the keyboard and sang background vocals. We changed drummers a couple of times and other band members along the way, to what Faith is now which consists of myself, Guitarist Nao Hakamada, and Billy Ficca on drums. It's a great fit for us and Billy Ficca was the drummer for one of the bands that I loved which was Television. I would have never thought in a million years that i would be playing in a band with the on of the members from that band.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: To be playing with someone that you had an appreciation with is amazing?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: It's great because I never saw that coming. It just happens in a beautiful way that sometimes the one you admire, may be a fan of your music and end up playing with you. It's incredible to have that experience.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: What are some of the struggles that you've encountered?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: My greatest struggle as an artist, as a musician is learning how to play my instrument and to be great at playing my instrument. This is a funny business and we as artist can get caught up in chasing the record deal, and where am I going to perform, and what am I going to wear. All of that really doesn't matter if the music isn't any good. Chasing all of that is what blurs what your goal was to begin with which is perfecting your instrument. When Faith was going on in the 90's I was nowhere near being a better musician or as dedicated to perfecting my craft as I am now. What has personally been my biggest struggle is having a clear artistic vision for my music. It's important to know what you're doing, what you're trying to say, and how you deliver it once you've figured it out. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: You can spend too much time trying to get a deal and where you should really focus your energy is developing your audience. Waiting for the A&R guy to come out and discover you is in some cases the death of an artists music. While you are waiting for the discovery, you've passed up the opportunity to discover your own musical voice by continuing to perfect your craft, trying it out on the audience, and helping to tune your audience's ear to what you are trying to give them. If you master your craft and your audience, the deal doesn't matter. It's about what you can do. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: Then what drives the music?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: When you have a brilliant song it will take you far. Look at that guy PM Dawn. He's an incredible song writer and he could be black, green, purple or whatever, but his songs are brilliant and the audience stays invested because they love the songs. That's a gift from God, but also something that you can work on yourself. He mastered his craft. You have to listen to music, learn about the songs, figure out how they work. To me that's the key. I don't know what the industry is anymore, so to get caught up in "Oh they don't like us because were black, or why are they playing other people's music and not mine" is pointless even if all of that is true. But they can't stop you from doing your music. They can't keep you from developing a fan base that comes out to support you on a regular basis. They can stop you from being number one, but who cares about that if you are number one to yourself, and producing and performing the music that is true to the artist that you are and the audience that supports your music. All of the could've, would've, should've are excuses not to move forward. That works in any medium that you choose artistically.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: Look at you. Your a filmmaker whose been told that you don't have the means, or support, or the finances to do this project, but you are doing it. It's your passion for wanting to tell this story that keeps you moving. That's the same thing that musicians need to cary with them. The passion to keep moving forward and perfecting their craft when no one else believes in it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: Do you find it more satisfying than if you had a major music deal?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: Of course I'd like like to have a recording contract. I think that people have to understand that there is a difference between fame and success. Once you understand that difference, then choose the path that suits you and move in that direction. I've been going to music school recently and I've been studying and learning about other people that came before me. Currently, I'm studying jazz vocalist Betty Carter and her career, and how she put out her own records on her own label Bet-Car Records for years. This is back in the 60's and 70's. I listen to that music and the music was so beautiful. I mean it is just astonishingly beautiful, original and well crafted. I saw an interview with her and she said she believed in working and doing her music. She worked up until she passed.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: Do you think about a music deal for Faith?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: Yes, a music label helps to offset the cost attached to promoting an artist, but there are consequences to having a deal with a label that doesn't believe in your vision for your music. It would be wonderful to have a relationship with a label that understands what you're doing, and to be able to work with people who are on the same page. That may still happen for me and Faith, but I just want to work and let my fan base hear my music. My son will be graduating soon, and now I would like to tour and have our music heard in other arenas. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: You are singer, songwriter, and bassist. Tell me about your process of creating songs?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: My music is more of a spiritual journey for me these days. I'm trying to express myself and share what I'm feeling and thinking in an honest way with my audience and hopefully they connect with it. Maybe they've had a similar experience and can relate to what I'm writing and singing about. There are songs that affect you and make you stop in your tracks. It's not really a process as it is a journey of events that happen and unfold.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: Tell me about the song "Lay me Down".</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: That song is a song about those times when we tend to repeat what's bad for us. It's a situation that's not really that good for you and you're wondering why you keep repeating the same mistake over and over. It's about a sad situation that I went through years ago, but I've come through it. It's knowing when you see it coming to identify it and step aside to make the change, and not be afraid to make the change. Especially as Black women. We shoulder a lot of crap that is thrown our way and we have to empower ourselves to know that it's ok not to deal with it all.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: Do you find it difficult as a black woman in the music industry?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: I think that people will come to see you if it's about the music and our audience has been some of everybody. I mean it's an interesting question to ask because I wouldn't know how else to do it because I am a Black woman. I don't know what a white man goes through in the industry because I'm not a white man. I can only follow my path. I feel that if we concentrate on the music, then the line is blurred and available for everyone to enjoy. I want our music to get to the more regular people. A few years back we played in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, on a Sunday afternoon and it was great. Some of the people that came for the event were your trendy club goers, but then their were the regular folk with families that responded well to our music and had a great time. It was a refreshing sight for us because it was a different energy to vibe off. It was nice and I want Faith to do more of that. That's what I'm working on.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: What made you go back to school for music?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: My friend told me I should go, and I said ok and now I'm in school. It's not Rock & Roll, but the experience has been great. It's a jazz school called the Jazz Mobile, located in Harlem and I'm in the classroom learning the fundamentals of music. The Jazz mobile is based on black music, and taking the mystery out of people like Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Theolonius Monk. They're the names you've heard your whole life and now we're breaking down their music and learning how they contributed to the fabric of music in this country and globally. I've really enjoyed being around my classmates and learning in the classroom where we all have something to contribute. They have a different attitude about music and to learn what they have to teach me has really been incredible. It's changed my whole perspective on music. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: You're an amazing musician already. Do you feel like it's elevated you some?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: It's made me less afraid of going different places with my playing. Sometimes as a bass player I think if I stay right here an just keep playing this rift right here I'll be ok. Being in school has made me take chances and move to other notes and see what happens. With Rock I find that the focus is on you, what you're doing, what you wearing, etc. With the Jazz Mobile, the focus is on the music. I've been taking private lessons from my bass instructor for a year and he doesn't want to know what kind of music I play, or my vision. He just wants to know that I understand the music, teaching me to read music, training my ear, and that's it. He teaches you that music is bigger than you and the science of music. It's so interesting and the journey to learn it is just amazing. I love things that are bigger than me that's where my interest are now. It's made me think about what I really want to say with my music and how I put it out.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: Are you self produced or attached to a label?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: We put out our own records. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: Do you consider yourself to be a Rocker?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: Yes I'm a Rocker. That's who I am and how I came up. I go back to the music I listened to my whole life, and that's what has helped to shape and mold me. It's been Rock music, Blues Reggae, R & B and Funk that have helped to pave the path. I love all music.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: Who are some of the women coming up behind you that you listen to?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: I love Ms. Kamara Thomas of Earl Greyhound and Ghost Gamblers. She's the greatest thing since sliced bread. I love her. I like Ms. Honeychild Coleman who has an interesting presence and a sweet voice that I like. I like this woman Vanessa Daou, whose a singer and multi instrumentalist and I like one of the songs from Lady GaGa. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: What is it about Kamara Thomas?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: Well Kamara Thomas is an amazing songwriter. Her lyrics are powerful and transforming and the song takes you on a journey. She has two songs that I love an awful lot.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">DC: What advice would you give to the young women out there cutting their chops in the Rock scene.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FR: I would tell them not to get caught up in things that don't matter. The only thing that matters is the music that you create and getting it out to the people that are your fans. Create your own following and don't let others define who you are going to be and what you are going to create. If you do it right it will come.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Felice Rosser is such an inspiration and I hope that you all give her some love here and at her personal websites:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><a href="http://www.myspace.com/faithny">http://www.myspace.com/faithny</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><a href="http://www.faithny.com/">http://www.faithny.com/</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Here is a video of Felice performing:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3GQnJs3Wchg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3GQnJs3Wchg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">To a musical Journey worth sharing,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Danni</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-62929135189182171742010-02-26T16:31:00.000-08:002010-02-26T16:41:13.957-08:00Shelley Nicole's Blakbushe<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I wish I would have been there to see Shelley Nicole's Blakbushe perform this past Thursday, for all of us who missed it, or were unable to get to New York, here is the performance. She is an amazing talent that we need to continue to support. Shelley is an example of why we need to continue to support these fantastic women!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Shelley Nicole's Blakbushe performing "Out Of My Mind":</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre;font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10px;"><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/alf3ZPBQ_Rc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/alf3ZPBQ_Rc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object></span></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-88930051092606292542010-02-25T08:36:00.000-08:002010-02-25T21:15:54.331-08:00Mama Moon of Uninterrupted<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApsip1pGZjABgXnFD2btrZduIAKFUiAq6paJaMz6SrXgrrXw9yV-0ll9q7NcxKhJlCISOUH08qW8-9D_ouiTmObvHq7YtKe6yn1I64dDAnBjtDsMfaKamFZUKkFSZ28R_SCzBNLgogFc/s1600-h/Nisha%2520Photo%2520shoot%2520105%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApsip1pGZjABgXnFD2btrZduIAKFUiAq6paJaMz6SrXgrrXw9yV-0ll9q7NcxKhJlCISOUH08qW8-9D_ouiTmObvHq7YtKe6yn1I64dDAnBjtDsMfaKamFZUKkFSZ28R_SCzBNLgogFc/s320/Nisha%2520Photo%2520shoot%2520105%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442401549514603906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SWgZb8_fdBNquYx9szuLHuKkBsgndPqnkWraJvrfE_fIxCvoXwlr6htV63G9tZAjhZ1i3r2ei6NvuqXHF2iHjsqGrG6BOEKab5aoKuTEcCObDJnJ11yI5ROr1PWbgn8G7SiGXdv_xuw/s1600-h/uninter.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SWgZb8_fdBNquYx9szuLHuKkBsgndPqnkWraJvrfE_fIxCvoXwlr6htV63G9tZAjhZ1i3r2ei6NvuqXHF2iHjsqGrG6BOEKab5aoKuTEcCObDJnJ11yI5ROr1PWbgn8G7SiGXdv_xuw/s320/uninter.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442401184778223602" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div>Mama Moon is the lead singer for the band Uninterrupted which is comprised of Kenny on guitar, Ahmed on drums, and Big O on the bass. The Maryland based band has been together for ten years and still loves what they do which is the gift of playing and performing their music. Moon's infectious love for her music is evident throughout the interview as she talks about the ups and downs of what she sees within the industry. As a wife, mother, band manager, promoter, and government worker, she still finds ways to make her dreams come true with her music. Here's a little of that interview.</div><div><br /></div>DC: Why are you participating in the documentary?</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">MM: It's funny that you ask, because I was thinking of doing one myself. I thought if I did a doc it would show people exactly what I do as well as others. I wanted to try and help educate the audience on our form of music. My schedule became extremely busy so the time never permitted itself to follow thru. Now here you are to do exactly what's needed. We need something like this to show that there are women out here that can Rock and hold their own just as well as men, and that our presence and sound are completely different.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: How did you get started in performing and claiming Rock as your medium.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: Growing up as a child my household was filled with all kinds of music. My dad was the musician in the household and traveled with a many different bands and was the only black person in an all white rock band. My dad played the bass and the keys, but we had all kinds of instruments in my house growing up, and there was no separation in the music, it was just intertwined with whatever was brought into our house. We were involved in the church, my dad played in the church and my grandmother was the church secretary, so we were in church from Sunday to Sunday. Everyday!! LOL. So we got our musical training singing in choir, leading devotion service. If you hear me sing with that kind of roar and gospel tinge that's in my voice, I got it from church.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: As I got older and my friends were listening to R&B, I was listening to grunge and into like Nirvana, Soundgarden and definitely 60's music like anything Woodstock, Hendrix. It was just kindred to me for some reason and I just really enjoyed that type of music. When I decided that I would try and sing, I didn't think that I was strong enough to sing alone so I sang with different groups. I landed with a Jazz group where I met my husband who basically told me that my voice was definitely not jazz and that I had something else going on with my voice. So I joined this funk group that he was in called Divine Nature and I came in not knowing anything, never heard the songs or the music. I went in and sang over the music that they played. They gave me a title of a song and I created my own lyrics based on the title of the song. It was brilliant, and it was also the first time that I was able to hear my own voice and the sound of my own voice. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: That band stopped playing, so I looked for other avenues to still perform. I was hosting this event called "Mothers Milk" that was in DC, at a place called State of The Union, that is no longer there. I told my husband to gather some guys to come out and play, and they could be the band that backs the "Mother's Milk" show until we figure out what we were going to do. So they would come and back up the other girls and when it was time for us to perform, something happened. I mean we hit this groove that was unexplainable, but we knew it was good. They started playing and I was singing and it was just the right fit. So we kind of looked at each other and decided that maybe we want to continue this after "Mother's Milk" is over. Our biggest concern LOL, was that we didn't want to be a Rock band. We kept saying "we don't want to be Rock, we don't want to be Rock n Roll", because that was passe, it wasn't the norm of what was going on in the scene at the time, but that's what the music was. It took us a couple of months for us to embrace that we were going to be a Rock band.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What made that decision to be a Rock band so difficult?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: It was difficult because of where I came from. When I started on the scene I was involved with the whole Neo Soul, poetry, spoken word, incense burning, cotton wearing chick thing and everyone knew me as that. I always sang, but when I got with the band and that kind of sound that we as a band were putting out, I was afraid that the people who were following me as this other person would leave the minute they heard my new voice, my new direction. It's knowing that people were going to think that I was trying to be purposely different and not accept the fact that I was really performing what I was suited to do. So it took a minute to gain that confidence to say fuck it, and do it anyway. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Why were you afraid of that change?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: The fear factor didn't come from claiming the Rock genre as my choice of music, but more so of being labeled different. All my life I had been labeled as different, and I think I just didn't want to add one more thing to my plate as being more different than everyone else. I've always been told that I was different or strange. I wasn't the popular girl in school, I was the kid that was the outcast. I had tons of clothes in my closet put I chose to wear jeans with holes and my army boots, I was rebellious, and going against the grain. Since I wasn't accepted I just blocked everybody out and kept it moving. I remember telling my sister when we were little that before I die I was going to be in a movie and I want to lead my own band. She asked me what kind of music was I going to do because whatever I did it wasn't going to be played on 95.9, which was a popular station back then. What's funny is that she was right, my music wouldn't be played on a popular radio station. Growing up I was always trying to find that acceptance. So fast forward to me being accepted in the Neo Soul Spoken Word, community for what I do and who I am, that was difficult to let go. I was comfortable and now to shed that was a huge step for me knowing that my confidence was already bruised from past issues of identity.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: So did you lose that audience or maintain it?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: I was shut out. I think that people enjoyed my music privately but were afraid to commit to it publicly. I've had people tell me that they love the music but won't book me for a show, or people say she's crazy have you seen her in her show? So there is no place for me in that world anymore unless I strip down my music, and I'm not willing to do that. You either love it or you don't but I have to stay true to the music that I produce.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Describe the music that you and Uninterrupted perform and what they can expect when they come out to support you?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: The music is thought provoking I think. People ask me to describe the music, and it's definitely rock. It's rock, but it's not just a spectacle without the talent and insightful lyrics behind it. Some people are just a stage show, and when you listen to them their not saying anything. For me with a background of a poet, I like to write things that uplift people, the things that happen in your dreams, love and the loss of love, and things that re going on in my life. The music surrounds everything that I write about. Our writing process is not structured where you write a song and then put lyrics to it. The band begins to play a groove, and I listen and then I begin to freestyle over the music, and when it's right we record it. We build our songs that way. It's very rare that we sit down and structure out a song. We just let it flow. We record the sessions as we play and then we go back and asses what needs to be tightened up, taken away, rearranged etc.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What's it like in a band with all men?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: At first I was taking a back seat in the band and watching things unfold around me. But then I had to step up and start expressing myself in order to make sure that my voice and opinions were heard. We collaborate well, but we fight and have our arguments until it comes together and we are all on the same page. Sometimes that doesn't happen. They don't tell me what to do on stage, that's all me. There are times when we could be in the middle of a disagreement, but we have to perform and we use the music to get it out. I've been mad at my husband on stage, and I will sing him a song while we are performing and then transition back to the original track LOL. For the most part we just know that it's about the music first and foremost. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What do you think the rift is between Black men and Black women when it comes to rock and the lack of support for each other?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: Most of the rift that I've had being a black woman doing rock is the thought process from men that I should not be doing rock. Most people believe that Rock is a genre for men because it is so hard, gritty, and in your face. I'm not really sure what that's about, but it's something that has been said.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What are some of your struggles within the industry?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: There has been so many. We had an incident where the venue looked at the picture of the band, and labeled us as a Neo Soul band. They put that on all of their promotional items. Then we get to the venue to perform, they are surprised because the music is not what they expected. There have been times that we've been booked for festivals, and other artist refused to perform if we were involved because they felt we didn't fit. I would say that the biggest struggle has come from our own people and getting them to accept the music.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: How so with our own people?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: We as Black people are conditioned that we should only listen to certain things and that other forms of music are considered white music or someone else's music. So it's ok to listen to Neo Soul, R&B, Hip Hop, Jazz, but when you start wanting to perform and listen to Country or Rock, the eyebrows go up and the questions of what are you doing and why are you doing that start to flow. The other side is fear and insecurities. Their afraid that they may like it and if they like it then how do you justify it to your friends. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Why do you think that the support isn't behind black women performing Rock music?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: I think it's fear. I think that some people think this will be another thing that we women will take over. I had a guy tell me once that women can only sing. They don't write or produce in a way to be heard and they need to sing and support the man. Traditionally songs have been produced and written by men, but times have changed and women are doing extraordinary things as writers and producers. Some people believe that in order for women to succeed in the industry that their is some man behind the scenes pulling the strings. Times have changed and women are now very involved with the music that they put out there especially the women that are working in the world of Rock or Alternative music. We are the underdogs who if we don't get involved with our craft we will never be heard.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: So how does a band like Uninterrupted get noticed in a sea of everyone trying to be heard and grab a deal? What keeps a band that's been together for ten years moving forward?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: For us we are pretty realistic with where we are. For us we made our mistakes as far as the business is concerned, so we figure that we learn form the mistakes and we keep moving forward, because the music is what's important. The music is what drives a band like Uninterrupted whose been together for ten years to still keep moving. As a performer you have to define your own success in the time that is relevant. There is a growing period where you have to know where you are musically as a solo artist or a band. Most bands, it takes you a minute to really find your niche, your groove, your sound, your presence. Bands and artist are defined and re-defined all the time. Once you hit that spot you know who you are. We've been able to keep moving because we know who we are and what our music is and is not. Everything has it's time, and most of your great artist have been in the game for ten years or longer and that's black, white, whatever. Those that have been in the game longer and have had to work harder for it, they appreciate it more when that deal comes. They know how to handle it more, because they are able to draw upon past mistakes. We're not trying to be fly by night artist. You have artist out here who get the deal and can't handle what comes with it and the next thing you know they've become one hit wonders.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: We're not necessarily looking for a deal because the music industry is sick right now. The music industry is a sick thing that needs a healer desperately. If we are blessed to get a deal then we will happily accept it, but we are in it to make music and to get the message across. We want to make a living off of what we do and be committed to the craft of our music. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: So how does that work when you don't have a label attached to you and your holding down full time jobs?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: You find ways to be seen and heard. With social media there is no excuse. There's facebook, twitter, myspace, reverb nation, band website etc. where you continue to talk about what's gong on with the band. People will follow as long as the information is out there for them to follow. You meet people and you keep the connection and through that connection comes others. We've been pretty good at that. Even my husband, when he buys a new jacket or t-shirt he adds the Uninterrupted logo to it, to represent the band. People ask him all the time about the symbol and it becomes a talking point about the band. Even with me, I have the logo on my luggage, I carry cd's in my purse, I take the time to talk to them and point them to our site. There are ways to do it, it's just that when you have the obstacle of having to work a full time job, you have to manage the time of keeping up with all of that and working, and I'm a mom, so all of that comes into play. My husband and I are the driving force behind marketing this band and we won't let it die. We can't let it die because this is our dream.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Are you working on any new projects?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: Yes, we are working on recording our second album. This is the funny thing! We've been ten years in the game and we are just now recording our second album LOL!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: How does that happen? Let's talk about that?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: We performed three or four years before we had a cd. I would sell the band with out a cd, and tell people that they had to hear us live. I was great at selling us to perform live. I would sell it with charm, charisma and a whole lot of Moon until they said yes, you can perform here or yes I will come and check you guys out. I would show up at places and tell them that they want us to come, you need us to come, you've got to hear it!! I just have this enthusiasm that won't let them say no. Once they saw the performance the next question was "do you have a cd?" and the answer was always no.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Why didn't you have a cd to sell?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: We didn't have the money or the equipment or the things that were needed to make it happen at the time. We had to rely on keeping people coming back to live shows to hear new material. When we got a manager she hooked us up with Bill Vaughn, who owned Urban Intellect Studios. This guy was used to recording Hip Hop artist, and I don't think he recorded a band before. Our guitarist, Kenny, started buying equipment for his basement and we started recording a little in the basement, and then whatever we had we took it to the producer and they cleaned it up, and then I laid vocals down at Urban Intellect. So we rushed the process to get the cd done because everyone wanted a cd, and in doing that the cd wasn't as crisp as it should be. We released an unmastered cd just because we were trying to get something out there. That was a learning curve for us and we said that the next one would be done at the right time in the right way. That cd has carried us to where we are now.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: So fast forward to 2010 and doing your second album?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: This album is called "Unrestricted". The first album was titled " No Excuses". "Unrestricted" is about breaking the chains of anything that makes you feel like you are chained or restricted in anyway. It's about anything that keeps you from obtaining your goals, and also about love, traveling, time and space. It's everything that it's suppose to be and it's a declaration of who I am, who Moon is as a person. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What's your favorite track off of the new album?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: As of right now the track "No Refills" is my favorite. It's a song that touches me the most. It's a relationship song that deals with women who put up with a whole lot. You know like the brother who keeps going to 7-11 refilling his cup when ever he wants to, but I'm like check it you can't come up in here no more refilling your cup every time you feel like it at all times of the day and night. I don't want that no more LOL, so you need to get it together or move on. No more refills on my expense. That's "No More Refills".</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: When do you expect to release that album and how do you plan to market the album since you are an underground band?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: Well our plan is to release three songs and get it into rotation. We have some Harlem radio stations willing to assist in that goal and then flood the internet. We hope to complete the album by the fall, but those three songs will help us to secure gigs, and then you will see us on tour gigging a whole lot after the release of the album. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: It all has to do with your presentation, and the stage show, and your interaction with your audience. When your audience comes to see you, their coming to see whatever vision they have painted of you in their mind. We've had people standing outside waiting to meet us and tell us how much they loved our music. That only happens if you are doing something right. You have to keep the audience engaged. After a performance it's not uncommon to see me dripping in sweat talking to these people, signing cd's, giving hugs, taking photo's because that's what helps to keep our audience coming back and buying our music. It's the personal interaction that keeps them engaged. That's the difference between me and some other artist. I'm not untouchable and I never want to be that. I'm going to give them everything I have on that stage, everything, because you came to support us and in return I have to deliver what you came to see. When I'm done performing I'm going to get off that stage and come out to the audience and give you the same love that I received on stage.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: How do you feel about all of the cookie cutter music that's out there and will that change anytime soon?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: I think that it's so saturated with the same thing, that it's now at a point where everyone is waiting for that one artist, or that one band, or that one something that will just change the game. But until then you got Little Wayne, and Diddy doing rock. When the industry looks at Rhianna as a rock chick, why? It's because that's all that's there. It's gonna take one, just one to penetrate through were they are so great that the industry will have to take notice. Once that group or artist breaks, the labels are going to model everyone else to be just like that and then it's going to become cliche all over again, and then the cycle begins again.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: How did you develop your sound?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: I modeled my voice after men. Even though I can sing a first soprano I modeled my voice after men. I love women with deep voices who can sing, like Nina Simone, Joan Armatrading, Felice Rosser, and Cassandra Wilson. They are the women I listen and learn from because they do have those deep tones to their voices that are often found from men. Don't get me wrong, I listen and love the voices of others, but what's missing is the more deep voice of rock from a woman. What's out there now in the mainstream is more of the higher pitched ladies, and what's missing are the other tones and nuances that come from women with deeper voices. My voice is an instrument and when people hear me sing they tell me that it sounds like I'm an instrument in the band, and I take that as a huge compliment because of worked hard at achieving just that.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Did you ever take vocal lessons?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: I went to a vocal coach, because I had someone tell me hat I needed coaching. When I got with the vocal coach she asked me why was there. She said that my voice was fine, but what we discovered through conversation was that I was using my voice to compete with the band instead of listening and learning to blend my voice as an instrument with the band. That helped me a lot.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: The other thing that I had to get past was that I never like to hear my voice when it was on tape. I didn't want to hear it, but my husband told me that I needed to listen to myself singing, because how else was I going to perfect my sound, or correct my mistakes, or switch it up. I didn't want to do that. He would sit up and listen and study the music, my voice, the performance, but I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to see or hear what I was doing. It took me a while to get past that but I'm glad I did it, and know I study my voice and my performance to make me better. As women we are always fighting with insecurities and this was one of mine. What if I don't sound good, what if I don't like my performance. As long as I didn't study my voice or performance I could walk around like everything was fine. You have to be able to dissect your self in order to make your self better. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Do you miss out from not having that mainstream record deal?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: Somewhat. Uninterrupted is still trying to increase their following and I don't think it's going to happen where we live. I think with the right team behind us we can go far and do some wonderful things, but that can only happen when you have support, time, and a broader fan base to make that happen. We're not trying to stay here in DC especially when music travels globally and that's what we as a band strive for. For our music to travel outside of DC.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: We have a management team that is interested in us but we have yet to speak with them, and even that is a difficult thing because a manger is supposed to work for and with you, not the other way around. So that process of finding the right fit is difficult especially when at times you as the artist can't explain what it is that you do. That's why it's important to have people who get what you do in your corner. That's the only way it can work.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: How do you feel about the labeling of music?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: It's interesting because some people equate the term Rock with white people, and they would rather be an Alternative artist than to be labeled as doing white music. For me our band is a funk, rock band. Being a rocker has all different looks, moves, taste, and genre's within the genre of Rock. Labeling is for whoever needs an answer.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: It's interesting to me that people would equate the term Rock with just white rockers.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: I think that the race card is always going to be pulled and no one wants to slip up and appear to be a racist. Race is a sensitive subject in everything that we do. I even have an issue with the term Black Rock. I feel that music is just music. Why does the ethnicity of a person have to come into play and be attached to the music. Do I have to call a Latino person who plays Rock a Latino Rocker? Why? They are playing music and the genre is Rock. Their ethnicity has nothing to do with it. One of the biggest Rock bands of our time was Queen, with Freddy Mercury as the lead singer, who was of Indian decent straight from India. It was sad because he didn't want to say that he was Indian or gay for that matter for fear that he wouldn't be able to do his music! The music should stand for itself.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Who is in your playlist?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: I'm listening to Switch, The Beatles, Lenny Kravitz, Maxwell, Minnie Ripperton, Meshell Ndegeocello, Billie Myers, Nika Costa, Terrance Trent Darby, just some of everyone. Good music is good music and that's what I like to listen to.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What advice would you give the women coming up behind you?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">MM: Be honest with your work. Study your craft and don't let your fears conquer you. Have perseverance, dont be afraid to collaborate with others, and carry yourself with integrity. Be able to accept construcitve criticism and use it to grow. But most importantly don't be an asshole cause that will get you know where.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">For more information on Uninterrupted and Mama Moon you can check out their websites:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.uninterrupted.webs.com">www.uninterrupted.webs.com</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.mamamoon78.com">www.mamamoon78.com</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Here is Uninterrupted performing "Butta":</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10px;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NKyMuFj2hfY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NKyMuFj2hfY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">To a musical journey worth sharing,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Danni</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div></span></span></div><div><br /></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-32124438705481275912010-02-22T10:35:00.000-08:002010-02-23T16:16:47.999-08:00Jocelyn Ellis & The Alpha Theory<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSiNDeeBf2f5sfbzs3rPnOgruaP3BW0Ay3scKKze6NywWmvUNbn_JK6B87KwJT_MZS36WhqjhyOzFE94eeYmduECOoSt_435urusGY9Gt_R-MmcjTe7gV-plQwnBEhSl7T1th30Xaxfo/s1600-h/groupshot.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSiNDeeBf2f5sfbzs3rPnOgruaP3BW0Ay3scKKze6NywWmvUNbn_JK6B87KwJT_MZS36WhqjhyOzFE94eeYmduECOoSt_435urusGY9Gt_R-MmcjTe7gV-plQwnBEhSl7T1th30Xaxfo/s320/groupshot.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441353421440203218" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;font-size:small;">photo by David Foster III</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Jocelyn Ellis And The Alpha Theory are an experimental group of musicians, that fuse rock, soul, hip hop, and other various genres to define the sound of Urban Folk. Together they seek to create a movement of music that breaks down all barriers. My conversation with Jocelyn was a wonderful journey into the mindset of someone who wants to make a difference through the gift of music. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Why did you say yes to this documentary?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: It's an exciting concept that gives voice to so many of us that don't get an opportunity to discuss our craft and our passion and love for music. It's a chance to hopefully network with women who have the same passion.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">DC: How do you define your music?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: I classify it as Urban, Folk & Rock, more Urban Folk mainly. Urban Folk is a little obscure as a genre but I think it fits more of what we do. When you listen to folk songs you think of stories being told, and string instruments, and sitting on the porch and someone singing. I started out that way, where it was just me singing and doing everything. Then you add the band (the Alpha Theory) and they've helped to bring a big part of the Rock elements that make the sound unique to what we do as a collective. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: How did you discover that you wanted to pursue this genre more so than R&B?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: I'm a creator who doesn't like boxes, labels, names, titles or even genre's. That's why I like Urban Folk because it's undefined in a sense and still questioning. With my music you may hear a little jazz, a little soul, gospel, rock, pop it just depends on the mood that I'm trying to create with the song at hand. Not labeling the music allows me to be free to just create and go with it, without worrying if I'm creating within the box. To me R&B has gotten to a point where they are so boxed in and restricted in terms of where they can go musically. I knew that with my style I wanted to go everywhere musically. If I want to sing operatically one day and then throw in some guitar licks, with African percussions, to make it what it is then so be it. I just see limitations with R&B. I just want my music to resonate with people regardless of the label that is attached to it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: So if the industry did away with genre labeling do you feel like the doors would open up for you?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: Definitely! I'm so anti- labels and the needing to put any kind of definition on what the music is. I mean it helps us as artist to try and articulate it because the question is always being asked of you "What is your music?" But in the same since it limits the expression of where your music can go, because once you say my music is this, then you become boxed to that. I think the best scenario would be to create a scenario that has no walls, no doors, no windows, no ceilings, and no floors, so that it allows artists to be as free as they can. I think if it were open an free like that, people would come to you regardless to listen to the music, instead of you trying to break down someone's door to show them or tell them what your music is. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: So how do you avoid the label? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: It's hard because the industry is so label driven. When I started cultivating my music and my style I knew that my music didn't fit in R&B and I couldn't be just classified as jazz, or rock. So we had to define and find a place where our music could be free and breathe and exist for what it is beyond a label. We as a band took control of how we promoted ourselves.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: So you started as a solo artist. How did adding the band enhance your sound?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: I started as a solo artist singing and playing piano and being labeled as an R&B artist, because as an artist playing piano you are either Jazz or R&B in the mindset of record labels. I knew that my music was something else. I met the drummer in one of my classes and he came out to fill in for another drummer that was out. After that gig he told me about his band and that they were looking for a lead singer. I went down to practice with them one day and it just clicked. From the moment they started playing and I started singing it just clicked. We've been together ever since. I always wanted to explore the rock side of my music with live instrumentation besides just the piano. I never thought I would find a group of individuals who were as dedicated to their craft as I was and learning to perfect their craft on their own. To me it's more than talent, it's more about passion and the need to study your craft to the fullest. We've been together about a year and half and it's been wonderful. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: So how does your audience perceive your band?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: When we first got together it was like people saw it as an R&B soul singer playing with a rock band, but after people got used to me being a part of the band they realized that we were a rock band. We weren't separate entities coming together we were just one.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What are some of the issues that you are faced with in this industry as a Black woman?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: It goes back to having to prove yourself. As a black woman fronting a predominantly white band you are faced with having to prove that you belong in that band. Once they see you perform and hear the music, that all goes away. It's just getting past the hurdle that maybe you don't belong in that spot through the perceptions of others. I love this band and it is the perfect fit for what we do. The ethnicity of who we are doesn't matter because the music speaks for itself.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: It's interesting because none of us in the band see color. We see notes, we see melodies and rhythm. We don't bring that into our world or even notice it until someone else brings that up and honestly no one has really brought it up. There maybe the curious looks of some, but like I said that goes away the minute we begin to perform.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: I read somewhere that you wanted to start something called the "Jenesis Movement". What is that?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: It's basically a movement of community and universality through music. It's the new birth of sharing music and to basically revolutionize how we perceive music and the images that we put out. It goes back to the bible and genesis. In the bible genesis is the first book, it's the beginning. So with the Jenesis Movement it represents a new beginning and community of creators and sharers that just love the art of making music, and support one another no matter where your from, what you believe in, or where you live. For me that's why I do music, that's what I represent. I love life and people and my gift is music and I want to share that in a pure way.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Are you self produced?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: We are unsigned so we produce and promote ourselves. We do talk about it as a group on whether we want to pursue a label deal, but we also would like to maintain and keep control of our content, which is hard to do within the structure of most mainstream deals. From my stand point the structure of record labels is dying anyway. The other thing is that with all of the technology that's out there you can do a lot of what a label does, and if you can find the capital to start your own, there is no need for a mainstream label.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: If we could find a good indie label with the same vision as the band, then that would be something to look at, but for right now we are still self producing and promoting ourselves. The main goal is to be able to live off of what you do and for some that's where being signed to a label comes into play but they give up a lot for that deal. They say for every five to six bands signed to a label, only one is really successful. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Did your music grow once you became part of the band?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: It definitely grew. Adding those additional instruments adds so much to the sound and the richness of a song. I can only do so much on a piano with ten fingers and the song is wonderful, but when you need to add the depth that you're looking for, sometimes you have to add additional instruments to bring that forth. It helped me expand creatively. There's something magical when you play with live musicians that resonates and pushes the music further. My band came with a breathe of musical knowledge and they've taught me so much about their own instruments and being around those instruments. I can hear bass parts so much more in songs, distinguish the difference between live drums and synth drums, it's just been an amazing musical journey working with these guys. My ear is more refined having worked with these guys. When you have four energies sharing it just takes the music to an entirely different level. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Where are you trying to get to musically?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: I think as a group we are trying to get to a place where we can share our musical globally. It would be great to be at a point in our careers where we can our and share our music in other countries and to be able to grow culturally through those experiences. It's experiences, traveling and life that make you grow as an individual and for us as a band. I think that's part of where we would like to go musically.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Who are some of your musical influences that keep you motivated?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: When I was growing up my mom was a huge influence, because she listened to everything. Whether it was a soundtrack from a movie, George Michael, Stevie Wonder or the Police, it was just a breathe of music that she introduced me too. As I started discovering music myself I would say, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Prince, Janice Joplin, Michael Jackson, Sade. I love Sade! Alicia Keys was inspiring because I never saw a female artist that sang and played the piano. She let me know that it was ok to be that type of artist. As I grew older I discovered other women that sang and played at the piano, but Alicia Key's was within my generation and refreshing to see. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What is it about Janis Joplin?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: It was her passion. I mean when she sang you felt every single tear that she ever cried, you could feel her pain, her laughter, her love. She sings with so much depth and passion and soul. Her music is gritty and heavenly at the same time. I love listening to her because she created music that people felt, and that's something that I strive for with my music. I want people to feel my music. When I listen to Prince or Aretha, their music moves me. I want to move people.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What was it about Prince?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: Prince is one of the most innovative artist that I've studied. He goes from singing straight pop rock to a sound that you can't define, to being so diverse that he is just Prince. He's an artist that experiments with instrumentation, he's brilliant at production, the way that he arranges his songs and the methods of composing and playing all of the instruments, I mean he has it all. He's just a genius. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What do you think needs to change in the industry to give artist like yourself and equal platform for getting your music out there.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: That's a good question. I don't think the industry is going to change. I think it's always going to be what it is. It will evolve because of technology and the way that they market, but it's like any other industry, it's still going to be the industry. I think that for us it's really not about the industry changing for us, but us changing the industry. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: So how would you change it?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: What comes to mind is breaking the machine. Like breaking the machine and building it back up from scratch, because I think that we've squeezed so much of the pureness and the creativity out of the music to make it an industry. People aren't getting the creativity anymore, their getting whatever is left after the industry molds you into what they want you to be. I would like to see a breaking of the system, because if the system breaks then that means that the gates are really open for all of this music that is out here and still pure but no one gets to hear. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: So it's like processed food. You keep eating what's put in front of you and then you get your taste of some organic and you're like what is this?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: It's the same thing. You can hear the same thing over and over and then one artist will come out that makes your ears stand at attention and you start searching for who that artist. It takes you out of the day to day rotation of what your ears have been conditioned to. We need that on a more regular basis. We need people to be hungry for something new and daring instead of the dame cookie cutter music we are fed. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: Tell me about our EP "In The Begining".</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: "In The Beginning" was a wondrous experience. It was my first time producing an EP. I started the EP just as I met the guys, so when you listen to it, it's a combination between my solo work and my collaboration with the band. You will hear tracks with the synthesized music and some hip hop elements, and then you will hear the tracks with live instrumentations and that's when the guys come in. It gives people a chance to see what I did as a soloist and also what we've done as band. It's a good taste of who we were at that time.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What do you think your second album will be like?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: We really just create some really great things together. I think the next album will be just a great embodiment of us growing together and highlighting our different voices within the album. We all have great ideas and sensibilities that help to enhance our band's sound. It's going to be different and out of the mold and out of the box. It will be a very diverse album that will resonate with a lot of people. I'm excited about it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What's your favorite song from the EP "The Beginning?"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: It would be "Sugar Rose" because it's a song that derives from the things that I took from my family including the lessons, words of wisdom, and just things that inspired me growing up. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">DC: What do you want your listeners to walk away with when they listen to your music?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: I want them to walk away rediscovering that they are human. I want to rekindle emotion and humanity in us, and if I can do that through music with the band that would be an amazing thing.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">DC: So what's going on with the band?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">JE: Currently we are on tour in North Carolina, which is where we're from, as well some other cities on the east coast. After the tour we're taking a writing break for a couple of months just to finish and tighten up some pieces that we've been putting together, and it's a really good time because it's busy and we're learning a lot, but we are also experiencing the pains of the underground where you're wanting to do 10,000 things, but only having ten hands. It's a great experience because we get to keep our feet on the ground and we get to learn about all sides of the music industry, from the promotions, marketing, financing, it all teaches you what this business is all about for yourself. So it's just a good growing period for us. It's exciting right now.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">You can learn more about Jocelyn Ellis and The Alpha Theory at their website: <a href="http://www.jeandtat.com">http://www.jeandtat.com</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Video of Jocelyn Ellis and the Alpha Theory performing "Sugar Rose":</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10px;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yqP9aS_eKSs&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yqP9aS_eKSs&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div></div></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-45067206724245584222010-02-18T13:56:00.000-08:002010-02-27T01:51:12.846-08:00Leila Adu<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuadDMn62Q-g1p3MVnnQG9wUeqwDYbNYNfaViOLNzroUeP-VVzciLzimltheC-mIt7SvZZpmBv2gRr481BIEvk-VuK9LvxnriDDqHzvay8TwZfc8y2yZZu7aE064_YLlsSYH5BpZayR7I/s1600-h/1005.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuadDMn62Q-g1p3MVnnQG9wUeqwDYbNYNfaViOLNzroUeP-VVzciLzimltheC-mIt7SvZZpmBv2gRr481BIEvk-VuK9LvxnriDDqHzvay8TwZfc8y2yZZu7aE064_YLlsSYH5BpZayR7I/s320/1005.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439709722502923010" /></a>Technology is amazing as I learn how to use it LOL! Leila Adu is also joining the documentary and I want to thank her for her patience. Leila and I had a brief conversation via google chat about a week ago, where she gave her commitment to the project. <div><br /></div><div>It's said that she has a voice like hot treacle on broken glass, whether singing of love or social change. her fans consistently return to her concerts to be "taken away to parallel dimension of music thought.: Raised in New Zealand of Ghanaian descent, Leila has produced three acclaimed albums, written for and sung with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, toured extensively and had radio play in UK, mainland Europe, Australia, Russia, and the Far East.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2010 she was voted one of Bold As Love's "Ten Sistas Who Rocked The Decade." Look for Leila's interview in the next few weeks and support her at her sites:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.leilaadu.com/">www.leilaadu.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.myspace.com/leilaadu">www.myspace.com/leilaadu</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's Leila's performance of "manic Depression" performed at the URB ALT: Jimi Hendrix Tribute at Galapagos Artspace in Dumbo Brooklyn:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10px;"><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RR3W-arVIh4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RR3W-arVIh4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>To a musical journey worth sharing,</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Danni</div><div><br /></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08033363026159960073noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-90172941735923619262010-02-17T20:13:00.000-08:002010-02-17T21:06:49.011-08:00Jaqee<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGV9G6eYGm5Lc2w61Dgt3Dei39XXCe8o0aeCiRs-KF8Ruz0UW_mUDz-Ung_2gEAI_b1UffBAjRRSQ08KBcZIkJAIGOHcwgsg5cNfD6GpN0yb8Z-3E9ha6OebqDu2yxvd6zQi_9qv8P8e0/s1600-h/jaqee_press5.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGV9G6eYGm5Lc2w61Dgt3Dei39XXCe8o0aeCiRs-KF8Ruz0UW_mUDz-Ung_2gEAI_b1UffBAjRRSQ08KBcZIkJAIGOHcwgsg5cNfD6GpN0yb8Z-3E9ha6OebqDu2yxvd6zQi_9qv8P8e0/s320/jaqee_press5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439445389988159426" /></a>Pleased to announce someone from outside the U.S. doing her thing and now involved in the documentary. She goes by the name of Jaqee, and her sound is unique and refreshing. I took a piece of her bio form her site to post so you get a since of her journey.<div><br /></div><div>Born in Kampala, the Capital of Uganda, she began her vagabond like life the moment she was born. During her childhood, she travelled the rural areas of her home country with her parents. This is where she collected her first impressions of the life as a nomad. From birth on, wandering the earth became a part of her destiny. In the early nineties she undertook a huge step and immigrated to Sweden. The City of Gothenburg would become her adopted home from where she was able to access all the different destinies and directions, which were on offer to her.<br /><br />Through all the borders Jaqee crossed, music has always been her steady companion whereas it never was a stereotype thing that let her get down with any special genre, than more like a special feeling. “To do what I want in a particular moment is my motivation. I like to express myself in all kind of sounds.”</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2005 Jaqee made an impact with her debut album “Blaqalixious”, which was mainly a Soul and R&B album. After further creative and fruitful collaborations, Jaqee released her second long player “Nouvell d.. amour” in 2007. This time, the sound was more of a rocking, bluesy vibe. It seemed to be the total opposite to her debut album but for Jaqee it was only the next step on her path in the circle of life. One step further on, she encountered the songs of Billie Holiday, which lead to the album “A letter to Billie” recorded together with Bohuslänbigband, a lovely homage to the great American Jazz Singer. Both of her first two albums each received a Swedish Grammy nomination and several appearances in the Swedish national television increased her standing as a passionate and soulful Singer. So Teka, producer and creator of many successful riddims for his co-found German label, Rootdown Records worked with her on her Third Solo Album. Together, they combined their talents into one album. The results of which you can now hear on “Kokoo Girl” a refreshing mix of Old School Reggae sounds from the seventies combined with up-to-date Beats, electronic twists and turns and of course the amazing voice of Jaqee.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please check Jaqee' s myspace page <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jaqee">http://www.myspace.com/jaqee</a>, as well as her personal site <a href="http://www.jaqee.com/">http://www.jaqee.com/</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is Jaqee singing "Castara Blues" from her second album <b>Nouvelle D'amour:</b></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10px;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGD1OOwuA-I&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGD1OOwuA-I&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Jaqee's video to the song "Karma":</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10px;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yR3MKHETFts&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yR3MKHETFts&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-46074369099317169842010-02-17T15:16:00.001-08:002010-02-17T15:41:51.416-08:00Support For The Love of Music<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Hey Everyone-</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Have you ever been passionate about something and wanted to share it with the world. That's what these ladies are driven by. Their drive to create, produce, and perform incredible music. Some have been at it for a while and others are finding their voice and new to the game. Regardless of where they are in the journey, they need your support. Think of it as a relationship. In a relationship in order for it to succeed it has to be nourished and there has to be give and take. This is very similar. In order to receive great music, the artist needs to know that you are loving what they provide to your listening ears. Make some noise, give them some love, leave a response on the blog, or facebook page, or their personal fan pages and let them know what you're thinking or feeling about their music.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Even I need to know what your thinking about this blog and the documentary. It's a place to share and gravitate. If their are artist you want to know more about let me know. If you have some favorites that you want me to reach out to let me know. This journey should be for everyone to have a great time discovering and sharing great music, so let's make the ride incredible!</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">To a musical journey worth sharing!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Danni</span></div><div><br /></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-62476472475773200292010-02-17T13:57:00.001-08:002010-02-18T18:19:18.638-08:00Raye 6<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMGYrrf1lisnFQE1PipKScjWEDboG_LuiTAEwkjhXwvpdpnkpA9ViBSjNV64rNto5SBg2OqjXNnL_Kcb7FzEoRl2bQin0vBQaYRFK_bccvwI0UM3SoqxpgIPGxUBVyTDLEqz2ZbL_1lg/s1600-h/6535_1212675919473_1306045085_646801_4962595_n.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 202px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMGYrrf1lisnFQE1PipKScjWEDboG_LuiTAEwkjhXwvpdpnkpA9ViBSjNV64rNto5SBg2OqjXNnL_Kcb7FzEoRl2bQin0vBQaYRFK_bccvwI0UM3SoqxpgIPGxUBVyTDLEqz2ZbL_1lg/s320/6535_1212675919473_1306045085_646801_4962595_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439347828619184514" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Raye 6 is also participating in the documentary and we will be setting up a time soon for her interview. Raye 6 is known in New York as the sexy seductress who mesmerizes her audiences by her amazing performances. Her unique style is accompanied with an impressive ability to produce, write and sing most of her songs. This young woman has quite a story to tell and pours her heart into her music without ever holding back. Aware of the issues facing women Raye 6 inspires ladies to take control of their existence. Raye 6 brings you into her world of uncensored expression, class, fantasy and indulgence. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Her website along will take you on an acid trip through her universe. Please check out her site <a href="http://www.raye6.net/">at http://www.raye6.net/</a>.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-64362680476470440192010-02-17T13:02:00.001-08:002010-02-17T14:22:50.986-08:00Kimberly Nichole<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjER41lKtRPdQJey4JzZAt5v8Aj5pc6boXEyM5NQKZ8nCm7zM68oE3-IkmWCieuwkkxW9x7fsqSTaU81ZZ608Ly7WU-d0G-sLpw8ikLubLPuYYfSAC_IwCwT65ewudL755S57x41nppUvw/s1600-h/Kim3_2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjER41lKtRPdQJey4JzZAt5v8Aj5pc6boXEyM5NQKZ8nCm7zM68oE3-IkmWCieuwkkxW9x7fsqSTaU81ZZ608Ly7WU-d0G-sLpw8ikLubLPuYYfSAC_IwCwT65ewudL755S57x41nppUvw/s320/Kim3_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439330616519312242" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Ms. Kimberly Nichole is participating in the documentary and I want to say welcome to her. This Seattle Washington native is taking her listeners on a journey with her album </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">"Yellow Brick Journey"</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">. The Spelman College alum transitions her vocal range from R&B, to rock, punk, and hip hop sounds, and has been able to cut a niche for herself and manages to maintain it. She's been a staple in the underground scene for sometime and is working her way into the mainstream through the support of underground followers. Kimberly and I are working on an interview date so stay tuned for what she has to say about this crazy but wonderful world of Rock.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;">In the meantime, check out her site <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">and listen to the track </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">"Jump The Gun"</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">. You can also purchase the full album from her site.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.kimberlynichole.com/KimberlyNichole/KimberlyNichole.html">www.kimberlynichole.com/KimberlyNichole/KimberlyNichole.html</a>, </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">See her in action here in this video:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I6fqxNa7wGE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I6fqxNa7wGE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">To a musical journey worth sharing,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Danni</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-12388172851874520912010-02-17T13:00:00.000-08:002010-02-18T15:26:16.639-08:00Brittany Bosco<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAK_snY-U0Pb1hi0XAhx_xzib9Hjnnk4JSCsb-MtJBgxanbIboDCYfpWwXAZ4PsXVkScC3JDL7VxAcLgk44GQuJQdLCUE0_wRNc6i2bJShnES_GhIwVR-LjjoBO_hQWwNyo9ipTPcJRM/s1600-h/bosco2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAK_snY-U0Pb1hi0XAhx_xzib9Hjnnk4JSCsb-MtJBgxanbIboDCYfpWwXAZ4PsXVkScC3JDL7VxAcLgk44GQuJQdLCUE0_wRNc6i2bJShnES_GhIwVR-LjjoBO_hQWwNyo9ipTPcJRM/s320/bosco2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439723769374024898" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hey Everyone-</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Brittany Bosco for the blog and was very excited to share that interview with you. Unfortunately, the company that I use to record my interviews is having difficulties unlocking the file. I hope to have the interview posted for you soon, for her insight on the world of rock and the industry is definitely something worth sharing. I send my apologies to her and Fadia Kader for not having it up, but hopefully we will soon. Her vocal range is ridiculous, and she floats from genre to genre, not allowing herself to get caught up in the system of labeling. True to herself and her craft, Bosco will take you on a journey that will make you think, rewind and think some more on songs that she's written for both of her albums "City Of Nowhere" and "Spectrum". In the meantime please show her some love and visit her sites to learn more about her and her music. Interview to follow soon.<br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;font-size:small;">http://www.myspace.com/brittanybosco</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />http://brittanybosco.bandcamp.com/<br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Here is Brittany Bosco singing "Blues For Blue" and "Black and White":<br /></span><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0laJWXWXX2c&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0laJWXWXX2c&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To a musical journey worth sharing,</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Danni</span></span></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-90995732525182693282010-02-17T12:42:00.000-08:002010-02-18T13:10:39.442-08:00Felice Rosser of Faith<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizlYxEugdRwjTA2x8wtia0kAykc8JjJI2tE-PI2pskgn054sPsB75fmhJFhYjZkeQBF5VU2L3L4I95BgzTOcXs64wIAZWpft8vZ7UVzhb_6THU5szZlFd-NuL5TGHqQDgO9lCIquxlmA/s1600-h/6a00d83451cfbb69e20120a595a3a9970b-400wi.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 215px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizlYxEugdRwjTA2x8wtia0kAykc8JjJI2tE-PI2pskgn054sPsB75fmhJFhYjZkeQBF5VU2L3L4I95BgzTOcXs64wIAZWpft8vZ7UVzhb_6THU5szZlFd-NuL5TGHqQDgO9lCIquxlmA/s320/6a00d83451cfbb69e20120a595a3a9970b-400wi.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439348003980105906" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Felice Rosser has agreed to be a part of the Documentary and I am so honored to have her. Ms. Rosser is a singer/bassist with a bluesy voice and a deep tone on her bass. Guitarist Naotaka Hakamada came to New york from Tokyo full of blues, rock and soul. Samuel "Toro" Cruz is a drummer who loves afro-carribean, hip-hop and rock styles. Together, these three passionate people make music as Faith. Faith's unique blend of psychdelic rock, reggae, African music and groove has been praised by some of the toughest critics, earning rave reviews. My interview for the blog will happen on Monday, February 22 and I can't wait to share it with you.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">In the meantime, please go and check out Faith's music. You will not be disappointed!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><a href="http://www.faithny.com/">www.faithny.com</a><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;">Faith performing "Daybreak":</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10px;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3GQnJs3Wchg&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3GQnJs3Wchg&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-22326607748149531082010-02-13T23:45:00.000-08:002010-02-14T19:25:55.837-08:00theDOLLDAZE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_MtAZoVr-LRbgE6v5HPsUyatUg5QdV9gH68H_ViPbha-j7qVVBRJcZJXG-b6aUgoBiiLnqfmZoMozbm0MXkyyb4xsB4Qws9g05PcDYB-eduzLS-wkjBJwO7djmPnMaWKx_dpCKhm9Xo/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 208px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_MtAZoVr-LRbgE6v5HPsUyatUg5QdV9gH68H_ViPbha-j7qVVBRJcZJXG-b6aUgoBiiLnqfmZoMozbm0MXkyyb4xsB4Qws9g05PcDYB-eduzLS-wkjBJwO7djmPnMaWKx_dpCKhm9Xo/s320/photo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438300764469319554" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">theDOLLDAZE is one who goes against the grain to be true to herself and her music. The self taught singer musician was born and raised in Atlanta, GA and has a natural southern charm and the accent to match. Her vision for her music is clear and distinctive to her sound, which is surely to delight anyone looking to feed their ears with something new. She is an artist that describes her music as Indie/Rock/Soul, although would prefer not to put a label on the music at all. Instead she would love for you to just buy into the sound that you enjoy and listen to the music in a more honest way.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Her latest EP entitled "Acid Report: the missing peace" has slowly made it's way to the ears of audiences in Atlanta and beyond. One of the fan favorites "Let It Blow" has a tinge of Latin influence and the tempo changes throw you into a place that catches you off guard at first, but then makes you smile after you follow it. The six song EP is available for free download from her site </span></span><a href="http://thedolldaze.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">www.thedolldaze.com</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. Here's a little of the interview I recently did with theDOLLDAZE. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: Thank you so much for this interview and saying yes to your participation in thedocumentary.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: It's my pleasure and I'm glad that you are doing this. It will give a voice to what we go through as women in this industry and that's something that I haven't seen addressed as of yet.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: So what's the scene like in Atlanta?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: Atlanta is a classroom. The people that you see on the way up are the same people you will see on the way down and everything in between. It's a small network even though people come here and think that it's a music mecca, but it's really like that in my opinion for like hip hop/rap, you know like snap and trap rap. Even the R&B artist have a difficult time here because Atlanta is so predominantly wrapped up in the hip hop/rap scene. That's what Atlanta is known for and that's what the radio stations play. All music has it's place and I'm not downing that, but there are other variations of music waiting to present themselves.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: Perception is that Atlanta is a music mecca and that the radio stations support all. Do you find that to be true when it comes to alternative music?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: It would be great if mainstream radio stations played alternative music, but the fact of the matter is that you will only hear that on the college radio stations who are willing to take the chance of playing the music. Radio stations are a business, who are tied in with the record labels. With that said, you will hear the same top 40 songs played over and over in rotation because that's the deal that's been made. Whoever the "It" person is for the moment that's who gets played.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I mean they aren't thinking about playing theDOLLDAZE, lol, and even if they were, their program directors aren't thinking about that. It's all politics and they have their rules to follow.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: You would think that radio stations could find even just an hour in the day to break and play new artist. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: You would think that. When you think back in the past when dj's took pride in breaking an artist first and creating the hype and buzz that made an artist great. That doesn't exist anymore on a mainstream level. It's so far away from that. Now with the digital age, it helps us as Indie artist to get our music out there. Now we have outlets to promote our own music like, Pandora, Last FM, and the Live 365. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: There are so many things that we can do to market ourselves especially when we have our Bandcamp, Myspace, and Facebook to promote ourselves. Don't get me wrong, it's nothing compared to what a label can do to market an artist, but at this stage of the game when the labels are falling apart, it works well for those of us who are truly in the Indie scene. And now you have Satellite stations who are willing to take a chance on Indie artist. So it comes down to are you going to put time into your self to market your music, so that you are building an audience and being heard.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: How did you make the decision that you wanted to be more of an alternative artist instead of taking the path of an R&B artist?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: I started out trying to do an alternative style of R&B music. I was writing for other R&B artist, and writing hooks for rappers, but I always had a desire to do something slightly left and off centered anyway. So even though I was doing the R&B thing I always wanted to be different, and have my music be different. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: It was really, really hard trying to get someone to understand my vision for the music that I wanted to create. Finally I ran into a producer 78 Elements and we started doing more of like a pop rock project. We started doing the pop rock project and the name of that project was called "Watching Carousels". We put that out in 2005 - 2006 and that was cool, but it was a lot of production work to it. It didn't really capture the essence of what I was trying to do, so that's when I decided to pick up a guitar.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: So you are a self taught musician?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: Yes, I decided to pick up a guitar and teach myself, because that was the only way that I would be able to communicate to anyone exactly what I was going for in terms of my music. It allowed me to show people and tell them that this is how the song should go, as opposed to them thinking on what I wanted and it be wrong. learning the guitar gave me more lead way to express what my vision was. R&B was like this tiny little square that keeps you confined. i had a bigger, broader vision for my music.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: So how does your look play into all of this?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: When you look at it from a marketing perspective, I don't fit in the R&B world. I have a very unique look when I perform. I like theatrics and costumes and bringing my music to life. With R&B they were like you're cute, but we want you to look like this, we want you to dance, etc. That just wasn't me. I need to be free with my music. If you see me perform you will see that I'm a wild woman and I need to be able to roam free lol! for that reason R&B just wasn't for me.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: I really wanted to make sure that my look was mine. So many times you have artist who come to the label with their own look, and the label changes the look to fit how they want to market them. They have them cut their hair, weave their hair, wear this, do this, talk like this, act like this, and when they are done with you, you are left wondering what happened. That's a more difficult road to try and re-create yourself after someone has stripped you of what you were before. R&B is about the "It" girl, and the "It" girl only lasts as long as the next "It" girl arrives and takes her place. I think with alternative styling you have more longevity because I control my look and any changes that I make to it. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: The other thing that comes into play is ageism. With R&B the women become younger and younger as the "It" girl. There are so many fantastic women who are out there doing their thing who get left to the side because they are slightly older. Take someone like Ledisi who can sing her ass off, who doesn't get the same love and marketing as say a Keri Hilson. What's that about? I'm not trying to compare them, but at the same time where is the balance that comes with just being a great singer?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: What do you define your music to be?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: The only reason why I even try and put a name to my music is because when I get this question I have to answer it LOL! I call it Indie/Rock/Soul. The difficulty in labeling music is the backlash that happens when you want to change it up. To declare yourself as a rocker, when the label "Rocker" has no true market out their for Black women is a tough road. That's why I believe that some women don't know what to label their music. My next album will have some classical music and vocal styling that may not be considered rock, but it is definitely more indie rock and doesn't fit within the labeling of R&B. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: I mean I just like to write a good song. If no one wants to sing along to something on your CD, then that's a problem LOL . I mean I want you too hum along with something LOL.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: Tell me about how you came up with the songs on your EP "Acid Report: the missing peace"?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: "Acid Report: the missing peace", came about because I was going through sort of a musical change and shifting from trying to shop myself to different producers and labels in Atlanta. It was like they were interested and they were saying things like "she's a Black girl doing pop rock stuff, but then she's talking about Black girl stuff, and we just don't understand it". Then when I was in the studio with those same people they would say things like "well maybe you should sing the song like Averil Lavigne". I can't do that, I have to just be me and sing and perform my songs the way that they come to me. I can't be a people pleaser. That EP was a lot about me.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: Like the song "I Know". I know what I feel, and I know what I want to write, and want to do. Even in life experiences, I realized that I started off trying to be a people pleaser, or a yes girl, and it's hard to do that because no one is ever going to be pleased with everything. Then I realized sometimes you just have to please yourself. That's how "I Know" came about. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: What was your process for that EP?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: I had it all in my head and I needed to get it out. I got my guitar and started from scratch writing all of the songs. Then I hooked up with Andrew Warren and we knocked it out. We got together, worked out the arrangements and recorded that album live. That's how it all came together.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: What is your biggest struggle?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: Because I'm an indie artist money is a factor. The thing about doing something that you love, is that you may not make the money neccesary to keep it going</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. That's the one thing that mainstream record labels have. They have the money to distribute, market and tour an artist. When it's just you, it becomes difficult because it's all you, and you still have to maintain your personal life of a job, bills, eating LOL. Then add the business of marketing yourself as an artist and it's a lot. I mean when you have to decide between keeping your job or going to a gig out of state for a few days, that's a big decision. That's a struggle, cause you want to do your craft and let others hear you outside of where you live, but you still have to know that when you get back you can still survive. Life is real, and although the we sell the fantasy, real life is just what it is . . . real life. That's what I'm striving for, away to make money with my music full time and be able to take care of myself that way. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: On your site you have your music up for a free download. Why is that?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: You have to look at it as a way to market yourself and get your music out there. There are so many artist willing to give a free download because you want your music to be heard. When you have huge artist like Cold Play giving away music to be heard, how can I go and ask someone to pay for mine?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC:: So how are you getting your gigs?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: I have a great manager in Karen Mason, from Honor Music Group, who gets me booked. But sometimes I get paid and sometimes I don't. That's just the nature of the game. You have gigs that pay, and then you have gigs that you do just to be seen and to get your name out there. That makes the money inconsistent and I can't depend on that because bills still come at the end of the day. It's a challenge but I just keep moving forward because this is what I love.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: Can you tell us a little about your new project?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: I don't want to give too much of it away, but the new album is tentatively called "Mystic Novel" and it's basically a psychotic love story. It's hard to talk about, but if you come to my shows you would understand.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: I love costumes and theatrics. When I go to see someone perform I'm looking at the whole picture along with the music. I mean I love a costume. I loved looking at Parliament, Labelle, Jimi Hendryx because their look added to the music. If you get to know me you will see that I like the Renaissance Period and Pirates. This album will be a nice journey and I'm thinking of releasing it in chapters. It's a musical novel similar to like an opera. So I'm excited to let the people judge how they like it when it come out.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: How did you come up with the concept for this album?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: It came out of us talking about the Mystique of a person. When you first meet someone you really don't know anything about that person except for what they present to you at that moment. It's not until your two or three years down the road that you start really seeing who that person is. That's when it all comes out and you see their true colors. So it started from there.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">DC: What do you think needs to happen within the industry to help open doors for Black women of alternative music to be able to succeed?</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">tDD: I think the biggest thing is giving the music a platform. if it's good music then it's just good music regardless of the label. We have to get back to knowing that there is no harm in breaking a new artist. On the other hand we as artist have to take ownership in ourselves and help create those platforms as well. If he music is on point then there is no denying the success of the music, but the challenge is getting it out there for the fan base to say that the music is on point. We have to be accountable for what we put out as well.<br /><br />I hope to have a the full conversation available via podcast soon. In the meantime, please go and check out theDOLLDAZE at her site </span></span><a href="http://thedolldaze.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">www.thedolldaze.com</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. If you're in the ATL please go and check her out live.<br /><br />Here's a video of theDOLLDAZE singing "Let I Blow"</span></span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gzJinv0RruM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gzJinv0RruM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Even though it's not Christmas I thought this was a beautiful song that theDOLLDAZE wrote for the troops entitled "Unwrap You".</span></span><br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yRuB0rtTowI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yRuB0rtTowI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To a musical journey worth sharing,<br /><br />Danni</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-50711954430911583882010-02-09T16:18:00.000-08:002010-02-18T12:44:31.053-08:00deLuxe of Too Pretty For Porn<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigE0SEgjYT1H61JVOOjsU1iEuSwTZ4GRA7yRozCpOT_GhRy8nEVZB3Dco7TdKNfnhHf5_PTZOLEliODQaep5O_Zg7i-T2a57WpfwOOUIqHJ4cRa42jq7I3WNM7G_eXFeFe5f0xCwoT3HA/s1600-h/l_aa34a4fb403e52c2395daf1c09b3cd45.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigE0SEgjYT1H61JVOOjsU1iEuSwTZ4GRA7yRozCpOT_GhRy8nEVZB3Dco7TdKNfnhHf5_PTZOLEliODQaep5O_Zg7i-T2a57WpfwOOUIqHJ4cRa42jq7I3WNM7G_eXFeFe5f0xCwoT3HA/s320/l_aa34a4fb403e52c2395daf1c09b3cd45.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436405822164237666" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hey-</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Too Pretty For Porn is comprised of Philly-born singer/bassist known as deLuxe and Australian guitarist Sean Young. deLuxe and I discussed my vision for the doc, and her participation in it. After the conversation she and Sean committed to participate so look for her interview next week. They are currently in the studio working on their next album here in Los Angeles. In the meantime you can check out the band on their personal website, and if you are in Los Angeles try and catch one of their shows. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I would post a video, but the ones on youtube don't do them justice. Please go to their website and check out their music.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, serif;"><a href="http://www.myspace.com/tooprettyforporn">http://www.myspace.com/tooprettyforporn</a>.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To a musical journey worth sharing,</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Danni</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-3228337983468516372010-02-09T15:51:00.000-08:002010-02-09T16:15:06.864-08:00Shola Akinshemoyin of Divisible<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxoNrZ2reHzkbQ5oB0eCx35_rCMLc0og8omm1BPCxYg5_lNd1di-qG1KyAhbhtmx8j5fBRphoQjjVrQ7KZdA2bjJ9RZqrd-B4WBX-N1NzPJ5S0G4_4eClP67j6mI6uDQOyiHeaPLg8VY/s1600-h/item.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxoNrZ2reHzkbQ5oB0eCx35_rCMLc0og8omm1BPCxYg5_lNd1di-qG1KyAhbhtmx8j5fBRphoQjjVrQ7KZdA2bjJ9RZqrd-B4WBX-N1NzPJ5S0G4_4eClP67j6mI6uDQOyiHeaPLg8VY/s320/item.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436400200254519618" /></a><br />Hey-<div><br /></div><div>It continues to grow in an amazing way. Had a great conversation with Shola Akinshemoyin who is one half of the group Divisible. The band is compromised of Shola Akinshemoyin on lead vocals and guitar and Albert Sadia on drums. Just a taste of another group doing their thing and willing to participate in the doc. For those of you living in LA, they are performing this Friday, February 12th, at California Plaza Downtown LA. Their performance begins at 11:00PM. Please go to their site and check them out. Their interview will be posted next week after our conversation.</div><div><br /></div><div>http://divisiblemusic.blogspot.com/</div><div><br /></div><div>Video of Divisible singing "Love Is The Cost"</div><div><br /></div><div><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rR9c00R7fqQ&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rR9c00R7fqQ&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>To a musical journey worth sharing,</div><div><br /></div><div>Danni</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-52018642843774062982010-02-09T14:07:00.000-08:002010-02-09T21:08:48.749-08:00Jocelyn Ellis & The Alpha Theory<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3FgBq4fZOFcDw8Q-9QDCGARzPKK4rJT7RE2p-zTSliNe12Wy4MYYVzIy43KGM3aBIIze5kDmMyzZnc12ysD6nxIB-qkax29eHzTrwS3q6kBSwD6Gxq2tis0vjZyvccbNKz0ShN6AL9c/s1600-h/l_479dd1948fd6427795639fc76ebb8102.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3FgBq4fZOFcDw8Q-9QDCGARzPKK4rJT7RE2p-zTSliNe12Wy4MYYVzIy43KGM3aBIIze5kDmMyzZnc12ysD6nxIB-qkax29eHzTrwS3q6kBSwD6Gxq2tis0vjZyvccbNKz0ShN6AL9c/s320/l_479dd1948fd6427795639fc76ebb8102.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436393590045502530" /></a><br /><br />Hey-<br /><br />I had a wonderful conversation with Jocelyn Ellis. She and her band The Alpha Theory are currently touring in North Carolina. Jocelyn has agreed to come onboard for the documentary which is exciting news. Stay tuned for more with Jocelyn next week after my interview with her on Monday, January 15th. In the meantime, please check out Jocelyn & The Alpha Theory at www.jocelynellis.net.<br /><br /><br /><div>Video of Jocelyn Ellis & The Alpha Theory<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yqP9aS_eKSs&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yqP9aS_eKSs&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.thisisrealmusic.com/mediaplayerx.swf" height="318" width="429" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="skin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisisrealmusic.com%2Fskins%2F4.0%2Fimages%2Fmodieus.swf&autostart=false%E2%84%91%3D&controlbar=over&file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisisrealmusic.com%2Fvideos%2F50110%2Fmedia%2Fvideo%2Fwakeupbesideyoulive.flv&volume=50&plugins=viral-1d"></embed></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-10586182168065746912010-02-09T12:42:00.000-08:002010-02-15T00:58:44.127-08:00P-STAR RISING<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HEvktaocXsWi439pFDA5h9KawrejlDneUSyAj1idpisQLNhr8Qo1bIlZTtDFVuiPyOjt6Tw25gnhbk7ANwAL3-25jCBwXsjMtRnHrj5hY5_xykZiDdnw3IHjOShZ8PEmvQJnT3KCe6Y/s1600-h/257052_450_height_de48f5.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HEvktaocXsWi439pFDA5h9KawrejlDneUSyAj1idpisQLNhr8Qo1bIlZTtDFVuiPyOjt6Tw25gnhbk7ANwAL3-25jCBwXsjMtRnHrj5hY5_xykZiDdnw3IHjOShZ8PEmvQJnT3KCe6Y/s320/257052_450_height_de48f5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436355800833565042" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Hey Everyone-</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Please check out the documentary </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">P-STAR RISING</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">. It's the story of young girl who struggles to make her dreams of being a rapper come to light, while still trying to hold on to the innocence and magic of being a kid. The Journey of a father who gave up his dreams of being a rap star to support his two daughters, and in a twist of fate, is living that dream out through his daughter Priscilla's journey. You can visit the film's website for more information http://www.pstarrising.com/index.php. Check your local listings for airdate on PBS in your area. The film airs tonight in some markets. The filmmakers Gabriel Noble and Marjan Tehrani followed the family for over five years to create this wonderful film. Please support them and send the link to your friends. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Synopsis:</span></span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">A talented young hip hop performer becomes the vehicle for her father's unfulfilled ambitions in the feature documentary P-STAR RISING. At the dawn of hip-hop's breakthrough into the mainstream in the early 1980s, Jesse Diaz was poised for fame, success, and wealth - but a prison sentence soon squashed his dreams. Though Jesse manages to reclaim his life and regain custody of his two young daughters, lost to the foster care system while he was incarcerated and after their mother succumbed to drug addiction, he struggles to support his family as a single dad. Broke, unemployed, and living in temporary housing, he pins his hopes for the family's fortunes on his youngest daughter, Priscilla AKA P-Star. Recognizing Priscilla's natural musical talent and precocious personality, Jesse sets out to realize his deferred dreams of hip-hop stardom by making the nine-year old the next rap phenomenon - "the youngest girl on the scene." Filmed over five years, P-STAR RISING follows Jesse and his daughter s as they navigate the peaks and pitfalls of both the music business and family relationships. As P-Star starts to break through professionally, Jesse struggles to balance his responsibilities as a father to Priscilla and her older sister Solsky with his music industry aspirations. Solsky, increasingly sidelined in the family by Priscilla's career, does poorly in school and turns to the church for comfort. As Priscilla matures, she comes increasingly into conflict with Jesse, and risks losing er childhood to satisfy his demands. From performances on the street corner to appearances on national television, from signing record label deals to dealing with feelings of abandonment by Priscilla's crack addicted mother, Gabriel Noble's chronicle of the Diaz family offers a personal, intimate look at ambition, talent, and the sacrifices family members make for one another.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Trailer for the film P-STAR RISING</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rTwJMA0C7Rc&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rTwJMA0C7Rc&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div><br /></div><div>To a musical journey worth sharing,</div><div><br /></div><div>Danni</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-10064433069933992092010-02-04T11:37:00.000-08:002010-02-04T12:00:58.004-08:00Shelley Nicole's blaKbushe<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYmdKHTCn8BkE4rkMONldkhYzHttdQrXuXgqZA5Z_iY_i2Y74baVVDGHHC9N2d8eLSLLuIf5fhYvZDddjxvngjW1d3hL9Oi5izpXXD0nAAof4ypSAq-A7i_wl8qZ5xB-GbqtjnKFk6XU/s1600-h/coverlink.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 263px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYmdKHTCn8BkE4rkMONldkhYzHttdQrXuXgqZA5Z_iY_i2Y74baVVDGHHC9N2d8eLSLLuIf5fhYvZDddjxvngjW1d3hL9Oi5izpXXD0nAAof4ypSAq-A7i_wl8qZ5xB-GbqtjnKFk6XU/s320/coverlink.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434478460817131778" /></a><br />Hey Everyone-<br /><br />In my haste to get my last post out on Shelley Nicole's blaKbushe, I forgot to include her latest album, <span><b>The Quick & Dirty EP</b><b><span></span></b></span><b> </b>(produced by her label Red Butterfly Music). This is the second release from Shelley Nicole's blaKbushe. The project was recorded live at Southpaw in Brooklyn, NY. It also includes remixes of the bands latest single <b><i>"</i></b><span><b><i>blaK Girls"</i></b><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> from Daz-I-Kue, and Lionel Sanchez, as well as a remix of <b>"</b><span style="font-style:italic;"><b>Dance"</b><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span>, originally on her first album <span><b>She Who Bleeds</b><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span>, from Ian Friday. Please go to your favorite music site and support her music. As with all the artist that I'm trying to shed awareness on, your support is neccessary for their continued success.<div><br /></div><div>Here's a link to CD Baby where you can check out the album.</div><div><br /></div><div>http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/blakbushe3</div><div><br /><br />To a musical journey worth sharing,<br /><br /><div>Danni<br /></div></div>Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-75458713886597227522010-01-31T18:23:00.000-08:002010-02-04T11:36:43.372-08:00Shelley Nicole's blaKbushe<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghA_vFLLAjRDXq7QrS2Om8Uw7C0TxZ-TkcWtAWeJSYf6Lhd7iCEkk9wsL7qUuNrobjMmBRtbV9cWbiXIt4lB0K-Frz9rlEfGj_H22Zg8euU_GNAEqI7FyXp6tq3dEh2FZm2XSbExUwrp8/s1600-h/n112667335261_6593468_2345177.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghA_vFLLAjRDXq7QrS2Om8Uw7C0TxZ-TkcWtAWeJSYf6Lhd7iCEkk9wsL7qUuNrobjMmBRtbV9cWbiXIt4lB0K-Frz9rlEfGj_H22Zg8euU_GNAEqI7FyXp6tq3dEh2FZm2XSbExUwrp8/s320/n112667335261_6593468_2345177.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433129144194832562" /></a><br />Sorry for the delay of my latest post. Life throws you curve balls, but you just keep swinging back until you're back on track.<br /><br />Shelley Nicole's blaKbushe is the living, breathing embodiment of progressive rock music. Imagine Nona Hendryx meets Black Sabbath or Janis Joplin meets Grace Jones ant there you will find the blaKbushe experience. It is a blend best described by Shelley Nicole as SolaRoc; combining elements of rock, funk, soul, and beyond. blaKbushe has been called reminiscent of the Soul/Pop recording group Labelle. Even Labelle member Sarah Dash agrees stating, "blaKbushe is not to be overlooked."<br /><br />I had the pleasure to interview Shelley a week ago, and my apologies to her for not getting this up earlier. She is gracious, informative, and passionate about her music. Her album "<span style="font-style:italic;">She Who Bleeds</span>" will take you on a journey that will make you think and move all in the same breathe. Here's a small portion of that interview.<br /><br />DC: As a little girl did you dream of being a rock star?<br /><br />SN: LOL! No as a little girl I had the dream that I wanted to be a broadway star. I wanted to be an actress on broadway and do that whole thing because acting was my first love. I did children's theater, all kind of plays in school, plays off broadway, it was really my thing. I wanted to go to school at NYU's Tisch, but like most families we didn't have the money for me to go to Tisch. It's really hard to ask your parents to fork out $150,000.00 to go to school. At 17 we all have these life plans mapped out where you say that you're going to do this, and that, and my life will be like this. But when the plan doesn't fall into place, at 17 you think that your life is over, LOL, which we know it isn't.<br /><br />DC: So where did you end up going to school?<br /><br />SN: I ended up going to Ohio State where I still pursued acting and performing in plays along with singing in the school Jazz Choir. It was just a different journey, a different road that wasn't in the original plan of things. But when I went back to New York, I performed with an off broadway theatre company for many years and was still able to pursue some of that dream. I knew that I was going to be some kind of star, but I just didn't know it was going to be as a Rock Star LOL! <br /><br />DC: So when did you make a shift to singing and singing Rock of all things?<br /><br />SN: So I graduated with a degree in journalism from Ohio State and received an internship at Vibe magazine. I met a woman at Vibe who was in a band and she invited me to sing backup. I was fortunate to sing backup with some wonderful women and that allowed me to see how women were really doing it in New York. Then I was asked to write an article by the Philadelphia Inquirer on Greg Tate and the BRC (Black Rock Coalition), and through that article Greg invited me to showcases that the BRC put on. It was great to see people who looked like me just doing it. That introduction opened up the doors and the thought of what my music could be and where I could go with it. Along the way, I started my own thing and defined and redefined it to what it is today. My band blaKbushe is comprised of some amazingly talented musicians. I love all kinds of music but rock just has a whole lot of passion to it.<br /><br />DC: How long did it take before you got your stuff together and developed your own band?<br /><br />SN: Let's see. The three women that I sang with were Robin Dixon, Tamar Kali, and Remileku.<br /><br />DC: You had wonderful mentors.<br /><br />SN: Yes, amazing women who are just brilliant in what they do. Unbelievable mentors who helped me get to what I wanted to do with my music. It wasn't until 1998 that I decided to start writing my own songs. And honestly I'm not sure what sparked that, but I just know that I needed to start writing my own songs. It was also around that time when I got fired from Vibe, which was the best thing that could have happened, because it made me really jump into starting my own band and teaching myself how to play the bass.<br /><br />DC: How did you learn the bass?<br /><br />SN: I taught myself and had some lessons. I wasn't the greatest player at the time, but everyone kept telling me to play as I write my songs, that way you know them and get used to playing. <br /><br />DC: Why did you decide on the bass?<br /><br />SN: I really love the bottom of the bass and the drums. I'm a huge Stanley Clark fan and Marcus Miller fan. They're both pretty amazing in what they do. I remember meeting Marcus Miller at the Blue Note after a set, and in our conversation him saying that he still learns something new with his instrument. So for Marcus Miller to say that he was still learning, that was pretty eye opening. So I keep playing and learning my craft.<br /><br />SN: I just Love the Bass. The bass is the ground you know, it holds everything together. The bass is really where it's at. I love guitar, don't get me wrong, but when I listen to music I search for the bass and the drums, because that's what holds a song together. It's the foundation.<br /><br />DC: So how do you define your music? <br /><br />SN: That's always tough. I just named it SolaRoc. I mean LOL it just came together, because it has soul, you know people of the sun brown skinned, and rock. That's it. But when people need to know and I have to break it down, I just say it's Rock, Funk, and Soul. It has Blues, Jazz, Gospel, all of these elements that I grew up with are a part of my music. It's tough to break it down. If you come to a show you will hear a lot of different sounds. For some people, it will be like Huh?!?! and for others it will be like hell yeah!!! It's not a one track type of show.<br /><br />SN: It's a challenge, because being Black and choosing this path musically, most often people at times don't know what to do. For instance, I was trying to get my music into this store in Atlanta, and I found out later that the reason they didn't place it in the store was because it wasn't soulful enough. I understand that it's your store, but I find that you are boxing your audience in and deciding for them what is soulful enough and what isn't for them, when it should be their choice. Then it becomes strange because they don't know how they can market you. So you get boxed in right from the gate before anyone can even listen to your music.<br /><br />DC: Does having a label to music matter?<br /><br />SN: You could do away with labeling but people have made a fortune by labeling. I mean what would Billboard be without labeling? So it's a tough call when there's money to be made by those who created the system. For me when I listen to music, I either like it or I don't, it's that simple. It's a tough call, because if your not a lover of music who goes out in search of the new, or the obscure artist to follow and appreciate, then you're the person just turning on the radio and listening to what's presented to you by the radio stations. <br /><br />DC: Tell me a little bit about maneuvering in the Rock world as a Black woman.<br /><br />SN: That's a tough question. You know early in my career I made a conscious decision not to deal with certain types of people. Maybe if I would have pushed for a label I might have seen something different. It's kind of strange cause I'm not a superstar, but I've been really fortunate to work with awesome musicians, and amazing men who have supported me through out this journey. Also, being in New York, or wherever you live, you begin to network with a group of people and promoters that help to get you out there. I've been really blessed to play at some amazing venues based on those relationships. I think the struggle is less than being a woman and more about the financials that are not in place to market myself in the way that every artist would like. That's probably my biggest hurdle, cause not everyone has the money to bring a 7 piece band to the next city. blaKbushe is a band, but it's also just me when it comes to the financials. The real deal is that the band is also the other people that make your vision come to life. They love what you do, and help your sound come to life, and for that I would love to have the financials in place for my band to be able to taken care of and travel everywhere I go.<br /><br />DC: Was it a struggle trying to get a record deal, and do you have a deal?<br /><br />SN: To tell you the truth I just never really looked. I don't know if that's because I worked on both sides of the industry or not. I mean being a journalist and interviewing artist whose experiences were just awful. At the time I had a great manager and both of us were pretty clear that we were not trying to pursue the route of securing a deal thru an industry label. That was even before the industry is where it is now. I've never looked back. I've sent music to labels for specific reasons or suggestions from a contact that I met, but nothing that I really pursued or pushed for. I saw friends who would do the showcases for the labels, and cut demo's and end up with nothing, I mean nothing. I mean we are talking about phenomenal women who were at the top of their game. That's what made me just do it myself. That's what made me create my own label <span style="font-style:italic;">Red Butterfly Music</span>.<br /><br />DC: What do you think it is that keeps the labels from being invested long enough to really market an artist to help generate an audience?<br /><br />SN: I mean it's racism and it's the boxing in of black people. I think it's in the model they created. It's where someone sits and says that Black people do R&B, Soul, Gospel and Rap and this is where we make money off of them and they are successful. There's a wonderful documentary out called "Still Bill" about Bill Withers and he talks about the fact that he was boxed into something that he was not. Bill Withers was Folk and American Roots music. That's who he is but the label wanted him to become an R&B artist, and add horns and back up singers to his music. That's when he decided to just walk away, since he couldn't stay true to what he was.<br /><br />SN: Also, you have to understand that a lot of Black women who are out here doing rock, are coming with a message in their music. Their talking about women's issues about things that are really poignant and pertinent to what's going on. I mean it's not all love and happiness, and dropping your drawers, and that kind of nonsense. The women that I know that are out here doing their thing, Rock, Funk, Soul whatever are really powerful women secure enough to do their music in the right way. <br /><br />DC: Tell me about the song <span style="font-style:italic;">Blak Girls</span>?<br /><br />SN: The song <span style="font-style:italic;">Blak Girls</span> I wrote that song because of what we are talking about. About how many fabulous Black women I know who are out there doing their thing and can't get it break. Not just in music, but across the board.<br /><br />DC: I think it could be a national anthem for Black women<br /><br />SN: That would be great if it could be. I mean mediocre women getting deals when the greats are struggling to be heard in a mainstream way. Writing the song took me a while, because I had so much emotion to share behind what I was feeling. I wanted to be able to tell the story but have power behind the lyrics I was writing.<br /><br />DC: What's your process for writing?<br /><br />SN: Sometimes I'll hear bass lines in my head and work with that. Some times just the lyrics come. It comes as it comes and then I put it together as it hits me. It's not so much for me to just write all of the time. I write when the spirit moves me. I wish I was more of a writer who wrote more often, but it's definitely more of when the spirit moves me for sure.<br /><br /><br />SN: Like the song <span style="font-style:italic;">Go Head and Rise</span> came from me and a friend being in a store and me seeing this thing that said if you're going through hell keep going." That really hit me because the real deal about life and the struggles that we all have when things hit us hard, is that sometimes we don't want to go through it. We want to block it out, we want to numb ourselves, so we eat, we drink, we shop, we take drugs, whatever it takes to keep us away from the pain. Then we wonder why we can't seem to get past our addiction, when all it took was us to feel it, go through the experience, and get to the other side of it. That way when the universe brings that back to you again, you can recognize it and deal with it in the proper way without the pain from the past. So when I saw that saying it really moved me and from that I wrote<span style="font-style:italic;"> Go Head and Rise.</span><br /><br />SN: The song <span style="font-style:italic;">Crazy</span> came out of a time in my life. A friend of mine said that you shouldn't fuck with singers cause you might end up in a song LOL!!! And taht's basically what happened with that song LOL!!!<br /><br />DC: What about <span style="font-style:italic;">Box</span>?<br /><br />SN: <span style="font-style:italic;">Box</span> came out of exactly what we are talking about. I did not want to be boxed in with my music, and it also came from that need not to be boxed in in any capacity that is not your own truth.<br /><br />DC: Your sound is raw, and gritty and very similar to that of Labelle. Did they have any influence on you?<br /><br />SN: It's funny that you would say that, because <span style="font-weight:bold;">Sarah Dash</span> came to see me perform like years ago. She came to that show and I had no idea that she came. After that performance, <span style="font-weight:bold;">Sarah Dash</span> got in touch with <span style="font-weight:bold;">Bob Davis</span>, who runs the site Soul Patrol. She told him that i reminded her of <span style="font-weight:bold;">Labelle</span> back in the day.<br /><br />DC: That is an amazing compliment coming from Sarah Dash.<br /><br />SN: Yeah I was honored, and we've become friends and keep in touch. Now <span style="font-weight:bold;">Nona Hendryx</span> is a staple in the New York scene. Nona is like everywhere. But my experience with Nona, came from doing an interview with her and wanting to know the lyrics to a song that my old band an i wanted to play but couldn't figure out the lyrics. So I called Nona up and she gave me the lyrics, and now fast forward I will be doing a show on February 25th with Nona. She started this thing called <span style="font-weight:bold;">Hope Stock</span> but changed the name to Unfiltered, and basically just started this showcase to help unknown artist have a platform to perform their music. It's on February 25th at SOB's and I'm so excited! I call Labelle the Holy Trinity LOL!, and I have two of the three from the Holy Trinity LOL! So I'm just missing Ms. Patty Labelle. She's just one degree of separation now.<br /><br />DC: Who are some of your other influences.<br /><br />SN: <span style="font-weight:bold;">Sarah Vaughn,</span> <span style="font-weight:bold;">Phyllis Hyman</span>, J<span style="font-weight:bold;">anis Joplin, Chaka Khan, Bernard Edwards, Marcus Miller</span>. So many have helped to form me.<br /><br />DC: What do you think is missing in music today?<br /><br />SN: I really believe that what was happening back in the 70's was just a magical time and some where along the way we lost it. I mean music was just so amazing and different back then. All those black people were different in so many ways and levels giving their all, and that's what's missing from today's music. You knew a Gamble and Huff tune, just as well as you could tell a Motown tune. Each had a very distinct sound, but it didn't matter because it was all just great music. Because I'm underground I see and hear those differences, from the artist who are giving their all, and their bringing it. Their just not being heard in the mainstream. That's what's missing. Uniqueness.<br /><br />Shelly has agreed to participate in the documentary and I'm hoping to shoot her at the Unfiltered concert on February 25th.<br /><br />Here is a video of Shelley singing <span style="font-style:italic;">Blak Girls</span>.<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/918SDTEeG20&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/918SDTEeG20&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />To a musical journey worth sharing,<br /><br />DanniDanni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-65098614195722365202010-01-18T13:30:00.000-08:002010-01-18T23:53:38.260-08:00Teneia Sanders<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgSIYldNc1FzU0foPZbz-qT_uhUaHzOR70wf7u0gKQXh8jMALOOW6SLKWovdJ9wjrMVtHl5Ep0iOG7YSiZjH-Y6_TBFTl90VDv5fb15Cr8nfSdi-HgXieVTrypmnR2EPD4LarNFaj_0U/s1600-h/teneia-781815.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgSIYldNc1FzU0foPZbz-qT_uhUaHzOR70wf7u0gKQXh8jMALOOW6SLKWovdJ9wjrMVtHl5Ep0iOG7YSiZjH-Y6_TBFTl90VDv5fb15Cr8nfSdi-HgXieVTrypmnR2EPD4LarNFaj_0U/s320/teneia-781815.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428202488169370978" /></a>
<br />Teneia Sanders was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, and music has always played a vital role in her life. She began singing at the age of 10 and quickly realized that music was her passion. In high school, she sang with several choral ensembles and became a member of the R&B group 601. In 2002 Teneia received a scholarship to Holmes Community College from her high school director and mentor Doug Browning, where she sang in the school's choral ensemble and show choir. After two years of performing, she decided to pursue her dreams of becoming a professional musician. She is a self taught singer, writer, guitarist whose angelic voice, unique guitar rhythms and moving lyrics have helped to garner praise as a truly gifted musician, whose skills are compelling.
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<br />Her debut album "Soul Catcher", is acoustic-based music with beautiful melodies and evocative imagery, drawn from folk and soul roots. Teneia is currently in the studio writing and producing her next album, tentatively entitled "The Commander", which she hopes will be released some time this spring. I had the pleasure of interviewing Teneia over the weekend and here's a small portion from the interview.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: First I would love to thank you for agreeing to be a part of this documentary, and I am truly humbled that you said yes. You are the first person that I've interviewed for the blog and I'm really excited about that.</span>
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<br />TS: I'm pleased to be on the phone with you and to be in conversation with someone who is doing something so awesome to help promote black female rockers. It's truly a pleasure for me.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: My first question is why did you decide to say yes to this project?</span>
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<br />TS: Well it's hard for me sometimes when I show up to a bar or venue, and people see me with a guitar. You can tell by their expression "oh here's a black girl with a guitar but what is she going to do", so they're taken a back at first. Then the second thing they think is that I'm going to cover Tracy Chapman songs LOL. So it's really important for me to have people look at black female rockers who play guitar as musicians as well as singers. It's also important that they understand that we as Black female artist sing some of everything including Rock.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: In doing research for the documentary, I've reached out to a lot of women,recommended by friends and other musicians that have referred to these women as Black female rockers. But to my surprise some of those same artists did not consider themselves to be rockers at all. They had all of these other creative listings of what they considered their music to be. Afro Punk Fusion, Soul Funk, Acid Rock Soul, etc. Because of that I don't want to place a label on your style of music, but I'm curious as to what you consider your music to be?</span>
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<br />TS: I figured out recently in the last year or two what my music would be called, and I came up with Folk Soul. I came up with that because you get imagery and storytelling with most of my songs like you would from a Folk song, but then there's some Soul Rock there also. So you get a little bit of grit and edge, and that's what rounds out my sound.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: Do you feel that putting a label on your music, pigeon holes you into grabbing the widest audience possible?</span>
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<br />TS: At the very beginning, I was very leary about placing a label on my music. But then you realize that you don't sing everything and in order for people to find your music, they have to have a place to start. So for me, Folk Soul is what I've labeled it to be. And also, when I say Folk Soul, people become immediately interested and they want to know what that combination is going to be like.
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<br />DC: It's funny because you call it Folk Soul, but if you look for your music on Itunes or CD Baby, you are categorized as Blues. On the site last.fm.com you're indie folk.
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<br />TS: Yeah, that's what's wrong with the labeling system. I can understand labeling the music, but it doesn't make sense to label the artist, especially if the artist is more than capable of crossing over into other genres.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: Do you ever wish that music labels did a way with the labeling of artist?
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<br />TS: Yes, that's the thing. When that happens and you're labeled as one thing , you lose lead way creatively. So if my last album is sent out as R&B, but now I want to do Alternative Country, the labels are quick to tell you that the box they created for you is R&B and you need to stick within that box. It becomes a struggle creatively at that point when an artist wants to spread their wings and unleash that music in a different way. Everything flows for me. One day I could write a wonderful Gospel song and the next it could be this funky Rock song. It's just what you're feeling at the time.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: Do you have a label deal at this time?</span>
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<br />TS: Currently I'm doing everything myself. I have some things in the works, but currently it's all me along with family and friends. I actually enjoy it because I'm hands on and that way I know every job.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: How did you find your sound?</span>
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<br />TS: Well a lot comes from being in the Church like so many artist from the south. My dad is a Pastor of a church in Mound Bayou, MS, so the church had a huge influence on me. That's where I started singing. While I was growing up I listened to a lot of R&B and Soul. Then in high school I was performing with my schools Chorale Group, where we sang all kinds of music, including classical and some foreign language songs. Then I was in the R&B group 601 when we really started listening to everything. We knew that if we absorbed as much music as possible, and as many styles as possible, that nothing but good could come out of it.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: What's your process for writing songs?</span>
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<br />TS: Typically I pick up my guitar and start playing around with different chord progressions and rhythms. To me there's a spiritual thing in writing songs, because you don't think about the situation that you're going to write about, but there's something that sparks it for you. So I just layer and layer, and play until it all comes together. Sometimes it comes together in pieces and I have to put it down and then go back to it. Then I write the lyrics. I figure out the storyline and the direction that the story will go in. Then blend it all together for the final product. It all comes together in the end.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: Tell me about producing and recording the album "Soul Catcher"?</span>
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<br />TS: For me "Soul Catcher" was a really big process of my life. That whole album when I think back on it was my life for an entire year. So the songs on the album all have a place in my heart. In regards to recording the album, I met a wonderful man by the name of William Bartley, from Slackshop, who I met at an open mic. I mentioned I needed to record something and he offered to record me. We had a few songs that were ready to be laid down, and as other songs came about we added them to the album. I had a wonderful time working through the process. it was a lot of fun.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: Who are some of your musical influences?</span>
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<br />TS: I have several musical influences, but one of my favorites is Ani Difranco. To me she is one of my guitar heroes. I just love what she does and I also love Aretha Franklin. But, I'm inspired by so many that it's difficult to pick and choose.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: So what's next for you?</span>
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<br />TS: Currently, I'm working on my next album tentatively named "The Commander". I'm really excited about this album. It's myself and my band, The Highjackers, who are based out of Louisville, KY. I'm really pumped about it, it's kind of this jazzy, soulful funky record that will make you smile, and bop your head. We hope to release it in the spring.
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DC: Teneia it's been a pleasure talking with you and I am excited that you are on board for the documentary.</span>
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<br />TS: I had a great time talking with you and can't wait to get the word out about what you're doing. I'm truly honored that you thought to even include me.
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<br />Please check out her website and her music. She is definitely an artist with an amazing voice who deserves to be heard by others. Even if you don't sign up for this blog, please share with your friends the name Teneia Sanders.
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<br />Here's Teneia and her friend Mark Hamilton performing the song "Servant":
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<br />Danni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-73190978765720840532010-01-08T00:10:00.000-08:002010-01-08T14:37:43.953-08:00Betty Mabry Davis<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT898N_zh6zC9-nk_kZ6bIiLvyPXbYZpbiZ4b0LRSbzXzEkn8FJRBqqMsSh5vCDikNDATsM80I-o97Khuodr9Sj8pH85h-b_KrdIG6zn8mj-KOuKQzNyVFHcjwVR54z0-qOMHFCe-fIlY/s1600-h/Betty+Davis+Image8.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT898N_zh6zC9-nk_kZ6bIiLvyPXbYZpbiZ4b0LRSbzXzEkn8FJRBqqMsSh5vCDikNDATsM80I-o97Khuodr9Sj8pH85h-b_KrdIG6zn8mj-KOuKQzNyVFHcjwVR54z0-qOMHFCe-fIlY/s320/Betty+Davis+Image8.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424338660800572946" /></a><br />This post is for a woman that I'm currently listening to. She is, along with Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a woman that is mentioned by many. While researching for my doc, I've asked several artists I wish to profile, who are some of their musical influences? Betty Davis comes up each and every time, with passion and wonderment in each and every voice that I speak too. She is the epitome of magic, beauty and strength that these current day female rockers admire and respect. I'm currently listening to her first album, <span style="font-style:italic;">Betty Davis</span> (along with other artist of course), and really feeling "Anti Love Song" and "Game is My Middle Name". But the song that I have on replay is "F.U.N.K". Her voice is powerful, raw, and confident behind the delivery of her lyrics. I wish I could have witnessed her music live in concert.<br /><br />Davis emerged as a singer in the era of Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner, Sly & the Family Stone, James Brown, Al Green, Labelle, The Pointer Sisters, and Parliament Funkadelic. She was always head strong and had her own way of thinking, walking and talking. When people told her she couldn't do something, she relished in the challenge of proving them wrong. At a young age she moved to New York and worked as a model, appearing in such magazines as Seventeen, Ebony, and Glamour. While living in New York she hung out with friends Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, hanging out at clubs that promoted all kinds of different styles of music.<br /><br />In, 1966, Davis met Miles Davis and married him in September 1968. She was a huge influence on Miles Davis in terms of fashion, and music. During her short marriage to Miles Davis she introduced him to Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, who introduced Miles to psychedelic rock, and a new way of playing and using instruments to manipulate the sound of music. Because of that introduction, Davis is credited for helping Miles Davis shift from traditional jazz, to fusion jazz. This is evident on Miles first two albums, <span style="font-style:italic;">In A Silent Way</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Bitches Brew</span>. Despite Betty's influence on Davis, the marriage only lasted a year.<br /><br />After her divorce, Davis moved to London where she continued to model and work on writing music with the hopes of working with the group Santana. Upon her return to the US, she changed her focus and enlisted a bunch of friends to help with her first album entitled <span style="font-style:italic;">Betty Davis</span>, released in 1973. Her friends on the album consisted of the Pointer Sisters as background vocals, Neal Schon on guitar from the groups Santana/Journey, Gregg Errico on drums from Sly & The Family Stone, Larry Graham on bass from Graham Central Station, Greg Adams and Mic Gillette on horns from Tower Of Power, Merle Saunders on electric piano, and Pete Sears on acoustic piano. She had the best of the best.<br /><br />Although her peers praised Davis, she didn't achieve commercial success, partially due to her open sexual attitude, which was controversial for the time. Some of her shows were boycotted or shut down. Her songs were not played on the radio due to pressure by religious groups and the NAACP, along with the titles to the songs themselves like "He Was a Big Freak", "Nasty Girl" and "If I'm In Luck I Just Might Get Picked Up". Davis's other problem was that she was ahead of her time in demanding artist copyright ownership. This kept her at odds with the record labels. At the end of the day, her records did not sell and Davis returned to Pennsylvania.<br /><br />With the passage of time her records have become highly regarded by collectors of soul and funk music. Both albums <span style="font-style:italic;">Betty Davis</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">They Say I'm Different</span> were re-released by Seattle's Light in the Attic Records on May 1, 2007. In September 2009 Light in the Attic Records reissued "Nasty Girl" and her unreleased 4th studio album recorded in 1976, re-titled as "Is It Love or Desire?" (the original title was "Crashin' From Passion"). Both reissues contained extensive liner notes and shed some light on the mystery of why her 4th album, considered possibly to be her best work by many members of her band, was shelved by the record label and remained unreleased for 33 years.<br /><br />For those of you that would like to learn more about Betty, there is a wonderful article located at this site http://www.musthear.com/music/reviews/betty-davis/betty-davis/#more-854. <br />You can buy the back issue of Wax Poetics magazine, issue 22 for $9.99 on their site http://www.waxpoetics.com/?s=betty+davis.<br /><br />You can also listen to an interview with Davis on NPR:<br /><br /><embed src="http://www.npr.org/v2/?i=114171958&m=114182538&t=audio" height="386" wmode="opaque" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" base="http://www.npr.org"></embed><br /><br />Here is the song F.U.N.K:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YHsSIoBcTt8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YHsSIoBcTt8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Last but not least, check out Light In The Attic. You can buy Davis's music as well as find out about some of the other artist that they rep. If your really feeling Davis you can buy one of the t-shirts that they're selling. http://www.lightintheattic.net/<br /><br />Hope you enjoy!<br /><br /><br /><i>To a musical journey worth sharing!</i><br /><br />DanniDanni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-27839345118202180082010-01-02T14:02:00.000-08:002010-01-02T18:24:42.578-08:00What Is The Definition Of Black Rock + Sister Rosetta Thorpe<span style="font-weight:bold;">What is the definition of Black Rock? </span> <br /><br />That one question made me stop, and really think about how I would define Black Rock for my readers. Then I realized that I can't define black rock music, nor do I want to, because it encompasses every genre. Black rock is a blending of Gospel, R&B, Jazz, hard hitting instruments and voices that all present a unique blend not easily categorized. I realized that music labels have deceptively categorized certain artist in to the cookie cutter genre's that they invented in order to market an artist, and for the label to feel more comfortable. It's so much easier to state that a black artist with a new sound is R&B, than it is to put the artist out with a so called rock title, when the label has defined rock as white music. When you look at that one statement, and realize that it opens Pandora's box, it is easy to see how Black musicians become pigeon holed into mainstream boxes. For that reason, I will not put a definition on what I consider to be Black Rock. I will just share my ideas and thoughts on who and what I think it is through the sharing in this blog. You can define it for yourself. After all it's your own playlist that you listen to at the end of the day. Music crosses over in every aspect of our lives. We as individuals make the true decision of what we want to hear and purchase. Everyone that I know acquires music of all types, regardless of ethnicity or genre. It's all in what you're exposed to and what you yourself seek out in music that feeds your soul. That leads me to my first profile.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sister Rosetta Tharpe:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyV0RlpYrAw2Upwz85SP1GyBI7KVSUh8NVE59BY4n8Jnv0FppsBQjt-rBH2-3TC2AoN1R66av3d5_it4SwREqi1ND6ETF_WPlpbpum3o36ugfXSrKmB7yrGICeRyPU133oXhpiq_gTDgw/s1600-h/sister_rosetta_tharpe2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 158px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyV0RlpYrAw2Upwz85SP1GyBI7KVSUh8NVE59BY4n8Jnv0FppsBQjt-rBH2-3TC2AoN1R66av3d5_it4SwREqi1ND6ETF_WPlpbpum3o36ugfXSrKmB7yrGICeRyPU133oXhpiq_gTDgw/s320/sister_rosetta_tharpe2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422327658817337442" /></a><br />Sister Rosetta Tharpe, an amazing sanctified gospel singer during the 1930's and 40's. But beyond being just a singer she was one of the first bad ass female guitar players that you could ever imagine. She broke boundaries on how music could be sung and played within the church. She blurred color lines with her hard hitting gospel voice and intense unique guitar playing. There are stories of the church filling up with people of all ethnicities and faiths, just to hear her sing and play. She was a self taught musician who strutted on stage doing her thing way before Chuck Berry or Pete Townsend. She is considered, by some, to be the first person to record the first Rock N Roll song entitled "Strange Things Happening Everyday". Tharpe's crossover hit "Strange Things Happening Everyday", was later covered by Jerry Lee Lewis. She was a black artist that everyone listened to regardless of her race, in a time when it wasn't the thing to do.<br /><br />Her following and admirers were vast. She was held in high esteem within the gospel community and respected by white and black musicians afar including Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, and Issac Hayes. So here we begin! A woman of gospel roots who helps define the new sound of Rock-N-Roll with a voice and a guitar. Don't get me wrong, she's not the only one, but she is the first woman documented with pushing the sound of what we consider to be Rock-N-Roll. For those of you interested in learning more about her story, there's a wonderful book out by Gayle Wald, entitled Shout Sister Shout. You can learn more at the site http://www.shoutsistershout.net/.<br /><br />Here's a video to Sister Roseta Tharpe performing "Up Above My Head". It's gospel, but you can hear the influences of where Rock-N-Roll's early beginnings came from: <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JeaBNAXfHfQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JeaBNAXfHfQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />There is no live video footage that I can find, for "Strange Things Happening Everyday", but I found a video montage with the track:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/87O16F1stXs&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/87O16F1stXs&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br />Too a musical journey worth sharing,<br /><br />DanniDanni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-84176035854377911522009-12-29T21:17:00.000-08:002009-12-30T12:34:46.859-08:00Your Own Personal TasteThis post is in regards to a conversation I had today about music and this blog.<br /><br />Musical taste is about each individuals personal preference. I love ALL music, but I have a fascination with Black women who Rock out. We all have music we love, vibe to, dance to, relax to, work out to etc. Today I was asked if a person doesn't like the artist or the music that I post, then what happens? My answer to that is turn the channel, or in this case leave it on the page. When you're in your car or at home and an artist that you don't like, or a song for that matter comes on, what's the first thing you do? You turn the channel. In this case, I'm not telling you to commit to a particular artist, but I am asking you to open your mind and your ears to something different. It's up to you to say whether you like the artist or not along with their music. This blog is to shed awareness on black female rock artist doing their thing. <br /><br />Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to have an open mind and if you like it pass it along. If you don't like the post, wait for the next post and see if the next artist is to your musical taste. There are people who don't like Tina Turner or Betty Davis's music, but you have to appreciate the fact that they were doing their thing. It's like fine wine, cigars, a nice pair of stiletto's. You keep trying it on until you find the perfect fit. Once you find the fit, you open your mind to the rest and go from there. It's that simple.<br /><br />I will post every Friday and hope that you all enjoy the journey.<br /><br /><br />To a musical journey worth sharing!<br /><br />DanniDanni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207476739876116678.post-31383034779088939322009-12-26T17:44:00.000-08:002009-12-29T22:35:28.309-08:00The BeginningHello Everyone-<br /><br />This is my first attempt at blogging, and I hope that you enjoy this journey with me. Since I was a kid, my mother was, and still is, a huge music fan. Everything from Jazz, R&B, Funk, Gospel, Rock, Classical, Opera, as well as the native music of the countries we lived in. You name it, and it was played in our house. As a military kid, a lot of times you're listening to whatever is played on the military base, as well as whatever is being played on the local radio stations in the cities and towns that you live in. Without dating myself, a lot of the music was Rock, with the exception of a few crossover black songs that everyone listened too; completely different from the way it is today. Along the way, I heard the sounds of a few black women whose voices just stopped me in my tracks. Tina Turner, Betty Davis Mabry, Nona Hendrix, & Labelle to name a few. These women had a completely different sound that wasn't your typical R&B or Funk, it was a new sound of powerful, liberating, voices. They were strong in the command of their voices and stage presence. They were the beginning of the Black Female Rockers. Because of them I have always wondered why there hasn't been more? Where are all of these women with great voices rockin out? Then I realized that they are out there, but not necessarily widely known.<br /><br />Because of my own need for more, I've embarked on a musical journey of my own. And not just any journey, but a journey that will culminate in the making of a documentary tentatively called "<span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">They Say I'm Different"</span></span>. The documentary will showcase the talents of Black women that you know well, and others you have yet to meet.<br /><br />I hope you are willing to take the journey with me, and if you like what I'm blogging about please send your friends to the blog.<br /><br /><br />To a musical journey worth sharing,<br /><br />DanniDanni Connerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06496852137066965881noreply@blogger.com0