by Andrew Sacher

Philly neo-soul singer Bilal returned this year with his highly accessible and slightly psychedelic new album, A Love Surreal, which came out this past February. He celebrated it in NYC with a "nearly packed" release show at Highline Ballroom that month, and earlier this May he kicked off the album's world tour. That tour brings him back to NYC for a show at SOB's on June 9. Tickets for the SOB's show are on sale now. All dates are listed below.

Last week (5/14), Bilal performed with The Roots (who he's collaborated with before) on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, playing a cover of Steely Dan's "Black Cow." You can check out that video, the music video for A Love Surreal single "Back to Love," the tour trailer, and tour flyer, below...

Continue reading "Bilal released 'A Love Surreal', on tour (dates & videos)"

The Polyphonic Spree at BV-SXSW 2013 (more by Sarah Frankie Linder)

Progressive pop cult The Polyphonic Spree have a bunch of festival dates scheduled for this spring/summer and they'll also be touring around those fests, playing a number of club dates throughout the US. Those dates include NYC shows happening on July 9 at Music Hall of WIlliamsburg and July 10 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets for those shows go on sale Friday (5/3) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (5/1) at noon.

The Polyphonic Spree were also among the recent additions to this year's Bonnaroo lineup. Other additions include Solange, White Lung, Mac DeMarco, Black Prairie, Maps & Atlases, Royal Thunder, William Tyler, Cat Martino, On An On, Bilal and more. 4-Day passes for the festival are still available.

All Polyphonic Spree dates are listed, along with a full list of the Bonnaroo lineup additions and a video of the Polyphonic Spree covering Nirvana's "Lithium" at our BV-SXSW day party (one of our greatest moments at SXSW this year), below...

Continue reading "The Polyphonic Spree touring --- dates include 2 NYC shows & the recently-updated Bonnaroo lineup"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

D'Angelo / Elvis Costello + Princess / Chris Rock & more @ Carnegie Hall

Amidst a snowy midtown backdrop, Carnegie Hall generated a little heat when the Michael Dorf-produced Prince Tribute opened last night (3/7). Stacked with performers giving props to the man in purple and paisley, the lineup featured some of the same names from the previous evening's "rehearsal" at City Winery, as well as surprise appearances from names like Chris Rock and more. Backed by The Roots with guitarist Wendy Melvion (of Prince's backing band The Revolution), D'Angelo show-closing numbers "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night" / "1999" were the clear highlights of the evening, with performances from Bilal (doing "Sister" and channeling Keith Sweat circa 1990s), Bettye LaVette ("Kiss"), Sandra Bernhard ('Little Red Corvette") and Fdeluxe ("High Fashion/Mutiny") also causing impromptu aisle dances. Fun night, and it was great to see people up and out of their seats, wilding out in a buttoned-up place like Carnegie Hall.

More pics from last night including the setlist, The Waterboys, The Roots, Eric Leeds, Diane Birch, the Cardigans' Nina Perrson, DeVotchka, Bhi Bhiman, Kat Edmonson, Blind Boys of Alabama, Citizen Cope & Alice Smith, Talib Kweli, Princess (Gretchen Lieberum & Maya Rudolph) and all iterations there within, are below.

Continue reading "D'Angelo, The Roots, Elvis Costello, Bilal, Chris Rock, Bettye LaVette & more played the Prince tribute @ Carnegie Hall (pics) "

As mentioned, City Winery founder Michael Dorf is presenting a tribute to Prince at Carnegie Hall on March 7, his next in a long line of tribute shows he's done at the historic Manhattan venue. Since we last spoke, the lineup of great musicians that will be performing at the show has been expanded. It features Elvis Costello, The Waterboys, Talib Kweli, Booker T, DeVotchka, Bettye Lavette, Sandra Bernhard, Bilal, Blind Boys of Alabama, Bhi Bhiman, Amos Lee, Citizen Cope & Alice Smith, Maya Rudolph's Prince tribute group with Gretchen Lieberum, Princess, house band The Roots, and perhaps most excitingly, R&B singer D'Angelo (who we're still waiting on that new album from). Tickets are still available and proceeds will benefit underprivileged youth.

Meanwhile, Prince recently posted a lyric video for a new song, "Screwdriver," to his website and revealed another new track, "Chapter & Verse," which you can stream below. You can buy "Screwdriver" and a remix of that song, AND another new song that came out today called "Breakfast Can Wait" at a mysterious website called 3rd Eye Girl. According to Questlove, "#BreakfastCanWait is WOW." Check it out.

In other related news, Elvis Costello and The Roots, who are both on the lineup for the Prince tribute, are releasing a collaborative album this year according to an interview that Questlove did with Billboard. Questlove says of the album, "We had 13 or 14 songs, but then we said, 'Ooh! Wait a minute! Let's replace four of these songs with four better songs! And now we have the tightest 12-14 song collection out of about 20 songs that we made." No release date, title, or any other info has been revealed yet, but Questlove assures us, "I can just say that it is brilliant."

Elvis Costello also plays a cancer benefit with The Who at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden on February 28.

Stream the new Prince songs below...

Continue reading "Roots & Elvis Costello collaborating, added to Carnegie Hall Tribute to Prince (who released new songs)"

by Andrew Sacher

Jazz pianist/producer Robert Glasper released his fifth studio album, Black Radio, earlier this year on Blue Note Records. Recorded with his new band, Robert Glasper Experiment, it features an impressive array of guests, including Erykah Badu, Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def), Lupe Fiasco, Bilal, Musiq Soulchild, Chrisette Michele, and more.

In addition to a number of originals, the album includes some heavily re-arranged covers including Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," David Bowie's "Letter to Hermoine," Sade's "Cherish the Day," and Afro-Cuban standard "Afro Blue." The album effortlessly brings together jazz, hip hop, soul and R&B, more so than most others that attempt similar feats. Check out some videos from the album and a live video of the Robert Glasper Experiment playing John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" below, along with a spotify stream of Black Radio.

As mentioned, Robert Glasper will be in NYC tonight (6/21) for an in-store at Apple Store West 14th Street. He'll return with the full Robert Glasper Experiment in tow along with some special guests for a free Summerstage show at Marcus Garvey Park on August 7, where Sidi Toure plays one day earlier (8/6).

UPDATE: Robert Glasper Experiment also play a "secret" show in Brooklyn on Friday (6/22) with Alan Hampton which, as a commenter points out, is at Littlefield. Tickets for that show are available.

A list of all dates, videos and album stream below...

Continue reading "Robert Glasper released guest-filled LP, touring (dates & video)"

Jay-Z w/ orchesta, Alicia Keys & Nas @ Carnegie Hall - 2/6

Fans of disposable income -- earning it, spending it, rapping about it, listening to someone rap about it -- had much to cheer about during this concert, the highest-profile hip-hop show ever at Carnegie Hall.

And there was also the matter of the income disposal, or in this case, donation: this concert was the first of a pair (the second is Tuesday night) benefitting the United Way of New York City and the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation, the charity founded by Jay-Z and whose president and chief executive is his mother, Gloria Carter. Most tickets cost several hundred dollars; on the resale market, some were listed for more than $1,000. [NY Times]

Last night's show was the first of two. It happens again tonight (2/7). Yesterday the shows weren't sold out, but now it says "Limited Availability" for tonight's show at Carnegie Hall's site.

Some video clips and a pictures of the set list from last night (2/6), below...

Continue reading "Jay-Z played Carnegie Hall (does again tonight) -- setlist/video"

Yasiin Bey on stage with Black Star (more by Zach Pollach)

Yasiin says:

I hope everyone will have a great 2012! Alot of things to look forward too. Especially when BlackStar will be getting out their album/Mixtape out and a new G.O.O.D music compilation album coming out spring. Let it be a Yasiin Bey year!

INDELIBLE FESTIVAL is dedicated to Gil Scott-Heron and Gordon Parks, with a tribute to Living Legend Jimmy Scott.

Indelible is dedicated to those who inspire and influence young people and, by their example, make a difference in the world. Jill Newman Productions created the Indelible Series two years ago, presented by the New York Public Library.

Reminder: ?uestlove ALSO DJs SOBs tonight (1/3).

Bey recently introduced the cast of Fela! the musical in San Francisco. Video of that is below.

Continue reading "Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def), Questlove & more playing Gil-Scott Heron, Gordon Parks & Jimmy Scott party @ Highline"

Daedelus at LPR (more by Chris Doss)

South by Southwest isn't the only major music fest that goes down in March. Ultra Music Festival happens a few days later in Maimi, and the now-sold out, three-day party features a giant lineup of electro acts, many who hit NYC right before or after.

Their lineup includes Duran Duran (who is also playing SXSW), Crystal Castles (who have a show coming up at Terminal 5), The Klaxons, (who play Webster Hall), Trentemoller (who plays MHoW soon), Cut Copy (who plays T5 in triplicate), Royksopp (who plays MHOW and Webster Hall), ... the list goes on and on and includes Daedelus.

Los Angeles DJ and producer Daedelus will play a Brooklyn show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 2nd. Tickets are currently on AmEx presale, and go on regular sale Friday at noon (3/10). Daedelus is also playing SXSW and many other places as part of the 'Magical Properties 3 Tour'. The full list of his dates and openers is below.

Daedelus's new LP Bespoke is due in North America on April 26th via Ninja Tune Records and includes guest appearances by Baths, Busdriver and many others. RCRD LBL has the track with Bilal. Check out the tracklisting, some videos and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Daedelus releasing guest-filled LP, touring (playing Brooklyn, SXSW, Ultra Music Festival, other dates)"

Naomi Shelton celebrating Brooklyn in 2009 (more by Fresh Bread)

BAM Rhythm & Blues Festival brings free afternoon shows to the MetroTech Commons (corner of Flatbush and Myrtle Aves) on Thursdays June 3-August 5 (noon-2pm). The performers this year include Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen, Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Touré (who played LPR in April), Bernie Worrell's SociaLybrium (fronted by the Parliament-Funkadelic and Talking Heads keyboardist), Mykal Rose of Black Uhuru, bassist Victor Wooten and more.

The full schedule, with directions, is below...

Continue reading "BAM Rhythm & Blues Festival at MetroTech - 2010 schedule of free Brooklyn shows that happen Thursdays at noon"

by Andrew Frisicano

The Wizard of Oz is being re-released on DVD September 29th. Why should you care? Because that's also the same day a free outdoor event is happening in Central Park to celebrate it (it's also the film's 70th anniversary). At the show (whick kicks off at Rumsey Playfield at 7:30 p.m. ET), ?uestlove (of The Roots), Jennifer Hudson, Julianne Hough, Bilal, "and a band assembled especially for the show" will be performing contemporary interpretations of classic songs from the film. That will be followed by a screening of the flick on a giant inflatable screen (rain location TBA if it rains).

Of course, if you're only interested in the Roots, you can always shell out for the cover at their Highline Ballroom residency (though it should be noted, their Sept. 29th performance has been canceled). If you prefer to never leave Brooklyn, the band is also playing a Thursday, October 1st show at Brooklyn Bowl. It only costs $10. Tickets are on sale.

For the Central Park show, we have a pair of VIP passes (not on sale) and a prize package from Netflix to give away. Details are below...

Continue reading "?uestlove & others playing w/ Wizard of Oz screening in Central Park (win VIP tix), Roots playing Brooklyn Bowl"

photos by Tim Griffin

"I won't lie....never had the chance to fully listen to 88-Keys, but when he came out and spit a few bars here and there...I was impressed..... From tricking fans by saying he was bringing out Yeezy (Kanye West to newly converted hip-hop heads) and instead coming out with his shirt open, black glove and lip-syncing to his lead single, 88 battled a handful of boos, a wad of paper thrown at his story-telling assistant which came out in-between tracks and poor microphone sound problems... On a side note, he did, however, bring out Bilal...)...

...Eminem [who got a taste of Bruno's butt at the MTV Movie Awards last night] told you to "take some Big and some 'Pac, mix 'em up in a pot, sprinkle a lil' Big L on top, now what the f*ck do you got," well, let me do you one slightly better. You take some hip and some hop, pour it all in a pot, surprise fans with Mos and Talib and fo' sure they gon' pop......' (laugh) Okay, maybe I'll stick to the re-cap and news covering....but when I tell you the place exploded with energy upon the arrival of Black Star's front men.... [SOHH]

Continue reading "Mos Def & Talib Kweli were Black Star again Saturday @ Nokia Theater in NYC - pics & videos"