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]

Jay was backed by an orchestra "conducted by Jeri Lynne Johnson (of the Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra), and also the Illadelphonics, an ensemble featuring Questlove of the Roots and the singer Bilal among others." Alicia Keys & Nas both both special guests. Beyonce was in the audience, but didn't perform.

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!

One of the world's most influential muslims Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) will start the Yasiin Bey year by helping pay tribute to the late Gil-Scott Heron as part of the Indelible Festival which goes down at Highline Ballroom in NYC on 1/6...

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.

The great jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott will also be performing at the show, alongside ?uestlove, Bilal, Robert Glasper, Cecil Taylor, and many others. Tickets are still available.

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]

Mos Def and Talib Kweli reunited Black Star for not one, but two back-to-back shows at NYC's Nokia Theatre on Saturday night (5/30). More pictures, and some videos, from the early show below...

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