Legendary jazz/afrobeat horn player Hugh Masekela is currently on a North American tour in support of his most recent album, 2012's Jabulani. That tour comes to the NYC-area this month for shows at Tarrytown Music Hall on April 17, Wesleyan University's Crowell Concert Hall on April 19, and Pace University's Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts on April 20. The Wesleyan show is sold out but tickets for Tarrytown and the Pace show are on sale now.

All dates are listed, along with the video for "Sossie/Makoti" from Jabulani, below...

Continue reading "Hugh Masekela on tour, playing 3 NYC-area shows (dates)"

Check out the entire list of 2013 Grammy Nominations below...

Continue reading "2013 Grammy Nominations announced (full list)"

We previously posted about Justin Townes Earl's two-night Woody Guthrie tribute that's happening at PACE University's Michael Shimmel Center for the Arts on October 26 and 27. This is part of the university's "Pace Presents" 2012 / 2013 season which features "world-class performing arts and culture series with an emphasis on music superstars from around the globe, charismatic and crowd-pleasing dance performances, spectacular theatre and contemporary cabaret" The season kicks off Saturday, September 22 with Romanian gypsy folk act Fanfare Ciocalia and tickets are on sale now.

The full schedule is below but highlights include Malian actress/singer Fatoumata Diawara who'll perform on September 28. Tickets are still available. Her most recent album, Fatou, made a few Best of 2011 lists and is streamable at Spotify. The show is part of a North American tour and all tour dates are listed below.

The Pace Presents '12/'13 season wraps on April 20 up with South African horn player and vocalist Hugh Masekela. Tickets are on sale now.

The Pace Presents 2012 / 2013 schedule is below, along with a list of Fatoumata Diawara tour dates and videos.

Continue reading "'Pace Presents' 2012 / 2013 Schedule; Fatoumata Diawara touring (dates)"

The cover art of Derobert & The Half Truths' 2010 LP

Nashville 60's throwbacks De Robert & The Half-Truths will play their first funkin' NYC show ever at the Dig Deeper event at Southpaw on April 30th with Magic in Threes. Tickets are on sale. Though the band did not exist in the soul/funk heyday, it definitely mirrors the styles of that era much like popular retro-leaning acts like Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings and Lee Fields & The Expressions. Check out a few samples of the band below.

Speaking of Lee Fields, he has some shows coming up too.

In other funky news, funk-jazz vibraphone great Roy Ayers will team with producer/DJ/MC Pete Rock for a show at Highline Ballroom on June 22nd. Tickets are on sale. The show takes place less than two weeks before Ayers celebrates his 70th birthday at the Mainstage at Central Park on July 2nd. The FREE show features a "collective of jazz virtuosos, top MCs, singers, arrangers, and composers called The Jazz Mafia" who have "re-envisioned Ayers' classic works for this special show" which is one of many free Summerstage events that were recently announced.

BT Express will do it til you're satisfied, or at least until the endo of their set at Betsey Head Park on June 9th. They'll be joined by Felix Hernandez Rhythm Revue and the FREE show kicks off at 7PM. The Felix Hernandez Rhythm Revue will also support Harold Melvin's Blue Notes on July 29th in Queensbridge Park (also FREE, 7PM).

Jazz/funk/afrobeat trumpeter Hugh Masekela will play the Mainstage at Central Park on June 26th, teaming with Freshlyground and Somi for a FREE show. Doors open at 2PM with the show kicking off at 3.

George Clinton & The P-Funk All-Stars will hit BB King's on May 31st. Tickets are still available. Meanwhile, his former Parliament/Funkadelic bandmate Bootsy Collins will hit the same venue on June 26th as part of the month long Blue Note Jazz Festival. Tickets are still available. Collins released his new LP Tha Funk Capital Of The World on Tuesday (4/25) and will also appear at Bonnaroo 2011.

BB King's will also host dual-show evenings with Chaka Khan (June 18th, tickets), Morris Day & The Time (July 29th, tickets), and Roberta Flack (June 24th, tickets). Flack will also make a pair of private appearances in NYC in the coming months. She'll play a show as part of the Tribeca Film Festival on May 1st and the Apollo on May 19th as part of a fundraiser with Lou Reed and many others.

In semi-related news, Morris Day's former bandmate Prince is currently in the midst of a 21-night show stint at The Forum in Los Angeles with "roughly 85 percent" of the shows being only $25 with service fees. One of Prince's influences will also play NYC this summer. Larry Graham appears at BB King's on June 3rd with Funky Nights. Tickets are still available. Last time Larry played there, Prince showed up. Last time Prince played NYC, Larry opened up.

Tour dates and videos below...

Continue reading "funk & soul roundup (Larry Graham, Roy Ayers, Bootsy Collins, Roberta Flack, George Clinton, Morris Day & more)"

...which is being rebroadcast online "shortly" NOW. Other performers include Amadou & Mariam, Hugh Masekela, K'Naan, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Touré, Angelique Kidjo, Black Eyed Peas, and Shakira.

As part of the 651 Arts series of performance-interviews conducted by artists of artists, world renowned South African horn-player, composer and vocalist Hugh Masekela will interview American-Rwandan and -Ugandan jazz vocalist and songwriter Somi. As a special treat, Masekela will sit in with Somi as she performs her new work If The Rains Come First.

Continue reading "651 Arts brings African culture to Brooklyn - hosting Hugh Masekela & Somi (tonight)"

DOWNLOAD: Hugh Masekela- Afro Beat Blues (MP3)

Legendary trumpeter and composer Hugh Masekela comes from an extensive jazz background. Masekela, from South Africa, has enjoyed major success over the years, and is recognized as one of the greatest innovators in world fusion. [NPR]

Tour dates in January/Feb 2008 are with "Hugh Masekela's Chissa All-Stars", which also features guest appearances of many other exciting South African performers. Along with Hugh and his band, the tour also features Afropop diva Sibongile Khumalo, young kwaito singer Nathi as well as a few additional performers that Hugh is producing for his record label back home in Africa.

Continue reading "Hugh Masekela's - 2008 Tour Dates (SOB's, Brooklyn)"