Gary Barlow shattered the dreams of X-Factor hopeful Misha Bryan by telling her she won’t win the X-Factor because of wrongful bullying allegations made by his fellow judges. And much has be written suggesting that Misha is too Black to win the competition, while others have pointed out that Black contestants have won in the past. But is there a difference between then and now?

Misha Bryan sings Rolling in the Deep on X-Factor UK

Leona Lewis won the third series of X-Factor in 2006 because Simon Cowell championed her cause; and she is after all bi-racial with coloured eyes and ‘blonde’ hair, which the British public ‘connect with’ more than the attributes of dark-skinned brown-eyed women of obvious African descent. Furthermore, she has a good, commercially appealing Mariah Carey-style voice and with that “international beige” complexion that is said to sell more records even without any talent attached in this supposedly ‘colour-blind’ world. Yet, the programme makers still found it necessary at the time to bring out Leona’s white mother and grandmother just to remind the good British public that Miss Lewis was in fact just one of them, if a little dusky round the edges.

Alexandra Burke, on the other hand, won the fifth series of X-Factor in 2008 largely because of the Cheryl Cole factor. As her mentor, Cole tried every trick in the book to persuade the folks at home to vote for her protégée, which of course indirectly meant a vote for our Cheryl. If you recall back then, Cheryl performed in-between the voting and all manner of other attempts were made throughout the series to persuade us that we were really voting for Cheryl Cole, our new English Rose, to win the competition between judges that year. Who knows how Dannii Minogue must have felt about it all, but for Cowell, it was an absolute Godsend, driving even more viewers to his moneymaking venture.

That’s not to suggest that Alexandra Burke had no talent, she had it in abundance, but those who know how racially motivated Britain can be were waiting with baited-breath to see if a dark-skinned woman of African descent could actually win this thing. That Burke was taller, leggier, and eurocentrically ‘better looking’ than Misha B, false hair ‘n’ all, played an important role. But we were grateful nonetheless to think that change had come to Britain. It is interesting to note that Burke’s career has never gone beyond the highpoint of her X-Factor win or the Hallelujah single that followed it. It seems that after X-Factor, no one really knows quite what to do with her talents, and she has ended up looking like some forlorn drag queen rather than the international artiste we all presumed she would become. But that mantle is reserved for Leona Lewis in the Cowell stable, and even he still believes lighter is brighter, and will no doubt be backing the Leona Lewis clone, Melanie Amaro, now that Drew is out of the runnings on X-Factor USA. But I digress.

Back in Little Britain, and many are wondering what is it exactly that the British public have against Misha B or her gorgeous mentor, Kelly Rowland, and the fact is they’re just too damn dark and too good for this place. And without Simon Cowell or Cheryl Cole to indirectly big them up, just who the hell do they think they are, anyway, with all that brimming confidence as if they’re better than everybody else is. And that’s just it, they are better than everybody else on that show is, and Britain doesn’t like it one little bit. But the good British public will never express their racist feelings outright (as many Americans might), but like Tula Paulinea “Tulisa” Contostavlos, herself a foreigner, they will find some trumped up excuse to justify their envy and xenophobia or simply put it down to they’re just not likeable or like us, meaning “white” or “English.”

In the final analysis, the only bullying that’s taken place on this year’s X-Factor is the bullying of Misha B. But should she win this eighth series of X-Factor UK, we could safely say that Simon Cowell’s moneymaking ‘talent show’ has single-handedly changed the social consciousness and fabric of Britain and Britishness forever. But that’s unlikely to happen me thinks. The truth is that whether Misha wins this show or not, she truly belongs in the USA as an export to Britain alongside the likes of Missy Elliott or the evergreen Grace Jones. Thank God for producers like Jay-Z with the money, power and influence to make her dreams a reality in this so called entertainment business. I’m sure that with a word from his friend Kelly Rowland, he can see Misha’s talent and hear the ca$h tills ringing. Simon Cowell isn’t the only music mogul in town.

Paul Boakye

Writer, editor and marketing specialist who sat on The Power Inquiry. Former editor and CEO of the consumer lifestyle magazine, Drum (UK), and author of five plays published for an academic audience by Alexander Street Press, USA. Recipient of business and writing awards, including prestigious accolades such as advising British government, BBC radio and TV commentator, and invitation to meet Queen Elizabeth II in 2007. Currently works as a communications professional, creating contagious ideas to help great brands change the conversation to their advantage, across the entire Central and West African region.

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The 14th Annual Friends and Family Party kicked of Grammy Weekend on Friday in Hollywood at Paramount Studios, sponsored by EA Sports and Rock the Vote. Any time you hear of a party on any studio lot, be prepared for a true night out in ‘Tinsel Town’!

Katerina Graham @ 14th Annual Friends N Family Grammy Event at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles - Feb. 11, 2011.

This night was hosted by music management group AAM’s Mark Beaven and Andy Kipnes, and more than 20 top music executives. UV Vodka and Red Bull provided the beverages for the bar while live performances by Yelawolf, Kid Sister, and Jermaine Dupri fueled the excitement of party goers, who really turned out to be over 3000 of the music industry’s heavyweights who came out decked off, as if to compete against their coastal rivals strutting around in another ‘place to be’ as part of New York’s Fashion Week. There was even a John Lennon Educational Tour Bus parked outside the sound stages, which turned out to be a super cool mobile recording studio and HD production facility that travels throughout the year bringing hands on music and production education to students. www.lennonbus.org

An exclusive closing set by DJ Muggs and Mix Master Mike nicely rounded out the evening. Perez Hilton hung with Paris Hilton backstage; Jermaine Dupri and Kid Sister took in Tinie Tempah’s set next to the stage; while some used the opportunity to break free and loose from their ‘industry’ mode, making for one of the less pretentious atmospheres in Los Angeles, yet still being a party where most of everyone are somewhat ‘in the know’ and set new trends in music’s creative process. Living the best balance between normal and ‘Hollywood’, the night was truly reflective of the ‘FnF’ theme.

“This year, our 14th Annual Friends ‘ N” Family event, was our  biggest yet,” says Mark Beaven who’s baby this is.

Performers for the night include Caroline D’Amore, The Cataracs, Dirty Vegas (DJ Set), DJ Cam, DJ Muggs, Jermaine Dupri, Kid Sister, Mia Moretti and Caitlin Moe, Mix Master Mike, Oh Land, Priscilla Renea, Taryn Manning, Tinie Tempah and Yelawolf. Whilst amongst the other celebrities in attendance who just mingled and chilled, the event saw La Roux, Lil Wayne, LMFAO, Mario, Mya, Oh Darling, Omarion, Ron Jeremy, Sam Sparro, Sasha, Scott Weiland, Tila Tequila and many others pass through!

DJ Pelau

Marlon Regis aka Mr. Marlon aka DJ Pelau (pronounced “Peh-Laow”) is a multi-talented music stylist/writer that has always lived being surrounded by rich music via life’s travels. Whether in his youthful days on the festive, multicultural streets of his birthplace in Trinidad, or his adopted homes of Atlanta, New York City and now currently Los Angeles, the direction of his music through DJing or producing compilations first aims to connect to the people. With an unwillingness to limit himself to one particular genre or social scene, insisting each must possess some type of soul, style or conscious sense of spirit, you can expect a wide ranging onslaught of tracks from afro-house music, nu jazz, to reggae, afro-beat, brokenbeat, soca and even those hovering hybrids/mash-ups finding their way to solid definition. By trying to first understand how to always set that perfect ambiance through music, over the years his humility to adapt and please fused together with his visionary nature to shape listeners progressively with new music, has translated into his colorful, customized music selections or mixtapes finding a constant rotation at well-established stores, restaurants and hotels such as Prada, 7 For All Mankind, Sean John, Guess?, Runway Boutique, Gonpachi, Westin Resorts, W Hotels and many more…

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MILES DAVIS, Bitches Brew Live (Legacy/Columbia)

Cargo: live jazz

Packed like: Miles Davis’ trumpet is still alive in 2011, forty+ years after this recording.

Taxes: Ain’t nothing more romantic than the element of surprise, the thrill of spontaneity and the class of jazz music to set the mood. Since you cannot dine out or hit the town to actually catch Miles live, the next best step is to invite his (live) music into wherever your privacy permits. This LP is like a live version to his classic 1970 release, Bitches Brew. In fact, some of these live versions to songs such as the album starter, Miles Runs The Voodoo Down, Spanish Key, Sanctuary and his title track, recorded live here for this LP were performed at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1969, nine months before the actual original release of Bitches Brew, and in front of the 600,000 people at the Isle of Wight Festival (UK) in 1970, four months after. The liner notes include exclusive festival photos of Miles both on stage and behind-the-scenes backstage, with his typical unassuming glare into the lens of the camera and always decked off in some of the funkiest apparel. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be set with music so stereotypically romantic, especially when you surrender to the evolution of the groove by one of the world’s greatest. Good luck brewing…

Rating: **** 1/2

JAZMINE SULLIVAN, Love Me Back (J)

Cargo: soul, R&B, dancehall-soul

Packed like: eleven of today’s marquis R&B/soul songs, setting the bar so sky-high!

Taxes: If anyone of your naysayer-friends asks whatever happened to modern R&B/soul of this generation being taken seriously and having a high standard, point to this LP by Jazmine Sullivan with confidence, picking any song from the Missy Elliot-produced Holding You Down (Goin’ In Circles) to her 10 Seconds produced by Salaam Remi, and rest your case. If that’s not enough, show them how she flings it back to the 1980s ‘Purple Rain’ style on Don’t Make Me Wait, exposing her xxx-rated and bold request – no strings attached fellas! So what you waiting for? Take a dive into this blacker-berry, and sip her soulful nectar of talent on just some of the other gems such as U Get On My Nerves feat. Ne-Yo, Stuttering and Luv Back, leaving you without a doubt that Jazmine’s vocal style and skill delivers what’s relevant to your heart, soul and mind. Definitely one of the best for the end of 2010, well into 2011 and beyond…

Rating: *****

VARIOUS ARTISTS, Bossa Nova Around The World (Putumayo)

Cargo: bossa nova ballads, grooves and classics…

Packed like: the artists, no matter their ethnicity/nationality, perfected Brazil’s art form

Taxes: The concept is simple – pool together some of the most talented artists from around the world who, despite their non-Brazilian heritage or background, sing and play the bossa nova genre as well as anyone. And when Nancy Viera & Tito Paris on Esperanca de Mar Azul begin to place their thumbtack on Cape Verde and Portugal on the map with this brilliant offering, Rio never seemed so close. Sang in French and English, up next is Didier Sustrac on Tout Seul as well as Tom & Joy on Meditation, both artists from France who make bossa nova so fluent-sounding voiced in French, it seems almost like part of its origins despite the absence of the art-form’s Portuguese linguistics. The romance, unforced sexiness and utmost class within the song-choices, melodies and musicianship here on this LP continues to the highest level through other artists such as 2raumwohnung from Germany on Melancholisch, Hilde Hefte from Norway on Vakker Natt and Stacey Kent & Jim Tomlinson from the USA/UK on So Nice, all songs that swell your heart with emotions so strong, it’s hard not to cry while tears fall from your eyes – in joy or in pain.

Rating: *****

CORINNE BAILEY RAE, The Love EP (Capitol)

Cargo: pop, rock, soul

Packed like: classic covers from her favorite artists such as reggae’s king & pop’s prince

Taxes: After the release of her critically acclaimed LP of 2010, The Sea, ain’t nothing wrong with toying around with the idea of resting your pen, to instead dig-up the classics that shaped and influenced your artistry. Bringing her own style and vibe to the table, Corinne on the lead off this EP, does exactly that to Prince’s I Wanna Be Your Lover, making it a bit more modern, yet still keeping it funky. But she totally slows down the pace of Bob Marley’s Is This Love, into this juke joint, bluesy nightclub feel, making her emotions soak richer and deeper into your skin. With a few others, including the cover of Paul McCartney & Wings’ My Love, you won’t be second-guessing your partner’s mutual mood as your soundtrack to cuddle-up for HUGE hugs, with this CUTE EP…

Rating: *** 1/2

THE ELECTRIC, Life Is Moving (OGS)

Cargo: nu soul, nu funk, hip-hop, electro-soul, broken-beat…

Packed like: life’s all about beats n rhymes, soulfully-voiced+futuristically-electrocuted

Taxes: Born out of an international tour by DJ Vadim, who formed The Electric by wiring-up emcee Pugs Atomz from Chi-town and soul-stress Sabira Jade from the UK, their “Overloaded” onslaught packs a high voltage that cross-connects soul, funk-filled bass lines and expert rhymes to activate any sound system. Even at times when the trio falls back into their retro-soul of organic horns on So Now You Know, their sound is powerfully charged and destined to damage your speaker. Amongst the LP’s most electrifying songs, definitely plug in Beautiful feat. Yarah Bravo rippling the positive energy to uplift even the loneliest of souls, and then there’s their honor of the chorus-hook to ATCQ’s Stressed Out on their version titled Hands Up, just a few amongst other bright lights such as Electric Company, Let’s Celebrate feat. Wes Restless and the LP’s closer, Music Is Addictive. Indeed, it is…it is.

Rating: ****

ELIZA DOOLITTLE, Eliza Doolittle (Capitol)

Cargo: pop, soft-rock, retro-soul, folk and ska…

Packed like: a spanking brand new, yet vintage-styled n’ old fashioned, voice to adore

Taxes: On her self-titled debut, London-born Eliza Doolittle might tempt casual music fans to associate her brand to Amy Winehouse or even Lily Allen, but this 22-year old comes with way less drama or baggage, and co-wrote each of these 13 songs here, including the singles Pack Up and her witty, sex-craving Skinny Genes, which makes her shine a cut-above-the-rest for inking some potential hits for herself. This is such an ideal LP to intimately share, enjoy and show-off smiles to your special one(s), all made so possible by feel-good tracks such as Mr. Medicine and Rollerblades, but I must warn also, that when her soulful blend of folksy, bluesy songs hit, it can also make you tear-up while pondering over tracks such as Police Car, Missing and ESPECIALLY So High, probably one of those songs where the words just cut like a knife – make that a cutlass or machete – right through your poor, yearning heart…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoyGsV7RQaU

Rating: ****

DJ Pelau

Marlon Regis aka Mr. Marlon aka DJ Pelau (pronounced “Peh-Laow”) is a multi-talented music stylist/writer that has always lived being surrounded by rich music via life’s travels. Whether in his youthful days on the festive, multicultural streets of his birthplace in Trinidad, or his adopted homes of Atlanta, New York City and now currently Los Angeles, the direction of his music through DJing or producing compilations first aims to connect to the people. With an unwillingness to limit himself to one particular genre or social scene, insisting each must possess some type of soul, style or conscious sense of spirit, you can expect a wide ranging onslaught of tracks from afro-house music, nu jazz, to reggae, afro-beat, brokenbeat, soca and even those hovering hybrids/mash-ups finding their way to solid definition. By trying to first understand how to always set that perfect ambiance through music, over the years his humility to adapt and please fused together with his visionary nature to shape listeners progressively with new music, has translated into his colorful, customized music selections or mixtapes finding a constant rotation at well-established stores, restaurants and hotels such as Prada, 7 For All Mankind, Sean John, Guess?, Runway Boutique, Gonpachi, Westin Resorts, W Hotels and many more…

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Ghanaian reggae star Rocky Dawuni continues to lift his global profile since the release of his critically acclaimed new album Hymns for the Rebel Soul. The album has been nominated for a prestigious NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding World Music Album.”

Since its release in May 2010, Hymns for the Rebel Soul has received praise and extensive radio play for various tracks on the album. African Reggae Fever and Download the Revolution were subsequently featured on EA Sports, FIFA World Cup and FIFA Soccer 2010 video games, which have sold millions worldwide.

The Roots Reggae singer has also graced various stages around the world in 2010, including the Vatican sponsored “JOSPFest” in Rome, “WE Day” in Canada and the recent “Freedom Awards” with Jason Mraz. Also nominated in the same category are Oyo (Angélique Kidjo), The Imagine Project (Herbie Hancok), The Sound of Sunshine (Michael Franti) and Vocabularies by Bobby McFerrin.

The 42nd NAACP Image Awards will be held on March 4 2011 and telecast live on the FOX channel. The awards have 53 competitive categories in the fields of motion picture, television, recording and literature. Good luck Rocky!

DJ Pelau

Marlon Regis aka Mr. Marlon aka DJ Pelau (pronounced “Peh-Laow”) is a multi-talented music stylist/writer that has always lived being surrounded by rich music via life’s travels. Whether in his youthful days on the festive, multicultural streets of his birthplace in Trinidad, or his adopted homes of Atlanta, New York City and now currently Los Angeles, the direction of his music through DJing or producing compilations first aims to connect to the people. With an unwillingness to limit himself to one particular genre or social scene, insisting each must possess some type of soul, style or conscious sense of spirit, you can expect a wide ranging onslaught of tracks from afro-house music, nu jazz, to reggae, afro-beat, brokenbeat, soca and even those hovering hybrids/mash-ups finding their way to solid definition. By trying to first understand how to always set that perfect ambiance through music, over the years his humility to adapt and please fused together with his visionary nature to shape listeners progressively with new music, has translated into his colorful, customized music selections or mixtapes finding a constant rotation at well-established stores, restaurants and hotels such as Prada, 7 For All Mankind, Sean John, Guess?, Runway Boutique, Gonpachi, Westin Resorts, W Hotels and many more…

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Concert of soul-infused country-folk singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne and his band, recorded at St Luke’s in East London at the conclusion of a UK tour in 2007. Bolstered by specially assembled string and brass sections, it features familiar favourites like Trouble and Jolene, alongside tracks from the album Till the Sun Turns Black. Also featuring Three More Days and Can I Stay?

The Gossip in the Grain artist Ray LaMontagne is returning to the stage once again surrounded by dates throughout the country as the singer /songwriter earns yelps and hollers from folk fans from sea to shining sea. The man, from Nashua, New Hampshire, has a husky voice that leads comparisons to Van Morrison and Tim Buckley, with a younger appeal via an unshaven face and flannel.

The beats feel so effortless as a modern twist brings back memories of old school pop tunes with trumpet motifs and a throwback to The Big Chill. While the lyrics, written by LaMontagne, still represent the ever so familiar longing and loneliness of love, the upbeat style via jazz instruments and funky folk make their true meaning nearly absolute. Though you may want to pick up a banjo yourself and start jamming with these seemingly approachable men, just wait for StubHub’s version of the next best thing – Ray LaMontagne tickets to see this indie, Reebok-wearing fellow jam out live on stage.

The singer’s first effort with RCA appeared in 2006, Trouble, and was followed up by 2007′s Till the Sun Turns Black. Each and every album, though equally focused on the impressive vocals of this perennial traveller (after his parents split, his mother marched Ray and his six siblings across the country looking for work), is an entirely new platform of which LaMontagne is exploring.

Perhaps the most explosively impressive from Gossip in the Grain are You are the Best Thing and Meg White, named for The White Stripes’ drummer. “It was time to open up a little bit more, not be quite so reserved in my choice of songs that I wanted to record,” LaMontagne admits on his site. This album was the first not to be completely developed by LaMontagne himself, who saw bassist Jennifer Condos and guitarist Eric Heywood help out, while Johns provided his expertise in several instruments. Leona Naess also provided the backup.

LaMontagne’s family was raised around the country and when he finally finished high school began working in a shoe factory in Maine. It was thanks to the single Treetop Flyer by Stephen Stills that the folk artist decided to begin making music, and before long LaMontagne had recorded a ten-track demo that reached Jamie Ceretta at Chrysalis Music Publishing. As if by magic, the demo was quickly approved and LaMontagne began recording with Johns.

Howie

My name is Howard, I'm a solicitor and I live in London. I've always enjoyed writing in my spare-time and Colorful Times gives me the opportunity to muse on about most of my heroes.

PIGEON JOHN, Dragon Slayer (Quannum Projects)

Cargo: alternative rap, future-blues, comedic soul…

Packed like: an episode of cartoon characters unfolding right before your EARS…

Taxes: Born in Omaha, Nebraska but raised on the testy, mean streets of Inglewood and Hawthorne in Los Angeles, Pigeon John brings forth his 5^th solo LP, flipping his explicit and unapologetic rhymes of wit in his typical Cali-accented, higher-pitched drawl. But he hardly raps on this record as much as he did on others in the past, and this is why this isn’t an underground hip-hop record. Produced by John himself with the aid of Herve Salters (General Electriks), surprisingly it’s when he doesn’t rap but gently sings on songs such as “Davey Rockit” and “Dude, It’s On,” perfect for a long drive with cliffs and beaches in the background along the coastline, John’s remarkably graphic in the smoothest and most descriptive way. Though his energetic, bouncy and knee-jerk flows over retro-styled alternative/swing grooves on “The Bomb” stands out and kicks off this LP, reminding you of his forte live stage show (more than worthwhile to see), the majority of this album really rocks when the slow-to-mid-tempo brilliant, witty and comedic stories playfully unfold and touch on topics such as chores left undone on “To Do List,” bitterness of love gone bad on “Ben Vereen” and celebrating a lil’ success on “Butter Soft Seats,” all mostly sang over delectable, thick and nourishing blends of blues, soul and alternative rock.

Rating: 5Star 4Star 3Star 2Star 1Star

¡MAYDAY!, Stuck On An Island (¡Mayday! Music)

Cargo: alternative hip-hop, hipster-pop, nu soul…

Packed like: one of those complex hip-hop bands dwelling on anti-simplified grooves…

Taxes: Following up their recent 2009 Technology EP release, their new Stuck On An Island is actually ¡MAYDAY!’s 2^nd full-length LP, and with Lil’ Wayne proclaiming himself the ‘next’ member of this six-man band, emcees Wreckonize and Bern Biz trade raps of clarity, many times harmonizing their rhyme-flows and chorus-hooks over potent, alternative numbers such as on the album opener “I’ll Be Gone,” and “No 1’s Looking,” just two of their rock n’ roll-soulful, up tempo bangers. When they’re not crowd-surfing and ripping to shreds their electric-guitars off rooftops on South Beach’s Ocean Drive with others such as “Worst Case Scenario” and “Pass The .45,” they cool down the pace roping in sexy dancehall-pop songstress Jovi Rockwell for “On 2 Somethin,” type up truly calming messages on “Technology” and then seem to gel “Picture Perfect,” to me the LP’s ultimate winner I wish there was more of – where soul, funk and rap find an alternative route off their deserted isle…

Rating: 5Star 4Star 3Star 2Star 1Star

JED & LUCIA, Super Human Heart (Ubiquity)

Cargo: chill-out, electronica, acoustic-lounge, trip-hop, folk…

Packed like: Jose Gonzales, Quadron, cotton-candy and marsh-mellows (not groups)…

Taxes: JED (Mark Reveley) and LUCIA (Emma Lucia) aren’t completely new to the scene, starting off in 2005, to then release their 2006 debut LP, Candles In Daylight. On this latest offering, lead by their single “The Dark,” there’s such an atmosphere painted with this cut, you’ll wish every song on the LP fell into this complex vein of perfectly wired electronic blessings. On layers of spacey highs and lows, Jed & Lucia both simultaneously sing against a light trip-hop backdrop of beats. Gosh, this song’s the future. But many of their offerings border on the backwoods, or feel like pastoral creations from a farm-like acoustic and minimalist approach, on cuts such as “You Were Made of Stone” and “On Lockdown”. Whilst on others such as “Painted Stairs” and “California” you’re first shown your clear visions of evidence made from those flying saucer landings leaving printed shapes onto those open farm lands, as Lucia sings her folky vocals over Jed’s high-tech gadgets, scaring off anything that doesn’t belong on planet earth, or can’t withstand their depth of heartfelt humanness…

Rating: 5Star 4Star 3Star 2Star 1Star

AEROPLANE, We Can’t Fly (Ultra)

Cargo: pop, dance, Italo-disco, psychedelic

Packed like: a fine-looking plane on the outside, slick interior too, but unable to travel far

Taxes: I’m not surprised by the title to Italian-Belgian duo Aeroplane’s debut LP, but what’s surprising is the fact that over the last couple of years they’ve proved to the world that by handling some damn good groovy remixes for artists such as Grace Jones, MGMT, Chromeo and others, on their own album it seems like most of these tracks could use some serious reworking themselves. Struggling to yet find an unmistakable winning jam here, my ears definitely gravitated naturally to the title track, where they bridge elements of reggae and electronica for a simple and trans-Atlantic 1980’s trip. After this, I’m so ready to pack my Pan-Am bags with this one, and as I was getting really excited boarding to even another infectious, now soulful and cinematic groove in “Caramellas,” it’s the rest of the majority of other offerings such as “Superstar,” “London Bridge,” “My Enemy” and “Fish in the Sky” that leaves me wondering just why this plane won’t take off already? Maybe the pilots are just too busy in the cockpit working on other things? Which makes me ask, where’d those gorgeous flight attendants disappear to anyway?

Rating: 5Star 4Star 3Star 2Star 1Star

SYSTEMA SOLAR, Systema Solar (OneRPM)

Cargo:            Colombian hip-hop, dub, electro-cumbia, Afro-Latin/Caribbean broken beat

Packed like: a new musical movement that’s more addictive, yet still from Colombia!

Taxes: Systema Solar is Colombia’s pride and joy, releasing their highly anticipated Latin American gem, of the same title. Just as sound systems are to Jamaican street youth, pikos are to Colombia’s Caribbean coast, blasting the hip-hop infused funk such as “Bienvenidos” onto the beaches and streets, unifying the youths with a common sense of purpose for better living, against corruption and stained poverty-stricken conditions. The fury of this music is basically – let’s get this stain removed once and for all – if not we’re not going to suffer – we’ll celebrate before we hate each other and kill over it. And it’s best felt on other festive tracks such as “Ya Veras,” “En Los Huesos” and “Mi Kolombia” bridging the traditional cumbia chants with DJ scratching against the backdrop of accordion melodies. While on “El Majagual,” the electronic reverb boosts the heart and soul of Afro-Colombian funk to the forefront of Latin American music youth culture, showcasing verbena – the good-time celebratory spirit guiding parties from tiny hamlets to big city life. If inland within Bogotá it’s gangsta, Systema Solar is the complete opposite as a musical-visual outfit, injecting their versions of house and dance music with club-ready grooves from “Sin Oficio” and “Oye,” to more of the traditional cumbia/reggae grooves for serious wining and gyrating of waistlines on the beach in songs such as “Fayaguaya aka Firewire,” which is set in that Calypso flavor, hot enough to sweep any tropical territory with a flashing repeated red alert reading – ‘dancefloor occupied, dancefloor overheating, dancefloor on fire’!

Rating: 5Star 4Star 3Star 2Star 1Star

SISTER SMILE: The Tragic Tale Of The Singing Nun (MVD Visual) – DVD REVIEW

Remember that 1963 American pop #1 hit, “Dominique” by Luc-Gabrielle (credited at the time to Soeur Sourire)? Probably not huh? Well, there was once this No. 1 pop hit, a pretty cheerful and delightful sing-a-long song, taken from the LP The Singing Nun, an album that actually sold 1.5 million copies to boot. What’s not so cheerful – and probably perfect for this Halloween season – is this Roger Deutsch film, Suor Sorriso that captures the tragic life following the singing nun’s pop hit success, especially after she’d left the convent. Portrayed by actress Ginevra Colonna, this singing nun runs a shelter for wayward girls with another ex-nun, Simona Caparrini, and of course as you’d predict since being away from and not attached to the convent any more, sin sets in and the two enter into a passionate, turbulent and in the end, destructively fatal affair. Sex, drugs and demons flourish throughout this Italian-language film, and with heaven nowhere in sight, the brilliant cinematography makes their hell ‘bloody’ enjoyable to watch.

DJ Pelau

Marlon Regis aka Mr. Marlon aka DJ Pelau (pronounced “Peh-Laow”) is a multi-talented music stylist/writer that has always lived being surrounded by rich music via life’s travels. Whether in his youthful days on the festive, multicultural streets of his birthplace in Trinidad, or his adopted homes of Atlanta, New York City and now currently Los Angeles, the direction of his music through DJing or producing compilations first aims to connect to the people. With an unwillingness to limit himself to one particular genre or social scene, insisting each must possess some type of soul, style or conscious sense of spirit, you can expect a wide ranging onslaught of tracks from afro-house music, nu jazz, to reggae, afro-beat, brokenbeat, soca and even those hovering hybrids/mash-ups finding their way to solid definition. By trying to first understand how to always set that perfect ambiance through music, over the years his humility to adapt and please fused together with his visionary nature to shape listeners progressively with new music, has translated into his colorful, customized music selections or mixtapes finding a constant rotation at well-established stores, restaurants and hotels such as Prada, 7 For All Mankind, Sean John, Guess?, Runway Boutique, Gonpachi, Westin Resorts, W Hotels and many more…

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BILAL, Airtight’s Revenge (Plug Research)

Cargo:            nu soul, R&B, nu jazz…

Packed like: he realized it’s his style not his ego that fans love! And he cut his dreads, too.

Taxes: Some artists just have to travel a tough road before their very existence can survive and be still really relevant. Some hit the pen, some heaven (or hell), and then, like Bilal, some hit the ‘shelves’, leaving almost a 10-year gap since his debut 1^ST Born Second of 2001. Produced by Bilal himself and co-produced by Steve McKie, with extra productions from Shafiq Husayn of Sa-Ra, 88 Keys, Nottz and Tone Whitefield, his new LP surely doesn’t disappoint as he brings back his distinct falsetto, a high-pitched progression of notes climbing from zero-to-100 on the chorus-hooks of “All Matter” and “Restart,” proving his humbling, ego-less and back-to-reality stance reintroducing himself and for the sake of longevity. Welcome him back with open arms, call him the ‘prodigal son of soul’ if you like. He’s also singing the most touching ode to an infant on “Little One,” so please don’t cast him away, for with his life-enriching realizations on songs such as “Move On” and “Think it Over,” one could cry by his words that finally seem true and to come from that hole in the heart, the one we call the ‘soul’.

Rating: ****1/2

ALOE BLACC, Good Things (Stones Throw)

Cargo: organic, retro soul; blues, band-funk

Packed like: a nostalgic and matured rapper rediscovers music’s greatest treasure – soul.

Taxes: Discarding his rapping skills for the moment, American-born/Orange County-bred, 1^st generation Panamanian Aloe Blacc shelves his scribbles of rhymes and pulls written thoughts from his soul, baring his entire singing persona throughout this LP. Opening up the faucet to the gush of yesteryear’s soulful feel and soaking damp, is “I Need A Dollar,” you might know as the theme to HBO’s How To Make It In America. There’s no mistaking that this soulster is beyond talented, and with production oozing groove-after-groove from the in-house team at Truth & Soul Records, Aloe is a bittersweet curing of those scars – the old fashion way – on “Hey Brother” and “Miss Fortune,” spilling some horn-fused reggae in there to heal the burns that most guys fall prey to, from those wicked and deceptive women. The strength of this LP though, lies within the slowly-cooked, Cajun-seasoned overnight dishes offered on “Life So Hard” and “Take Me Back,” undoubtedly one of the album’s shiniest gems that’ll raise the dead of Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield and Otis Redding. When it comes to that bewildering four-letter word – LOVE – Aloe Blacc sheds his skin, unravels what’s on his mind and reveals heartfelt relief learning to love himself on the title track, leaving your spirit and mind free from any confusion – and that’s a good thing fellas…

Rating: ****

MARK RONSON & THE BUSINESS INTL, Record Collection (RCA)

Cargo:            pop, nu soul, nu swing, hip-hop, retro-soul, rock, broken beat

Packed like: the new type of creative energy to steer all genres into multiple movements?

Taxes: I wish the lead single “Bang Bang Bang” – which takes the French nursery rhyme “Alouette” – never gets old! Like a newly discovered love, everything about the energy, melody and playful lyrics by Q-Tip seems so blissful, you just want to surround yourself with these musical elements and play it all over again and again. Mark Ronson’s 3^rd LP, this time back with an added affiliation called The Business Intl, also sees some of his regular collaborators – like Ghostface Killah – hop in for the fan ride again such as on “Lose It (In The End)”. One of the album’s other standout cuts, the undeniable “Somebody To Love Me” sang by none other than Boy George, who blends his incredibly graceful, soulful landscapes of yearning for true love over a broken beat groove that’s dusty, organic and timeless. Even though distinctive harmonies ring out on the easy-to-sing-along tunes as the title track and “The Night Last Night,” brace yourself for what has to be the album’s highlight – the return of D’Angelo on “Glass Mountain Thrust,” who with the help of Mark Ronson, reinvents a new type of ‘brown sugar’ and himself for a wild, sexy, funky song that’s surely got to be the LP’s next single.

Rating: ****1/2

MARTINA TOPLEY BIRD, Some Place Simple (Ipecac)

Cargo:            folk, future-blues, lounge, acoustic-pop, nu soul

Packed like: a light breakfast, fulfilling your body’s needs (not appetite) w/ nutrients!

Taxes: Her name and her vocals might be familiar, just thinking back to Tricky’s solo debut Maxinquaye of 1995, an album that unleashed Martina Topley Bird – then Tricky’s girlfriend – onto the world stage of high-end, eclectic recordings and exclusive concert venues the world over. Today, on her Some Place Simple LP, lead by the opening track “Baby Blue” single, she takes past material from her previous solo albums (Quixotic and The Blue God) and reworks them, also adding in 4 new tracks. These reworkings aren’t electrocuted, beat-heavy remixes, but instead tracks such as “Phoenix” and “Lying” get stripped down, minimized and highlight Topley Bird’s harmless, peaceful style of pillow-softness. Her vocals are almost always the focus like on her word-less hums, gifted and spirited throughout the short “DaDaDa”. On “Sandpaper Kisses” and her type of “Poison” where there’s even a bit of more energy and rhythm for this track, her always short duration of songs still deliver a lethal, long-lasting array of substantive stories, lessons of love and most importantly, the anti-venom Taxes to surviving life’s pains.

Rating: ****

ALICE RUSSELL, Pot Of Gold (Six Degrees)

Cargo:            organic funk, soul, gospel, nu jazz

Packed like: blue-eyed soul w/ lots of pulpit-pleasing, gospel howls and lavishness

Taxes: With 3 LPs under her belt, Brighton, UK’s Alice Russell and longtime friend and co-writer/producer TM Juke team-up again for her fourth album that’s so gospel-influenced and rich in authentic soulfulness, you’ll be amazed to even believe that any and all of Alice’s official musical training was really formal from cello playing and singing traditionally in the classical cathedrals and halls. But for her heart and gut-feeling of musical excitement, Alice’s calling came from the eager interest in her early listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin. So on this record with songs such as “Too Steps,” “Let Us Be Loving” and her “Crazy” cover of Gnarls Barkley’s smash, Alice Russell reaches so far down to the tip of her soul, that you may be lured into forgetting Cee-Lo’s magnificent original version. This time to the live band-funk of TM Juke’s orchestration, she sings over her past single “Hurry On Now” that’s seen quite a few remixes in its life, but given everlasting freedom to heaven direct from church-given blessings from Alice’s voice of sassy self-assurance. Other standouts include the gritty, fried chicken-greased “Got the Hunger?” and the LPs grand finale “All Alone,” a solid, groovy and colorful-matching woven fabric of a song that proves Alice Russell is of solid gold. Forget about the lazy comparisons to her gold-plaited, white ‘UK’ chocolate counterparts – Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, Adele and Duffy – vocally, all of lesser karat!

Rating: ****

FAT FREDDY’S DROP, Live At Roundhouse London (The Drop)

Cargo: live reggae, soul, nu funk, dub, psychedelic, lounge…

Packed like: you’re at a live show and given the sound engineer’s headphones for clarity

Taxes: With six long tracks, most averaging close to 15 minutes a piece, this sneak-peak into New Zealand’s Fat Freddy Drop’s live show through your ear’s interpretation, gets American audiences ready for their 2011 Tour, where many will get their first taste of this band’s Maori reggae blended with rich soul on “The Raft,” drifting one of the most crucial bass lines and rub-a-dub riddims ever created, trust! No need to roll, the high from this contact is beyond lethal when lead singer Dallas dives without a splash into this groove, showcasing his Al Green/Anthony David tones that’ll grab the attention of any soul purist. Hold your woman tight tight tight, as FFD put down other jams such as “Flashback” and “Pull The Catch,” rocking you way past midnight, much to your delight and wetting your appetite for next year’s live n’ alive bite into the U.S.

Rating: ***1/2

ZION I, Atomic Clock (Gold Dust)

Cargo: underground hip-hop, alternative/roots rap, roots rap, dub…

Packed like: minimalist, musical warfare between rhythmic beats and conscious lyrics

Taxes: Shake up your aerosol cans, envision your masterpiece and spray those colors and designs of graffiti across your imagination as Oakland’s Zion I, on their 7^th LP, provides that jam session to follow up their highly successful The Takeover release of 2009. With an obvious ode to the roots of reggae and dub on “Many Styles” featuring reggae outfit Rebulution, the overall feel to this album isn’t at all painted in red, gold and green, though sprinkles of other influences reside within the horn-filled, rolling bass lines on the productions of “Signs of Light” and throughout the chorus-hooks of “Infatuation”. This album is really more of what progressive and eager hip-hop fans want to inhale as they urge their brethren and sistren to wake up! These songs of enlightenment, creatively delivered on the riddim clatter of “The Sealing” or lulling your softer side in for “Girlz” feat. Martin Luther, along with others such as “Always” and “North Star,” just some well-written passages Zion I take the listener thoroughly through.

Rating: ***1/2

FAITH EVANS, Something About Faith (Entertainment One Music/PMG)

Cargo: contemporary R&B, soul and rap

Packed like: she never left the ‘urban’ world of modern stateside soul music

Taxes: 15 years in the game, fully out of the shadows of her ex-husband, the late Notorious B.I.G. and that Puffy-led, Bad Boy family image, Faith’s all grown up, baggage-less and aims this 6^th solo album, pointing its dagger right at you with “Gone Already” as the first spear at your ear, which will leave your heart swollen with love. Her unmistaken flawlessness on the mic is best on this dripping-with-mass appeal lead single, probably amongst one of the ultimate R&B ballads of 2010. And then there’s the laid back feel of “Everyday Struggle” feat. Raekwon who never really raps but just sort of jabs and repeats Faith’s lines in the background, street-staining the track as legit. But when it comes to her faster tempos, with jams such as “Party” feat. Redman or “Way You Move” feat. Snoop Dogg, there’s too much room left for being more innovative, especially within the productions by the likes of Chucky Thompson, Malik Pendleton, Salaam Remi and others, who seem sometimes to be stuck in the 1990’s, and not purposely stylish. Good for fans reminiscing or out of the loop with the modern cast of soul music, but digressive for listeners of a different new generation, accustomed to a much better creativity, more diversity and a progressive sense of new millennium soul.

Rating: **1/2

VARIOUS ARTISTS, Ninja Tune XX Box Set (Ninja Tune)

Cargo: dub step, trip-hop, electronica, downtempo, broken beat, nu funk, garage…

Packed like: nothing like a band w/ traditional instruments, just pure studio wizardry!

Taxes: Celebrating their 20-year anniversary this past September 2010, UK’s Ninja Tune label’s 4CD Box Set consists of remixes, reinterpretations and exclusive never-released before singles from the likes of Roots Manuva, Ms. Dynamite, The Cinematic Orchestra, Spank Rock, Diplo, Big Dada Sound and countless other underground dance scene shapers and movers. It also featuring tons of bonus 12” and 7” vinyl records, depending on what package you go after. Outstanding tracks after perusing through from disc to disc, include Toddler T’s “Want U Now” feat. Ms. Dynamite lighting up the chorus-hook with sweetness, while Toddler T is pouncing her ferocious, speedy toasts over this excellent dancehall riddim! There’s all type of variety on this release, from Emika’s “Double Edge” and Andreya Triana’s “Lost Where I Belong” remixed by Flying Lotus, and plenty more of that downtempo, chill-out stuff for that soft-touch too.  Energetic trip-hop travels from Europe to America as the boom bap of Roots Manuva dents in your speakers on “Dub Styles” remixed b Micachu, and the fever heats up more when Spank Rock injects and spits his wild style on “What It Look Like,” remixed into heavenly broken beat patterns by Todd Edwards, however not to overshadow Shuttle’s “Lion” instrumental, king of the big bad electric jungle of beats, unfolding in so many paces and phases. You’ll have the most fun working through the trippy terrain with the likes of other obstacles, ranging from the dub step pitfalls of “Skeng” by The Bug remixed by Autechre, and Mr. Scruff’s “Believe,” shifting house music and broken beat, alternating rhythmic patterns just like your moving ass and hips!

Rating: *****

GAPPY RANKS, Put The Stereo On (Greensleeves)

Cargo: rub-a-dub, rockers, dancehall, foundation reggae

Packed like: the crucial, back-to-the-future ital vibes modern dancehall just needed…

Taxes: Born in London’s inner-city town of Harlesden, Gappy Ranks is 1^st generation Jamaican and to some of you, you’ll remember him from the massive UK collective, Suncycle. And since then, he’s blown fire over those popular hip-hop jams and hardcore dancehall riddims on various widely circulated mixtapes. But on his debut LP here, opening with his “Mountain Top” and followed by his No. 1 smash “Heaven in Her Eyes” which spent 13 weeks on the UK Reggae Charts highest spot, you’ll tell he’s all about paying homage to the top ranking riddims from Studio One, Treasure Isle and other foundational labels he grew up listening to as a toddler, most profoundly expressed on the title track: “Big chunes from Jamaica to England, rest in peace Sir Coxsone/Easy Daddy Peckings you ah legend!” With productions by the renown Peckings Crew, these original 1960-1970’s riddims and up-to-date rub-a-dub riddims boom up your most withstanding sub woofers with a heap of bass on tracks such as the Tenor Saw-influenced “Pumpkin Belly,” “Heavy Load,” “Thy Shall Love” and my ultimate, “Musical Girl,” gems you just nah deny…

Rating: ****

THE FLOACIST, Floetic Soul (Shanachie)

Cargo:            neo soul, R&B, rap, spoken-word…

Packed like: love, lyrics and passages of life dark chocolate-coated in rhymes

Taxes: Natalie ‘The Floacist’ Stewart, half of that UK/Philly neo-soul outfit Floetry that broke onto the scene in 2002 with such hits as “Floetic,” “Say Yes” and even inked Michael Jackson’s “Butterflies,” unleashes her solo debut. Nothing too surprising or unpredictable here, especially with the likes of Musiq Soulchild joining her on the first J.R. Hudson-produced single “Forever”. The LP is gentle, not hectic or trying with any effort to slip itself past the velvet rope and bouncers into the clubs, commencing with “Alright Then,” keeping the tempo slow, seductive and inspirational like an after-church service Sunday breakfast feast with relaxing flutes, horns and keys rippling smoothly. The following track, with a bit more funk for your trunk, is “Breathe” where The Floacist flips out her book of raps, lyrically challenging you to trust and have faith, no matter how hard life faces you – your destiny is success. As folks like Lalah Hathaway on “Come on Over” and Raheem De Vaughn on “Keep it Going” aid The Floacist through chorus-hooks, ad libs and this tightly-knit soulful fabric, together with timeless grooves from “Need You” and “What are you Looking For?” this CD positions The Floacist amongst some of the better, more refreshing contemporary R&B material for 2010 into 2011.

Rating: ***1/2

GROOVE JUNKIES, In The Zone (MoreHouse)

Cargo:            soulful, gospel, jazzy house; lounge, trip-hop

Packed like: you’ll never step away from or outside the dance floor’s border ZONE!

Taxes: There’s a genuine bittersweet taste to the release of this Groove Junkies LP, one that’s been a couple years in the making. Though he’s not passed away, one half of this once 2-man duo, Parrish, will definitely be a missed element of this carefully put together album. So it’s left to the other half, NYC writer/producer/DJ Evan Landes, who’s built this CD, rich with soulful house music for the world to enjoy a ride of great grooves! “Dr. Feelgood” feat. Diane Carter starts the session off after it immediately follows the Intro of “Solara’s Prelude” in the opener. Maybe if stuck on a train or on a plane or while driving, you can sit back, but once you’re on two-feet, the energy and rhythms of this and others such as the title track, “In The Zone (GJs PrimeTime Filth Mix)” and “What’s Freedom” feat. Joi Cardwell, it’s impossible to NOT dance to what defines that GJs sound of ass-shaking bass lines, righteous messages sung in a positively uplifting direction and a whole lot of SOUL, SOUL, SOUL! It doesn’t stop here, as the gospel of house gets a blessing from Solara on “Pulled Me Through” – evidence that you can’t teach this sort of stuff, it’s either you have it, lived it or preach it to make it sound as authentic as this people, praise the Lord! With percussions knocking iron-like tones like a Trini-rhythm section, you’ll be jumping and waving in the GJs masquerade, parading to other jams such as “The White Light (GJs Deep Afro Mix)” feat. Alexander Sky, and “Been There, Done That (GJs Funky Vox Mix)” feat. Dufane. Grandioso!

Rating: ****1/2

JUAKALI, Smoke Clears EP (Foreign Familiar)

Cargo: dub step, reggae

Packed like: reggae electrocuted, warped, stretched n’ squeezed into a tight echo chamber

Taxes: Steadily carving his name into permanent archives praising the best amongst dub steppers worldwide, emcee Juakali drops his much-anticipated EP, churning out the title track, originally produced by the SMOG crew’s Kelly Dean & Steady. With two additional remixes handled by Moldy, known for his dark and ethereal productions, and B.R.E.E.D., who injects in the second remix, a host of sound effects from East Indian tabla rhythms to crowd cheers before he chops and slices the track into fine pieces for Juakali, to then devour. The EP’s only other track, “Bodega/Real Ting” produced by San Francisco’s Jus Wan, is where Juakali shines brightest with his complimentary flow side-by-side to the infectious riddim that glides a sophisticated and surreal infusion of keyboard notes, glazing it smooth n’ sweet, as Juakali alongside all the way, watches the smoke fade into the atmosphere…

Rating: ****

ROBERT OWENS, Art (Compost)

Cargo:            lounge, nu soul, soulful-tech house

Packed like: nothing undercover or under a mask as far as Owens baring his naked soul

Taxes: This double-CD, Vault 1 filled with the ‘voice of house music’ giving you his laid back, chill grooves, is designed for easy listening – a bit of quiet storm soul and those comfortable hotel lobby, chic tunes for lounging and relaxing. Produced by Atjazz, Robert Owens’ strongest piece of art on Vault 1 is on “Hearts and Soul,” a pure masterpiece in jazzy and soulful sensibilities to keep driving into the sunset, as the Rhodes keyboard chords cover up all your worries. Others such as “Reach Inside,” “Wonderful,” “Sacrifice” and the funk-filled “Same Old Thing” set this candle-lit atmosphere for romance, solitude or idle admiration of your surroundings beautified by Owens’ Chicago-brewed soulful vocals, matured by his vast world travels and experiences, spanning more than two decades. On Vault 2, where 9 tracks try to infiltrate your nearest dance club or the next dance festival, Robert wakes you off that couch, readying you for “Unique” produced by Munich’s Beanfield, that’ll put that jig in your step and even jolt your mind into listening to his spoken-word finesse. Take a long journey with him on the Larry Heard-produced, self-explanatory “Ancestral History” or dive into that dark and naughty back room to dance, play, intoxicate and do whatever “Moments” brings into your awaiting lap. I got your ‘Art’ Mr. Owens.

Rating: ****

HEAR&NOW, Hear&Now (Ambient Pulse)

Menu: chill-out, lounge, pop

Tastes like: score and soundtrack music set to visuals of a cinematic and artful nature

Ingredients: South African lead singer Charlie Charles of the new, chill-out outfit, Los Angeles-based Hear&Now, on their self-titled debut EP commands all the space she wants on “Thoughts Processed” where remarkably, her vocals soar so strongly. Sometimes your brain focuses so much on her prolonged swirls and swooping scales, the band is overshadowed, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially since on “Moby, Not” she sings just a one-liner – “find to live in coda” – periodically throughout few intervals of the song as the Hear&Now band throws down a funky, yet downtempo session reminding listeners of the likes of Morcheeba, Zero 7, Smoke City and others of that vein. The EP’s most empowering track, “The Air That I Breathe,” is dense and dark, aiming a bass line that if remixed, chopped up and geared-up right for endangering speakers, Hear&Now could see a soon chance of being a bigger name, near and far. Time, time, time…

Rating: ***1/2

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DJ Pelau

Marlon Regis aka Mr. Marlon aka DJ Pelau (pronounced “Peh-Laow”) is a multi-talented music stylist/writer that has always lived being surrounded by rich music via life’s travels. Whether in his youthful days on the festive, multicultural streets of his birthplace in Trinidad, or his adopted homes of Atlanta, New York City and now currently Los Angeles, the direction of his music through DJing or producing compilations first aims to connect to the people. With an unwillingness to limit himself to one particular genre or social scene, insisting each must possess some type of soul, style or conscious sense of spirit, you can expect a wide ranging onslaught of tracks from afro-house music, nu jazz, to reggae, afro-beat, brokenbeat, soca and even those hovering hybrids/mash-ups finding their way to solid definition. By trying to first understand how to always set that perfect ambiance through music, over the years his humility to adapt and please fused together with his visionary nature to shape listeners progressively with new music, has translated into his colorful, customized music selections or mixtapes finding a constant rotation at well-established stores, restaurants and hotels such as Prada, 7 For All Mankind, Sean John, Guess?, Runway Boutique, Gonpachi, Westin Resorts, W Hotels and many more…

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Recorded in Paris, France, but claiming the city had minimal influence on the effect of his 2010 release; Tricky’s Mixed Race is one of his most personal to date. The title defines the half-black (Jamaican) and half-white (British) make up in his DNA, but more importantly, reflects his life’s experiences growing up in a very tough white ghetto in Knowle West in Bristol, England, where he was shaped by a variety of music and artists ranging from soul to rock, and funk to reggae/dancehall.

Tricky: Mixed Race - From Kingston to Briston.

Written by Tricky but sang by Italian/Irish vocalist Frankey Riley, the LP’s opener (track 3 on the bonus CD) Every Day takes the listener down a familiar path that Tricky is accustomed to taking his fans – one of darkness, mystery and deciphering his fathomless depth: “I am hope, I’m the noose and rope/I’m life, I’m death, I’m your last breath/I’m seasons, I’m reasons, I’m why you should end.” Over his signature undefined, genre-bending, groove–bordering between trip-hop and sketchy dark funk–it’s no wonder the album’s artwork depicts him in that dismal, gritty and haunting imagery. Hardly an album you’d feel any urge to load up in the daytime or with a vision of the sun in your mind’s eye.

Tricky’s version of jazz on Early Bird and his visceral Ghetto Stars, both sang by Frankey Riley again, aren’t for the rise ‘n’ shine early-bird-9-to-5ers, either, but fit scarily in the wee-hours of the dark morning, where tools of destruction in the professional world of violence aim, fire and hire unemployed gangsters – a world Tricky’s been surrounded by throughout his early life.

With the exceptions of lighter songs such as Come to Me, Really Real (above) and Time to Dance, it’s the dimly lit, gully-lifestyle expressed and seen through the rusty jail bars of KingstonLogic (video) sang by dancehall gangstress Terry Lynn, and Murder Weapon, where the chorus-hook repeats and boasts – “shine yuh gun, shine yuh gun” – that peddles this ongoing crime-wave on.

For the LP’s closer, Tricky’s youngest brother Marlon Thaws and another emcee Blackman on Bristol to London, run up on you over this hectic, adrenaline-fuelled beat, making it much too risky NOT to empty your pockets as demanded. You better comply!

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DJ Pelau

Marlon Regis aka Mr. Marlon aka DJ Pelau (pronounced “Peh-Laow”) is a multi-talented music stylist/writer that has always lived being surrounded by rich music via life’s travels. Whether in his youthful days on the festive, multicultural streets of his birthplace in Trinidad, or his adopted homes of Atlanta, New York City and now currently Los Angeles, the direction of his music through DJing or producing compilations first aims to connect to the people. With an unwillingness to limit himself to one particular genre or social scene, insisting each must possess some type of soul, style or conscious sense of spirit, you can expect a wide ranging onslaught of tracks from afro-house music, nu jazz, to reggae, afro-beat, brokenbeat, soca and even those hovering hybrids/mash-ups finding their way to solid definition. By trying to first understand how to always set that perfect ambiance through music, over the years his humility to adapt and please fused together with his visionary nature to shape listeners progressively with new music, has translated into his colorful, customized music selections or mixtapes finding a constant rotation at well-established stores, restaurants and hotels such as Prada, 7 For All Mankind, Sean John, Guess?, Runway Boutique, Gonpachi, Westin Resorts, W Hotels and many more…

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FREE BUJU! If you’re unaware of Buju Banton’s trials and tribulations (literally), you cannot be considered a serious reggae fan. Since November 2009, Banton has been sitting inside Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, Florida, and after a mistrial, he was finally granted bail until a retrial sometime in December 2010.

But luckily for his fans and music enthusiasts around the globe, Buju Banton had made these seemingly prophetic recordings of ten tracks before his incarceration, entitled Before The Dawn (Gargamel Music), which he mainly produced himself. The titles of some of these songs seem almost ironic, considering his legal situation.

‘Struggle’ isn’t just this clichéd word thrown around by so many reggae artists do in a follow-fashion pattern. For Buju, it’s as real as it gets, and on the opener, Rasta Can’t Go over a horn-filled, roots-reggae ‘One Drop’ lick, Buju professes his Rasta royalty, explaining his beliefs and travels that has a significance way beyond the style and look of the hairdo.

Many of his tunes sit feathery-soft in that acoustic, world-beat vibe of much global appeal; from the football arena concert-feel of In The Air to the Nyabinghi climb up the Blue Mountains on Life and Try Life featuring Gramps (of Morgan Heritage). Although it’s back to reggae’s roots on his lead single Innocent, and on Struggle Together, you’ll absorb the swelling, powering bass lines you’re accustomed to associating with Jamaica’s greatest export, taking you right back to the streets of Kingston.

One of my favorites though, and an obvious shift amongst these mentioned is his No Smoking At All produced by Oscar Moncada, a rock n’ roll groove that still has my head bobbing, making Buju’s marriage of rock and reggae yet another highlight of his 20-plus years in the business. With your prayers and mine, let’s hope he will soon leave this tumultuous period behind him – allowing him to smoke, drink, eat, sing and chant as freely as he pleases.

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DJ Pelau

Marlon Regis aka Mr. Marlon aka DJ Pelau (pronounced “Peh-Laow”) is a multi-talented music stylist/writer that has always lived being surrounded by rich music via life’s travels. Whether in his youthful days on the festive, multicultural streets of his birthplace in Trinidad, or his adopted homes of Atlanta, New York City and now currently Los Angeles, the direction of his music through DJing or producing compilations first aims to connect to the people. With an unwillingness to limit himself to one particular genre or social scene, insisting each must possess some type of soul, style or conscious sense of spirit, you can expect a wide ranging onslaught of tracks from afro-house music, nu jazz, to reggae, afro-beat, brokenbeat, soca and even those hovering hybrids/mash-ups finding their way to solid definition. By trying to first understand how to always set that perfect ambiance through music, over the years his humility to adapt and please fused together with his visionary nature to shape listeners progressively with new music, has translated into his colorful, customized music selections or mixtapes finding a constant rotation at well-established stores, restaurants and hotels such as Prada, 7 For All Mankind, Sean John, Guess?, Runway Boutique, Gonpachi, Westin Resorts, W Hotels and many more…

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Gregory Isaacs left this world at 9:45 this morning, Monday 25th October 2010 in Harrow Weald, London. His wife, Linda, and his children Sandra, Maurice, and Tommy and grandchildren were with him when he passed on.

Mrs. Isaacs said her husband made a peaceful transition and she is happy that he is now pain-free. She said the coroners have been called to take his body to a rest home where he will be prepared to be flown home to Jamaica.

Mrs. Isaacs says the Jamaican Minister of Culture, Babsy Grange, has agreed to take care of all funeral arrangements. She has expressed gratitude to all who loved and supported her husband, especially during his last moments. Isaacs died of liver cancer.

At news time, word of the passing of the inimitable crooner had just reached the leadership of the Facilitators for a Better Jamaica. Founder, Sylbourne Sydial, said he had hoped that Isaacs would have risen out of his illness. He said that members of the singer’s entourage had been keeping a close watch on the balladeer over the weekend.

The British public in general perhaps best know Gregory Isaacs for his rendition of the soulful number, “Night Nurse.” Even today, the song remains a popular request in several London night clubs, and especially on the Jamaican-British entertainment circuit.

The impact of the loss of the cool ruler is already evident on social network sites such as Twitter and Facebook. His fans have been paying tribute in their numbers. One Facebooker said Isaacs’ music “took me through my darkest days and helped me to get on with my life when all seemed impossible and futile.”

Goodbye Gregory Isaacs, your music will be remembered, your work here on earth is done.

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Luke Williams