“Passing Strange“, the Tony-winning black rock-opera is righteous, and it’s being staged in Chicago featuring local soul revivalists JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound… and my chica: LaNisa Frederick. Amen.
Passing Strange is the coming-of-age story of “Youth” (Daniel Breaker), a kid growing up somewhere in LA in the seventies. He is disillusioned because he doesn’t fit the common definition of blackness. Floating above the city, getting high in his choir director’s blue Volkswagen beetle, “Youth” decides to uproot himself from everything he’s known in order to find home.
It takes a blurry, nomadic trek across Europe to realize some ultimate truths about where he fits in the world and whom he can count among his tribe. Features a great live band (book and music by Stew and Heidi) and meaty writing that sometimes billows poetically like blood in water. For anyone who grew up not fitting in, then realized that they fit in perfectly, after all. Jive on. Below, an excerpt from the Spike Lee-documented Broadway staging.
“Passing Strange“, the Tony-nominated black rock-opera is righteous…. Amen.
Passing Strange is the coming-of-age story of “Youth” (Daniel Breaker), a kid growing up somewhere in LA in the seventies. He is disillusioned because he doesn’t fit the common definition of blackness. Floating above the city, getting high in his choir director’s blue Volkswagen beetle, “Youth” decides to uproot himself from everything he’s known in order to find home.
It takes a blurry, nomadic trek across Europe to realize some ultimate truths about where he fits in the world and whom he can count among his tribe. Features a great live band (book and music by Stew and Heidi) and meaty writing that sometimes billows poetically like blood in water. For anyone who grew up not fitting in, then realized that they fit in perfectly, after all. Jive on. Below, from the Spike Lee-documented Broadway staging.
So, Van Hunt’s folks have graciously passed me this note with the following EXCELLENT news…“I’m thankful for your patience during the wait for new music. I’ve been working on a brand new collection. It’s close, but not quite ready. In the meantime, I’m offering a salve, a few rare items from the vault. I picked them out myself and named them ‘Use In Case of Emergency.’ It will be available May 8th, only at http://www.vanhunt.com.”— Van Hunt
Joy! Joy!
I’m digging the gloss and grime of the preview (including some alternate takes of some of the best he’s ever offered us). And, I’m compelled to share a taste with you, Darkjivers… Jive on!
Bloody awesome rock and roll is what this music is….and I’m Thirsty for more…
The Thirst are an afro-punk-rock band based in Brixton, London. The band consists of brothers Mensah (vocals/guitar) and Kwame Cofi-Agyeman (bass), Mark Lenihan (guitar) and Marcus Harris (drums/backing vocals). I’m going to be racist for a moment and say that Rock sounds better in Black. To me. Check for their album, On the Brink. Oh yeah, and Mensah’s pretty fly…
featuring:
1. Whole Wheat Bread – Throw Yo Sets Up
2. Dallas Austin – Children of the Revolution
3. Janelle Monae – Violet Stars Happy Hunting
4. The London Souls – Someday
5. Irradio – Call The Nation
6. Amercian Fangs – LeKick
7. The Smyrk – The Ballad of Fletcher Reede
8. J.U.S Evolution – Fast Money
9. Peekaboo Theory – Immediate Hesitation
10. Disaster Us – Slice Me Up
J*Davey called their double album “The Beauty in Distortion/The Land of the Lost”. I call that fitting. The sound is sort of Mad Max Electric Soul. Like, post-post modern with twists of new-wave, fuzz, glitch, and funk. For me, “Mister Mister” was the lead track. But, there’s no shortage of freshness on cuts like “Venus 2 Mars” and “Hi Sun”. One to check for…
The year is 1969 on the South Side of Chicago (21st & Michigan). Marshall Chess (son of Leonard Chess), has taken the helm at Chess Records (the Seminal Chicago Blues/Jazz/Gospel label). A fairly hip young cat, Marshall realizes that the hottest acts in popular music at the time borrowed (or gangstered) heavily from the roster at Chess: Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Little Walter (even Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley). His offensive move was to re-record the blues giants in a psychedelic blues style popular with groups like Cream (featuring Eric Clapton). He also recorded newer, younger, more tripped-out acts. Among them, Black Merda and Fugi (backed by Black Merda), a black rock collective from Detroit (that was still reeling from riots the year before). Above is “Revelations”, one of two records released through Chess/Cadet under the name Fugi (alternately spelled as Fuji). There will be much more on this blog about this topic; but in the mean time…Jive on.
Coming Friday…
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