(Photo via Medeski, Martin & Wood’s MySpace page.)Despite being a cool, downtown NYC jazz act with roots in the early Nineties avant-garde scene of John Lurie and John Zorn, no one loves Medeski, Martin & Wood like that patchouli-loving, Birkenstocks-on-the-weekend hippie in the next cubicle over from you at work…
Luz MarinaCoincidencias (Cacao Música)www.cacaomusica.comVenezuelan singer/songwriter Luz Marina makes her debut for Cacao Música with 14 tracks of heavy-breathing soft numbers full of sexy insinuations and personal moments. It works. “Noche a Noche” (Night to Night) and “Cómo Dueles” (How You Hurt) were a little more my cup of tea, while…
Johnny LouisCheck it! 2008 was a busy year for clubland. We saw the departures of Pawn Shop Lounge, Studio A, Circa 28 and Suite, while we welcomed new venues like The Vagabond, Louis, Aero Bar, Bella Rose and Heathrow Lounge. And to our surprise, there was plenty of action beyond…
Photo by Logan FazioCandyland 13Soho Studios, MiamiSaturday, December 27, 2008Better Than: I expected.The Review:Culture and other similar promotions groups, in an effort to shrug off the nasty mainstream perceptions of the Nineties dance scene, like to call their large-scale events music festivals. But let’s be honest about Candyland 13, held…
Da REAList is not Plies’ meditation on Platonic realism; it’s mostly just demonstrably false braggadocio and sentimental hooey. (He could have eliminated this confusion by calling it Da REALest.) The main problem is that a July Hip Hop DX report showed that despite his claims to be a lifelong thug,…
On the corner of Breakbeat and Bass, in the town of Danceville, there hangs a cat whose scratch is surely as deep as the hiss of some vintage vinyl. I’m not talking about some throwback turntablist trying to revive the art of the back-cue, mind you – hell, most of…
Ivon David RojasDeadmau5Saturday, December 27, 2008Mansion, Miami BeachBetter than: Hip-hop Fridays at Mansion, maybe.What’s left to be said about Deadmau5 that hasn’t already been said? Virtually unknown in 2007, the young Toronto prodigy skyrocketed to sudden international stardom and relentless hype by word of mouth, Internet exposure and blessings from…
For those that don’t already know, today is Boxing Day. We don’t celebrate it here in the U.S. but it’s a major shopping holiday in Canada, the Caribbean, the U.K., and countries associated with the British Commonwealth. Those of us with connections to the Commonwealth are well-familiar with Boxing Day…
(Photo via Music is a Weapon’s MySpace page.)Music is a WeaponMusic is a Weapon (Rain Trust)www.myspace.com/musicisaweaponbandMost of the members of Music is a Weapon boast enough years of playing under their belts to know a thing or two. As must be repeated, most of them were in the late, great…
There’s something a little Sheila E about Tracy Young. Her steadfast, stoic presence when she’s doing her DJ thing reminds you of Prince’s bongo-smacking concubine in her Arsenio Hall Show heyday. For both women, that temple-of-steel impenetrability is/was their greatest weapon in a male-dominated world. On face, Young — Miami-based…
¡Feliz Navidad, Miami! As I sit by my Christmas tree and look upon the disco ball ornaments as they glitter and shine, I stroll through my holiday memory lane.This is the time of year that I eat tons of lechon, yuca, and arroz con frijoles. I have no idea what…
Bonerama sounds like a lot of things — a funk band, a brass band, a marching band — and yet, it sounds like nothing else you’ve ever heard. The seven-man outfit from New Orleans is fronted by four trombones that blare out traditional wah-wah funk wails into a pow-wah rumble…
It’s been a good year for the music scene of South Florida. Talented upstart artists who were expected to break out exceeded expectations. Already-established acts released stellar projects as well. There’s a lot of good music coming out of this region at the moment (enough to make any local audiophile…
South Florida is vying to become the bling capital of America — but not like you’d expect. We’ve already got BET’s annual Spring Bling in Riviera Beach, a two-day hip-hop extravaganza aimed at local urban music lovers and black college students on spring break. So it’s only fitting that there…
When you have been playing guitar professionally since age 12, are employed by the Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, and gig nearly 300 days a year, it’s obvious that free time is in short supply. Derek Trucks, the nephew of Allman Brothers percussionist Butch Trucks, knows that dilemma all…
For hip-hop fans in search of a swank party on New Year’s Eve, this is the place to be. Philadelphia’s legendary band, the Roots, is playing an intimate show at the Florida Room, which is a rare event on numerous levels. For starters, the hip-hop innovators are used to performing…
South Florida’s favorite jam band, the Heavy Pets, recently returned from two months of touring with an evolved writing style, a new EP, and many stories to tell. Their latest run saw them sharing the stage in other parts of the country with notable acts such as Matisyahu, Umphrey’s McGee,…
What with the economy circling the drain and Sarah Palin coming down from the tundra and then refusing to go back, 2008 has been that kind of year. Good thing there were so many awesome records available to serve as a soundtrack. We’ve broken them down into the three categories…
What with the economy circling the drain and Sarah Palin coming down from the tundra and then refusing to go back, 2008 has been that kind of year. Good thing there were so many awesome records available to serve as a soundtrack. We’ve broken them down into the three categories…
I love Santa Claus. I wish it was because I’m fascinated by the way his modern-day story evokes folkloric traditions, possible real people, and pre-Christian mythology. Or because he’s got a toy shop, magic reindeer, a flying sled, and it’s cool to lie to little kids about his existence. But…
If the resilient spirit of New Orleans could be summed up with a sound, it would likely reflect the music of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, a group whose synthesis of jazz, blues, bop, funk, and R&B has made them the Crescent City’s cultural ambassadors for the better part of…
What with the economy circling the drain and Sarah Palin coming down from the tundra and then refusing to go back, 2008 has been that kind of year. Good thing there were so many awesome records available to serve as a soundtrack. We’ve broken them down into the three categories…
