This Is Book’s Music

Jamiroquai – White Knuckle Ride by Some Kind of Awesome

I had known of Jamiroquai in the early 90′s but really didn’t get into them until 1995, when they released “Space Cowboy”. When they were set on the speed of cheeba, I fell in love with what Jay Kay and friends were all about. The band have returned with what will be their eighth album, Rock Dust Light Star (due out in November), and you can listen to a preview of what’s to come with this free MP3 download, or stream by clicking the player above.

Antibalas have gained a lot of attention in the last few years for their music and live performances, and their horn section have become, to this generation, the equivalent of the Tower Of Power, Chicago, and Earth, Wind & Fire horn sections.

2004′s Who Is This America? pushed them outside of their core audience and into a wider realm, and now Ropeadope will be reissuing the album on August 17th with a bonus track, the previously unreleased track “Money Talks” produced by Scott “Scotty Hard” Harding. Those who purchase it through iTunes will get an additional track, “Paz”. The label will also create a limited edition CD package featuring a link to download the album, and the “Running Man” T-shirt. The limited package will be sold exclusively through Ropeadope and Antibalas’ own website.

Even with the release of Eric Krasno‘s solo album (as reviewed here), Soulive are still active and are about to be introduced to Beatles fans who are unfamiliar with them with the release of Rubber Soulive.

The album is an all-instrumental Beatles tribute albun, featuring new versions of “Revolution”, “Come Together”, and “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”. It will be released on September 14 not only on vinyl, but on the trendy CD and MP3 formats.

In this case, Miles Bonny calls his podcast a “cloudcast”, since Mixcloud is its home. If you are a fan of Bonny’s, you will enjoy this mix of songs he has put together.

What you are looking at is the approved final artwork for the forthcoming album by Lyrics Born, As U Were (Mobile Home Recordings/Decon). I like how the young man behind the baby sports a T-shirt with a cartoon Lyrics Born on it.

If the cover suggests someone in transition, the same can be said for the music on the album, scheduled for release on October 26th. The music will feature everything you’ve come to expect from Lyrics Born, from the hip-hop to the soul and the funk, and perhaps you’ll be surprised that he has a love for infectious pop as well, as heard in the first preview of the album in the form of “Lies x 3″, which is being made available for free at LyricsBorn.com starting July 19th. For a bit of the familiar, some of the people who worked with him on As U Were include wife Joyo Velarde, fellow Quannum alumni Gift Of Gab and Lateef The Truth Speaker, along with Trackademicks, Jake One, Headnodic, Sam Sparro, and Francis and The Lights, a nice mixture of who you already like and those whose work you’ve been wanting to get into.

A distribution deal with Decon allows LB to own the rights to his music, something many independent artists are opting for. The deal also makes it possible for his music to be used in a number of ways, so outside of the traditional television and radio outlets, it will be music promotion 2.0, so you may very well hear him in a few HBO shows, maybe NPR (anyone who has heard some of NPR’s commercial breaks in recent years know that someone in the know has an ear for raers), perhaps a skateboard or surf DVD, or in places unknown.

What is known is the As U Were cover art and the music you can take a listen to by heading to his website. Also known: his commitment to making quality music and moving his audiences in all the right ways, and new ways. You only have a three month wait, do what you must to mark the day.

Mexican funk should not be doubted, for when it is in capable hands, accept the vibes. This is Fiusha, who have been around since 1999 and continue to share with fans what they’re about. The video harmonies are reminiscent of Graham Central Station circa 1974 and Tower Of Power, someone put these guys on vinyl immediately.

From her most recent project Sabor A Chocolate, this is Carito Plaza from Chile, who shows that quality soul and funk is still being made in South America. Bring this lady to North America or Europe and she could do some serious damage.

Sound Of The Drums is an ongoing series by Cyberworks. The video may be shrunk down a notch but let the music speak for itself. You can find out more by clicking here.

There are a number of reasons people flock to see and support the music of Soulive. There is not just one key component, but guitarist Eric Krasno has been a large part of the draw. Fans of the group will be happy to see his name on Reminisce (Royal Family), which shines the spotlight on his well known musical strengths.

It may be a Eric Krasno album, but he does not do anything out of the ordinary. If you’ve loved that soulful, funky jazz vibe he has created in the past, you will hear it here.

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To read the rest of the review, click on over to Okayplayer.com.

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Orgone‘s Cali Fever (Ubiquity) is the perfect party album for those who love their soul and funk with a hint of Afrobeat, and while that might be describing their music in the simplest terms, the music is sure to provoke its listeners into doing complex things.

When it comes to their brand of soul, Orgone seem to love the early 70′s immensely, with sounds that could have easily been pulled off of those prized records, right down to the sound of their keyboards/organs, it’s a retro-feel but not dated. When they feature songs with vocals, it sounds like Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings being pulled to a different era as the Antibalas horns decide to jam with them (which makes sense if you know what members are in both groups.) Add a sprinkling of Brass Construction in the mix and it feels like some funky disco, and all but one song will fill up the dance floors, including one track that’s a little over eight minutes (the tripped out “The Cleaner”). It feels like freedom, and Orgone is more than capable of bringing as many people as possible to their land of opportunity. Can you dig it? Yes you can.

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