SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA (Canada) + KOBO TOWN (Canada)
KARLEX (France) + CHARANGA SOLEIL (USA)
plus
DJ NEVA

Free to the Public!

BAMcafe Live
Brooklyn Academy of Music
30 Lafayette Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-636-4100
http://www.bam.org/events/bamcafelive.aspx

Friday, April 4th, 2008:
DJ NEVA 8pm
SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA 9pm
KOBO TOWN 10pm

Saturday, April 5th, 2008:
DJ NEVA 8pm
KARLEX 9pm
CHARANGA SOLEIL 10pm

“Music Is The Weapon: Voices United Across Borders” is an ongoing experiment in breaking through America’s current protectionist mentality that creates so many obstacles and restrictions for musicians, and for artists in general. While countries around the world welcome American musicians, international musicians are finding it increasingly difficult to enter and work in the U.S. Issues such as obtaining visas, dealing with senseless homeland security laws, lack of music industry support, lack of media interest, prohibitive expenses, etc. – are among the major obstacles encountered by musicians in this country.

The participating musicians all come from the collision of different cultures and traditions. Although we share a common language called music, our experiences and backgrounds define our various dialects. This project connects multicultural musicians across national boundaries, to perform together in a rich and vibrant exchange of cultural expression, and hopefully create some new musical dialects in the process!

In the spirit of internationalism, we invite you to join us in a celebration of joining forces across borders – in this case, Europe, United States and Canada.

MusicDish – http://www.musicdish.net
Music for the Masses – http://www.musicforthemasses.org

Participating Artists:

* KOBO TOWN ( http://www.kobotown.com )
Named after the vibrant and turbulent neighborhood in old Port-of-Spain where Calypso was born, Kobo Town strives to recover the social conscience, satirical storytelling and strong acoustic/organic rhythms that characterized Trinidadian music in the past. Based in Toronto, Canada, the band serves up a steaming mix of Calypso, Roots Reggae, Dub, Mento and more.
BAMcafé Live: Friday, April 4th – 10pm

* SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA ( http://www.souljazzorchestra.com )
Hailing from Ottawa, Canada, the Souljazz Orchestra combines Jazz, Funk, African and Latin music while touching on politics and spirituality. Most of their songs are rooted in Nigerian Afrobeat, but there are elements of Soukous, Salsa, Funk and Free Jazz thrown in as well.
BAMcafé Live: Friday, April 4th – 9pm

* CHARANGA SOLEIL ( http://www.charangasoleil.com )
Founded in New York City, Charanga Soleil is an all-star international dance band featuring some of the most seasoned and creative musicians on NY’s international scene. With a classic repertoire and original arrangements, the band brings together three of the world’s greatest dance genres: Cuban salsa, Congolese rumba-soukous, and Haitian compas.
BAMcafé Live: Saturday, April 5th – 10pm

* KARLEX ( http://www.karlexmusic.com )
Based in Montpelier, France, Karlex is a Haitian American singer who fuses with the vibes of his native island with funky guitar sounds, heavy bass and soulful rhythms in a unique blend he calls Afro Groove (i.e., World Soul meets Funk meets Pop meets Afro).
BAMcafé Live: Saturday, April 5th – 9pm

* DJ NEVA ( http://www.musicforthemasses.org )
NYC-born DJ Neva is an Ethnomusicologist with a specialization in “musical creoles” – the magic that happens when two or more cultures come together to create something new. Each of these two nights will inspire its own unique mix that reflects the bands that will be performing.
BAMcafé Live: Friday, April 4th – 8pm
BAMcafé Live: Saturday, April 5th – 8pm

On announcing that BigUp Radio will be celebrating the 100th episode throughout the month of January, BigUp Radio’s CEO Raoul Krakowski commented, “Common Sensi and I grew up in the same circles in Oakland and he’s been a reggae DJ as long as I’ve known him. Sensi is one of the most well rounded reggae dancehall DJs in the Bay Area. I feel blessed to have watched him grow as a DJ over the years and it’s great to share in his worldwide success.”

AllSpice Reggae was the second show to launch on BigUpRadio.com when the stations started including DJ hosted shows to its regular programming. Featuring a mixture of both old and new dancehall reggae hits, during the two years the show has been on the air, DJ Common Sensi has had an impressive list of reggae artists on his show for interviews and features. The AllSpice Reggae show’s mix has attracted a global following with music geared for audiences of all demographics and varying levels of familiarity with Caribbean music. Special guests on the show have included both well-known legends as well as up and coming artists. Guest artists who have been on the show include: Freddie McGregor, Richie Spice, Bushman, Queen Ifrica, Michael Franti, Collie Buddz, Assassin, Ras D, Boom Steppa and many more.

BigUpRadio.com listeners are able to tune-in every Friday to “AllSpice Reggae,” a two hour program showcasing the latest singles, riddims, remixes and more, mixed together and presented by DJ Common Sensi. The show airs 3am, 9am, 3pm and 9pm EST to reach both US and European markets. Listeners are able to hear interviews with their favorite artists as well as request their songs and win prizes or giveaways.

About Bigup
BigUp Radio was founded out of a love for Reggae music and a desire to share the greatest in Reggae music with fans around the World. For more than five years BigUp’s Dancehall and Roots radio stations have been among the most listened to Reggae stations online and responding to listener requests for the full spectrum of Reggae music, in October of 2005, BigUp added stations for Dub, Soca, Ska, Reggaeton & Lovers Rock. BigUp’s stations, which generate over two million tune-ins each month, are available using iTunes, WinAmp or Windows Media, and for mobile listeners through Spodtronic.com’s SpodRadio, Nokia Internet Radio and through the Mobile Broadcast Network. BigUp Radio’s web-site features one of the largest catalogs of Reggae CDs, DVDs and vinyl available anywhere as well as the latest news, reviews and event listings.
http://www.bigupradio.com

About DJ Common Sensi
Every Friday Bigupradio.com features veteran dancehall selector Common Sensi and the Groove Unlimited Sound out of California. For the past 15 years Common Sensi has been playing reggae music in California and around the world from Belize to Brazil and beyond. Groove Unlimited Sound has played alongside top sounds like Stone Love, opened for acts like Barrington Levy, and cut numerous dubs with classic artists like Freddie McGregor, Meditations, Cobra, and more. Allspice Reggae Mix show will feature reggae classics, blazing new tunes mashing up the clubs, interviews, and exclusive dubplates weekly. Log on to Bigupradio.com Fridays 3am, 9am, 3pm, & 9pm EST. Email Common Sensi at DJcommonsensi@bigupradio.com for requests, shoutouts, mix cds, and promos and visit http://www.myspace.com/commonsensi for club dates.

Read More…

With the emergence of Tanzanian musician, Ras Nas aka Nasibu Mwanukuzi (www.rasnas.kongoi.com), on the East African music scene, there is no doubt that the region’s musical terrain will never be the same. His long awaited CD “Dar-Es-Salaam” due to be released on 3rd November this year, is a follow-up to the debut “Cut You Loose”. The new CD reflects a remarkable and qualitative change in Ras Nas’ music. While “Cut You Loose” was mostly experimental, with “Dar-Es-Salaam”, Ras Nas appears to reach maturity and achieve a distinct identity both as studio and concert artist.

With his mix of reggae, soukous and dub poetry, Ras Nas stands out as a pioneer of a new music style; a style which is yet to be defined. His lyrics are both conscious and entertaining. Ras Nas writes, recites and sings in English and Swahili, the latter being the lingua franca of Africa. In other words, as an artist of sheer originality, he is laying down footsteps for others to follow. This is fresh and welcome news from a region that has hardly produced an artist of international caliber for the past two decades.

The nine tracks in Dar-Es-Salaam CD are all unique as well as potential hits. The title track “Dar-Es-Salaam” is a song that starts with a cool rhumba ballad and shifts to a hot and irresistible seben. It is a revisit to the classic sounds of East and Central Africa but wrapped in the contemporary feel and tempo. On the dance floor the song has proven to be captivating both to the old and the young. The song is a tribute to the city of Dar-Es-Salaam and its mesmerizing beauty. It is in this city that Ras Nas molded his interest in music and poetry in a young age. Other songs include Guantanamo, Zakina, Revelation Times, Dance Rhumba, Aisha, Sina Makosa (a faster version of the mighty Simba wa Nyika), Sweet Rhythms and River Nile (reggae dub poetry).

Reviewing Ras Nas’ live radio concert, spring 2007, veteran music journalist with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, NRK, Arne Berg, put it in this way; “It was a memorable experience. From heavy dub poetry to exhilarating soukous – rarely has the public in Studio 19 shaken their bodies so thoroughly and seldom have we experienced such a sweaty, happy and smiling audience going home after a show!”

In Dar-Es-Salaam CD, Ras Nas has worked with a number of highly talented artists from nine different countries, a total of 24 of them, among them two renowned artists from Dar-Es-Salaam, bassist Keppy Kiombile and guitarist Norman Bikaka (lead guitar).

Ras Nas’ debut concert was in 1992 in Oslo at the celebration to mark the 99th Anniversary of His Imperial Majesty Selassie I. In the Zodiac sign, this was an event in itself. Since then, Ras Nas has performed for Nelson Mandela, shared the stage with Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and Lou Reed at the Norwegian Wood Festival and played in a number of festivals.
All in all, 2007 finds Ras Nas in a high gear. In spring, Ras Nas was Artist of the Week at the Norwegian state radio after spending most of autumn/winter in studio, working on “Dar-Es-Salaam”. In August, Ras Nas played at Oslo Mela Festival and in November he is one of the artists at this year’s Oslo World Music Festival.

CD: Dar-Es-Salaam
Label: Kongoi Productions
Release: 3rd November

Kongoi Productions
www.kongoi.com

New York, NY – Guitarist/producer Ian C. Bouras, best known for his work with NYC Rock/Reggae band AñaVañA, released his solo debut CD entitled ‘A Cure For Reality’ (SDMP Records) on June 28th.

‘A Cure For Reality’ is an instrumental CD designed to relax the listener with flavors of reggae, latin, dance, and dub throughout it’s 14 tracks.

When asked why the CD has taken over a year to complete, Ian says that he “wanted to include as much music as he could for the listener”, resulting in well over an hour of music.

‘A Cure For Reality’ has Ian producing, playing guitar, keys, and bass, programming drums, and mixing. Approaching the recording process as both a musician, and audio engineer, has led to an amazing result.

The CD, and song samples are available at: SDMP Records

Contact:

Ian C. Bouras
2025 Broadway, Suite 23K
New York, NY 10023
Tel: (646) 391-8488
Fax: (917) 441-9417
sdmprecords@yahoo.com

www.sdmprecords.com