New Music Review: Glenzito House Avenue V3
It’s clear – house music must go on and we’re still loving it. But every now and then, like most things, we believe it requires a little tweak, a little shift. That’s when it’s up to our dj’s, muso’s and producers to pluck the core of that ‘some’ing some’ing’ driving local house music, the soulful and appealing sticky parts of our favourite tunes, and repackage it into some fresh and juicy new beats and twists that inspire us and lift house music to the next progression…on and up. Dawn Penny gives yet another South African DJ Legend her once over and finds Glenzito’s new album infinitely pleasing and on another level… 8 beats out 10 The long-awaited, latest Glenzito House Avenue V3 CD is finally here! And just in time for the end of winter moving into spring. With DJs who’ve been mixing for some years now, there’s most certainly an expectation of brilliance or at least a one up from their last offering and Glen definitely sets a bar higher. As some of you might know by now, I’m a huge sucker for vocal house, the sing-alongs man the sing-alongs, so this was lovely for me to listen to. From the first track, DJ Pap feat. Cei Bei – It’s the Music, Glen lets you know what’s up. He prepares you and implies that this right here, that you’re just about to listen to, this is the music. He brings in a soulful/gospel song in track 4, Halo & Kemal feat. Arnold Jarvis – Lift me Up, which took me to church and lifted my spirits. He now starts to transform from the chilled house beats to the more get-on-the-dance-floor type tunes, and my shoulders are moving. There’s track 7 with vocalist Michelle Amador crooning Because of You. Wow! This track was most definitely my favourite. It was carried by the vocals, with this soulful, Sarah Vaughan-type voice – absolutely beautiful. This was also one of the dance beats but the voice gives it a sophistication – not to say that dancing isn’t sophisticated (when done right) but it’s sexy. And then right after that sexy track follows what sounds to me to be a pick up song. I imagine that when Mike Dunn – Freaky MF hits the speakers in the club, you’ll have plenty of flirting while dancing going on. It’s a good hook track though, it’ll be a hit for sure. He keeps to his dance tone with tracks like Kiko Navarro – Sonando Contigo adding a sultryness every now and then. It’s a good listen, it’s a good party CD and it most definitely...
Call for Entries: Rockers get on this RADAR
New and emerging bands here is your chance to Advance and Release with a bit of Development and Assistant thanks to Red Bull and SpeakerBox… Represent supports as many initiatives that promote and assist South African music that we can, by telling you all about it. So muso’s, don’t miss all the opportunities we fill you in on! Rock on! You’ve only got three weeks to get amongst this Western Cape Festival: Rocking the Daisies presents Red Bull RADAR*(*Research, Assist, Develop, Advance & Release) What is Red Bull RADAR? South Africa’s sonic terrain is extensive and it is often easy for the many musical soldiers to get lost in the haze of murky bars, dimly-lit nightclubs and out-of-reach garages. Red Bull RADAR seeks to scan SA’s landscape in search of this undiscovered musical talent and once identified offer a platform above the mist of obscurity so that all those bands, musicians and artists have a chance of making their mark on the local music scene. It’s difficult enough for bands and artists to get the right gigs to expose their musical might, let alone actually recording a demo to open the doors of prospective venues, record-labels and fan-bases. Those bands and artists that are selected will get to record and produce a demo in the Red Bull Studio in Cape Town, RADAR’s musical equipment laden head-quarters. The Search Begins: Taking place from 3-5 October, Rocking the Daisies is fast becoming one of the highlights on SA‘s live music calendar. Rocking the Daisies and Red Bull RADAR, in partnership with Speakerbox, are offering four talented emerging bands the opportunity to play on the main-stage at Rocking the Daisies 2008, simply by submitting a basic recording demo! The best of these four bands will win five days in the Red Bull Studio in Cape Town to record themselves a 4-track demo while living it up like rock stars! So here’s a step by step recap of how it works: 1. Send us your band profile, a pic and a demo recording (MP3) to Radar@speakerbox.co.za to upload to the Rocking the Daisies / Red Bull RADAR page on Speakerbox. 2. Create a band profile for your band on the Speakerbox / Blueworld Bands section and include the profile link in your email to Radar@speakerbox.co.za. 3. Beg, bribe or blackmail your friends, family or random people on the street to vote for your track on the Red Bull RADAR page on Speakerbox. 4. The top four bands, as voted for by the community, will compete in a battle of the bands on the main-stage at Rocking the Daisies on Friday, 3 October. 5....
Don’t Miss Jazz on the Lake
It’s a yearly Represent ‘favourite must-do mahala event’, Jazz at Zoo Lake, do yourself a favour, pack a picnic basket, grab your friends and go and celebrate Jozi’s 80th birthday this year on Sunday the 7th of September. We’re chuffed the line up is much improved, featuring Simphiwe Dana, Jimmy Dludlu, Don Laka and Zamajobe to name but a few… go on and Represent! (Residents included!) Read all about it at Johannesburg Tourism site here or the awesome Joburg.org site here. See our photostory on our RepresentFlickr site from Jazz at the Lake in 2005 here....
Get ready for the MAMA’s – MTV Africa!
Our dedicated scribe of the moment, Reuben ‘The Matrix’ Malema, attended the MTV press announcement of the ‘MAMA awards’, MTV’s pan-African music awards brought to you by MTV and their sponsor ZAIN (a telecommunications company…). He reckons healthy competition is the way forward to uplift and keep on diversifying and enriching our music scene, we have to admit, we agree! See our photostory at our RepresentFlickr set here. Read all about the event below – the official media release follows. Sharpile RTMM! It’s official, MTV Networks Africa is here! And if all the over-the-top hoo-hah of Tuesday night has any truth to it, then the end for the MTN SAMA Awards is definitely not nigh but rather in a very real way so resoundingly here. The setting of MTV’s “take-over-Africa” spectacle was the Japanese themed Tokyo Sky of Fourways, Johannesburg. Ja, the ambiguity was very clear: the guillotine’s blade has gut-gushingly fallen on the video-jockey controlled entertainment industry in this part of Africa! I have to admit though, with all the fine sushi, on the house liquor en masse (Double Remmie Martin and Lemonade…one more please sir!), the glitz and splendour that was blatantly flaunted, the Network has a lot of credibility and plenty to offer Africa’s musicians in sharp contrast to the MTN SAMA Awards that favours the same few artists all the time and only focuses on SA. Let us not forget the controversy-riddled quagmire of the recent MTN SAMAs which did not help the situation either, in fact if anything – this year’s SAMAs managed to quicken the event’s long awaited coup de grace. Competition is often a healthy thing and in this case it’s long overdue. The Media targeted event (Nou Ek Spog!) had the makings of a typical TRL show on MTV Base. The MC was as chirpy as all the free flowing video mouthpieces on the network’s channels. The program direction was lively with a twist of spring. The audience (le paparazzi!) was very receptive, although at one stage a tad disappointed (we’ll come back to this one…). Mr. Alex Okosi, a Nigerian born, American raised, British groomed and now South African Corporate Executive is the driving force behind MTV Africa’s no-holds-barred takeover bid. His passion and inspiring vibrancy is believable enough to prop-up one’s expectations of the fresh wave of reprieve that has at last beached on our shores. An array of Dj’s and musicians were bopping away, including Cleo, KB, boys from Skwatta Kamp and Brickz. One particular artist caught my attention, the 12 year old In-cha who is an ingenious (lest I be tempted to declare her a maestro) violinist....
Mawe-2 LIVE at House of NsakO
Nice flyer design from the B-side crew. We’re sure the music at House of NsakO in Brixton is going to be just as sweet this Saturday night. Just up the hill from Melville, aim for the tower then hit a right and head for the High Street ;). The B-side Party with Deejay BlaQt presents Mawe-2 ” live “… As he takes us through the soulful jazzy sounds from his debut album – titled a fools hope, So expect an explosive perfomance… with DJ BlaQt taking us through the night with some of that good music….@ House Of NsakO ( 101 High Str., Brixton Jozi town ) & R 40 bucks guarantees you a dope night out.. http//: www.myspace.com/bsideblog http//: www.myspace.com/mawe2 http//: www.mawe2.rooftopmedia.co.za http//: www.myspace.com/djblaqt Download Deejay BlaQt`s Bside mini mix …. http://www.zshare.net/audio/14680764a732b4a4/ Check the tracklisting & artwork on :...
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