Blog: Beatlife

Culver City's art scene is burgeoning and the Cerasoli Gallery is a new, but important player in town. This weekend they present a unique opening featuring three artists: John Grande, Nick Potter and Franziska Klotz. Preview images from Glamour and Gloom here April 18 – May 13 , 2009 Opening Reception: Saturday April 18, 6 - 9pm here's the official word about the show: C E R A S O L I [...]

Time for my weekly roundup from some of my blogging colleagues. Here's a look at what's going on in other soulful parts of the interweb. Pinboard has a great video from BBC's 1Xtra which features Ms. Dynamite ('member her?!) channeling Lauryn Hill - fierce. Ms. Audio Diva highlights a new track from Chrisette Michele's upcoming Epiphany album. "What You Do" features Ne-Yo. Continuing on a Chrisette Michele tip, head over to Songs in the Key of Life [...]

Strictly Social was off the chain as usual last night. Excellent performances from Erik Rico and Kissey Asplund were just the beginning....an impromptu freestyle session featuring cameos from Jimi James and Babystone's Novena Carmel, and orchestrated by fantastic beat selections from DJ Anthony Valadez, was the highlight. Their birthday serenade to organizer and Nu-Soul founder Norman Mayers was also pretty sweet! I nabbed the following pics from Vala's blog - please head over there for more pics and his wrap-up of the event. Next month Strictly Social is hosting Lisa Shaw, so that's gonna be a must-see as [...]

Watching this video is like getting a big hug from your favorite person. Kacie Kinzer built a small but adorable robot, dubbed a ' tweenbot ' , capable of moving in just one direction, set him in one corner of NY's Central Park with a flag asking for help to get him to the other corner. Not sure whether he would make it to the other side intact, or whether he would become cardboard road kill, Kacie made the following video which demonstrates that we humans can actually be nice and helpful. At least to cute robots. Thanks to [...]

J Todd is another producer from the Frite Nite camp (home to B. Bravo ). He has a wicked way of making synths sound downright sexy, and when he meshes them with his funky, glitchy, satisfying beats, he creates a sound that hits all the right spots. "Luxxxurious", taken from his XOXO album, is a prime example of J Todd doing what he does best. Enjoy the track and then cop the album at MobileUndergroud . Listen to Luxxxurious: Download J Todd - Luxxxurious [...]

• J Todd - Luxxxurious

The wait is over! 100 limited edition 40" X 30" giclee prints signed and numbered by Erykah Badu and artist Steven Lopez are now available exclusively at: www.aftermidnightsoul.com Go claim yours now -these collectors' items are sure to be snatched up quickly. Part of the proceeds will be donated to Badu's non-profit, Beautiful Love Incorporated Non-Profit Development (B.L.I.N.D.), a charity organization she established to provide community-based programs for inner-city youth. Erykah Badu and Artist Steven Lopez collaborate for social change [...]

Tiye Phoenix used to be part of the Polyrhythm Addicts, who I lurrrved, so I'm definitely checking for her forthcoming solo release on Babygrande, May 26th. Check out her out on Myspace Babygrande is pleased to announce the signing of Tiye Phoenix, former Rawkus artist and member of the supergroup Polyrhythm Addicts, for her solo debut "Half Woman Half Amazin" due out on May 26th, 2009. Classically trained in Piano since she was seven years-old, Tiye Phoenix has always been musically, creatively and artistically inclined. [...]

Thanks to DJ Rahdu at BamaLoveSoul for this great podcast. Check out the tracklisting below and grab the download here 1. Lootpack - Crate Diggin' 2. Rapper Big Pooh - Rear View Mirror 3. Keelay & Zaire; Tunji - Addicts for Real 4. OlivierDaySoul - Brain 5. OlivierDaySoul - Breathe 6. Choklate - To Whom It May Concern 7. Q-Tip - We Fight/We Love 8. Black Milk - Dreams 9. Ab & Daru - A Work in Progress 10. PPP - Pigeonhole 11. [...]

Today I had the opportunity to get a preview of the Papershapers show opening in Culver City tomorrow. The artists were in the process of getting all their pieces together so this is just a wee taste of what will be on display. The show features unique works from Ana Serrano , Annie Vought , Brian Dettmet , Hunter Stabler , Peter Callesen , Polly Verity , Richard Sweeney , Mu Pan and Ryohei Tanaka . [...]

Here's what some of my blogging brethren have been talking about this week: Pinboard has got a bit of a Theophilus London fest going on. Grab a new track from the emo-soul man and check out his Vimby video here . And he's also got a nice unreleased Brandy track . Nu-Soul Mag has got an in-depth review of Finale's album "A Pipe Dream and A Promise" which by all accounts should be a solid hip-hop album. Soulbounce has [...]

Here's a soulful sampler courtesy of souldiscoveries.wordpress.com . With a healthy mix of familiar and up and coming names, you might unearth some soulful gems. Grab the download 01. Jeff Bradshaw – Guess You'll Never Know 02. Lizz Fields – Say The Word 03. Monique De Bose – Captivity 04. Myron – I Can't Deny 05. Abenaa – Rain 06. Eric Roberson – What I Gotta 07. Yolanda Johnson – Individual 08. Angie Stone – Take Everything In 09. Yewande – Satisfied 10. Raheem [...]

Scion has a great show opening this weekend at their Culver City gallery . Papershapers is curated by Giant Robot and features the paper craft of Shin Tanaka, Ana Serrano, Annie Vought, Brian Dettmer, Hunter Stabler, Peter Callesen, Polly Verity, Richard Sweeney, Mu Pan and Ryohei Tanaka. The opening reception takes place April 11, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at the Scion Installation L.A. Space, 3521 Helms Ave. (at National), Culver City, CA 90232. The show will run until May 2. Scion Presents: Papershapers Paper Art Series Preview from [...]

Strictly Social is hosting Erik Rico and Kissey Asplund next week - two of the brightest stars in progressive soul. Can't wait for this show. DJ Anthony Valadez is the guest DJ, along with residents Destroyer and Myxzlplix. There will be soulful drum n bass in the smaller room, courtesy of Jayvon and guests. Admission is $10 $5 before 10:30 with an RSVP to events@nu-soulmag.com with the subject Strictly Social April Purchase Presales HERE to guarantee entry Strictly Social Wednesday April 15, 2009 9pm-2am [...]

Quite Nyce & Raydar Ellis recently released an excellent indie hip-hop album Champs Vs. The League which you should definitely check out if you like Zion I, Kero One, Little Brother and other soulful hip-hop acts. Here's another track for your listening pleasure, "The Spirit". According to Raydar Ellis "The Spirit" is "a song about having enough self pride to go out there and better yourself and in turn the people around you. " For Quite Nyce, "The Spirit" means: "Exposing everything you have inside without hesitation to showcase the true. Many people wear [...]

• Quite Nyce & Radar Ellis - The Spirit

On Tuesday, April 7th, UK Soul Sensation, Omar will perform live at The Conga Room. The show starts at 9pm and will showcase KCRW's Garth Trinidad as host and DJ + DJ Kaleem closing out the night! After a five-year recording hiatus - during which time he's built his own studio, set up his own label and been touring like a madman – the one and only Omar is back. Sing [If You Want It] , released on Ether Records, the British soul supremo's sixth and [...]

The interweb is just too darned big for one wee blog to cover. So here's some interesting finds you'll no doubt enjoy, courtesy of my soulful blogging brethren. Nu-Soul Mag has a review of the awesome new Yellowtail album. SoulBounce has got some steamy shots from Maxwell's new project...which is up there with D'Angelo's allegedly forthcoming album as the most waited on, and possibly mythical soul album to come this decade. The Audio Diva has a limited-time only collection of rare gems from Janet Jackson . So grab 'em while you [...]

LA-based visual artist Steven Lopez is working with Erykah Badu on a unique collaboration to help raise money for her non-profit Beautiful Love Incorporated Non-Profit Development (B.L.I.N.D.), a charity organization she established to provide community-based programs for inner-city youth. 100 limited edition prints, signed by both Badu and Lopez will be sold via www.aftermidnightsoul.com from April 15th. Erykah Badu and Artist Steven Lopez collaborate for social change from Steven Lopez on Vimeo . Erykah Badu Featured in Limited Edition Print by Artist [...]

Thanks to the lovely EMusic I recently grabbed Lisa Shaw's brand new album "Free" and I'm pretty much in love with it. It's full of the soulful downtempo-y, housey goodness you would expect. Lisa Shaw does this better than anyone else so grab this album for a wonderful end-to-end listen. She has just released a video for the track "Tomorrow" which will probably draw Sade-comparisons. I don't necessarily think it's the strongest track on the album, but still good. Here's a bonus for you while I'm at it. Download [...]

• Lisa Shaw - Can You See Him

"Planets" is taken from Peter Hadar's Well Dressed For The Art Show album. Given Peter's unique style and futuristic spacefunk music, this quirky video is very fitting. And of course there's the added touch of model Selita Ebanks playing leading lady. Bookmark It [...]

The most soulful dude ever to come out of Denmark - Jonas has just announced his new album WAITT will be released in May: My new album "WAITT" will be released 25th of May 2009 through Playground Music Denmark, including a DVD documentary. 13 songs recorded live with a full band in the studio in just 3 days. The album is produced by long-time musical partner and keyboard player Daniel Fridell. He helped me arrange everything on the spot, as the involved musicians were only introduced to the songs when we started the recording session! The [...]