The HighLife

Experience.  "If you have it you don't need it.  If you need it you don't have it...  You need it to get it, and you certainly need it to get more of it... you can't fake it... the point is, if you've never had any of it. Ever.  People just seem to know."* 
Kon (Boston) & Amir (NYC) are known around the most knowledgeable music circles as the "kings of crate digging", and the moniker certainly stands true.  I don't think they've ever played a bad set.  Ever!  Out now through BBE Music is their latest work, Off Track Vol III: Brooklyn.  Do yourself a favor and get a copy (HERE).  From classic soul, to disco, to afrobeat, and rare everything in between; anything they put out is a lesson in music, taste, and class.  Listen to Strong Love (Kon) and Brasil (Amir), you'll see.  These are true individuals with a collective sense of truth.  The truth that lies between the grooves of the wax disc. And as the saying goes, "the truth shall set you free."  Get loose and give respect where it's due.

Off Track Vol. III Preview

Brasil


Strong Love
++Download



*Bruce Campbell

Nneka - Heartbeat

Flavorheard Radio Vol. 5 - Whiskey Barons Edition
Enjoy!

It's starting to feel like we're really beginning to thaw out of the winter; so to celebrate the sunshine we're having today, here's some of what i like to call "Music for a Sunny Day"

Happy Friday!!!

Here a shot of java to get you through the rest of your Monday.  Best version of this song of all time...


Osibisa - The Coffee Song

Jammin' since before jammin' been jammin'! A masters course in sustained groove.  This is how you change your world.  It's not the song, the message.  Live from 1983, a very good year i might add, this is...


Fela Kuti - M.O.P. (Movement of the People)

It's Friday again people!  Hope your week has been awesome.  It's been an African kind of week for me.  I've been dropping highlife and afrobeat tracks all week, and today we'll be concluding the series with a diverse set of tracks that truly hit at the essence of the genres.  Relax, drop your inhibitions, pick up your feet, and dance like you're the only one in the room.  This is Afrobeat.  Welcome to The Jumpoff!

And i'm spent!  That'll it do it for now.  Hope you've enjoyed the selections.  Until next time, be easy.
Afolabi

p.s. Flavorheard w/ Certified Max  of Certified Bananas @ Middlesex Lounge  tonight.  Do it!

One day til the weekend and please believe i'm so ready for it.  My Pitt Panthers will be taking the floor soon, and i just had to drop this edition as a herald of future success.  Welcome to The Jumpoff!

A-Side
We looked at music from Femi Kuti yesterday, and continuing the trend we've got music from his younger brother today.  I've mentioned this guy a bunch already on this site, search his name on here and you'll find it.  Regardless, this is the future of afrobeat.  Seun Kuti - Don't bring that shit to me, Mosquito Song


B-Side
We go back to Ghana for the second track of the day.  This is another artist i've never really heard of before, but i really like this song.  Ebo Taylor - Atwer Abroba


That's it for today.  It's almost the weekend! Until next time, be easy.
Afolabi

Hello again.  Nothing witty to say.  Straight to the afrobeat we go.  Welcome to The Jumpoff!

A-Side
As we work our way down the seniority chain, we find ourselves at the first offspring of afrobeat.  His father created the sound, and he's done a lot to carry the sound into halls that typically wouldn't have it.  Unlike his father's strictly pan-African view of music, and the world, he's branched out into many other genres and worked with artists spanning many tongues, cultures, and countries.  I've also seen he and his band, The Positive Force, performing live.  And i'll tell you this much, i left drenched in my own effort, but what sweet effort it was.  Femi Kuti - Live for Today/ No Shame


B-Side
Highlife music is a very West African genre.  The Gold Coast, also known as Ghana, does highlife, and they do it very well.  It could be argued that highlife made it's way over from Ghana into Nigeria, which eventually led to the birth of afrobeat.  But we're not here for that.  This is a Ghanaian band from the highlife era i assume, origin unknown to me, that has a really nice sound with a really poignant message.  The Third Generation Band - Because of Money


And on it goes.  Keep on keeping on.  Until next time, be easy.
Afolabi