The HighLife

For those unaware of the rare quality of funk and soul in and around New England, it might be partly because you've never heard the Galactic Fractures radio show.  It's hosted by PJ Gray and broadcast Sundays 2-4pm on WMFO 91.5FM .  Whether it's PJ spinning or one of the several amazing DJ's to have graced the decks at WMFO, the quality speaks for itself.  So do the archives, dating back to 2001.  The Galactic Fractures website might be exactly what your music library is lacking.  I'll jumpoff with two sick shows from the archive. The rest is in your hands. Start digging....

DJ Claude Money - 07/03/07

DJ Bogart - 09/30/07

...a new night of downtempo beats and chilled dance vibes with DJs EROK and Properly Chilled...spinning downtempo, hip hop, chill house, funk, soul, dub, reggae, nu-jazz and world beats for your listening and grooving pleasure from 9:30 PM to 1 AM.

 

Join the party:

The Upside @ Enormous Room w/ DJs EROK and Properly Chilled

Tuesday, Jan. 19
21+UP
NO COVER --- FREE!!!
9:30 PM - 1 AM

http://www.enormous.tv
http://downbeatscape.blogspot.com
http://www.properlychilled.com

Are you sitting comfortably?  Now let's begin.  Or more so, close out 2009.  It's seems that everyone is really eager to throw out 2009 with the bath water.  I personally beg to differ.  A common malady of our current web 2.0 generation is ridiculously short memory spans, and if some of us were to actually consider the entirety of '09 we'd find something to cheer about.  So here's my thanks to 09.  The year that connected all of us much closer than we are even yet to realize; giving way to the rise of social media, unreal NYC all night dance parties, the disco ball at Santos party House, pastel colored sunglasses, the most ridiculous Bonnaroo ever, Pretty Lights, Phish coming back, the most amazing concert i've ever been to with The Roots and Antibalas @ the Red Bull Soundclash, rocking out underneath the McGrath Bridge, free Chester French and Wale concert in Harvard Square, Jesse Dee, The Bodega Girls, Show Dem Camp, Blackjoy, Shepard Fairey at the ICA, dance parties at the ICA... i could keep going but it'd take too long.  So if you're of the opinion that this year wasn't that great, you probably weren't trying hard enough. 





As we proceed into the new year, the Highlife crew would like to thank you all for your support.  This enterprise has been a leap of faith from the beginning, and it wouldn't be possible without all of you out there.  The scary thing about leaps of faith is that you don't how or if you'll land.  But you have to jump anyway.  That said, our resolution for 2010 is to make the impossible possible.  Keep watching this space.

Jumpoff On Point 2009


Happy New Year!!!

Mr. Mayer is back with a new album, out today everywhere, and it's called Battle Studies.  I won't spend much time talking about him because he's been the subject of a few posts on this site already.  I will say though, you should probably watch these videos.  All these songs are on the new album.  The first is the lead single, Who Says.  I personally dig this video cos i feel like i've been there.  No, i know i've been there.  The second is called Heartbreak Warfare, and it's the first augmented reality music video ever made.  The third is a Robert Johnson cover called Crossroads, but the video is a live performance featuring Eric Clapton with the man of the hour, John Mayer.  And that's it,  go get yourself a copy.

I heard some lyrics recently that really caught my attention.  It went like, "nobody hikes up my skirt like you do...", and that was pretty much all that was needed.  I had to know which lady was classy enough to be so honest with her songwriting.  Fortunately it didn't take too long to find the sultry Alaskan who got her start singing in church, eventually moving to LA in 2004, and debuted with 2005's Fate is the Hunter.   Her latest work is the self-titled Kate Earl, and honestly it's hard to be mad at anything listening to the album.  So if you've got things to work out, this is definitely your remedy.  Enjoy!

I don't know how many truly sunshiny days we'll have left before the sun decides it only wants to do half of its job for the next 5 months, and since i can still hear birds chirping it seemed like a good day to break you off with some Zach Deputy.  He a South Carolina native that makes his way around these parts quite often.  His music is never down or sullen, surprisingly soulful, deeply funky, and just downright fun.  He's a one man band (a la Keller Williams), but you forget that once the music gets going. 

He played at the Wormtown sidestage off Shakedown Street at Bonnaroo this year, and i was literally drawn, like a moth to a flame, to the sound.  Phish had their glowstick war, he had the haystack hoedown.  Straight up ridiculousness! And trust me, that hay was not pristine.  There's a video of the Saturday latenight hoedown that i found.  Everyone in it is getting down, except that it's 6:30 am.  There was another dance party further up Shakedown that morning, and if i hadn't already been in one hoedown earlier in the night/morning you might have seen a dude attached to a gigantic 3ft in diameter pink balloon tied to a 20ft string bouncing along to the music in the back of the crowd.   True story.  Anyhoo, check out more of his music. We'll definitely keep you posted about upcoming shows.  It's an awesome live experience.  He's a pretty chill dude too... Here's to sunshine.  This is Zach Deputy (Sunshine, She Say, Haystack Hoedown)

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen! It's been a bit.  I haven't really been on top of writing lately, as i'm sure some might have noticed.  I promise it's all been for good reason.  We're a year old now at The Highlife, and i thought i'd thank all of you out there livin' the highlife with a Jumpoff.  We're only just getting started people, and it seemed fitting to kick it old school to give you a glimpse of things to come on The Highlife.  Take for example, the image you're looking at right now.  Created by one of Boston's finest artists, Dan Szymanowski. You may not know him yet; that'll change.  But like i said, this is only just a preview. Welcome to The Jumpoff!



A-Side
This British house duo has been making me dance since high school, but i kinda eased off their sound once college hit.  Which would explain why i'd gone relatively unaware of their 2003 release, Kish Kash, for quite a while. Nevertheless, it made its way into my ears, and now it will make its way into yours. The juicy cuts at least. This is Basement Jaxx.



B-Side
Sometime last year i put up a post with the Entourage Season 5 closing credits soundtrack.  They're not killin' it so much this year; the show's still good though.  But the song from last week was absolutely solid. They dug deep to find an unreleased gem from the catalog of a music legend; I have nothing more to add... Marvin Gaye - Piece of Clay



And that'll do it for today.  I can't say when next i'll be posting, but it'll be sooner rather than later.  Live, love, be the highlife.  Stay cool.  Until next time, be easy.
-Afolabi

Flavorheard Radio Vol. 5 - Whiskey Barons Edition
Enjoy!

Raw unadulterated intensity.  Take those words individually or collectively, that's Teddy Pendergrass.  A lot of people don't know about this man or his music, partly because of a 1982 car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down, and that is unfortunate.  I read some recent reports from Philadelphia that said he was ill, and it got me inspired to show the man, and his talent at the height of his reign.  Here are clips from his legendary 1979 live concert, and from a 1981 concert before his accident.  They really give you a glimpse into the kind of magnetism that he had, especially on those of the fairer sex.  Look around the crowds, you'll see what i mean.  His band is as tight as any other band from the era, his backup vocalists bring their own individual brands of attitude to the stage (they might be my favorite part of his band), while he channels all that energy into a tour-de-force of funk, soul, and r&b.  Seriously, watch the clips, he is on point from the get. A lot of r&b singers today wish they had half as much soul as this man.  Though he may go by other monikers and nicknames,  his fans simply know him as Teddy.

Necessary viewing. Official video for Mayer Hawthorne & The County, "Just ain't gonna work out." Awesome video concept.   Plus, a barbershop quartet video. and another track, "I wish it would rain", from his album.