CAbP (LIVE) + AfroFusion w/ DJ Dee Money: 5.21.11

UPR!SE RETURNS PARTY PEOPLE! The Shrine signature quarterly hits harder with an extra edition Saturday, May 21.

People get ready! A riot is goin' down next Saturday night as The Shrine welcomes Chicago Afrobeat Project back to the stage. The ten piece afrobeat/soul/jazz/hip hop monster continues its spring/summer rampage with the second of three shows. Fela to the funk indeed, CAbP bring massive heat to the stage with fiery solos all around and a packed stage including dancers and even live painting... The party goes all night with AfroFusion kicking out the jamz after the show. DJ Dee Money spins naija jams, reggae, afrobeat, hip hop and more until 3am. Dancin' time for dancers!

Doors 8pm/Show starts 9 sharp/Dance 'til 3am!

RARE AFRICAN RECORD COVERS

Here's another batch of great African records that we're wishing to run into sometime while crate diggin'. We've listened to them on-line and were blown away. But, for all of us record geeks; there's nothing like having the real thing. Enjoy the view.

DISC 'O' LYPSO

Originally released in 2003 and re-issued by the folks at Trans Air Records (San Juan, Puerto Rico), this collection of tropical disco, rare caribbean dancefloor shakers and seventies soulful grooves comes as a great addition to all those crate diggers looking for deep island dusties. Tracks include Tappa Zukie's "Freak(1)," Gerald PJ Browne's "Sexy Lady(2)" (as edited on the recent Guynamukat 12"), Casual T's "Hands Off(3)," Mucho Plus' burnin' hot "Nassau's Disco(4)," Star Beams' "Disco Stomp(5)," El Cid's "NY to Georgetown(6)," Billie Cole's "Extra Carefully(7)," and Oluko Umo's "Praise Jah(8)." Sail on, sail on!

UPR!SE: NUFF SAID

AFRO BEAT AIRWAYS (GHANA & TOGO 1972-1979)

Another great release from our friend Samy Ben Redjeb, founder and musical guru of Analog Africa from Frankfurt, Germany. Samy DJ'ed here in Chicago in 2008 with the crew from Afrodesia at Sonotheque for the World Music Festival. Samy had just released the 'Africa Scream' compilation and he brought with him a crate of rare 45s from Africa and South America that I've never had seen before and proceeded to pack the dance floor.

This time he's releasing a group of ultra-rare tracks of raw West African funk from the legendary label, Essiebons Records of Accra. Being the ultimate musicologist, Samy documented this hidden aspect of African music through numerous interviews with the surviving artists still around like Ebo Taylor, Nana Ampedu (founder of the mighty African Brothers Band), Issac Yeboah (lead singer of Vis-a-Vis, one of Ghana´s most impressive bands), Gyedu-Blay Ambolley (the personification of Ghanaian Afro-funk), saxophonist Ray Allen and Chester Adams (lead singer of the Uppers International).

So strap on your seatbelt for takeoff on a musical voyage on Afro-Beat Airways toward destinations previously unknown.

A NEW PARTY PARADIGM: FreeVerse ForeRun

Hosted by Discopoet Khari B with DJ Marbll

followed by . . .

UPR!SE - REVOLUTIONARY SOUNDS FROM FELA TO THE FUNK

Featuring DJS Tone B Nimble & King Scratch (aka Joe Bryl)

Every Wednesday starting Weds. Sept. 1 - 6pm - 2am No Cover

The Shrine - 2109 S. Wabash - Chicago, Il. 60616 - 312.753.5700

Spoken Word joins the celebration of Afrobeat, Funk & House

CHICAGO (August 27, 2010) – Chicago has never had a shortage of open-mics since the days a little notorious spot called Spices closed its doors in ‘93 and launched her children out to all corners to create new houses of expression and words of inspiration. Those very same children have gone on to create movies, albums, books, and further generations of artists in and beyond the Chicagoland borders. Wednesday, September 1st marks the birth of yet another baby. The Shrine in conjunction with Discopoetry Arts & Edutainment present “FreeVerse ForeRun/UPR!SE: Revolutionary Sounds,” a beautiful, high powered blend of music, open-mic, and masterfully conducted good times.

Discopoet Khari B., infamously energetic poet and frontman for the Spoken Word Funk/Rock band, “the Rockstar Poetry Project” mans the bow of this ship, returning as a weekly host for the first time in four years. Adding an innovative dimension to the word, he is joined by DJ Marbll, recently returned from NY as a highly respected producer/drummer, with his unique ability to dig into a record crate and pull out just the right cut to accompany a poem. Together this super team intends to attract back audiences that have grown weary with so many open-mics, shape a new experience for both old and new crowds and create a fresh new platform to foster the creativity of Chicago’s imaginative artists all within the bold yet sensuously comfortable accommodations of the Shrine.

As the name alludes, FreeVerse ForeRun is but the beginning of the night. After achieving a mentally satisfying meal of word and music stay as creator Joe Bryl aka DJ King Scratch and the renowned Tone B. Nimble bring you an international flavored sounds rooted in Afrobeat from Fela to James Brown and some of the funkiest stuff around to move your soul, your mind and behinds! The aim is to offer an all-encompassing entertaining evening for an audience to express and enjoy themselves in a myriad of ways. From the eye-catching video presentations on the wall to the spirit-inducing drinks at the bar, this is THEE night to assist one thru their midweek hump.

FreeVerse ForeRun/UPR!SE: Revolutionary Sounds opens its doors at 6:00pm at the Shrine, 2109 S. Wabash in Chicago’s South Loop area. The open-mic begins promptly at 7:00 with sign-up closed at 8:00 or until list is full. The poetry rolls until 10:00pm whereupon patrons should be motivated and charged up enough to continue their evening with dancing until 2:00am with UPR!SE. This incomparable evening is guaranteed to send you home with a song in your heart and smile on your face.

HEARTS OF DARKNESS

Every city in the States is seemingly getting on the Fela train; and now we have a new release from Kansas City's own Hearts of Darkness. Originally starting off as a local band doing covers of Fela material, Hearts of Darkness has expanded to a crew of 17 members and recorded their first self-titled cd of original material. Utilizing an explosive horn section, Hearts of Darkness connect the funky tight rhythms of American bands like the J.B.s with the pulsating textures of Afrobeat.

OSAKA MONAURAIL FUNKS UP JAPAN

Since 1992 and continuing till today Japan's Osaka Monaurail hits hard with their James Brown inspired funk and soul. It's The JBs Monorail with tight horn arrangements and blistering dance moves!

THERE'S A RIOT GOIN' ON...

...every Wednesday night! On the dance floor, people.

HEARTS OF DARKNESS

Killer funk with a definite Afro style – a wonderful big band from the KC scene, and just about the freshest thing we've heard to come out of that city in a long long time! The grooves are super-tight, but never uptight – and although things start in Fela-type territory, they quickly stretch out to embrace a range of funky modes – using some especially sharp horn charts to carve out some rich new territory, and mixing in these great funky moments at the bottom of the rhythms! Vocals are by a few different singers, which further keeps things fresh – and you can definitely rank these guys right up there with the best of the contemporary Afro Funk scene! Titles include "Terror Flu", "Distress Call", "Step First Look Last", "Space Age", "Debt On Me", and "Unplug Yourself". (LP version comes with a free digital album download coupon.
FROM DUSTYGROOVE.COM

ORCHESTRE POLY-RYTHMO DE COTONOU LIVE 07/15/10

Benin-based Orchestra Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou played their Chicago debut at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion for the Music Without Borders series on Thursday, July 15. They headlined the show with Columbia's salsa-charged La 33. Their current two releases on Analog Africa (originally on Benin's No.1 label - Albarika Store) trace the development of the band and its seamless incorporation of Vodoun Rhythms to Funk, Salsa and Afro-beat.

VINTAGE FOOTAGE OF THE BAND PERFORMING IN THE 1970s - via
ANALOG AFRICA

The Meters Are The Funk!

New Orleans funk masters The Meters bringing the heat on a rare TV appearance from 1974.

LOST & FOUND PHOTOS (BACK IN THE DAY!)

One of the cool benefits of digging for records is all the other stuff you find along the way. DC digger and Som Records owner, Neal Becton has unearthed some truly amazing photos (not to mention records) in his years as an urban archeologist. Snapshots of house parties, family gatherings, hi-fi set-ups and more give an intimate glimpse into the lives of everyday people. Gotta' love the photo of soul sister Betty Davis performing live in the gymnasium!













IN D.C.? STOP BY SOM RECORDS!!!!!

THE WORLD ENDS: Afro Rock & Psychedelia in 1970s Nigeria

The World Ends is the latest title from Soundway Records showcasing a wave of guitar driven and psychedelic groups that sprung up in Nigeria during the early 1970s. Featuring 32 electrifying and funk laden grooves, this is the sound of a generation attempting to pick up the pieces after the devastation of the Nigerian civil war.

Spread over 2 CDs and 2 triple gatefold LPs, this bumper collection is brimming with youthful exuberance, fuzzed out guitar and cosmic organ vibes and owes much to the psychedelic sounds of Jim Morrison, Santana, Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and James Brown.

As the summer of love was blossoming in London and San Francisco, Nigeria was imploding into civil war. Also known as the Biafran war of 1967, it was a grisly conflict taking over three million lives yet at the same time as the country was being pulled apart there was a new world beginning. The tracks featured represent a forgotten chapter in Nigeria’s musical history when the youth threw their varied morsels into the pot from hard rock to psychedelic soul when guitars were cherished instruments, symbolic of a new movement, when highlife and Afrobeat played second fiddle to ‘the beat’. FROM SOUNDWAY RECORDS SITE: SEE MORE

KANAVAL IN HAITI!

Imagery from the streets of Haiti in an eye popping book by Soul Jazz – documenting the elements of revolutionary commentary literally masqueraded in the Kanaval in Jacmel, Haiti! It features the amazing photography and oral histories by Lean Gordon – plus essays by Richard Fleming, Donald Cosentino, Katherine M Smith, Myron M Beaseley, Madison Smartt Bell. It's pretty amazing stuff – plunging well below the surface of the Haitian carnival culture – with oral histories provided by participants and those documented. The visual imagery is stunning and a few words from us won't do it justice, you should really pick this up! 160 pages. LIFTEED FROM/AVAILABLE at dustygroove.com

UPR!SE: AFROBEAT MEETS THE FUNK FOR THE BEST PARTY IN CHICAGO!

Dig Afrobeat? Of course you do! Love the funk?! Hell yeah! Well, UPR!SE is the party for you and it goes down each and every week at The Shrine. UPR!SE: Revolutionary Sounds - Fela To The Funk is our weekly dance party dedicated to the musical cross pollination between Afrobeat, Funk and many other genres of music...

Africa is the root. Whenever one explores the numerous branches and tributaries of music, one is always brought back to the initial driving source which is Africa, the motherland of everything ranging from jazz, soul, funk, R&B, disco, house, Brazilian, Latin, rock and reggae. These musical vibrations continue to resonate, evolve and mutate; each drawing on one another to create an ongoing organic tapestry of rhythmic variation and pollination.

DJs Tone B. Nimble and Joe Bryl take you on that journey every week, digging deep into the crates to bring serious heat to the dancers! FM Supreme hosts.

THE KING MEETS THE PRESIDENT IN AFRICA; MJ + FELA + RICH MEDINA

Last Wednesday at RESPECT, DJ Leonard Part Sixx dropped a real nice Fela and Michael Jackson mash-up via Rich Medina. Seems Medina just dropped a whole mixtape, too. More info and the download are right here!

FELA BIO BACK IN PRINT!

First published in French and then in English back in 1982, this recently re-issued authorized biography of the late great Fela Anikulapo Kuti by Carlos Moore IS FINALLY BACK IN PRINT!

A biography of Fela based many hours of first-hand conversation with the Afrobeat superstar and firebrand political presence -- written by Carlos Moore and featuring a forward by Gilberto Gil! It's an authorized biography of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti -- the fearless international musical figure whose legend has only increased since his passing and rightly so -- and it's essentially told in his own voice! Paperback, 290 pages. Available at Dusty Groove.

TINARIWEN LIVE IN CHICAGO 06/17/10

Hailing from northern Mali, Tinariwen played their blistering blues-styled Arabic music on Thursday June 6 at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion for the 'Music Without Borders' series. Showcasing their guitar-driven in the style known as assouf; Tinariwen set the mood for the upcoming Blues Festival in Chicago.






CHECK OUT THE PROMO VIDEO FOR THEIR NEW ALBUM.