Prince sure knows how to draw out the anticipation, doesn't he?
The line-up will include:
Janelle Monae
Esperanza Spalding
Maceo Parker
Leelah James
Cassandra Wilson
...and MORE!
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Monday, October 18, 2010
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Dang. Whip it.
I tell ya, boy, Big and Little are building an empire.
A colleague and friend of mine shared this song with me yesterday. Upon first listen I thought the repetition would give me a headache, but I listened a second time. The production is crisp, the vocals are promising and the content is age appropriate (even if the delivery of a few lines is SUS). Then, the pop kiss-of-death: a few hours later the song was in my head. And the longer it stayed in my head, the more I wanted to dance to it.
A colleague and friend of mine shared this song with me yesterday. Upon first listen I thought the repetition would give me a headache, but I listened a second time. The production is crisp, the vocals are promising and the content is age appropriate (even if the delivery of a few lines is SUS). Then, the pop kiss-of-death: a few hours later the song was in my head. And the longer it stayed in my head, the more I wanted to dance to it.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Blip
"Communication"
facebook just told me
to reconnect with you.
but what do they know?
This is a nice supplement:
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Just Swell (Thank you.)
Things are going well. Yes, it's been a while. Yes, I mentioned a birthday post and have yet to make good on that. Yes, I'm working on a series with a co-author for this blog. Yes, I start classes next week. Yes, work is very, very busy. Yes, we are currently fasting (Ramadan Mubarak!) Yes, yes, yes...
I am busy and blessed, but eustress is STILL stress, is it not? So when I need a minute--nay! a few minutes--just to keep it light or take the edge off, I can always watch this bit. It makes me grin every single time, without fail.
Hope everything is just swell with you, too.
I am busy and blessed, but eustress is STILL stress, is it not? So when I need a minute--nay! a few minutes--just to keep it light or take the edge off, I can always watch this bit. It makes me grin every single time, without fail.
Hope everything is just swell with you, too.
Monday, July 19, 2010
A place called this exists...
I don't want to introduce this as "Music Mondays" because as soon as I brand something or trump it up, I'll slack off. (Remember "Twenty-Something Tuesdays/Thursdays"?--exactly.) So lets just say that it happens to be Monday, and I happen to have this song on my mind that I want to share. That's all.
HomeBoy introduced me to this emcee, L'Roneous, hailing from northern Cali--the bay area I believe. When we first started talking (not talking-talking, just talking), we met at this coffee shop in downtown JC where he taught me the basics of chess. Then we went to a diner for a quick bite, and he dropped me off at home. Before I got out of the car, we sat in the jeep and listened to this song in total silence. Why talk? We just enjoyed the music and the company. This song stirs a plethora of memories for me, but even if it didn't I couldn't deny how fresh it is. Hope you enjoy.
"A Place Called This"
HomeBoy introduced me to this emcee, L'Roneous, hailing from northern Cali--the bay area I believe. When we first started talking (not talking-talking, just talking), we met at this coffee shop in downtown JC where he taught me the basics of chess. Then we went to a diner for a quick bite, and he dropped me off at home. Before I got out of the car, we sat in the jeep and listened to this song in total silence. Why talk? We just enjoyed the music and the company. This song stirs a plethora of memories for me, but even if it didn't I couldn't deny how fresh it is. Hope you enjoy.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Monday, February 01, 2010
Grammys: High Notes, Low Notes
Yes, this is another awards show post.
I didn't even intend to watch the Grammy's. I did't know they were airing this weekend until a coworker hipped me to it on Friday before I left work. Generally, I'm into the TV and film awards more than those for music, but I decided to check it out. Not that what I think has any baring, but here are my personal high and low notes for the 52th Annual Grammy Awards:
High Note: Lady Gaga and Elton John opening the show. Loved it.
Low Note: Lady Gaga not receiving album of the year.
High Note: Pink’s performance.
Low Note: Anybody sitting underneath Pink’s wet n’ wild extravaganza.
High Note: “Earth Song” tribute. I love that song, and I think it actually made me fist pump like a champ.
Low Note: This wasn’t so much a low note as a rest or refrain. Beyoncé’s performance was solid but derivative. Why do I feel like I’ve seen in before? Because I have; talk about déjà vu.
High Note: Tarantino calling Em and Wayne “glorious bastards”.
Low Note: Well, everything else Tarantino said.
High Note: “21 Guns” performance with the Broadway cast = awesome
Low Note: Taylor Swift’s performance. Having Stevie Knicks was cool, but Miss Swift was off key and out of breath most of the time.
High Note: Bon Jovi. No fist pumping here, though it would have been appropriate, no?
Low Note: The sound kept crapping out during the Drake/Wayne/Em performance. Did the sound techs go home, or was that just my TV?
High Note: Maxwell – and with Roberta Flack, no less!
High, High Note: Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli. It was beautiful, and Mary holds her own with anybody. That’s diva.
What's with me and the lists? Good grief, Teresa, would it kill you to writing in cohesive, thoughtful paragraphs once in a while?
I didn't even intend to watch the Grammy's. I did't know they were airing this weekend until a coworker hipped me to it on Friday before I left work. Generally, I'm into the TV and film awards more than those for music, but I decided to check it out. Not that what I think has any baring, but here are my personal high and low notes for the 52th Annual Grammy Awards:
High Note: Lady Gaga and Elton John opening the show. Loved it.
Low Note: Lady Gaga not receiving album of the year.
High Note: Pink’s performance.
Low Note: Anybody sitting underneath Pink’s wet n’ wild extravaganza.
High Note: “Earth Song” tribute. I love that song, and I think it actually made me fist pump like a champ.
Low Note: This wasn’t so much a low note as a rest or refrain. Beyoncé’s performance was solid but derivative. Why do I feel like I’ve seen in before? Because I have; talk about déjà vu.
High Note: Tarantino calling Em and Wayne “glorious bastards”.
Low Note: Well, everything else Tarantino said.
High Note: “21 Guns” performance with the Broadway cast = awesome
Low Note: Taylor Swift’s performance. Having Stevie Knicks was cool, but Miss Swift was off key and out of breath most of the time.
High Note: Bon Jovi. No fist pumping here, though it would have been appropriate, no?
Low Note: The sound kept crapping out during the Drake/Wayne/Em performance. Did the sound techs go home, or was that just my TV?
High Note: Maxwell – and with Roberta Flack, no less!
High, High Note: Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli. It was beautiful, and Mary holds her own with anybody. That’s diva.
What's with me and the lists? Good grief, Teresa, would it kill you to writing in cohesive, thoughtful paragraphs once in a while?
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
One girl's New Moon is another girl's New Edition
Ah, boy bands. Is there anything more wonderfully corny and tweenaged? I’ve had my share of fixations with these well groomed groups of “Tiger Beat cover boys”, to steal a phrase from Ocean’s Eleven. Their melodramatic lyrics and polished choreography have haunted the dreams of PTYs long before NSync/Backstreet Boys. (I always confused them, sorry.) Here are some of the groups I think of, when I hear “boy bands”…though none of them really play instruments – that’s curious. This is by no means an exhaustive list, as there are many groups that came before and many more who will surely come after, but I have a soft spot in my heart for these fellas:
Oh Ronny, Bobby, Johnny, Ricky, Mike and Ralph. (I know Johnny came much later, but that sequence sounds best.) These guys were equally coveted as boys and men. We LOVED New Edition in my house – from “Cool It Now” to “Can You Stand the Rain”. How serious was it? Well, when “Can You Stand the Rain” came on Video Soul, we sang the song in 5 part harmony. There were 4 of us at the time.
More near and dear to the hearts of me and my sister were The Boys, ABC (Another Bad Creation) and ultimately Immature. Don’t judge. “Dial My Heart” and “A Little Romance” are the sweetest songs – even today. So lovey-dovey and yet so age appropriate; I appreciate the latter more in hindsight. My crush was the lead singer. He was the second oldest brother; I was the second oldest sister – we were kismet.
ABC was a little more street, but no less cute – and again with the age appropriate lyrics. “At the Playground” and “Iesha” were their biggest hits, and every girl with a 3-syllable name that ended in “A” was happy to put herself in the song. (“Te-res-a! You are the girl that never had, and I want to get to know you better…”) After all, what good are boy bands, if you can’t convince yourself that they’re singing to you?
As mature, junior high school students of a certain age, we discovered Immature upon seeing them in House Party 3, though the group had released an debut album by then. The 90’s trio was so inappropriate. Their first hits (to me, anyway, since my personal catalogue begins with album #2), “Constantly” and “I Will Never Lie”, were chock-full-o teenaged melodrama. That was fine, but the bird chest of a shirtless Marcus Houston was a bit over the top. (That’s right, Marcus. Some of us remember). But they were cute, and not so grown up as Jodeci or Genuine, so we listened. We listened all the way to “We Got It”. (And man, did they.)
In occasional fits of frenzied nostalgia, I go to YouTube and listen to all of them - never fails to put a smile on my face. Not as innocent as Jackson5 but less pornographic than…well, most recent stuff (I’m looking at you, B2K and Pretty Ricky), these R&B boys struck a happy medium with the little ladies and the Powers-That-Be who bought the CDs and posters and concert tickets. Being an ex-tweenager who may one day find herself buying such posters and concert tickets, I really appreciate the happy medium. And the happy memories.
Honorable mentions: Soul For Real, Mystic, 112...and the list goes on
Oh Ronny, Bobby, Johnny, Ricky, Mike and Ralph. (I know Johnny came much later, but that sequence sounds best.) These guys were equally coveted as boys and men. We LOVED New Edition in my house – from “Cool It Now” to “Can You Stand the Rain”. How serious was it? Well, when “Can You Stand the Rain” came on Video Soul, we sang the song in 5 part harmony. There were 4 of us at the time.
More near and dear to the hearts of me and my sister were The Boys, ABC (Another Bad Creation) and ultimately Immature. Don’t judge. “Dial My Heart” and “A Little Romance” are the sweetest songs – even today. So lovey-dovey and yet so age appropriate; I appreciate the latter more in hindsight. My crush was the lead singer. He was the second oldest brother; I was the second oldest sister – we were kismet.
ABC was a little more street, but no less cute – and again with the age appropriate lyrics. “At the Playground” and “Iesha” were their biggest hits, and every girl with a 3-syllable name that ended in “A” was happy to put herself in the song. (“Te-res-a! You are the girl that never had, and I want to get to know you better…”) After all, what good are boy bands, if you can’t convince yourself that they’re singing to you?
As mature, junior high school students of a certain age, we discovered Immature upon seeing them in House Party 3, though the group had released an debut album by then. The 90’s trio was so inappropriate. Their first hits (to me, anyway, since my personal catalogue begins with album #2), “Constantly” and “I Will Never Lie”, were chock-full-o teenaged melodrama. That was fine, but the bird chest of a shirtless Marcus Houston was a bit over the top. (That’s right, Marcus. Some of us remember). But they were cute, and not so grown up as Jodeci or Genuine, so we listened. We listened all the way to “We Got It”. (And man, did they.)In occasional fits of frenzied nostalgia, I go to YouTube and listen to all of them - never fails to put a smile on my face. Not as innocent as Jackson5 but less pornographic than…well, most recent stuff (I’m looking at you, B2K and Pretty Ricky), these R&B boys struck a happy medium with the little ladies and the Powers-That-Be who bought the CDs and posters and concert tickets. Being an ex-tweenager who may one day find herself buying such posters and concert tickets, I really appreciate the happy medium. And the happy memories.
Honorable mentions: Soul For Real, Mystic, 112...and the list goes on
Friday, September 25, 2009
Addendum
(i know i'm not writing a bunch, but these aren't throw-away posts.)
After reading Cowgirl's comment, I started thinking about the familiar.
Have you ever heard or saw something for the first time, but you still recognized it somehow? That happens to me from time to time. I remember experiences I've never had - long for a time (past, future) that I can't really lay claim to.
For the song "Summertime" (see last post), Jazzy Jeff sampled this gem from Kool & the Gang. It makes me nostalgic for something, but I don't know what. Maybe I have hidden memories? Maybe I've been here before...
You can't tell me this doesn't feel delicious on the eardrums.
(Well, you could, but I wouldn't believe you.)
Take a listen and mellow out. Happy Friday.
After reading Cowgirl's comment, I started thinking about the familiar.
Have you ever heard or saw something for the first time, but you still recognized it somehow? That happens to me from time to time. I remember experiences I've never had - long for a time (past, future) that I can't really lay claim to.
For the song "Summertime" (see last post), Jazzy Jeff sampled this gem from Kool & the Gang. It makes me nostalgic for something, but I don't know what. Maybe I have hidden memories? Maybe I've been here before...
You can't tell me this doesn't feel delicious on the eardrums.
(Well, you could, but I wouldn't believe you.)
Take a listen and mellow out. Happy Friday.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Once more for the road
So long, Summer. It was pretty touch-and-go for a minute there anyway, huh? I figure this is a proper send off, and any excuse to play the feel-good classic by DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince is fine by me.
Until next time...
Until next time...
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
calling all positivity!
it's a new dawn. it's a new day, and a new life for me...and i'm feeling good! (shout out to maisha) . maybe it's being "done" with course work or the warm weather, but i feel like good things are about to happen - granted good things are always happening, we are just too self-absorbed to see it sometimes, so maybe the better question is where have i been? i'm excited about life, student loans and all (woah there, rese, don't get overzealous). i do not desire to become so indoctrinated into the grown-up world that i cease to believe in the magical, in the innocence, in the wonder that is God all around. i want to feel all of life, pain and pleasure - balance is the thing. i wrote this poem for one of my special sunshine sisters, and i hope to live it to the fullest of my being:
poet
intelligent, sensitive
observing, understanding, creating
sees the beautiful
decypherer
thank you, Creator for the days when i feel you most. this is one of those days. may i "release the good" on everyone i encounter.
peace, tmL
poet
intelligent, sensitive
observing, understanding, creating
sees the beautiful
decypherer
thank you, Creator for the days when i feel you most. this is one of those days. may i "release the good" on everyone i encounter.
peace, tmL
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