September is Gospel Music Month. In my many car trips this summer my children memorized a song by the group Renewed Disciples (from New Jersey) called “What Would Jesus Do.” RD will perform in Rochester later this week and in Buffalo later in the fall. The groups contemporary style shows that Hip Hop has just as much influence on Gospel as it does R&B for the younger generation.
Archive for the ‘Music’ Category
Hip Hop Hallelujah
Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008Blended Genre
Thursday, July 3rd, 2008I’d heard of soul, I’d heard of bluegrass, but I’d known very little about “soulgrass” until I experienced a Bill Evans show featuring Christian Howes (fiddle) and Ryan Cavanaugh (banjo) at this year’s Syracuse Jazz Fest.
Purpose Driven Band (take 2)
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
Six Chasing Seven
I had the opportunity to work with the band Six Chasing Seven again a few weeks ago. They were finishing up a tour of New York and were off soon to California.
Totally Trombone
Tuesday, May 6th, 2008The difference between professionals and non-professionals, according to trombonist and composer Michael Davis, is that even pros sometimes play out of tune, they just don’t stay there. Players learn to “listen, evaluate and adjust,” he said. These were some of his comments during a clinic he held recently at the Hotel Syracuse’s Imperial Ballroom before his evening performance. His gig closed the season for the Central New York Jazz Arts Foundation Winter/Spring concert series.
Davis, who has worked with the Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra and rap artist Jay-Z, played with high schoolers Noah Kellman (piano) of MPH, Kevin Mixon, Jr. (drums) of West Genesee High, Chad Lefkowitz (sax) of Horseheads High and Jared Mulcahy (bass) of Skaneateles High during the teach-in, and told them to exaggerate articulation to make their ensemble more effective. Davis said his next stop was Des Monies, Iowa where he was participate in the Band Masters Concert Series.
A Purpose Driven Band
Saturday, March 15th, 2008Six Chasing Seven, the folk-soul collective from Southern Virginia, may be the best band I’ve seen this year. 6C7 operates comfortably on several levels: they can move the crowd with a high-energy style, or they can smooth it out with an inspirational message that’s easy like a Sunday morning. The band formed in 2003 and has recorded with Boyd Tinsley and Robert Randolph.
They will return to Syracuse in a few weeks to play Funk ‘n Waffles.
Gifted Hands
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008Jason Moran, a jazz artist asks the question: “Can I make you dance, and can I make you throw up at the same time?” Watch him work.
Post Gangsta Rap Male
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
Byron Hurt
About this time last year we saw Byron Hurt’s film “Hip Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes.” The filmmaker and anti-sexist advocate (pictured above) recently came to Syracuse to discuss his film during a film festival at the Community Folk Art Center. We asked him if he got any backlash from the film and what was the genesis for the project.