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| Blue Note Jazz Fest 2013 Blue Note Jazz Festival - Marsha Ambrosius - The Blue Note, June 4, 5, 2013 (131 W 3rd St. NY, NY 10012) Already proven as a talented, sought after songwriter and revered platinum-selling artist, Marsha Ambrosius is meeting the next challenge in her already impressive musical career by reinventing herself as a solo artist with her J Records debut disc Late Nights & Early Mornings. Hailing from Liverpool, England, fans first got a taste of Marsha's talent as the singing half of the duo Floetry. Their 2000 debut Floetic produced signature singles like "Say Yes" and "Getting Late" as well as four Grammy nods. Following the 2005 release of their second studio album, Flo'Ology, the ladies veered creatively and personally. While the split was difficult, Marsha continued to build a name for herself as a songwriter and producer, creating "Butterflies" for the late Michael Jackson and other hits for artists such as Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, Jamie Foxx and Nas. She's been nominated for a total of six Grammys and has been honored by BMI as their Songwriter of the Year. Over the years, Marsha has stayed relevant as an artist via touring, writing/producing and mixtapes like 2007's Neo Soul is Dead, 2008's Yours Truly and 2010's Yours Sincerely. She also appeared as a featured artist on projects from Patti Labelle, The Game, Busta Rhymes, Jamie Foxx and Earth, Wind & Fire, among others. Eventually, Marsha signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records however a much-buzzed about solo debut never materialized due to creative glitches. Equipped with plenty of her own talent, she found herself being given songs from producers that were "great but not songs that made sense in relation to each other." Marsha calls her sound "honest and consistent" and it was important for her to make an album with an overall cohesive sound. She explains, "I think with an album everything has to make sense, like 'Where is this story going?'" But that wasn't the only situation posing a challenge for Marsha. A basketball player since childhood, when her music career took off, her diet remained the same as when she was regularly active. Constantly on the road touring and promoting wasn't conducive to a healthy diet and resulted in her gaining 70 pounds in just one year. She finally got serious about her health and lost the weight safely and slowly over about a two-year period. Now at a strong place mentally and physically, Marsha's ready to present her sound to the world. The first single, "Hope She Cheats on You (With a Basketball Player), " is an anthem that women and men can relate to. Marsha explains, "It's the reality of a bad break up. We wanna be decent human beings and say the right thing, you know, 'I wish you well.' But this is 'Everything that could go wrong for him I want it to because my ego is bruised and I'm acting out.'" There've been many songs written about heartbreak, but Marsha's approach to "Hope She Cheats on You" gets in your face rather than plays the victim. LATE NIGHTS & EARLY MORNINGS is destined to be a classic, as Marsha offers a candid glimpse of her life and perspectives as a woman. Inspired by musical icons like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Prince, she concedes there is an overall male influence in her songwriting, such as the assertive sentiments heard on hits like "Say Yes." She explains, "My pen and my point of view has a certain aggression to it because I've listened to a lot of male influenced music, which I think makes me one of the most outspoken writers out here. Sometimes as a woman you don't wanna say what's on your mind for fear of being judged. But why wouldn't I say it like that if that's how I felt?" Musical peers recruited to contribute to the project include Alicia Keys, a reunion with Dre and Vidal (producers of "Say Yes"), Just Blaze and Focus. While her success in the industry is already solidified, Marsha knows it's never easy to win over fans as a solo artist. Fortunately, she says, "It's like being thrown in the deep end. 'Okay I have to swim? Oh well.' I've taken that attitude and it's carried me forward." Blue Note Jazz Festival SAUL WILLIAMS Presents An Evening Of Spoken Word Opener: Jennah Bell The Highline Ballroom June 11, 2013 431 W 16th St. NY, NY 10011 Who I am and what I do seems to vary by mod, mood, and mode of expression. I write. I act. I perform. Most of the labels that are projected onto me are seldom how I would choose to refer to myself. Yet, regardless of how much I might dodge classification, the one label that I tote freely is that of being an artist. And it is the art of self expression that has heightened my experience on this planet and fueled my understanding of love, compassion, and humanity. Poet. I write poetry because it is the clearest and most direct expression of how I think. I take pride in being called a poet mostly because it feels like an ordination. I did not grow up thinking of myself as a poet, so it is an honor to be considered one. So far, I've written four books that fall under the category of poetry. For me, they chronicle my growth as an artist, friend, lover, father, son, and individual. My goal has never truly been to become an amazing poet, rather I have worked at becoming more expressive, thoughtful, and harmoniously balanced, and courageous enough to live my life as a poem. My writings simply chronicle my journey and vision. They are the residue of the work that I'm doing on myself. Music. I write music because I have found that I cannot rely on other artists, or the music industry to provide the release that I need from a days work, a night out, to inspire a mood, a movement, or simply explore the unsaid in ways that are important to me. I've sought to become self-sufficient. In music I think of myself as an explorer participating in the construction of the soundscape of the new world that is being hatched out of our dreams, hope and visions of peace and harmony... that don't necessarily mean my shit is soft though... Performance. Acting, my first love as an artist, has allowed me insight into the nature of humanity. The many roles I have played, especially in theatre, exposed me to aspects of my own character before I even lived through enough experience to discover traits within myself. Through acting, I found an excuse to study everything from my own breathing habits, to the beats within a passage or poem, to the unexplored regions of my imagination. It taught me how to observe the distinction between someone who walks and leads with their head or chin versus someone who leads with their gut or groin. It grounded me in my voice and on stage and has helped me develop as a thinker and person. Through it all I would say that performance is my favorite medium as an artist. Yet, I have become very particular about the material I perform, thus, I create. Most of my training as an artist is in the field of acting which makes sense considering that all the other stuff often just feels like a role I'm playing. Blue Note Jazz Festival PAUL MOONEY BB King Blues Club & Grill Produced By Jill Newman Productions in Assoc. w/ PM7 Entertainment June 16, 2013 237 W 42nd St. NY, NY 10036 Mr. Paul Mooney was born in Louisiana and grew up in Oakland, California. As a youth, he literally ran away from home and joined the Charles Gody Circus, going down in history as the first African-American ringmaster. He was always writing comedy. He says "When I was Ringmaster, I was doing jokes I thought were funny." Mooney's first professional gig in comedy was with Richard Pryor. He wrote most of the hilarious routines for Pryor's "Saturday Night Live" appearance, co-wrote material on the groundbreaking "Live On Sunset, " "Bicentennial Nigger, " and "Is It Something I Said" albums, as well as Pryor's film "Jo Jo Dancer." As head writer for the Richard Pryor show, he was responsible for the national television debuts of Robin Williams, Sandra Bernhard, Marsha Warfield, John Witherspoon, and Tim Reid. As head writer during the first year of FOX's "In Living Color", also debuting the young Jim Carey, he also created the characters Homey the Clown, and the brothers Tom and Tom, to name a few. He co-starred with Damon Wayans and Jada Pinkett-Smith in the Spike Lee film "Bamboozled. He's presently on Showtime, Premiering his latest "Live Taping" entitled, "The Godfather Of Comedy, Paul Mooney". Paul Mooney came into his own with his controversial debut album "Race. "Masterpiece" continues to stir anger, laughter, and thought. His latest DVD's, Analyzing White America, Know Your History, It's the end of the World and his Latest Release Currently on Showtime, "The Godfather of Comedy, Mr. Paul Mooney. "I always drop history" he explains "It's knowledge; There's always a message in my comedy and you may not get it that night - it's like time bombs. It'll get you a week later. You'll understand." Blue Note Jazz Festival HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE Opener: TBA The Highline Ballroom June 17, 2013 431 W 16th St. NY, NY 10011 While most of today's music is overflowing with artificial elements and effects, the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (HBE) offers the authenticity and attested musicianship of the eras that birthed the band's influences: jazz, funk, soul, and hip-hop. The group's fusion of these genres has created the unparalleled, mesmeric sound that has captivated audiences worldwide. Strong familiar musical ties encouraged these eight brothers, born and raised in the crime-riddled south side of Chicago, to infiltrate their neighborhoods with brass weapons of expression to provide much-needed enlightenment and entertainment. HBE's compelling street performances transformed the group members into global celebrities who plan to continue sharing their passion for music with the hope that their spellbinding sound wi write your comments about the article :: © 2013 Jazz News :: home page |