Maceo Musicology Webcast #45 - The Funk of Me'Shell Ndegéocello

Maceo Musicology Webcast #45

The Funk of Me'Shell Ndegéocello

Maceo Musicology Webcast #45 - The Funk of Me'Shell Ndegéocello by Mace2theo on Mixcloud

"It's all about the Bass"

Me'Shell Ndegeocello is an American singer-songwriter, bassist, vocalist and rapper. Her music incorporates a wide variety of influences, including funk, soul, jazz, hip hop, reggae and rock. She has received significant critical acclaim throughout her career, and has had ten career Grammy Award nominations.  She has been credited for having "sparked the neo-soul movement."

Ndegeocello honed her skills on the D.C. go-go circuit in the late 1980s with the bands Prophecy, Little Bennie and the Masters, and Rare Essence.  She unsuccessfully tried out for Living Colour's bassist position, vacated in 1992 by Muzz Skillings. Going solo, she was one of the first artists to sign with Madonna's Maverick Records.  Ndegeocello's debut release, 1993's Plantation Lullabies, spawned the hit "If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)" and received three Grammy nominations.

Her singles "If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night)", "Leviticus: Faggot", and her cover of Bill Withers' "Who Is He and What Is He to You?" have all charted in the Billboard top 20.

Listen to later - Download here

Maceo Webcast #41 - Average White Band

Maceo Musiciology Webcast #41
Average White Band

 
Average White Band (AWB)- hailing from Scotland - are widely regarded as one of the best soul and funk bands of the '70s. Though perhaps best known for their timeless instrumental mega-hit 'Pick Up the Pieces' the band's strength actually lay in their consistently accomplished song-writing, stretching across several gold selling albums and multi- grammy nominations for the legendary Atlantic Records. Somewhat incongruously, given their Scottish roots, the six piece took the influences of their R&B heroes - people like Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Donny Hathaway and others - and developed their own 'authentic' sound which was eagerly adopted by black audiences in the US and elsewhere...and the logo is killer!

Whilst a good number of cuts - 'Cut The Cake' and 'Let's Go 'Round Again' to name but two - attracted chart action as hit singles, many other album tracks, like 'Schoolboy Crush' and 'Person to Person' became much sampled and turn-tabled 'rare' grooves. They have been sampled by the Beastie Boys, TLC, The Beatnuts, Too Short, Ice Cube, Eric B. & Rakim, Nas and A Tribe Called Quest, as well as Arrested Development — in turn making them the fifteenth most sampled act in history.  Many more tunes, such as 'Cloudy', 'A Love Of Your Own' and 'Nothing You Can Do' - amongst many others- stand alongside some of the finest soul 'album tracks' ever recorded.

Listen to later - here

Keep it funky!

Collaborative Xperience - Small Club #2

The Collaborative Xperience #4

Maceo & SilverTongue

Small Club Jams 2

Maceo Musicology Webcast #39

EMF Radio,  Purple House 2.0 and EntropyMC are pleased to bring you the Collaborative Xperience webcast of more purple Small Club Jams, this time featuring the music of 2013 Living Out Loud tour of Prince and his new all-female backing band 3rdEyeGirl, featuring Canadian guitarist Donna Grantis, Danish bassist Ida Nielsen and Kentucky-born drummer Hannah Ford.

This webcast features some of our favourite moments from the Purple Yoda North American West Coast tour, from the reloaded "Lets Go Crazy", rock versions of classics "Let's Work" and "U Got The Look" and new arrangements of "The Ride","Elephants & Flowers" and "Joy In Repetition" to the piano-less "Sometime It Snows In April", full band sampler set and return of Bobby Z for the tour finale of "Purple Rain." Enjoy this purple momento of Prince's 2013 tour of small clubs, once again hosted by Mace2theO and SilverTongue.

Special thanks to John Christie for the original artwork and Cherry Moon for keeping us real.

You can listen to the webcast later by clicking below

Maceo Webcast #38 - Nu School II

Maceo Musicology Webcast #38

Nu School II

Maceo Musicology Webcast #38 (Nu School Grooves II) by Mace2theo on Mixcloud

These are some more Nu School grooves I've been listening to.  Jams from new artists I've discovered, new music from artists I've shared before and the latest music from some old friends - all here for your listening pleasure.

Enjoy!

Here are two videos from artists featured in the webcast - the first is Allen Stone, a new artist I've been turned on to. Looks like 70's Elton John, sings like 70's Daryl Hall, screams like 80's Prince.

The second video is the latest new funky jam from Janelle Monae, which features Erykah Badu - "The Booty don't lie!"

Listen to later - here

Keep it funky!

Collaborative Xperience #2 - Small Club Jams

The Collaborative Xperience 

Maceo & SilverTongue

Small Club Jams 

EMF Radio, Purple House 2.0 and EntropyMC are pleased to bring you another Collaborative Xperience webcast, this time featuring the music of purple Small Club Jams.  Enjoy this purple ride of extended jams, rarely performed tracks and alternative arrangements with your hosts Mace2theO and SilverTongue.

You can listen to the webcast later by clicking below

 Keep it funky

Maceo Webcast #35 - The Funk of Jon Cleary

  Maceo Musiciology Webcast #35 
Mace2theO & Purpleblues

 "The Funk of Jon Cleary"

Maceo Musicology Webcast #35 (The Funk of Jon Cleary) by Mace2theo on Mixcloud

Mace2theO and Purpleblues are proud to feature the funky grooves of Jon Cleary - as PB says, " a man whose music deserves a broader platform"

Jon Cleary is a funk and R&B musician born in Kent, England and bred in New Orleans.  Cleary is a triple threat, combining soulful vocals, masterful piano skills, and a knack for composing infectious grooves with melodic hooks and sharp lyrics. Originally a guitarist, he balances a career performing on solo piano, with noted funk band The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, and as a notorious hired gun with the likes of Bonnie Raitt and John Scofield.

After starting out as a sideman, Cleary began writing his own material and formed his own band, the Absolute Monster Gentlemen with Cleary on keyboard and vocals; Derwin"Big D" Perkins on guitar; Cornell C. Williams on bass and backup vocals; and Eddie Christmas on drums. All of the band members, except for Cleary, were born in New Orleans.

Rolling Stone wrote: "Cleary can be an absolute monster on his own, but Cleary’s full combo R&B is as broad, deep and roiling as the Mississippi river, the combined swinging product of local keyboard tradition, Cleary’s vocal-songwriting flair for moody Seventies soul and the spunky-Meters roll of his Gentlemen."

(wiki/misc blog)

Listen to later - Download here

Here's a clip of Jon and the AMG performing "Mo' Hippa"

Many thanks to Sal over at Burning Wood for originally turning me on to Jon back in the day.

"Everything we do is gonn' be funky"!