ERA new age musical project touring in Europe in 2019/2020

ERA, the new-age musical group of the 1990s and 2000s, returns for amazing shows throughout Europe in 2019 and 2020. They provide a real musical journey out of the ordinary, brought by its creator and his 40 singers and musicians.

Former guitarist-rocker Eric Levi begins composing film scores in the early 1990s. Shortly thereafter he creates Era, a project that fuses Gregorian Chant-style choral singing with rock beats, in the style of Enigma’s MCMXC A.D.

Era (styled as +eRa+, an acronym for “Enminential Rhythm of the Ancestors”)  uses lyrics (by Guy Protheroe) which, although similar to Greek or Latin, are, in fact, deliberately devoid of any exact meaning. Lyrics are also partially based on beliefs of the 13th century French Christians, the Cathars.

Furthermore, Era’s live shows and music videos often feature artists dressed in medieval or traditional clothes and armour. For the ‘Ameno’ song, Eric Lévi draws his inspiration while visiting the Collioure castle, South West of France.

Indeed, 22 years after the triumph of their first album, Era comes back with a family-oriented and enchanting performance. They dive into the group’s fantasmagorical universe that sold more

Additionally, Era sells out in 2019 and adds more touring dates and cities for 2020 throughout France, Belgium and Russia. You can book your tickets or buy their albums directly on their website.

In the meantime, enjoy this slideshow and videos taken at the live concert in Zénith Toulouse in November 2019.

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Finally, if you would like to follow them on social media, you can find them on Instagram and Facebook.

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Music video editing tips from Tony Kearns at DubWeb Festival

During the DubWeb Festival (now called the London Short Series), I attended two talks by:

• a panel of filmmakers and distributors on the crowdfunding topic
• Tony Kearns on the music video editing topic.

Tony Kearns is a freelance video editor based in Dublin (Ireland), who works for local and international production companies and projects around music video editing. He also edits videos for commercials, films and documentaries.

Photo Credits: Renate Canga – Website: http://www.rens-lens.com/ 

He talked about the challenges of video editing projects and how to make the videos appealing to the viewers. He mainly highlighted few video editing techniques to follow to make music videos more captivating.

First of all, as regards to the music video editing projects themselves, there is never enough time and money to make the best videos. So when working on such projects, it is best to keep this into consideration and be open to different projects.

Furthermore, when you receive a script for a video editing project from the production company directors, it is generally very vague. So, to resolve this issue, what you should start with is listening to the track, and see what will work with that sound and how to make both sound and visual sync.

Then, you must focus on keeping the audience hooked throughout the whole video so that they don’t stop watching it after a minute or so.

For that purpose, you may:

1. create a video striking an emotional response by telling a story
2. fix and stitch things together while editing a track
3. follow the music patterns, especially the drum base
4. compose visual samples that may be repeated throughout the song
5. work with quick cuts throughout the track
6. integrate different elements into videos to make them sounds like a music soundtrack, i.e visuals, sounds, dialogues and movements
7. Use different devices for filming, i.e smartphone, video recorder…and make them all part of the same track.

Tony provided us with some good examples of videos showcasing different filming and sound elements.

Examples of quick cuts or cut through:

• ‘Restless’ by Louis Berry, directed by Finn Keenan (folk/pop music)

• ‘Know About Me’ by Ryan De La Cruz (hip-hop)

Examples of visual samples repeated throughout the track:

• ‘Die Antwoord’ by Fatty Boom Boom (afro-punk)

• ‘Are You Trending’ by Vessels (electro)

Example of integration of different sound and visual elements to make it sound like a soundtrack:

• ‘Cut The World’ by Antony and the Johnsons (ballad).

Here are more examples of video editing works.

If you would like to collaborate with Tony Kearns on a project, visit his website.

 

 

Femi Kuti’s afrobeat live concert at the Academy, Dublin (Ireland)

Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti (born 16 June 1962) is popularly known as Femi Kuti. He is a Nigerian musician born in London and raised in Lagos. He is the eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.

Femi’s musical career started when he began playing in his father’s band, Egypt 80.

In 1986, Femi started his own band, Positive Force. He began establishing himself as an artist independent of his father’s massive legacy.  🎷🎺🎸🎹🎤

Since then, he has continued playing the music style his father was famous for, i.e afrobeat. Afrobeat can be defined as ‘a complex fusion of:

•  jazz,
• funk,
• Ghanaian/Nigerian
• highlife,
• psychedelic rock
• traditional West African chants and rhythms.

Femi also follows his father’s legacy with his strong commitments to social and political causes.  You can notice this in his songs’ lyrics on his website:

https://femikuti.com/home

In this article you can see how engaged he is with the issues Nigerian people are currently facing: 😭😡

Nigerian musician Femi Kuti urges stars, fans to focus on Boko Haram victims

Do you like his music? Why not download a few songs or buy some of his CDs on Amazon: 💿💰

Femi Kuti’s music on Amazon

Now, let me share with you few videos from his live concert at The Academy, Dublin (Ireland) on Saturday 8th July 2017!!🔥

Since these videos were originally Facebook Live Streams, the quality may not be optimum for YouTube. 😳😓

I would recommend you to watch them on your mobile phone, as they have been filmed with my iPhone! 😉

Subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay up-to-date with upcoming videos!👍

‘The idea of happiness’ German film soundtrack by Fewjar music band

GERMAN FILM SOUNDTRACK BY FEWJAR BAND

YouTube is, as usual, an incredible source of talented musicians and actors! 🔍😍

I was looking for interesting films to watch and discovering new music to listen to. I came across  ‘The idea of happiness’ German film soundtrack by Fewjar music band.

Zachary Nelson

First, let me tell you a little bit about the film soundtrack.

The selected soundtrack playlist comes from a Berlin-based band called ‘Fewjar‘ playing in multiple genres such as Electro, the 80s, Rock, Progressive, Psychedelic, Crossover, Triphop.

You can follow them on their various social accounts by checking the links in their Youtube description below their videos.

Now, sit back, relax, be patient and wait a minute for the first song to kick off fully!

Fewjar band regularly organises on Youtube live room sessions, where they play for you their songs live in their studio as well as occasionally bring guests to their recording sessions.

They can also play songs upon request if you notify them sufficiently in advance by commenting under their Youtube live videos.

Here are few samples of their live studio sessions, in which they connect with their audience.

What do you think about their music?

If you liked it, download their songs from Itunes, Amazon or Bandcamp! 👍😉

Now, as you may have guessed, the film is also in German. But don’t worry because it is subtitled in English. Feeling relieved?😌 It’s a very well done psychological thriller. Although it’s not my film genre, I truly enjoyed it and hope you will, too!

If you liked it, support the film project!

Zeo, the filmmaker, has set up a crowdfunding page for all his film projects and is raising funds for them on a monthly basis: https://www.patreon.com/Zeo

You can give as little as $1 per month so you won’t be too much out of pocket!💰

You can also follow Zeo on different social media accounts that are displayed on his Patreon project page.

 

Nigerian b-boy music history from 1980s-1990s in videos

Today, I’m going to share with you some mixed tapes for break dancing from Nigerian artists. But before doing so, if you don’t know yet the general origins of b-boy music and dance themselves, just have a read of this article 

http://breakdancingninja.com/bboy_history.html

In Nigeria, Hip-hop music and dance only began to gain popularity in the mid-1990s. The initial success of The Remedies was probably the catalyst. Formed in 1997, the group released two songs, “Judile” and “Shako mo”, which became overnight hits in Nigeria.

Enjoy this Youtube videos’playlistt from The Remedies!

I have also found especially for you some rare old Nigerian funk music :

Now show us your moves on one of these music tracks by copying your video link in the comment box! Can you be as good bowler as b-boy?

Kuduro music and dance from Angola: origins and evolution

KUDURO

I dug deeper into some cool dance performances and find this interesting music and dance style.

HISTORY

First of all, Kuduro (or Kuduru) is a type of music and dance originally developed in Angola in the 1980s. It is characterized as uptempo, energetic, and danceable.

Secondly, it began in Luanda, Angola in the late 1980s. Initially, producers sampled traditional carnival music like:

• soca and zouk from the Caribbean
• Semba from Angola

Then, they laid this around a fast 4/4 beat.

SIMILAR DANCES

Thirdly, it is similar to the Kizomba rhythm. The lyrics are usually in Portuguese.

For those of you who like urban dances, you will certainly enjoy this dance as well! It has a lot of similarities with new style hip-hop, house.

If you’d like to know more about it, check these articles:

http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2012/12/26/167628341/kuduro-the-dance-that-keeps-angola-going

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuduro

KUDURO DANCE CLASSES

For those interested in learning this dance, there are classes in Paris (France) and London (England):

IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Every Tuesday with Iris De Brito from 19:30 to 20:30 known for her afro, for her Kizomba and Semba. It is a high energy class that will make you move!

@ The Space Studios/ 31 Falkirk St London N1 6HQ.

IN FRANCE

Every Monday from 20:00 to 21:00 with Nat Borges (NKM) known for his afro-house and kuduro energy! He is one of the dancers from the video I’m sharing with you later in this post :).

@Studio Bleu/ 32 rue du Capitaine Marchal, 75020 Paris (Porte de Bagnolet- metro Gambetta).

KUDURO DANCE VIDEOS

Finally, have a look at this youtube mix of music and dance videos. The first video is the one I liked most. The choreography is very good and the two dancers are also witty/funny!

What do you think of this music? And what about the dance?

Saun and Starr live concert with Jesse John Heffernan band

Saun and Starr

It was such an honour to listen to the amazing voices of Saun and Starr with such a great accompaniment band!

I didn’t initially know these female singers. However, I was greatly impressed by their performance at Sugar Club, Dublin (Ireland) on Saturday 24th October 2015!

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THEIR BIOGRAPHY

Saundra Williams and Starr Duncan Lowe grew up mere blocks from each other in New York City’s northernmost borough, The Bronx.

But it wasn’t until 1986 that the two actually crossed paths at an open mic night at a club called Carl’s Off the Corner in Harlem. With a mutual respect for each other’s talent as singers along with a shared musical aesthetic, the two became fast friends.

In 2013, cover songs soon gave way to original compositions with the duo now named Saun & Starr. Before long, S&S and The Dap-Kings set up shop at Daptone Records’ House of Soul music. They began recording an album of their own material.

Follow their Facebook fan page if you like their music!

If you have missed this concert, you can check their next touring dates on this site:

https://www.songkick.com/artists/7962843-saun-and-starr

JESSE JOHN HEFFERMAN 

Jesse John Heffernan Is a Soul Afro-Caribbean/Irish-born singer-songwriter, whose unique and uncompromising sound is set to make its mark!

He is inspired by legends such as Sam Cooke, Van Morrison and Marvin Gaye to name a few. 

Jesse’s love of lyrics and songwriting delivered through his soulful vocals, means his performances are second to none.

He has recently become a part of the Choice Cuts team in Dublin venue The Sugar Club, as a promoter and venue booker. 

You can follow him and his band on Facebook.

S&S and J.J. HEFFERMAN LIVE CONCERT RECORDINGS

Finally, enjoy these videos! They give you a glimpse of what you can expect from their live concerts!

Do you have other information or tracks to share with us? If so, drop a message in the comment box!

Duckstein Open-Air Festival Hamburg Hafen City 2015

Duckstein Festival

The summer has been filled so far with lots of open-air festivals in Hamburg (Germany), even if the weather hasn’t always been perfect! I attended the Duckstein festival at Magdeburg Harbour (in front of and next to the International Maritime Museum).

As you may have already guessed, Duckstein, the main festival sponsor, is a brewery. This brewery sells beers such as the Bavarian classic Hefeweiss, Pilsner, Dunkel and Altbier.

MAINLY ADULT AUDIENCE 

The festival, due to its sponsor, was more adult-oriented. Shows during week time took place only in the evenings.

Furthermore, as you would probably be figuring out when visiting the festival website, you must be over 16 years of age to view its content. 16 years old is the minimum age to drink beers in Germany.

However, some of the shows were also open to families, in particular the circus shows.

For more information about this festival running in different cities of Germany during summertime, check their website.

DUCKSTEIN FESTIVAL PICTURES

Please find below few pictures of the festival (slideshow):

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DUCKSTEIN FESTIVAL LIVE SHOW RECORDINGS

BIG DADDY WILSON

I watched the wonderful and witty Big Daddy Wilson acoustic blues band with soul and gospel influences from Southern United States.

Big Daddy Wilson is originally from Edenton, North Carolina, where he sang in church. Then, he lived pretty much a country boy’s life. He didn’t know nor breakthrough with blues music back then.

Other artists such as Champion Jack Dupree, Louisiana Red, Eddie Boyd made Europe their home. They brought the blues with them and succeeded here better than in the U.S. And now there´s Big Daddy Wilson, an American singer and songwriter who found his home in Northern Germany.

But something is different regarding Big Daddy Wilson. When he came over from the U.S. there was no blues music in his baggage. He truly discovered his love for blues coming to Germany, where he has been awarded ‘Best Acoustic Artist’ in the Blues category.

His music is a fusion of gipsy queen from New Orleans, beats Jamaica-style as well as swing.

If you would like to buy his music or merchandise, check his website. You can also follow him on Facebook and Youtube.

KATAY SANTOS CIRCUS STREET SHOW

Later on, I had a good laugh watching the funny and interactive acrobatic Santos Circus street show, coming all the way from Venezuela.

Katay Santos street circus artist started learning Capoeira in 1998, where he began to develop strong skills in:

• music,
• fight,
• dance
• Acrobatics. 

In 2003, he studied at the National Circus School in Havana, Cuba. Then he studied at the Acrobatics Art School in Wuqiao, China (2007-2008) where he learned:

• Handstand in High Chairs,
• Pot Balancing
• Chinese Pole.

In 2006, he became a part of the regular staff at many professional circus and theatre companies in Venezuela.  Back then, he created his own shows as “Santos y Bigotes”, “A Chinese Tale” and “Santos Circus Show”.

Since then, he has been touring extensively over 100 cities worldwide, entertaining a variety of audiences.

For more information about him and his travelling circus, check his website. You can also follow him on Facebook and Youtube.

Dead Prez hip hop duet live concert in Dublin, Ireland (2014)

DEAD PREZ

First of all, Dead Prez is a hip-hop duo from the United States, composed of stic.man and M-1 since 1996. M1 is originally from Brooklyn, New York. Stic.man is from Tallahassee, Florida.

The pair of rappers is inspired by revolutionaries from Malcolm X to Public Enemy.

They immersed themselves in political and social studies to forge their own confrontational style of hip-hop.

Their socialist lyrics focus on militant social justice,  Pan-Africanism and positivity.

The duo maintains an ethical stance against corporate control over the media, especially hip-hop record labels.

For more information about their work, check the following Wikipedia article.

ALBUM RELEASES AND COLLABORATIONS

Secondly, they released three albums “Let’s Get Free” (2000), “Revolutionary But Gangsta” (2004), and “Information Age” (2012) as well as several mixtapes.

In 2006, the group collaborated with the three remaining members of The Outlawz band on the ‘Can’t Sell Dope Forever’ song. A second track,  ‘Soldier 2 Soldier’ is the result of a joint record between Stic.man and Young Noble.

 

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PROMOTION

Furthermore, both artists promote healthy eating and exercise.

You can find more details about Stic’s founding initiative here:

http://www.rbgfitclub.com/

LIVE CONCERT RECORDINGS

Since you are expecting to listen to them, I will share with you videos of their live concert at The Sugar Club, Dublin 2 on Friday 24th October 2014.

The place was packed! The artists interact a lot with the audience.

I won’t ramble too much.  So, check their four live concert videos!

Finally, if you like their music:

• follow them on Facebook 
• visit their website
• buy their records on Amazon.

Azonto/Hip Life: music and dance videos

Some of you may ask: what is Azonto? Where does it come from?

Azonto is a dance originating from Ghana. The African dance form incorporates complex co-ordinated body movement and non-verbal communication in a rhythmic fashion in very few one-two timed steps. Just like most African dances, knee bending and hip movements are rudiments to dancing it.

The dance was first called “Apaazee Renetta Kojo” (which means work) by the people of Bukom. However, the term ‘Azonto’ (a name which was given to the dance by the people of Tema) was popularly used by students of The Accra Academy to refer to life and later became accepted by the larger population as the name for the dance. The dance now known as Azonto was later observed in an evolved form among ‘street communities’ in Agona Abodom, Abossey Okai, Takoradi and certain suburbs of Accra (namely Korle-Gonno, La, and Chorkor), in pubs, night clubs, & dance battles.

You might enjoy the following short documentary video explaining you the meaning of some Azonto dance moves:

This dance has evolved with new trends such as break dance and “crip walk” to become what it is today and has gained popularity not only in Ghana but also in Great Britain, as it is explained in the following “The Guardian” newspapers article:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/03/ghana-azonto-dance-craze-world

Now, do you want to hear what it sounds and see how it looks like? Check out the 6 below videos (4 music clips, 2 dance choreography). If you come across a nice azonto dance, leave the link in the comment box below this post!