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That Eric Alper

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Grandmaster Flash Talks “The Theory” Of Being A HipHop DJ and The Beginnings Of Hip-Hop

Mar 30, 2017

Emerging from the South Bronx in the early 1970s, Grandmaster Flash is inarguably one of Hip Hop’s original innovators. In the earliest days of the genre, he manipulated music by placing his fingers on the vinyl, perfected beat looping, and discovered many of the most iconic beats still commonly sampled today. It’s no surprise that The New York Times calls him Hip Hop’s first virtuoso.

Today, he’s the voice of an entire generation of 1970s hip hop pioneers. From his electric live shows, to his production role on Netflix’ The Get Down, Grandmaster Flash is at once a historian, a storyteller, and a cultural force.

Tennis Player Jack Sock’s Brilliant Bit Of Sportsmanship

Mar 30, 2017

Jack Sock tells Lleyton Hewitt to challenge a point in a great display of sportsmanship. The crowd absolutely loved it.

POV of a Hot Wheels Car on a Long Road Trip

Mar 30, 2017

Vroom Vroom.

René Marie left her day job and her marriage to go pro. Watch her NPR Tiny Desk Concert here!

Mar 30, 2017

The Colorado River — better known for running through majestic National Parks and powering hydroelectric dams — forms an unlikely backdrop for the creation of a jazz song. But René Marie was answering phones at Denver’s jazz radio station KUVO when she sat down across from a fellow volunteer fundraiser. He would soon invite her on a canoeing trip and, without yet having seen the eponymous river, she wrote the giddy “Colorado River Song” on the way there.

René Marie’s is the sort of voice which first comes to mind when someone asks for a jazz singer — big and expressive, at home in classic swinging settings and comfortable in crowds. There’s plenty to set her apart, though. She made her first recording in her early 40s, so she’s a late bloomer by any standard. Her tastes admit many influences, and she’s got a penchant for original songwriting, especially where social justice intersects with personal biography. Her folky story-song “This Is (Not) A Protest Song” addresses homelessness and mental illness even in her own family.

Joined by her Experiment In Truth band (John Chin on piano, Elias Bailey on bass, Quentin Baxter on drums), Marie visited NPR headquarters to play songs from her new album Sound Of Red. She never specified the exact nature of that synesthetic idea, though the title track would seem to indicate that it’s about the addictive and lusty blood-rush of performing — of seeing red while singing the blues. In the audience was the bold KUVO volunteer from that day 10 years ago. His name is Jesse, and they’re now married and live in her home state of Virginia; they drove up together for this Tiny Desk concert.

Listen To This Mashup Featuring 57 Famous Classical Pieces by 33 Composers

Mar 30, 2017

I love mashups, especially when it’s two different genres of music put together, but this is a bit different. Musical mash up artist Grant Woolard took the greatest hits of classical composers – 57 melodies by Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi, and 30 other greats into one six minute composition.

Here’s the list of Woolard’s choices:

1. Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K525 0:01
2. Haydn Symphony 94 “Surprise” II 0:01
3. Beethoven Symphony 9 IV (Ode to Joy) 0:06
4. Mendelssohn Wedding March in Midsummer Night’s Dream, second theme 0:06
5. Dvorak Humoresque No.7 0:13
6. Wagner Lohengerin, Bridal Chorus 0:13
7. Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto 1 0:19
8. Saint-Saens Carnival of Animals: Swan 0:19
9. Bach Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 Prelude 1 0:19
10. Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture 0:29
11. Bach Cello Suite No. 1 0:32
12. Mendelssohn Song without Words “Spring” 0:33
13. Schubert Ave Maria 0:40
14. Schubert Symphony 8 “Unfinished” 0:46
15. Verdi “La Donna è Mobile” in Rigoletto 0:51
16. Boccherini String Quartet in E, Op.11 No.5, III. Minuetto 0:55
17. Beethoven für Elise 1:03
18. CPE Bach Solfeggietto 1:04
19. Paganini Capriccio 24 1:11
20. Mozart Piano Sonata No.11 III (Turkish March) 1:15
21. Grieg Piano Concerto 1:22
22. Mozart Requiem Lacrimosa 1:26
23. Schubert Serenade 1:30
24. Chopin Prelude in C minor 1:35
25. Strauss II Overture from Die Fledermaus (Bat) 1:46
26. Brahms 5 Lieder Op.49, IV. Wiegenlied (Lullaby) 1:46
27. Satie Gymnopedie 1:56
28. Debussy Arabesque 2:00
29. Holst Planets, Jupiter 2:05
30. Schubert Trout 2:14
31. Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 2:28
32. Mozart Variation on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star 2:41
33. Schumann Op.68, No.10 Merry Peasant 2:47
34. Schubert Military March in D 2:54
35. Bach* (could be Petzold) Minuet in G 3:00
36. Mozart Piano Sonata No.16 in C, K545 3:07
37. Offenbach Can-can in “Orpheus in the underworld” 3:08
38. Beethoven Piano Sonata No.8 “Pathetique” II 3:18
39. Mozart Die Zauberflöte Overture 3:24
40. Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Overture 3:31
18′. CPE Bach Solfeggietto 3:44
41. Beethoven Symphony 5 “Fate” 3:47
6′. Wagner Wedding March 3:52
42. Rachmaninoff Prelude Op.3 No.2 in C# minor 3:53
18′. CPE Bach Solfeggietto 3:56
43. Chopin Piano Sonata No. 2 III. Funeral March 4:11
44. Williams Imperial March in Star War 4:19
45. Tchaikovsky Marche Slave 4:25
46. Smetana Ma Vlast II. Moldau 4:38
47. Tchaikovsky Nutcracker – Flower Waltz (not the main theme!) 4:45
48. Borodin Polovtsian Dances 4:45
49. Strauss II Blue Danube 4:58
50. Vivaldi Four Seasons I. Spring 5:03
51. Handel Messiah, Hallelujah 5:03
52. Handel The Entrance of the Queen of Sheba 5:08
53. Elgar Pomp and Circumstance Marches No. 1 5:15
54. Pachelbel Canon in D 5:21
55. Mozart Symphony No. 35 in D major (Haffner) K. 385, IV. Finale, Presto 5:27
56. Chopin Etude Op.25 No.9 in G flat, “Butterfly” 5:34
57. Bach Gavotte from French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816 5:42

Bob Geldof on The Best Day Of His Life

Mar 30, 2017

The Irish rocker Bob Geldof used the power of music to combat famine in Africa. Now he recalls the best day of his life.

WayHome Announces Additional Acts Including Cage the Elephant, Porter Robinson, Foster the People, Mutemath

Mar 29, 2017

WayHome Music & Arts Festival is thrilled to announce additional performers to the 2017 edition. Grammy award winning Kentucky rockers Cage the Elephant, DJ / Producer/ hit-maker Porter Robinson, melodic dance infused pop-rock duo Foster the People, New Orleans alternative rock act Mutemath and more join previously announced headliners Imagine Dragons, Frank Ocean and Flume. The three-day music and arts festival held at the custom-designed camping festival grounds, Burl’s Creek provides a unique music fan experience with late-night spectacles, international and local cuisine, original art installations and more.

“We’re thrilled to have such an amazing group of artists joining us for WayHome this year,” said Jacob Smid, Founder, Fource Entertainment. “From artists that sell out arenas, to those with deep catalogs as well as some of the year’s hottest discoveries, we have without a doubt a lineup for this year’s festival that contains the broadest and most exciting music showcased in southern Ontario. We are proud to feature acts that both push the envelope and brings the hits.”

“The new additions to the WayHome 2017 lineup has really completed the multi-genre lineup for live music fans across Canada,” said Ryan Howes, Creative Director, Republic Live. “Only over an hour outside of Toronto, WayHome truly is the one-stop destination for music and art fans alike to enjoy a weekend of music, spectacles, food, libation and camping. The onsite experience this year will be one-of-a-kind and an expansion from WayHome 2016 and we are very excited for fans to see all we have to offer this summer.”

New additions to WayHome Music & Arts Festival 2017 line-up:
Cage the Elephant
Porter Robinson
Foster the People
Mutemath
Houndmouth
San Fermin
Haerts
Clairmont the Second

Slaight Family Foundation Donates $5 Million to the Massey Hall Revitalization

Mar 29, 2017

The Corporation of Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall is pleased to announce The Slaight Family Foundation’s generous donation of five million dollars to the Massey Hall Revitalization. In appreciation, Massey Hall’s iconic stage will be named the Allan Slaight Stage, dedicated to Slaight patriarch, founder and broadcast pioneer, Allan Slaight.

“This is a very proud day for the entire Slaight family,” says Gary Slaight, President & CEO, The Slaight Family Foundation. “My father has dedicated his entire life to supporting the arts and music communities through his broadcast legacy and he is extremely honoured by this tribute. Our family believes in the Massey Hall Revitalization and that this gift will help to ensure that musical legends and emerging talents continue to perform on this iconic stage for many years to come.”

The Allan Slaight Stage will be adorned with nameplates honouring the broadcast pioneer and philanthropist. In addition, a hand carved plaque has been commissioned to be displayed in the Massey Hall lobby to honour Slaight for his contribution and leadership.

This Slaight family donation, in part, ensures that the stage will be restored so that future generations of music fans can continue to witness legendary performances in this national music institution.

“We are grateful to Gary Slaight and his family for their lead donation and on-going support of the Massey Hall Revitalization,” says Deane Cameron, President & CEO of Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall. “This donation exemplifies, once again, how they continue to be frontrunners in our nation’s arts and cultural funding initiatives. The stage dedication is a fitting tribute to the legacy of Allan Slaight, who has spent a lifetime in broadcasting, providing a platform for countless artists to be heard.”

The Massey Hall Revitalization, a seven-year multi-phased project, will result in both the exterior and interior restoration of the building and a new addition connected to the south of the National Historic Site. The expanded footprint will provide much needed space for enhanced and accessible artist and patron amenities. The Revitalization also marks a commitment by the Corporation to continue to invest in artist development, education, and audiences, while embracing technology as a tool for enriching ways in which Massey Hall is experienced. The Massey Hall Revitalization will ensure that the hall continues to contribute to the lives of Canadians through arts, employment, and cultural celebration for generations to come.

Today’s announcement honours the spirit of Hart A. Massey and his dream to build Massey Hall as a memorial to his son Charles Albert Massey as a gift to the citizens of Toronto. The intention of the Hall was to cultivate and showcase and support the arts and music for all walks of life, much like the passion behind The Slaight Family Foundation.

Established in 2008, The Slaight Family Foundation is committed to making a difference. The Foundation supports projects related to health care, social service initiatives, arts and culture.

Warner Music Launches Fan-Driven, Vinyl-Only Label Run Out Groove

Mar 29, 2017

Warner Music Group has announced the launch of RUN OUT GROOVE , a new fan-driven, vinyl-only record label. Each month, RUN OUT GROOVE allows fans to vote on the label’s next high-quality vinyl pressing, chosen from three selections of either unreleased material, out-of-print material, or brand new collections compiled from the Warner Music vault. Initial offerings from RUN OUT GROOVE come from an eclectic group of artists including Echo & The Bunnymen, Golden Smog, MC5, Secret Machines, and Solomon Burke.

“Warner Music Group is home to many legendary labels – Atlantic, Warner Bros., Reprise, Elektra, Sire, Rykodisc and more – which have produced a wealth of expertly curated music over the years,” said Billy Fields, Vice President, Sales, Account Management for WEA, the artist & label services arm of Warner Music Group. “What makes Run Out Groove unique is that the crate-digging community is steering the ship. We are crowd-sourcing niche, but in-demand, selections from our vast vault to be pressed on high-quality vinyl, and it’s going to be a lot of fun to see where the community decides to take us.”

“I am chuffed that our fans came out in droves and voted for us and that ‘Run Out Groove’ are releasing our live-in-Sweden recording,” said Will Sergeant of Echo & The Bunnymen. “It’s a historical document of another time, another place, another me and a very interesting stop off traveling the road map of the bands’ life.”

He added: “I love the fact that vinyl is having an amazing resurgence and many young music fans are embracing the medium. I am an avid vinyl enthusiast and my vinyl collection is a route map to my life. Having a pocket full of mp3’s can’t do that when you lay them out on your bedroom floor like tarot cards. The cover art of an LP is almost as important to me as the music. With LPs you feel like you have actually got something worth having, to hold and read while you listen. I love the organic visceral nature of the record, a piece of plastic that can bring forth such wondrous sound when a diamond is driven along the spiral road. It’s all pretty weird when you think about it, some sort of wonderful sonic voodoo.”

Each RUN OUT GROOVE release will be limited edition and individually numbered, often including previously unreleased tracks or material that has never before been available on vinyl. Each title will be available to pre-order for a strict 30-Day window via the RUN OUT GROOVE website. After the pre-order closes, the only way to purchase a copy will be via participating music retailers across the U.S., while supplies last.

The second RUN OUT GROOVE pre-order campaign – and the first to be fan-chosen – is a new live collection from Echo & The Bunnymen, It’s All Live Now. Pre-orders for this album will close on Friday, March 31st.

To get involved and learn more about RUN OUT GROOVE, please visit www.runoutgroovevinyl.com.

Below is a list of past, current and potential upcoming RUN OUT GROOVE releases:

Past

MC5 – The Motor City Five

ROG’s 1st title, now sold out in pre-orders.
Check your local retailer for availability, or the store locator at www.runoutgroovevinyl.com

Current

Echo & The Bunnymen – It’s All Live Now

ROG’s 2nd title, voted on by fans, and now available to pre-order.
12-inch 180-gram multi-color vinyl pressed at Record Industry.
Single pocket UV gloss tip-on sleeve from Stoughton.
Individually numbered and limited to one pressing.
Includes the first vinyl release of selected live performances from 1983-85.
Features classic live covers of “Paint It Black,” “Soul Kitchen,” and “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue,” to name a few.

Titles to be Voted On

Solomon Burke – Best Of Atlantic Soul 1962-1965

12-inch 180-gram vinyl pressed at Record Industry.
Single pocket UV gloss tip-on sleeve from Stoughton.
Individually numbered and limited to one pressing.
Brand new collection of the best Solomon Burke Atlantic tracks from the birth of the soul era, 1962-1965.
Includes such Burke classics as “Down in the Valley,” “Home in Your Heart,” and “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love.”
Visit the RUN OUT GROOVE website to vote on this selection.

Secret Machines – Now Here Is Nowhere

2-LP, 180-gram clear vinyl pressed at Record Industry.
Tip on gatefold aqueous gloss Stoughton jacket with printed inner lyric sleeves.
Individually numbered and limited to one pressing.
First time available on vinyl in the U.S. First re-press since 2004.
A lost Space-Rock classic from the 90s that was a favorite of David Bowie
Visit the RUN OUT GROOVE website to vote on this selection.

Golden Smog – Down By The Old Mainstream

2-LP, 180-gram, color vinyl pressed at Record Industry.
Tip on gatefold aqueous gloss jacket with printed inner sleeves.
Individually numbered and limited to one pressing.
First re-press since 2010, when it was first issued on vinyl.
A classic album from the 1990s that includes Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Gary Louris of the Jayhawks and Jody Stephens of Big Star.
Visit the RUN OUT GROOVE website to vote on this selection.