Monthly Archives: September 2018

For the first time in 15 years, legendary godfathers of reggae Black Uhuru have returned to the studio to record a new album. “As The World Turns” captures the band’s best, passing the torch even as Black Uhuru’s flames continue to burn strong. Featuring original songs and strong cameos, it is one of the first times in years Duckie Simpson, iconic founder of the band, has stepped out in front, his earthy, soulful baritone guiding the record. To support the album, the band is headed on a East Coast US Tour with stops in major cities New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Boston. Plans of a West Coast Tour will be in March 2019. The album was recorded half in California and the rest in Jamaica. Most of the production was done by Horace “King Hopeton” Campbell at his Double Lion Studio who tours with the band on keyboards. Leebert “Gibby” Morrison studio in Jamaica was used to overdub and voice the backing vocals by Nikki Burt. The album was mixed by Jermaine Forde who tours as the band engineer and Jay Edge William at Ajang Studio and the album was mastered at Music Works Anchor Recording Studio in Kingston. Band agent Mike Gener along with Derrick Simpson are the Executive Producers. The album was released September 7th and is available on all major platforms and distributed by Independent Distribution Collective based out of San Francisco.

I had the honor of speaking with Duckie and Andrew Bees of Black Uhuru about this latest release, “As The World Turns”, and the mini-tour they just wrapped up on the heels of it’s release. We got into what are similarities and differences between making music now and then. How the new album’s songs are being received by the audiences of today, and what are the demoGraphics of an audience at a Black Uhuru concert in 2018. This is some of that music that really shaped me as a listener and believer, and it was a complete thrill to get a few moments with these great guys as they continue to spread love around the world. Love to all.

A pianist with astounding technique and boundless imagination, Alex Mercado is acclaimed for his ability to write striking compositions and create vibrant sonic landscapes that have resonated with critics and audiences alike in his native Mexico. On Symbiosis, his second trio recording after 2012’s The Watcher, Alex takes us on a journey through a vibrant musical world full of engaging melodies and the dynamic improvisations that typify the finest in contemporary modern jazz. Featuring Antonio Sanchez & Scott Colley, and being selected as one of Downbeat Magazine Editors’ Picks for 2014, the album will introduce jazz aficionados outside Mexico to a virtuoso instrumentalist without peer in his homeland where he is the “1st Call” pianist of choice for Magos Herrera, Sachal Vasandani, Bryan Lynch, Camila Meza and other visiting artists. Alex’s career highlights to date include being commissioned in 2010 to arrange and perform as the featured soloist in the orchestral opening to Sir Elton John’s concert at Chichen Itza with the Yucatan Symphony Orchestra; participating in 2011 as an arranger/composer on singer Magos Herrera’s album Mexico Azul, recorded in NYC with John Patitucci, Adam Rogers, Tim Hagans and Luis Perdomo; and being chosen in 2012 by the Mexican government to inaugurate with a solo piano concert the iconic City Of The Books, one of Mexico City’s most important and historic landmarks.

I had the honor of speaking with Mr. Mercado ahead of his show on September 27th at Cafe Coda in Madison, Wisconsin. We spoke about the trio he has playing his music off of his four recordings. We dive mind first into how the music transcends entertainment and becomes a spiritual thing, each note taking on a different personality…. a rebirth, when different musicians join him, especially in a live setting. I found myself spellbound at times listening to Alex describe the nuances of a song’s journey, and how the energy that we create together, artists and listener, can create an adjustment to our spirit.

The trio for the evening of 9/27 in Madison is as follows:

Alex Mercado – Piano
Bob DeBoo – Bass
Rodrigo Villanueva – Drums

Alex Mercado & Wynton Marsalis

If any band is a poster child for turning the power of positive thoughts and intention into reality, it’s the explosive horn-and-percussion trio Moon Hooch. In just a few short years, the group, Mike Wilbur, fellow horn player Wenzl McGowen, and drummer James Muschler, has gone from playing on New York City subway platforms to touring around with some powerhouse groups like Beats Antique, They Might Be Giants, and Lotus, as well as selling out their own headline shows in major venues around the country. The band uses everything they’ve learned from their whirlwind journey to push their sound to new heights. That melds together the raw, transcendent energy of their live performances and the sleek sophistication of their studio work into a singular, intoxicating brew that blends elements of virtuosic jazz, groovy funk, and pulse-pounding electronic dance music. At their performances, the band now plays through what they call a “Reverse DJ” setup, in which the live sound from their horns runs through Ableton software on their laptops to process recorded effects onto the output. In addition, to flesh out their sound on the road, the band began utilizing Moog synthesizers, an EWI (an electronic wind instrument that responds to breath in addition to touch), and other more traditional instruments like clarinets. Mike has even added vocals to his repertoire on some tracks (something the subway never allowed him to do).

I had the chance to speak with Mike Wilbur about the groups upcoming stop in Madison on September 29th at the Majestic Theatre. We get into what both newcomers to the scene and people who have tasted the Moon Hooch earlier on can expect from the now version of the group. Which direction has that live sound taken in 2018? We get into how the new three track EP “Light It Up” got off the ground. BY the end of the conversation, I was wishing Mike was in studio with me helping prepare a setlist of music….as you will hear, he would play and arrange a show in a very familiar fashion as to what people expect on greenarrowradio.

Home is where you hang your hat, or so the old adage goes. For Justin Kauflin, critically acclaimed and accomplished jazz pianist and composer, the last few years of touring has found home to been many places. On the brand new release, “Coming Home”, Justin invites others to experience the world from his perspective as he sonically paints the homes he has found throughout his global travels. This is his third release, and second with the tastemaker imprint Qwest Records. With this album, he ventures into new sonic territory bringing in more modern influences of synths, electric guitar, and bass. From the start, recording “Coming Home” was electric. Mr. Quincy Jones and Mr. Derrick Hodge produced the album at Quincy Jones’ famous Westlake Studios (Michael Jackson, Madonna, Frank Ocean). Justin was joined by Chris Smith on acoustic and electric bass, Corey Fonville on drums and percussions, and Alan Parker on acoustic and electric guitar. The musicians had a blast bringing the album to life. Justin is planning a tour to support the new album. He is excited to get back on the road and create new experiences with his music and can’t wait to take these tunes in front of a live audience and create new life into them.

I had the honor of discussing the new album with Justin and how it grew from a newly planted seed and bloomed into a beautiful flower of sonic unity. We get into how “Home” was at times, redefined and what made the road have a comfortable feel. Of course, we had to find out what kinds of special touch working with both Mr. Quincy Jones and Mr. Derrick Hodge (as well as the other talented band members) brought out of each other during the process. And finding out what Mr. Kauflin would play on greenarrowradio if given the chance to fill in for me if I were to step out of the studio. He would easily take you, the listener, with him on a similar ride we attempt each time we get toGether through the airwaves. Check out this great person and artist in our chat, I think you’ll find he is someone to help guide us through.

Photo by John Lewis Marshall

Naia Izumi is an independent guitarist, bassist, drummer, singer songwriter and producer based out of Los Angeles and recipient of the 2018 NPR Tiny Desk Contest. Creating music and playing for people on the streets, watching and feeling those who pass by and making sounds that resonate within the moment when the heart feels it. Many of the shared moments of creation are interpreted elegantly with a guitar through an intricate uniqueness that is refreshing, soulful and downright bizarre at times with haunting undertones reminding you that magic exists.

I had the chance to catch up with Naia shortly before the September 8th show on the beautiful Terrace at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. We take some time to let people who go to the show know that the moments that will be shared will be unlike anything you may have seen online that features Naia. Feeding off the atmosphere and the audience has been a key to the growth of this artist. We walk through a timeline from when that first sonic experimentation to the moment in May when Naia won the annual NPR Tiny Desk Contest. Can you believe that it may have actually slipped his mind that he even entered the contest? We dissect the song he entered, “Soft Spoken” and discussed being born with something to say, and when that right moment to be heard showed up. I listen to A LOT of music of all sorts, and it is hard to find something/someone that truly fits into that “unique” category, but with Naia Izumi, I think I have found it.

Photo By Beck Harlan/NPR