The second day of Borneo Jazz, held on May 11, marked the end of the two-day jazz music festival. Following the same structure as the previous day, it featured Jump4Joy from Sweden, Hazmat Modine from the United States, Mo’Blow from Germany, and the Asian Jazz All-Stars Power Quartet from Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Thailand. Though equally entertaining as day one, day two had much more to offer: rain fall. Music, along with the strange weather, kept the audience glued to the ground, topping the expectations of many on a whole new level. The flow of the concert was maintained by no other than Malaysia’s Gerard Ratnam of Bernama Radio 24 with DJ UNO entertaining the masses between 15-minute performance breaks. The lively atmosphere comforted wearied souls and relaxed the troubled; witnessing people aged in their mid-twenties and thirties dancing in the rain while enjoying the music was beautiful.

Show time was 7:30 pm for the Asian Jazz All-Stars quartet. Jeremy Monteiro on keyboard, Eugene Pao on guitar, Tots Tolentino on saxophone, and Chanutr Techatana-nan on drums hyped the crowd like no other, being the first to perform. When you put four of Asia’s top musicians on one stage, it is fitting to expect a “one of a kind” performance. The Asian Jazz All-Stars quartet performed traditional jazz beautifully while playing an eclectic selection of old and new standards along with their own original compositions. Coming from four different countries, the jazzmen managed to execute an innovative yet intellectually stimulating performance; Pao’s strong guitar lines, Monteiro’s fusion of bluesy organ licks, Tolentino’s motley sound shapes, and Techatana-nan’s groovy swing warmed the hearts of many. They were definitely a good start to the concert.

Second in line was the renowned Hazmat Modine from New York. The eight piece band played a different kind of blues – New Orleans style, with edgy vocals and pungent brass. Over the years, their music has been inspired by traditional American roots coupled with a lot of worldly influences from Africa, Asia, and Europe, all of which sometimes can be seen within the confines of a single song. The leader of the band, Wade Schuman, communicated with the crowd skillfully, intensifying their excitement after every song. “Medicine man” hit the crowd like a storm. People did not just approve of the piece; they loved it, danced to it, felt the emotion, and demonstrated it. The eight piece band is not to be missed, witnessing them perform on stage was a whole new experience by itself. Hazmat Modine is made up of Schuman, Joseph Daley, Pamela Fleming, Erik Della Penna, Rachelle Garniez, Richard Huntley, Michael Gomez, and Steve Elson.

Third on set and the people’s favorite was Mo’Blow, coming all the way from Germany. Borneo Jazz was their second “GIMME THE BOOTS” release concert. Distinguished by their pink shoes, the band dazzled the crowd by their wicked performance made up of the unique sounds of funk, groove, and jazz. The masses could not get enough of them. Mo’Blow was able to demonstrate an appreciation to detail and love of authenticity through their performance. They put jazz into motion like never before. Felix F. Falk, the band leader, impressed the crowd by his newly learnt Malaysian phrases; he was fun and full of energy. Mo’Blow was a favorite not just to a particular age group, but to the entire audience. The quartet features Falk on saxophone, Matti Klein on electric piano, Tobias Fleischer on bass, and André Seidel on drums. For a detailed review, click here.

Last but not least was the Scandinavian band Jump4Joy. Their music was rare yet highly energetic with a strong New Orleans flavor. They performed feel-good, toe-tapping, and lively songs that literally left the audience jumping for joy in the rain. Drenched, the crowd danced all the way through the very end. To hype things up on a new scale, they collaborated with Papo Rodriguez and Jeremy Monteiro and received an encouraging response from the crowd. Previously, Jump4Joy has been described by the press as “An extraordinary band with international appeal” and “One of the best live acts to see.” The memorable performance by Jump4Joy was a fitting conclusion to the two-day festival. The band consists of Ulf Sandström (piano, lead vocals, composition), Bo Gustafsson (sax, tenor alto, percussion, backing vocals, composition), Surjo Benigh (bass, backing vocals), and Kenneth Björnlund (drums, backing vocals).

The Borneo Jazz festival was held in Miri, the ecotourism seaside town located north-east of Sarawak, about two hours and fifteen minutes flight time from Malaysia’s capital city, Kuala Lumpur. Borneo Jazz is a yearly music festival that occurs in May. This event is a reflection of the growing unique position of Sarawak among jazz music aficionados. Each year, it brings world class performers to provide a rich experience to all music lovers. For regular updates, please refer to the official website at jazzborneo.com.

Image credit: Yasmin Pascual Khalil

The article Borneo Jazz 2013 Day 2: Fitting Conclusion Leaves Audience Spellbound appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Lisbon is one of the greatest destinations for music lovers. Every summer, Lisbon hosts a lot of musical events, including dedicated festivals for a special type of music such as Jazz, Fado and classical music. Some of these events are free to attend while the others are paid.

Among the events is Festival of Jazz music called “OUT JAZZ” which is one of the main free events every year, beginning in 2006, from the beginning of May to the end of September. Usually the concerts are held in gardens, parks and historical roads of the city. This year the concerts are held every Friday at 6:00 pm and Saturday from 5:00 pm to sundown. The performances include some famous jazz artists from Portugal, such as e Carlos Martins Quarteto, Joana Machado and Filipe Melo Trio.

The schedule of the concerts is announced on their official Facebook page.  This festival is organized by NCS, a Portuguese audiovisual company and Lisbon municipality. This year the festival has signed partnership with LxFactory. LxFactory is a flea market that occurs every Sunday along with the concert.

The idea of starting the Festival of Jazz in Lisbon was started in 2006 to select a working day to relax, dance and to listen to a good jazz music. That’s why they selected Friday to have the concerts in which is a working day in Portugal, later on they added Sunday.

Arco Do Cego Music Festival is another musical event in Lisbon between May 9 and 12. During the event, all concerts play classical music; the symphonies of Beethoven & Mozart.

Fado In Chiado is a live Fado Festival in the city. Fado is traditional Portuguese music using a special guitar called the Fado. Fado was added to UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List from Portugal in 2011. The show occurs for 50 minutes daily starting at 7:00 pm. The entry ticket to the show costs 16 euros.

In 1998, the Fado Museum was opened for public visitors to promote Fado music in society. Visitors can listen and watch unique traditional samples of Fado music and songs which are making parts of the Portuguese culture. Also they can discover the history of Fado music, which was started in the nineteenth century. Within the museum premise there is a school to teach any interested to know how to play the Fado guitar.

Image credit: OUT JAZZ via Facebook

The article Lisbon: The City Festivals appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

For several years, many music fans and critics alike have speculated that Kelly Rowland was/is jealous of her more successful band mate Beyoncé Knowles. On May 15, Rowland confirmed this in the first verse of her new single, “Dirty Laundry,” that there was a time that she envied Beyoncé’s solo success. She sings, “when my sister was on stage, killin’ it like a (expletive)/ I was enraged, feelin’ it like a (expletive)/ Bird in a cage, you would never know what I was dealing with/ Went our separate ways, but I was happy she was killin’ it/ Bittersweet, she was up, I was down…”

While there may have been a time that critics would have reveled in such a confession, a much more harrowing revelation came as the song played out. In the second and third verses Rowland revealed a dark secret that she had been holding onto: she had been in an abusive relationship for many years.

Rowland sings, “this (expletive) puttin’ his hands on me…I was battered, he hit in a window like it was me until it shattered/ He pulled me out, he said ‘Don’t nobody love you but me / Not your mama, not your daddy and especially not Bey.’”

While Rowland and Knowles have since rekindled and strengthened the bond between them, the abuse is still a sensitive subject for the former. “It was very emotional. It took me days to record,” Rowland said in an exclusive interview with Billboard. “I had to get past being so upset and actually sing the song, not sob through it. I always hope that my music can inspire someone, the same way other artists inspire me.”

Since the song’s premiere, many fans of Destiny’s Child have made a connection to one of DC3’s last songs as a group, “Girl.” In this song the trio sings to a friend who has been going through a hard time in a relationship. In the first verse Beyonce sings, “in your face I can see the pain, don’t you try to convince us that you’re happy./ We’ve seen this all before, But he’s taking advantage of the passion/Because we’ve come too far for you to feel alone, you don’t let him walk over your heart.” In the accompanying video, the member that was being sang to was none other than Rowland. Fans flocked to YouTube and other social media outlets to express shock and sadness as well as admiration for Rowland’s willingness to share her traumatic ordeal with them.

While no one knows for sure who the man that Rowland was referring to is, her ex-fiance, NFL player Roy Williams, assured her fans and his as well that he was not the abuser. “So Kelly has a new song. Called #DirtyLaundry.. & what ever she’s saying in it ppl thinks it’s me. #wow #imnottheonlypersonshedated #wasntme,” he tweeted.

While the speculation of which ex is guilty of abusing the songstress continues, fans can focus their attention on “Talk a Good Game,” Rowland’s fourth studio album led by “Kisses Down Low,” which will arrive in stores on June 18.

Image credit: Kelly Rowland on Instagram

The article Kelly Rowland Opens Up Her Heart in “Dirty Laundry” appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Borneo Jazz 2013, held on May 10-11 in Park City Everly Hotel, saw two jazz-filled nights that left festival-goers rocking.

The lineup this year was: West Jazz Band (Malaysia), Scott Martin Latin Soul Band (USA), Lisa Young Quartet (Australia), The Nylons (Canada), The Asian Jazz Allstar Power Quartet (Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand), Hazmat Modine (USA), Mo’ Blow (Germany) and Jump 4 Joy (Sweden).

Some bands just blow you away. Mo’ Blow, third set on the second night, were undoubtedly the people’s favorite. Mo’ Blow is made of Felix F. Falk (saxophone), Matti Klein (electric piano), Tobias Fleischer (bass) and André Seidel (drums).

With 13 shows to play in May and having just arrived in Miri from Germany that very morning, a certain amount of anxiety could have been prevalent among the organizers for Mo’ Blow. Traveling to different cities consecutively can take its toll. But within the first piece all concerns would have been swept away. Mo’ Blow were barely introduced by the host when they hit into full gear for the opening piece, “Fried Chocolate.” In an instant, they brought the mood of the festival to another energy level, capturing the crowd’s attention. Falk, a commanding presence on stage, led the band with hooks on his saxophone that drew everyone to their feet. Their second piece, “Mo Tough,” was a personification their youthful energy; like they had so much to say but not enough time to say it all. Klein, hitting the keys on the electric piano with great fervor, was an eye-catcher.

Falk, founder and leader of the group, exuberated cool confidence and stage presence. He threw out a few newly-learnt phrases in Malay language and received a delighted response from the crowd. Between pieces, Falk would switch between instruments. The way he deftly changed instruments while keeping poise was something to be admired. After delivering two high power pieces, he clipped off his saxophone and paused as if to remember which instrument the next tune required.

“Gimme the Boots” was their third piece, the one everyone was waiting for. It featured Falk on the didgeridoo, giving a deep ambience, and then built up to the hook line “Gimme the Boots,” which ushered in Mo’ Blow’s signature sound; you could almost hear the good humor in their music. This was a song for everyone. Falk interacted well with the crowd, getting them to shout ‘Gimme the Boots’ at the interval.

They kicked it up another notch with “Slingshot.” By then, you could feel that Mo’Blow were feeding off each other’s energy. Klein was a star on the piano. He played with a searching frenzy, as if he put the notes somewhere and was looking for them, with the occasional ‘aha!’ as each piece developed. At faster paces he rammed his hands on the Nord with an urgency that the right notes must come out. Fleischer, playing the bass with a big smile, laid down punchy and groovy bass lines, laying the foundation to the band’s overall sound. Seidel, on drums, played in the pocket and had plenty of hard-hitting linear fills.

Midway through the set, they played a piece, “Rocket Swing,” that had a line a little reminiscent of “The Watermelon Man” by Herbie Hancock. Mo’ Blow also gave a preview to some tunes off their latest record, such as “Papa’s Pancakes,” “Call Me Milroy” and “Headbutt.” By the end of their set, the crowd was ecstatic, calling for an encore. They came back on and played “Somewhere in Sharp Mountain” to cap off a brilliant set.

For all the official pictures from Borneo Jazz 2013, visit this website.

Image credit: Nadeen Kamel

The article Mo’ Blow Funks up Miri at Borneo Jazz 2013 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The long awaited Borneo Jazz 2013 has finally arrived. Running for the eighth time in a row, the festival has managed to attract countless visitors worldwide; many jazz enthusiasts come every year to appreciate and enjoy the various approaches to jazz displayed onstage. Like past Borneo Jazz concerts, the first day’s event was fantastic, with amazing performances by award winning bands. The general atmosphere was surreal with traditional bazaars, tasty food, and amazing lighting and sound systems. The location, ParkCity Everly Hotel, provided an enchanting environment, interacting with the masses through their senses: the smell of food, sight of nature, sound of music, and large screens situated in strategic locations to capture the amazing performances. This festival doesn’t just serve music enthusiasts; it is also an excellent getaway for family and friends who are looking for a relaxing way to spend their weekend.

The concert commenced with Sarawak’s very own West Jazz band. As the only local act, they managed to heighten up the mood by their performance, a mix of fusion funk. The lead singer, Lisa Chong, charmed the audience with her charisma and vocal talent. Overall, they managed to add a Malaysian touch to their music, making their performance unique and entertaining. The rest of the lineup included the amazing Lisa Young from Australia, the Grammy award winner Scott Martin Latin Soul band from the United States, and the legendary Nylons from Canada.

Escalating the mood, the Lisa Young quartet took the crowd on a journey of South Indian vocal percussion, ‘konnakol’. The band’s extremely appealing compositions left the masses breath taken. Lisa and her quartet’s song cycle ‘The Eternal Pulse’ left the audience wanting more. According to Lisa, ‘The Eternal Pulse’ “explores a diverse musical expression, layering Indian elements, rhythmic textures and ensemble dialogue, and varieties of meter and sub-division.” Lisa was truly phenomenal; her music is one of a kind, all about rhythmic control, something rare yet so beautiful. Her quartet features Stephen Magnusson on guitar, Ben Robertson on double bass, and Dave Beck on drums.

All the way from California, the Scott Martin Latin Soul Band took the crowd by storm with their Latin jazz soul mix performance. The band of 10 years played magnificently; they even performed a song they had recently written along with a couple of tracks from their upcoming album. To please the crowd, the Scott Martin Latin Soul band members announced that they are planning to name their latest song as either Malaysian Mambo or Miri Malaysian Mambo. Their music was harmonically rich, appreciated by all at the scene. Young fans described their performance as “fun and adventurous.”

Finally, the legendary Nylons, the last act of the evening, dazzled the crowd with their beautiful vocal harmonies, wonderful humor, and feel good songs. Among the songs they performed were “Work,” “Dream,” a cover of “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz, “Happy Together” and the most loved “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” Along the years, members changed, leaving Claude Morrison as the only original member. Though he may not be as young, he is the perkiest singer in the band. The quartet also includes Tyrone Gabriel, Garth Mosbaugh and Gavin Hope. The Nylons instantly connected with crowd; they were adored by people of all ages, and even kids danced to their music. The band’s creativity was astonishing. They collaborated with Lisa Young, intensifying the excitement of the crowd. Up until the very end, the mesmerized audience was not quite ready to say goodbye.

Coming up next is a recap of Borneo Jazz 2013 Day 2, featuring Jump4Joy from Sweden, Hazmat Modine from the United States, Mo’Blow from Germany, and the Asian Jazz All-Stars Power Quartet from Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Thailand.

Image credit: Yasmin Pascual Khalil //Toonari Post

The article Borneo Jazz 2013: First Day Left the Audience Awestruck appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

George Jones’ had risen from a talented youngster performing on the street corner with his father to a superstar climbing the Top Ten charts in the 50′s. But soon his personal and professional life took a turn for the worse and was headed to a downward spiral in the 60′s and 70′s. It wasn’t until the 80′s with help from his fourth wife Nancy Sepulvada that Jones got back on track both in his life and with his music.  Remembering George Jones comes to a conclusion with his comeback and final years.

The 80’s

Musically, Jones began making a comeback in 1980 with a Top Ten duet with Tammy Wynette, “Two Story House,” early in the year. However, the song that pushed him back to the top of the charts was the dramatic ballad “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” The song hit number one and started a new series of Top Ten hits and number one singles that ran through 1986. They were so successful it rivaled the peak of his popularity in the ’60s. “He Stopped Loving Her Today” was followed by the Top Ten hit “I’m Not Ready Yet” and the album ‘I Am What I Am’ in the fall of the 1980, which became his most successful album, going platinum.

From 1981-83, Jones had eight Top Ten hits. Although he was having hits again, he was still struggling with his personal demons. Jones was going on crazed, intoxicated rampages, which culminated with a televised police chase of Jones, who was driving drunk through the streets of Nashville. With the help of his fourth wife, Nancy Sepulvada, whom he had married in March 1983, he was able to shake his drug and alcohol addictions. By the end of the year he had completed his rehabilitation.

Jones continued to have hits on the Top Ten regularly until 1987, when the onset of newer artists dominated and kept Jones’ music off the charts. Interestingly, these same artists were heavily influenced by Jones himself. In 1987 Jones and his wife moved back to Nashville where he recorded his final album with Billy Sherrill in 1988 titled ‘One Woman Man’. This album was Jones’ final solo Top Ten hit as well as his last record for Epic Records.

The 90’s

Despite no longer having a huge presence on modern country radio in 1990’s, Jones continued to record and tour. After the release of ‘One Woman Man’, Jones recorded a duet with Randy Travis, “A Few Ole Country Boys,” that was a Top Ten hit in the fall of 1990. Jones had signed with MCA and released his first record for them in 1991 titled ‘And Along Came Jones’. In 1995, he reunited with his ex-wife Wynette to record ‘One’. In April of 1996, Jones published his autobiography, I Lived to Tell It All. In the book, he devoted a full chapter to the changes in the country music scene of the 1990′s. In his later years Jones was also very vocal about his disappointment for the direction country music has taken in the last two decades. In 1998, he released another studio album titled ‘It Don’t Get Any Better Than This’.

Final Years

Following the release of ‘It Don’t Get Any Better Than This’, Jones left MCA and moved to Elektra/Asylum, who signed him on the condition that he would record hardcore country music.

While Jones was completing work for his debut album for the label, he crashed his car into a bridge in Nashville on March 6, 1999. Though he was critically injured, he pulled through and recovered. However, the investigation revealed that Jones had been drinking and driving. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, DWI, and entered a rehab program.  The release of his debut album, ‘Cold Hard Truth’, went on as scheduled in the summer of 1999. He then went on to release the albums ‘The Rock: Stone Cold Country’ in 2001 and in 2005 ‘Hits I Missed…And One I Didn’t', which found Jones looking back over the years and picking songs that he originally declined to record, but were hits for the other artists. On the record, he recorded a duet with Dolly Parton titled “The Blues Man.” In 2006 he released the album ‘God’s Country: George Jones and Friends’. His final album was released by Vanguard Records in 2008 titled ‘Burning Your Playhouse Down’.

Jones has received many honors during his long career, from Most Promising New Country Vocalist in 1956 to being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992 and being named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2008. In 2012, he was presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award. At the ceremony, his longtime friend Merle Haggard paid tribute to him. His many awards include Billboards, Grammys and CMA’s.

In popular view, George Jones was the finest vocalist in the recorded history of country music. He started out as a hardcore honky tonker in the tradition of his idol Hank Williams and developed effective subtle ballad style while staying closer to the roots of hardcore country. Throughout his career, he never left the top of the country charts and overcame his personal struggles. Many others have paid tribute to Jones while expressing their love and respect for his legacy. George was a true country legend who paved the way for many country stars’ success.  He will always be remembered by music fans.

Image credit: George Jones via Facebook

The article Remembering George Jones Part III: The Comeback & Final Years appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

In the previous article, the early years of country music artist George Jones were discussed. Jones’ star was rising rapidly; however, his career and his personal life took a tumultuous turn during the 60′s and the 70′s, and his numerous difficulties are discussed below.

The 60s

In the sixties, Jones had a number of hits which included “Achin’, Breakin’ Heart”  in 1962. This would be his last hit for Mercury Records, as Daily became a staff producer for United Artists Records (UA) in 1962 and Jones followed him to the label. His third number one hit was his first single for UA, “She Thinks I Still Care.” In 1963, Jones began performing and recording with Melba Montgomery and their first duet, “We Must Have Been out of Our Minds,” was their biggest hit, peaking at number three. They continued to record together throughout 1963-64 and in 1966-67, though they never again had a Top Ten Hit.

In his solo work, Jones had a number of hits in 1963 and 1964, peaking with the third hit “The Race Is On” in the fall of 1964. The next year, Daily had Jones move to the new record label Musicor. His first hit single for Musicor, “Things Have Gone to Pieces,” was in the spring of 1965. Between 1965 and 1970, he had 17 Top Ten hits for Musicor. During his five years at the label, Jones recorded almost 300 songs. Among them were first-rate songs that included country classics like “Love Bug,” “Walk Through This World With Me,” and “A Good Year for the Roses.”

Like any artist, Jones also recorded mediocre material as he made some records that were genuine tributes or experiments. He also tried to fit into contemporary country styles, such as the Bakersfield sound, and many of his attempts did not result in hits. However, he consistently charted the Top Ten with his singles, if not with his albums. And only two, his 1965 duet George Jones & Gene Pitney and 1969′s “I’ll Share My World With You,” charted.

The 70’s

In the 70’s, Jones parted ways with Musicor and Daily. In the process he signed away all the rights to his Musicor recordings. The label continued to release Jones’ albums for a couple of years, and licensed recordings to RCA, who released two singles and a series of budget-priced albums in the early ’70s. In October 1971, Jones signed with Epic Records. This year was a busy year for the singer as he and Tammy Wynette became the biggest stars in country music, racking up a number of Top Ten hits as solo artists and sold out concerts across the country as a duo.

At the end of the year, he cut his first records for Epic and began working with his new producer Billy Sherrill, who was also responsible for Wynette’s hit albums. At first, Jones and Sherrill had a tense relationship as Sherrill was known for his lush, string-laden productions and his precise, aggressive approach in the studio. Under his direction, musicians were there to obey his orders and that included the singers as well. Jones had been accustomed to the relaxed style of Daily, who was the polar opposite of Sherrill. Eventually the men developed a positive working relationship and because of the that, Jones became an official ballad singer.

Jones’ successful career at Epic started in 1972. His first solo single for the label, “We Can Make It,” was a celebration of Jones’ marriage to Wynette, and was written by Sherrill and Glenn Sutton. “The Ceremony,” Jones and Wynette’s, also became a Top Ten hit. “Loving You Could Never Be Better” followed its predecessors into the Top Ten at the end of the year. Though Jones’ music career was making even more gains, his personal life wasn’t. His marriage to Wynette had become an interest to their fans, and privately the couple had problems. They fought frequently and Jones was sinking deep into alcoholism and drug abuse, which escalated as the couple continued to tour together. In August of 1973, Wynette filed for divorce. Shortly after she filed the papers, the couple decided to reconcile and her petition was withdrawn. However in 1975, the couple divorced.

Throughout this time, Jones’ music continued to be a success. In 1973, every single that Jones released was in the Top Ten. He and Wynette also had a number one single titled  ”We’re Gonna Hold On.” In the summer of 1974, Jones had his first number one hit since “Walk Through This World With Me” called “The Grand Tour,” a song that described a realistic picture of a broken marriage. He followed it with another number one hit, “The Door.” Not long after its release, he recorded “These Days (I Barely Get By),” which featured lyrics co-written by Wynette.

Soon enough, Jones began to have trouble musically. Between 1975 and the beginning of 1980, he had only two Top Ten solo hits — “These Days (I Barely Get By)” (1975) and “Her Name Is” (1976). Though divorced, Jones and Wynette continued to record and tour together, and that is where he stacked up hits, beginning with the back-to-back 1976 number ones, “Golden Ring” and “Near You.” The decrease in hits was a direct result of the downward spiral in Jones’ health in the late ’70s, when he became addicted not only to alcohol, but to cocaine as well. Jones became notorious for his drunken, intoxicated rampages, often involving both drugs and shotguns. Jones would disappear for days at a time. He began missing a substantial amount of concerts — in 1979 alone, he missed 54 shows — which earned him the nickname “No-Show Jones.” In her 1979 autobiography Stand By Your Man, Wynette recalled waking at 1 AM to find her husband gone:

“I got into the car and drove to the nearest bar 10 miles away. When I pulled into the parking lot there sat our rider-mower right by the entrance. He’d driven that mower right down a main highway. He looked up and saw me and said, ‘Well, fellas, here she is now. My little wife, I told you she’d come after me.”

Flirting with rock & roll, Jones’ career began to pick up in 1978, when he covered Chuck Berry’s “Maybellene” with Johnny Paycheck and recorded a duet with James Taylor called “Bartender’s Blues.” Both singles went Top Ten and led to an album of duets, ‘My Very Special Guests,’ in 1979. Though the album was set to be a return to the top of the charts for Jones, he was absent from the scheduled recording sessions and had to overdub his vocals after his partners recorded theirs. His self-destructive behavior brought him close to death, and doctors told the singer he had to quit drinking. Jones checked into a rehab clinic but left after a month, uncured. He was also in an Alabama psychiatric hospital by the end of the decade. Due to his cocaine addiction, his weight had fallen from 150 pounds to a mere 100. He was often penniless and admits that Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash came to his financial aid during this time.

Part three discusses how he overcame these obstacles and regained his momentum on the charts and his later years.

Image credit: George Jones via Facebook

The article Remembering George Jones Part II: The Tumultuous ’60s & ’70s appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

On April 26, 2013, American country music star George Jones passed away at the age of 81. During his lifetime he was known for his numerous hits and his distinctive voice. He had more than 150 solo and duet hits during his career, and was frequently referred to as the greatest living country singer during the last twenty years of his life. In writing about Jones, country music scholar Bill C. Malone wrote, “For the two or three minutes consumed by a song, Jones immerses himself so completely in its lyrics, and in the mood it conveys, that the listener can scarcely avoid becoming similarly involved.”  In his song “It’s Alright,” Waylon Jennings sang: “If we all could sound like we wanted to, we’d all sound like George Jones.” Jones’ astounding career wasn’t without its countless personal and professional difficulties, but he overcame many of them towards the end of his life.

Early Years

Born in Saratoga, Texas, and raised in Vidor, Texas, along with his brother and seven sisters, he heard country music for the first time at the age of seven after his parents purchased a radio. When he was nine he was given a guitar and he was hooked and soon playing on the streets of Beaumont with his father earning some spare change. When he was sixteen, he left home for Jasper, TX where he performed at a local radio station. In 1950, at the age of nineteen, he married his first wife Dorothy but within a year the couple divorced. In 1951, Jones enlisted in the Marines as the Korean War was underway, and never served overseas as he was stationed in California for his entire service. When he was discharged, Jones began performing again and this is when his music career took off.

The 50’s

Record producer and co-owner of a local Texas label Starday Records, Pappy Daily, discovered Jones and signed him to the label in 1953. Jones’ first single “No Money In This Deal” was released in early 1954 to little attention. Three more of Jones’ singles were released by the label that same year and all were ignored. Jones’ first hit came late in the summer of 1955. Titled “Why, Baby, Why,” it peaked at number four on the country charts, but never gained momentum, as it was halted by a cover version by Webb Pierce and Red Sovine which hit number one.

Despite these setbacks, Jones was on his way as he was secured a spot by Daily on the Louisiana Hayride where he co-billed with Elvis Presley. In 1956 Jones’ songs were regularly featured on the Top Ten. Among them were “What Am I Worth” and “Just One More.” In August, Jones joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry and his first album appeared by the end of the year.

Jones’ records began appearing under a new label in 1957 as Starday Records had signed a distribution deal with Mercury Records. He began recording in Nashville and his first single under the new label “Don’t Stop the Music” was a Top Ten hit.  Throughout 1958, his songs were landing near the top of the charts, culminating with “White Lightning,” which spent five weeks at number one in the spring of 1959. Two years later, his next big hit “Tender Years” arrived and stayed for seven weeks at number one. This hit pointed the way toward Jones’ later success as a singer of ballads, since the song displayed a smoother production and larger arrangement than his previous hits.

Read more about George Jones’ struggle and success in part two and part three.

Image credit: George Jones via Facebook

The article Remembering Country Music Star George Jones Part I: The Early Years appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

With the arrival of the summer season, music events are exploding around the globe. An interesting one is the Citadel Music Festival, taking place in Berlin, Germany. Do not be confused by the word “festival,” expecting a 4 days event with loads of bands performing one after the other. This music event, organized by Trinity Music GmbH, spreads over about three months of genuine appreciation for the art of music. Kicking off on June 5 with the performance by historical band Toto, the festival will close the curtain on August 30 with Xavas.

Citadel Music Festival takes place at the Spandau Citadel, a Renaissance fortress, located on an island created by the meeting of the rivers Havel and Spree. The Citadel is a beautiful open air location with the ability to contain a large number of participants while offering a dreamy setting to enjoy the soul of music. A variety of genres and styles are covered by the festival, including world fusion, trip hop, classic rock, alternative and proto-punk.

Acts such as Portishead, ZZ Top, and 30 Seconds to Mars will perform in this beautiful location. Queens of the Stone Age will be there on June 22 promoting their upcoming work ‘…Like Clockwork,’ the band’s sixth studio album due on June 3. Tenacious D will offer the city a performance of its funny rock, whose ironic lyrics accompany a strong and serious sound. One of the most intriguing performances offered by the musical event is surely the Iggy and The Stooges concert. The band has recently released a new album ‘Ready to Die,’ the first one seeing Iggy Pop and James Williamson collaborate on the composition of tracks after the glorious ‘Raw Power’ album, released in 1973 and held responsible for the birth of punk rock.

Iggy and The Stooges are well known for offering one of the best live shows in the current music scene. In spite of his age, Iggy Pop does not seem to feel any need to change his approach to the stage, nor do the great Mike Watt, Steve Mackay, Scott Asheton, and James Williamson who together with the Iguana create a magical atmosphere during the concert, able to kidnap the audience and bring it to the roots of rock. They create a powerful and honest experience, which merges raw sentiments, strong energy, simplicity and perfect execution, giving birth to an astonishing performance. A concert by Iggy and The Stooges is an experience which goes beyond words, and a must see for anybody who wants to fully live music instead of just listening to it. The graceful setting of the Spandau Citadel will serve as the perfect stage for such a glorious event.

The Citadel Music Festival is used to big names playing its stage: Patty Smith, Billy Idol, Marilyn Manson and many more played there, giving this festival great relevance in the scene. With eighteen concerts spanned over three months, picking among several music genres, this year the Citadel Music Festival gives once again everybody a chance to take a leap into one’s favorite kind of music. For the complete line-up click here.

Image credit: Citadelmusicfestival.de

The article Citadel Music Festival in Berlin: A Leap into Music’s Heart appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

For jazz lovers, jazz musicians and jazz musician lovers, April 30 was declared “The international jazz day.“  

Jazz music has been bringing people together in harmony for more than a century, starting with the “Blue Note” that served as a relief from slavery, pain and grief, sung and played by the workers brought from Africa to work in America and Europe as slaves. What was better than music to release the soul?

A great Classic jazz piece by the Great Saxophonist John Coltrane (1961)

Jazz music still serves its purpose by bringing people together. While most have forgotten its origins and the true meaning of freedom in jazz music, it is still popularly celebrated, played and heard by a large portion of the world’s population.

Ragtime, Bebop, Swing, Blues,  Afro, Funk, Latin and Soul are just some of the names that jazz music has evolved and sub-categorized into over the generations. We come not even one step closer to knowing what jazz music really is, well lets just say that  jazz music is any music that can not be properly categorized, played in odd times and loaded with improvisations, and sounds good.

Jazz taking new shapes through Miles Davis

Though jazz music can not be properly identified, playing it has its rules, and listening to it has its feels, in a jazz music sheet the most significant bar is the empty bar where nothing is written, but a lot is played by the musician, and that introduces the most famous  element in jazz which is  improvisation. Jazz music has only become famous after slaves rose above slavery and slavery was no longer in the western culture and only then the African Americans freed who gained their freedom has started to have the right to have their own jobs.where a big portion went working in pubs and casinos in the entertaining business, and every night after everyone is gone and the chairs were empty those entertainers and musicians would come together with no prior preparation and lay down what may some would think “the best music they have heard”. And that was the beginning of Jazz music as an official genre, all based on the ability to improvise, carrying the meaning to present freedom through music and the ability to improvise by the feeling.

(Herbie Hancock with ” Watermelon Man,” Observe Improvisation live on stage)

Since around the 1860s, the Jazz music scene was built by musicians who are now immortalized due to their massive contribution in laying a practical, theoretical and a historical foundation to jazz music. Musicians who have conquered the world, and they are not only remembered on international jazz day, but every day where jazz music is being played.

Below is a list of a very few of many that forever influenced jazz music:

- Edward Kennedy (1899–1974) a.k.a Duke Ellington, a.k.a The Duke, who composed more than 1000 jazz pieces, also famous for being America’s greatest composer (Pianist).

- Louis Armstrong (1901–1971) a.k.a. Satchel-mouth, one of the most influential trumpeters and vocalists of all jazz’s life time.

- Benny Goodman (1909–1986) a.k.a the King of swing music.

- Charlie Parker (1920-1955) a.k.a The Yardbird, the Saxophonist that all saxophonists look up to.

- Miles Davis (1926-1991), The trumpeter and the nominated creator of Contemporary Jazz.

- Buddy Rich (1917 -1987), once known as “The World’s Greatest Drummer,” famous for his speed, power and playing with big bands.

- Herbie Hanock (1940-Present), A.K.A The Ambassador, Master of the Head Hunters and one of the best jazz pianists, composers and band leader alive today.

The list goes on and on, as every name is a piece of the puzzle that is jazz music.And so, Jazz of the past and the present shall be internationally celebrated annually on April 30 by some and every single day by others. For Jazz music is a story with infinite chapters and an unpredictable journey, translated into all languages.

The International Jazz Day Full Concert Presented By The Genius Herbie Hancock on April 30th 2013  in Istanbul,Turkey:

Image credit: Jazzday.com

The article International Jazz Day: Recalling Jazz Legends appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Borneo Jazz 2013 will see a fresh set of explosive acts that makes it the most anticipated Borneo Jazz festival to date. With notable names such as The Nylons, Jump 4 Joy, Lisa Young Quartet and Mo’ Blow, to name a few, festival goers can expect a weekend full of swing, groove and musicality.

As a preview, let’s look at one of the groups that will be gracing the stage this 11 May: Mo’ Blow.

Mo’ Blow hails from Germany; a young, energetic group that would make the first-time listener an instant follower. Listening to their groovy tunes will get you moving along to their rhythm. With piece titles such as “Ricky the Lobster,” “Coke & Baked Beans” and “How Jules got his Cool Back,” you sort of get that nonchalant, casual connotation, and when coupled with listening to the actual melodies played out, there you have Mo’ Blow; a quintessential group with dynamic music to play.

“That’s groovy Jazz-Funk of the very best kind, intelligent and moving, yet with a generous helping of fun and great good humor.” – Norddeutsche Neuste Nachrichten, Germany.

For a young group, Mo’ Blow have done themselves proud; getting lavish praise from places such as Germany, Russia, Netherlands and Croatia. Now, they are geared up for making their mark in South-East Asia, christening their maiden show in Borneo the ‘Gimme the Boots’ concert, in conjunction with the release of their latest album.

Along the way they have pocketed enviable awards as well. The Winner of Berliner Jazz & Blues Award, Winner of Future Sounds Award 2011 and Winner of ‘Jazz am see’ Award for best concert of 2011. Berliner Zeitung has endorsed them as “one of the hottest live bands.”

Founder Felix F. Falk plays saxophone and percussion, Matti Klein – electric piano, Tobias Fleischer on bass and André Seidel keeping the groove on the drums. These four certainly epitomize the meaning of detail and precision, without being bland or rigid.

Mo’ Blow is a big name you do not want to miss.

The full list of performers at Borneo Jazz 2013 is: West Jazz Band (Sarawak); Lisa Young Quartet (Australia); Scott Martin Latin Soul Band (USA); The Nylons (Canada); The Asian Jazz All Stars Power Quartet (Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan); Hazmat Modine (USA); Mo’ Blow (Germany); Jump 4 Joy (Sweden).

Borneo Jazz 2013 will be held at Park City Everly Hotel, Miri Sarawak from 10-11 May. Tickets are priced at RM 60 (USD 20) per day or RM100 (USD 33) for a 2-day pass. Children aged 3-12 years enter at half price. For more information, visit the Sarawak Tourism Board website.

Image credit: Moblow.de

The article Catch Mo’Blow Live at Borneo Jazz 2013 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Troy Andrews, famous by the name of “Trombone Shorty,” is one of New Orleans’ current youngest and finest musicians. A professional musician, a trombonist and a band leader only by the age of six earned him his nick name Trombone Shorty. Troy was born on January 2, 1986 in the same city where jazz music was born, the great city New Orleans.

Troy Andrews as a child played in brass bands and through lots of music exposure since very young he has gained more than enough experience. By the time he reached age 24, his own and most successful album “Backatown” was nominated for a Grammy award for “Best Contemporary Jazz Album 2011.”

Trombone Shorty Playing with Wynton Marsalis at the Age of 13

Backatown was a great success for Trombone Shorty and his band Orleans Avenue. It was produced by Ben Ellman, Galactic’s own saxophonist. Galactic is known to be one of the top funk and fusion bands world wide; where also Trombone Shorty has played, recorded and performed live with them for several times, which is also a great achievement of his. Andrew’s music in general features a very powerful contemporary style jazz, that is full of energy and surprises along the way, he himself said” “We never sat down and really thought about concepts and what we wanted our music to sound like,” Andrew continued “It’s just that, over the years, we allowed each one of the band members to bring their influences and taste in music into our music. Anything we hear or are influenced by, it naturally comes out in what we’re trying to do. It’s just our sound, and it happened naturally.” In this special kind of  jazz music the perfect combination for it being jazz music full of improvisation and at the same time representing different personalities and genres into one musical piece, is what makes it sound different and unique than for example standard jazz, in the world of contemporary jazz one can just never know what to expect, and Trombone Shorty and the Orleans Avenue are a good demonstrates of such music.

Trombone Shorty Playing one of his tracks from “Backatown” 2011 (Observe Breathing Circulation Technique On The Trumpet)

Troy is always on the move with Orleans Avenue, touring the world with their energetic music. Troy on stage tends to have an outstanding stage presence and performance, that has a very passionate expression, filled with energetic love of music, and regularly he always urges to push it to the limit every single show, Trombone Shorty could one day be the new Miles Davis with his passion but on the trombone, though Troy is also a master of the trumpet and often uses it in a fair number of his songs. 

Troy so far has recorded 8 studio albums, the latest being “For True” that was released in 2011 and the first entitled “Trombone Shorty’s Swingin’ Gate” released in 2002, but his album “Backatown” still remains his most successful record.

One would have not expected less from a young musician born, raised and influenced by the amazing music sounds of New Orleans, the great city that still continues to produce outstanding jazz musicians, and prove to the generations of the present and the future that jazz music did not die after Miles Davis or Louis Armstrong or many others and the jazz music legacy continues on and it will live on to take new shapes into each generation.

Image credit: Laura Carbone via Tromboneshorty.com

The article The Not So Shorty Trombone Shorty appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

After bursting onto the indie rock scene in 2003 with their first album ‘Forever to Tell’, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs haven’t looked back as they electrified fans with their sophomore album ‘Show Your Bones’ in 2006 and then came back in two years later with their ‘Is Is’ EP. In 2009 the band debuted a new sound with the album ‘It’s Blitz!’, and now they are back with their fourth studio album titled ‘Mosquito’. However, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ experimental new sounds have split fans down the middle where people either love it or hate it to such a degree, that even the cover of the album itself has caused controversy. Some fans and critics have dubbed the cover the worst of 2013.

Cover aside, the album has done well on the charts. Released on April 16, ‘Mosquito’ entered the Billboard 200 at number five with 38,000 copies sold in its first week, earning the band their first top ten album on the chart. The album debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 9,150 copies, becoming the band’s third consecutive top ten album.

Compared to their previous albums, ‘Mosquito’ is a characteristic composition with a highlight on songs that experiment with the bizarre. At first listen, most of the songs grab you and make you curious to come back again. The album starts off on a high note with “Sacrilege.” The first single make initial indications of a change in the band’s sound with gospel choirs thrown into the mix at the end, creating a somewhat dramatic ending that the song did not need. Likewise, “Subway” was not in itself a bad song, it was just hard to get through, as it was too long and boring as it dragged on.

The rest of the album makes listening to “Subway” worth the trouble as it continues the liveliness and diversity that “Sacrilege” makes a start at. Most memorable are “Mosquito,” where the band appears to be having fun, and “Area 52″ whose comedic lyrics make for some hints of self-parody. The James Murphy-produced track “Buried Alive” with a guest chorus from Dr. Octagon, a fictional character created by rapper Kool Keith, fits perfectly with the rest of the tracks, despite initial skepticism. “Always” is a romantic ballad with a sequel in the end track “Wedding Song,” rumoured to be the follow-up to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs now legendary love song, “Maps.” These songs provide the album with a strange sense of closeness and familiarity, as the backstory is that Karen O performed it at her wedding to Barney Clay.

Overall ‘Mosquito’ has a listenability that grows on you and gets better with every listen. Yeah Yeah Yeahs move through styles and textures and have managed to capture a sound with an appeal outside of its genre. The album is somewhat choppy though as it moves from song to song but the band’s creativeness minimizes the negative impact in our opinion. ‘Mosquito’ is bizarrely beautiful and eccentric and will continue to be a highly debated album among Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ fanbase.

Review verdict: 4/5

Image credit: Yeahyeahyeahs.com

The article Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Mosquito is an Excellent Buzz in the Ears appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The highly anticipated new Iggy and The Stooges album ‘Ready to Die’, released on Fat Possum Records, arrived one week in advance, pleasingly surprising the tons of fans who were craving the new work of the Godfather of Punk and his band. The album will be officially released on April 30, but it is already available for streaming.

Many are doubtful when it comes to an old band reuniting or working on new material. The criticism of the old still doing what made it great is a characteristic of the current music scene. Iggy and The Stooges, with this new album, help to prove how wrong this attitude is. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Iggy Pop explained the simple, and yet admirable, reason why the band decided not to just ride the train of eternal self-celebration, benefiting from the timeless fame acquired by creating one of the most influential albums of all time, ‘Raw Power’. Iggy Pop stated “I didn’t do this expecting to make money out of it. It’s a lot of work, but I felt it was something that had to be done. This is my teenage dream, having a band that makes records and plays gigs. That’s still the glory of it, and I wanted to honor the institution and honor the group.”

So basically, being in a band should lead to music making. Well said Iggy, and well done. ‘Ready to Die’ does not disappoint those who were expecting some real rock ‘n’ roll to be on the plate. With songs written by Iggy Pop and James Williamson for the first time after ‘Raw Power’, the album is straightforward and raw; the listener does not face an overly-polished work, rather a lesson on how rock ‘n’ roll should be played. It has something that many, although luckily not all, rock albums are missing lately: it sounds real.

The album presents a powerful dynamic which, although classical, here works perfectly. It moves from louder and harder tracks, such as “Burn,” “Ready to Die” and “Dirty Deal,” to some delicate ballads and intimate songs, such as “The Departed,” dedicated to the late Ron Asheton. The lyrics are also very dynamic; Iggy Pop takes a close look at the world around, the “Unfriendly World,” as the title of one of the tracks suggests. There is the description and criticism of some of current society’s issues (“Gun”) and of people’s feelings. Some of the tracks present deeply involving and reflective lyrics, which help to create an intimacy with the band’s sonority. Iggy Pop mixes in this album his hard and punk attitude with his emotional side, towards which he definitively opened the gate for fans through his latest solo album ‘Après’. Some other lyrics are instead very simple and careless, stressing an easygoing attitude pertaining to part of the early punk movement, which presented not only a social condemnation approach, but also an irreverent and ironic one.

‘Ready to Die’ is a powerful and pleasant album which needs no comparison to ‘Raw Power‘ since it plays a very different role in the band’s career and in the current music scene. It is easy to listen to and captures the listener’s attention right away. Nevertheless, it is possible to grasp more and more at every listen. It is a record which gives a lot to those who listen with open ears and an open soul.

Well produced and appreciable by those loving rock ‘n’ roll, it is a strong statement of presence by a band which has made history. The renovation operated by Iggy and the Stooges in ’Ready to Die’ starts exactly from the band’s roots. Iggy and The Stooges do not present a completely new sound, but rather refresh the original one, transforming it in an adequate and relevant sonority for the present. With ‘Ready to Die’ Iggy and The Stooges take their past and make it meet with the present without cheating on themselves.

Rating: EXCELLENT 4.5/5

Image credit: Iggy And The Stooges via Facebook

The article Iggy and The Stooges: Back with Ready to Die – Album Review appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Nylons, an internationally-acclaimed Canadian a cappella quartet founded in 1978, will be performing for the first time at Borneo Jazz’s eighth edition in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. They are known for their energetic live shows, stunning harmonies, tight choreography, and fabulous showmanship, attracting audiences from all age groups. Fans in the past have described them as “thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining,” “fun, witty, and charming,” and “fantastic.”

Canada’s pop vocal group has an amazing sales record of more than 2 million copies, along with seven gold and six platinum recordings. The Nylons has performed over 1,000 concerts throughout Japan, Korea, China, Australia, Europe, Brazil, the United States, and Canada. They received several awards and accolades, such as a Tokyo Music Festival award and a Canadian Juno nomination for Best Jazz Vocal album in 2011.

The quartet, comprised of Tyrone Gabriel, Garth Mosbaugh, Claude Morrison, and Gavin Hope, are known for hits like “Kiss Him Goodbye,” “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” and “Happy Together.” For the past 30 years, The Nylons has been the most beloved Canadian vocal quartet, with their first album becoming a Canadian platinum.

Also lined up to perform at the festival are: Lisa Young Quartet from Australia, Scott Martin Latin Soul Band from the United States, West Jazz Band from Malaysia, Jump4Joy from Sweden, Hazmat Modine from the United States, Mo’Blow from Germany, and the Asian Jazz All-Stars Power Quartet from Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Thailand.

Aside from the nightly performances, there will be stalls selling a wide variety of food, beverages, and souvenirs at the venue. Also, fringe events, comprised of a craft bazaar, will offer local craftsmen and artisans an opportunity to sell their merchandise.

This festival is not just about music, it is about experiencing culture and appreciating scenery. Borneo Jazz has attracted over 8,000 spectators last year and is anticipated to attract even more this year. The eighth edition of Borneo Jazz, previously known as the Miri International Jazz festival, is expected to be the most diverse in terms of musical offerings in order to bring together various groups of jazz enthusiasts.

Borneo Jazz 2013 will be held on May 10 and 11 at the fabulous Parkcity Everly hotel in Miri. Tickets are priced for adults at RM 60 ($19.76 USD) per day and RM 100 ($32.94 USD) for 2 days. For children aged between 3 and 12, tickets sell at RM 30 ($9.88 USD) per day and RM 50 ($16.47 USD) for two days. All tickets are available for purchase online at www.jazzborneo.com or www.ticketcharge.com.my.

Image credit: The Nylons Homepage

The article The Nylons to Perform at Borneo Jazz 2013 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Chi Cheng, founding member of Alternative Metal band Deftones, died at age 42 on April 13, as announced by his family. Cheng had a car accident in 2008, and had been in a partially conscious state ever since. In November 2008, the former Deftones bassist was driving with his sister in Santa Clara, CA, when they were involved in a crash that left him in a coma. While his sister reported only minor injuries, having worn a seatbelt, Chi Cheng was not and got ejected from the car. At the time of the crash, the band was finalizing its sixth studio album ‘Eros’, which was later postponed indefinitely. Since the accident, the metal community had been raising money through benefit shows and a dedicated fan base, in order to sustain the family’s medical expenses.

A statement was released by his family, on April 14, via Oneloveforchi.com, the official blog through which the family has been releasing information about Cheng’s medical condition during the latest years. His mother (Mom J) wrote:

“Our dearest Family,

This is the hardest thing to write to you. Your love and heart and devotion to Chi was unconditional and amazing. I know that you will always remember him as a giant of a man on stage with a heart for every one of you.

He was taken to the emegency room and at 3 am today his heart just suddenly stopped. He left this world with me singing songs he liked in his ear. He fought the good fight. You stood by him sending love daily. He knew that he was very loved and never alone.

I will write more later. I will be going through the oneloveforchi site and any other information may not be reliable. If you have any stories or messages to share please send them to the onelove site. Please hold Mae and Ming and the siblings and especially Chi’s son, Gabriel in your prayers. It is so hard to let go.”

Image credit: True Love Waits..! via Flickr.com

The article Deftones’ Chi Cheng Dies at 42 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Turns out Morrissey’s statement published on April 8, after Margaret Thatcher’s death, by the Daily Beast was not a post-mortem one, but dated back to when Ms. Thatcher was still alive. Nevertheless Morrissey has something to say about the ex-Prime Minister’s death, and did it on April 9 releasing a statement to the fan site True to You.

Apparently, Morrissey’s feelings did not change much. In this new comment about Margaret Thatcher’s death, the former frontman of The Smiths also addressed past and current British politics, as well as the media scene. About the dead politician he says “Thatcher was not a strong or formidable leader. She simply did not give a shit about people.” Read the full statement as follows:

“The difficulty with giving a comment on Margaret Thatcher’s death to the British tabloids is that, no matter how calmly and measured you speak, the comment must be reported as an “outburst” or an ”explosive attack” if your view is not pro-establishment.

If you reference “the Malvinas”, it will be switched to “the Falklands”, and your “Thatcher” will be softened to a “Maggie.” This is generally how things are structured in a non-democratic society. Thatcher’s name must be protected not because of all the wrong that she had done, but because the people around her allowed her to do it, and therefore any criticism of Thatcher throws a dangerously absurd light on the entire machinery of British politics.

Thatcher was not a strong or formidable leader. She simply did not give a shit about people, and this coarseness has been neatly transformed into bravery by the British press who are attempting to re-write history in order to protect patriotism. As a result, any opposing view is stifled or ridiculed, whereas we must all endure the obligatory praise for Thatcher from David Cameron without any suggestion from the BBC that his praise just might be an outburst of pro-Thatcher extremism  from someone whose praise might possibly protect his own current interests.

The fact that Thatcher ignited the British public into street-riots, violent demonstrations and a social disorder previously unseen in British history is completely ignored by David Cameron in 2013. In truth, of course, no British politician has ever been more despised by the British people than Margaret Thatcher.

Thatcher’s funeral on Wednesday will be heavily policed for fear that the British tax-payer will want to finally express their view of Thatcher. They are certain to be tear-gassed out of sight by the police.

United Kingdom? Syria? China? What’s the difference?”

Morrissey
9 April 2013

Image credit: LeStudio1.com via Flickr.com

The article Morrissey on Thatcher: She Did Not Give a Shit about People appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

On the day the ex-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher, passed away, one of the music icons known for opposing the ideology of the British politician reacted with strong feelings. In an open letter written on the occasion of the politician’s death, English singer Morrissey defined Thatcher’s personality traits as completely negative, and the Lady herself as “a terror without an atom of humanity.” Morrissey also pointed out a relevant concern about females in politics “because of Thatcher, there will never again be another woman in power in British politics” he says. Here is the complete open letter published by The Daily Beast on April 8.

Thatcher is remembered as The Iron Lady only because she possessed completely negative traits such as persistent stubbornness and a determined refusal to listen to others.

Every move she made was charged by negativity; she destroyed the British manufacturing industry, she hated the miners, she hated the arts, she hated the Irish Freedom Fighters and allowed them to die, she hated the English poor and did nothing at all to help them, she hated Greenpeace and environmental protectionists, she was the only European political leader who opposed a ban on the Ivory Trade, she had no wit and no warmth and even her own Cabinet booted her out. She gave the order to blow up The Belgrano even though it was outside of the Malvinas Exclusion Zone – and was sailing AWAY from the islands! When the young Argentinean boys aboard The Belgrano had suffered a most appalling and unjust death, Thatcher gave the thumbs up sign for the British press.

Iron? No. Barbaric? Yes. She hated feminists even though it was largely due to the progression of the women’s movement that the British people allowed themselves to accept that a Prime Minister could actually be female. But because of Thatcher, there will never again be another woman in power in British politics, and rather than opening that particular door for other women, she closed it.

Thatcher will only be fondly remembered by sentimentalists who did not suffer under her leadership, but the majority of British working people have forgotten her already, and the people of Argentina will be celebrating her death. As a matter of recorded fact, Thatcher was a terror without an atom of humanity.

MORRISSEY.

Image credit: feltonf via Flickr.com

The article Morrissey on Thatcher’s Death: She Was a Terror appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

If you are looking for a refreshing take on genres of some of the biggest bands ever, Staring at Nothing is your band. Staring at Nothing is from Rockwell City, Iowa but currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa. The band consists of two best friends, Andrew Schreier and Zach DeMoss. Between their different musical backgrounds, tastes and great collaboration skills on top of the lyrics, you will be hooked. Recently Toonari Post had a chance to interview the two guys.

Toonari Post (TP): How did you guys come up with the band’s name?

Andrew Schreier (AS): When I was around 14 or 15 years old I fell in love with this video of Say Anything ‘s Max Bemis playing “Alive with the Glory of Love,” and I thought when I got older and had a band I’d want my album to be near his, so I started making lists of band names starting with S.  It would have been more impressive had I found a name that at least went SA instead of ST.  But it was one of like, a hundred and twenty or so I wrote down, and I wrote a song based on the name so it stuck.

Zach DeMoss (ZD): Like he said he came up with the name long before I started to learn drums so when he asked me if that’s what I wanted I agreed candidly.

TP: What music genre do you think best describes your band, and why?

ZD: It’s a cohesion of punk rock and alternative rock. It has some punk elements such as Andrew’s singing and some rhythms are punk oriented, and most of these songs have “take offs” which we patented as meaning speed up and rock out. Also songs such as “Knots” and “I handle…” really enunciate a hard rock or alternative rock element with heavy, fuzz riffs.

AS: We try to have diversity across the record, because we aren’t into the ideal that I’ve heard kicked around of, make an album of eleven or twelve similar sounding songs.  We as a band, and I as a writer are into having different moods and vibes throughout the record, diversity and dimension. We’re not into static records.  We range from strands of emo/alt rock like “Breeze” and “I Do This Thing Sometimes” to fuzzy rant raves of “Ihandleprettymuchallmyownmoney,” to depressive acoustics that no one should probably listen to. Ha. They’re just journal entries with guitars thrown behind them and they’re uber depressing. I don’t listen to them, save the end of “Fragile.”  A friend of ours Emily Winks was chilling and jamming with us one night and I had just recorded it that day and I had this idea for her to sing, she did it and her voice absolutely sheened. I was really lucky she came along and was into what she heard and put herself in there.  We’d love to have her around more, but right now it’s just not what she feels she needs in her life.  We respect that, but much love to her as a person and a singer and her contribution.

TP: What do you hope fans get from listening to your music; getting to know you guys?

AS: It’d be amazing if anyone cared at all.  The dream would be, to be to any fans what our favorite bands are to us.  If our band could mean what Say Anything, Brand New, or Nirvana do to me that would leave me in absolute awe.

ZD: I agree with Andrew 100%. If our songs can just entertain people while they listen to it I would be plenty happy, and if it inspires anything in anyone that would just be going above and beyond. Personally I didn’t get into music to become super popular I did it for fun so if our songs can excite and entertain people than that’s all I really want.

TP: Being from small town Iowa, what do you feel you bring to the music world?

AS: I’m not sure that had anything to do with it. Whether I was in a large town or small town I probably would have done the same thing. Kind of isolate myself from everyone and go to my bedroom. Skip a lot of school, buy a lot of records, and watch a lot of interviews. I’d be kind, and smile and laugh when talked to. But inside I really didn’t want to talk to anyone. I just wanted to … I don’t even know anymore.  But it wasn’t driven by my environment I don’t think.  It was all just, inside me, watching videos of my favorite bands and songwriters all the time. Spending embarrassing lengths of time alone in my room with Zach. We shot hoops now and then…but I usually left or felt uncomfortable if others showed up.

ZD: Being from small town Iowa and not having a bunch of money to spend on musical instruments I think shows people that you can play music as long as you are willing to put in the effort. I spent most of a summer’s salary on an electronic drum set, and the acoustic set I have is one that Andrew bought for like 200 bucks. Also making a homemade album shows that people can make their own music and they don’t need any big studios or super nice instruments. All you need are a few instruments and some people willing to try.

TP: If you could tour with anyone, what would the line-up be?

AS: Without a doubt Say Anything, Brand New, and if we could go back in time Nirvana.  Manchester Orchestra would be rad too.  Zach has a bit more ambition than I do. Haha.

ZD: Foo Fighters, Blink 182, Say Anything, Brand New, Jimmy Eat World, Silversun Pickups. Obviously those are the “dream” bands I would want to tour with, but really I think it would be awesome to tour with some local punk bands and just drive around in a van.

AS: Yeah. Vans are awesome.

TP: Speaking of favorite bands, who do you give credit to for inspiration?

AS: I really buy into certain songwriters although my writing certainly won’t display it.  Writing and poetry is what really got me into music.  Max Bemis of Say Anything was my obsession from when I was fifteen to today.  Funny story about it was, when I first bought “Is A Real Boy,” Say Anything’s first record…. I hated it… for six months, I listened to it every single day, hating it.  But obviously something else was going on in me because I kept listening to it day in and day out and it became my favorite album of all time.  Also Nirvana’s knack for taking straightforward simple riffs, and making them sound and feel so huge on record, that’s certainly to be admired.  And Brand New, just, wow. So much more I could say about any three of these bands.

ZD: Well for me a few factors played a role in me beginning to play drums. First I always knew Andrew played guitar and I thought that was cool but back when we first met I had no aspirations to become any sort of musician. I never played any instruments as a kid and I really never listened to rock music. Then freshman year of college and my roommate played guitar and one day I ended up with Rockband the video game. Next thing I know I am wasting hours and hours playing this stupid video game getting yelled at by neighbors, but honestly it was the best thing for me musically. I was exposed to tons of rock songs and I learned the basics of drumming. As for musicians who inspired me when I heard Dave Grohl on drums, I was sold. Every one of his songs he rocked. He is by far the best drummer alive to me, he keeps a straight forward beat and doesn’t try to show off he just does his part and helps the song musically. That is exactly what I try to do, fit my part to help the band be the best it can be.

AS: Zach learning drums is one of the greatest things that ever happened for me.  Who in a band doesn’t want the core to be him and his best friend? I don’t have to censor one sliver of myself, because if you think any of these songs are heavy. I talk about and reek of my issues non-stop. And lucky Zach living with me, I take it out on him all day every day.  Also, being his best friend for a long time, I exposed him to a lot of bands I listened to and he grew to love them also.  So we really come from the same roots of musical influence overall because of our friendship going back before we had this band together.

TP: Is there a favorite song that you guys recorded that you want to explain or give the reasoning behind?

AS: For me it’s definitely either “Breeze” or “Ihandleprettymuchallmyownmoney.”  I wrote “Breeze” the day before we were done and had to leave our personal studio.  Where I still felt like I hadn’t written and recorded a song like what I really wanted to do. So one night I just, went to write exactly what I had been wanting to write for a long time and “Breeze” nailed it.  “Breeze” is definitely a song that is in the direction we are heading as a band.  It was something I wrote in like an hour, plucked my poetry into it, and everything just clicked.  It said and did everything I wanted it to do.  While “Ihandleprettymuchallmyownmoney” is without a doubt my personal woe garbage bin. I love I got to open with a fiery showcase of my favorite vocal technique in “Ihandle,” the drunken sailor rant. Then it anchors into a heavy groove that really allowed me to spew chunks of thought out over it without a moments hesitation.  The entirety of that song was plucked straight from my veins.  Something about the riffs it clicks in and out of all allowed me to have it say what I wanted it to say. I also love how it clicks into this rave rock, and then back out into my favorite heavy drop onto the record.  That song started with a drum riff from Zach that inspired me to no end.

ZD: “Breeze” is just an awesome song, and it is by far my favorite. It has an awesome build up and then explodes into a catchy chorus, and even though it is long I am always enthralled with it. I also really like “Knots” because it shows off a more heavy side with the noise guitar and gritty chorus. I also fought to keep “Same Vein New Fluid,” because I love the easy rocking leading up to the “rock-out.”

You can check out more about these great guys and their music at www.staringatnothing.com. They currently do not have any tour dates planned, but plan on playing in the Iowa City, IA area once they have a bass player.

The article Staring at Nothing: Band Worth Looking At appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Nineteen years ago, on April 5, 1994, the legendary Nirvana founder Kurt Cobain passed away. Defined by some as a shotgun blast heard by the entire world, the one that killed Cobain left many fans and followers in anxiety and pain. However, death did not impede Cobain’s ability to remain an icon and point of reference for people of generations to follow, who share a particular vision of the world and a peculiar kind of emotional bond.

With only a few years of public activity, Kurt Cobain managed to remain in the heart of tons of people who have felt deeply connected to his artistic genius and personality for almost two decades. The continued relevance of his songs and thoughts is astonishing. After 19 years Cobain is still saying what many do not dare, taking the stands many still won’t, and continuous to connect with those who lack profound representation.

The work of Cobain did not end with his life. The message he spread around the world in the years of his musical activity has been enhancing itself even after his death. The shades of emotions he addressed and presented are still found in his voice and resounding among many people who find a daily refuge in them. The way he addressed extremely real and raw feelings in his songs and interviews has offered a hand to people defined as misfits by society; with his attitude Cobain told those misfits it is o.k. to be one, and it is o.k. to care.

The legacy of the late musician from Aberdeen goes beyond music, albeit through music. Recognized by many as one of the most influential artists of all times, he has put in music something rare to find these days: honesty, depth and humility.

Nevertheless Cobain’s persona has also suffered from that special illness affecting the ‘great ones’ of different eras: his personality has been used, copied and manipulated, to be used as a representation of a cool and alternative way of living. “I’d rather be dead than cool” said the late Cobain in the song “Stay Away.” A sick irony wants him to be both. In a society which allows holograms of dead musicians to perform on a stage never chosen, which seems to be willing to worship appearance in place of substance, and which celebrates the manic obsession with popularity at any cost, even the figure of Cobain, who has always fought against this very concepts, has been violated by not-so-genuine intentions.

The point is not the personal battles of the late musician’s family members, such as his wife, nor the use of Cobain’s name by those who should take care of his legacy. It is the concept of him, distorted by the media and the industry as a representation of something originally criticized by the musician, which is sickening.

The last months are a good example of the improper use of his name. In the wake of “Nevermind”s 20th anniversary edition’s success, Nirvana and Cobain’s name have been over-used with no respect at all, as in the case of the so-called acclaimed ‘Nirvana Reunion,’ on the occasion of the Sound City project carried out by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. It is hard to reunite a three piece band of which the founder, singer, guitarist, composer, lyricist, artwork and occasional video designer, and inventor has been dead for 19 years. Nevertheless this does not matter to those who want to sell a magazine, screaming there will be a Nirvana tour with somebody else filling in. Nor does it for somebody wanting to use Cobain’s face in order to promote their new album, because liking Cobain is cool. For some reason, it even became acceptable to read his journals, the most intimate expression of a person’s emotions. When one becomes an icon such as Cobain, respect does not always matter.

As in every human situation, Cobain’s state of being an icon has taken good and bad turns. Luckily, the good seems to be winning. Kurt Cobain needs no reunion, no holograms, and no advertisement to stay real and present in this world: his vision and honesty keep on marking his presence, and the shot which killed him still sounds thunderous in the hearts of many.

“Cobain can you hear the spheres singing songs off Station to Station?” sing the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Californication, invoking the philosophical concept according to which the universe is made of constantly moving celestial bodies, which produce music. This is probably one of the most beautiful wishes for the late Kurt Cobain: to be peacefully listening to the songs of his favorite Bowie’s album while floating in the universe, far from the noisy madness created around his name.

Image credit: Niadub via Flickr.com

The article Kurt Cobain, 19 Years After His Passing appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Italian indie-pop singer-songwriter Max Gazzè has been touring Italy and Europe in promotion of his latest album ‘Sotto Casa,’ which takes the name after its lead single, the song presented at the Sanremo Festival (the most known Italian pop music competition), which scored Gazzè relevant success.

Gazzè’s music plays with catchy melodies, often enriched by the use of a synthesizer, and refined lyrics. The latter address, express and analyze different human feelings and situations, usually using as a tool of expression ordinary stories of people’s lives. With this approach Gazzè travels through love, self-discovery, frustration and many other states of soul and mind.

In a global music scene which is too often charmed by superficiality, as long as it is presented in a provocative form, Gazzè stands out for the intensity of his work. His lyrics are never banal; not only explore they a variety of emotional shades of people’s lives, they also do so in a form which is extremely close to poetry, from which Max Gazzè has taken profound inspiration. The construction and execution of his songs always surprise the untrained listener, for their originality and pertinence with the feelings presented.

The Toonari Post had the chance to attend one of his concerts, held at the venue Mamamia in Senigallia (AN), Italy. The venue is pretty small, creating that cozy atmosphere which is appropriate for such a concert. A special mention surely needs to go to the sound-system of the venue, it being very good and adequate.

The stage, which is not extremely big, was not enriched by any choreography, leaving the center of the attention to the musician and his touring band. Gazzè, who plays the bass, was indeed supported by drums, a guitar and a synthesizer.

During the concert he performed many of his most famous hits, such as “La Favola di Adamo ed Eva,” “Vento d’Estate,” “Una Musica Può Fare,” “Il Timido Ubriaco” and so on. Nevertheless he also focused on new songs from his latest album. The concert started with a one hour delay, obviously creating a little disappointment in the audience. Gazzè then performed for about two hours; the choice of the set-list was arguable, not concerning the songs chosen but rather their order. Although all songs were very appreciable, the concert did not seem to take off for its first half.

The songs with which the musician decided to open the concert created a rather calm mood, which was probably not appropriate for an audience who had already lost some of the excitement due to the long delay. Furthermore, the use of lights on stage was annoyingly inadequately attended to: the lights were too strong for such a small venue, and did nothing to emphasize the music. During the concert Gazzè had a good interaction with the audience, as well as with his band mates. All of the members showed good harmony creating a smooth and interesting performance, and Gazzè also let the audience enjoy a couple of good solos.

Max Gazzè is a great musician and composer, who truly deserves to be known and followed. His talent and peculiar approach to music is worth a lot, and even more if considering the state of some corners of the current music scene.

Image: Maxgazze.it/by Barbara Oizmud

The article The Enchanting Music of Italian Singer-Songwriter Max Gazzè appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

James Carter Organ Trio may sound like a normal, standard jazz band, but it definitely is not. James Carter is a 44-year-old saxophonist and flutist, and the founder of the James Carter Organ Trio.

An organ trio around the jazz scene will usually consist of three musicians, a Hammond organ player, a drummer and a saxophonist, in this case James Carter. The other members are Gerard Gibbs on the organ, and Leonard King on drums.

For some readers, it could be  hard to imagine how only three musicians achieve greatness and creativity in their music, which explains why this trio is special.

It requires great skill and technique to make an organ trio successful, especially since the bass player is also the organ player. Gibbs is the solid foundation that the trio supports itself on. Gibbs plays the bass lines, chords and melodies of most of the songs in a poly rhythmic sense . He uses a Hammond organ, which enables him to play the bass line with his feet, while playing the melodies and chords with his two hands, he wields the ability to control his four limbs independently, which is a huge challenge and a real musical skill. That will could soon extinct, as Gibbs is one of the few remaining masters of the real Hammond organ, with him the trio is a sextet.

James Carter is a powerful musician that  knows his instruments more than well. His instruments on stage are usually the soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, bari saxophone and the flute, using all these instruments at one stage gives this trio good variety and always changing music flow on stage. At the trio’s last performance at the Perth International Festival 2013, Carter showed an outstanding, most extraordinary performance, with lots of woodwind solos that were more than just playing up and down the scale.

Leonard King  a not so typical jazz drummer that has a unique style and great skill, which bonds traditional and modern drumming styles into one, which gave it a new taste being put with the rest of the trio to make it complete and different than any other.

The James Carter Organ Trio’s recent performance at this year’s Perth Festival in Westren Australia was more than great. It was filled with instrumental energy, and a creativity with lots of solos like never seen or heard  before on any record. The trio’s performance may not have been attended by a large audience, but those who did attend did themselves a favor.

The article James Carter Organ Trio: More than Just Standards appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Sarawak’s Miri has grown to be a great destination for jazz enthusiasts since the inaugural edition of Borneo Jazz in 2005. The eighth edition of this festival is set to take place at the Parkcity Everly Hotel on May 10 and 11 this year. Borneo Jazz 2013 is a must see event for all jazz fans, where they can enjoy an enchanting fusion of music and adventure.

This year’s music lineup will feature eight magnificent bands: Mo’Blow from Germany, Hazmat Modine from the United States, Jump4Joy from Sweden, West Jazz Band from Malaysia, the Nylons from Canada, the Asian Jazz Allstars Power Quartet from Singapore, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Thailand, Lisa Young Quartet from Australia, and Scott Martin Latin Soul band from the United States.

Borneo Jazz has grown steadily from 3,000 spectators eight years ago to over 8,000 last year. This development is a reflection of the successful planning and promotion by the Sarawak Tourism Board over the years, and an indication of the growing appeal of jazz music in the region. Currently, the event organizers are collaborating to design travel packages that will allow local and international visitors to attend the festival and explore tourism sites within Miri and its surrounding destinations at the same time.

Since Miri is in Borneo, it has much more to offer than just great music. The Boneo Jazz festival is an amazing opportunity for jazz lovers to combine their travel plans with their passion for great music. Borneo, located just north of Australia, is the third largest island in the world, divided between three countries: Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Miri is surrounded by four world-class national parks: Mount Mulu National Park, Niah National Park, Lambir Hills National Park, and Loagan Bunut National Park, a popular destination for eco-tourism.

Borneo Jazz has been engaging people with international music by world class performers ever since its inaugural ceremony in 2005. The festival’s show times are as follows:

Borneo Jazz 2013 tickets are priced at RM 63 (20.26 USD) for adults and RM 33 (10.61 USD) for children aged 3-12; a two-day pass for adults is RM 103 (33.13 USD) and RM 53 (17.05 USD) for children. All tickets are available for purchase online at www.jazzborneo.com or www.ticketcharge.com.my. 

Image Courtesy : Jazzborneo

The article Festival Preview: Borneo Jazz 2013 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

March the 2nd, 2013, marked the end of Perth Festival at Chevron Festival Gardens,with what is known as The Antibalas, to conquer the main stage and the audience’s ears and sight.The Antibalas is a rare kind of band, playing music known as Afro Jazz, or Afrobeat. They are based in Brooklyn, New York, and have a diversity of nationalities within the group.

The Antibalas’ music at Perth Festival was outstanding. It was both lyrical and instrumental, featured technical musical skills that is as organized as a bee hive, instrumentally wise, and it had a great message, and purpose lyrically wise .

The Antibalas came to Perth, Australia with 11 of their musicians, that were as tight on stage as a Brazilian Football team, where they both have in common are skills and groove.

Their formation was 4-4-2-1 which consisted of a brass section that included: trombone, trumpet, tenor saxophone and Martin Perna–the founder of the Antibalas– on bari saxophone. As for the guitar and keys section, it included: rhythm and lead guitar, bass guitar and keys. Since the band is an Afrobeat, the most important section is the percussion with Amayo–the lead singer on the congas–and Marcus Farrar on the Shekere, and lastly their time keeper–Miles Arntzen–on the drums.

The Antibalas have nine album records that have made a big success with their latest song “Dirty Money,” that has made a  fuss around the scene. Listening to The Anitbalas’ records does not do them any justice. The band shows what they’ve really got in live performances like this one. One would be in the center of confusion to either talk about their music perfection or their music creativity, because metaphorically speaking both are two different books that The Antibalas have read to their audience on stage with a lot of onomatopoeia and imagery.  The group played at least 10 songs of which some were familiar, and other songs that were not, though all the songs appeared as if they were being composed on stage, and that was what caught the attention of many.

Being an Afro Jazz band, The Antibalas have a responsibility to move the listeners to their groove, which was not a hard thing to do, considering their musical abilities and the African rhythms that filled the atmosphere .

It is really a challenge to give The Antibalas justice in just once article, but one can sure say that Perth Festival 2013 really saved the best for the last.

The Antibalas Line Up :

• Stuart D. Bogie – Tenor Saxophone
• Martin Perna – Baritone Saxophone
• Jordan McLean – Trumpet
• Aaron Johnson – Trombone
• Victor Axelrod – Organ, Electric Pianos, Clavinet, Electric Celeste, Synthesizers, percussion
• Luke O’Malley – Guitar
• Marcos J. Garcia – Guitar, Vocals
• Nikhil Yerawadekar – Bass guitar, Guitar
• Miles Arntzen – Drums
• Duke Amayo – Vocals, Congas, Percussion
• Marcus Farrar – Shekere, Vocals

The article The Antibalas At Perth Festival appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

David Bowie returns this year, on March 12, with a brand new album after ten years of hiatus. The Thin White Duke announced the release of ‘The Next Day’ on January 8, launching a brand new video for the lead single ‘Where Are We Now’.

The album emanates a sense of rebirth in many aspects. First of all the title, which suggests the beginning of something new after the closing of a circle. This feeling is confirmed by the artwork of the record. The cover shows the same photo featured in ‘Heroes,’ one of Bowie’s most notorious albums, but in this new cover the title Heroes is deleted by a line and Bowie’s face is covered by the title of the new album, ‘The Next Day,’ on white background. This artwork evokes the feeling of a brand new start for the artist, a new beginning after the achievement and consecration of greatness, to which ‘Heroes’ was a core player.

The sound of the album stays quite faithful to Bowie’s style, although it blends into a more experimental approach in some of the featured songs. Overall the record is superb. The album opens with the song that gives the album its name: ‘The Next Day.’ It acts like a strong statement of Bowie’s presence: “Here I am, not quite dying” Bowie proclaims, finally answering the Flaming Lips and Neon Indian, who wondered “Is David Bowie Dying?” in their collaboration. The song is catchy, powerful and straightforward; it creates an intense atmosphere for the listener from the very beginning of the album. ‘The Stars Are Out Tonight’ goes on enchanting, giving the listener the assurance that they are witnessing another piece of greatness created by this artist. In this song it is possible to find typical Bowie sonorities, pushed forward, and metaphysical lyrics, which accompany a strong and direct assessment to one’s existence. The album goes on spreading one interesting track after the other, not sparing a visit to the old Bowie, redeveloping on some of the roots of his greatest successes instead, such as in ‘You Feel So Lonely You Could Die’ which takes the listener back to ‘Five Years.’

Although this album does not have a feeling of “revelation,” Bowie seems to put himself in a different position in respect to other works. He is no longer the man going through a miserable time in life, as in ‘Station to Station’ for example, he is the man who has lived all of that, and gathered teachings out of his life experiences. He now seems to collect all of those many aspects of his life and try to design who he has become, in order to draw an imaginary present and future path. As for every human being though, the look back at the past does not only bring sense of accomplishment and gratification, but also a part of disillusionment. “Oh what have you done, what have you done?” sings the artist in ‘Love is Lost,’ liberating a sense of frustration as felt after an irreparable action.

The melancholic atmosphere sets into ‘Where Are We Now,’ which looks back at the Berlin period, one of the most prolific periods for the English artist. It is a melodic ballad, which contrasts the concepts of self-awareness to life and emotional uncertainty. This song, chosen as lead single for the album, does not really represent it in terms of sonorities. If this track is a soft and cuddling song into the renewed musical production of the Bowie, the rest of the album is pretty rocky; it comes strong and refreshing to the listener and pulses under the skin. In spite of this, there is also another enchanting ballad ‘You Feel so Lonely You Could Die’ in the album. In this song Bowie recreates the direct sustaining impact towards the listener he already expressed in the past. As in ‘Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide’ he connects directly to the lonely person listening to the album, addressing the heartbreaking living state of loneliness; it is the perfect continuum to the agonizing yell ‘You’re Not Alone!” in ‘Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide.’

A surplus in the album is surely the piano and its combination to the sax; the latter takes deep patterns in ‘Dirty Boys’ and is retrieved in ‘Boss of Me’ and other tracks. ‘Boss of Me’ has also that rockabilly and dancing attitude which can be found in ‘Dancing Out in Space’ as well. Nonetheless, guitars are undisputed heroes of the record, as elegantly shown with the roaring sounds unveiled in songs like ‘Valentine’s Day.’ The tracks that explode the most are probably ‘I’d Rather Be High,’ ‘How Does the Grass Grow?,’ and ‘(You Will) Set the World on Fire.’ The listener feels like being unable to escape the vortex into which Bowie has dragged them, feeling almost overcome, although in a pleasant way, by those tracks. The biggest surprise instead is ‘If You Can See Me,’ which is a non-typical track that sounds a little bit weird in this complex, but not enough to sound out of context.

The album is absolutely excellent; it is extremely enjoyable since the first listen and only gets better every subsequent one. Most of the tracks are excellent, and those that are not are extremely good.

Rating: SUPERB 5/5

Image Courtesy : David Bowie (Official)

The article The Next Day: David Bowie’s Comeback Reviewed appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Sex Jams is an alternative band from Vienna, Austria, composed of vocalist Katarina Trenk, bassist Florian Seyser, guitarists Lukas Bauer and Wolfgang Möstl, and drummer Rudi Braitenthaller. The band’s second album ‘Trouble, Honey’ is due March 1 on Siluh Records and Noise Appeal.

‘Trouble, Honey’ is a noise-pop record with flavors of hard rock. It could be said that the album splits in two different souls: the dream-pop one, which is predominant in many of the songs, and the rocky and catchy one, present in songs like “I Call Myself a Rocket,” which surprise and capture the attention of the listener.

It is a good album for a growing band, which opens a nice path towards the future definition of Sex Jams’ sound. The album is easy to listen to, and becomes more interesting after a few listens. Sex Jams is not inventing anything new, but it does its job well, moving from one style to another and opening to a wide audience. The talent of the members is easy to grasp, placing them in a good spot among the scene.

The album opens with a calm track, “Beauty is a Beast,” whose sonorities involve the currently trendy dream-pop, which then goes on for most of the record. The song is like a warm welcome and creates a pleasant atmosphere for continued listening. By the first single of the album, “Shark vs. Apple,” we find the enrichment of a vocal dialog between the female vocalist and her male counterpart, who converse over the dreamy sonorities, while the chorus bites stronger than in other songs.

The record often seems like it is about to take off, but actually does not until “I Call Myself a Rocket” makes a pleasant surprise entry. The track takes the next step, goes behind the dreamy atmosphere and the hypnotic way of molding voice and sounds, getting in touch with a rebellious attitude, also expressed through the lyrics. The same approach is revisited in “Science of Shapes,” although this latter song is more pop-oriented. “September,” even though keeping a faster rhythm than the first tracks, comes back into the cloud of dreamy and delicate melodies. They then change again with “Just Kids,” which is the ballad that is never missing in any record.

The technical execution by the individual musicians is very good, and the coordination within the band seems to be appropriate as well. Drummer Rudi Braitenthaller, although appearing only marginal at the beginning of the record, demonstrates his awesomeness in time. He is able to exploit the songs and enhance the whole performance. Vocalist Katarina Trenk is very interesting, even though the impression is that she could dare more. Instead she remains in her comfort zone without exploring all the potential her voice seems to have. Also the other members succeed in showing their very good capabilities.

A good record overall, which opens to a very promising future for Sex Jams.

Rating: GOOD 3/5

Image Courtesy : Sex Jams

The article Sex Jams’ New Album ‘Trouble, Honey’ Reviewed appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

After an extensive tour in 2012, Iggy and The Stooges have decided it is time to amaze their fans with a brand new album. ‘Ready To Die’ is the title of the upcoming album by the infamous proto-punk band, and it will be released on April 30 on Fat Possum Records. The band’s most famous record is ‘Raw Power’, the album that opened the ball for the punk movement that took shape in England and in the U.S.A., taking several different forms and shades.

‘Ready To Die’ will feature Iggy Pop as vocalist, guitarist James Williamson and drummer Scott “Rock Action” Asheton, with the addition of the great Mike Watt (who has already been touring with the band), filling in for the late Ron Asheton on bass.

Iggy and The Stooges announced the album in a video portraying Iggy Pop as a scarecrow, and featuring a sample of one of the new tracks. In the sample, all the adrenalinic and electrifying feelings usually exploding in Iggy and The Stooges’ music are retrieved, pushing the excitement for the upcoming event even more.

Iggy Pop, with his usual peculiar way of expressing his personality, explained the idea behind the album “My motivation in making any record with the group at this point is no longer personal. It’s just a pig-headed fucking thing I have that a real fucking group, when they’re an older group, they also make fucking records,” he says. “They don’t just go and twiddle around on stage to make a bunch of fucking money and go, ‘Ohh, it wouldn’t be as good.’ This is not the fucking Smashing Pumpkins, you know, we’ve got the bald guy and whoever. This is the key. The only thing I really have left to say is The Stooges are a real group.”

As if the album was not enough to satisfy the appetite of the fans, the band’s official website gives more good news. It reads “Iggy and the Stooges will begin the Ready To Die live assault shortly. Stay tuned for coordinates.” Iggy and The Stooges had already announced a number of live shows around the world for this year, but this statement hints an extensive presence of the band on the live stage in 2013.

In the year when Bowie announced a new album and Jimi Hendrix’s brand new material is going to be released on a new record soon, Iggy and The Stooges’ upcoming album fits like a perfect piece in the puzzle of musical greatness. Let us hope the White Duke follows the example of his buddy Iggy Pop and jumps on a world tour to amaze fans, who have been waiting for years. Furthermore, the ‘Lust For Life’ biopic, about David Bowie and Iggy Pop’s Berlin period, is on its way to the big screen. It is surely an interesting year for music.

The article Iggy and The Stooges Announce New Album Out in April appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The 23-year-old Korean Han Hee-jun, who was one of the top ten participants of American Idol Season 11, is poised to make his debut in the U.S. music market.

Han made the top 9 of American Idol last year, which was a first in the show’s history for an Asian. Han has made a contract with Korean agency Polaris Entertainment, and is ready to release his first single in the U.S. It has been reported that Han is going to work with famous agent Max Gousse, who used to manage many big stars such as Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, and Usher, making the possibility of Han’s success in the U.S. stronger.

According to the Korean daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo, Han was contacted by at least 100 agents after the show, but he decided to choose a Korean agent because he wanted to stick to his Korean background.

When Han participated in American Idol last year, he was one of the most popular contestants in terms of Internet voting score. He said, “I think using a chest voice made me popular because that was little bit unique compared to other participants who were using either a head voice or a nasal sound.”

Han participated in American Idol to raise awareness about the disabled at a missionary organization in New York, where he is working as a volunteer.

“I used to suffer from severe depression. I was getting vocal training from some agency in Korea for two years to become a professional singer from 2010, but it didn’t work well. I also participated in a Korean singing competition show, but I didn’t make it. These failures put me a depressing situation,” Han told the Chosun Ilbo.

Han added, “I happened to visit a missionary organization in New York and meet about 200 disabled people there. I saw them happy by singing and playing music instruments together. It opened my eyes and made me decide to participate in American Idol because once I make it up to 24 people, I will have a chance to talk about my personal life story, and I thought if I can let people know about these disabled people’s story, they can get more help from here and there.”

His goal has been achieved. After getting exposure on national television, the missionary organization and the disabled received many donations from across the U.S.

Han has an English name, “Dante.” However, he always goes with his Korean name “Hee-jun.” That is because Han’s goal is to be a famous singer in the U.S. as a Korean, just like Psy.

Image Courtesy : Heejun Han Fan Page

The article American Idol Top 9, Han Hee-jun to Make His Debut in the U.S. appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

William Ross will conduct the Oscar orchestra for the Academy Awards, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced this week.

“We are happy to have Bill Ross conduct the Oscar orchestra,” said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. “With a show so rich with music, we are so pleased to have someone as talented as Bill on our team.”

Ross, who conducted for the 79th and 83rd Academy Awards, is a prolific award-winning composer and arranger whose work encompasses feature films, television and the music recording industry. He has arranged music for artists such as Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Kenny G., Sting, Quincy Jones, Seal, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston. The records on which he has worked have sold a total of over 250 million copies in the United States.

Ross has written original scores for such films as ‘The Tale of Despereaux’, ‘Ladder 49’, ‘Tuck Everlasting’ and ‘My Dog Skip’. He also adapted and conducted the score to ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’.

Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide. For more information go to Oscar.com or download the official Oscars app.

Image Courtesy : William Ross

The article Conductor for the Oscar 2013 Orchestra Announced appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

A lot of hype is created over A State of Trance 600, which is going to be held in Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur on March 15. A State of Trance is the name of Armin Van Buuren’s radio show, which has been aired for over 11 years now, with an estimated number of approximately 20 million listeners all over the world.

A State of Trance has been voted one of the most popular radio shows around the world, and Van Buuren was awarded ‘Best Mix Radio Show’ at the Winter Music Conference in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011, with Van Buuren voted as the number one DJ in the DJ Mag Top 100 for five years.

A State of Trance celebrates its birthdays big and in style. Last year ASOT 550 was celebrated with 6 huge shows in London, Moscow, Kiev, Los Angeles, Miami and Den Bosch. This year Van Buuren is bringing out ASOT 600, and from February to April he will travel around the world with ASOT 600: The Expedition World Tour, which will take place in cities such as Madrid, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Minsk, Sofia, Beirut, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Miami, Guatemala City, New York and Den Bosch.

Tickets to the event in Madrid, Mexico City, Miami and New York are already sold out. A special thing about Van Buuren’s shows is that at the end of December of every year listeners get to vote for their favorite music in the show. Some of it may end up being on ASOT top 20, which gets blended into that year’s tw0-hour Yearmix album.

Van Buuren has recently released this year’s line up for ASOT 600 in Kuala Lumpur on his own website. Some of the best and most electrifying DJs are coming:

• Aly & Fila
• Armin van Buuren
• Ben Gold
• Cosmic Gate
• Super8 & Tab
• W&W

He has also launched an official, weekly ‘A State of Trance’ podcast, which is available on iTunes and contains the highlights of the show, for fans who just can’t get enough. As the website states: ”With an ever growing popularity and a steady group of loyal fans, ‘A State of Trance’ is only getting bigger and better.”

Image Courtesy : A State Of Trance Official

The article A State of Trance in Kuala Lumpur appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.