Jay Funk Dawg

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/03/17/medeski-martin-wood-improvise-with-nels-cline-on-jade-song-premiere/

Medeski Martin & Wood + Nels Cline have announced the release of The Woodstock Sessions (Vol. 2) on April 22. The four musicians came together to record on August 27, 2013 at Applehead Studios in Woodstock, NY in front of an intimate gathering of 75 lucky ticket holders. The session was part of a newly launched series that brings established and emerging recording artists together with their fans in the recording studio. The experience is a performance/session hybrid that supports the artist to fan bond by sharing the process of record making. The end results are inimitable recordings that capture inspired, one-off performances.

"Michael Birnbaum from Applehead Studios and I had been talking about this for over two years. We're all trying to figure out what to do in this crazy music business, how to keep things going and above water, how to keep the music real and keep the connection with the audience real," explains John Medeski. "Applehead Studios is a great space. Beyond just being a recording facility it sounds so good live that we thought we could find a way to play for people here and get something special out of it."

Birnbaum adds: "We feel that the presence of the audience in the room with the musicians creates an energetic accelerant to the experience and to the end product that we capture and reproduce. The idea is to honor the craftsmanship that happens on both sides of the glass and lets folks have a rare look into the sanctified space that is the recording studio."

The initial collaboration between MMW and Nels Cline was a year earlier when they performed at The Blue Note for two sold out shows in New York City. They would later reconnect at Wilco's Solid Sound Festival in western Massachusetts. The chemistry was immediate and ever since they'd been considering ways to record.

"When we talked to Nels about recording something, we felt live was the best way. And we started thinking again about this idea of an intimate concert/studio situation that would be a cool experience and fun for everyone. It seemed like the perfect thing to do," says Medeski. "We wanted play together, record it, and not have to fix everything in the computer. Sometimes you go into the studio and start thinking too much. It changes everything. It might end up great, but it doesn't have the same feeling as getting together to improvise and create in the moment for the moment. This is our moment with Nels!"

Together at Applehead Studios, the quartet jumped head first into nearly two hours of improvised music spread across two sets. They'd ricochet between ideas that run the gamut from avant noise to space funk, experimental jazz to electronic minimalism with nearly a million other musical impulses and currents spiraling from their dense web of sound. The recordings were later edited and mixed into nine separate tracks by the Applehead production/engineering team of Michael Birnbaum, Chris Bittner and Kevin Salem.

"There are a lot of different ways to make records. Too often, the process gets elongated, and I've made many records on recent years where no two musicians played in the same room at the same time. Michael and I sat down as producers and decided that we wanted to create a situation that would foster productivity and a modern organic approach to recording," says Salem. "These are recording sessions, pure, simple and real. For the attendees, they get to see musicians in their creative habitat. The artists get the benefit of simplicity and urgency that comes with live recording. And as producers, we get to craft something really one-of-a-kind. Putting people in a room changes the dynamic, and that yields a tangible result that makes the sessions different from even standard live studio recording and certainly different from concert recordings."

Heard in its entirety, The Woodstock Sessions (Vol. 2) presents some of the most imaginative playing ever documented in the vast discographies of either Medeski Martin & Wood or Nels Cline.

"MMW has no leader. When we play, there is an unspoken rule that requires each of us to sometimes lead and sometimes follow. As an outsider, it's hard to join this kind of democracy without altering it," concludes Chris Wood. "With Nels Cline it's different. He instantly became a citizen of our twisted democracy and elevated it to a higher realm."

Try this link:

https://www.facebook.com/NuFunkCa?v=app_293304440820147

ENTER TO WIN PRIZE PACK ( Pair of Tickets to the show, CD of the bands, T-shirt and opportunity to meet members of the band) HERE:

http://t.co/ETcztxZ0gW

I really doubt Toronto will get added, even though it was rescheduled, it was one of the lowest attendance shows last year. I don't think the demand is there to have them back so soon.

The lighting guy is a different guy this time. his name is Toby Gottlieb and he tours as a lighting tech with some big Canadian acts...

He's very familiar with Phish's lights and will do the show justice.

Nice, Randall's Island is super close to my place, almost walking distance, definitely catch one or two of those nights.

NuFunk Presents...

Thursday, March 13th, 2014 8:00 PM

Robertson (Montreal) CD Release Party

w/ Special Guest DJ Andy Williams (Montreal, The Goods, Jazz Amnesty Soundsystem)

Supermarket - 268 August Ave

http://robertsonmark.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1475237742696728/

New RobertSon record out on April 1st via Bongo Beat Records

Self-produced in home studio, RobertSon's sophomore album is a mix of old styles and vintage sounds, new forms and modern technologies. Scratch guitars laced with whas and mutrons, popping jazzy synths, string and keyboard basses, horns, live beats and sampled drums. From positively expressive up-tempo celebrations to cool, laid-back improvised lines, introspective, at times subversive, soulful, hopeful yet hopelessly romantic lyrics of singer-songwriter RobertSon. Co-produced and mixed by Carl Bastien (Bélanger,Koala, Dumas, Moffat, Bullfrog …) at the legendary Studio Victor in Montreal.- check out the new single "Bounce"

We're offering up 25 free tickets here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/robertson-formerly-known-as-bullfrog-w-dj-andy-williams-tickets-10897712351

Here's another new track released... I'm rocking the guitars on this one (skank, picky guitar and solo)

Final show will be at Evolve Festival

www.evolvefestival.com

July 11-13, Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Check out the first single from the band's new album.

Brooklyn Live-electronica band Durians on Canadian CD Release Tour:

Thurs. March 13 Hamilton - Casbah

Fri. March 14 Toronto - Wrongbar

2 members used to be in the Montreal based group Panacea who toured Canada extensively back in 2004-2008.

http://music.cbc.ca/#/artists/Panacea

Since 2009, they reformed as a live-electronica trio in Burlington, Vermont - relocating to Brooklyn in 2010.

http://www.duriansmusic.com

From Brooklyn, NY, Durians is a three-piece band playing live experimental Bass Music with influences of drum n bass, dubstep, jazz, romantic classical, and electronica. Their music is propelled by brassy live horns and live drums, in addition to the synths and laptops normally featured in Electro bands. Durians has already released two EPs, “Adrenochrome Gnome†and “I Can See Through the Holes in Your Brainâ€, whose tracks are laced with a heavy mix of Jungle, Dubstep, Trip hop, Drumstep, and DnB. They have been touring throughout the Northeastern USA and Canada playing alongside acts such as Dub Trio, The Egg, London Souls, Toubab Krewe, Keys ‘n Krates, Biodiesel, and more. Durians are currently recording a new album, "Synergy for Sadists", to be released in March 2014.

New Late Night Talk Show Filmed in Brooklyn Showcases Live Bass Music

A new late night talk show filmed in Brooklyn has recently kicked-off called “Late Night New Yorkâ€. Like many late night shows, they feature musical guests as part of their broadcasts. Among the guests they’ve had recently was a live Bass Music trio out of the Brooklyn underground electronic music scene called Durians. Recently, the show released Durians’ performance of their track “Killing Live Musicâ€, an ironic title given the band’s emphasis on the live aspect of their electronic music performance. See the video here:

Ink Entertainment and NuFunk Present

Saturday, April 5th, 2014 8:00 PM

Easy Star All-Stars

Dub Side of the Moon - 10 Year Anniversary Tour

with special guest: John Brown's Body

Opera House - 735 Queen St. E

Facebook Page: http://on.fb.me/1hEmOwk

19+ / General Admission : Tickets: $26 + s/c at Play de Record, Soundscapes & Rotate This or Ticketmaster http://bit.ly/1hiYXUa

Easy Star Records’ reggae collective, the Easy Star All-Stars, will perform at The Opera House on Saturday, April 5, 2014 as the Toronto stop of their Dub Side of the Moon Anniversary Tour with special guests & label mates John Brown's Body.

Easy Star All-Stars

http://www.easystar.com/

Blending musical versatility, instrumental prowess, beautiful vocal harmonies and a premier rhythm section, The Easy Star All-Stars are best known for covering popular albums in a reggae and dub-style. Touring in over 30 countries on 6 continents, averaging over 100 shows per year for the past 5 years, and playing most of the major festivals throughout the world, the band has established themselves as one of the top international reggae acts on the scene today.

John Brown's Body

www.johnbrownsbody.com

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that Kings And Queens is a synthesis of every aspect of John Brown’s Body’s storied career. It’s as if, after close to two decades of existence, this pioneering band has finally crafted their ultimate statement, tying together styles they’ve dabbled in, paid respect to, created, or pushed forward into one tightly woven mosaic. JBB’s Future Roots is now present tense.

John Brown’s Body formed (in Boston in the mid 1990s) at a time when there wasn’t what you’d call a U.S. reggae scene. The American bands that played reggae were regional at best, touring little, and many were primarily cover bands of the best known Jamaican reggae. JBB was one of a handful of groups that began touring nationally and created distinctly American reggae, steeped in traditional vibes but incorporating elements from other genres. Whereas most groups tackled typical reggae themes – religion and marijuana – JBB acted more like an indie band, writing songs that used the vocabulary of reggae to express their own experiences. Over time, this style has become the norm. The U.S. scene has grown tremendously – to the point of having two bands debut records in the Billboard Top 20 in 2012 – and many in the genre point to John Brown’s Body as a key influence.

ENTER TO WIN PRIZE PACK ( Pair of Tickets to the show, CD of the bands, T-shirt and opportunity to meet members of the band) HERE:

http://t.co/ETcztxZ0gW

Make it Funky Presents..

Friday, March 14, 2014 10PM

9 Year Anniversary with World Famous DJ Deekline (Hot Cakes, UK)

w/ Marcus Visionary, Farbsie Funk Vs. Marty McFly

and live performance by The Durians (Brooklyn, NYC)

Wrongbar - 1279 Queen St. W

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1dEpw5Z

Online Tickets: http://tktwb.tw/1gDqT3f

Get Physical Tickets at Soundscapes, Play De Record and Rotate This

Tickets also available through BNE Entertainment and 777 on Facebook.

Make It Funky celebrates 9 years of incredible funky bass music We have put together an incredible lineup to bring together people from all over the bass funk community. People who just love to get out on the dance floor and let loose to great music with great people. That’s why we started this adventure 9 years ago and why we are still bringing you interesting live acts pushing boundaries mixed with dis at the forefront of breaks/ghettofunk/hiphop/funk/DnB/bass music and more.

In this special show Make It Funky is thrilled to present Deekline (UK Hot Cakes, Jungle Cakes), Deekline last played with Make It Funky Halloween 2009 at the docks where he layer down an incredible set of booty breaks.

Also joining us from Brooklyn, NYC come Durians! This 3 piece live electronic bass ensemble will get you moving with their unique brand of sound that is both cinematic, experimental and bass heavy.

Deekline (Hot Cakes, UK)

Deekline is that rare figure in dance music, the seminal producer who balances the cutting edge and the mainstream with effortless flair. Head of the London to Brighton-spanning Hot Cakes collective of producers, promoters and DJs, this bass music icon recently released new album Bounce 'n' Shake with studio partner in crime Ed Solo, an eclectic tour de force sent down with the kind of assurance one might expect from DJs who have sent bodies flying round the room at club venues across the globe for more than a decade.

A hero of the underground from the days of his Platinum-selling UK garage anthem I Don't Smoke Da Reefer, Deekline oversees a range of Hot Cakes imprints (Hot Cakes, Sludge, Jungle Cakes and the legendary Rat Records) all of which work tirelessly to propel street level artists into the forefront of the electronic music scene.

On a live tip, the Hot Cakes parties have achieved the rare feat of blowing up clubs on both sides of the Atlantic, in Miami, Spain and London, where his flagship night sits pretty at the heart of Brixton at iconic underground nightclub Jamm. He's also known to put on a rump-shaking boat party or two on the river Thames.

In the studio, Deekline is a bonafide musical shapeshifter, his impressive diversity having seen him rework the likes of Armand Van Helden, Old Dirty Bastard and The Prodigy. He is currently remixing the new Laidback Luke new single and earlier in 2013 his 2-step-flavoured reworking of Lethal Bizzle & Donae'o's Not A Saint anthem proved he's still in touch with his UK garage roots at a time when the sound has never been hotter.

Fittingly for a producer whose Hot Cakes brand has become a byword for bassbin-shaking bravado, this is one artist who's cooking up a storm right now.

Durians

http://www.duriansmusic.com/

"an ambitious and highly danceable experiment, recalling STS9 at their most electro, or perhaps Daft Punk at their most organic" - Dan Bolles, 7Days Magazine, Burlington, VT

The Durian, the spiny, stinky fruit, is both famous and infamous in its native home of South-East Asia. Eliciting emotions that range from respect to disgust to adoration, the fruit has earned the nickname, "King of Fruits," and has been banned in many hotels and public areas due to its smell. No doubt this brash fruit is an appropriate namesake for the Brooklyn-based live Bass Music band, Durians. The trio's powerful presence and sound are as impressive and unique as the fruit's funky odor.

"...This is live-instrument electronic music on steroids, featuring dance-inducing break-beats and drum and bass amongst a psychedelic swirl of sonic delights." - Ed Dufresne, Montpelier Times Argus

Although the group uses recognizable elements from the newest DJ-dominated Electronic Dance Music genres, Durians never sticks to formulas. Wobbly bass lines are played from Nick Kirshnit's hybrid MIDI/Electric bass, which come out mean, dance-inducing, and compelling. Drum n' bass and jazz-infused dubstep beats are played by drummer Ryan Ramirez, which further provides the crucial "live" element to their music. Melodies and sounds from Eli Chalmer are provided not just by synths and sounds produced by laptop, but by live trombone, keyboards, and unique original instruments such as MIDI-Theremin.

" ...like Aphex twin and Squarepusher but they take it to the next level..." - DJ Lovelace, Brooklyn Radio

The band was formed in Summer of 2009 in Burlington Vermont by longtime musical cohorts Kirshnit and Chalmer. The two had been playing in jazz/funk bands together for years, but instead of listening to jazz/funk on their time off they would almost exclusively listen to the new electronic music they heard out of progressive electronica artists like Amon Tobin, Squarepusher, Bonobo, and others. In 2009 they decided to form a band that would somehow play such genres with live instruments. They worked on deconstructing the elements that go into the various Bass music/Electronica genres, and using a combination of Ableton Live and their hybrid electronic/acoustic instruments to play those elements for live audiences. The success of the project eventually compelled them to move to New York City, where they met drummer Ryan Ramirez, a recent transplant from North Carolina. Ramirez, an already accomplished session drummer with Soul/Funk ensembles, had been inspired by Electronica drummers such as Adam Deitch, Jo-Jo Mayer and KJ Sawka.

"...booming synths, heavy drums and instrumentals reminiscent of alien screeches -- so bombastic that the floorboards shake." - Lauren Harrison, Newsday, Long Island

After releasing two EPs, and a few singles, Durians have been growing in notoriety in the North-East. They find themselves at home in a variety of scenes, from EDM, to IDM, to Jamtronica, even picking up fans of jazz and heavy metal. They will be releasing their first full length album in March 2014 entitled "Synergy For Sadists".

Marcus Visionary

www.marcusvisionary.com

Marcus Visionary has been a full time DJ, promoter and music producer for over two decades. Whether you find him playing Jungle Dnb, house or dubstep you can guarantee high quality as Marcus puts in a full time effort as both a DJ and music producer.

Signed to Shy Fx’s Digital Soundboy label and co owner of Liondub International, Marcus wears many hats as well as many production alias’s. Channel One will be an outlet for you to hear all of sides of Marcus Visionary, get ready!

Farbsie Funk vs. Marty McFly

Farbsie Funk has been a driving force behind make it funky since its inception 9 years ago! Marty Mcfly is one of the coolest funky breaks djs in the country and has been playing since funky breaks was coined as a term! Together these two breaks/bass/funky djs are set to throw down a back to back special set to open the night. This is not an opening set we go full on from the time the doors open to the time the lights come on! Booty Funk Breaks in full effect!

Founded in 2005, when like-minded heads in Toronto scene set out to create a party series that could help the city put the funk back in its rump. What has help set Make it Funky apart is the cutting edge DJs line-ups and positive, fun vibe. Make it Funky’s mission is to explore the funkier side of all things breakbeat. Make it Funky promises and always delivers an exceptional night of music, dancing and good fun, with a focus on bringing the best of funk, breaks, hip hop, and beat-driven live music to the masses. Just a few of Make It Funky’s many highlight performers include: Dub FX, Beardyman, Afrika Baambaataa, Z-Trip, Breakestra, Krafty Kuts, The Herbaliser, Fort Knox Five, Mat the Alien, DJ NuMark, Ursula 1000, Killa Kella, and DJ QBert and we are just getting started!

more info www.makeitfunky.ca or guestlist@makeitfunky.ca

Check out the Complete Lettuce Catalog 24hr Free Download:

http://lettucefunk.com/complete-lettuce-catalog-24-free-download/

Ink Entertainment and NuFunk Present

Saturday, April 5th, 2014 8:00 PM

Easy Star All-Stars

Dub Side of the Moon - 10 Year Anniversary Tour

with special guest: John Brown's Body

Opera House - 735 Queen St. E

Online Tickets: http://bit.ly/1hiYXUa

Easy Star Records’ reggae collective, the Easy Star All-Stars, will perform at The Opera House on Saturday, April 5, 2014 as the Toronto stop of their Dub Side of the Moon Anniversary Tour.

Blending musical versatility, instrumental prowess, beautiful vocal harmonies and a premier rhythm section, The Easy Star All-Stars are best known for covering popular albums in a reggae and dub-style. Touring in over 30 countries on 6 continents, averaging over 100 shows per year for the past 5 years, and playing most of the major festivals throughout the world, the band has established themselves as one of the top international reggae acts on the scene today.

Listen to Easy Star All-Stars at:

John Brown’s Body formed (in Boston in the mid 1990s) at a time when there wasn’t what you’d call a U.S. reggae scene. The American bands that played reggae were regional at best, touring little, and many were primarily cover bands of the best known Jamaican reggae. JBB was one of a handful of groups that began touring nationally and created distinctly American reggae, steeped in traditional vibes but incorporating elements from other genres. Whereas most groups tackled typical reggae themes – religion and marijuana – JBB acted more like an indie band, writing songs that used the vocabulary of reggae to express their own experiences. Over time, this style has become the norm. The U.S. scene has grown tremendously – to the point of having two bands debut records in the Billboard Top 20 in 2012 – and many in the genre point to John Brown’s Body as a key influence.

http://www.johnbrownsbody.com/

He was a writer for SCTV, Second City CHI & Toronto has strong links at the time. I don't think I ever saw him in an episode, but makes a lot of sense that e was in the mix.

Sounds great so far. Band is tight and tough right at the start. I can't believe I didn't see you there!

tonight's the night...

Grab those final few tickets for the Lettuce show tonight in Toronto here: http://tktwb.tw/1hJYOMA Also i'll be DJying an after party which includes a jam lead by trumpeter Nick "The Brownman" Ali at May on Dundas right after the show: http://on.fb.me/1cbWhTX Major Rager tonight!

only 100 tickets left...

get 'em here:

http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/lettuce-live-in-toronto-tickets-9350733295

http://www.ticketweb.ca/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3921204

Recent Press:

http://societyvernacular.com/lettuce-discuss-conversation-eric-krasno/

http://exclaim.ca/Interviews/WebExclusive/kc_roberts_live_revolution-choosing_sides/Page/1

http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=196752

OFFICIAL Lettuce AFTERPARTY ALERT:

We'll be raging all night long at Cafe May (876 Dundas St. W. on the south side a couple of blocks west of Bathurst St.)

Brownman Ali's funknomenal Brownman Electryc Trio hosting a serious all-star (feat members of Lettuce) jam in the basement, DJ ?uescequecest on the decks upstairs, and May's tasty Asian tapas treats to fill us up until the gold-medal game at 7 am the next morning. If Canada makes it to the final, I'm pretty sure that would make this the coolest night in the history of nights. It will be dry in the venue, but there's a parking lot out back. Not that we're encouraging illegal behaviour or anything, but just sayin'.