Japanese dj watch hits market

The Japanese brought us The Datsun 240Z, The Technics SL-1200, The Sony Walkman, Yamaha NS-10 studio monitors and countless other innovations.

So it's no surprise they added a beats per minutes counter in their now famous and highly coveted line of retro futuristic watches.

As a bonus, the BPM watch has its own mini-torch. No words to describe whether the mini-torch is a flame ejector or a light.

The BPM watch and others in retro future style are available here

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Black Woodstock in Philly Memorial day weekend

Soul-Patrol Convention: Soul, Jazz, Funk, Hip Hop, Superstars Gather for "Black Woodstock 2007" @ Black Heritage Festival

From May 25th - May 27 (Memorial Day Weekend), the award winning Soul-Patrol.com will partner with the Philadelphia Black Heritage Festival to bring the 2007 Soul-Patrol Convention to Philadelphia...

The Soul-Patrol Convention is a 6 hour Black Music Concert / Awards Ceremony, a 6 hour Black Music/Culture Town Hall, a 6 hour Black Music Film Festival and a 6 hour Black Music Cabaret spread out over the three day festival. It is expected that 15,000 + music & culture lovers will be in attendance for the event featuring 51 award winning national artists from the world of Classic Soul, Nu Soul, Funk, Jazz, Southern Soul, Spoken Word, Broadcasting/Journalism, Education and Film.

This free festival is open to the general public and is being called "Black Woodstock 2007" not only because of the outdoor concert and town hall, but also because of it's stated goal of "bringing together the tribes" of the currently dysfunctional Black community across all it's demographic segments.

"As we look at the current landscape, Black music/culture and history are under assault both internally and externally. From mass media entertainers, corporate interests, government policy and more, Black music/culture and history are under daily attack and as a result many of our younger people have become confused. We understand that the future is at stake and we know that the key to salvaging that future is in the hands of our younger people. The Philadelphia Black Heritage Festival provides us the opportunity focus on entertaining/ educating younger people in a setting that is conducive to their absorbing the message and advancing the culture."
--Bob Davis (soul-patrol.com)

Jimmy Castor, Mandrill, The Chi-Lites, TS Monk, Ray Goodman & Brown, Felton Pilate of Con Funk Shun, Melba Moore, The Escorts, Barbara Mason are only a few of the performers to take part in this event.

For more info and list of all artists participating, visit the Soul-Patrol.com website

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New Bar-Kays House Party: 15 years too late

New Bar-Kays latest' House Party album is 15 years too late

"Oh damn! A new Bar-kays album", was curious and gave it a listen!

15 years ago, it would have been a hitter! Very Blackstreet, Suge Knight/Dre, Joe ... remember them? Too far ahead from '81 "Hit and run" or '82 "She talks to me with her body" or '84's "Sexomatic" and "Freakshow on the dancefloor". Frankly, it's quite good if you're into the 90s funk sounds. The cover is representative with sort of a "G" look; bling, dollar sign, palm trees for the California "thang".

For comparison... , the funny thing is, Musiq Soulchild's latest cd released last March '07 is very mid-90s, tired hip hoppy soul like most of today's R&B (no evolution in 15 years), Bar-Kays' House Party is way better 20 times! Go figure.

Glad to know they're still around recording and performing, it would have been nice to have it nu 80s style instead, in the meanwhile, we'll stick to their late 70s and 80s classics.

Listen to all tracks at Amazon.com

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Hed Kandi flying high

Da plane! da plane! Herve Villechaize would have said. Hed Kandi now have their own plane to fly clubbers from the UK to the islands of Ibiza.

Hed Kandi has long been famed for its glamour and extravagance but never more than now, as they boldly tread where no music brand has gone before with their very own aircraft. Their summer partnership with Monarch is a truly inspired alliance, which marks a first for both brands.

The stunning aircraft was unveiled on Friday 27th April 2007 at London ... Luton Airport for its inaugural flight and will be taking to the skies over the coming months as part of this sensational summer deal.

High quality, low cost flights, from 4 major UK airports, means you can travel in style to the white isle, with prices starting from as little as £38.99 (one way including all taxes and web booking discount). Hed Kandi CDs will be available to buy on all Monarch flights and Ministry Of Sound radio will be just a touch of a button away as you prepare for, or wind down from, the holiday of a lifetime.

Monarch flights to Ibiza from Manchester commence on 19 May. Flights from Birmingham, London Luton and London Gatwick commence on 24 May 2007

All about it at FlyKandi.com

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50 years of Stax in Memphis June 22nd 2007

Isaac Hayes, Booker T & the MGs, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, Mavis Staples, Mable John, the Soul Children and Angie Stone. Additional Stax stars and special guests will be announced shortly.

In an unparalleled celebration of Stax Records' 50th anniversary, the heart and soul of the legendary label's lineup will reunite onstage for "50 Years of Stax: A Concert To Benefit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music." The event will be held Friday, June 22 at Memphis' Orpheum Theater at the foot of Beale Street...
Founded by Jim Stewart (the "ST") in 1957, and co-owned by Estelle Axton (the "AX"), Stax's contribution to popular music, both sonically and socially, continues to be felt to this day. Stax, a racially integrated label in a then notoriously segregated city, released hit after hit from such seminal soul artists as Otis Redding, Booker T & the MGs, the Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes, Sam & Dave, the Staple Singers, Rufus and Carla Thomas, Eddie Floyd, Johnnie Taylor, and William Bell amongst many, many others.

The Stax studio, in a cavernous former theatre with a sloping floor, featured an atypical layout with no directly parallel surfaces where soundwaves would "ping pong" around the room, resulting in a very live, reverberant sound. The Stax studio sonics-- combined with the prominent use of horns, a heavy gospel influence, uniquely emotional vocal deliveries, and a delayed backbeat-- resulted in what came to be recognized as the "Stax Sound."

The Stax Sound defined such classic compositions as "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay," "Respect Yourself," "Hold On I'm Comin'," "Mr. Big Stuff," "Soul Man," "Green Onions," "Knock on Wood" and "I'll Take You There."

This year, on Stax's 50th anniversary, Concord Music Group announced the relaunch of Stax Records as the creative home for present-day soul stars (Angie Stone, Soulive, Lalah Hathaway and Leon Ware), alongside heritage artists such as Isaac Hayes, who has now returned to the label home of his hits. Throughout the year,Stax is participating in a reissue campaign that includes the just released "Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration" 2 CD Deluxe Box, new individual artist "Best Of" CDs, and many rare or currently unavailable Stax albums, from such artists as Carla Thomas, the Staples Singers, Booker T and the MGs, Isaac Hayes and much more.

Isaac Hayes, a key artist both in Stax's past and future, adds: "I am excited to be part of this concert . . .it will be like old times!""

Tickets for the "50 Years of Stax" show go on sale on Monday, May 7, and may be purchased at Ticketmaster.

Source: PR Web

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Nouveau Disco of Gus Gus

Judging by how they look like and where they are from, nothing says Gus Gus are disco until you hear their latest album "Forever" (their fifth). To make matters worse, its availabilty is extremely limited.

GusGus was established in 1995. It started as a film/art/music collective group of 12 and through the years has narrowed down to the divine number of three; Biggi Veira, Earth and President Bongo.

Pall Oskar, ("the discodiva # 1" they say), lends his smooth voice on "Need In Me", as well as on "Hold You" with the Detroit native Aaron-Carl. Omar Gudjonsson lays his calloused fingers over "You'll never Change" and inspires both President Bongo and Veiran to do handle their own guitar necks in "Forever". "Professor" Ottarr Proppe pukes out the welcome words to "Forever". Mr. The President himself graces golden larynx through the track "If you don't jump, you're English" flashing rusted guitar samples from the everlasting Icelandic 80's punk band Purrkur Pillnikk and hammered power hi-hats by Helgi "HitHat" Helgason.

The current single from FOREVER is "Moss" featuring former GusGus lead singer, Daniel Moss, whose solo album "Swallowed A Star" is out now.

Discover Gus Gus; view all videos, listen to streaming albums, read their news blog, etc. at www.gusgus.com

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The Deele in Cincinati

Grammy winning recording artists the Deele, wowed the crowd last month at the R&B Spring Jam in Cincinnati, Ohio. They put on a fantastic show for a sold out crowd, and brought them to their feet in a standing ovation. The suave vocalists sang such favorites as "Two Occasions," "Body Talk," and Shoot'em Up Movies," among other popular hits. They performed along with The Isley Brothers, featuring Ron Isley, and the S.O.S. Band.

This was the Deele's first performance since being signed to the Dallas based record label D-Town Records, with many more projects on the horizon. The label is currently in talks with the "Tom Joyner Radio Show" and the "Steve Harvey Radio Show" about the Deele performing in upcoming events. They are also bringing the group into the studio, to record a single with label-mates Keingz Ransom, an immensely popular R&B group out of Dallas.

"Babyface" Redmonds and L.A. Reid are their most prolific members, they left the group in 1988 to found LaFace records the following year.

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Greg Wilson Best of '82 mix cd

Greg Wilson's Best of '82 is a re-construction of his inaugural mixes for Manchester’s Piccadilly Radio in May and June 1982, courtesy of Pezz, former DJ at the DIY nights in the Midlands, but more recently the manager of the 3 Beat record shop in Liverpool. How Pezz came to re-do his mixes is a long story, which involves the birth of the band Chicken Lips – there's a booklet with the CD in which Pezz tells the tale.

The CD has been put together as a limited run promo to mark the 25th Anniversary of these mixes – the first of their type on British radio. The music featured includes tracks by US, UK and Italian artists, which were being played on the underground black scene at the time. Greg says:

"I'm not sure if anybody has ever re-created another DJ's mix before. Great for me to hear again in CD quality (rather than the hissy recording I have from the radio). Definitely a labour of love from Pezz!"


It is now available as a limited CD in 2 shops only:

Piccadilly Records and Fat City Records

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Alexander O'Neal soulful house track

Brand new song by Alexander O'Neal on the soulful house tip unveiled first on the BBC.

Sticky feat. Kyra & Alexander O'Neal - Hello was an arrangement by BBC's 1Xtra as part of their Electric Proms series for unsigned singer Kyra to spend time in a recording studio with 80s soul legend Alexander O'Neal and producer Sticky.

Watch the video and listen to the song here on BBC

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Free Madonna Live Earth song download

We're telling you point blank, it's not a dance song, but it's Madonna, brand new and will put you in a green spirit, what have you got to loose, it's free.

Madonna's new song, "Hey You," inspired by the upcoming Live Earth series of concerts, is now available to download exclusively on MSN.com and LiveEarth.MSN.com. MSN is pleased to offer this song in conjunction with Madonna and is proud to donate 25 cents for each of the first 1 million downloads to the Alliance for Climate Protection, in support of Live Earth. The new song will be performed live by Madonna on 7/7/07 during the Live Earth concert at Wembley Stadium in London.

Get the song now at MSN.com

Hurry! It's for a very limited time.

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