Inside: Archives
Music Review: Nas and Damian Marley – Distant Relatives
Nas and Damian ‘Gong Jr.’ Marley Distant Relatives Republic Records Out now Super-groups rarely equal the sum of their talented parts on a whole album, so excuse me if the idea of Nas and Damian Marley didn’t send me into an orgasmic tailspin of joy. Nas has saddled “The Great Horse of Average” since 2002′s [...]
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Eric Roberson Tackles Nine Questions in Nine Minutes
A few hours before he hit the stage to perform and host the live music event Groove Gumbo at The Pigalle Club in London, Eric Roberson gave an impromptu interview to Catch a Vibe. The singer/songwriter had a lot to say about his visit to London, his music and a few of his favourite things. [...]
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An artist with a difference: Lizzie Emeh
Lizzie Emeh is a remarkable artist in more ways than one. Born with a learning disability, she was never expected to walk or talk. 32 years later, supported by arts organisation Heart and Soul, she is promoting her critically acclaimed first album. Lizzie shares her incredible journey with us. Can you describe in a few [...]
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Yaaba Funk album review: Afrobeast
Afrobeast Yaaba Funk (Yaabaphone) Released 10.05.10 Highlife music originated in Ghana in the 1800s and enjoyed a golden age during the 1950s and 1960s. The defiant orchestra of talking drums, xylophones and calabash shakers layered with lutes, fiddles, penny whistles and all manner of small portable instruments provided the perfect soundtrack for a continent – [...]
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Yaaba Funk: Taking High Life into the 21st Century
“I say YAABA, you say-” “FUNK!” The resounding response reverberated off the walls, shouted by a charged crowd who hadreduced Brixton’s spacious The Rest is Noise wine bar to a standing-room-only venue. The spirited call out started with Richmond Kessie, percussionist and lead vocalist for the celebrated high life/afrobeat/funk band, Yaaba Funk. The band, renowned [...]
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“I put my music out myself” – Jesse Boykins III
Jesse Boykins III (JBIII) is an emerging force in contemporary soul music; he has trained under Bilal, performed alongside the likes of Chrisette Michele and Eric Roberson and is due to release his second LP Love Apparatus later this year. Jesse was in London recently headlining the Writer’s Block 2nd Anniversary show and Catch a [...]
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Music Monthly Review: Erykah Badu’s New Amerykah Pt. 2
Erykah Badu New Amerykah Pt.2: Return of the Ankh (Island Records) Out now Confession time! I’ve never been a big fan of Erykah Badu’s previous material. I’m sorry. There were a few singles I could say I grew fond of but as far as albums are concerned Ms Badu was always ”too” something; too much [...]
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Gig review: Jose James @ Jazz Cafe, 19 March 2010
Jose James performing at the Jazz Cafe in Camden is the greatest no brainer of them all; he’s the jazz world’s newest great hope, U.S born but British distributed, its best chance to reach a younger audience since Amy Winehouse’s first album, currently riding off his recent (brilliant) second album; it (Jazz Cafe) is probably [...]
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Music Monthly Review: Michael Franti, Red Earth Collective, Somi
Michael Franti and Spearhead All Rebel Rockers (ANTI [Epitaph]) Out now Michael Franti has earned his reputation on the outer borders of left field hip-hop since the early 1990s. With The Beatings, The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy and, since 1994, fronting Spearhead he has spent the best part of two decades touring and performing with [...]
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Singer Wunmi talks record labels, money and Haiti
Many assume the best way to a successful music career is to get signed with a respectable record label. But not Wunmi, full name Ibiwunmi Omotayo Olfunke Olaiya. The larger than life, bubbly singer and all-round entertainer tells catchavibe.co.uk why going alone may have been one of the wisest decisions of her career so far.
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Whatever Happened to Keke Wyatt?
Songs like My First Love and Nothing in This World introduced many of us to Keke Wyatt the soulful singer and song writer. She had one of the strongest and most promising voices in the early noughties, but in 2001 weeks after her debut album Soul Sista was released there were reports about a domestic [...]
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Divine Unity: The Glamorous Gospel Girls that Rock
In an industry saturated with mediocre female vocalists compensating for their lack of creative prowess by showcasing acres of naked flesh, Divine Unity are a welcome breath of fresh air. The talented trio consist of Sharlene (24), Martina (23) and Sacha (25). Remarkably, there is no weak link in this hat-trick of unique voices. Sharlene [...]
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Ty on Special Kind of Fool: ‘Everything on this album starts with me’
Hip hop artist Ty has been an integral part of the UK musical scene for more than a decade. His achievements over that time include three critically acclaimed albums, a Mercury nomination, and a diverse name-check of musical collaborations that range from indie front man Damon Albarn to De La Soul and Estelle. Ty’s forthright [...]
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Music Monthly Review: Gil Scott-Heron | Ty
Gil Scott-Heron I’m New Here (xl recordings) Out now Gil Scott-Heron stands as an eternal reminder of the glorious past of soul music. A living link to the era of The Last Poets, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield and Stevie Wonder – the vanguard of socially conscious music perfectly reflecting the turbulent 1960s and 1970s. Each [...]
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Choklate: ‘Life writes the best songs. Not people.’
Soul/r&b singer-songwriter sensation Choklate has taken the underground scene by storm since her excellent debut album Volume 1 was released nearly four years ago. The Seattle native took some time out recently to answer a few questions for us at Catch a Vibe. Catch a Vibe: This month you played a couple of dates in [...]
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