Frenchy’s Fracas

General Description
Artist/Band: Erykah Badu || ||
Album Title: New Amerykah
Year: 2008

Strong individual

How I Got Into This Music
Fell in love with this dame way back in the beginning. Not with the studio album but with the live recording: Baduizm Live.
This lady is an intelligent and socially committed musician in the first place; the Eyes come second . Saw here in Paradiso last year, didn’t review it, but believe me: she’s incredible!
Now the new album’s dropped, so.. Let’s have a review, shall we?

Google Search for reviews of this album || Album details at || ||
Video clips at ||

Tracks that got my attention:
Amerykahn Promise
Hey, starting the first track with some blaxploitation movie score really helps setting the mood for this album. The song’s a great tribute to those 70’s grooves, but it doesn’t really work for me.

The Healer
Great song and tribute to the Real Hip-Hop, not the sell-out, cola-light endorsing, MTV Cribs type of rappers (though I did enjoy RedMan’s first appearance in that show, heheh..).

Me
The best song on the album, even though I don’t like who she’s saluting at the end of the track.
Great lyrics:
This year I turned 36
damn it seems it came so quick
My ass and legs have gotten thick yea
Its all me

Soldier
Excellent lyrics and solid production value.

The Cell
Social commentary at its best.
And a very funky bass indeed!

Twinkle
Love me them Old School beats.

Master Teacher
A very poignant question. This line keeps haunting my mind on a daily basis, well written indeed!
And the tempo slowdown halfway the track is pure brilliance. Powerful song.
What if it were no niggas
Only master teachers?

Telephone
Oooooooh.. Sweetness.. And sorrow..
Just fly away to heaven, brother
Make a place for me, brother
Fly away to heaven, brother
Save a place for me, brother
Fly away to heaven, brother
Put in a word for me..

Honey
Hmm, best track on the album to launch as a single. It’s catchy, it’s comfortable and easily recognizable. Should’ve launched it as a Summer track.
And it rocks!

Conclusion
Still prefer the previous album: Worldwide Underground. That one took me a bit to really enjoy, but it grew on me. Not sure if this album’s gonna have the same effect.
This artist is on top her game when she takes risks and she does that with every album. Only this time, it didn’t impress me as much as I expected and that, of course, is my own little fault
If she’s not making her music to please the charts and just to express herself in whatever manner she wants, great, than this album’s very successful.

Rating: (those eyes…)

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General Description
Artist/Band: RH Factor (Roy Hargrove)
Album Title: Hard Groove
Year: 2003

I’m sooooo slow on the uptake..
 
How I Got Into This Music
I didn’t.. Ehm.. Gotta be honest, I didn’t get into this music after a coupla tries and for quite a while I didn’t think much of it. First time I looked this album up, was after I heard Roy Hargrove play on the Think Twice version on Erykah Badu’s Worldwide Underground album. I found this Hard Groove album, and it just wasn’t working for me.
Then I got a chance to see him perform live at the North Sea Jazz Festival this year and again, it didn’t click - I was kinda underwhelmed. Last month I thought about the album again and I gave the album another listen. Hmmm.. Huh?

Album info at Answers.com || Album review at artistsdirect.com

Tracks that got my attention:
Hardgroove
Title track. Haunting movie score music, with Pino Palladino doing the nasty on bass

Common Free Style ft Common
One of the more balanced and dedicated rappers in the business doing an ok freestyling performance

I’ll Stay ft D’Angelo
Bass line reminds me of Quincy Jones, heh.. The vocals? First coupla times I heard this track, I thought someone was ripping of D’Angelo, but I was wrong: it’s the Man Himself! That guy’s incredible, even though the track\’s not that strong

Pastor T
Funky, jazzy instrumental

Poetry ft Q-Tip, Erykah Badu and Meshell Ndegeocello
This is the song that convinced me that this album’s worth paying attention too.. The recipe: add one of my favorite rappers, mix my all-time favorite bass player in it and add just a splash of a great soul diva - the result? Wow.. Wow.. Wow..
Love Badu’s chant!

The Joint
Powerful instrumental, Roy Hargrove’s horn is doing its subtle work

Forget Regret ft Stephanie McKay
Brittle yet strong vocals by a great singer. And that horn section, yummy!

Liquid Streets
Very smooth and lovely atmosphere

Kwah/Home ft Anthony Hamilton
Weird setup: starts out as one type of song and switches to another one after sixty seconds. And after two minutes, another setup all over again. All are ok by the way..

How I Know ft Shelby Johnson
This song.. Ohwow.. It’s such a simple song, but I’ve been dreaming about this song since I started paying attention to it. Can you imagine falling with a woman just by hearing her sing? Possible. Without even knowing how she looks? In this TV era, not likely, but it sure as hell happened to me
This track makes many a grumpy-grey rainy day make way for a smiling sunshine kinda day.

Conclusion
Still can’t understand how I neglected my duties: should’ve picked up on the quality of the album the first time I heard it. But hey, I screw up sometimes, heheh..
Roy Hargrove’s adventure into more mainstream sounds of funk, soul and Real R&B is a successful one. The more jazzy instrumental pieces allow new listeners to get a taste of that side of the musical spectrum.
The collaboration is what stands out on this album: great musicians making great music.

Rating: (better friggin’ late than never..)

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Second day, excellent event, and the new venue was great!

Great band, Leslie Nielsen, performing outside..

The Essence Of Drumming ;o)

Purple metal gatekeeper people

Hieronymus Fox and yours truly, big smiles all around y’all!

Baaaaadu.. Baaaaadu..

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Our impressions of our second day at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Rotterdam:
[Hieronymus Fox - HF; Frenchy - F]

RH Factor (Roy Hargrove)
[HF]
Couldn’t follow whatever the performance was about. The vocals weren’t that good. Mostly a ragtag set of tracks
[F]
Finally some jazz! Kept feeling the story told in most tracks ended a bit unfinished. Not impressive

Marcus Miller
[HF]
BassMaster! Great version of Miles Davis‘ Tutu. Great harmonica performance. Solid performance.
[F]
I dislike this guy, he’s way too good ;o) Also impressed by harmonica player (very, very impressed).

Erykah Badu
[HF]
Delay resulted in a shorter show (too bad). Compressed and hurried, not enough time to set up a real performance
[F]
Ultimate diva, a bit distant at the beginning, warmed up to the audience at the end. Great setup with sampler. Loved the I Want You track!

Paul Weller
[HF]
Very beautiful. Enjoyed it, sitting quietly with my eyes closed. A very restrained but personal performance
[F]
Grand old man of British music (cut your wrists if you’re thinking: BritPop). Solid performance.

Marcelo D2
[HF]
Samba hip-hop party. Great interaction with the crowd. Language barrier. Sauna temperatures at the Yukon venue
[F]
Best performance, best new personal discovery. Great artists!

Jhelisa
[HF]
Saw just a coupla minutes, too short. Nice, but didn’t seem to work with the crowd or the Yukon venue, should’ve gotten a better jazz location
[F]
Great singer, just didn’t work for me (getting a bit tired)

Kanye West
[HF]
Great setup with the live violins and harp. Nice make-up on the same performers. Not impressed enough by performance to start buying his stuff. Doesn’t click, doesn’t have it. Excellent DJ, though.
[F]
Never liked his stuff (still can’t really explain it). Funny to see the appeal this guy has: a very wide selection of people were really enjoying his performance.

Honorary Mention
The DJ at the Yukon who played in between acts. Very, very great work and prime quality selection of music!

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July 14-16 2006: North Sea Jazz Festival@Rotterdam - some of the acts I wanna go and see:

• Sergio Mendes
• The Neville Brothers
• Tower of Power
• RH Factor feat. Roy Hargrove
• Marcus Miller
• Erykah Badu
• Marcelo D2

Happy Puppy, me.. yes..

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