Check my review of Hollis, Queens emcee Monsta X:
http://www.brooklynbodega.com/2010/04/25/x-factor-monsta-x-mixtape-review/#comments
And the video for his debut single, “Goin’ In” :
Archive for the ‘The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know’ Category
Brooklyn Freestyle Sessions @ Rose Live Music
In Brooklyn Social Club, FG/CLlinton Hill/Bed Stuy, Muses and Music, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, Williamsburg, nerdysexycool on March 3, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Mobius Collective, every Thursday at Rose Live Music in Williamsburg, BK
Mobius Collective celebrates their 3rd anniversary at Rose Live Music this Thursday.
Saxophonist/director Troy Simms, along with staple cipher Omar Little (trumpet), Borahm Lee (keys), and David Bailis (guitar), the Collective features guest DJ’s and musicians each session. Last week amidst the snow storm, the house was packed full of folks ready to go on a trip. Guest DJ–brilliant selector–Deejay Obah–filled in the blanks between sets, seamlessly taking us from a recording of Fela’s “Yellow Fever” into the band’s supersonic rendition of it. Keyboardist Borahm Lee brings it full force, slapping at his keyboard, mapping out intricate solos, infusing the tune with an echo here, a reverb there–he’s a vision to witness in action. Jazz to warm you up in the beginning, dub to settle the whiskey in your bones (it’s cold outside, y’all), flowing into Afrobeat and Hiphop to get the people dancing.
There’s something to the venue too. The abuela wallpaper and jazz club stage has an old-timers vibe, a subtly complementary addition to the listening experience.
Mobius Collective, courtesy of the band's Myspace
Note about their name, “Mobius Collective,” it’s a reference to the Mobius Strip, a one-sided, single edged surface that has no beginning or end. This metaphor comes alive during their performance–the musicians contribute to the soundscape by carefully listening, evoking the continuity between them, between the genres they journey across in a few hours’ time.
Check it @ Rose Live Music, every Thursday!
What: 3rd Anniversary Party of Mobius Collective’s “Brooklyn Freestyle Sessions
Where: Rose Live Music, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on 345 Grand St. @ Marcy
When: 10 PM to 3AM
Dialog Box: Modality & Miles Davis
In Muses and Music, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, nerdysexycool on March 3, 2010 at 5:26 pmThe third track on Miles Davis’ 1959 Kind of Blue, called ”Blue in Green”:
You can see how thinking about music moves into mysticism–Kwami Coleman
This Sunday, I talked to my friend, musician & musicologist, Kwami Coleman, who resides in San Francisco, about modality in music. I was listening to Miles Davis’ ”Blue in Green”, a highly textured musical composition, from his record Kind of Blue, which is very modal. Now, I’ve studied music, namely violin, but still have lots of questions regarding the theories. At first, Kwami broke down the basics of my questions, but then it soon delved into the relationship between music & tonality & its (unknowable) effects on human psyche.
When we hear a piece of music, it elicits a response from us. Whether we listen to Miles Davis, to get into a heady, reflective, sober condition or the energetic, multilayered, orchestrated spontaneity of Fela Kuti—there is an emotional response drawn out of us. We attribute emotions—longing, misery, whimsy, joy—to the melodies we hear. We all know this. And we know that the reason for this will never be fully understood, there’s value in understanding what certain tones provoke in the listener.
To read the Dialog Box interview, click the title of this post.
Throwback–Raya Uhuru
In Brooklyn Social Club, FG/CLlinton Hill/Bed Stuy, Feminista, The 'Ness, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know on February 23, 2010 at 12:05 amDress line I started back before the recessionista days:
Red Baraat’s Record Release Party, 1/30
In Brooklyn Social Club, Muses and Music, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, bright lines on January 25, 2010 at 5:21 amRed Baraat, led by drummer Sunny Jain, is a dhol ‘n brass band, mixing North Indian bhangra beats with brass funk. Their debut record, Chaal Baby, has just been released by Sinj Records. Their release party is at Le Poisson Rouge @ 158 Bleecker St. $12 in advance/ $15 at the show
Check out their performance at the Ports 161 Fall 2009 fashion show.
I’ll even throw in the songbird and sweetheart of Pakistan, Nazia Hassan’s kitschy disco single “Aap Jaisa Koi,” from the film Qurbani (1980). Red Baraat covers the tune in the video (it’s the second tune, if you can tell…)
RIP Nazia Hassan نازیہ حسن (April 3, 1965 – August 13, 2000)
Apartment Show & the art of Andy Barrett
In Artz, Brooklyn Social Club, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, Williamsburg on January 25, 2010 at 4:51 amGallerists are turning homes into art space–whether it’s for reasons economic, aesthetic, and non-market oriented–creating intimacy, dialog, and accessibility for guests.
The Hooper Apartment Show’s opening reception is this Saturday, January 30, at The Lenora on Hooper St. in Williamsburg. Curated by Eric Laine, of bipolart, an eclectic group of artists are participating, including my friend Andy Barrett.
His “carton marquetry” work is composed of intricately collaged found-on-the-street cardboard. Everyday cartons are deftly translated into stories, colorful, absurd and fantastical.
Check out his portfolio at: http://www.andybarrettstudio.com/
images courtesy of artists’ website
Some of his work is at sale, including cardboard lamps, at Mc & Co @ 57 North 6th St. (btwn. Wythe & Kent)
Miss Bruno’s “My So Called Dress”
In Feminista, The 'Ness, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, all that glitters on January 22, 2010 at 4:36 amCan I say…
J’adore!
Now, Miss Bruno and I are kindred spirits connected, cyber-spirituelle and whatnot. For serious–creativity, spark, story, color, lineage & design–I’m taken by this collection.
Here’s my favorite from the My So Called Dress collection (I think Angela Chase would appreciate).
The Sia Sia dress, v. 1–I 
love this sexy off-the-shoulder sheath dress. Made from hand-spun, handwoven cotton from Burkina Faso.
love this sexy off-the-shoulder sheath dress. Made from hand-spun, handwoven cotton from Burkina Faso.Beautiful synergy–the turquoise spade pattern, the prim suede trim, and the fly detailing on the belt–total elemental balance.
The Philosophy of Miss Bruno
(the beauties behind the threads, in the photos spread above)
“missbruno sprung from the marrow of our lineage, making twists and turns jusqu’ it morphed into the trans-worlds collection you see today. specifically, we are two sisters: brooklynites by way of Ayiti; designers, by way of musik and film; independent, by way of clothing made directly from our collective hands. our designs thrive on our philosophies on life: wholistic, lush, simple. we make things meant for sustainable living and other unassuming revolutions.”
Check the sweet sale at their online store. featuring dresses from this limited collection.
(http://shop.missbruno.com)
- Tap Tap Romper
- Rara Dress
- Wild Silks and Hand-woven Cotton
Miss Bruno New York’s ‘My So Called Scarf’
In Brooklyn Social Club, Feminista, The 'Ness, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, bright lines, nerdysexycool on January 12, 2010 at 8:24 amJanuary simply feels better when you’re tucked away under winter accessories. We’ve all broke down and bought a
Corner Store Lily
dinky pair of black $5 gloves off the street when it’s become unbearable, as well as those faux-ushankas and poly-blend scarves.
Be done wit’ all that!
The Artivist Scarf, model, Popular Thug, aka Sugar Aphrodite
Madame et Monsieur Bruno
The Highlife
Daily Rotation: Pistolera’s “Policia”
In Daily Rotation, Feminista, Politickin', The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know on January 7, 2010 at 2:48 amPistolera’s accordion-driven cumbias reside on the border ‘tween Brooklyn & Mexico. Here’s their video for “Policia” from their record En Este Camino:
Check them out at the 92Y Tribeca, this Friday, 1.8.10 @ 8 PM. San Francisco agency Trouble Worldwide & NYC world label Barbès have brought together a motley of bands that crisscross borders, sounds, and sensibilities!
For the band’s website: http://www.pistolera.net/
Dialog Box #2: Untitled by Carlos E. Fernández-Dieppa
In Dialog Box, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, all that glitters, bright lines, nerdysexycool on November 29, 2009 at 11:03 pmArtist/Designer/Thinker/Bu, Carlos E. Fernández-Dieppa, photographed this last week.
There’s something sensual about this quartet of cords, no?
I love how the vivid image of one cord pops against its blurred counterparts–as if one could pluck it right out of the picture.
I noticed my eyes struggling to focus between different parts of the image. It seems to be a matter of binocular rivalry.
“When one image is presented to one eye and a very different image is presented to the other, instead of the two images being seen superimposed, one image is seen for a few moments, then the other, then the first, and so on, randomly for as long as one cares to look.”
me: gimme a quotable quote, waxy moustaches
los.veni.vidi: This photograph illustrates a duality between clarity and abstraction. On the one hand, depth is inferred by the use of focus on the object in the foreground the silhouettes are blurred in the background. Conversely, one could interpret the image as multiple cords in front of a depthless plane.
los.veni.vidi: If you interpret the background as a depthless plane, while still illustrating depth through the use of focus, it differs in that you can speculate what you perceive as object and shadow.
(Some pretty deep thoughts after we’d hit up The Back Room –102 Norfolk @ Delancey– sippin’ on Jameson in teacups):
lustre du sein (titty chandelier):
(I happen to have some white spot on the corner of my mouth. Hm. Don’t have the Photoshop, so here you are, here I am, unadulterated.)
Elliot Montague, experimental & fictional narrative filmmaker
In Artz, Feminista, Film, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, all that glitters on October 27, 2009 at 1:04 amRecently, I started working as a teaching artist with the Urban Arts Partnership. One of my colleagues, showed his films during an artist’s share. Filmmaker Elliot Montague’s work truly moved me. It’s been quite long since something I’ve seen has stirred my imagination and my sense of synergy with another artist. There’s much to witness and learn from–”his work explores representations of the genderqueer and transgender body within social and personal spaces.”
Please check excerpts of his work here.
In the artist’s words:
“Integrating devices of narrative, fantasy, documentary, and the confessional, Well Dressed is a series of provocations. Each gesture points to failures and fantasies– the failed sexual cruise between the young queer body and an older male, the fantasy of sex between the gender queer body and the biological male, a friendship between a transitioned FTM and a pre-op FTM, the queering of maternity, and the return to the fetus and newborn. These scenes recontextualize narratives of sex, birth, and becoming.”
Here are some production stills from Well Dressed:
Allison Elizabeth Taylor
In Artz, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, bright lines on October 23, 2009 at 9:20 am
Allison Elizabeth Taylor's, Swimming Pool, wood inlay courtesy of James Cohan gallery
Wood.
Art.
Marquetry.
Inlay.
Here’s the work of Brooklyn based artist, Allison Elizabeth Taylor.
I love this piece, Swimming Pool, which is all those thangs. Talk about straight out of a comic book. Or Cougar Town. (Not the show, but the ever-more fascinating concept.)
It’s 70 X 40 inches, made completely of wood. And Ms. Taylor’s supreme abilities with wood is remarkable; the way the grain evokes age, contour, pattern, space & time.
For all you riders, check this piece too, entitled, Hank:
Here the wood captures the essence of the terrain. Seriously sedimentary. Against the ruggedness of the landscape, the dapper bicyclist, Hank, is caught in a moment.
CARNIVAL, a new monthly jam @ SPUTNIK, BK
In Brooklyn Social Club, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know on October 19, 2009 at 7:22 am
I’m promoting this party thrown by my beloved friend, organizer, DJ, performer, Imani Henry. Sooooo…
Step Right Up if you happen to be:
Beautiful & Colorful Divas, Muscle Men, B-Boys, 2-Spirits, Amazons & Our Str8 Kin for a new monthly party.
DJ Ak-Right will be spinnin’ the best of Hiphop,Reggae, Soca, House and R&B. The first installment of CARNIVAL is on Saturday, October 24 @ Sputnik, 262 Taaffe Pl. @ DeKalb.
We’ve been distributing cards around Brooklyn, but check this facebook link out:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=272288515430&ref=mf
RSVP means you get a reduced admission of $7. Also true if you’ve got a flyer. I’ve been around in Bed-Stuy @ Sweet Revenge (on Franklin & Greene) and in Franklin Park Beergarden in Crown Heights, so look out for ‘em!
See you there!
Throwback Daily Rotation: Hanifah Walidah’s Make a Move music video
In Artz, Daily Rotation, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, all that glitters on October 9, 2009 at 10:59 pmThrowback! !!!
Musician/theatre & film artist extraordinaire Hanifah Walidah’s Make a Move Music video, which I appeared in along with–she inspires the best o’ my alliterative abilities–a brownstone in Bed Stuy brimming with brown skinned babes & butches! Walidah’s gone onto produce other music videos and check her blog Finding Black Patti.
A bunch of folks have seen this video on the LOGO channel, but I still have yet to see it on a flatscreen. So, thanks to youtube, you can see it too.
(Pssst! I’m the pixie giving the hottie advice on how to steal Hanifah’s hat)
Enjoy!
U People, sprung out of the music video. It’s a documentary project developed by Hanifah and photographer/filmmaker, the wondrous Olive Demetrius–
“It’s a documentary film about what happened in a brownstone in Brooklyn one spring weekend where 30 gay, straight women and trans folks of color came together to shoot a not so typical music video. What was caught on B-roll are moments that most can relate to how ever you live your life. From this premise a thriving community was born that reflects a more diverse image of queer people of color and finds new ways to promote our connectedness as oppose to differences within the larger society.”
Here’s what Olive says about the photos that were taken along with the podcast:
“I took these photographs initially because the documentary was an unplanned blessing. We didn’t have stills that really captured the time, place and feeling. We took the time after the fact to bring these people to our home to shoot these photographs. These are dynamic interesting people yet drawing something out of them was more difficult than I expected.”
Below is “Anticipate”–evoking the moments before a kiss…
and just breathe…
The Bearhead Factory: Personal Talismans and Compasses by jewelry designer Erin Merriman
In Artz, Brooklyn Social Club, The 'Ness, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, all that glitters on October 9, 2009 at 8:29 amThe Bearhead Factory, jewelry by Erin Merriman.
The Bearhead Factory evokes images of ancient talismans offering divination, protection, luck, and love. Of course, it depends on the energy of the wearer. Once, back in 2008, when we worked together, shop girls at a women’s clothing boutique in Cobble Hill which shall remain nameless, I admired one of her dove necklaces. A pretty gold dove strung on gold chain–my first hints toward simplicity. I was digging the line between delicate and edgy that her jewelry (and perhaps she herself) straddled. Given my fiery vs. airy disposition, Erin suggested I go for a wolf or deer antlers instead–as these are animals bound to the earth, and I, well I can always use some grounding. She is an intuitive designer, attuned to the ways of the world of fashion trends,yet also the tenets of a New Age spirituality–the yogic, the karmic, the shamanic and the heart-driven.
For a list of shops where you can buy Ms. Merriman’s wares, click here.
She’ll also make custom pieces for you–with her arsenal of charms, crystals, corals, chains & ribbons–so if you want something in particular, go to her website: www.bearheadfactory.com
From her bio, everyday wisdom, which we often forget:
“Erin Merriman’s handmade jewelry is designed in her Brooklyn studio, giving each piece the same prestige as the relics and medals of honor that inspire them. They are a spiritual compass, reminding you to appreciate the inherent beauty of the body, the natural world, and all of life’s accomplishments.”
And, of course, below are some of her classic pieces. However, she has pieces not seen here. I bought a gorgeous bronze anatomical heart accented with pink coral. Pure heart chakra right there. But alas, i left my heart in Oaxaca. Hopefully a sweet girl found it in the hotel room and took it home with her. Sigh…
Daily Rotation: Funny Girl, by James Mason
In Daily Rotation, The Talented Mssrs. & Mlles. I Know, all that glitters, nerdysexycool on October 9, 2009 at 7:58 amSent to me by the dear, clear-eyed Kwami Coleman, PhD candidate in Musicology at Stanford. Click on his name to read his article on remixes of Messiaen, French composer, organist, and ornithologist! Birds and music? Dude incorporated BIRDSONG transcriptions in most of his compositions! But this here song, brings a lot of cheer, on some soul groove type shiz:
Nandz & Kwamz
