SOULBOUNCE.COM

Subb-an's Jamie Woon Remix Will Lift Your 'Spirits'

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:00 -0500

After releasing one of my favorite albums of 2011, the solidly soulful mirrorwriting, things have been a little quiet on the Jamie Woon front. He hasn't been resting on his laurels, though. Woon has been busy performing and gaining new fans (including a seemingly smitten Erykah Badu) as well as continuing to release songs from the aforementioned album. The latest single to be released, the gospel-tinged "Spirits," was one of my favorite cuts and now a remix, courtesy of producer/DJ Subb-an, has surfaced and is included on the Spirits EP (alongside the gorgeous "Slowburning"). Subb-an has kept the backbone of the original but added some electro/house flourishes making it a worthy addition to any DJ's arsenal.

Rahsaan Patterson Talks Upcoming Projects, 'Bleuphoria' & More

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 -0500

Rahsaan Patterson is one of those amazing talents who also happens to be almost always busy, so catching him in a spare moment -- and on his birthday, no less -- is a rare feat indeed. Yet somehow last month I was, in fact, able to speak with him on his special day and chat him up about everything from Bleuphoria to his close friendship with Lalah Hathaway, just whose leg is on the single cover for "6 AM" and everything in between (as well as a few possible upcoming projects that SB readers and Rahsaan fans alike might be interested in). Check out what the very candid Mr. Patterson had to say to say about it all.

Three Ways Jay-Z & Kanye West's 'Ni--as In Paris' Video Did Not Get In The Zone

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:00 -0500

Second only to Sade, my favorite concert experience last year was attending Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne Tour last year in Baltimore. It was my first time seeing Jay and Ye live, and I swear that I didn't sit down once that night. The show was just that crunk, and I was so caught up in the rapture that I might have even been caught throwing up the Roc a few times. The show culminated in a rousing performance of "Ni--as n Paris," the standout party starter from Watch the Throne, with The Throne rewinding and taking the song from the top and the audience getting more and more hyped with each repeat. So upon hearing that the song's video was filmed at the Staples Center when WTT stopped in Los Angeles, I just knew that it was going to be an over-the-top, ball-so-hard extravaganza. In reality? Not so much.

We 'Don't Know' How This Un-Released Raphael Saadiq Track Stayed Hidden For So Long

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:00 -0500

Usually unreleased material from our favorite artists is unreleased for a reason -- often it dosn't match the quality of their existing output or is in some way unfinished, but occasionally tracks pop up that beg the question: "why the hell hasn't this been released?" Well thanks to the good folks over at BamaLoveSoul we have one less undiscovered gem to worry about. "They Don't Know You" apparently dates back to 2004, when Raphael Saadiq asked Steve Spacek to co-produce an album with him that was to be called Pookie Blue Room. Obviously the album never saw the light of day for one reason or another but if this track, which features Common and Ledisi, is anything to go by then we, my musical bretheren and sistren, are missing out big time. Obviously the track pre-dates Saadiq's "retro" phase, and instead shows him to be the forward-thinking, modern soul man that many of us fell in love with on Instant Vintage and Ray Ray. The track was leaked by one of the albums executive producers as he felt it was too good to sit on. Let's hope he feels the same about the remaining nine cuts.

'He Said, She Said', We Said DivaGeek Got Next!

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500

DivaGeek are the latest, soulful musical duo to come out of the UK, and, if you were as impressed by their recent album sampler and snippets of live material included in their EPK as we were, then their first single, "He Said, She Said," should definitely put a big smile on your face. Ben Jones holds down the musical side of things while Vula Malinga (of Basement Jaxx fame) handles the vocals and songwriting -- a winning combo we are sure you will agree. While there is no word on when the album, or in fact the single, will be released they have given us a video of a live rendition of the track to feast our eyes and ears upon. The video is shows a handful of London's finest -- that's Ben on drums -- working it out in the studio and was filmed by our musical friends over at PINBOARDblog. This is the first in a planned series of three live videos leading up to the official release, which, we hope, is sooner rather than later. That voice that Vula possesses has been in the shadows for way too long!

Alori Joh (1986-2012)

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0500

Kendrick Lamar/TDE Affiliated Vocalist Alori Joh Dead At 25 [HHDX]
Alori Joh [Facebook][Twitter]

Morning Soul: We Were Born Like This

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0500

Nicki Minaj, Alicia Keys, Tony Bennett, and Chris Brown will all perform at the upcoming GRAMMY awards. Not together, though that could prove interesting. [LAT]
Kool and The Gang says their new gig as opening act for Van Halen surprised them too. [BB]
Ice-T's directorial debut, Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap, got plenty of love at the Sundance Film Festival. [HHDX]
Beyoncé is finally (and wisely) releasing "End of Time" as a single and has a remix contest for the track as well. [PD]

What The Game's Been Missing: 'Soul Train'

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 -0500

The loss of icon Don Cornelius last week at beginning of Black History Month shook many in the music and entertainment industry to the core. Brother Questlove revealed how critical Soul Train was in his own growth as an artist, and elaborated that he keeps copies of the show on him at all times. The Soul Train line is a cultural mandate at all black family functions. Even the Smithsonian recognized the innovative show in the summer of 2011 by inducting set pieces into the museum's collection. Soul Train was important, loved, but most importantly, groundbreaking, and it's what the game's been missing.

The Park's 'Days' Sure Are Funky

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:30:00 -0500

Bay Area's own The Park have had the pleasure of supporting numerous amounts of acts, so it's only right that they get some time to shine in their own right. They released their album The Process... via Bandcamp last summer and have since been touring and dropping videos to promote it. Their latest video is for the song "These Are The Days." An electric slice of soul, "Days" serves up Roger Troutman-style vocoder vocals and uplifting lyrics alongside an incessant hi-hat and synth. The accompanying video decides to focus mainly on the song's lyrics while incorporating breathtaking views of The Bay and its people along the way. It's a must view if only for the kaleidoscopic guitar solo near its end. As I mentioned, The Park has been touring to promote The Process... and, if you're lucky enough to be in the San Francisco area tomorrow night, you can catch them and Grillade do their thing live at Showdown. For those of us who are not so lucky, at least we have this video to watch.

Diggs Duke Stands Tall In Herbie Hancock's 'Shadows'

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:00 -0500

That ever-talented, and Bounce-Worthy, gentleman Diggs Duke is back again with some more candy for your ears. This time around, Diggs sets his sights on some of the '70s work of jazz great Herbie Hancock by dedicating a tribute series appearing on his SoundCloud page. For his first foray, he fuses Herbie's "Vein Melter" and "Hidden Shadows" into a kind of funky slow jam that sounds just right and clocks in much shorter than the original tracks' combined 20-minute running time. Its succinctness shouldn't be bemoaned, however, as its end leaves you simply wanting more. I'm sure Mr. Hancock would be very proud to hear it. Judging by the artwork accompanying the song, we should also expect to hear Diggs' take on two other Herbie classics, "Bubbles" and "I Thought It Was You," as well. To say that I'm looking forward to those would be a huge understatement. For now, take a musical break away from your busy day and listen to "Vein Melter/Hidden Shadows" below. Oh, and if you're digging Diggs, he's offering this one up for a limited free download as well. I'd suggest you all hop to it.

Personal Life Deliver Some 'Sweet' Soul Sounds

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:00:00 -0500

Personal Life is a London based collective formed by musician/producer Robert Strauss (BBE, Soulheaven, Yoruba, Freerange) featuring the vocals of Stuart Lisbie and key players (most notably from Amy Winehouse's Back to Black band). They have a full-length album in the works for a late 2012 release, but to build some buzz around the project they have released three singles via their Bandcamp page. All of the tracks have that '70s, classic soul sound, but with instrumentalists and a vocalist as talented as this, it's safe to say their sound is timeless rather than a played out retro fad. Check out "Distance Can Be Sweet" below, then head here to listen to/purchase the rest of their tracks.

Distance Can Be Sweet by Personal Life

Funkommunity Sow 'Dandelion' Seeds

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:00:00 -0500

It's been nine long months since we were first exposed to the upcoming goodness of Funkommunity's Chequered Thoughts album. "The Light" caught our attention with it's nu-soul/funk vibe and "Pass It On" cemented their places on the SoulBounce radar. Now we have another single from the album to wrap our ears around. The A-side, "Dandelion," rides over a hip-hop infused beat, whereas "Never Fading" is more of a mellow soul groove showcasing Rachel Fraser's distinctive phrasing. So far these guys are four for four, now we just need to get our hands on the full album.

Bilal Exposes Us To New 'Levels' Of His Artistry

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Raise your hand if you haven't seen Bilal live in concert yet? If your hand is in the air, then take said hand and give yourself an open-handed slap in the face. It goes without saying that a Bilal concert is not to be missed should you have the opportunity to go. The man puts on an incredible live show, no two of which are the same (that I've ever seen at least). One listen to the live acoustic recordings that he's been gifting us with for the past few weeks via Okayplayer is a good indicator of how he switches things up in concert. If you want to listen to the album versions, then stay your behind at home. But if you want your music taken to the next level -- or "Levels" as the case may be -- then do yourself the favor and run don't walk next time you hear him coming to your city. New Yorkers will get a sweet treat at his Valentine's Day show at S.O.B.'s and will no doubt hear him singing "Levels," which sounds great here and much better than the album version in my opinion. [H/T: OKP]

Morning Soul: Talkin' Bout Hey Now

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0500

Should Adele's weight even be an issue when it comes to her being a pop star? [PD]
Get ready for new solo albums from Missy Elliott and Timbaland this summer. It feels like the '90s all over again. [BB]
Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt will pay homage to Etta James at the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards this Sunday night. [TLL]
New mommy Beyoncé went out for two nights in a row flaunting her post-baby body. You go, girl. [RU]

NYC Bouncers: Win Tickets To See Bilal In Concert!

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:00:00 -0500

Bilal has been tempting and teasing us for the past few weeks with live acoustic versions of some of his songs from Airtight's Revenge leading up to his Valentine's Day concert at S.O.B.'s in NYC. For those of us who can't be in the Big Apple on that night, it's just what the doctor ordered. But if you are anywhere near New York City on Tuesday, February 14th, then the doctor is ordering you to attend this show to see a true master at work. To make that happen for one Bouncer and their guest, we're giving away a pair of tickets to see Bilal that night, which you can enter to win after the bounce. Whether you have a Valentine or not, all are invited to this intimate evening with Mr. Oliver and tickets are on sale now at TicketWeb as well.