The Very Good Agency

Revive Da Live Crew – Jazz + Hip Hop

Infamous rapper, singer, actor, and rights activist Mos Def played Carnegie Hall last Saturday with his very own big band. www.okayplayer.com reported the highlight of the night however, to be an afterparty he played with Robert Glasper Experiment. Being involved with so many projects over his already accomplished career, it is wonder how he continually re-invents himself in various experimental art forms, yet always maintains such a high standard of performance.

Mos Def with Chris Dave & Robert Glasper – Thieves In The Night

This pairing of hip hop and jazz musicians was organised by Revive Da Live crew! who often pair the styles for intimate tours and track collaborations. Previously they have been responsible for pairing Guru with Grammy award winning trumpet player Roy Hargrove, and work with a range of jazz musicians, groups, poets and old school rappers including Q-tip

Guru and Roy Hargrove

With artists like this on their roster, Revive Da Live Crew are going to be well worth keeping an eye on, and Very Good will be sure to announce any projects that they bring to Australia.

You can check out what Revive Da Live are up to at:

www.myspace.com/revivedalive

…bs

Tags: Collaborations, hip hop, Jazz

Immortal Technique – Al Jazeera News piece

Controversial rapper and political theorist Immortal Technique, has again spoken publicly on his views with regard to the current political situation in America, this time on Al Jazeera News, a 24 hour Middle Eastern news channel broadcasted in English. Known for his strong opinions and raw style of poetry rap, Immortal Technique often touches on themes of the struggles of Latin American people especially with equality and finding their sense of identity in the US.

Immortal Technique’s intensity always seems to be calmed by his powerful use of the English language. He is not alone in the hip hop world in being vocal in recent, and especially the current US election. A collaboration formed by Will.I.am of Black Eyed Peas creating ‘YES WE CAN’, a musical score written to a presidential election speech given by Barack Obama.

Really highlights why Immortal is known for his raw style. If you plan on listening to more of his album’s… make sure you listen to them alone first, so you know when to skip some graphically detailed tracks in different social groups, honestly.

You can check out more of Immortal Technique’s music at:

www.myspace.com/immortaltechnique

www.immortal-technique.com

…bs

Tags: hip hop, Political

Hope Shorter

With so many American artists trying to get their break onto the world scene, we don’t get to see many of the better artists that are coming out of the USA. With an abundance of options for countries to tour with far greater populations and therefore audiences, Australia and New Zealand are often overlooked in the touring circuit also, especially for artists who do not fall into a main stream category. Hope Shorter is one of these amazing artists who we can only hope to see playing on our shores at some stage.

Playing mainly accoustic originals, Hope (the name she often goes by) brings a style of simplicity to the table that would leave you wanting if it weren’t for the fullness of expression she delivers vocally so effortlessly. The simplest collaboration of a person and their guitar bringing silence to a hall for just three and a half minutes in one of the pieces that brought her to the worlds attention “Rain don’t last”.

Residing in Los Angeles, Califonia, Hope is a far cry from the masses of hyped up trash that typically is generated under the guise of Hip Hop, Soul and R&B there, Thankfully it appears that the major record labels got it right this time with her debut album entitled “Hope”  being picked up by Atlantis Records and recently released .

You can check out some more from Hope Shorter at:

www.myspace.com/hearhope

www.hope-music.com

…bs

Tags: Soul

Fink

If you’ve not already heard of Fink then it is about time you were reading this article. It would have come to you a lot sooner except the interview that we had scheduled with him three months ago is still yet to occur. Easily the best thing to come out of the UK music scene since Roots Manuva, Fink, originally from Brighton, now tours the furthest corners of the world playing his inventive mix of Folk, Blues and Dub. Words carry little weight in expressing an artist as unique as this, so check out his live performance below of Biscuits

Fink – Biscuits

Recently touring the US, Netherlands, Scotland, Ireland, and most of Europe with some amazing artists like  Massive attack, and Zero 7, Fink told us he was “desperate to increase my love down under so i can get down there”… well we hope he can get here soon too and we encourage any fans in Australasia to show that love at www.myspace.com/finkmusic

Unsurprisingly the son of a folk musician and music manager, Fink worked as a club promoter in London throughout the time of his own musical exploration helping him to further understand the industry he would be so involved in. Playing such an eclectic mixture of styles, Fink unbelievably didn’t even feature his vocals on earlier releases he made which were based around acid jazz remixes, DJ sets, and electronic hip hop. Fink has also used his production skills for several major artists including Amy Winehouse.

Fink – This is The Thing

You can check out more of Fink at:

www.finkworld.co.uk

www.myspace.com/finkmusic

…bs

Tags: Blues, Roots

Common New Album

Common is reportedly heading in a new direction with his soon to be released ”Invincible Summer”. Common hooked up with Neptunes and one-time OutKast contributor Mr. DJ for his new album, which is said to have a heavy electro-tinged feel to it. The lead single (which can be heard on Common’s official site www.common-music.com is certainly evidence that favours such an opinion; this high energy track is a deviation from the norm for Common, but he pulls it off nicely. With thumping techno-inspired drums and a catchy hook, this track is sure to get some serious attention.

Overdue as it may be (was supposedly due out in May, now slated for August) Common is sure to come correct once again, However, he is this time without long-time friend and collaborator Kanye West, who was too busy with his extravagant “Glow in the dark” tour to be able to contribute towards the album. Features on the album include Cee-Lo and singer-MC Santogold, who Common states is “one of my favorite artists right now.
Common is also set to appear alongside James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman in “Wanted”, his latest film effort, being released in America late June. Check out the official trailer below…

Common in Wanted

You can check out more of Common at:

www.common-music.com

…crack

Tags: hip hop