The Very Good Agency

De La Soul – 20 Years Plugged in

Introducing De La Soul or explaining where they have been over the last 20 years seems a little unnecessary, in fact if you’ve not yet heard of them I think that you should go and sit in the corner and do your own research… or you can see them on their 20 year anniversary tour that stops through Australia and New Zealand in May

.

De La Soul Press Kit for ‘3 Feet High and Rising’

Australian Shows

Fri April 26 – Metro City, Perth
Fri May 1 – The Esplanade Hotel, Melbourne
Sat May 2 – Groovin The Moo, Townsville
Sun May 3 – Big Top, Brisbane
Tue May 5 – Metro Theatre, Sydney
Fri May 8 – Shores Complex, Adelaide
Sat May 9 – Groovin The Moo, Newcastle
Satu May 16 – Groovin The Moo, Bendigo

New Zealand Shows

Tue May 12 – SFBH, Wellington with DJ Marek
Wed May 13 – Lake Wanaka Centre, Wanaka with Sunshine Soundsystem
Thu May 14 – The Bedford, Christchurch with Stinky Jim and Sticky Fingaz
Fri May 15 – The Powerstation, Auckland with The Misfits of Science and DJ Sir-Vere

De La Soul – arguably the greatest hip hop group in the world’s history… It’s hard for me to say if The Very Good Agency would exist without them, or if I would be the person that I am today…

too much… honestly

see you in the front/fifth row if you manage to get a ticket before they sell out

You can check out more of De La Soul at:

www.myspace.com/delasoul

…bs

Tags: gigs, hip hop, Old School

Dres the Black Sheep – What is… and what was

If your looking for the new flavour of the month fresh on the charts, then this article and even website probably isn’t for you. There’s a lot of great artists who have come and gone over the years leaving their mark on the scene since hip hop began to offer an alternative view of what is, and what it can be. I think about posse’s like Native Tongues which consisted on artists like De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah, Mos Def,  and I know that there are people who are beginning to listen to conscious music every day who have an interest in where these new artists draw their inspiration to create from. I get to surfing the internet and I think about an artist who has re-appeared more recently, Dres from Black Sheep.

Black Sheep as well as doing they’re on thing on Polygram Records, were affiliated with Native Tongues right from the early days, and so it’s no surprise to hear Dres recent solo work still delivering that old school flavour of beats with a positive spin, and enoyable perspective on current issues facing the world. Instantly being made aware of the style and quality he posesses’, I want to say that I was listening to Dres and Black Sheep’s music since their first release ‘A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’ back in 1992. I want to say that I saw them performing as the first hip hop group to play ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno‘, but although I may have and since forgotten, I have only recently given them any real attention after hearing a track that Dres released in 2006 called ‘Novakane Groove’.

What is
Dres of Black Sheep – Novakane Groove

I know I heard him on Handsome Boy Modelling Schools ‘White People’ Album on the track ‘First… and Then’ with fine production skills of Dan the Automator and Prince Paul.

and what was

Black Sheep – This or that

You can check out more from Dres and Black Sheep at:

www.myspace.com/blacksheep

…bs

Tags: hip hop, Old School

CunninLynguists – where you at?

CunninLynguists… can I get away with saying that? You can if you’ve heard of this three piece hip hop group consisting of Deacon The Villain, Kno and Natti (a later addition) from the southern states of America. Listening to Braille‘s new album ‘The IV’ recently, I have been treated again to some of the production wizardry from Kno. Now 3 years since the release of their third album ‘A Piece of Strange’, I found myself asking… Where you at CunninLynguists?

Originally hearing their album ‘Southern Underground’ released in 2003, these guys marked a new generation of southern hip hop for me, which these days is too often full of childish hip pop (obvious exceptions like Outkast exist). CunninLynguists take a playful stance when making observations about the world, shedding light on the more serious things in life, while focusing on the simple pleasures in life. Working with some of the other more conscious and politically active names in hip hop including Cee-Lo, Immortal Technique, & KRS-One, Cunninlynguists have also shared the stage in 2008 with Australia’s own Hilltop Hoods for an

American tour. With some of the fastest raps, intriguing samples from all genres of music, sharp playful wit, and picture painting stories, CunninLnguists manage to cover most of the emotions that hip hop explores, and they do it with soul.

Soul and Gospel play a big part in CunninLynguists music, vocally and structurally, they even had an angel feature on one of their tracks ‘Seasons’ (Lauryn Hill). Their southern gospel influence is what truly separates them from other artists, the soul influences that stand out in both their music and lyrics creates an authentic vibe to their experiences, putting you in their shoes in such powerful pieces as ‘Rain’ and ‘Love’ feat. Tone Deff.

7 Years

4 albums

2 Official mix-tapes

1 Awesome group

CunninLynguists – KKKY

You can check out more of CunninLynguists at:

www.myspace.com/cunninlynguists

…bs

Tags: hip hop, Old School

The Roots to retire from touring

One of the hardest working live acts around is finally looking at settling down. That’s right; word on the street is that the world’s top hip hop band, the legendary Roots crew, will soon be taking up a residency on The Late Show with Jimmy Fallon. Having re-written the books on how to make hip hop, and, more importantly, put on a show, The Roots have developed a cult following amongst not just hip hop fans, but music fans in general.

It’s an unfortunate reality that lot of hip hop shows these days suffer from poor sound engineering; distorted vocals, and basslines that drown out everything else. The Roots, however, have mastered the art of performing live. Appearing on stage with Black Thought on the mic, undoubtedly one of the best emcees in hip hop history, a guitarist, keyboardist, beat boxer, backup singers , and the almighty afro-ed one, ?uestlove on the drums, The Roots put on shows that send chills down your spine.

America’s cult television talk-show, The Late Show , will be taken over by Saturday Night Live Star, Jimmy Fallon, in 2009. Fallon will replace Conan O’Brien, who is moving into Jay Leno’s spot on The Tonight Show. In a recent interview (posted on youtube but quickly pulled) ?uestlove said that The Roots would be retiring from large scale touring and become the house band from March 2009. Its a big move for the band, but he realises it’s the right time to do it; “I see the possible chance of this being a ‘bigger’ move … but on the real? I don’t know if I want to be 40, on the road and single no more. And with the kids my group has now getting older … it’s harder for the guys to leave more than it was when the kids were 2 and 3. And I can’t even start to go on that path till a woman takes me seriously. And ain’t no one taking a man serious who is in his own home for only three months out the year. I been in my crib since 2006 and I still ain’t unpacked everything yet.”

I personally, have never seen The Roots live, and therefore jumped at the chance when they were announced as one of the headliners for the 2009 Good Vibrations festival; they have been at the top of my list of ‘acts I gotta see’ for years. After hearing this news I’m now counting my blessings, as it seems this may be the last chance to see them for quite some time, if ever again, down this end of the world. So get your tickets now for your chance to witness the legendary Roots crew live on stage, the Sydney festival has already sold out and the others won’t be far away!

You can check out  more from The Roots at:

www.theroots.com

www.myspace.com/theroots

and get your tickets at www.googvibrationsfestival.com.au

…cracked

Tags: Funk, gigs, hip hop, Jazz, Old School, Soul

Bobby McFerrin – Don’t Worry, Be Awesome!

You might remember Bobby McFerrin from his smash hit in 1988 ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’, or maybe from one of the TEN Grammy awards that he has received over his career, but like me you may not have given him much thought lately. From a musical family with his father Robert Sr Mcferrin being the first African American to be a regular in the New York Symphony Orchestra, it is no surprise that Bobby embarked on a musical pathway, the result of his exploration however cannot be understood by any influence or guidance he may have had, creating new realms of possibilty for artists to follow. On Saturday evening I was introduced to a video of a 2005 performance ‘Live in Montreal’ he held showing off his amazing talent for creating vocal pieces of art that defy logic and possibilty. His ability to fluctuate between four vocal ranges, combine accapella sounds with the beat he creates tapping on his chest, and the use of polyphonic sounds in which he creates 2 and 3 part harmonies from one vocal box are just extroadinary, and as for the musical pieces that he creates with these talents – they are just breathtaking…

Check it out:

Bobby McFerrin – Drive

As if his vocal talents aren’t enough, in 1994 Bobby Mcferrin was appointed creative chair of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and has made regular tours as the conductor for symphony orchestra including those from San Fransisco, New York, Philladelphia, Cleveland, Chicago and London.

Not much needs to be said when you have seen his performances, so I will leave those of you who are as inspired as I am can check out more of Bobby at:

www.bobbymcferrin.com

…bs

Tags: Blues, hip hop, Old School, Poetry, Soul