H in the A to Z of fusion goes to Hip Hop music – leaving aside here the other core elements that make up hip hop culture. Hip Hop earns its place because its creation definitely involves the refined art of fusion. From DJs mixing records they spin to studio producers/beat makers sampling, chopping, looping, sequencing, recording… Continue reading H Is For Hip Hop And Its Queens
Category: Aotearoa (New Zealand)
Aotearoa (New Zealand) Music Artists
Aaradhna – Brown Girl
The new album from New Zealand’s young soul diva Aaradhna, Brown Girl, is another wonderful opportunity to acquaint yourself with the uniquely-flavoured sounds of the South Pacific. Musically this album gives you a diverse fusion of flavours from smooth, smokin’ R&B to a hint of island skank and some cruisy country vibes. It’s simply the… Continue reading Aaradhna – Brown Girl
Fat Freddys Drop – Beyond Easy Skanking
Every album so far delivered by Fat Freddys Drop has brilliantly captured and showcased the unique blends of soul, jazz, funk, R&B, reggae and dub that New Zealand music is known and loved for. Those albums have also captured the spirit and sounds of the epic live Fat Freddys Drop journeys – from which the group… Continue reading Fat Freddys Drop – Beyond Easy Skanking
Beauty by Wallace
When female soul, blues and jazz artist Wallace recently released her debut single Vinyl Skip, I wanted to hear more of the music and vocals this young artist had in store for us. Wallace Gollan’s EP is not here yet, but her second single is: Beauty. Beauty features Sydney’s female rapper Sampa The Great, and has a… Continue reading Beauty by Wallace
Future-Soul Artist Wallace Releases ‘Vinyl Skip’
New Zealand Music Month has just begun. About the same time last week Beaver was praising the unique sounds of music coming out of Aotearoa (New Zealand) in recent decades – a promising, young New Zealand-born “future soul” artist named Wallace was digitally-releasing her debut single Vinyl Skip. Wallace Gollan is a jazz-trained singer/songwriter who cites NGAIIRE, Georgia… Continue reading Future-Soul Artist Wallace Releases ‘Vinyl Skip’
Myele Manzanza: New Zealand Music Aesthetics
Except for the reformation of Trinity Roots and what a handful of other New Zealand music artists like Myele Manzanza, Fat Freddys Drop, Electric Wire Hustle and Ladi 6 are up to, these days I’m more out of touch with New Zealand’s music scene than I used to be. The Sound When I was on the pulse… Continue reading Myele Manzanza: New Zealand Music Aesthetics
Bluesfest 2015 – Nothing But The Euphoric Funk
Five festival days of performances by 89 international and Australian acts at Byron Bay Bluesfest ended for me with three hours at the main stage frontline having what felt like the most euphoric live music experience of my lifetime. I was, of course, in the company of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. With the greatest of… Continue reading Bluesfest 2015 – Nothing But The Euphoric Funk
Trinity Roots: Citizen Tour Australia 2015
Direct from playing in their homeland of Aotearoa to a crowd of many thousands of loyal fans at WOMAD New Zealand, Trinity Roots have finally blessed Australia with their first-ever Australian tour. The very special bonus prize for people at all those shows was the chance to hear live and take home the long-awaited, fresh-off-the-press… Continue reading Trinity Roots: Citizen Tour Australia 2015
WOMADelaide 2015: Nourishment Forever-After
Oh WOMADelaide, how I long to be back in your nourishing arms. You came again and gave the people four days and nights of awesomely-diverse arts, culture and music from around the world under sunshine and shady trees in Adelaide’s Botanic Park. You created the space for a vibrant community of friendly, conscious, arts-loving people… Continue reading WOMADelaide 2015: Nourishment Forever-After
Myele Manzanza & The Goodness of Music
Music is one of the best medicines in the world. Agreed? It bring invaluable moments of euphoric goodness that at times can be hard to find in these lives of ours. True? Like all of us New Zealand artist Myele Manzanza has a lifetime of positive musical experiences that are a part of his cellular memory. He’s… Continue reading Myele Manzanza & The Goodness of Music