Fat Freddys Drop – Beyond Easy Skanking

Bays (2015)

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

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

The WOMADelaide Experience – What Everyone Wants

Arrested Development

Everyone I know who experiences WOMADelaide festival, wants to experience it again. Everyone I know who’s heard about the WOMADelaide experience, wants to have it. That’s because it’s one of the world’s best musical festivals, and Australia’s very best. Fundamentally for the quality of music and its friendly festival people, but for so many other… Continue reading The WOMADelaide Experience – What Everyone Wants

Fat Freddys Drop Blackbird Album – As Unique As FFD Always

I maintain that the Fat Freddys Drop live experiences are where it’s best at, for me. All Fat Freddys Drop music though – live or recorded – makes me feel good when I hear it. Simple. Their new album Blackbird, which I got hold of last week, is no exception. I know when I play it that the cruisy,… Continue reading Fat Freddys Drop Blackbird Album – As Unique As FFD Always

The MP3 Tragedy

Sound quality matters.  Ever so much. The movement from the sweet, tasty sounds of vinyl… …to not-anywhere-near-as-amazing, but still okay sounding CD’s… …to unbearable MP3 versions & their loss of sounds… 01 Blackbird – MP3 – Blackbird (2013) – Fat Freddys Drop …is a tragedy of epic proportions. Don’t you think so? Or am I going on about nothing? … Continue reading The MP3 Tragedy

Fat Freddys Drop & Their Blackbird Live @ The Tivoli

Ten years ago I went to a gig in Sydney where I found some of the sweetest, tastiest jazzy/dubby/electronic music I’ve ever heard live.  In a moment of excitement about my great musical find I told my friend Sammy “Fat Freddys Drop is the best band in the world”. He has laughed at me about that statement… Continue reading Fat Freddys Drop & Their Blackbird Live @ The Tivoli