Daily Dosage: Euro Edition #12 – Kev Choice – “Give It Up” Live at The Trinity Centre, Bristol (Video)

Kev Choice rocking and getting the crowd hype with his opening song, “Give It Up,” live at The Trinity Centre in Bristol, England.

Daily Dosage: Euro Edition #11 – Kev Choice – “Kill That/Blues Piano Interlude” Live at Mains-D’Oeuvres in Saint-Ouen, France (Video)

In this video, I bust into a blues interlude coming out of the song “Kill That.”  This footage was shot live at Mains-D’Oeuvres in Saint-Ouen, which is located right outside of Paris.  The journey continues on tour as opener and keyboardist for The Coup’s Sorry To Bother You European tour.

Daily Dosage: Euro Edition #10 – Kev Choice – “Brussels Hustle” (Free Download)

While chilling in Brussels, I asked the promoter what music was from Brussels.  He told me something about “New Beat,” a style of house/techno that came from Belgium in the 80′s.  I looked it up and came across this song “Phantasia Forever” by Belgian techno musician, Praga Khan.  I liked the synth intro so I took it and flipped it!

Daily Dosage: Euro Edition #9 – Kev Choice – “Parisian Dawns” Feat. Emilie Lesbros (Free Download)

Missed a day of Daily Dosage yesterday due to technical problems at hotel in Holland, so today will be a DOUBLE DAILY DOSAGE DAY!!

Was at a club the other night, that didn”t start til 4am!!  They were rocking to a lot of dub step, techno, and house music.  That Euro vibe starting to sink in on me.  Had me thinking about making music to make people DANCE!!  Then, an adventurous night in the streets of Paris lead to this creation. I linked up with French vocalist/instrumentalist Emilie Lesbros, laid a beat and just let creative juices flow as the sun rose in Paris. The beat started off in one direction and I actually took it to a whole nother place.

Heres #1.

Daily Dosage: Euro Edition #8 – Kev Choice – “Windows” (Free Download)

Been taking long drives through France and Holland so far on tour. Looking out the window at everything from countrysides to inner cities to suburbia.  Also looking out my hotel window, seeing new environments, recognizing the similarities and differences between these places and back home.  Realizing the world is just full of people, trying to survive in their daily lives, and find a little sunshine.

I made this instrumental with those thoughts in mind, a cool sample and I added some drums, piano, and strings.  I made this beat while in Holland, and originally came across the song from this Dutch singer, Henny Vonk.  The version I sampled is from Dionne Warwick’s version, “Windows of The World.”

Daily Dosage: Euro Edition #7 – Kev Choice – “Good As Gold” (Free Download)

After talking to one of the opening act M.C.’s in Nijmegen, Holland, and realizing that a lot of the venues we were playing at in Europe the DJs were spinning mainly old school hip-hop, it had me reflecting on the Golden Era of hip-hop and how much it had impacted the world and still does so today. The art of sampling, digging, finding drum breaks, and spittin hard, clever rhymes, is still very much respected in Europe, almost more so than in the States.  A Lot of artists who are long forgotten in the states still are revered in Europe and some can still make money touring here. It just had me thinking about the Golden Era of Rap, late 80′s to mid 90′s, when there was consciousness and a certain respect of the skill level heavily present in Hip-Hop.  So I found a classic drum loop, chopped up a sample, and just spit, Old School style.

Daily Dosage: Euro Edition #5 – Kev Choice – “Make Believers” Live at Ubu in Rennes, France (Video)

For the weekend submissions of the Daily Dosage Euro Edition, I will post videos rocking on tour live in Europe as opener for The Coup.  The first clip is from tonight’s show at Ubu in Rennes, France.  I’m performing a version of my soon to be released single, “Make Believers,” to a captivated French crowd.

Daily Dosage: Euro Edition #4 – Kev Choice – “Je Suis Venu” (Free Download)

Been getting a good history and cultural lesson while in France.  Been checking out a lot of French music.  One song that stood out is by the famous French artist Serge Gainsbourg, called “Je Suis Venu Te Dire Que Je M’En Vais.”  It means, “I came to tell you that I’m going away.”

I chopped it up added some synths and freaked. Will probably rap to it one day since I like how it came out so much.  Chillin in Ivry, a suburb of Paris. Really dope here. Enjoy!

Daily Dosage: Euro Edition #3 – Kev Choice “Ravel-ation” (Free Download)

Loving the vibe in France.  Went into a music store this morning and found this piece of music called “Menuet sur le nom d’Haydn,” one of the definitive solo recordings from one of my favorite classical composers, Maurice Ravel (March 7, 1875 – December 28, 1937).

The chords and melody are beautiful, and I’ve attempted to play it before.  I decided for my first “instrumental” Daily Dosage,  that I’d take this piece and make my own version of it.

Funny, as I was buying the sheet music, the clerk behind the counter said in a strong French accent, “you sure you want this, it’s not funky,” implying that he thought I didn’t realize I was getting a classical piece.  He ain’t knowin’!  I had to sit down at the piano and show em something real quick.  Crazy……Hope you enjoy.

Daily Dosage: Euro Edition #1 – Kev Choice – “Never Too Far” (Free Download)

Bonjour!  Good to be back at it again with the Daily Dosage Series Euro Edition.  Some really great music and feedback came out of the first series in 2009 and I’m looking forward to the same from this installment.

The Euro edition — a musical tour diary of sorts — will span the duration of my travels with The Coup for the “Sorry  To Bother You” European tour (October 16th through November 10th) for which I’m the keyboardist and support/opening act.  Look for a wide variety of music from Hip-Hop, to instrumentals, to original piano compositions, remixes, and guest appearances on my production all created during this tour.

The first song, “Never Too Far,” was recorded in Nancy, France, the city where we kick off the European leg of The Coup’s “Sorry to Bother You” tour.  Just a little something for my fam and friends back home to know, even when I’m on the road, they are all still close in my heart and mind.  The sample comes from a French soundtrack and is by an Italian composer, Ennio Morrocone.  Most, if not all of the Euro Edition will be sampled or heavily influenced by European music and culture. Hope you enjoy.  Au demain.