Boots Riley got all kind of political on Friday night when his Oakland-based band The Coup jammed at Underground Arts.
Between funky jams, he reached out to the audience (sometimes literally) in the intimate room and preached for equality and fair representation. It was powerful stuff that could have been annoying - he was interrupting a great dance party - but he was so earnest.
KEV CHOICE ENSEMBLE PRESENTS:
“THE ART OF COMPOSITION”
NOVEMBER 30, 2010
8PM
YOSHI’S-OAKLAND
510 EMBARCADERO WEST
TIX $15
Pianist/M.C./Producer/Band-Director, Kev Choice is a multi-faceted artist poised to take the music world to dimensions it has never before seen. Never before has an artist grounded in the Hip-Hop tradition, had this type of musical prowess. Classically and jazz trained, schooled in the classic era of Hip-Hop, and influenced by genres from all over the globe, Kev Choice is a unique artist with the capabilities to blend musical elements in a convincing manner. With a resume that includes a Master’s Degree in Music, and having toured the world professionally as a keyboardist and M.C. with a diverse list of artist such as of Lauryn Hill, D.J. Quik, Too Short, Dwele, Zion I, Goapele, LyricsBorn, Martin Luther, and Michael Franti and Spearhead, it is hard to deny the extreme gift that Kev Choice brings to the stage. Having formed his band, Kev Choice Ensemble, in 2007, Kev Choice began to focus on giving the world his unique sound and vision while presenting a powerful stage show. Kev Choice has named “Best Musician” and “Most Multi-Talented Instrumentalist” by East Bay Express in the past few years and also nominated for “Best Soul-Funk Artist” by SF WEEKLY on 3 different occasions. An M.C. that can deliver conscious, witty, relevant lyrics, while playing keys with the skill of a seasoned pianist, is a sight to behold and a breath of freshness to the industry.
The Kev Choice Ensemble has been one of the most dynamic bands in The Bay Area over the last 5 years. The Ensemble features a diverse array and mix of talented musicians with a broad range of talents from the jazz elements of Howard Riley and Geechi Taylor to the soulfulness of Viveca Hawkins voice or Greggo Simmons on guitar. The foundation is held together by the super solid Hassan Hurd on drums, the funk-rock presence of Uriah Duffy on Bass, and the seasoned stylings of Mike Blankenship on keys. For this show they will also be joined by Ajayi Jackson on bassoon and percussion, as well as a string trio featuring violin, viola, and cello. The Ensemble has been heralded as “the most musical hip-hop group ever”.
This is ACT III of the hip-hopera “Electus Unus”-(The Chosen One) by M.C./Pianist/composer, Kev Choice. The story of a child sent to the Earth, from The Gods in Heaven, to save a self-destructing world, with his extraordinary gift of music.
“Make A Star”-ACT III
As was decided by The Gods, an up and coming musician and a beautiful young doctor encounter and fall deeply in love at first glance. That night they make love and the doctor becomes pregnant, as was written, to conceive a child who would save the world with his gift of music. ACT III takes us to the place where the parents first meet, at the father’s gig, and at first glance recognize their magnetic attraction for each other. After playing his first set, the musician walks up to the doctor and says, “What you want to do for the rest of your life? I don’t really know if it’s wrong or right but, I just wanna make a star with you.” From there, the prophecy begins to take place.
FREE DOWNLOAD!!!! "Make A Star" http://www.mediafire.com/?p9mkji1v6obbutg "Make A Star" (with drums) http://www.mediafire.com/?82zh9laslodquz4
Check Out Kev Choice displaying his freestyle skills with Partner-in-Rhyme “Zumbi” of Zion I at a show on January 28th in the Bay Area. This footage was taken in San Francisco at The “True Skool 12th Anniversary” Party, that featured Black Thought as the headliner, a host of the Bay Area’s top DJ’s from Sake-1 to Davey D, and an enthusiastic crowd of Bay Area Hip-Hop heads.
Last year, around this time, I was in the beginning stages of my “Daily Dosage” Series, where I did a song a day (close to) from October 29th-December 31st. On this day last year, November 11, I did a song called “Veteran Daze”, a story of the emotional state of a soldier who goes to war, fights for his country, and returns home to try to get back a normal life in America. He realizes that he has been scarred by his experience and that he feels out of place in the country he fought for. Take a listen, and reflect on the Veteran’s and what they go through and experience. I appreciate their sacrifice, yet I still pray for peace and that all troops can be home with their families. Happy Veteran’s Day.
Download File Here(copy and paste code):
http://bit.ly/1ijBbl
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