tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308558852024-03-13T14:37:05.842-07:00Gnawledge Recordsouternational hiphop since 1954Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-41500879615783432752009-07-17T12:29:00.001-07:002009-07-17T12:31:21.297-07:00www.GNAWLEDGE.com<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.gnawledge.com/blog"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_46FEiosKiss/SmDRK6HKJiI/AAAAAAAAANE/ltbe39y8y1I/s400/weve-moved.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359513541899068962" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We've retired the ol' blogspot and moved over to <a href="http://www.gnawledge.com/blog">GNAWLEDGE.com</a><br /><br />Update your RSS feeds and warn you neighbors.Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-9735420584357983172009-07-09T10:03:00.000-07:002009-07-09T10:12:42.961-07:00CD Release Concert in Ojai<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://gnawledge.com/blog"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 365px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2549/3701315083_271c0f1cbd.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On FRIDAY JULY 10th ---> USA debut of our new album <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.gnawledge.com/granadadoaba">Granada Doaba</a> </span>will be hosted at <a href="http://www.farmerandcook.com/">Farmer + the Cook</a> in Ojai, CA. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />The show is free!</span><br /><br />The concert will feature live performances by:<br /><br />Russ Baggerly (Flamenco guitar)<br />Stanislov's Dog (Middle Eastern music with Daniel Eshoo, Rod Martinez, Raymond Powers)<br />Twin Trip (indie rock with Felix Penny and Micah Van Hove)<br />Gnotes + Teddy Jack (electro-acoustic guitar)<br />Gnawledge (global hip-hop with Granada Doaba)<br /><br />Music will start at 7pm. Before the concert at 6pm, Canyon Cody will give a talk about his Fulbright research project about multi-cultural music in Spain. There will be drinks and delicious organic food. For more info, email canyon [at] gnawledge [dot] comGnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-4620348697453268422009-04-13T18:05:00.001-07:002009-04-13T18:16:05.759-07:00Granada Doaba remix projectGnawledge's instrumental record Granada Doaba is done and the remix project has just barely begun, but we already got some amazing contributions...<br /><br /><object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/29MzXEidgz0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/29MzXEidgz0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br /><br />First, a peek into the kitchen of French rapper Kaya while she practices lyrics over the <span style="font-style: italic;">Granada Doaba</span> instrumental "Nunca Fui A Granada" [featuring <a href="http://myspace.com/silentgnotes">Gnotes</a> on the guitar + cajon]. Video recorded in the Albaicín (Granada, Spain)<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Gnawledge - "Nunca Fui A Granada (Kaya Remix)"</span> <a href="http://gnawledge.com/audio/doabaremix/Nunca%20Fui%20A%20Granada%20%5BKaya%20Remix%5D.mp3"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Download MP3</span></a><br /><br />Second, we got a wicked bilingual dance track from <a href="http://www.myspace.com/rasmoses">Moses</a>, an MC from the <a href="http://nuai.org/">nuAi tribe</a>.<br /><br /><object height="405" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vKE82lsVytM&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vKE82lsVytM&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="405" width="500"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Gnawledge - "Bohemia Al-Andalus (Moses Remix)"</span> <a href="http://music.nuai.org/moses_baila.mp3"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Download MP3</span></a><br /><br />anyone else down for a collab?Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-4497334552409213962009-04-13T17:53:00.000-07:002009-04-13T18:03:37.147-07:00Murs "Everyday" (Gnotes Remix)<object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ff1Y_VQOfPw&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ff1Y_VQOfPw&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br /><br /><a href="http://myspace.com/silentgnotes">Gnotes</a> contributed a beat to the<a href="http://mursmusic.com/everythingremix"> Murs remix contest</a>. Always a dutiful rule-abider, Gnotes' instrumental contains no samples (as per stipulated); Gnotes plays live bass, guitar, accordion, bongos and MPC.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Murs - "Everything (Gnotes Remix)"</span> <a href="http://gnawledge.com/audio/Gnotes_Murs_everyday_remix.mp3"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Download MP3</span></a><br /><br />James Blunt? really?Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-31382693658115304142009-03-06T12:59:00.000-08:002009-03-09T12:35:32.730-07:00Knaan + Granada Doaba [Music Video]<object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cPmUWGHlTx8&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cPmUWGHlTx8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br /><br />music video smashup silliness to fill the time before Granada Doaba's April 21st release. <br /><br />much thanks to knaan, chubb rock, carlos saura, el niño de las pinturas, sunny marley, afro dz ak, mohammad dominguez and tú <em></em>también.Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-12919395403845544322009-02-24T17:36:00.000-08:002009-02-25T17:54:08.787-08:00Knaan "ABCs" (Gnawledge Remix)<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/granadadoaba/3307308003/" title="Knaan "ABC" [Gnawledge Remix] by Granada Doaba, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3392/3307308003_31221cb466.jpg" alt="Knaan "ABC" [Gnawledge Remix]" height="387" width="500" /></a><br /><div style="font-size: 11px;"><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?track=knaan-abcs-gnawledge-remix"> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"> <embed allowscriptaccess="always" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?track=knaan-abcs-gnawledge-remix" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="81" width="100%"></embed> </object> <div style="padding-top: 5px;"><a href="http://soundcloud.com/elcanyonazo/knaan-abcs-gnawledge-remix">Knaan - ABCs (Gnawledge Remix)</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/elcanyonazo">elcanyonazo</a></div></div><br /><p>The first <a href="http://myspace.com/granadadoaba"><span style="font-style: italic;">Granada Doaba</span></a> mash-up is from <a href="http://myspace.com/elcanyonazo">El Canyonazo</a>, who hadn't done a proper smashie since "Emergency Xxplosives". The vocals are from Knaan's "ABCS" [feat. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.myspace.com/chubbrocklegend1">Chubb Rock</a>] from his new album <a href="http://knaanmusic.ning.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Troubadour</span></a>.<br /></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></p><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Free Download:</span> </span><a href="http://gnawledge.com/audio/doabaremix/ABCs%20%28Gnawledge%20Remix%29.mp3"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span>Knaan "ABCs" [Gnawledge Remix]</span></span></a></li></ul>The instrumental is "<a href="http://gnawledge.com/granada/?p=17">La Senda del Abuelo</a>" from our hip-hop flamenco album <span style="font-style: italic;">Granada Doaba</span>, featuring Gnawledge bredren <a href="http://myspace.com/afrodzak"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Afro DZ ak</span></a> on trumpet and Mohammed Dominguez on the darbuka drum. The guitar sample is from flamenco guitarist Juan Habichuela's song "Coge la Senda" (featuring singer Marina Heredia's voice at the end) from his Latin Grammy award-winning album <a href="http://www.esflamenco.com/scripts/news/ennews.asp?frmIdPagina=1079"><span style="font-style: italic;">Una Guitarra en Granada</span></a>.<br /><br />While in Granada, we were lucky enough to work with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvlmfJQuhJg">Juan Habichuela' grandson</a>, an amazing 19 year old guitarist of the same name, but we'll have to save <a href="http://gnawledge.com/granada/?p=11">that story</a> for another day . . .<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BUY --> Knaan's new album </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Troubadour-Knaan/dp/B001L2I27O"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Troubadour</span></a>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com69tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-37478924464374506122009-02-03T18:13:00.000-08:002009-02-04T10:04:55.265-08:00Bohemia Al-Andalus [Yanng Remix]<div style="font-size: 11px;"><object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?track=bohemia-al-andalus-yanng-remix&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=ff7700"> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"> <embed allowscriptaccess="always" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?track=bohemia-al-andalus-yanng-remix&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=ff7700" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="81" width="100%"></embed> </object> <div style="padding-top: 5px;"></div></div><p>The first <a href="http://myspace.com/granadadoaba"><span style="font-style: italic;">Granada Doaba</span></a> remix is from a Spanish MC named Yanng, who <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=j_afycDXGXo">sharpened his canines </a>performing every week with a live band at the Sunday JamSessions at BoogaClub in Granada (Spain). </p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></p><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Free Download:</span> </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://www.gnawledge.com/audio/doabaremix/Bohemia%20Al-Andalus%20%5BYanng%20Remix%5D.mp3"><span>Granada Doaba - "Bohemia Al-Andalus" [Yanng Remix]</span></a></span></li></ul><p></p><p><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.myspace.com/elsilvo">Yanng</a> came by the Gnawledge studio with his compañero Asis (<span style="font-weight: bold;">video below</span>) and freestyled over the instrumental "Bohemia Al-Andalus." Yanng went home with the beat his brain and scribed us a <span style="font-style: italic;">Doaba</span> anthem:<br /></p><p>"<span style="font-style: italic;">Eso no son rumbas de feria,<br />es una fusión de músicas serias.<br />Música antigua, ahora hecha nueva.</span>"</p><br /><object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eS2_Knft9ik&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eS2_Knft9ik&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br /><p>Much respect to Yanng for breaking the seal on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Granada Doaba</span> remix project.<br /></p><p>Anyone else interested? We got strumentals --> <a href="mailto:doaba@gnawledge.com">doaba@gnawledge.com</a><br /><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://flickr.com/photos/elcanyonazo/2682573414/"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/2682573414_025e33c480.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-57355473252816276332009-01-23T16:11:00.000-08:002009-01-23T17:29:52.332-08:00Kaya - Metaform Crush Remix<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_46FEiosKiss/SXpf7Yh4m_I/AAAAAAAAAKs/hHFBi4oC40Y/s1600-h/kayacrush.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 440px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_46FEiosKiss/SXpf7Yh4m_I/AAAAAAAAAKs/hHFBi4oC40Y/s400/kayacrush.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294649785728932850" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The producer <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.myspace.com/meta4m">Metaform</a> is working with <a href="http://myspace.com/silentgnotes">Gnotes</a> and <a href="http://myspace.com/elementalzazen">Elemental Zazen</a> on both of their upcoming albums, but this here's just a likkle bootlegd remix of his track "Crush" from <a href="http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=26693"><span style="font-style: italic;">Standing on the Shoulders of Giants</span></a>, one of my favorite albums of 2008.<br /><br /><embed src="http://www.odeo.com/flash/audio_player_standard_gray.swf" quality="high" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="valid_sample_rate=true&external_url=http://gnawledge.com/audio/kaya/Metaform%20Crush.mp3" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="52" width="300"></embed><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Metaform - "Crush (Kaya Remix)"</span> <a href="http://gnawledge.com/audio/kaya/Metaform%20Crush.mp3"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Download MP3</span></a><p></p><p>Kaya <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">[aka Cat Gomez]</span> is a French MC based in Granada (Spain) who collaborated with Gnawledge on <a href="http://myspace.com/granadadoaba"><span style="font-style: italic;">Granada Doaba</span></a>. For the anglophonos in the room, she's rappin in <em>français</em> until 1:38 and then reboots into espangñol for the finish.</p>Metaform's blenditure of instrumental hip-hop and old-school funk is right up my cup o'tea alley. <a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/metaform2">Support the artist</a>.<br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/metaform2"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 454px;" src="http://passionweiss.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/metaformfb3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-28960353957167302572009-01-20T17:56:00.000-08:002009-01-20T18:05:21.759-08:00Gnotes - "Guitars in the Trunk"<object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/esEratzqLjE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/esEratzqLjE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br /><br /><span>The first track form Gnotes' 2006 album <span style="font-style: italic;">INTHRUMENTAL</span>, "Guitars in the Trunk" is about the Gnawledge Records trip to Cuba for the 10th annual Havana Hip-Hop Festival. We brought a mobile studio down to do some recording with Anonimo Consejo, a pair of Cuban MCs.<br /><br />When we arrived at the José Martí International Airport, the security agents were unbothered by our guitars and drum machines, but they were not happy about us importing microphones into Cuba.<br /><br />Video by Canyon Cody.<br /><br />Lyrics:<br />"The human voice is a beautiful thing,<br />but the human voice is a powerful thing.<br />They confiscated our bags when we got off the plane.<br />Suitcase with instruments and all types<br />of machines that make beats,<br />but they only took the mics.<br />Charged with illegal vocal amplification,<br />Locked my mic behind the cell<br />but released us form the station.<br />Homeless, lazy, lifeless, sunk.<br />Technics in the backseat,<br />Guitars in the trunk."<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/3165024976_937ebd776c.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/3165024976_937ebd776c.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span><br /><br /></span>Purchase Gnotes' <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Inthrumental</span> @ <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=187228748&s=143441">iTunes</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.amazon.com/Inthrumental-Gnotes/dp/B000G19QZ8">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://www.blogger.com/cdbaby.com/cd/gnotestunes">CDBaby</a>, but whatever you do, don't <a href="http://www.freestylemadness.com/blog/?p=10284">bootleggus</a>.<br /><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inthrumental-Gnotes/dp/B000G19QZ8" target="_blank" title="http://www.amazon.com/Inthrumental-Gnotes/dp/B000G19QZ8" rel="nofollow" dir="ltr"></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">MySpace:</span> <a href="http://www.myspace.com/silentgnotes">Gnotes</a> + <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://www.myspace.com/anonimoconsejocuba">Anonimo Consejo </a><br /><br /></span>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-29181543123778401822009-01-16T14:58:00.000-08:002009-01-16T15:05:50.848-08:00Gnotes "Angels Are Trouble"<object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AlBRuUM-kVk&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AlBRuUM-kVk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br /><br />From Gnotes' 2006 album <span style="font-style: italic;">Inthrumental</span> from Gnawledge Records, "Angels Are Trouble" explores the dangers of tings so good. Featuring bad lypsync from Canyon Cody, reefer madness and brazilian devils.<br /><br />Purchase <span style="font-style: italic;">Inthrumental</span> @ <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=187228748&s=143441">iTunes</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.amazon.com/Inthrumental-Gnotes/dp/B000G19QZ8">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://www.blogger.com/cdbaby.com/cd/gnotestunes">CDBaby</a>, but whatever you do, don't <a href="http://www.freestylemadness.com/blog/?p=10284">bootleggus</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3250/2800530541_0496c0a167.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 451px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3250/2800530541_0496c0a167.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-19483265750461892902009-01-09T11:51:00.000-08:002009-01-16T12:53:31.319-08:00Gnotes "Windmills"<object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N9v6otCxJLY&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N9v6otCxJLY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br /><br />Recently back from Granada (Spain), Gnotes breaks the seal on 2009 with "Windmills". Gnotes made the beat, big ups to Russ Meyer for the footage<br /><br />Gnotes is back in Seattle with a new album coming in the Spring.<br /><br />More musik --> <a href="http://myspace.com/silentgnotes">Gnotes @ MySpace</a>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-64128813499811301052008-12-05T11:19:00.000-08:002009-01-05T12:27:46.142-08:00Afro DZ ak > Press Clippings<span style="font-size:100%;">In 2008, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://myspace.com/afrodzak">Afro DZ ak</a>'s solo debut <a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/afrodzak"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Elevation</span></a> got spins + ink across the country. Here's a selection of what the press had to say:<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3113/2780696775_d1c6812c68_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 217px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3113/2780696775_d1c6812c68_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">"<span style="font-weight: bold;">You ever heard of an emcee you can also play the trumpet? Me neither</span>... Lyrically, Afro DZ ak doesn't slack on the mic as he weaves through different topics with ease and an uncanny ability to connect with the listener... The sweet singing in the hook and instrumentation reminds me of vintage ATCQ" </span><span style="color: rgb(79, 96, 79);font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2008_11_afroelevation.html" target="_blank">Rap Reviews</a><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">"<span style="font-weight: bold;">It sounds as though the music could be coming from a Miles Davis record</span>, not a hip-hop album." </span><span style="color: rgb(79, 96, 79);font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0019K0axS901rNX98ZN3KwlI5NwzpRE-IScRWA2mv5gY5Rv9sSzYb1baWvPmJ0izMPp-lTStiG47MuQr2LeeBi1PqG8NABV_tYCaENLua_Dxe_5sbYORhTMFLFrQnKjf5Yi" target="_blank">Tufts Daily</a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"This record is one that should fly off the shelves</span>, making strides to bring people together through positive songs." </span><span style="color: rgb(79, 96, 79);font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" > <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0019K0axS901rNLXd8Nz3z8GDYRYd2PKhiSOCYIJFPduk8MJeIZI6XC_22KGgISVOXPnwTIKULnnpQI1iPjPg3CpbV2NlSWDhF4H3XeIE3QntYGU5pezzS-Mqbm4D2RLhewVO5Nqpi7G_SEAIDPaf3ZKRzqEI-_xZQjZ120SkqOR_R_zx0jjdvha2hZ3YoKvuM48FSoudpXixg=" target="_blank">Rider News</a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Not often does one come across a musical hybrid</span> like the rapping and trumpet-playing Afro DZ ak... The album fails to disappoint with its combination of conscious, intelligent lyrics and skillfully played music." </span><span style="color: rgb(79, 96, 79);font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0019K0axS901rPzVMQvp7QlnaSXCkxHyxotSCbfEp9WQlJALgXy0QgJAdCV3Y7PU4arwyVcJF1_88UL4Ub7pzZfb5Op-lSRimBpjPRix4riYD1z6JpMq5HXx5Nl4T4cdzfNAX5zt-25CNHN6wdyvgRtDC0fX1dOuAr6" target="_blank">NYU News</a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Elevation will turn heads</span> as the album is defiantly booming with inspiration and successfully manages to separate itself from the stereotypical sound in hip-hop." </span><span style="color: rgb(79, 96, 79);font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0019K0axS901rN3KaMJMDRw59KCWl_j18LR2TwOyy3b9dzSvMTuNADBQcJlIxWhtlbfdMCK-Mt_Y-0KWj6Q-h95Jg1CjMeU5UMBl3VVwBRAHQ_RDu3AtgZ72m7o-pnyhAu17DHHPeuCY1J-o2eXpUoIDw==" target="_blank">Buffalo Spectrum</a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"The winning ingredient in this eclectic hip hop stew is the music.</span> DZ ak colorfully loops soulful horns, organs, and other jazzy tidbits over beats that leave even the most discriminating of listeners susceptible to head bobbing. " <a href="http://www.thenoise-boston.com/content/view/187/10/"> </a></span><a href="http://www.thenoise-boston.com/content/view/187/10/"><span style="color: rgb(79, 96, 79);font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ></span></a><span style="color: rgb(79, 96, 79);font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><a style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank"></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.thenoise-boston.com/content/view/187/10/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Noise</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Uplifting and thought-provoking"</span> </span><span style="color: rgb(79, 96, 79);font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.lostatsea.net/feature.phtml?fid=118250534448e369ce5841b">Lost at Sea </a><br /><br /><br /></span>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-31011503624835758062008-10-25T11:48:00.000-07:002009-01-05T12:02:20.615-08:00Afro DZ ak Interview<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper144/stills/747ew89g.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 270px;" src="http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper144/stills/747ew89g.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Birth of the beat:<br /><div id="bch_articleheadline"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Afro DZ ak elevates Boston underground </span></span></div> <div id="bch_articledate"> <script type="text/javascript"> var cpDate = new Array(); var bchDate = new Date(); var bchDateMonth = new Array("January", "February", "March", "April", "May", "June", "July", "August", "September", "October", "November", "December"); var bchDateDayOfWeek = new Array("Sunday","Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday","Saturday"); cpDate = "10/23/08".split("/",3) bchDate.setMonth(cpDate[0]-1); bchDate.setDate(cpDate[1]); bchDate.setFullYear('20' + cpDate[2]); document.write("Published in the " + bchDateDayOfWeek[bchDate.getDay()] + ", " + bchDateMonth[bchDate.getMonth()] + " " + bchDate.getDate() + ", " + bchDate.getFullYear() + " Edition of <img src="\" />"); </script>Published in the <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://media.www.bcheights.com/media/storage/paper144/news/2008/10/23/TheScene/Birth.Of.The.Beat.Afro.Dz.Ak.Elevates.Boston.Underground-3500947.shtml">The Heights</a><br />Thursday, October 23, 2008<br /></div><div id="bch_byline">By Michael O'Brien </div><br /><br />His dad was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while his mother was born and raised in Kansas. At Tufts University, he majored in international relations, and after college he has worked in community development and education. One of the causes he supports is the affordability of higher education. Sounds a lot like Barack Obama, but it's actually the pedigree of Pete Shungu - also known on stage as Afro DZ ak - a trumpeter, rapper, and spoken-word poet who writes smooth, jazz-influenced hip-hop and performs in Boston's notorious underground scene. He just released his debut album Elevation on Gnawledge Records, which was founded and is managed by Canyon Cody, BC '06, and Sean Dwyer, BC '04. Despite the difference in occupation, the similarities between his and Obama's personal histories aren't purely coincidental: Obama has constantly been a source of inspiration for Shungu ever since he read Dreams from My Father, in which Obama discusses his life, particularly the reality of his multiracial heritage. This background is one of the subjects Shungu explores in his music.<br /><br />Shungu was introduced to music at an early age when his mother signed him up for piano lessons. "I was a typical kid who hated practicing, but that kind of sparked my interest in music in general," he says.<br /><br />In the fifth grade, he picked up trumpet and also started getting into hip-hop, listening to an eclectic assortment of artists, ranging from Public Enemy to A Tribe Called Quest, and from De La Soul to Naughty by Nature and Dr. Dre.<br /><br />"When you first get into music you don't see the distinction between what's commercial and what's conscious," Shungu says.<br /><br />He says commercial rap started declining around the time he was developing his own musical consciousness. Around this time, he discovered alternative hip-hop pioneers like Common, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli. From listening to these artists, he developed his own artistic style. He rejected the mainstream's raw, thug mentality and opted for the intelligent, conscientious one of the aforementioned alternative pioneers. For Shungu, music became an approach for tackling important issues.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3111/2781554968_2d6c29114b_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 240px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3111/2781554968_2d6c29114b_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>It wasn't until years later that he discovered his passion for jazz. "My high school had this music director who was really into jazz and completely opened my mind to all different styles of music," he says.<br /><br />His jazz influences include Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Freddie Hubbard. He admits that, though it sounds cliche by now, Davis' earlier style in classics like Kind of Blue and Birth of the Cool profoundly influenced his own. He focuses on trumpet playing that is emotional, rather than fast.<br /><br />"I'm not going to say I can play like Miles or anything, but being about emotion and not being about playing a million notes is something that made me able to play with a lot of different people. In addition to my own album, I play trumpet on probably 15 other albums with hip-hop bands, rock bands, and jazz bands."<br /><br />Throughout high school, he stuck with his musical commitments by playing in the concert and jazz bands, while also playing soccer. By the time Shungu graduated from high school, he was composing his own parts for trumpet. Once he was in college, he started getting into rhyming and rapping.<br /><br />"It was kind of a gradual process," he says.<br /><br />He graduated from Tufts University in 2003, majoring in international relations. Unlike a lot of the musicians he has worked with, he hasn't been in bands all his life; though he wrote music and lyrics, he didn't start performing until after college.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3287/2797301012_951a482f01_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 160px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3287/2797301012_951a482f01_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Besides his solo work as Afro DZ ak, Shungu is a former member of the Eclectic Collective and also plays in a six-piece soul band called Soul Movement. He met Dwyer at a show a few years back at the Western Front in Cambridge. The two burgeoning musicians exchanged information, and Dwyer eventually called Shungu. After that, they lived together in an apartment in Somerville, Mass., for a year and half.<br /><br />"At the time we knew about each other's music. We respected each other and started working on music," he says.<br /><br />Dwyer, whose stage name is Gnotes, released an album titled Inthrumental in 2006, on which Shungu contributed trumpet parts. After meeting Dwyer, he was introduced to Cody, whom he describes as Gnawledge's "brain child."<br /><br />"People ask me, 'Are you a part of a label?' I say it's more like a family, a collective of artists supporting each other."<br /><br />After Dwyer's album was released, the two got to work on Shungu's. It took about six months to put together. Some of the tracks were written as long as four years ago, but most of them were recently put together within the last year, and some of the beats were picked up from friends. All in all, the process was smooth.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2780697785_4b4732558f_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 214px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2780697785_4b4732558f_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>"Since I'm a musician as well, a lot of it is organic. I play keys on a few tracks so I'll come up with a keys groove and then make the beats myself."<br /><br />Dwyer engineered the album, layering Shungu's various parts into catchy, cohesive songs.<br /><br />Shungu admits that he has no consistent artistic process, but spontaneously writes musical parts and lyrics whenever he is inspired, particularly when he is driving.<br /><br />"A lot of time I would be listening to instrumentals in the car and come up with lyrics in my head, write them down, and later develop the track," he says.<br /><br />He currently works for a nonprofit company called Access, assisting high school seniors in the Boston public school system with the financial aid process for college. The job, he says, is a lot like being a guidance counselor, but is solely focused on college preparation. Overall, he loves working in education and thinks it is a good balance for his musical aspirations, and also another source of inspiration.<br /><br />"The work that I'm doing gives me material to talk about in some of my writing," he says.<br /><br />His outlook for the future is to keep working on music and in education.<br /><br />"I don't think I'd feel complete if I gave up either music or working with young people."<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3235/2781558354_dc3755c027.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3235/2781558354_dc3755c027.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-31028168609398242912008-10-17T06:51:00.000-07:002008-10-17T07:00:25.377-07:00Afro DZ ak - "Shine" (Music Video)From <a href="http://myspace.com/afrodzak">Afro DZ ak</a>'s new album <span style="font-style: italic;">Elevation</span>, "Shine" was produced by Willie Green and features Afro's mighty trumpet. The video was produced by <a href="http://canyoncody.blogspot.com">Canyon Cody</a>, recorded in Somerville MA.<br /><br /><object width="600" height="495"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YkS2zF7MCLY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YkS2zF7MCLY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="600" height="495"></embed></object><br /><br />Check out the <a href="www.gnawledge.com/shine.html">lyrics</a>, preview the music @ <a href="http://www.gnawledge.com/elevation.html">Gnawledge</a>, and buy the album at <a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/afrodzak">CDBaby</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elevation-Afro-DZ-ak/dp/B001FYQWXO/">Amazon</a> and <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=291730474&s=143441">iTunes</a>.Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-27718473862495261942008-08-21T11:02:00.000-07:002008-09-07T12:02:36.858-07:00Interview: Afro DZ akThis interview took place over email while <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://myspace.com/elcanyonazo">Canyon Cody</a> was in Spain working on his Fulbright project and <a href="http://myspace.com/afrodzak"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Afro DZ ak</span></a> was in Boston finishing his album <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Elevation</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><br /><hr /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/2796456529_e3729f90d6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/2796456529_e3729f90d6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Canyon Cody:</span> What did your parents listen to when you were growing up?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Afro DZ ak:</span> </span>My mom played violin when she was younger. She listened primarily to classical music - I remember being a little embarrassed when she dropped me off at school and the other kids could hear classical music blasting on the radio. But now I'm so grateful for being surrounded by classical music when I was young, because it gave me a much greater understanding and appreciation for all styles of music as I got older. My mom also had an old record collection-- The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, etc. Through my dad and his side of the family, I was also introduced to music that reflected my own African roots - both traditional and modern Congolese music. I think the first tapes that I bought included <span style="font-style: italic;">Cooleyhighharmony</span> (Boyz II Men), <span style="font-style: italic;">The Chronic</span> (Dr. Dre) and <span style="font-style: italic;">Greatest Misses</span> (Public Enemy).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Canyon Co</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">dy:</span> </span>When did you start playing trumpet?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Afro DZ ak:</span> I first started with piano lessons when I was 8. I think a lot of musical ability came from my mom's brother -- he's a piano and flute teacher. My interest in the trumpet actually came from two sources-- first, I went to a summer camp at a local community college where we got to try out all different types of instruments. When I got to the trumpet, tha<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/2781554436_e43e95eace_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/2781554436_e43e95eace_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>t was the one that really stood out for me. But the main reason I started playing the trumpet was... a girl. Yeah, in 4th grade I had a crush on this girl who played the trumpet. I was real shy back in the day, and I used to think about how if I learned to play the trumpet, I could sit next to her in band class and win her over. So I started playing trumpet in 5th grade. Since she was one of the best players, I had to practice hard if I wanted to move up in the ranks of all the trumpet players and sit next to her. So that was some good motivation. I took private lessons and practiced every day, and by the time 6th grade rolled around I was first chair and she was second! Though the crush wore off, we ended up becoming good friends, and years later I told her about how she helped inspire me to play the trumpet and we were able to laugh about it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Canyon Cody:</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"> </span>Did you learn trumpet on your own or did you have a mentor?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Afro DZ ak:</span> </span>My trumpet teacher's name was Joe Scannella. He was really into dixieland music, so I played a lot of that. More importantly, as a great trumpet player himself, he taught me all kinds of indispensable tips on playing the trumpet that helped me become the player I am today. But it wasn't until high school that I really started to develop a greater understanding and appreciation for music, especially jazz, thanks to my high school music teacher Eric Haltmeier. He got me into Miles, Trane, etc; and the rest is history. I played in a jazz improv group in high school called Microcosm that was led by Mr. Haltmeier, and that was the catalyst for me becoming a specialist at improvisation, versatility, and bringing creativity and feeling into my music.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3111/2781554968_2d6c29114b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 218px; height: 288px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3111/2781554968_2d6c29114b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Canyon Cod</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">y:</span> </span>What are some of your favorite hip-hop songs that feature trumpets (either live or sampled)?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Afro DZ ak:</span> It's funny, there's actually more hip-hop tracks with saxophone lines that I really dig than there are with trumpets. Some people can't tell the difference betweent sax and trumpet, but I know instantaneously. Some of my favorite sax samples are Pete Rock & CL Smooth's "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyk5Sb7ADi4">T.R.O.Y.</a>", Queen Latifah's "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prhF6LE89z4">UNITY</a>" and Pharcyde's "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAfrhmIvZ_s">Passin' Me By</a>". <br /><br />In terms of trumpet lines, I love how US3 flipped <span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqwmDNPegnM">Freddie Hubbard's trumpet solo</a> from </span>Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island". I also like that real simple trumpet line on Digable Planets' "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK-JkHDAW7A&feature=related">Cool Like Dat</a>". Lords of the Underground's "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b43L60-Ovbg">Funky Child</a>" has some dope trumpet samples on it too. I'm good friends with a couple of live hip-hop bands that feature trumpets: <a href="http://www.myspace.com/audiblem">Audible Mainframe</a> (from Boston, currently in LA) and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/loungerap">Lifted</a> (from Boston, now in NYC). Talib Kweli did this track called "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i0a-CDxFtA">Y'all Stay Up</a>" featuring the Youngblood Brass Band, with live trumpets, tubas, trombones... that track is on point.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Canyon Cody:</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"> </span>When did you begin to develop as a lyricist? Were you first a (written) poet or did it come from freestlying with other MCs?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Afro DZ ak:</span> Back in the day when I was a kid, I was always more into creative assignments than essays at school, but I never really wrote my own poetry for fun, it was more just for school. I definitely developed as a musician earlier than I developed as a writer. It wasn't until college that I really started to write my own material, and I actually started writing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2780695967_ec8bc5a9a4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 352px; height: 234px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2780695967_ec8bc5a9a4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> rhymes before I started on the poetry tip. The first rap I recorded was called "Take the A Train". I think I wrote it while I was home from college sometime before my sophomore year at Tufts. It was a collaboration with my brother Nick (aka Mooks). Originally we went by the name "Afro DZ ak" collectively, but then I took over sole possession of it since he didn't have a 'fro. We recorded it at my brother's friend's house in Jersey, and he had Fruity Loops so I made this real bootleg beat and we dropped the track to it. Back at Tufts, I recorded a couple tracks with Stickemz (aka B Reese) and EZV (aka DJ Health) and freestyled at a parties, but never rocked any real shows until my senior year, which is also when I started with spoken word poetry.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Canyon Cody:</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"> </span>From your music, it seems like you believe that music can promote positive change. Have there been songs, or musicians, in your life that have influenced you to be a better person, or work for a better community?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Afro DZ ak:</span> As far as musicians/artists that inspire me, the first person that comes to mind is <a href="http://www.myspace.com/omekongo">Omekongo Dibinga</a>. I first met him because he was a TA in a course I took at Tufts called <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/2783890291_b843168c9f.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 288px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/2783890291_b843168c9f.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>African Politics. We immediately connected, in part because we're both Congolese born in the US. Omekongo was one of the first spoken word poets who really made poetry come alive for me - his poems touched on poignant issues about Congo and Africa in general, about racism, sexism, commercialism, about setting a positive example for young people. Probably more than anyone else, he inspired me to write and perform and develop my own poetry. One thing that stands out to me about Omekongo is that he challenges himself to address issues beyond just those that most obviously affect him. For example, he is one of few Black heterosexual male poets I have seen openly speak out against heterosexism / homophobia in his poetry. He also has traveled the world extensively which I think is crucial for someone to really broaden their own frame of mind, and he works tirelessly with young people (in DC these days) to educate and promote positive messages.<br /><br />I don't know if there have been songs that have influenced me to become a better person, but there are definitely songs that renew my energy and desire to make change, songs that I just put on repeat sometimes because they sustain me in my quest to make a positive difference. Some songs like that would include Blackstar's "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTPrkqy0JdI">Knowledge of Self (Determination)</a>", J-Live's "<a href="http://www.imeem.com/people/9e_e1zS/music/PqriHbFE/jlive_brooklyn_public_pt_1/">Brooklyn Public</a>" (a track about being an inner-city school teacher), Arrested Development's "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4Kwwglgrbo">Mr. Wendal</a>", and Pharoahe Monch ft. Talib Kweli & Common "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyFS2OEoh3c">The Truth</a>". I feel like one of the keys to being an MC is listening, just listening to music all the time, listening to other peoples' constructive criticism, listening to your own heart and staying true to that.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3186/2784757342_8cbffd52f5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 489px; height: 325px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3186/2784757342_8cbffd52f5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Canyon Cody:</span> Tell me about your work in the Big Brothers program.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Afro DZ ak:</span> I got started with <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bbbsmb.org">Big Brothers</a> when I was a freshman at Tufts through a community service organization called the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS). I got matched up with Tevin on St. Patrick's Day in 2000, when he was 8 years old. So we've been matched together for over 8 years now, half of his life. He's changed a lot over time, and he has a lot of negative influences around him, so even though his mom does everything she can to provide for him, I know things aren't easy for Tevin. We have our ups and downs, but over the years we've shared so much together: going to Celtics games, Sox games, museums, the beach, recording music, playing sports, going sledding, just hanging out. <br /><br />I really consider Tevin a part of my family, I think one of the reasons I first decided to be a Big Brother is because I missed my biological brother Nick when I went off to college. While my relationship with Tevin is completely different from my relationship with Nick (who is now 24), Tevin really is like another brother to me. Tevin and Nick have met each other a few times also and get along real well. Most matches through Big Brothers/Big Sisters last only a year or two, but Tevin and I have developed a bond that goes beyond the requirements of the Big Brothers program and represents a real friendship. He knows that I will always have his back.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3040/2796462817_f624d0ae0b_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3040/2796462817_f624d0ae0b_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Canyon Cody:</span> How did you get connected with The Eclectic Collective and how did you decide to part ways?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Afro DZ ak:</span> I first connected with <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theeclecticcollective">The Eclectic Collective</a> at concert at Harper's Ferry in Allston, and the promoter (Onslaught, aka Lionel Brown) booked me as the opening act for the show. In addition to The Eclectic Collective, there was another live hip-hop act called Audible Mainframe who performed as well. The whole show was real dope, and it got me excited about live band hip hop/soul in Boston. Especially this one song by EC, "Souls on Ice", which literally made me want to grab my trumpet and jump on stage and start playing while they were performing. At the time, I had recently started playing with a Worcester-based band, Soul Movement, we got booked for another show with the EC. After that show, they asked me if I wanted to join the band, because they were looking to add a horn player to their sound and they were diggin the trumpet that I had played during my solo set and the Soul Movement set.<br /><br />As far as my leaving the band, that was one of the hardest decisions I've made, but one that in retrospect I'm happy with. In a way, EC was a victim of their own success. Things got to the stage w<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2780697785_4b4732558f.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 247px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2780697785_4b4732558f.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>here everyone was quitting their day jobs to tour with the band full time, and I felt like I had too much to give up to do that. I love my job with ACCESS, working with high school students, and both for my own sake and the sake of the students I work with, I wasn't willing to give that up. Also, musically the band was steering more and more away from hip hop & soul and becoming more and more rock, and while the music was still good, it wasn't really me. I wasn't down with putting all my eggs in one basket, especially when I felt like I had so much to offer in my day job. And since I have left the band, I have been able to do so many things, including playing all over <a href="http://www.gnawledge.com/gnotes.html">Gnotes</a>' and <a href="http://gnawledge.com/elementalzazen.html">Elemental Zazen</a>'s albums, joining the Gnawledge family, and recording my solo album, which I never would have been able to do otherwise.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Canyon Cody:</span> You must really love you day job -- tell me about your what you do.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Afro DZ ak:</span> I am a Financial Aid Advisor for ACCESS (<a href="http://www.accessboston.org/" target="_blank">www.accessboston.org</a>). I work one-on-one throughout the school year with High School Seniors in the Boston Public Schools to help them get financial aid for college. Filling out the FAFSA, applying for scholarships, taking out loans, etc; etc; I also do presentations, parent nights, etc; about financial aid. I work in collaboration with teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators in the schools to meet with students during the school day and make sure they get all the financial aid they deserve so that money doesn't prove to be a barrier preventing them from achieving their college dreams.<br /><br />The strong majority of BPS students receive free/reduced lunch and many are the first in their families to go to college. The vast majority are students of color. The schools I work at are Brighton High School, Greater Egleston Community High School, and Boston Adult Technical Academy. In the process of assisting students with the financial aid process, I also serve as a mentor to countless students, helping them navigate the often overwhelming process of getting through their crucial senior year in high school while putting all the necessary pieces of the puzzle together to go on to college.Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-63291591606138042152008-08-19T05:49:00.000-07:002008-08-19T05:58:39.466-07:00Elemental Zazen's Boston Farewell Show<img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/EduLeedz/zazencopy.png"><br /><br />On August 29, <a href="http://myspace.com/elementalzazen">Elemental Zazen</a> will be performing in Boston for the last time before he moves out to Seattle. Fresh from a 5 country European tour, Zazen will be performing with his live band, featuring appearances from <a href="http://myspace.com/silengnotes">Gnotes</a>, Brix, Burnt MD, The Macrotones, Kabir and DJ Slipwax.<br /><br />The Middle East (Upstairs)@ 9pm. $10 adv / $13 at the doorGnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-82610995732899968462008-07-30T12:33:00.000-07:002008-08-19T06:12:37.105-07:00An Afro in ParisAfro DZ ak + his mighty trumpet in Paris -- all videos recorded from July 27-29th (2008) during Gnawledge Records' European tour.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />NOTRE DAME</span><br /><object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fp7pRFgefFE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fp7pRFgefFE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">RIVER SEINE</span><br /><object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/c9Trk93tRqQ&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/c9Trk93tRqQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br />Afro's trumpet + Barack Obama's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYCEnVmNkpE">highschool basketball jersey</a> by the River Seine, playing the opening riffs from Gnotes' "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inthrumental-Gnotes/dp/B000G19QZ8">Beautiful Story</a>" <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">JAM SESSION</span><br /><object width="600" height="495"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-MFjzLNIsbI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-MFjzLNIsbI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="600" height="495"></embed></object><br />We stopped into Le Caveau des Oubliettes, which has a live jam sessions 7 days a week. Unfortunatly we were there on "Pop Rock" night, so the house band ran through some cheesy covers, but Afro brought the funk.Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-51335096661315107812008-07-20T06:17:00.000-07:002008-08-19T06:00:20.887-07:00Afro DZ ak's BoogaClub Jam Session<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elcanyonazo/2688399627/" title="Afro @ Jam Session by elcanyonazo, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3097/2688399627_cee0c30cc1.jpg" alt="Afro @ Jam Session" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Our final night in Granada before heading to Barcelona, the Gnawledge crew went to BoogaClub for the weekly jam session. Usually the house band starts the night and eventually invites other musicians to come up on stage for a song, but Afro DZ ak's mighty trumpet left such an impression that they adopted him as part of the crew for the night.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elcanyonazo/2689214684/" title="Gnotes + Afro DZ @ Booga by elcanyonazo, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/2689214684_8933f60e8f.jpg" alt="Gnotes + Afro DZ @ Booga" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />After our concert on Thursday, we feel fairly homey at BoogaClub... but onwards and upwards we go: mañana a Barcelona.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elcanyonazo/2689216144/" title="Gnotes + GWBush by elcanyonazo, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3170/2689216144_f481cbb680.jpg" alt="Gnotes + GWBush" height="375" width="500" /></a>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-20036927778384240752008-07-19T04:43:00.000-07:002008-08-19T06:00:41.678-07:00Gnawledge en Granada<object width="600" height="495"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/plgCLxtvCPo&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/plgCLxtvCPo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="600" height="495"></embed></object><br /><br />Gnotes, Afro DZ ak, and Elemental Zazen live+direct in Granada, Spain on July 17th 2008, playing with Richard Dudanksi on the drums. Big ups to <a href="http://www.costatropical.com/costa_tropical_video_channel.html">CostaTropical.com</a> for filming the show and posting the footage.Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-10753867099295615302008-05-20T08:56:00.000-07:002008-08-14T05:32:30.544-07:00Elemental Zazen "Handcuffs" (Music Video)<hr /><br />Warning: Kinda graphic before breakfast.<br /><br /><object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2wZsa6op1ZQ&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2wZsa6op1ZQ&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br /><br />With special appearances from George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Vladmir Putin, Ronald Reagon, Richard Nixon, James Buchanan, John Tyler, Herbert Hoover, Milard Filmore, Robert Mugabe, Augustino Pinochet, Fidel Castro, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Franklin Peirce, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, Condeleeza Rice, Dan Quale, Oliver North and The Pope.<br /><br />From Elemental Zazen's new album <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Should-Be-Full/dp/B0018S4VI0/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Glass Should be Full</span></a>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-63920956060004765242008-05-15T05:57:00.000-07:002008-07-19T05:58:21.534-07:00Canyon Cody Press Clippings<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elcanyonazo/2682422148/" title="Dj Canyon (Spanish Press) by elcanyonazo, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3121/2682422148_0b50ed064c_b.jpg" alt="Dj Canyon (Spanish Press)" height="1024" width="594" /></a><br />Interview published in <span style="font-style: italic;">CARMEN</span>, a Spanish magazine based in GranadaGnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-66292495487230023962008-05-10T03:48:00.000-07:002008-06-10T13:44:00.957-07:00Concert Videos from Granada, Spain<hr /><br /><object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WS-sPtniJo8&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WS-sPtniJo8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>Gnotes - "Still Glowing" </b>(Produced by <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.myspace.com/cyruscassidy">Cyrus Cass</a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.myspace.com/cyruscassidy">idy</a>)</span><p><br /><br /><object height="495" width="600"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9ozJZ3gM7dA&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9ozJZ3gM7dA&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="495" width="600"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gnotes - "Throw Your Nickels Up" </span>(Remix ft. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/mightyommusic">Mighty Om</a>)</span>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-19105871943675939422008-04-28T12:53:00.000-07:002010-04-23T11:08:24.717-07:00Elemental Zazen - Electronic Press Kit<p align="center"><span class="style1"><img style="width: 300px; height: 268px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2351/2439254518_d10b8592d7_m.jpg" alt="The Glass Should Be Full (Front Cover)" align="left" border="1" /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">The Glass Should Be Full</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Release Date</span><span style="font-size:100%;">: May 20th, 2008<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Buy the CD:</span> <a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/ezazen" target="_blank">CDBaby</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Should-Be-Full/dp/B0018S4VI0/" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Download Press Kit</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> (<a href="http://gnawledge.com/images/zazenpresskit.pdf">.pdf</a>) / (<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2010/2452028739_83edac3182_b_d.jpg">.jpg</a>)<br /><br /><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/elcanyonazo/sets/72157603822563342/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Photo Gallery</span></a> / <a href="http://www.gnawledge.com/zazenglasslyrics.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lyrics<br /></span></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.gnawledge.com/zazenglassreviews.html">Reviews</a> / <a href="http://www.myspace.com/elementalzazen">MySpace</a></span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><br />Contact</span><span style="font-size:100%;">: Canyon Cody<br /><a href="mailto:canyon@gnawledge.com">canyon@gnawledge.com</a></span><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">"Fast, furious, raw, and reflective... Verbally nimble and righteously indignant, Zazen rhymes with a purpose"</span><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">-- The Boston Globe (</span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2008/01/12/locals_on_the_verge/">January 18, 2008</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">)<br /><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><hr /><br /> In 2005, when <strong>Elemental Zazen</strong> started working on his sophomore release <em><strong>The Glass Should Be Full</strong></em>, he envisioned the album as a political manifesto for radical social change - revolutionary hip-hop in the tradition of Public Enemy. Over the next two years, a series of tragedies in his personal life interrupted his plans and forced <strong>Elemental Zazen</strong> to shift his focus to survival.<br /><p></p><p><img style="width: 527px; height: 394px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/2441631734_35339d4370_o.jpg" alt="Elemental Zazen scar" /><br /><span class="style9">"<span style="font-style: italic;">Fuck it. If I die tonight, I hope my last rhyme was tight</span>" </span><br /><br /><object height="225" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fgnawledge%2Fsets%2Felemental-zazen"> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"> <embed allowscriptaccess="always" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fgnawledge%2Fsets%2Felemental-zazen" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="225" width="100%"></embed> </object> <br /><br /></p><p> </p><p></p><hr /><br /> In 2006, Elemental Zazen lost a close family member in a tragic accident, and then lost most of his worldly possessions when his house burned to the ground in a five-alarm fire. The following year, <strong>Elemental Zazen</strong> (real name <strong>Jason Trefts</strong>, age 25) was diagnosed with a life-threatening tumor in his occipital lobe, which required immediate brain surgery. His new album narrates the fear, hope and anger of a disillusioned revolutionary struggling against both political injustice and personal tribulations.<p></p> <p></p><p><img style="width: 423px; height: 316px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2354/2231120185_dd5c68183b.jpg?v=0" border="1" /></p><p> Recently profiled in <em>The Boston Globe</em>'s "5 Locals on the Verge in 2008," <strong>Elemental Zazen</strong> raps with an aggressive flow, attacking the mic with honest grit and athletic lyricism. With an urgent need to tell his story, <strong>Zazen</strong> limits his guest appearances to an elite group of veteran and emerging underground hip-hop producers: <strong>Kno</strong> (Cunninlynguists), <strong>Maker</strong> (Glue), <strong>Joe Beat</strong>s (Non-Prophets), <strong>Gnotes</strong>, <strong>Scroll</strong>, <strong>J.Ferra </strong>and <strong>Confidence</strong>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/elcanyonazo/2434561016/" title="Elemental Zazen (promo) by elcanyonazo, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2141/2434561016_5f1ea1a345.jpg" alt="Elemental Zazen (promo)" align="left" height="500" width="333" /></a> Musically diverse, the album ranges from riotous fist-pumping anthems <strong>("Handcuffs"</strong> and <strong>"No Survivors"</strong>), to subtle, reflective rhythms layered with lush instrumentation (<strong>"Silence of the Now"</strong> and<strong> "Machine"</strong> feature live trumpet, guitar, bass and violin). </p><p> With intricate rhyme-schemes penned by an angry scholar, <em>The Glass Should Be Full</em> is explosive hip-hop with a revolutionary purpose: "I'm a socialist vocalist focused on roping the hopeless in."<br /><br />The son of international school teachers, <strong>Elemental Zazen</strong> was born in the US and raised in Al Taif (<strong>Saudi Arabia</strong>) and Beijing (<strong>China</strong>). Despite growing up in vastly different countries, Zazen saw a similar pattern of exploitation and injustice everywhere he called home. </p><p>Unwilling to accept a system that produces inhumane poverty and opulent wealth side-by-side, <strong>Elemental Zazen</strong> focused his fury into his 2004 debut <em>The Adolescence Weapon</em> - which <em>The Weekly Dig</em> praised as "one of <strong>Boston's most enlightened hip-hop</strong> discs in recent memory."<br /></p> <p> On <em>The Glass Should Be Full</em>, <strong>Elemental Zazen </strong>continues the fight against global inequity, but this time his rhymes are laced with an urgent appreciation of life: "<em>All of the events that have happened to me in some ways have opened my eyes to the brilliance of life, so without them the album wouldn't have more upbeat songs like 'Machine'.</em>"</p><p><br /></p><hr /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2054/2439254208_bba1307228.jpg" alt="The Glass Should Be Full (Back Cover)" align="left" border="1" height="243" hspace="0" width="281" /> <span class="style5"><strong>***Elemental Zazen - "Machine" </strong><p><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.gnawledge.com/player.swf" id="audioplayer1" height="24" width="290"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.gnawledge.com/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=1&bg=0xeeeeee&leftbg=0xeeeeee&lefticon=0x666666&rightbg=0xcccccc&rightbghover=0x999999&righticon=0x666666&righticonhover=0xffffff&text=0x666666&slider=0x666666&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0x666666&loader=0x9FFFB8&soundFile= http://www.gnawledge.com/tgsbf/05machine.mp3"><br /></object><br />Prod. by Elemental Zazen<br />Featuring Gnotes on guitar/bass<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><strong><br />(free <a href="http://gnawledge.com/tgsbf/05machine.mp3">mp3 downlaod </a>)</strong><br /></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></p></span><strong>***Elemental Zazen - "Handcuffs" </strong><br /><span class="style5"><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.gnawledge.com/player.swf" id="audioplayer1" height="24" width="290"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.gnawledge.com/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=1&bg=0xeeeeee&leftbg=0xeeeeee&lefticon=0x666666&rightbg=0xcccccc&rightbghover=0x999999&righticon=0x666666&righticonhover=0xffffff&text=0x666666&slider=0x666666&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0x666666&loader=0x9FFFB8&soundFile= http://www.gnawledge.com/tgsbf/03handcuffs.mp3"><br /></object><br />Prod. by J.Ferra and Confidence<br />Featuring cuts by DJ Slipwax<br /><br /><br /><hr /><br /><p><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2132/2441631696_ba9784ac09.jpg" alt="Elemental Zazen hospital" border="1" height="226" width="304" /> <img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2245/2231120845_e4423bd8fb_o.jpg" alt="Elemental Zazen" border="1" height="227" width="305" /></p> <p> After <em>The Weekly Dig</em> featured<strong> Elemental Zazen</strong> in "<strong>10 to watch in 2007</strong>," Jason Trefts went into the hospital for brain surgery on July 24 2007. During his recovery period, Zazen started writing about his too-soon confrontation with death: "<em>It's strange needing a will at this age / feeling caged, betrayed, jotting it down on the page</em>." Later that year, <strong>Elemental Zazen</strong> appeared on <strong>Gnotes'</strong> album <em>Rhymes and Beats</em> and soon got back to touring New England with his five-piece band.</p><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ScnAazF5LKA&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ScnAazF5LKA&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><p> Since 2005,<strong> Elemental Zazen</strong> has shared the live stage with Immortal Technique, Kool Keith,<br />Mr. Lif, Cunninlynguists, Ill Bill, Murs, Cage, Boot Camp Clik, Masta Ace, Camu Tao, Akrobatik, Glue, Louis Logic, Slaine, Ed OG and Animal Collective.</p><p> The release show for <em>The Glass Should Be Full</em> will be on May 24 2008, at the famed Middle East (Downstairs) in Cambridge, Mass. Elemental Zazen will be touring Spain, England and France in July and August, then starting a PhD program in Sociology at the University of Washington this fall. For the past six years Zazen's has worked as as a Residential Counselor at a home for mentally ill young adults in Arlington, Mass.</p><p><img style="width: 462px; height: 306px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3032/2432493618_dc7c51c5cb.jpg" alt="" border="1" /></p>Zazen's influences?<br />"<em>Dao. Wind. Water. Trees mostly. Hand out the car window. Running away from things and towards other things. Life on other planets. Time travel. Insecurity. Girls. Being poor. No more alcohol and drugs. Finally getting some sleep</em>."<br /><br />What about favorite bands?<br />"<em>Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, The National, Joy Division, TV On The Radio, Sufjan Stevens, Caribou, Sigur Ros, The Black Keys, Interpol, Death From Above 1979, Broken Social Scene, The Cure...</em>"<br /><br />Favorite books?<br /><em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_Bums" target="_blank">The Dharma Bums</a></em> by Jack Kerouac<br /><em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_Office_%28novel%29" target="_parent">Post Office</a></em> by Charles Bukowski<br /><em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%27s_Fate" target="_blank">Man's Fate</a></em> by André Malraux<br /><em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%27s_Cradle" target="_blank">Cat's Cradle</a></em> by Kurt Vonnegut<br /><em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind-Up_Bird_Chronicle" target="_blank">The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle</a></em> by Haruki Murakami<br /><br /><p></p><br /></span><p><strong>Buy the CD at <a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/ezazen" target="_blank">CDBaby</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Should-Be-Full/dp/B0018S4VI0/" target="_blank">Amazon</a><a href="http://cdbaby.com/cd/ezazen" target="_blank"></a> </strong></p>Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-42557251022941981912008-03-27T15:34:00.000-07:002008-06-10T13:54:27.423-07:00Gnotes @ WERS 88.9 FM<hr /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://a350.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/84/m_dd65096d6bb767d50c2d6bdb63c006fd.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 99px; height: 83px;" src="http://a350.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/84/m_dd65096d6bb767d50c2d6bdb63c006fd.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>Gnotes, Mr. Lif, Akrobatik, Jake the Snake, and Big Shug were selected to represent Boston hip-hip as part of WERS 88.9 FM's <span style="font-style: italic;">Live Local Music Week.</span> Listen to Gnotes perform "Tower of Babylon" and "Sun Don't Chill" live on-the-air, with appearances from Afro DZ ak and Kabir.<p><br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.gnawledge.com/player.swf" id="audioplayer1" height="24" width="290"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.gnawledge.com/player.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="playerID=1&bg=0xeeeeee&leftbg=0xeeeeee&lefticon=0x666666&rightbg=0xcccccc&rightbghover=0x999999&righticon=0x666666&righticonhover=0xffffff&text=0x666666&slider=0x666666&track=0xFFFFFF&border=0x666666&loader=0x9FFFB8&soundFile= http://www.gnawledge.com/audio/WERS%20-%20gNotes%20Live%20in%20Studio.mp3"><br /></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gnotes - "Live @ WERS"</span> (<a href="http://www.gnawledge.com/audio/WERS%20-%20gNotes%20Live%20in%20Studio.mp3">mp3 download</a>)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bostonnightclubnews.com/newyearseveboston/WERS.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 75px;" src="http://www.bostonnightclubnews.com/newyearseveboston/WERS.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.wers.org/articles/?id=796"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">In The Studio : Gnotes</span></span><br />By Jessica O’Byrne<br /></a><br />Sean Dwyer, a.k.a gNotes, has come a long way since his adolescence spent playing sports and grunge music. Since then the Seattle native has taken on the East coast in a big way, being recruited to play Division I football at Boston College and—even more impressively—establishing himself one of the most promising up-and-coming emcees in Boston. Dwyer, whose demeanor is simultaneously confident and unassuming, arrived at WERS accompanied by fellow Gnawledge Records musicians Afro DZ ack and Kabir, respectively contributing trumpet and vocals to the mix. In between performances, Dwyer discussed his hands-on approach to music (he contributes instrumentals to nearly every track on his recently-released Rhyme and Beats), an upcoming trip to Granada, Spain (where he will spend the next few months creating a global hip-hop record along with Gnawledge Records co-owner Canyon Cody—to the tune of a $20,000 Fulbright musicology scholarship), and records that Gnawledge intends to put out in the near future.<br /><br />When asked about the occupational hazards inherent in switching coasts, Dwyer responded, “In a lot of ways Boston is where I’ve really cut my teeth, because it’s been the more developmental years…but Seattle’s just a much more accepting environment to art and music in general. I feel like more heads come out to support shows—not that they don’t in Boston—but I feel like it’s just a more open environment.” Nonetheless, for better or for worse, Boston has become Dwyers’ home as he develops his unique sound while simultaneously working alongside Canyon Cody at establishing Gnawledge.<br /><br />From the first measure of “Tower of Babylon”, which opened the live mix set and can be found on Rhymes and Beats, two things were immediately clear: first, that these tracks are light years away from the ‘bitches-n-hos’ anthems that clog so much of contemporary radio rap; second, that the three men in the studio are talented musicians with a very serious—but not somber—message. Instead of the negativity that has so unfortunately characterized much rap music, gNotes’ songs are of the more hopeful variety. This message is translated into the obvious passion with which Dwyer performs his music.<br /><br />This passion was even more evident in the raw, heartfelt manner in which he sang the opening of his second track, “Sun Don’t Chill.” Although the music is positive, it is far from heavy-handed—“Sun Don’t Chill” is kept interesting by the unexpected shifts in the beat and clever jabs at popular culture: at one point in the song, Dwyer sings “Dollas dollas kill, y’all,” obviously referencing—and perhaps criticizing—a similar line that appears in a Wu-Tang Clan song.<br /><br />Dwyer will be out of the country recording and touring Europe for the next few months, which is all the more reason to check out Rhymes and Beats, along with other upcoming Gnawledge releases (for those who are interested, all of said releases—and some sweet preview tracks—can be found at gnawledge.com ).Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30855885.post-55409531073639931912008-02-11T01:10:00.000-08:002008-06-10T13:56:07.904-07:00Powderhouse Birthday Jam<hr>Here´s a peak into the Gnawledge kitchen: a mini-jam at <a href="http://www.gnawledge.com/afrodzak.html">Afro DZ ak</a>'s recent 27th birthday party in Somerville, MA. Backed by <a href="http://www.gnawledge.com/gnotes.html">Gnotes</a> on the MPC and Frank on the guitar, Afro DZ freestyles with his trumpet inside a cypher of multi-instrumentalist MC´s. <br /><br />Enjoy the hors d'œuvres, a little something we whipped up to whet your appetite for Afro DZ ak´s upcoming solo debut <em>Elevation</em>. Now get out the kitchen, because we got a trumpet feast to cook.<br /><br /><object width="600" height="495"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZBwNy1FCws0&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZBwNy1FCws0&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="600" height="495"></embed></object><br /><br />Peace to Afro´s brother Mooks behind the camara, <a href="http://www.theflowingofthedao.com/wordpress/">Benny Blanco</a>, Jimi P, and the other partygoers who stopped by Powderhouse Studios to hear some <a href="http://gnawledge.com">Gnawledge</a> music.Gnawledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13278537734331522676noreply@blogger.com2