Afrobeat/Jewish Jam Band Zion80 Unleash WARRIORS EP & Ready John Zorn's Masada Book III: The Book Beriah (Chant/Tzadik Records)

Jon Madof is a New York-based guitarist, composer, producer, and founder of fittingly-described "Afrobeat-Latin-Jewish-Jam band" Zion80. Madof has previously formed a number of similarly-minded genre-eschewing bands including, but not limited to: Blivet, Rashanim, Ruthless Cosmopolitans with the emcee Eden Pearlstein, Nigun In Clave with Zion80 percussionist Marlon Sobol, and a number of solo projects attributed to "Jon Madof." Zion80's current line-up includes Madof on guitar, trumpet player Frank London, tenor saxophonist Greg Wall, baritone sax players Jessica Lurie & Zach Mayer, keyboardist Brian Marsella, guitarist Yoshie Fruchter, bass player Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz, percussionist Marlon Sobol, and drummer Yuval Lion. Since forming in 2012, Zion80 has released two albums—one, Zion80 (2012) credited to "Jon Madof"—three EP's, and are currently, gearing up to unleash and album entitled John Zorn's Masada Book III: The Book Beriah on Tzadik Records this April. Zion80's latest, WARRIORS EP was 100% funded through a 2016-17 crowd-funded PledgeMusic campaign. It was released on Chant Records, a label imprint founded by Jon Madof and Zion80 bassist Shanir Blumenkranz.

Zion80's WARRIORS EP was recorded with master engineer James Dellatacoma at New Jersey-based Orange Music Studio, which is owned and operated by legendary producer and bass player Bill Laswell; "WARRIORS finds the band delving deeper into their singular mix of deep Afrobeat grooves, mystical Jewish melodies, and improvisational madness." Laswell has worked with everyone from Fab 5 Freddy to Sting and has produced albums for everyone from Herbie Hancock to Iggy Pop. Their first full-fledged in-studio release as Zion80, WARRIORS EP is an eclectic mix of styles and worldly sounds, which to my ear, evokes tones of Afrobeat, Paul Simon Graceland-esque Worldbeat/Tribal music, Jazz, Reggae, and even Hip-Hop. WARRIORS focuses primarily, on bandleader and guitarist Jon Madof's original compositions and features two Traditional Jewish covers the band has played live for years. Zion80's WARRIORS EP is currently available to stream or download on Bandcamp, through Chant Records, with physical CD and LP copies available directly from Zion80 on tour. Zion80's next full-length album, John Zorn's Masada Book III: The Book Beriah will be released this upcoming April on Zorn's Tzadik Records.

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel

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