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...

Jet Planes, Islands, Tigers On a Gold Leash: Lorde - "Royals" (The Weeknd Remixo)

I think it's pretty safe to say that The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) comfortably teeters the fine line between glitched-out smooth New Age R&B and hard-hitting Hip-Hop ; while the same could arguably be said for 16-year-old New Zealand new-comer, Lorde . Her break-out single "Royals" 1/2 jokingly shouts out semi-common bravado-worthy shit like: diamonds, "gold teeth, Grey Goose ... Cadillacs, Cristal, Maybach ... jet planes, islands, [and] tigers on a gold leash." But now, the Lorde/Weeknd connection has been further solidified, as Tesfaye recently managed to conjure up and release his own "Royals" remix. My beautiful girlfriend said earlier, and I paraphrase, that it "makes her wanna dance lol and she could [likely] hear this remix in a future movie!" Following the wide-spread release of her first 2 EP's (Love Club & Tennis Court) , Universal Republic plans to unleash Lorde 's proper debut album, Pure Heroine between ...

Pop Artist & Surfer Chronicle Intriguing Ex-Pornstar In "SASHA GREY."

Seemingly made to co-exist as thought-provoking companion pieces... "LINDSAY LOHAN" directors Richard Phillips & Taylor Steele are back with their most recent Art Presentation, "SASHA GREY." The 90-second short film was shot in early May @ John Lautner Chemosphere House in Los Angeles, CA. Both striking flicks will be shown on a giant floating video screen [ "Commercial Break" ] @ Garage Center for Contemporary Culture in Venice, Italy (June 1-5). "Adult acting chops" aside, Sasha (23) seems very intelligent, captivating, free-spirited, business savvy, well-mannered, charming... and dare I say, "average." And I really think that's exactly what Phillips/Steele were trying to convey throughout the course of the piece; Grey's beauty, public draw, sheer likeability, and honesty will surely take her very far in future endeavors... Solidifying her [updated] image as a true "Pop Culture Figure." * Featured soundtra...

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