Richmond, Virginia 5-piece Instrumental Band Butcher Brown Let Loose AfroKuti: A Tribute to Fela

Richmond, Virginia 5-piece Instrumental Band Butcher Brown Let Loose AfroKuti: A Tribute to Fela - Digital EP (Jellowstone Studios)

DJ Harrison is a Richmond, Virginia-based producer and multi-instrumentalist AKA Devonne Harris, who's now signed to Stones Throw Records. Last year, Stones Throw quietly released Harrison's self-produced debut, HazyMoods, which was recorded directly to tape in his living room/home studio. Not unlike his fellow Virginians Pharrell, Chad Hugo, Timbaland, Missy Elliott, and Clipse, DJ Harrison often blurs the line between Hip-Hop, R&B, Funk, Soul, and Rock "N" Roll. In a similar vein to Pharrell & Chad Hugo's The Neptunes/N*E*R*D, Harris also, moonlights as one-fifth of his own Virginia-based genre-eschewing band, Butcher Brown. Its 5-piece core line-up consists of guitarist Morgan Burrs, drummer Corey Fonville, bassist Andrew Randazzo, sax & trumpet player Marcus Tenney, and of course, DJ Harrison contributing keys, production, engineering, etc. According to Stones Throw, DJ Harrison "lives and works in Jellowstone, a house-turned recording compound occupied by his bandmates in Butcher Brown, a "Garage Punk Jazz Funk" group." For their latest collaborative effort, AfroKuti: A Tribute to Fela, the proper follow-up to 2017's Live at Vagabond, Butcher Brown share four originals recorded in a style reminiscent of Fela Kuti and his various world-renown ensembles: The Highlife Rakers, His Koola Lobitos, Africa '70/Afrika '70, Egypt '80, and Nigeria '70.

Butcher Brown are assisted by guest players Brevan Hampden on percussion, Reginald Chapman on bass trombone, David Hood on baritone saxophone, and Kevin Simpson on tenor saxophone throughout AfroKuti: A Tribute to Fela. "February 2017: I had a vision to pay tribute to Fela. I've written a couple of tunes in that style before this, but never did a full-on session with rhythm section and horns," DJ Harrison explained to The Witzard, via email. Harrison attests AfroKuti: A Tribute to Fela is 100% "ALL LIVE" with a few minor "percussion over-dubs here and there, but everything else was live." DJ Harrison says "all 4 horns were recorded in my bedroom into a matched pair of tube stereo mics—I actually, had to put my bed vertically against the wall! I also, forgot all my charts that day, so I verbally communicated everyone's part to them, via the piano." In addition to evoking Fela Kuti Et Al. I would have to, personally, proclaim AfroKuti is, also, reminiscent of Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters' 1973 album, Head Hunters, as well. Butcher Brown's latest, AfroKuti: A Tribute to Fela is currently available to stream or download on the band's Bandcamp page. Although, I'm sure we'll be hearing more from DJ Harrison & Butcher Brown before too long!

"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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