International Jazz sensation, ardent trail-blazer and the maestro of fusion - Lonnie Liston Smith - returns to London on November 20th to celebrate four decades of his influential album ‘Expansions’ - and his illustrious career. The iconic Jazz pianist will be performing with a full band to deliver a retrospective selection of his legendary oeuvre at the Brooklyn Bowl, Greenwich, London, for the joyous and historical occasion: the 40th Anniversary of Expansions - a masterpiece that blended Jazz, Soul, and Funk in a way that has made Lonnie the cultural influencer he is. Commenting on his forthcoming performance, Lonnie said: “London has always inspired me and it seems very fitting to be returning to the city to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Expansions. I first performed in London back in the seventies and witnessed people from as young as 10 years old dancing to ‘Expansion’. I have always carried that beautiful experience in my heart." He continued: “I feel honoured, proud and extremely fortunate to share this milestone with the fans of the album and my music”. This auspicious occasion is brought to you by MusicConnex Live and Mi-Soul Radio. Hosted by Gilles Peterson, the evening will be rounded off by a club night with DJs from Mi-Soul Radio: Greg Edwards, Gordon Mac & JM and from Jazz FM: Jeff Young and Chris Philips. Proof to that fact that Lonnie Liston Smith’s work stood the test of time and will continue to serve its purpose of uplifting and educating is the significant number of producers and artists who’ve sampled and used it throughout the years, using it as a foundation for their own creative processes. For years, Lonnie’s music has served as a platform for well established artists and rising stars alike to make their own contribution to the music scene.
Join us in celebrating the legendary fusioneer and musical genius that is Lonnie Liston Smith and his legacy on the 20th of November, at Brooklyn Bowl London (The O2, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX).
A limited number of advance tickets (£25) is available to purchase here from MusicConnex.co.uk, MusicConnex on Eventbrite or Mi-Soul.com
We can finally announce the very secret guest who's going to DJ the afterparty of the now sold out Jazz Cafe's 25th birthday bash, alongside Grandmaster Flash - it's the phenomenal DJ Jazzy Jeff!
The complete line-up for the massive anniversary party that will go down on Thursday, the 29th of October, features some of the best acts that have played on the iconic venue’s stage throughout the years: Mica Paris, Diane Shaw, P.P. Arnold, Roachford, Jehst, Christopher Ellis, Heather Peace and Terri Walker, supported by The Reel Deal Band, the house band for the night. The event is hosted by The Cuban Brothers.
The UK Hip Hop scene might be Europe’s biggest one. It’s easy to come to this conclusion after a quick Google search – lots and lots of Hip Hop acts that are now internationally acclaimed come from the UK. But without a doubt, all these artists, which evidently put their own flavour on the records, were and are highly influenced by their peers in the United States – the birthplace of the Hip Hop culture and everything it stands for.
One of the people who created a platform between the UK and US scenes is hands down Rod ‘Spin Doctor’ Gilmore, the brain behind The Doctor’s Orders, “The Kings of the Capital’s Hip Hop Scene” as TimeOut Magazine perfectly put it.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of The Doctor’s Orders so it was the perfect timing and context to sit down with Spin Doctor and take a journey through the history and highlights of this powerful brand that brought most of the US Hip Hop pioneers in London, and therefore contributing to the development of the culture that is now more poignant than ever.
Prepare to take off
It all started as a “lucky accident” as Spin Doctor brilliantly put it. Just like every Hip Hop music aficionado, he was passionate about records so it comes as no surprise that he’s been working in record stores and started DJing from a very young age. He’s been throwing parties ever since before The Doctor’s Orders – you might have heard of Indelible (or later Indelible Marker) party series, that had Spin behind it, as well. But it was 2005 when, at Herbal, he organized the first ever TDO party, having DJ Cash Money as a special guest.
And so it begins...
Given that the party was set near Spin’s birthday, he decided to call it The Doctor’s Orders, “just as a one time thing”. But good things come unexpectedly, and he later got offered a monthly residency at Herbal, his favourite club at that moment, and kept the name. And it was good that he did, because what happened next is fit for a Hip Hop storytelling class. Everyone was “banging the UK Hip Hop drum” at the time, so Spin’s twist for his parties, and what made the brand stand out, was booking international acts, based in the US. “There were parties focused on the US scene, but no one booked the likes of US DJs that I wanted to hear. So I said: If no one is doing that, I might as well do it.”
When Herbal closed, the parties moved to Fabric, East Village, Scala, and The Jazz Cafe, bringing that Golden Era vibe in the heart of London. Don’t take our word for it, just check out the list below - you better be sitting down now: De La Soul, Erykah Badu, ?uestlove, Just Blaze, Kenny Dope, Louie Vega, Gilles Peterson, Maseo, Jazzy Jeff, DJ Premier, KRS-One, EPMD, Marley Marl, Dimitri from Paris, Osunlade, Dilated Peoples, Tim Westwood, Alchemist, Eric Sermon, The Beat Junkies, Elzhi, Jazzie B, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammed, 9th Wonder, Maseo, Fatlip, DJ Format, J-Live, The Nextmen, Norman Jay, Gangrene, Random Axe, Jehst, Shortee Blitz, Black Milk, Guilty Simpson, Mr Thing, Foreign Beggars, Phat Kat, MED, Statik Selektah, Mayer Hawthorne. It’s probably one of the most significant name-dropping list for every Hip Hop head, no matter where they’re from. No wonder the name grew stronger and stronger and almost all TDO Presents branded parties and gigs are immediately sold out. And just like the genre they rep so well and passionately, they won’t stop.
Besides the great roster the brand developed through the years, one other thing that makes it stand out from other promoters is the accessibility of the parties. Spin got a little social and told us that he’s noticed that the female audience was not really that present on the Hip Hop party scene. So he decided to fix that. It was another notable success. The community he managed to create around The Doctor’s Orders is defined by the love for Hip Hop music, a sense of belonging and authenticity. Just a little anecdote here: there are actually going-strong couples that met at a party thrown by Spin Doctor & Co. Some of them even have kids. Which takes us to what we call another “oh-so-cool” fact about The Doctor’s Orders – Fun DMC.
You got to start them young...
The name is obviously derived from the legendary group Run DMC. But what is it? Well, “ain’t nothing but a Hip Hop party” designed especially for kids and their parents, where they learn the basics of the culture, through age appropriate means: colouring classic album covers and between outlines of a boombox, for example, B-Boying classes, etc, all happening with a background soundtrack containing classic tracks (radio versions, of course).
The test of time
When asked about the market changes (that were inevitable), Spin Doctor engaged in a conversation about marketing tactics used pre- and during the 2.0 era. When it all started the Internet was not that heavily used, “or not for promoting parties, anyway”, so you actually had to print and hand out flyers outside venues and apply a lot of word-of-mouth marketing principles to ensure people will attend your party. And even after the Facebook and other Social Media platforms boom, the team behind The Doctor’s Orders still kept that human-y touch and still focuses on word-to-mouth. Not to be understood that they’re not Social Media savvy, because they absolutely are (just head over to their Facebook and Twitter pages. And while you’re at it, check their website and get a glimpse of the vibe they give to the crowd every single time they throw a party), but they keep the oldschool marketing and promoting flame alive. We’ll just call it analogue promoting, if you want. “If I don’t have a flyer in my hands, I don’t feel like the party is happening. (...) But Social Media, I think it’s great. You know, the more directly you can get your message to people, the better.” *pops and crackles sounds while I’m holding an actual flyer for the 10 years anniversary party and Instagram it*
What contributed to the success of the parties over the years was and still is keeping it real and respect the basic formula:
great music + great live artists + great sound system = great gig
The inevitable J Dilla talk (you know we had to do it!)
Everyone who’s ever engaged in a music-related conversation with me, knows I am a big-big Dilla fan. And while researching The Doctor’s Orders’ activity, I came across two posts on the site and I simply had to check them out – this and this. So when we sat down with Spin Doctor in his office (he has a very cool office, by the way), I really had to ask the following question: “Who is your favourite producer?” Because I knew he was going to say Dilla and tell us some interesting stories. And man, I was right.
Every year, The Doctor’s Orders celebrate the musical genius that was J Dilla. One story that really caught my ear involves a line around the block to get in and people donating and supporting the causes of the J Dilla Foundation, which you’ve got to admit is fantastic. This brought Spin Doctor & Co the appreciation of the Yancey family. And not for nothing, as you can see.
The line up they put together for the 10th anniversary party shows that these people really know how to cater to all Hip Hop heads in the UK, and also stands as a guarantee that they'll continue to do so.
Speaking of, we’ll all party together and celebrate a decade of Hip Hop music at its finest on the UK scene on September 12th, from 8pm-2am @ The Forum, (Highgate Road, Kentish Town, London NW5 1JY), with none other than DJ Premier (who will be there with his live band – I know, right?!), Fatima and the Eglo Live Band, The Four Owls and DJ sets from Mr. Thing, Spin Doctor, Mo Fingaz, and Russ Ryan. The party will be hosted by MC Pranksta.
We will now leave you with a DJ Premier mix (or embed) The Doctor’s Orders resident, Mr. Thing made for the anniversary party.
*This post was written by Delia Tesileanu, the newest member of the Purple Reign PR team, a big haired Hip Hop head herself, whose reaction to music usually is
(photo by Mircea Albutiu, at Bucharest Jazz Festival 2015)
London’s Jazz Cafe has announced the names of the acts performing as part of
their 25th Anniversary. An iconic part of London’s live music scene for the past two and half
decades, the venue has played host to a number of huge names and this year they
are pulling out all the stops!
2015 marks the venues 25th year of providing stellar acts live on
stage in one of London’s best loved intimate venue, in one of London’s
trendiest neighbourhoods – Camden.
Heavyweights from Hip Hop, Ska and Lovers Rock to International DJs, 60s female
super group Divas and Beatboxing Champions are all confirmed for this year’s
celebrations.
Kicking off the Spring Season with two sold out shows on March 26th
and 27th, is none other than American Hip Hop recording artist and
DJ, Grandmaster Flash.
Grandmaster Flash is considered to be one of the pioneers of Hip-Hop DJing,
cutting, and mixing. His sold out shows will include choice cuts from his
extensive repertoire such as; White Lines, The Message, Scorpio, Fly Girl and
many more!
John Tunley, from the Jazz Cafe commented: “Since the planning stages in 2014
for this year’s celebrations, the forward bookings were looking very strong.
We’re a multi-genre venue, so we’ll be hosting everything from 80s New Wave
Synthpop to Reggae to Jazz. There’s something for everyone this year at The
Jazz Cafe.”
25 years of The Jazz Cafe presents; Grand Master Flash
Bettye Lavette
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry
Heaven 17 – Up Close and Personal Beardyman
Janet Kay and Carroll Thompson DJ Jazzy Jeff
Carleen Anderson
Jocelyn Brown KRS-One The Three Degrees
Courtney Pine
Ginger Baker Jazz Confusion
Glenn Lewis Mica Paris & Friends with The Floacist & Omar Aswad
Finley Quaye
When it comes to live
music, London
is up there with the best of them and The Jazz Cafe is considered the city's
most loved and intimate livemusicvenue.
Located in one of the capital’s most trendy areas – Camden, the venue is celebrating 25 years of live music throughout 2015. Acts already
confirmed to perform at the venue this year reads like a who’s who in music.
John Tunley, Head of Programming for the venue, said: “25
Yearsof livemusic is definitely something to
celebrate! We’re curating a year-long programme of performances ranging from
heritage artists to ground breaking new bands and acts. We love putting on gigs
for punters that like to seemusicin alivesetting.”
He
continues: “We’re one
of the best small music venues in London and we’re very proud of that. With so
many great acts coming through our doors, The Jazz Cafe for many people is the place
where they first saw their favorite artist or band.”
Every hot new band passes through the doors on their way to the top. Household and chart topping names thatmade their virgin outings to the live music scene at
The Jazz Cafe are: Adele, Bonobo, Candi Staton, Kwabs, Lucy Rose, Lana Del Ray,
Morcheeba, The Beta Band,Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Rita Ora as did BritishElectronica band Faithless and the ‘Godfather of Rocksteady, Alton Ellis.
Entertaining tight crowds since 1990 it has been the stage for home-grown
talent such as Omar, Courtney Pine and Mica Paris. Often described as a ‘rite
of passage’ venue, it’s clear that The Jazz Cafe’s sentimental value runs deep
for a lot of acts.
London has a rich history of being the epicenter of music in Britain, and The
Jazz Cafe has been a driving force behind that in the past 25 years. The venue
has seen a massive number of music icons grace its stage and was famously
the place where D’Angelo recorded his now hard to come by *‘Live At The Jazz Cafe’. The
Jazz Cafe has firmly planted itself on Britain’s musical map by being a stage
for up-and-coming talent and legends alike.
Pristine makeup, oversized shades, bold jewellery
and a sleek fitted leather jacket. After prior notice due to the heavy London
traffic, Monique Pennie glides through the doors fashionably late like a
walking powerhouse. As she glances around at the cheaply furnished restaurant,
I curse inwardly at my choice of location. I made sure that I tucked away my
grotty trainers under the table as she glided over, easily over six foot in her
heels. To say the least, my first impression of her was pretty
intimidating. However, I could not be more wrong. She turned to me with a wide
grin exposing straight white teeth; Monique was clearly delighted to have been
asked for an interview. “It
feels a bit surreal because usually I’m
the one organising interviews for other people, to be asked to be
interviewed is like…wow.”
Monique is a Public Relations brain box. After
working with various companies she decided to start her own Music PR company in
2008, named Purple Reign. Not one to shy away from hard work she did the
majority by herself, from the name and logo design to the financial aspects. “It’s
like a baby that has evolved and grown, my little pride and joy.”That’s
when I foolishly asked if the name referred to Prince’s iconic song, which caused her to let out a loud laugh, “No - but I get that a lot!”The name choice screams style, class and regality. “I want my clients to feel royally treated
when they come to us. It’s
very personal, very hands on.”
Purple Reign has now developed into a successful business as Monique has her
own offices, a talented team of staff and over a dozen artists signed from
around the globe.
Poised and glamorous in office.
The beginning of Monique’s career was not as smooth as it is now.
After a successful internship at the London Borough of Lewisham's Press and Communications Department, she was
headhunted and begun a full-time job in the New Initiatives department at the
council. She then went on to work as a Press and Public Relations Officer at
the Royal Marsden Hospital, there she stayed for three years before she began seeking a new job to expand her
portfolio. She knew that this was the right industry for her but despite
attending various interviews, she simply was not climbing the ladder. “It was always that final stumbling block. I had to really take a step back and evaluate why and I thought
maybe I needed that 'piece of paper'.”Although
it was not in her immediate plans, she applied for a Media Communications and
Journalism degree course, at Goldsmiths, London. Being a mature student as well as
raising her first daughter, life became a juggling act. “I didn’t really have the whole student ‘quote, unquote’experience; fresher’s week, staying in the student union until God knows what hours,
pints at a pound each and all the student gigs because I still had to do the
school run or even leave halfway through seminars.”Despite all of that she loved her studies and used her time at
university to work to achieve her lifetime goal to run a PR company.
So far, the impression I get is that this lady
is very determined. At the beginning of the interview she does surprisingly
seem a bit nervous, but as we approach the subjects of music and Purple Reign her
passion becomes alive. So what is a typical week for Miss Pennie? The answer:
there isn’t one. In fact, she
found it hard to even sort through the blur of last week in the office.
Excitedly she described plans for upcoming events involving a European tour for
one of her international artists in the major cities of Paris, Amsterdam and
London. The way she speaks about her clients is with a proud, almost maternal
tenderness. So I asked, what is your relationship like with your clients? “I do get close to them; I do
become some sort of mum or trusted confidant.”
It is understandable after speaking to Monique how her artists feel comfortable
to tell Monique their worries and woes without fearing any judgement.
Choosing to start a company in the music
industry takes guts. So was it always part of the dream? “Music is a part of me like breathing, it’s natural. But in
terms of being a Music PR that came very organically and obviously now I think
it’s
meant to be.”Monique has always
had a passion for music. She grew up playing the clarinet and piano as well as
being a good singer. Someone in the music PR business has to constantly learn
the new tricks of the trade to keep up with the modernisation of the music
industry. As well as extensive reading she regularly attends conferences and
seminars to update her knowledge. “The
industry is changing all the time so if you don’t change you become archaic, like a dinosaur - you become extinct.”In the near future, she plans to do another academic
course on the digital aspect of PR. She jokes back to the easy days of
cassettes and CDs, as now her job is heavily reliant on MP3 downloads and the
social media. “Daily things are
changing, new platforms are popping up.”
So, Monique, have you achieved all your goals?
No, not even close! Monique says that even her closest friends comment on her
drive as she always pushes herself for more. One piece of advice she was
adamant on was the importance of taking the time to celebrate when a goal has
been accomplished. Her words for it was ‘a happy dance’,
whilst playfully doing a couple of moves in her seat. “The problem is - I don’t
stand there long enough to do a happy dance!”Her company has yet to celebrate moving into their offices, even
though it happened in early 2013. One of her dreams is to have offices in
America, especially in the music centralised New York and Los Angeles.
As the interview comes to a close, Monique
hands me her phone to take my contact details and that’s when I see the Wonder Woman background. Perfect. That seems just
right. So any closing words, Monique? “The
journey so far has been eye opening, it’s been rewarding, it’s been bumpy, it’s been traumatic in some cases, it’s been heart-breaking at times.”Although her job seems tough, she admits that she would not change
any of it.
London’s Jazz Cafe
celebrates 25 years of live music!
2015 marks the 25th Anniversary of one of London’s most legendary
and iconic live music venues – The Jazz Cafe.
Famed for hosting household names such as Cameo, Grandmaster Flash, Bobby
Womack, Lonnie Liston Smith, Linda Lewis, Jose Feliciano, Courtney Pine, Mica
Paris and Omar, to name but a few during its current incarnation since opening
its doors in 1990 after being bought by Mama & Company and reinvented as a musical shrine to
pretty much all forms of music, from jazz to soul, dance, funk, hip-hop, blues
and reggae – but it also welcomes crossover acts, world music, metal and
anything else which promises to rock the house.
Head of Programming for The Jazz Cafe, John Tunley,
said:“Quarter of a century is such a momentous
milestone to be celebrating particularly with the changes taking place in the
live music scene. We feel very fortunate to still be open to the live music
appreciating public with so many other landmark venues and locations closing
down. It is indeed the upmost pleasure to be part of the team behind the venue
and the decision making process of which artists to host here. Often we are
spoilt for choice. We are all looking forward to the year ahead and have a
superb line-up of special acts which we feel best reflect our rich history as
one of London’s most loved live music venues.”
Music legends of the past have all performed here with up-and-comers from the
Jazz and Soul world flocking to the venue recognizing it for the musical mecca
it is and appreciating it for the career launch pad to becoming the next big
thing.
Throughout 2015 The Jazz Cafe will be hosting a series of gigs with
performances from heritage acts such as; Roy Ayers, Alexander O’Neal, Maxi
Priest, Jazz Jamaica, T’Pau, Shakatak to DJ Jazzy Jeff, London Community Gospel
Choir, The Herbaliser to showcasing future legends like Mamas Gun, Jarrod
Lawson, Myles Sanko and Alice Russell.
