If Mdou Moctar helped carry Tuareg music into the 21st century, Hama’s Houmeissa sends it into the very distant future. With synths mimicking the electric guitar of desert blues while drum machines carry the listener across the arid landscape at a measured pace, Hama is ushering in a new era of Saharan avant-garde electronica.
This month we highlight a fictional movie score from an anonymous composer, and the newest in a series of conceptual noise albums exploring the pains of growing up.
The 300th Bandcamp Weekly features interviews with Durand Jones and The Indications and Yves Jarvis. Our album of the week is a collection of unreleased tracks and demos compiled by Devendra Banhart.
Katie Belle Singer-songwriter, recording/touring artist has performed on stages in New York, Detroit, New Orleans, Miami and many venues in between. Her originals reflect the multi-genre culture found in the music scene of her hometown Atlanta! Katie currently works in studios both in Atlanta and Nashville.
2018 saw the release of 2 singles and the first single up for 2019, WAS, released on Feb 1st! Katie has kept busy in her Nashville studio home and has a lineup of singles slated for release throughout 2019.
“Promises” released May 2018 has exceeded 220k+ streams to date, landed Katie in the April issue of Modern Luxury magazine, a featured artist spot on Reverbnation and was a winner in the Summer song contest RadioAirplay/Jango. “Promises” can be described as " an introspective pop song showing off Katie’s vocal prowess".
September 2018 saw the release of her next single, a chill pop-R&B vibe collab with artist JRyan titled, “Down For You”. The song is tracking nicely along with a steady stream of views on the official music video.
Katie Belle’s holiday song, “You Are My Holiday,” was a GRAND PRIZE winner in the RadioAirplay holiday song contest!! WAS has joined the roster w strong streaming right out of the gate.
2017 saw the release of her country-pop anthem, “American Wild” which garnered attention from industry tastemakers with over 275k digital streams and landed her in the production studios working on a series of new tunes. The official “American Wild” music video has exceeded 268k views.
Being the creative person she is and listening to those around her, Katie has been encouraged to utilize her talents in singing, songwriting, modeling, and acting. Her motto can be summarized as “being in the entertainment industry is a multi-tasking journey, modeling acting, live performances work hand in hand to challenge her and mature her talents.
She recently landed a featured article in Modern Luxury’s Jezebel April/May 2018 edition, the article titled “Double Duty” explores Katie’s singing and modeling career. Katie’s favorite social media is Instagram, you will find her on all the popular sites with post updates for her 2018 single series of releases.
Focused on her music development since the age of 11, Katie has worked one on one with Kipp Williams ( Nashville ASCAP, Rx Publishing ) for the past 7 years. Originally starting off in the Country genre her music is relatable both past and current. Past releases include: Born For This, Next Thing in Tennessee, Boy of My Dreams and the award-winning tune, "Georgia Moon".
Katie’s original works continue to be energetic, vocal – lyric-focused crowd pleasers. Katie has morphed to a more pop sound of late, but if you listen closely you might hear her musical roots in the background.
As she has risen in the ranks of emerging female artists, industry agents have tapped her for modeling and acting bookings. Katie landed her first makeup campaign with Morphe cosmetics and hits the runway biannually at NYFW. Katie will tell you she is open to all opportunities in the entertainment industry as this brings continual inspiration and knowledge to her music career.
Billboard Magazine - Selected as the #1 Best Bob Marley Remix (Sept 2016)
14 Million Plays on Soundcloud
Artist: Bob Marley Title: Is This Love (Dubmatix Re-Visioned) + Riddim Label: White Label Promo Genre: Reggae
"YES YES KILLA" - Ray Keith KISS 100 FM / Origin Radio - London, UK
1. Is This Love (Original) 2. Is This Love (Instrumental) MP3 & WAV
Like so many others, Marley's music had an immense impact on me as a youth and still resonates today Like many, he was my first introduction to reggae and since my first listen back in the 70s and 80s to now, his music does and will continue to stand the test of time and impact generations of fans and musicians alike for the high quality of song writing and his message of harmony and peace..
This re-vision of "Is This Love" was done a few years ago as a free "white label" promo. Please feel free to share. Sorry I can't locate the WAV file for the vocal version. Lost a hard drive a few years ago.
Saxophonist J. Plunky Branch is an experienced performer, songwriter and music and film producer. He is president of his own independent record label, N.A.M.E. Brand Records, through which he has released 30 albums.
With his group, Plunky & Oneness, he has appeared in concert with some of the biggest names in Black music, including Patti Labelle, Ray Charles, Earth Wind & Fire, Yellow Jackets, Frankie Beverly & Maze, LL Cool J, Chuck Brown, and more.
His song “Every Way But Loose” was a top-ten soul music chart hit in London in the 1980s and his hit single, “Drop,” was released in 2007. Now in 2019, he continues to produce and tour with his band playing rousing funk, jazz, African, rap and R&B.
Plunky started making Afro-jazz in San Francisco and in New York in the 1970s. Since then he has written over 450 songs, toured in Europe, been to Africa six times, visited Cuba twice, played hundreds of gigs, made documentary films, written his autobiography, and received numerous prestigious awards.
Plunky & Oneness is his band of musical nomads based in Virginia. The group includes three Branches: Plunky (saxes, vocals), Muzi (bass, vocals) and Fire (percussion, tracks), Plunky, his brother and his son. Featured vocalist, Charlayne “Chyp” Green, has been with the ensemble for almost 20 years, but she is both seasoned and fresh. Keyboardist J. L Harris and guitarist Carl Lester El combine forces with master percussionists, Asante, and Abdou Mohammed to create Afro-jazz-funk grooves to make you dance.
Plunky & Oneness performed at the New Orleans World’s Fair, the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta (four times) and twice at the Capital Jazz Festival in Maryland. They have appeared at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, Lincoln Center in New York the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and in other prestigious venues. For more than 20 years Plunky has toured continually with support from the Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA).
In 2018, J. Plunky Branch received the prestigious “50 For 50 Award” from the VCA as one of the 50 outstanding arts persons in Virginia of the last 50 years. In 2015 he was selected as one of the Strong Men & Women in Virginia History by the Library of Virginia.
In addition to being a veteran saxophonist and composer, J. Plunky Branch has served as an administrator, lecturer, and teacher. Plunky is a two-time recipient of NEA Jazz Fellowships and he was appointed to the Governor’s Task Force for the Promotion of the Arts in Virginia. He has taught at Virginia Union University and Virginia Commonwealth University, both in Richmond.
Throughout his career, Plunky has entertained and taught thousands, and in the process, has developed a broad and loyal following. During his 1987 West African tour, critics proclaimed Plunky "one of the greatest living saxophonist!" In a context where rhythm, ritual, power and emotion reign supreme, he just might be!
J. PLUNKY BRANCH N.A.M.E. BRAND RECORDS 2218 ROSEWOOD AVENUE RICHMOND, VA 23220
Plunky & Oneness – “Crazy Lately” Single release date January 22, 2019
“Crazy Lately” is the new song by Plunky & Oneness featuring Charlayne Green. Produced by group leader J. Plunky Branch, the single will be released on January 22, 2019, and it will be included on the group’s new EP, Dance/Crazy which will be officially released January 29, 2019.
The lyrical R&B song “Crazy Lately” references recent political and social tumult, but the song exudes calming optimism with Charlayne Green’s sweet, expressive vocals proclaiming, “…we gonna be all right.” The song’s verses talk about watching the news and demented politicians and finding shelter in a helter-skelter environment. But the track’s overall impact is reassuring in ways similar to “Be Optimistic” by Sounds of Blackness or Tevin Campbell’s “Tomorrow” or Bob Marley’s “Don’t Worry ‘Bout a Thing” or any number of other positive chants.
Saxophonist J. Plunky Branch started making Afro-jazz in San Francisco and in New York in the 1970s. Since then he has released 25 albums, written 450 songs, toured in Europe, been to Africa six times, visited Cuba twice, played hundreds of gigs, made documentary films, written his autobiography, and received numerous prestigious awards.
Plunky & Oneness is his band of musical nomads based in Virginia. The group includes three Branches: Plunky (saxes, vocals), Muzi (bass, vocals) and Fire (percussion, tracks), Plunky, his brother and his son. Featured vocalist, Charlayne “Chyp” Green, has been with the ensemble for almost 20 years, but she is both seasoned and fresh. Keyboardist J. L Harris and guitarist Carl Lester El combine forces with master percussionists, Asante and Abdou Mohammed to create Afro-grooves to make you dance.
The upcoming Dance/Crazy EP will also include “Dance the Night Away,” an Afro-dance, soulful house song about the dance floor as a place to take a break from the rigors of resisting, evolving and working. “Come take a ride to paradise” and follow the song’s command “to dance the night away.”
Plunky’s journey brings him to this place and time with an aggressive release schedule which anticipates a new Plunky & Oneness album coming in February.
The music says yes, the future is now. Crazy Lately (written by J. Plunky Branch, Charlayne Green)
Produced by J. Plunky Branch and J. Fire Branch / Songs published by Shekere Music, BMI
Artist: Prince Levy Title: Remedy Genre: Reggae / Dancehall Label: JAW Records / PrinceLevy Ent.
Brand new dancehall music from Jamaican Reggae artist, Prince Levy. This is a banger for sure! After releasing hit single Highgrade with Dj Frass Levy is dropping this one with JAW Records along with his label, PrinceLevy Ent. This song is already creating waves in Jamaica.
