I am super late with this, to the point where it barely qualifies as Wednesday, but at least it’s here in front of you. That’s right, I’ve returned with another edition of the Selections Are Better Podcast. This week was filled with great music, and chatter from me, the lovely homie Sandra Manzanares, and Mr. Sounds by Thaddeus Jeffries himself. Check here for the podcast every Wednesday, and the live show airs from 8-10pm EST on Mondays, you can stream it live from here. Enjoy!

1. Little Brother- “Beautiful Morning”
2. Brandy- “I Wanna Be Down”
3. Tatyana Ali- “Daydreamin’”
4. Sleepy Brown feat. Outkast- “I Can’t Wait”
5. Estelle feat. Kardinal Offishall- “Magnificent”
6. J*DaVeY feat. Kardinal Offishall- “Rock Ya Body”
7. The Dream- “Sex Intelligent (Remix)”
8. The Dream- “Sweat It Out”
9. Kanye West- “Dark Fantasy”
10. Kanye West- “All of the Lights”
11. J. Cole- “Too Deep For The Intro”
12. J. Cole- “Premeditated Murder”
13. J. Cole feat. Drake- “In The Morning”
14. Jay Electronica feat. Jay-Z, The Dream- “Shiny Suit Theory”
15. Teriyaki Boyz feat. Jay-Z- “Living The Life”
16. Theophilus London feat. Solange Knowles, Devonté Hynes- “Flying Overseas”
17. Theophilus London feat. Jesse Boykins III- “Accept The New”
18. Lykke Li- “Paris Blue”
19. KiD CuDi- “Ghost”
20. KiD CuDi feat. Cee-Lo Green- “Scott Mescudi vs. The World”
21. Clipse- “Feds Taking Pictures”
22. Young Jeezy- “Street Nigg*s”

DOWNLOAD: S.A.B. Radio (11.15.10) [BACKUP LINK]

 

~ @ByronKatie

And there you have it.  It’s all about the story.  I’ve been thinking about this a lot; about the changes in our lives, both minute and vast, that create our stories.  The last month or so has been overwhelming: moving to a new spot and family issues and developing personal connections and finally paying my own health insurance.  Eeek!  Amidst all of this life ‘drama’ I’ve had some of the most stressful, most sad, but also the most elated and loving moments of my life.  And so what is peace?  Could I have such emotions in a stagnant atmosphere?  Does it exist internally?  I personally don’t believe it has anything to do with solving things (though getting items checked off your to-do list can be liberating, yea).  I really think it’s all about finding stillness in the center of chaos.  Learning how to deal.  All that.  Most of my friends and I are at a point where we are essentially creating the remaning part of our life stories from scratch.  And while this should be an energizing and creative experience, the fact that we’re solely responsible for this blank slate, good or bad, makes the feeling entirely oppressive.  In the end though, the chaos, the lack of peace, the lack of knowing or understanding yet, defines one’s perseverance and navigates the trajectory of one’s life-path.  My essence is a testament to my tumultuous story.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Heard this at a Halloween show this weekend.  A definite banger.

According to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:

re·nais·sance

noun, often attributive
1              capitalized a : the transitional movement in Europe between medieval and modern times beginning in the 14th century in Italy, lasting into the 17th century, and marked by a humanistic revival of classical influence expressed in a flowering of the arts and literature and by the beginnings of modern science b : the period of the Renaissance c : the neoclassic style of architecture prevailing during the Renaissance

2              often capitalized : a movement or period of vigorous artistic and intellectual activity

3              rebirth, revival

It’s not a typical night in Boston I get to see amazing R&B, soul, and hip-hop, with a mix of talented artists, emcees, and live musicians…all in one spot.  Add some cool people and a touch of charm in a classy setting, and well, you have what is the new Thursday night gracing the city’s nightlife: Boston Renaissance.  Joy Daniels and Justin Springer have teamed up to set the stage for the revival of live soulful music in Boston.  Debuted on September 30th, the Boston Renaissance, happening every Thursday, is slowly gaining support from Boston music enthusiasts.  What distinguishes this night from other “live music” events around Boston is its flawless execution: the artists are great, the sound system is on point, the crowd is lively, the hosts are gracious and attentive, the flow of the sets is efficient but not oppressive, and the mood is sexy. 

Boston Renaissance is about the collective, according to co-founder Joy Daniels, who says, “This night is for strengthening the community of artists in Boston.  It’s the first time a lot of these artists get to perform with a live band.”  You see that collective firsthand with interaction amongst artists, musicians, and audience, and furthermore as each performer “passes the torch” to the next performer.

With an obvious ode to the artistic styles once characteristic of Harlem Renaissance (most notable in the advertising artwork), this night is like déjà vu: something you feel like you’ve experienced, that’s intrinsically familiar, but unlike anything you’ve seen in Boston before.  The wise choice in setting only adds to the ambiance: West End Johnnie’s (located at 138 Portland Street) is a cross between a speakeasy and a jazz club.  It somehow manages to achieve an intimacy amidst its open landscape, low lighting, and the antiques and artifacts on the walls.  Or maybe the intimacy stemmed from the fact that the placed was straight packed.

With the theme Soul Train: Celebrating Soul from All Era’s I got to see April Stanford, MusicBox, UrbanNerdz, Lisa Bello, Amandi, Joy Daniels & The Fresh Kids who performed a mix of selectively chosen, interestingly spun covers and new innovative original tracks.  The music from each of these artists was extremely powerful – their love for their art coming through every note and beat.  Performances were doubly enhanced by the talented musicians, bands, and backup singers that graced the stage, and who switched in between sets, reminiscent of a jam session.

And no worries about encountering whack artists.  Says Joy, “It’s always going to be the best of the best that Boston has to offer, both ‘known’ and ‘unknown.’  We want to introduce folks that don’t normally get to shine.  I know from experience it can take just one show to get you that much further in your career.”  Musical performances are the highlight here, but it’s also a highly social atmosphere.  This is very much partying/networking/drinking/dancing/listening/jamsession night.  Yea.

Great example: the end of the evening culminated in a cypher of sorts – the artists all switching the spotlight on the stage with the band constantly playing through a large set, lots of dancing, jamming, talking.  Positive vibes everywhere.  With a sampling of various styles and artistry, this night is already shaping up to be an event that’s going to transform the music game in the city.  Basically, if you want a good night of eclectic live music that’s sure not to disappoint, you need to be at Boston Renaissance.

Stay tuned: This week’s theme for Thursday, October 28^th is Hip Hop Live: Celebrating Hip Hop through Live Music with performers Mark Merren, International Show, Joy Daniels & The Fresh Kids (and whoever else jumps on the mic).

Contact joytdaniels@gmail.com for booking.  For general info facebook.com/bostonrenaissance.

1:21 PM people are truly reckless!
1:22 PM like isn’t it enough that you make $200,000 a year but no, you have to go and take my blueberries
1:22 PM they weren’t raised right whoever it was

…says Converse in their latest marketing campaign for their first Boston store, opening on Newbury Street October 15th.  I really couldn’t be more excited.  Self-proclaimed Chucks fan as I am, I’m hyped that I’ll be able to find the latest models, the classics, whatever all in one place rather than having to hit up several different places all over the city.  I intend to drop some dough here.  This is just another addition in the long list of new stores popping up on Newbury Street:  check out Boston Globe’s Spring revival on Newbury Street and Style Carrot’s Boston Shop Alert for more names.

This post is dedicated to tonight’s festivities and in honor of the debauchery that will be The Smoker’s Club Tour at the Middle East in Cambridge tonight.  The tour features Curren$y (and if you know me you know I’m obsessed), Big K.R.I.T, Smoke DZA, also featuring opening acts Black El & Durkin, amongst others.

Celebrate.

Curren$y ft. Smoke Dza – Nothin But Us

Also, found this little reunion on youtube.  Random, but makes me smile. 2-cent.com films Curren$y, Stalley, and Dom Kennedy munching on beignets at Cafe Du Monde.