One Dragones: more than words

Who could have imagined that photography would be the absolute winner of the visual arts, at the turn of the 21st century? So often it was accused and predicted of its death, in the battle against cinema, television and video.. But I guess those same prophets couldn't predict, either, the amount of banalization and trash taking over the new media. And although this is not the space for a deep reflection about the state of digital photography, and its real values for the artistic expression (it's not the tool, but the mind behind it), I wanted to share a true gem coming out of Spain, in the ever-superficial territories of dj culture. Or should we call it dj oritentated media?
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The man is One Dragones, comes from Madrid and calls himself a "defective" (faulty) photographer, or even accidental. But he's been documenting for some time now concerts, clubs, shows by the many "lucky" talents who come to visit us in our beloved unpredictable culture capital of the Spanish Kingdom. And whenever the event is accesible or friendly enough you can see him camera in hand - Canon EOS 5D - in quest of the ultimate portrait. Star or not: you are in the spot before you know it !
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But the fresh news for you is he has a unique eye for the dj. Believe me: for anyone who has been involved in music media or tv, capturing with elegance and sharpness the spirit, colors and vibe of a man (woman sometimes, yes) behind the turntables is not an easy task. Avoid the buttons, avoid the hands-on-vinyl cliché, and of course: make sure we can see something in the snap. Can you still feel the energy and heart of the artist? Can you read the photographer's signature somewhere? Then you are probably looking at an original, possibly this man's photos.
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So I must congratulate this man and his expanding work, which you can enjoy at FLICKR: http://www.flickr.com/photos/onedragones. And thank him for the inspiration and the happiness of discovering a few friends in the collection (who don't look too bad at all ! (i.e mr dj tres, above...)
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- Bye Ya !
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Másàjazz :

More info: http://www.myspace.com/masajazzblogs
Mail: masajazzblogs@myspace.com

Strange habits

Things used to work like this. One would get the information about new music from your favorite artist, or you would make a discovery, and you could go almost inmediately to the record shop. Buy it, order it, wait and some days later get it full of excitement. In the meantime, the visit to the shop would mean checking out new music - specially if we are talking dj orientated shops - and possibly bringing home new discoveries. As a matter of fact the walk home, rushing with excitement, would translate into checking a few times the cover and the art (vinyl, yeah) anticipating the joy of the music.

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Well, all that is basically lost in my city... Records shops are almost gone.

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I don't want to sound nostalgic or catastrophic but going to the record shop has almost become a souvenir of the past in Madrid. Some can tell you we still have a few specialized shops dealing with second hand wide genre crates, a couple of funk and rock places, but that's it. Almost none of the pioneering dj shops in the capital have remained alive. Blame it on the cd (first) and the downloads (now) the social and fun competitive routine of visiting the shops for the weekly arrivals belongs to the past. I guess some (I take part of that too) can defend the access and freedom of Internet ordering. Click click, check check, buy buy.. And the excitement of the missing mail parcels, ha ha ! But nothing like going to the shop, chat with the ever opinionated manager, sniff at the others' acquisitions...

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I've just come back from Berlin where record shops are not an image from the past. Mmm, the flavour of records in the crates, the piles of new stuff, the accidental discoveries... Apart from the expanding diggin' culture in the vinyl community the pleasure of touching, fliping and playing the record in a small joint has no parallel. Amigos: when are we getting back a good shop in Madrid?

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Stay tuned at www.myspace.com/masajazzblogs

Mail: masajazzblogs@myspace.com

Berlin bits: Mulatu and more

I don't particularly enjoy talking about the weather but I was shocked during my recent visit to Berlin how amazingly cold this city can be... only in October!. I can't understand how my dear friends from this non-stop-the-rock metropolis don't emigrate to the south. It's much better to live way above zero degrees and catch a regular flight (EasyJet .i.e.) to enjoy the countless musical programs the capital offers... That was my case.
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To be exact I was there as part of my current documentary project, to meet some people and expand the research. So I didn't get totally crazy at night and avoided the after hours (protecting my health and concentration for the interviews and long walks). But I had the chance to see Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics in the new venue "Astra", in a program featuring Bozoo Bajou, Micatone and Jürgen from Jazzanova djing between shows. I'd missed Mulatu in his Madrid concert so I was quite excited to see him (finally) live. And I must say it was truly wonderful. The combination of enthusiasm and energy from Heliocentrics and Astatke's repertoire of classics worked beautifully. Specially considering the age limitations (beyond his 70s) Mulatu has, so he can only perform a few songs, and must take a few breaks during the night.
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The man plays smiling, dedicated and attentive to the interaction with the rest of the band, moving from percussion (timbales) to the vibraphone, leaving the more explosive and hot solos to the other musicians. I couldn't, of course, help to day dream about the golden days when this man could have given us a long drive around his ethiopian-latin fusion. But the heart of the matter was there: in his own soul and good vibes who left us all smiling and grateful for having the chance to still enjoy him on stage.
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Danke Berlin!
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More info at www.myspace.com/masajazzblogs

Havana Cultura and the New Cuban Sound

I guess there's no better way to start this text but refering to the man behind this project: Gilles Peterson. It's through his own label, Brownswood , that this fresh look at contemporary Cuban music has been shaped. But as any other quality enterprise this is also the story of many voices joined together. Musically, the talents of Roberto Fonseca and Vince Vella who managed to get Mr Peterson all the way to the legendary Egrem studios in Havana to personally supervise the recordings of a bunch of new artists who jammed their influences from jazz to hip-hop, in order to show the world another angle on the long shadow of Buenavista Social Club. And here's the challenge for all us: forget about Ry Cooder's explosive film and it's musical spin offs. This is something else...
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It's something else because there's genuine authenticity and great musical values in all the talents summoned up in the two cds released. Many other excursions have tried before to capture the so called new wave of cuban musicians, but most of them failed in the space and vision this project has managed. Since the idea comes somehow from the musical scene one can relax about the knowledge and selection of the ones involved: and if this is not enough of a filter, Peterson arrived to make things go round a second time. Focusing on firm jazz & blues roots, contemporary soul and hip-hop fusion. A producer's take. He even got some precussionists from the bar next door to the studios when the recording wasn't going in the right direction...
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The result comes out to the shops today. Two contagious and hot cds who will open up your ears to an incredibly effective sense of caribbean fusion into the territories of jazz, soul and afro funk (my personal favourite is "Roforofo Fight"). 28 songs which have been inb my top list of home favs since Gilles himself was generous enough to hand out a promo copy to me during his last visit to Madrid for a "Havana Rhum/Havana Cultura" event where we inmediately felt in love with the songs compiled here. So wait no more: "Dale!! (Go!).
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Gp has created a speciual podcast explaning details and anecdotes behind this production, and a big part of the tracks from the album. Just clik in and download.

Dowtong Cast news: Focuz presents CARIBBEAN ROSE

There's no better news than Dowtong Cast re-launching its activities after some time off over this summer. I am now personally involved with this favourite space of mine, basically because Dj Aset is a good friend of mine and someone who really cares about music in flesh and bones. So, since thre's no use to repeat what you can read there cliclk in and enjoy the ride. The new podcast is by someone who has earned great reputation in Madrid's undeground scene both as dj and programmer for Back Book Sessions: Focuz

Bye-YA !

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Mail: masajazzblogs@myspace.com

Devil's Halo, the new album by Meshell Ndegeocello

No one's striving to be Miles Davis.

Everybody's striving to get paid.

And, you know, I want to be like Miles Davis.

(M.Ndegeocello)

Very few artists move me and excite me about new material the way this woman does. After her dark and sharp latest release in 2007, The World Has Made Me The Man of My Dreams, we couldn't wait to see the direction her new songs would take. Deeper into abstract and soulful jazz or somehow back into the songwriting rock-folk past of her career? In the end, it doesn't really matter because one can always be sure she will wake up our cells and feelings with committed views on contemporary life and, of course, smart musical arrangements.

And we have a new album coming up: Devil's Halo has been announced to be released on October 6th, and we can alrady pre-order the CD or LP at Amazon.com. She has also posted an 11 days American tour - if she hits London soon after that there's no way I'll miss her this time -. And apart from that very little more has been revealed ( piracy times, you know -.). Just the tracklist, and a fewe videos. So here's one to warm up while we pre-order her new music and hot excitement.

Natural Self comes back

But he never really left. Not at least from my portable player (you can bet is not an ipod, dude). He's another example of growth and perfectionism for someone coming from the (sometimes) very limited territory of beat making and sampling. Traces of electronic abstraction combined with contemporary soul, midtempos, minimalism and the best expectations for an album worth checking in his own mini-mix presentation.

Right here.

Have a ride!

Másàjazz stays tuned.