Mulatu Astatke – “Yegelle Tezeta”

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Mulatu Astatke
Strut Records
(2009)

Mulatu Astaqe. Let me say that again… moo’la-too ə-sta’kā. His music is still in my head. My mind’s hands feel its different textures. My lungs expand and contract along with its rhythmic tension. I observe its underbelly. I taste it like wine swishing it around, but never spit it out. It’s too good to spit out. →

Pax Nicholas – “Na Teef Know de Road of Teef

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So, here I am at Fela Kuti’s grave.  I got my boombox, a jug of wine, and my new Pax Nicholas CD in tow.   It was my hopes to obtain a posthumous quote from him for this review.  First, I open the wine because I’m a little nervous about talking to the dead.  Then, I pop in the album and slowly ramp up the volume.  You don’t want to wake the dead suddenly, so as to not get them grumpy.  After playing a few minutes of the title track “Na Teef Know De Road of Teef” →

The Daily Adventures of Mixerman
Backbeat Books
(2009)
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Mixerman, you stole my idea!  I too worked as an engineer and had many, many ridiculous experiences that I would threaten to write about, unfortunately, you beat me to it.  So I challenge you to a mix off.  We each have to mix one really bad song in three hours.  I suggest the Jamie Foxx demos that were sitting in the recording studio where I used to work.  Those were the tapes everybody practiced on because the producer never paid the studio bill and if you could make those songs sound good, you were on to something.  →