Date: September 14, 2011 – Venue: Drom (NY)
Text, interview and video by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Last month I got an email from Shampa Chanda inviting me to see her artist, the Indian guitarist Susmit Sen, for whom she had organized a concert at Drom in the Lower East Side. Reading the press kit which described Sen’s music as “…comparable to that of Jerry Garcia and John McLaughlin.” I thought “OK, let’s check the young Ravi Shankar out playing rock music on a guitar instead on his sitar!”
When I entered Drom he had already started his show. Instead of seeing a young Indian rock musician I saw a middle aged “normal” looking guy. No long hair, no leather pants and no R&R attitude, no Marijuana, but a very polite speaking and behaving gentleman.

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Monologue

Read more ……………..about Tyondai Braxton

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Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

In the video below Didge Project perform Joga which was written by Tyler after performing in Costa Rica with Brazilian musicians in 2010. “The swift samba beats anchored by the rock steady didge pushes the flute to fly high in this playful tune.” Featuring AJ Block on didgeridoo, Tyler Sussman on flute and Chaim Tolwin on drums.”

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Date: September 13, 2011
Venue: Le Poisson Rouge (NY)

Text by Jim Hoey
Video interview and photos by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi
Interview coordination by April Centrone

For this East Coast tour, members of the Secret Chiefs 3 drove cross-country from Seattle to NYC, thanks to Hurricane Irene, and managed to get it all together with new members, despite little practice time or much sleep. Trey Spruance and his rotating cast of musicians (including April Centrone of NYC on percussion) continue the exploration of cinematic and Middle Eastern  (Persian) rhythms, mixing in all elements of western metal, surf rock, and noise, in a harmonic brew that switches and turns and blasts away at every step.

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Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

One of my favorite pianists of today is Michel Camilo. The first time when I got to know him was through the music documentary film Calle 54 (2004) directed by Fernando Trueba which documents the Latin music scene in NY. This year when I worked at MICHIKO STUDIOS I was so lucky to meet him in person. Before his rehearsals I had a chance to talk with him about his music and music in general. He even allowed me to watch his rehearsals with his various bands!!! What a treat! I love his technique, I love his sound, I love how he expresses himself and I love his passion to music!

Enjoy Michel’s new EPK in which he introduces to his new CD Mano a Mano. And check him out this Tuesday through Sunday at the Blue Note (NY) (more information in the music listings) where he’s celebrating the release of his new CD!

Courtesy of Dafnison Music

Dafnison Music is really proud to announce that Dafnis Prieto has been awarded with the MacArthur fellowship Award, 2011.

About Dafnis Prieto

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Date: September 7, 2011
Venue: 34^th St. Hearald Square (NY) MTA station
Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Today I was on my way to meet my wife at 43th Street and 6th Avenue. I was in a hurry because I didn’t want to keep my wife waiting outside in the rain. Just before the exit I heard some music behind me. I just turned around and saw a quartet - The Ebony Hillibillies - of interest looking guys playing a kind of acoustic, folky roots music. Instantly I took out my I phone and shot them for a couple of minutes. In a situation like this I usually would approach the band and ask for a short interview, but…my wife was waiting for me outside in the rain. Whom should I give priority my wife or this band? Of course my wife, right?

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Date: August 11, 2011
Location: Bryant Park
Video interview by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

For DooBeeDoo it is always interesting to know how foreign musicians feel and think about NY’s music scene and life in this city. This time Sohrab interviews the 25 years old Swiss vibraphonist Lucas Jeanpierre. In the three videos Lucas speaks about his background, his three months in NY, his impression of the NY music scene, playing here and there in NY and about his future.

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Artist: José Cónde
Title: José Cónde
Label: PiPiKi Records
Release date: September 6, 2011
CD release party: at 92nd Street Y Tribeca on September 9, 2011
Genre: singer-song writer/latin groove

José Cónde lives his lyrics. He gets grooves from the names of trees. He leaves melody lines on his own answering machine. He can turn a playful refrain to his dog into a dance anthem. His songs are odes to hot dresses, Brazilian muses, discombobulated elephants, and life-giving springs.

Cónde brings a new focus and maturity to this whimsical world on Jose Conde. He turns highly personal songs into new global grooves and reflective, dynamic ballads. As a songwriter and bandleader, Cónde developed a striking instinct for merging his Miami upbringing, Cuban roots, and the sizzle of New York’s Latin underground. But the new self-titled album is distinguished by a universality; catchy melodies and danceable rhythms likely to draw listeners of all stripes.

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Guarco was born to Uruguayan and Italian parents in Elizabeth, NJ. Growing up in both that immigrant-rich industrial city, and the small beach town of San Luis, Uruguay, he acquired an eclectic taste in music.

Guarco spent years experimenting with a 4-track tape machine creating a vast collection of sonic collages, dense reggae loops, wild drum-machine drones, and flowing psychedelic delayscapes. At 21, Guarco decided to go back to Montevideo, Uruguay to study folklore guitar, and to write new material for what would be his debut release.

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