I had a blast making this one.  All year I’ve been compiling this list, and I ended making Forward Listening 22 a 2-hour and 40-minute show.  Music from all around the globe, released in 2011.

Enjoy!

Forward Listening 22 – Best of 2011

1. Charles Bradley – Golden Rule [ No Time For Dreaming; Daptone ]
2. The Stepkids – Shadows on Behalf [ The Stepkids; Stones Throw ]
3. Toro Y Moi – Still Sound [ Underneath The Pine; Carpark Records ]
4. Aischa Traidia – What’s Going On [ Single; Melting Pot Music ] bandcamp.com
5. Seun Kuti & Africa 80 – You Can Run [ From Africa With Fury: Rise; Knitting Factory ]
6. Tunde Mabadu – Viva Disco *Instrumental [ Nigeria 70: Sweet Times; Strut ]
7. Bibio – Light Sleep [ Mind Bokeh; Warp Records ]
8. Thundercat – Boat Cruise [ Golden Age of Apocalypse; Brain Feeder ]
9. Pharaoh Monche – Still Standing *feat. Jill Scott [ W.A.R. ; Duck Down ]
10. Amerigo Gazaway – Breakadawn [ Fela Soul; Gummy Soul ] bandcamp.com
11. Sebastian – Embody *DJ Premier Remix [ single; Ed Banger ]
12. Robin Hannibal – Transit [ Bobby EP; Plug Research ]
13. Grace Jones – This is Life [ Hurricane; Play It Again, Sam ]
14. Stac – Head on Me *Blue Daisy Remix [ Turn That Light Out: The Remixes, Vol. 2; Wah Wah 45’s ]
15. Little Dragon – Nightlife [ Ritual Union; Peacefrog Holdings ]
16. LDFD – Outtacontrol [ Outtacontrol EP; Magical Properties ]
17. Thievery Corporation – Where It All Starts [ Culture of Fear; ESL ]
18. King – Hey [ The Story EP; Self Released ]
19. Wild Cookie – Serious Drug [ Cookie Dough; Tru Thoughts ] Freddie Cruger & Anthony Mills
20. Kraak & Smaak – Wasted With A Smile [ Electric Hustle; Jalapeño ]
21. Bombino – Tar Hani (My Love) [ Agadez; Cumbancha ]
22. Tinariwen – Tenere Taqhim Tossam [ Tassili; Anti ]
23. Mongo Santamaria – Mongo’s Mambo *Joe Claussell Remix [ Africa Caribe; Hammock House/Fania ]
24. Captain Planet – Get You Some [ Cookin’ Gumbo; Bastard Jazz ]
25. Chris Berry – Lari’s Theme [ OKA!; Oka Productions ]
26. Michael Kiwanuka – Tell Me A Tale [ Tell Me A Tale: The Isle of Wight Sessions; Communion ]
27. The Echocentrics – Crescent Sun [ Sunshadows; Ubiquity ]
28. Garfield Adams – For My City *feat. Josh Koslow [ 1st Things First; Self Released ] band camp
29. Jesse Futurman – I Love You So [ Super Basement EP; Jus Like Music
30. Agnes Obel – Close Watch [ Philharmonics; Play It Again, Sam ]
31. DJ Shadow – Enemy Lines [ The Less You Know, The Better; Verve Forecast ]
32. Dengue Fever – Ugu [ Cannibal Courtship; Fantasy ]
33. Daedelus – Penny Loafers [ Bespoke; Ninja Tune ] Inara George Bird & The Bee Living Sisters
34. Chrissy Murderbot – Bussin Down [ Women’s Studies; Planet Mu ]
35. El Rego – Vimado Wingman [ El Rego; Daptone ]
36. Ikebe Shakedown – Tujunga [ Ikebe Shakedown; Ubiquity Records ]
37. Bing Ji Ling – Dreaming [ Shadow to Shine; Tummy Touch Records ]

BIG TUNE!

Anthony Mills & Freddie Cruger aka Red Astaire team up for some goodness that is Wild Cookie.  I can’t tell if this is an official video, but all I know is the big reverb on Anthony’s voice is what caught me.  Amazing language all around, from the chorus to the lyrics.  I need this on vinyl asap…

 I got to hang out with my man, Khalil, over the holidays and we reminisced on our days as Fresh Air, an independent hip hop group I joined around 2003.  Long story short, I ran into Khalil at an afterhours spot playing beats.  We exchanged cards, and that was that.  A few months later, I was DJ’ing at a spot and Fresh Air was scheduled to perform, but their DJ couldn’t make it.  I filled in and we rocked it.  Khalil hit me up a few days later to ask me to join the group, and the rest is history.  In 2006, we released our first EP, “Slowly Coming Along.”  It was fun and stressful at the same time.  There were days where I had no desire to go in to the studio to help Khalil with the mixdown, let alone go in and do my part, which were the scratches.  Then there were other days where we’d be all together and just vibin to our project, making plans to do shows and what not.  It was definitely a good time.  I hit up Khalil recently to suggest that we put up the EP for free download, and he agreed it was a good idea.  So here it is, folks.  Enjoy!

Music in Los Angeles is definitely doing well in 2011-2012!  I’m very excited to be around so much talent in our city, and TheImagination & E Reece, better known as T.iM.E, are  creating progressive sounds combined with fresh lyrics.  I’ve been a fan of E Reece since around 2007, when his album “A New Breed,” was released.  He even came out to the crib when I was first podcasting after leaving the CSUF radio studios.  His early work was a straight ahead hip hop vibe, but now, as T.iM.E, the duo dives into space.  TheImagination sounds like he’s very much at home with this sound, with soulful and heavy beats to accompany E Reece’s dependable rhymes. Their new EP, “The T.iM.E Is Now,” is available on bandcamp now.

In the meantime, check out this free download of “Breakthrough,” remixed by The Beat Ventriloquists, and featuring vocals by Joy Jones.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/26391247″]

Let’s get nostalgic and check out one of my favorite tracks from an old E Reece record, “Make A Change.”

I posted on Facebook today that I was waiting for a band to make me as excited as I was when Chin Chin’s “The Flashing, The Fancing” was released in 2009.  As I decided to write this post, I checked out Little Shalimar’s homepage and what did I discover? Torbitt Schwartz, the brains behind Little Shalimar, is also founder of Chin Chin.  I thought there were striking similarities in the vocals.  Chin Chin’s sound is much more dance oriented, with some other instruments involved.  I was instantly impressed with Torbitt’s new release, The New Pneumonia Blues, and couldn’t wait to share it with you.  Unfortunately, no upcoming shows in Los Angeles, but maybe we can convince to come out for no money.  This is just good, fun, rock n’ roll, and I can dig it.

You can download the new Little Shalimar EP for free on bandcamp.  Check him out on Facebook as well.  “Winds of Wackness” is definitely my favorite track.

I’m proud to announce Forward Listening Vol. 21, available now on The Noise Academy’s website and iTunes.  2 hours of goodness from Chris Berry, MdCL, Captain Planet, Colman Brothers, Toro Y Moi, DJ Cam, and more…

Lots of great music for you to enjoy.

Download

Hour 1

Charles Lloyd Quartet – Dream Weaver [ Concert in Athens; ECM Records ]
Me’shell Ndegeocello – Don’t Take My Kindness For Weakness [ Weather; Naive Records ]
Chris Berry – Lari’s Theme (End Theme) [ Oka! OST; Oka Productions ]
El Rego – Do Do Baya [ El Rego; Daptone ]
Empresarios – Cumbia Savage (Instrumental) [ Bestia EP; Fort Knox Recordings ]
Amerigo Gazaway – Stakes Is High [ Fela Soul; Self Released ]
Jonwayne – Just A Minute [ I Don’t Care; Self Released ]
DJ 2-Tone Jones – Blue Hype [ Shaolin Jazz: The 37th Chamber; Self Released ]
DJ Center – You Got The Love (Applejac’s Hookah Lounge Remix) [ Everything in Time Remixed; Push The Fader ]
MdCL – Alabi (feat. Sandra Nkake) [ Renegades; Tru Thoughts ]
Bio Ritmo – Dina’s Mambo [ La Verdad; Electric Cowbell ]
Mongo Santamaria – Mongo’s Mambo (Joe Claussell Remix) [ Africa Caribe; Hammock House/Fania ]
Captain Planet – Samba Radiante [ Cookin’ Gumbo; Bastard Jazz ]
Colman Brothers – Another Brother (Big Band Mix) [ Colman Brothers ; Wah Wah 45’s ]

Hour 2

Mocean Worker – Do Like Ya Like [ Candygram for Mowo!; MRI ]
Sun Singleton – Ready (Opolopo Remix) [ Stilnovo Sessions Vol. 1; Stilnovo ]
The Getalong Gang – Better Than This [ It’s All House; Public Recordings ]
Aischa Traidia – What’s Going On [ Single; Melting Pot Music ]
Toro Y Moi – All Alone [ Freaking Out EP; Carpark Records ]
Kutcorners – Diamond (Wajeed Remix) [ Single; 11-inch Records ]
DJ Cam – A Loop [ Seven; Laurent Daumail ]
Garfield Adams – Build and Destroy (feat. Derrick Buck) [ 1st Things First; Stemulated Music ]
J-Live – No Time To Waste [ Said Person of That Ability; Triple Threat Music ]
Evidence – You [ Cats & Dogs; Rhymesayers ]
J.Bizness – 260 Dionne [ Flips Vol. 1; Self Released ]
Jose James – Trouble [ Single; Self-Released ]
Sarah Linhares – Here [ Messages from the Future; Public Transit ]
Grace Jones – This is Life [ Hurricane; Play It Again, Sam ]
Daedelus – Penny Loafers [ Bespoke; Ninja Tune ]
Bjork – Dark Matter (With Choir & Organ) [ Biophilia; Nonesuch ]
Moby – When You Grow Old [ Destroyed; Mute ]

For whatever reason, the Fela! broadway musical was moved from April 2012 to December 2011 in Los Angeles, and we are not complaining!  I watched this in a HD simulcast from London a few months back at the La Mirada Performing Arts Center, and I was damn near in tears from the first note.  This is an amazing story based in Fela’s “Shrine,” a performance space where his live evening shows would last until the morning.  Sometimes 7 or 8 hours of afrobeat heat.  This production is, without a doubt, my favorite musical of all time.  No questions asked.  The music, the choreography, and the story will reach anyone who connects with afrobeat music.  Fela is running in Los Angeles through January 21st, so you have plenty of time to see it.  Do not sleep on this!  Get your tickets at www.centertheatregroup.org

Making a “best of” year-end list is always difficult for me.  The main reason is because I can’t remember what came out in January!  Stay tuned for the last Forward Listening of 2011, which will feature my absolute favorite cuts of the past 365.  While I haven’t nearly completed the list, here are a couple of sure bets. Much much more to come…

LDFD – “Outtacontrol”
Mark de Clive-Lowe – “Koko & Lee Roe”
Velella Velella – “BBQ Claus I & II”
Agnes Obel – “Close Watch” (December 2010)
Bing Ji Ling – “Dreaming”
Robin Hannibal – “Transit”
Bombino – “Tar Hani (My Love)”
Dengue Fever – “Uku”
Kraak & Smaak – “Wasted With a Smile”
Amerigo Gazaway / Fela Soul – “Breakadawn”
Thundercat – “Boat Cruise”

This is from a new project from White Denim that I could not for the life of me seem to find about a month ago. Now it’s all over the place.  Not connecting to the vocals, but the production here is really fresh.  Love the breakdowns, and the solo!

I’m on a high from last night.  After standing in the cold (L.A. cold, that is) for about twenty minutes, I was one of the first few people to step through the door at Bardot for “School Night,” a weekly Monday night series curated by Chris Douridas of Los Angeles independent radio station KCRW. Michael Kiwanuka was the opening act, making his U.S. debut, but, for me, he was headlining.  He hit the stage with just him and his guitar, and his friend on bass and backup vocal.  The sound was stripped down compared to what most of us have heard from his “Tell Me A Tale – Isle of Wight Sessions” EP, which is what really embedded his sound into my mind and made me a fan.  But his powerful voice filled the room and hushed the crowd.  I would definitely check him out when and wherever you can.

Michael Kiwanuka closed out his amazing set with a cover of Bill Withers, whom he credited for really making him interested and passionate about being an acoustic guitarist.