Ugandan Hip-Hop: “no bling”

It might just sound like some place on a map, but Uganda also has its “yoof”. And they have things to say - which is hardly surprising when you see the chaos they have to deal with. Like in most African countries these days, Hip-Hop acts as the pressure valve, social commentary and popular entertainment. Check this teaser of a documentary about Ugandan Hip-Hop. As one guy points out, “they’re not interested in listening to bling-bling”. We have that much in common, then.

First spotted on African-Rap.com.

See Damon Alban and Mali’s finest in London

You’ll have to move fast on this one. Damon Alban of Blur has visited Mali on several occasions, and is determined to spread the good news about its music. He is hosting an exclusive event on December 13 in South London that will bring together Amadou and Mariam, Rachid Taha, K’naan, Souad Massi and Ba Cissoko along with 20 or so other like-minded English and American artists, a lot of whom will be your favourite acts (…….. it apparently includes some very big names indeed).

But - and it’s a major but - this is not taking place in Wembley. It’s a 300 capacity venue that will already be pretty full with the musicians and their guests. But the organisers would also like to invite some music fans and are opening a few places to the audience. So nip over quickly to the Africa Express site and… good luck!

Before that, many of the same crew will be appearing at London’s Roundhouse on December 11. Check your local press for details.

Bebel Gilberto prepares new album

Bebel Gilberto, the daughter of Brazilian pioneer João Gilberto and Miúcha, has finished her new album which will be titled Momento. Bebel shot to fame with her debut release Tanto Tempo in 2000, after appearing alongside some of the most respected artists of our time, including Caetano Veloso and David Byrne, and cutting edge experimenters like Deee Lite’s Towa Tei and Thievery Corporation.

The release is scheduled for early 2007. For more details and video clips, visit Bebel Giberto.com.

Bebel Gilberto on iTunes US.

Univers Zero in Prague and Mexico

Prog rock never really goes away. On 1st December the European band Univers Zero will play at the “Alternativa Festival� in Prague. On 22 March 2007, they will appear at the “Baja Prog Festival� in Mexicali (Mexico).

Univers Zero’s roots come from the rock and jazz scene in 70s Belgium. Extensive touring was supported by albums such as “1313″, “Heresie” and Heatwave”. After splitting and reforming a few times, Univers Zero now consists of 7 musicians. The band has plans to go into studio for a new album in 2007. For details, visit the Univers Zero website. Remember where you read it first.

Fifa Street track hits virtual streets

“Fou Ho” from Sur-Choc has remained one of the most enigmatic tracks from the Fifa Street game. The tune was picked up after becoming a runaway hit in the clubs of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The makers of “Fifa Street 2005″ were looking for a track with a gritty feel. Sur-Choc are one of the creators of the heady Zouglou style in Ivory Coast, whose best-known act is Magic System. The band records nutty dance tracks with a rough street feel.

Yet despite touring in France and elsewhere, Sur-Choc’s material is been hard to find. We are currently trying to find information about their tours.

Sizzla: new album and US tour dates

Dancehall legend Sizzla has announced US tour dates to coincide with his new album, The Overstanding, scheduled to be released onNovember 21st, 2006.

Sizzla emerged during the latter half of the ‘90s, and quickly became one of the leaders of the modern dancehall movement. Along with Buju Banton and Capelton, he helped lead dancehall back to the musical and spiritual influences of roots reggae, favoring organic productions and heavily Rastafarian subject matter.

Sizzla’s first success came with the release of Praise Ye Jah in 1997. Widely considered one of the top modern dancehall albums of its time, Praise Ye Jah was quickly trumped by the release of Black Woman & Child that same year. The title track was a smash hit and became something of a cultural reggae anthem. Sizzla continued to release a string of successful albums including Be I Strong in 1999, the spiritually driven, hip-hop influenced Bobo Ashanti in 2001, and Da Real Thing in 2002, where he concentrated on a softer, mellower, more romantic material. With a catalogue of over 40 albums to his credit, Sizzla remains one of the most if not the most widely respected figures in all of Dancehall reggae. The Overstanding hits stores on November 21st, 2006.

TOUR DATES:

• 11/24 Newark, NJ - Terrace Ballroom
• 11/25 Bladensburg, MD - Crossroads
• 11/28 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
• 12/2 Columbus, OH - Airosa Villa
• 12/5 Wilmington, NC - The Rox
• 12/6 Winston-alem, NC - Ziggy’s
• 12/7 Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theater
• 12/8 Norfolk, VA - The Norva
• 12/9 Philadephia, PA - Trocader
• 12/12 Providence, RI - Lupo’s At The Strand
• 12/14 Stowe, VT - Rusty Nail
• 12/15 Revere, MA - Club Lido

                                                                           Sizzla on eMusic

Boy George slammed by Culture Club

Since he left the band, Boy George has been highly critical of the members of Culture Club. Since they announced that they were re-forming for a 20th anniversary tour, he stepped up the criticisms after refusing to take part. But the band is hitting back. The limit was reached when Boy George accepted an award from Q Music for the song “Karma Chameleon”. Interviewed by the BBC, bassist Mikey Craig was hurt: “We should have been there,” said Craig. “George wasn’t the sole writer of the song. We wrote collectively. At the end of the day, Culture Club was very much ours as well as George’s. He was the visual impact that everyone got, but there was a hell of a lot behind it,” he said.

Boy George, meanwhile, is continuing his career as DJ after a spell in New York and a noted run-in with the police for possession of cocaine. Check here to listen to the recent single “Look Pon U”.

“Bunny” Benaissa sells rap video

Rappers are doing it for themselves! Although there is a perception that rap artists roll around in Mercs drinking Crissy with their female companions, the reality is different. In Europe particularly, they have only themselves to rely on. There are big labels, but rap is not their priority.

So performers have to make sure their name is out there, by doing shows and promoting their work. “Bunny” Benaissa is a Moroccan-born rapper working in Germany. In addition to producing his own material, he also produced a clip for the track “Set Language”. Is this the way forward? For many performers, the answer is “yes”. But it means that they must become mini-labels in their own right. And not everyone has what it takes to produce videos, promote endlessly, book gigs, etc. <>

<>What’s cool in the case of Benaissa is that if you download the track (for just 25c), you can sell it from your own site, blog or mailing list. Check it out.

Montreux Jazz boss is “Personality of the Year”

Just about everybody knows about the Montreux Jazz festival. But not many people know who is behind it. So take a bow Claude Nobs, a former accountant at the Montreux Tourist Office who now runs a festival that welcomes 250,000 people a year. The Midem trade fair has decided to honour him with a “Personality of the Year” award next January. For details, read the full story on Cannes or Bust.

Georges Brassens gets unlikely tribute

Few artists are revered in the French-speaking worlds as Georges Brassens. His gentle songs about country life, accompanied by acoustic guitar, have been a staple of chanson française since the fifties. Yet his latest tribute comes from an unlikely source: Africa. Singer Kristo Numpuby is currently touring with a show called “Brassens en Afrique”. It “recreates the atmosphere of bars in black Africa after independance”. After concerts in France, Belgium and Switzerland, Numpuby was recently invited by the French TV channel France 2 for an interview. To view it, click here.

UPDATE DEC 14: The CD has just been released and is available on Brassens en Afrique.

Hank Williams notebook worth $250,00?

Ask yourself how much can a notebook be worth? In the case of one of country music’s best-known songwriters, the answer is quite a lot. $250,000, in fact. Music publisher Sony/ATV has filed a lawsuit against a pair of collectors after reading that Stephen Shutts and Robert Reynolds (the Honky Tonk Hall of Fame) had acquired a notebook containing lyrics and notes by the late Hank Williams (the writer of “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and “Cold Cold Heart”) from a lady in Nashville. Sony/ATV claim it was stolen and would like the notebook back. For more details, visit A-Lyric.com.