The talent roster for two of the largest electronic music festivals in the world were announced on Thursday, March 11, 2010: the Detroit Electronic Music Festival (Detroit, May 29-31, 2010) and Southport Weekender 46 (May 7-9, 2010).
The Detroit Electronic Music Festival (which frankly no one but the latest in the shuffle of organizers calls by its true name - "Movement Electronic Music Festival") features:
Kenny Dope and Wayne Williams are two of the first names I think of when it comes to the Noo Yawk/Shikaga connection. They've been doing (what I think is) a bimonthly in New York at Cielo for some time now. May 10th is their next date, with an opening set by James Vincent and presented by Robbi.
Incidentally, if you want a funny story about New York versus Chicago, check out this old yarn from Terry Hunter involving Armando Gallop, Todd Terry, Kenny Dope, Tyree Cooper and Mr. Hunter. A broken champagne bottle, intellectual property rights and threats of severed arteries make cameos.
We were in New York for the New Music Seminar. I don't know if you remember, but at the time the New Music Seminar was really big. This was before the Winter Music Conference. And this was a place where, literally, rappers and House people used to connect with each other.
I'll never forget this. We're sitting in the Red Zone, me and Armando, and here comes a guy with seven or eight people. One of those people in fact happens to be Todd Terry. Todd sees Armando's badge, and turns around to this big Spanish-looking dude from Brooklyn standing next to him.
Todd says to him, "Yo, here that motherfucker is right here!" That big guy was actually Kenny Dope.
The problem was, Todd Terry sampled a record, and Armando sampled the same record for "100% of Disin' You," saying "I'm gonna dis you right now." Todd interpreted it as Armando saying, "I'm going to dis you right now" - meaning, Todd Terry.
In those days, I was a thug. All I saw was Todd Terry grab Armando's badge and talk to this big guy standing next to him. I didn't know it was Kenny Dope. I'm like, "Who is this?" Armando says, "That's Todd Terry." And at first I was like, "Oh, shit! Hey, Todd, what up?!"
But these dudes started surrounding us. He's talking to Armando and I don't know what's going on. I was like, "I don't know what this is about, but dude, stand up for yourself. Defend yourself!" Armando's telling him, "Todd, I wasn't dissin' you - it was just a sample that I took" - and on and on.
Kenny Dope started coming up, saying, "I don't care - you're in New York, you're in New York!" [This part was actually delivered with Terry Hunter doing his best Brooklyn impression. Has to be heard to be appreciated!]
So there was a champagne bottle right next to me. Armando was like, "Terry, be cool man!" I break this champagne bottle on the side of the speaker. By this point, they'd caught the attention of Larry Thompson and Tyree Cooper. So people are like, "Oh shit - Chicago versus New York! Chicago versus New York!"
So I go up to Kenny Dope and I say, "Look, you guys might beat us up, but I'm going to stab everyone one of you sons of bitches in here!" There's this big commotion in the middle of the Red Zone and it's Armando and me with a half cracked bottle of champagne with people from Chicago runnin', and people from "New Yawk, New Yawk" runnin', and security runnin'. It was so funny.
Everything got defused. The next day, we're chillin', and here comes Kenny Dope and Todd Terry. Todd had figured it out and everything was squashed. Kenny walks up to me and was like, "Yo, what up? Respect, I didn't know that was you. We sold a lot of your records at my store that I work at in Brooklyn. You're a real dude, you stood up for your man, we like that. Yo, give me your number." Since that day, me and Kenny Dope have always remained in contact and we're like brothers now. Todd Terry, too. Because of Armando. So you go figure that.
That was such a great story! I was like "Armando, you're always getting us in trouble!" Armando wouldn't hurt a fly! But here was one of the biggest commotions, and because of that situation, it's how me and Kenny Dope and Todd became the best of friends.
Those boys are always in a hurry. And apparently Tortured Soul have made some progress in their top secret plan to learn the mystery of human flight.
We're featuring Tortured Soul for the 2nd time in 5 Magazine come May. Here's a quick recap of their tour schedule for that month, starting off in Europe and then crossing the Midwest and East Coast of the USA in support of their new album Did You Miss Me:
May 01, 2009 - Babylon, Istanbul
May 08, 2009 - Jazz Cafe, London
May 09, 2009 - Horst, Berlin Berlin
May 15, 2009 - Black Cat, Washington DC
May 19, 2009 - Highline Ballroom New York, New York
May 21, 2009 - The Grog Shop, Cleveland, Ohio
May 22, 2009 - The Double Door, Chicago, Illinois
May 23, 2009 - Cliff Bells, Detroit, Michigan
May 24, 2009 - The Shadow Lounge, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
May 28, 2009 - Harper's Ferry, Boston Boston, Massachusetts
May 29, 2009 - Black Rep Theater, Providence, Rhode Island
May 30, 2009 - 8x10, Baltimore, Maryland
May 31, 2009 - Sundae @ Octo, Philadelphila, Pennsylvania
It's nice to have a story like this one from time to time. Louie Vega and Kevin Hedge could play just about anywhere in the world they pleased and make bank while doing it, but each and every Wednesday night they play long, long sets a party called Roots at New York's Cielo Nightclub in the Meat Packing District.
On Wednesday, April 15th, it'll be 5 years since Roots began, and they're celebrating. The party goes down at Cielo (18 Little West 12th Street) from 11pm-4am. For more info on this and Cielo's other awesome events (including resident DJ Francois K. at Deep Space every Monday, and special guests Danny Krivit and Abicah Soul on Thursday April 9th), check out cieloclub.com.
We just wrapped production on the April 2009 issue of 5 Magazine, featuring a Blue Note Records-inspired treatment of Detroit Producer Terrence Parker. Most people think of the harder stuff when it comes to Detroit, but there's actually a vibrant House Music scene there, with folks like Aaron Carl (of Wallshaker Music), the vocalist Veronique, and Terrence. Though this is a pretty weak cliché, the only way I can describe Terrence's production-style is "silky smooth".
By coincidence, his new track "Candy Man" hit the download shops today (Juno Download here, AudioJelly here, probably a few more to come as this is seriously brand new).
There are a couple of mixes, and both are worth checking out. Here's a short clip from the TP Sweet Vocal Mix:
In addition, Terrence will be coming through Chicago on May 1st at Zentra (923 W. Weed St) as part of a 5 Magazine and House Arrest sponsored event.
The Chosen Few DJs have announced the date and location for this year's Chosen Few Picnic: July 11, 2009 at 63rd and Hayes Drive (same location as last year). This year's guest DJs including Grammy Award Winning producer Maurice Joshua, Laurie Branch (profiled in The UnUsual Suspects) and DJ FLX of 3Degrees Global.
The Chosen Few Picnic, now in its 19th year, is a free annual outdoor event typically held 4th of July weekend in Chicago. The Chosen Few DJs are Wayne Williams, Alan King, Andre and Tony Hatchett, Terry Hunter and Jesse Saunders. More information is at chosenfewdjs.com.
Photo: Wayne Williams at the Chosen Few Picnic 2009, courtesy chosenfewdjs.com.
In Chicago, we often say that we can roll out four or five Grammy-winning (or -nominated) producers at a moment's notice for a party. But New York is doing it up extra special for Barbara Tucker's 25 years (a quarter century!) in House Music this Thursday, March 19th at Webster Hall in New York (125 East 11th Street).
It's a testimony to the kind of person that Barbara is that such incredible folks are getting together to honor one of their own and have checked their egos at the door. David Morales, Tony Humphries and Louie Vega are set to spin with live performances by Martha Wash, India, Kathy Brown, Michelle Weeks, Melonie Daniels and Zhana with special hosts Kenny Bobien, Georgia Porgie and Althea McQueen.
Speaking of which, Morales and Humphries are teaming up again for either party's first US-based residency in recent memory. They'll be holding down Webster Hall at a new event called Sunday Shoutin' once per month from here on out - after the tribute to Barbara, their next date is scheduled for Sunday, April 19th.
Photo: Barbara Tucker at the Chosen Few Picnic, Chicago 2008.
Those boys are always in a hurry. And apparently Tortured Soul have made some progress in their top secret plan to learn the mystery of human flight.
It's nice to have a story like this one from time to time. Louie Vega and Kevin Hedge could play just about anywhere in the world they pleased and make bank while doing it, but each and every Wednesday night they play long, long sets a party called Roots at New York's Cielo Nightclub in the Meat Packing District.
We just wrapped production on the April 2009 issue of 
In Chicago, we often say that we can roll out four or five Grammy-winning (or -nominated) producers at a moment's notice for a party. But New York is doing it up extra special for Barbara Tucker's 25 years (a quarter century!) in House Music this Thursday, March 19th at Webster Hall in New York (125 East 11th Street).
