Round 5. Command performance, Slim Thug cuts an imposing figure, stalking that beat, BJ Penn style. Oh Shit, is he writing his verse on his phone? Yep, there’s an app for that. Well then, it’s time for the big gun, the U67, it’s THE only mic for this job. Lesser mics turn tails and run or wilt like a little flower.

The approach, it’s crucial, it’s what separates the wheat from the chaff. He steps up with confidence, with true Houston swag.

A quick level check and we’re off, he needs no intro and no rehearsal. Even with an audience of 5, this is a performance, a head noddin’, earworming blast.

I’ve got to take a second to recognize this beat. Sick, sick, sick. Curtis has seriously outdone himself. Check out more of his beats here.

Check some video of the sessions, sorry, no video of Slim dropping the verses, you’re gonna have to wait for the track for that:

Via OrbitsWorld…here

One pass through and I’m shell shocked. 808s crater the studio like blasts from a C130′s 100 mm. City is live and tonight we’re laying down vocals on “Came up.” It’s hot in here. No, really the SSL is heated up, a furnace of beats, all systems engaged, dynamics in, EQs at the ready, we’re taking off and not coming back without a hit.

Now,we’re in it, stack, rewind, “same-spot?”, adlibs pile-up over doubles, a thick soup of beats and rhymes. There’s something guttural about his voice, overdriven like a speaker slashed with a blade. The rhythm in the studio often tells you how the tracks will turn out. Rapid fire precision comes out confident. Slow and pensive, you end up with something brooding, otherworldly. City is raw, writing on the fly, the result sounds like it might come off the tracks at any moment. Frenetic, frantic you can tell he wants it and wants you to ride this train along with him. To the bar car, please.

When:
Friday, January 29, 2010 10:00 PM

Where:
The Roof
2600 Travis St
Houston, TX 77246
(713) 522-4900

Cost:
$8.00

WTF:
Straight from touring Europe’s finest night clubs, San Francisco’s Nikola Baytala returns for another exciting evening of world class dance music.  Austin, Texas’s techno-punk band POSR will performing their energetic live set.  Locals Eddie Spettro and Sasha Braverman will round out the evening with their eclectic mixing styles.  T-shirt giveaways from MadGods (http://madgods.com).   Free POSR remix by 0045 with online ticket purchase.  Tickets available below:

Buy Tickets

Ok, so I’ve been on a tear lately. With all of my daily communication I’ve been trying to streamline, and in the process I discovered menubar apps for mac. Those are the little applications that show up next to your batter indicator and the time. So far, there’s one for facebook, one for chat and a few various others. Now i’m trying twit menulet. A twitter client. I’ll report back later on what I think…in the meantime here’s a link:

Twit Menulet is a wonderful Mac Twitter client!

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Aprile Millo is scheduled to perform on November 17th at Rose Hall at Lincoln Center. This recital marks Aprile’s triumphant return to the stage and her 25th anniversary with the Opera Orchestra of New York.

Tickets can be purchased here

Check out some videos:
Aprile’s youtube channel

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About Aprile
Aprile Millo made a cinderella like debut at the Metropolitan Opera on Dec. 3, 1984 replacing an ailing colleague and caused literally a sensation.

The papers next day heralded the birth of a “New Verdi Star!” and 23 years later, Millo is still winning praise from objective critics and frenzied ovations from an adoring public.

She has sung over 180 performances of 15 different roles at her artistic home, the Metropolitan Opera. Outside New York, Mme. Millo has triumphed in the theaters of Frankfurt, Barcelona, Parma, Rome, Bologna, Torino, the Arena of Verona, The Baths of Caracalla, Munich, Berlin, Vienna,Zurich, Paris, Orange, Moscow, Rio de Janero, Sao Paolo, Santiago, Colon – Buenos Aires and of course, La Scala, Milan.

She has collaborated with such great conductors as Herbert von Karajan and Riccardo Muti at La Scala, as well as her great friend and mentor, James Levine, Giuseppe Sinopoli, and has sung in productions by the greatest stage directors, including Liu in Turandot, collaborating with legendary stage and film director, Franco Zeffirelli. She was also chosen by Maestro Zefferelli to be the voice of Elizabeth Taylor for the film, ” Young Toscanini “.

Recording with James Levine a critically acclaimed Verdi series for Sony Classical, Millo has AIDA, IL TROVATORE, LUISA MILLER and DON CARLO on disc and with DG has a highly acclaimed DVD/Video of Un Ballo in Maschera with Levine, the Met and legendary tenor and great friend, Luciano Pavarotti as well as an EMMY winning broadcast DVD of AIDA with the Met, Levine and famed tenor and great colleague, Placido Domingo.

The winner of numerous awards, Millo has won the unanimous Primo Premio-First Prize at the Voci Verdiane Concorso in Busetto, Italy, the Montserrat Caballe-Bernabe’Merti Special Verdi Prize Francisco Vinas, The Voce D’Oro, The Richard Tucker Foundation Award, and the Maria Callas Foundation Award, to name a few.

Millo is a rare throwback to another age of singing. A voice of quality and extention, able to do Bel Canto, Verdi, as well as the demanding rigors of the Puccini and Verismo school.

Committed to the “authentic” message and tradition Millo continues to win audiences over to the world of opera, and keep the “faith” with all the long time fans.

The “old” flame still burns bright with Aprile Millo’s ruby rich voice, gleaming high notes and passionate throughly Italianate phrasing wed to a riveting dramatic presence .

There are times when I walk into a show and know its going to be exciting. Something is in the air, some intangible magic pulling people together, forcing smiles onto their faces. We arrived to see the XX at the Tribeca Grand in the rain, half-expecting to sit outside in one of those “hotel-venue-lines.” It wasn’t to be, we were quickly ushered in and made our way to the basement. A sharply appointed, mysterious and darkened room, this wasn’t what I was expected. To me CMJ has become synonymous with grimy clubs, free shows in odd venues and venues with charmingly rough edges. A few people had already gathered on the dancefloor and more than a few were already staking out their stage spots, 4 hours early!

The DJs played a refreshing mix of new-wave, 90s house and techno re-rubs and proceeded to destroy the dancefloor. I’d been bored by the DJ format for sometime. The music seems stale and the performance completely predictable, but for record after record last night I was surprised and my butt was moved.

The XX arrived, sound-checked while the DJs were still playing (my condolences to the sound guy and the band.) Unfortunately, all the magic the DJs and crowd had built evaporated with the first note. Someone decided not to use the hefty sound system the DJs had been playing through all night, and now instead of being surrounded by the XX’s luscious guitars and grainy, haunting vocals, the crowd strained to hear. Death by sound system, I tried to pay attention, but the din of conversation in the room was louder than the music. That said, I could tell the band had something special and I will be back for another show.

I’m switching paces here (and tenses, sorry,) but I want to make my point as I see it and hear it now. Their music is delicate and intimate, and I know seeing them under different circumstances those qualities will pull me in and serenade.

Also, big shout out to Myles from Sneak Attack Media for turning me on to the XX in the first place, and for letting us know about the show. He’s the man for sure. Here’s my favorite for the moment, and buy link (please support the artists):

the XX – Shelter

the XX – Shelter (Them Jeans Drum Edit)

For more on CMJ and POSR’s perspective on the conference check out Wilson’s first day write-up on weareposr.com

Crisp air the sounds of summer’s last hurrah. We’re simultaneously giving up and celebrating winter’s arrival. I’ve been lucky to find myself in the company of so many talented people. Here is where dreams are thunder and life barrels down the tracks, subway style.

This year it feels smaller more intimate, more visceral. Maybe it’s the friends I’ve made or the personal triumpths of the past year that have made the difference. No matter how I look at it, it’s exciting. Bring on the music.

CMJ Music Marathon 2009

Tony Humphries, Little Louie Vega, David Morales and Barbara Tucker – Holy House Music

Back from one place, on to another. Were beginning work with opera diva Aprile Millo

More on this as it develops.