Alice Walker
Saw Meshell Ndegeocello at Ronnie Scott’s last night - she was doing her Nina Simone themed set with a fantastic band - drums, keys, bass and guitar - she created a superb sounding psychedelic Americana meets electronica meets beautifully crafted classic tunes sonic texture - stunning sounding and arranged - kicked off with a cover of the Beatles Tomorrow Never Knows - not sure Ronnnie’s knew what had happened - it was so far from the accomplished but very dull support band who were playing ‘standards’. Meshall continues to impress me as one of a tiny handful of artists who constantly innovate and take risks - beg borrow or steal a ticket for her second show tonight!
Here is a typically idiosyncratic take on Cosmic Slop….
R.I.P. Don Blackman
Jazz-funk pianist and songwriter Don Blackman passed from Cancer yesterday in his native New York. Blackman is mostly known for “Holding You, Loving You,” “Heart’s Desire” and “Since You Been Away So Long” from his 1982 Arista solo album. He started his career as a teenager playing with jazz saxophonist Charles McPherson before briefly working with Parliament Funkadelic, Earth, Wind & Fire and Roy Ayers. As a member of Lenny White’s Twennynine he wrote “Peanut Butter” and “Morning Sunrise.” Blackman later worked as a session musician for Sting, Tupac, David Sanborn, Bernard Wright, Najee and Janet Jackson. The musician was recently filmed talking about the upcoming album from Detroit jazz artist Brandon Williams.
Reggie Watts doing his very original thing live - he’s coming to London as part of Yoko Ono’s meltdown in the summer….
Rikki and Mark enjoy a Sunday morning play…
Barty session crew taking a tea break - Rockin’ Rikki on the mug of black tea with his new Gibson, Mark sitting on the drum throne and Naughty Ned behind the lens!
The Barty Session goes overground! Great night of good food, wine, company and music - the playlist gets shared here!
play this from 2.30 onwards - Headhunters for the new millennium…….
Chris Dave on drums is lethal here….
Love in the VC - great meeting of two beautiful souls - this is a strange but deeply touching communiy
