Lincoln Durham

I went to Lincoln Durham's 
amazing performance at The 
Living Room in NYC on 
Friday January 25, 2013. 
His voice oozed with soul, 
and it seemed as though the 
music was bursting through 
his skin. Even though he was 
unable to do an interview for 
MusicDosage, his music makes 
a statement. See the video 
below for his song "Mud Puddles" 
performed that night.

Upcoming Shows:
- February 9, 2013 @ 10p: Mercury Lounge (Tulsa, OK)
- February 15, 2013 @ 10p: Lambert's (Austin, TX)
- February 22, 2013 @ 10p: Smitty's Bar and Grill (Denison, TX)
- February 28, 2013 @ 10p: Blue Moose Lounge (Austin, TX)

Albums:
- Ep (Debut EP) (2010)
- The Shovel vs. The Howling Bones (2012)

Website: LincolnDurham.com

Back Again

Youtube.com is making me mad. I have tried uploading videos that I recorded of an artist that performed in NYC but it keeps giving me the message "the server has returned an invalid response". I don't have tiiiiime for that mess. Due to this, I am moving back to BlogSpot, which I should have never left in the first place. Please forgive me, BlogSpot and subbies! People make mistakes ::::::tear:::::

I am going to change how I do things here at MusicDosage. Instead of video recording musicians who perform their music live in NYC, record video interviews, and write musician biographies, I will keep the former, delete the latter, and keep the middle (but written interviews only). If that is a bit confusing (even to me it is and I wrote it), read the clearer description below:

1. Video record musicians who perform live in music venues around NYC.
2. Musicians will answer my interview questions in written-form only (no more video interviews).

I am only doing written interviews now because the quality of some of the video interviews that I recorded in the past are not up to par (the videos have a dark contrast because most of the interviews are done at night before or after the musician performs, and it's hard to get good lighting in a music venue). Because of this, video interviews are out, for now. Maybe in the future I can have my own interview spot like Oprah. Ha funny (Yes, I laugh at my own jokes).

All in all, let's get it started, again. As always, I will be holding contests/giveaways/sweepstakes/whatnots.

Don't miss out!

Sincerely,

MusicDosage

A Move!

Hi everyone!

So, I decided to move my blog to Youtube.com: www.youtube.com/MusicDosage1. I was thinking hard if moving my blog to youtube would be a good idea, and yes, I believe it is. I like to record and edit videos more than I like to write, write, and write. It's been fun here but I think it will be much more fun on youtube!

I will be hosting giveaway, contests, and whatnot on my youtube channel so subscribe sooner than later so you will be eligible to win!

If you are a true fan of music, live performance, up-and-coming bands, or anything that falls into those categories, make sure you check out MusicDosage at www.youtube.com/MusicDosage1! See ya there!

I Anbassa

Have you ever been to a concert where the band did not exhibit the slightest amount of anxiety while on stage, like they were born to perform? Well on July 27 at Sullivan Hall in NYC, I Anbassa, a band that makes wordly reggae music, took over the stage and performed like it was second nature. They played each song as if music was the fuel that literally kept them alive, just like eating and sleeping are needed to survive. It is hard not to focus on I Anbassa while they perform on stage, which is similar to watching a magician spit out incantations to make a bunny appear out of a top hat or make something disappear. After awhile, you will begin singing and dancing along with them. Oh, the dancing! How wonderful! Ras N'Gosi, the lead singer and guitarist, is light on his feet and danced with so much soul, like if he was touched by the holy ghost. The two beautiful singers Empress Katrese and Empress Katie danced in rhythm, as if to keep the whole band on beat. I Anbassa creates music that promotes positive change and shows how important love is, as in "Gade Yon La Vi" and "Bezu Fehker," both from their debut EP Bezu Fehker. A song that really catches my attention is "No GMO," in which Ras N'Gosi profoundly explains the meaning of the song in the video interview below. The band's next NYC gig will be on August 25th at Club Groove. I recommend you go and experience the great power of I Anbassa.

Upcoming Shows:
- August 18, 2012 @ 5p: McLevy Green (Bridgeport, CT)
- August 24, 2012 @ 10p: Acoustic Cafe (Bridgeport, CT)
- August 25, 2012 @ 8p: Club Groove NYC (New York City)
- September 9, 2012 @ 4p: CPAC (Brooklyn, NY)

Albums:
- Bezu Fehker (Debut EP) (2012)

Website: IAnbassaMusic.com

The winner of the iTunes Certificate is...

The winner of the $50 E-mail Gift Certificate from iTunes is... Brich2222! Congratulations!


Claim your prize within 48 hours of this post. If you don't, I will have to choose another winner. I have sent an e-mail to the address you posted in the giveaway post.

Thank you all for participating in this giveaway. I will definitely be doing more! Stay connected.

Denzil Porter

Sunday nights are usually pretty boring for me. I count down the hours until I have to go to bed and wake up to get ready for the 9 to 5. Yuck! Last Sunday night (July 22) was anything but boring. I made my way to see the rapper Denzil Porter rock the stage at The Studio at Webster Hall in NYC. He walked out on stage, grabbed the mic, and showed everyone that his words can cause a wave that will swallow you whole. The mic was like his hostage, being dragged with him wherever he strided on stage. He performed songs from his mixtape Home Made Music with so much energy that you would think he was a spark about to start a fire.  Mr. Porter's songs are all unique, from tunes that have catchy hooks, like "Why you gotta be such an asshole," in the song "Kanye West" to tunes that will have your ears running to keep up with all the words that spill out of his mouth, as in "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde". I was really blown away after listening and watching Denzil Porter's song "Intuition" on Youtube. The video has a surprise ending, but  I don't want to spoil it for you. Click here to watch. I bet this rapper from the Bronx will be signed and doing big things in the next five years. Keep an eye out for Denzil Porter.

An Interview with Denzil Porter

(MD: MusicDosage, DP: Denzil Porter)



Photo by Lailaa

MD: Can you give me a brief history of how you got into hip hop?


DP: Back in elementary school, I used to come home and watch music videos and judge them on my own, as if I was the one behind the music. Three other students and I started singing our own lyrics in the park of P.S. 16 in the Bronx.

MD: Can you describe how you came up with the song “Kanye West"?

DP: After doing some traveling with my music, I realized that people all over have this view about New Yorkers being the way they are. So, contrary to the title, the song is actually about the people of my hometown.

MD: Is your family musically inclined?

Not that I know of... yet. I plan to do some research myself to see if I'm the first leaf on the musical stem of the family tree, but my parents did raise us on all sorts of music from Bob Marley to Busta Rhymes.

MD: What motivates you to write a song?

DP: It depends. 98% of the time it's inspiration... what that inspiration stems from is a different story. I may be inspired by wherever the beat takes me OR I may have some events I need to get off my chest. It's really inspiration. A lot of times I feel challenged, especially on a beat that is fully designed, but the challenge is the fun part. After getting the tools and putting my mind to it, I let the inspiration speak.

MD: Is there a moment in your music career thus far that stands out?

DP: Right now, I'm in the early stages of my career so everything stands out. From my first release "Intuition," I got to see the different side of things and it opened some doors for me to hit some major blogs and get some recognition. It kind of introduced me into the underground. Though still hard to understand, just like almost any venture, the hard work comes with some sort of kick back. I've met a couple dope artist, had some amazing shows and been to some dope places, and there's more to come so everyday stands out for me.

MD: Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

DP: In the next 5 years I hope my talent will help me to reach almost, if not, icon status. My rookie year would be long passed and I would be at the point of maintaining and keeping my fans happy. I'll be better at my craft, since the only way is up, if I keep it up.

MD: If you could perform with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be?

DP: Robert Nesta Marley hands down. You can watch the soul take over his body on stage. Witness someone speak his mind in front of thousands, performing as if there was not a soul in the building - Amazing. Youtube every Bob performance and you will be stuck.

MD: Do you have a particular routine before performing live?

DP: Before performing live, I do some breathing exercises. I go on stage and use a lot of energy so breathing is important to me. I listen to some of my stuff and imagine how I want to project it differently from the last then I grab the mic and do my thing.

MD: If I give you a topic to rap about, such as "global warming", could you be able to give me a few lines?

DP: Lol a written freestyle?! Hmm.. well,well look who just stormed in/ step shake, earth quake, make they house board in/ heating up like global warming, catching sun rays as it's beaming/ any time I'm in the booth I'm breaking ices off of greenland (green_lin)/. It's better than you think, it's how you pronounce & project it. haha!

MD: Where would you most like to perform?

DP: Madison Square Garden, of course. It is the arena of my hometown but I don't want to just perform there - no... It has to be something BIG! MAJOR!

MD: If you weren't rapping, what would you be doing?

DP: I get asked this question all the time. I was so focused on this dream so early I made the mistake and never took the time to think about that much. If not music, I would probably be in some sort of technology field. I like breaking and rebuilding things like ipods and sidekicks (remember those?) but yea I used to fix everybody's stuff around the hood. Or I would probably be in the underworld like a lot of the people are where I'm from. I can never blame them though, we all can't do music but we all have to survive.



Mixtapes:

- On My Way Home (2008)
- Live from the Other Side (2010)
- Home Made Music (2011)

Website: DenzilPorter.com

NewVillager

NewVillager really knows how to put on a show. On July 7, 2012 at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn, the band performed songs from their self-titled debut album. Some bands simple just perform live just to perform live, like “We are (insert name of band here) and this song is called (insert name of the song here)". NewVillager is different. They prepared the stage with blue and red clothes painted with hints of greens and yellows. They hung a mask on the drums and took of their shoes, making the stage like a piece of art for the audience to dissect and discuss after the show. True artists. Just look at these picture:



Photo by Lailaa



Photo by Lailaa

 

Photo by Lailaa

Their sound is futuristic and peaceful. Their song “Lighthouse” is introduced by a soft sound that is gently interrupted by plucks on a violin. Chants follow: Keep it up / Don’t stop / Don’t lose your place. Then the first verse comes in, which will spark an image of David Bowie in the 1986 movie Labyrinth singing his trance-inducing songs (if you haven’t seen this movie, you can borrow my copy). The song turns into a tune that makes your brain shutdown like a computer and focus on displaying the colorful spiraled screensaver that dances across the screen. As you can see, I enjoyed watching NewVillager at Cameo Gallery, and I highly recommend that you go see them perform. If you had the pleasure of seeing them perform already, leave a comment below.

An Interview with NewVillager

Answers by Ross Simonini (guitar and vocals) and Collin Palmer (drummer)

- Can you give me a brief history of how you guys came together as a group?

Ross: We were both going through a period of being very sick. We all met through a support group at the clinic and started playing music together.

Collin: I met Ben and Ross in the forest a little over a year and a half ago. I used to set up my drum kit out in the forest to play in a ambient outdoor space. I would hear guitars, vocals and rhythmic fragments coming from the distance.(it would really catch my ear) Then I turned around (after playing for what seemed to be 2 days) I wandered off in a daze toward the sounds and found myself circling back at my drum kit. When I arrived back, two guys were sitting facing one another playing music in front of my drum kit. It seemed like the only thing to do was join in. we have been touring and playing ever since.

- How did you come up with the group’s name?

Ross: Our friend's dad told us a story about this group of soldiers fighting in Vietnam who came across an empty village. I think it had been burned down the year before. Two of the soldiers decided to stay and start a new community in the village. They had all these ideas about making some kind of utopia out there. One of those late 19th century kind of deals. My friend 's dad came back and had to report the two soldiers as dead. They were burned alive, he said. As far as he knows they're still there. Some of the vets have this whole mythology about that village.

- How long have you been together as a group?

Ross: It's hard to say. Technically Newvillager began five years ago but we were making music together before. We just called it something else.

- Can you describe how you came up with the song “Lighthouse" (lyrics/beats)?

Ross: We came up with the verse first with the lyrics, and then recorded that and then came up with the vocal part in the chorus and then wrote a chord progression around that. The bridge took a while because of all those words. The whole song was pretty easy and natural but we went through four or five different arrangements and styles and sounds and drumbeats. We played it live with an entirely different drumbeat for about a year. That version was pretty mellow. There are still two versions - one is the radio/video version and then the album version which is quite a bit longer.

- Is your family musically inclined?

Ross: Not really. My grandfather played a little harmonica and I hear I have a cousin once removed who is a priest and plays the piano and sings at his church. My dad recently had all the satellite music radio stations taken out of his car so he could just listen to talk radio.

Collin: My Mom was a classical piano player and a painter. I would sit and watch her at an early age. I have two older brothers who were also musicians who had bands throughout my life in our house. They are currently working artists and directors in NYC.

- What motivates you to write a song?

Ross: Drugs and failure and success and embarrassment. Other people's music and art .

- How long have you been playing your instruments?

Ross: We play all sorts of instruments on the record. We've been playing music most of our lives. I think we both really got into music when we were about 10 and then started getting serious about organized music in high school.

Collin: I was into music and art at an extremely early age. I played my first drum kit at age of 5, and it grew from that to other instruments

- Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

Ross: I often picture myself dead. That's the only thing that seems likely. Everything else I picture is less likely. Mostly I want to be doing all the same things I'm doing now, like reading and writing and making art and music. I hope some strange things will happen between now and then.

Collin: I can’t see that far, but I will say I hope I can be doing what I feel is right for the moment, just like I do now: art, music, traveling, surfing, yoga… etc etc…

- If you could perform with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be?

Ross: I'd conduct an orchestra of 100 people who are on their deathbed. All of them would be very close to death, like in a limbo state where they can see both sides of reality. I bet that would be a concert worth going to.

Collin: I would love to play with Tony Williams, Josef Zawinul, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Squarepusher, The Boards of Canada, Robert Glasper, Prince, Dave Holland, Brian Blade, and all my friends.

- Can you describe how it feels to perform live?

Ross: To me it's the same as walking down the street. It can feel like any number of things. Sometimes I think it sounds perfect on stage and sometimes I can't hear anything but noise.

Collin: I have to agree with Ross, and add I think with NewVillager, we have a lot of opportunity and freedom that allows expansion of the songs in a live setting. That is one of the best feelings thing about it for me diversity.

- Do you have a particular routine before performing live?

Ross: The Three Times. It's a game we play before we go on stage. We do the first two times offstage and the third time on stage. It's simple and involves clapping, snapping, breathing, looking.

- What does the picture on the cover of the NewVillager album represent (the one with the blue and red rectangles and shapes)?

Ross: It's the 10th symbol in our mythology. The colors and shapes represent all the basic elements of the world to us. Red/blue is past/future. White/black is creation/destruction. Green is the present into forms, the seed and the cup. If you look at all the symbols you can follow a story. It's the same story in our music and in all of our art and performances.

Albums:

- NewVillager (2011)

Website: NewVillager.com