From many angles (musical, cultural, etc.) one can argue that we all have African roots. But that’s not an argument that I feel qualified to follow up on, especially since I’m a huge Fela Kuti fan and while not having an ounce of his genius in me (that’s why I…
HarmonixIt’s been a while since I’d heard from reclusive producer/instrumentalist Harmonix. Yup, last time his work graced my stereo was way back in 2008 when he dropped the space-jazz, crunk-flavored and New Wave savvy Instrumentals, Volume 1. And this track here has a funny story, seems like he was trying…
One of the quiet men of the jazz guitar, Herb Ellis forged a career that took him throughout the rambunctious days of jazz to a very memorable stint in the Oscar Peterson Trio alongside Peterson and Ray Brown from 1953 until 1958, enjoying the controversial status of being the only…
Pretty soon, “female” rockers will take center stage compliments of the upcoming wide release of The Runaways flick. However, for people in the know, all-girl bands like Eyeliners, Emily’s Sassy Lime, L7, and Bikini Kill have been making rackets for a long time, plus That Dog and the Breeders prove…
Gilberto Gil is one of the rare foxes managing to carve an almost five-decade career while remaining in the shadows of larger names that have come and gone. While successfully spreading the beauty of Brazilian music across the continents, he’s done the same for Brazilian listeners by infusing the styles…
It has been 21 years since Fear Factory unleashed its racket, which has over time become a major influence on the landscape of American metal. It has also, in a bizarre manner, mirrored corporate America in the mentality that the band is first and foremost a business. While undergoing lineup…
Photo by Betty MonteavaroFloor, sitting on the groundFloorChurchill’s Pub, MiamiSaturday, March 27, 2010 As I live and breathe here in South Florida, I know a freaking thing or two: Floor is slow-thudding metal royalty. The kind that blue-blooded region rockers will sell their future babies for. And that’s a good thing…
Blast From the Past is an occasional Crossfade column re-examining classic South Florida releases of yesteryear. Click here for past editions. FUTURISK – The Sound of Futurism (Clark Humphrey Records) For all the cool synth acts the hipsters drool their PBR’s for nowadays, I’m glad and quite freaking happy to…
The Happiness StruggleNothing Rhymes With Orange The Happiness Struggle (Leftfield)nrwo.net It’s been a long six years since the Coccaro brothers have inflicted the local scene with their Anglophile musings and quite frankly, I’m extremely pleased with the time taken. Music journalism can veer (re: careen out of control) into some…
It has been 21 years since Fear Factory unleashed its racket, which has over time become a major influence on the landscape of American metal. It has also, in a bizarre manner, mirrored corporate America in the mentality that the band is first and foremost a business. While undergoing lineup…
Gilberto Gil is one of the rare foxes managing to carve an almost five-decade career while remaining in the shadows of larger names that have come and gone. While successfully spreading the beauty of Brazilian music across the continents, he’s done the same for Brazilian listeners by infusing the styles…
It’s refreshing to see a young salsero stick to his guns. Largely ignoring the route that most of his contemporaries have taken (well, excluding his brief cameo as Rubén Blades in 2007’s El Cantante), Victor Manuelle continues to forge his identity as a pure sonero while still exploring within the…
Bruce Roehrs I’ve been reading Maximum Rock N Roll since the late 80s and for better or for worse, the quintessential punk rock magazine has had its ups and downs and bouts of scenester-like petty bullshit. But it has always provided solid content for those interested in the genre. From…
MySpace.comOur tuxedo T-shirts were in the washTo prevent confusion in our readership, Alesana is not some drop-dead gorgeous model hailing out of Milan. Nope. In actuality, Alesana is six somewhat-OK-looking guys from North Carolina who do the post-hardcore thing with some gusto and panache. Take the usual experimental leanings of…
David BrieskeDo not try to wrap your pretty little head around this track, “Crossing the Frozen Lands.” Nah. That is not the way art works, at least not for me and I’m only a heady guy when it involves booze and whores and narcotics… think about it baby! You’re in…
EaracheDeicideWith Kalakai, At Odds With God, Paris Is Burning, and First Born5Revolution, Fort LauderdaleSunday, March 14, 2010Schlepping to Broward from Miami-Dade isn’t too much of a task when the end product is something like metal muthas Deicide. They carry a real Floridian pedigree along the lines of say, a Hunter…
Southern California’s RX Bandits have come a long way from their ska-revivalist roots in the mid-’90s — so long a way, in fact, that it’s hard to discern the roots of their eight full-lengths. One second, there’s a full-fledged horn section; the next, there’s a knock on Yes’ psychedelic-prog door…
Josephine LeilyJon Saxx is a young saxophonist who’s been making waves in the local jazz scene for some time now. We had a little chance to catch up with him before this weekend’s Miami Gardens’ Jazz in the Gardens 2010 where he’ll be performing on a roster including Mary J…
To prevent confusion in our readership, Alesana is not some drop-dead gorgeous model hailing out of Milan. Nope. In actuality, Alesana is six somewhat-OK-looking guys from North Carolina who do the post-hardcore thing with some gusto and panache. Take the usual experimental leanings of the genre and view them through…
Southern California’s RX Bandits have come a long way from their ska-revivalist roots in the mid-’90s — so long a way, in fact, that it’s hard to discern the roots of their eight full-lengths. One second, there’s a full-fledged horn section; the next, there’s a knock on Yes’ psychedelic-prog door…
Jeffrey DelannoyMusic is a Weapon has been making some noise for a couple of years. This coming Saturday they will be rocking the Vagabond alongside local Spanish-language punks G2 and Dutch DJ’s Saskia Rocks and Geza Weisz for the big-top party Cirque Excentrique; featuring “Party Monster” himself James St. James…
Blast From the Past is a weekly column on Crossfade re-examining classic releases from Florida music of yesteryear. To read previous installments, click here. 2 Live CrewBanned in the USA(Luke Records) Well, it was bound to happen within these pages: 2 Live Crew. It would be downright irresponsible to…
