The Return of the Space Cowboy - Jamiroquai [Album Review]

  The Return of the Space Cowboy (1994), the second album from the British band Jamiroquai still owns the groove and the excelent musicality from the first, but with something else.

  In this energetic and mesmerizing album, the band mantains their roots of Funk, R&B and Acid Jazz but explores new styles such as Bossa Nova, Jazz Fusion and Disco, always keeping their sound raw and devoided from electronic trends.

Jay Kay's voice keeps smooth like Stevie Wonder and Al Green, the keyboardist Toby Smith, besides keeping the chords of a classic Fender Rhodes, deploys new sounds with a Moog synth, and the bassist Stuart Zender runs the notables bass lines which largely hold the groove of the band.

  The album became a classic, being considered by many as the most pure exemple of the unique sound of Jamiroquai

  Nevertheless, seen that the album is said as a 'non comercial' one, it's the worst selling album of the band: only 3000000000 (3 milion) copies sold.

James

Hey Floyd - Jamiroquai (psycho-reggae mix)

Yesterday i mixed the song "Hey Floyd" from the new Jamiroquai album "Rock Dust Light Star".
It was kinda fun. I used the Ableton Live 7 and my Roland keyboard connected to the Line6 UX2.
Enjoy




James

"Strange Animals" no. 3

After months without publishing about this, here's the return of the section i made about strange animals.

This month's strange animal is Blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus)


- lives in the deep waters of the south pacific ocean
- his flesh is a gelatinous mass with less density water. This allows the fish to float above the sea floor without expending energy on swimming.

conservation status: Endangered

this animal is currently facing extinction due to deep-sea fishing

James

Piano cover: Love Foolosophy

Today i uploaded my piano cover of a groovy song by Jamiroquai.
Love Foolosophy from the album A Funk Odyssey (2001).
Feel free to check, rate or comment my video.
Enjoy




James

jupiter cosmic sounds

 "Fascinating recording of Jupiter sounds (electromagnetic "voices") by NASA-Voyager.

 The complex interactions of charged electromagnetic particles from the solar wind , planetary magnetosphere etc. create vibration "soundscapes". It sounds very interesting, even scary."

just watch

Kanye West & Bon Iver !?

Yes, Kanye West and Bon Iver.
Kanye just released his new album (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy) with the collaboration of Justin Vernon, the frontman of Bon Iver. They seem to be good pals now.
And yeah, it's strange. It's not everyday that we see an indie rock/folk avant garde experimental musician working with an hip-hop guy, but the songs sound pretty well.

Here's one of them in which is taken a sample from the Bon Iver's song "Woods":

   (click here to download)

Mountain Goats are incredible climbers

i wonder how will they get out of there...

James

stormy weather days are back

Yes, the rain is here again
I'm missing those summer days where i use to stay awake all night, saw the sun rising and watch that moment of transition from night to morning.

The sun had already rised but the street lamps were still turned on.


James

Groove 4tet - best portuguese SoulJazz band

"A raw sound, emotionally charged, sometimes light and danceable, sometimes more dense and experimental but always sincere without any pretensions of technique affirmation, whose the only purpose is the enjoyment of the moment by all those present in the room
The component of improvisation and the search are always present in every song, every show."

Addicting rhythms of funky clean guitar, a clear influence of John Scofield in the improvisations (but using an Envelope Filter), the classic sound of Hammond, the always pure and toneless contra-bass and rock-influenced drum beats create an jazz fusion Herbie Hancock-like groove.



They're all around 26 years old. Young and steady.

I first saw them live 1 month ago at Music Box in Cais do Sodre, and they exceeded my expectations.
During the show, once i looked backwards to the audience behind me and all i could see was heads moving, feeling the groove.


Enjoy the like above,
James

the cicle begins again

september's here again and the routine is calling me.

routine: this is the thing i hate the most, so i'm always trying to break it.
everyday i take a walk to somewhere, alone or with friends. today i went to Bairro Alto and i decided to take some photos at the train station.

railroad

open the door

 nice colours

green or red - you decide

18:42pm

in front of my house

break the routine,

James

SW 2010

excitement to the limit, you dont give a fuck about anything, that's the spirit

its the closest to woodstock in Portugal. Everybody does what they want, nobody bothers nobody, and this is where the harmony, the peace and the love of neighbor come.


you have friends, you meet new people, you create new connections and you still have MUSIC from late in the afternoon to early in the morning.

the complete disregard, the spirit of the eternal youth and the good and the positive energies hovering in that enclosure is something that will never be able to be described in a simple text
 
we reach a point where we cant think about anything because that joy and harmony fill all our mind

all together celebrating the youth and the freedom

i found that the dopest thing in the world is gettin' high next to good people

as we are, we only live once. we have one life. try to live it well,

James

invisible people

from the 1st of June to the 4th of July. it was the 'Arraial da Madalena', a kind of a fair that occurs every year near Terreiro do Paço, in the heart of Lisbon, a few meters from the sea.

shows everyday: portuguese popular music

movement. all kinds of people: young and old, freaks and geeks, rich and poor, hippes and headbangers, ...

but they all had a thing in common: they all were there to have fun

my aunt had 2 bunkers there and i've been there helping out

i've met lots of people, people that i never thought i'd meet and much less i'd like them

some of those people used to help us taking care of the bunkers and we would give them food and shelter in the night (my aunt let them sleep in the bunkers so that they would not have to sleep in the streets as they use to do all year).


at the beggining i used to get away from them but as time passed i got to know them better. 

i've started noticing that we cannot take a conclusion about someone's personality only based on what they look like from the outside. it's a pity that despite everybody like to pronounce this phrase, only some apply this in the real life...

as the time passed, i started getting used to those people, and i started kinda liking them.

now that the fair is over i wont see them no more.

i wish them all the luck in their constantly search for a better life

constantly learning,

James

8 de Junho

Estão convidados.
No Colégio Marista de Carcavelos dia 8 de Junho a partir das 6h vai começar a festa de final do ano em que vão decorrer imensas coisas ao mesmo.
Começamos a tocar por volta das 20h.

Somos os Rockability e tocamos um pouco de tudo mas o nosso estilo predominante é hard-rock.

Vejam só a nossa setlist:

Little Wing (instrumental)           - Jimi Hendrix
Run Like Hell                            - Pink Floyd
Twist and Shout                         - The Beatles
Summer of '69                           - Bryan Adams
Um Café e um Bagaço               - Rui Veloso
Should I Stay or Should I Go    - The Clash
All Right Now                            - Free
Minha Casinha                          - Xutos e Pontapés
Here I Go Again                        - Whitesnake
Sweet Home Alabama               - Lynyrd Skynyrd



mais tarde sou capaz de postar imagens/videos do concerto

apareçam,
James

Freebird

take a look at the lyrics of this epic anthem from Lynyrd Skynyrd  (click here for the song, live in 76)

If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
I must be traveling on, now
'Cause there's too many places I've got to see


But, if I stayed here with you, girl
Things just couldn't be the same
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird, you'll cannot change


(...)


And this bird you cannot change
And this bird you cannot change
Lord knows, I can't change
Lord help me, I can't change


Won't you fly high, free bird, yeah?


________


of course you've got to listen to the Allen Collins' crazy solo at the end of the song.


RIP Ronnie, Allen, Gaines, Leon and Billy

i'm as free as a bird now,
James

bball pic

basketball court - Paço d'Arcos, Oeiras

fly,

James

Bon Iver em Portugal

Para quem gosta de Bon Iver, aqui está uma petição que pode ajudar a trazê-los cá a Portugal :

http://www.petitiononline.com/bipt/petition.html

(i do not own the photo)

Participem,

James

winter time

As I promised, here are the photo from my trip to Serra da Estrela.

Lately I've been preferring to not comment the photos i post because they can have lots of interpretations, isn't it ?

____

____________

' Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories. '

James

i'm 15 now

i'm 15 years old since today

it feels good and i'm happy.

i'm a grateful guy. i'm healthy. i have family, i have good friends.

what else can i ask for ?

this week i'll buy this : Shure SM-58

i'm getting ready for my band's performance in may.

_____

'And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.'

- Abraham Lincoln

tomorrow i'll post some photos from the trip what i've made this weekend,

James

my brother is 6

sometimes it's sad to realize how fast they grow.

it's sad to know that they're getting older and older and that they're not babies anymore.

i'll miss that.

______________

i'm grateful for having brothers and sisters that love me,

James

the alarm clock trick

there's something i've been doing that gives me a lot of pleasure. you should try it.

i wake up at 6:54 am on school days. on the weekends i use to sleep until later, so what i do is set the alarm even on the weekends, so i wake up at 6:54 am, i look at the clock and i can say : 'f*** you. today i wont wake up at the hours you want'.

i lay in the bed again and i fall asleep, very satisfied.

try it. it'll taste good. you'll feel mighty and powerful :) .

____________

good night,

James

today's confession - flying away

i want to fly away towards the place i belong.

where it is ? dont know... but it isn't where i am, for sure

open your eyes. try to answer to youself : where do you belong ?

___

photo from my flight above the Pacific, near Hawaii. (Microsoft Flight Simulator, unfortunately...),

James

Meet the Zac Brown Band

Enjoy some pure country with bluegrass influences by 6 American guys from Georgia, that won the 'Best New Artist' Grammy this year.

Here you have their 2 songs that remained in #1 for weeks.

_____

Chicken Fried

Toes

___________

James

some unpublished photos

i won't comment. you comment for me.

_________

'Nostalgy is a seductive liar.'

- George Wildman Ball

James

Optimus Alive! 2010

O festival vai ter lugar no Passeio Marítimo de Algés em Oeiras, durante os dias 8, 9 e 10 de Julho.

Até agora, estes foram os artistas que confirmaram a sua presença no Optimus Alive 2010 em Lisboa:

8 de Julho
Faith No More
Heaven & Hell
Alice in Chains
Kasabian
Phoenix
The xx
La Roux
Calvin Harris
Burns

9 de Julho
30 Seconds to Mars
Skunk Anansie
Gossip
Steve Aoki
Bloody Beetroots
New Young Pony Club
Booka Shade

10 de Julho
Pearl Jam
LCD Soundsystem
Gogol Bordello
Simian Mobile Disco
Boys Noize
Crookers

Bilhetes entre 50 euros (um dia) e 90 euros (três dias)

___________________
(este post será actualizado assim que houverem mais novidades referentes ao Optimus Alive 2010)

Rock in Rio 2010 (Lisboa)

O festival vai ter lugar no Parque da Bela Vista, durante os dias 21, 22, 27, 28 e 29 de Maio.

Até agora, estes foram os artistas que confirmaram a sua presença no Rock in Rio 2010 em Lisboa:

Palco Mundo

21 de Maio
Shakira
John Mayer
Ivete Sangalo
Mariza

22 de Maio
2 Many DJs
Elton John
Trovante
Leona Lewis
João Pedro Pais

27 de Maio
Muse
Snow Patrol
Xutos & Pontapés
Sum 41

29 de Maio
Miley Cyrus
D'ZRT
McFly

30 de Maio
Rammstein
Motörhead
Megadeth

Palco Sunset

21 de Maio
Boss AC & Yuri da Cunha
Oquestrada e Segredos de Portugal
Azeitonas e António Zambujo

22 de Maio
Rui Veloso & Maria Rita + Toni Garrido
Tiago Bettencourt + Mantha & Tiê
Soulbizness & Zoey Jones

27 de Maio
Jorge Palma & Zeca Baleiro
Expensive Soul & Bluey / Incognito + Omar
Nu Soul Family & Julie McKnight

29 de Maio
Luís Represas & Martinho da Vila
Tim & Mariza
Lúcia Moniz & Mister Lizard

30 de Maio
Ramp & Hail
More Than A Thousand & convidado
Fingertips & convidado

Electrónica

21 Maio
Deadmau5
Calvin Harris DJ set
Chris Lake
Diego Miranda
Soul_mates feat Pedro Tabuada & King Bizz

22 Maio
Major Lazer
Drop The Lime
Zombie Kids feat Aqeel
Jamie XX
Zombies For Money

27 Maio
John Digweed
Gui Boratto
The Twelves
Miguel Quintão
Tha Bloody Bastards feat Mad Mac & Nuno Lopes

29 Maio
Dubfire
DJ Vibe
Audiofly
Davide Squillace
Tó Ricciardi

30 Maio
Green Velvet Live
Speedy J Live
Paul Ritch Live
Jim Masters
Jiggy
Heartbreakerz

Bilhetes diários a 58 euros

____________________

(este post será actualizado assim que houverem mais novidades referentes ao Rock in Rio Lisboa 2010)

Marty Schwartz

If you want to learn how to play guitar, this is the best way to start.

If you want to improve your technique, this is the coolest guy in the Internet that will help you.

He teaches licks, chords, songs, everything! From blues to jazz, funk, R&B, folk or rock.

If you're interested just search 'marty schwartz guitar lessons' on YouTube.

Good Lessons,

James

Bon Iver - 'For Emma, Forever Ago'

Lately I've been listening to indie music, and I guarantee you that this is one of the best indie folk artists that you can find - Bon Iver.

In 2008 they released their debut album called 'For Emma, Forever Ago'. It received some full mark reviews (5/5) from magazines like MOJO and Uncut.

It was also considered as one of the best albums of 2008, and some magazines went farthest and said it was one of the best albums of the decade.

Well, i think I've already given you enough reasons to take a look at this cd if you like indie stuff.

Enjoy.

Skinny Love:

re: Stacks :

Blindsided :

For Emma :

The Wolves (Act I & II) :

Flume :

Help Haiti

We're all shocked about what happened in Haiti.

In the television we saw terrible things, but we could also notice stories of courage and a tremendous willpower for living.

I think those people really need and deserve our help.

Photo taken from HuffingtonPost.com®

I know some of you, dear readers, have a pay pal account, so for those who want to donate for Haiti, here you have the link. (click here)

You may contribute with a small value but you can be sure it will mean a lot for Haiti's people.

If you can't help with money, please just pray for them.

________

We were born to unite with our fellow men, and to join in community with the human race. - Cicero

God Help Haiti,

James.

Quote no. 4

'It doesn't matter what happens to you,

what does matter is how do you handle with what happens to you'