A new Northwestern University study provides the first direct evidence that a community music program for at-risk youth has a biological effect on children’s developing nervous systems.
Continue reading →
Continue reading →
Congratulations to our beneficiary program partner organization Notes for Notes on the grand opening of their second Los Angeles studio location! This is the fifth studio from Notes for Notes. Earlier this year, we partnered with this amazing organization to help build one of their studios in Detroit. Currently, funding is still needed to repair the roof at the Boys and Girls club before construction on the music studio can start. Learn more about the organization here.
Today, August 19, 2014, is World Humanitarian Day! Show your support for the inspiring change-makers around the world and learn how you can make an impact on humanitarian crises around the world - http://worldhumanitarianday.org.
Last year, David Guetta partnered with the United Nations to create a social media campaign #TheWorldNeedsMore for World Humanitarian Day. Watch the inspiring "One Voice" track video below.
Last year, David Guetta partnered with the United Nations to create a social media campaign #TheWorldNeedsMore for World Humanitarian Day. Watch the inspiring "One Voice" track video below.
In their most recent newsletter, Movement gave a special shout-out to Give a Beat and our Music for Music Online Fundraising Campaign to raise funds for a Notes for Notes' free music studio in Detroit! Thank you for your continued support and love, Paxahau and Movement!
I think that the only thing that can combat that feeling of isolation and aloneness and depression is hope - Rob (a participant in Carnegie Hall's music program for inmates)
Carnegie Hall brings musical performances and workshops into
correctional facilities to contribute to inmates’ rehabilitation, preparing
them to return to life outside of prison. Carnegie Hall’s work at Sing Sing Correctional Facility
reaches 1,200 inmates and guards each year. Selected inmates participate in a yearlong composition
workshop led by composer Daniel Levy. These men earn a place in the program by demonstrating a
commitment to education and personal development. Learn more about Carnegie Hall's program here.
Interesting article on the impact of different genres of music on your productivity. Thoughts?
Do It For The Love is a nonprofit wish granting foundation, that brings people in advanced stages of life-threatening illness, children with severe challenges, and wounded veterans to live concerts. They draw upon the power of music to provide empowering moments. By bringing together a network of artists dedicated to using music as a transformative experience, they are committed to facilitating a range of personal encounters and live concert moments. Their goal is to offer lasting celebratory memories in the face of severe illness or trauma.
We recently heard about Beats, Rhymes & Relief, a non-profit utilizing the arts to raise awareness and support for worldwide humanitarian relief efforts. Beats, Rhymes & Relief harnesses the power of cultural diplomacy to raise the profile of global issues through high-profile public music concerts. Their first concert in 2013 raised funds to support the humanitarian crisis in Syria. Learn more on their website and follow them on Facebook!
Robert Gupta, violinist with the LA Philharmonic, talks about a violin lesson he once gave to a brilliant, schizophrenic musician — and what he learned in this inspiring TED Talk.
Check out the inspiring project Love Live Forgive from the Fetzer Institute, with over 100 exclusive interviews with a diverse range of artists reveal and explore the transformative power of love, forgiveness, and the creative spirit!
Watch the Book Trailer on YouTube.
Give a Beat was founded on the belief that everyone deserves a second chance - love and forgiveness. This is why our initiatives are geared towards helping individuals and communities impacted by incarceration. In Baltimore, entrepreneur Chris Wilson is trying to make a difference by helping former inmates get jobs. His story is the perfect example of the need for - as well as the possibilities behind - second chances. Read his story.
Our online auction Music for Music closed last night. Thank you so much to all of the generous donors American Music & Sound, Audio-Technica, C.A.Y.A Smokehouse Grill, Crew Love, Cyberoptix TieLab, Electric Forest, Golf Clap, Ibiza Love Child, Jenn Xerri, Mi Casa Holiday, NDATL Muzik, Paxahau, React Presents, Roland, Sampled Detroit, Sennheiser, Sonos, SoundCloud, SubPac, Unfuck the World, Wantickets, Whet Travel, participants and promoters that made the auction a success! Through your support we were able to raise close to $5,000, a portion of which will go towards the construction of a Notes for Notes’ after-school music studio at a Detroit Boys & Girls Club location! Stay tuned for more updates.
This weekend is Detroit's Movement Festival! Give a Beat's volunteers will be there connecting with DJs, artists, supporters and donors to our Music for Music Online Auction. See you all there!
Check out the video highlights from our event, A Positive Spin, last December!
A Positive Spin from VIDEO-SERVER on Vimeo.
An inspiring piece on the power of music aired on 60 minutes last night. In the Congo, 200 musicians are defying the poverty of the war-torn country and creating some of the most moving music you will ever here. Watch the clip here.
Time to move on. Times have changed…No more lies. No deceit. People dying in the street, as our leaders pull in contributions. I’m tired and I’m sick. I’ve got these words on my lips. I bid you welcome to the revolution. –Lyrics from the Hardkiss Brothers “Revolution”
Check out this great article on the Hardkiss Brothers and their impact on global dance music.
Electronic Music Alliance (EMA) is a 501(c)(3) public charity, non-profit organization, and global membership alliance uniting the electronic music industry and community to be the “Sound of Change;” cultivating, collaborating, and celebrating social responsibility, environmental stewardship, community building, and volunteerism. The initiative was started by our friends Janine Johnson, Ken Jordan (The Crystal Method) and Monica Salazar back in 2009 and aims to (1) educate and empower our dance music community by setting and implementing standards for social, ethical, and environmental responsibilities; and (2) advocate for and safeguard the rights of the electronic dance music culture. Learn more about EMA and how you can join the alliance on their Facebook Page and website.
April 2, 2014
"Music has become the spark of my intellectual curiosity. It directly developed my capacity to think creatively around problems due to the infinite possibilities in music."
...
"My haven for solace in and away from home is in the world of composers, harmonies and possibilities. My musical haven has shaped my character and without it, my life would not be half as wonderful as it is today... The self-guided journey known as music in my life excites my mind every day. My heart sings every day because the journey is already wonderful."
An excerpt from the college admission essay of Kwasi Enin, a 17-year old from Long Island accepted into ALL eight Ivy League schools!
April 1, 2014
This week, we join music lovers all over the world in mourning the loss of Frankie Knuckles, the Godfather of House.
This week, we join music lovers all over the world in mourning the loss of Frankie Knuckles, the Godfather of House.
"Nobody can agree on who invented the blues or birthed rock & roll, but there is no question that house music came from Frankie Knuckles, who died Monday afternoon of as-yet-undisclosed causes at age 59. One of the Eighties and Nineties' most prolific house music producers and remixers, Knuckles is, hands down, one of the dozen most important DJs of all time. At his Chicago clubs the Warehouse (1977-82) and Power Plant (1983-85), Knuckles’ marathon sets, typically featuring his own extended edits of a wide selection of tracks from disco to post-punk, R&B to synth-heavy Eurodisco, laid the groundwork for electronic dance music culture—all of it....
More recently, Knuckles was regularly hitting the global club and (occasionally) festival circuit—and regularly converting kids who’d never heard of the Warehouse. Exhibit A: His sizzling Boiler Room session from April 2013. "When he was defining house music, all of us were running around the Christmas tree with a fucking toy drum," went the introduction. "So show some love, show some respect—throw yourself in the dirt for Frankie!"
From - Michaelangelo Matos, Frankie Knuckles, 'Godfather of House Music,' Dead at 59, April 1, 2014,
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/frankie-knuckles-godfather-of-house-music-dead-at-59-20140401#ixzz2xn3z9NRR.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/frankie-knuckles-godfather-of-house-music-dead-at-59-20140401#ixzz2xn3z9NRR.
Frankie inspired and touched so many in our community with his warm heart and legendary music. We want to honor his legacy by spreading his music. One of our favorite tracks is "Your Love". What's your favorite?
March 27, 2014
. from Dancin Power on Vimeo.
Dancin Power's mission is to enhance and improve the quality of life of hospitalized children by inspiring self-expression through music, and dance! They bring dance classes free of charge to hospitalized children, including patients facing chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Watch the video below to see Dancin Power in action! Learn more about Dancin Power on their website and get your daily inspiration by following them on Facebook.
March 26, 2014
Started as a clothing company, Lovevol wanted to join the fundraising movement in order to give back while selling a cool product. Lovevol, love spelled forward and backward and meeting in the middle represents the idea of loving and accepting all things with an open heart and mind. This idea of love being endless and all encompassing made the founders want to not only sell clothing with a bold logo to embody charitable giving, but take the stories that spread like wildfire over social media and bring them together in a place of good news. Lovevol wants to take the stories from the charities they are connected with and share them, so not only are people buying a product to support a cause, they see exactly what the cause is doing so that people will feel more connected to where they are donating. Take a peek at their beautiful collection and start spreading the love. Lovevol.
March 25, 2014
A new documentary looks at how music can have a therapeutic effect on those with social anxiety. Learn more and support the Kickstarter! Check out the clip below.
March 24, 2014
Huge thanks to the Open Bar Music team for inviting us to be a part of tomorrow's Ocean's Drive Sessions Season Opener! We will be interviewing house music lovers and party-goers about how music has positively impacted their lives. Join the fun!
March 22, 2014
A bright star gone too early... San Francisco honors Josh Ezelle with A Conscious Session - A special evening of music, memories, laughs, dance & love as we celebrate life & heal our hearts. Josh always loved a great party, and as a true SF native and DJ from the days when it all began....The fundraiser will raise money for his 4 month old son. We at Give a Beat are heart-broken and send our love and strength to his beautiful family left behind. We love you Josh!
A CONSCIOUS SESSION FOR DJ JOSH
Jeno, DJ M3, Markie, Tony Hewitt, Carlos, Harry Who, Rick Preston, Charlotte The Baroness, Toph One, Emanuel Skinner
March 19, 2014
Notes for Notes is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
dedicated to providing youth with FREE access to musical instruments,
instruction and recording studio environments so that music may become a
profoundly positive influence in their lives. They build, equip and staff
after-school recording studios called MusicBoxes: positive, safe, and inspiring
recording studio environments that offer youth the opportunity to explore,
create and record music for FREE.
The MusicBoxes are drop-in studios offering free instruction
and access to guitars, basses, drums, keyboards/synths, DJ turntables, computer
workstations with music creation software and a full recording studio.
MusicBoxes are located at Boys and Girls Clubs in Santa Barbara, CA;
Nashville, TN; Santa Monica, CA; and coming soon to Ventura, CA and Detroit,
MI. Please visit the Musicbox
location page to find the MusicBox closest to you.
Notes for Notes was founded on the core belief that music is
the universal language of humankind, and has the power to transcend virtually
any barrier—be it economic, cultural, racial, or societal. At the heart of the
organization is a dedication to the relationships formed through music. The organization
makes a point NOT to censor lyrics as it is the freedom of expression and
respect for the creativity of others that drives an open environment in the
studio. Music is an incredibly powerful means of inspiring collaboration and
connection and it is these relationships that will have the most impact in a
young person’s life.
March 18, 2014
After a long day at school, a half-dozen teenage girls, all carrying developmental disabilities, mental illnesses and horrendous childhood emotional baggage, trudge through the snow and cold in Bartlett, lured by the promise that Dalphne Sommario is going to add some joy to their lives.
Embracing the pressure, the 32-year-old Sommario unpacks a powerful force — her laptop with old portable speakers and a diverse library of songs.
"Music," Sommario says, "is amazing."
March 17, 2014
Dug up this old episode of the public radio show This American Life from 1998! In episode 104, Music Lessons, there are interviews with a music teacher on the frustrations he faces teaching chorus to high schoolers, the author David Sedaris on fulfilling the musical aspirations of his father, an overzealous music learner, and writer Anne Lamott on learning music outside of the formal classroom. It is a lighthearted look at how music has changed a few lives. Have a listen.
March 15, 2014
Grammy nominated remixer / producer Richard Vission rocks dance floors and festivals around the world. His hit single “I Like That” featuring Luciana is a main staple video on MTV and has gone double platinum in Australia. Richard’s remixes of Lady Gaga, Black Eye Peas, Steve Aoki and Enrique have found their way into many global DJ sets, as well as international broadcasts of Black Eye Peas performances.
Richard has new releases coming out on Mixmash Records, Stealth Records and his own label, Solmatic Records. Solmatic is known for releasing top underground bangers from Avicii, Static Revenger and Nikka Costa to bona fide radio hits from Vission and Luciana.
Along with selling over 2 million mix compilations and consistently ranking in the TOP 30 DJs for the last decade, Vission host’s the longest running weekly mix show in the US, “Power Tools” on Power106 Los Angeles.
March 8, 2014
Harvard Bass was one of the awesome DJs that came to teach youth in foster care DJ'ing fundamentals at our event with We Are The Movement back in December.
Raised in a family with a musical taste steeped in rich Mexican cult ure, Vict or Hugo Ramos was born wit h rhythm in his veins. At the pivotal age of 16, he would sneak into house and techno clubs in Tijuana to soak in the waves of early inspiration. Driven by a beat he could not ignore, Victor bought his first DJ setup and began mixing songs that were making an impression on him, regardless of genre. This forward-thinking mentality would soon become crucial in the development of the Harvard Bass sound.Ever-evolving since his first remix deal with DJ Orgasmic and Teki Latex’s Sound Pellegrino label, Harvard has become a pro at combining smooth, minimal beats and deep ghetto house grooves with corrosively addicting drum patterns. “Techyes”, a collaboration with the legendary Green Velvet, harkens back to the glory days of techno while more recent tracks like “Bugged” and “Juicy”, released on Relief Records, incorporate this influence with other elements that come off as retro yet moderns imult ane o us ly .With the creation of Bump City Records, Harvard Bass is ext ending his brand t o ot her t alent ed producers and ensuring that the scene stays fresh with creative ideas. Constant praise pouring in from respected DJs such as Tiga, Richie Hawtin, Boys Noize and Dubfire salutes the burgeoning musical niche that is taking form, with Harvard at the forefront. Armed with the talent and tenacity to succeed, Harvard Bass has been cemented as a force to be reckoned with in House, T echno music and beyond. - Beatport
March 4, 2014
Denise Chow, Brain Processes Music Like Language, New Study Shows, Huffington Post, Feb. 24, 2014, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/24/brain-processes-music-like-language_n_4831975.html
"When jazz musicians let their creativity flow and start to improvise melodies, they use parts of their brains typically associated with spoken language — specifically, regions that help people interpret syntax or the structure of sentences, according to a new study.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine in Baltimore tracked brain activity as two jazz musicians played pieces from memory and then engaged in back-and-forth improvisation, creating something akin to a spontaneous musical conversation. They found that areas of the brain associated with syntax and language were very active as the musicians were improvising.
March 1, 2014
Tittsworth is another one of the awesome DJs that volunteered his time to teach DJ fundamentals to youth in the Los Angeles foster care system with We are the Movement and Give a Beat back in December.
Jesse Tittsworth's one-of-a-kind approach to life and music has been influencing the world of dance music for over a decade. Breaking out as a local favorite in 2004, DJ Tittsworth drew musical inspiration from his hometown of Washington, D.C. to create his own unique take on Club music. Honing his DJ skills at legendary parties like Buzz at Nation, the Chinese-American omnivore quickly progressed to playing major festivals around the world like Elect ron (Geneva) and Shambhala (Canada) while headlining his own t ours in t he U.S., Australia, and Asia.In 2006, Tittsworth established his own record label T&A records with DJ Ayres, a label credited with breaking artists and establishing new musical trends: T&A put out the very first official Moombahton release, including records from scene pioneers Dave Nada and Munchi.Tittsworth's own production skills were highlighted in 2008 with his debut album 12 Steps on Plant Music which was released to critical acclaim by Billboard, DJ Mag, and URB. Official remixesand EPs followed with the likes of Pitbull, Nina Sky, Kid Sister, and Pase Rock.In 2010, Tittsworth helped open a new, premiere home for dance music in America as co-owner of U Street Music Hall in his hometown. Club Planet named the "no dress code" club as one of the Top 10 clubs in the US in 2011.Gearing up for 2013, Tittsworth is currently touring and in the studio working on new material featuring Q- Tip, Laidback Luke, and Theophilus London. - Beatport
February 26, 2014
Last week we made the exciting announcement that Give a Beat is the newest member of Creative Visions Foundation's Creative Activist Program and we wanted to provide a bit more background for our supporters about this amazing organization.
Creative Visions Foundation (CVF) is inspired by the life of Dan Eldon, an artist, adventurer and activist killed in Somalia in 1993 while covering the conflict as a photojournalist for Reuters News Agency. To honor his legacy, in 1998 his mother Kathy Eldon and sister Amy Eldon Turtletaub founded the Creative Visions Foundation, a publicly supported 501 (c) 3 organization, to help others like Dan use media and the arts to create meaningful change in the world around them.
Over the past fourteen years, CVF has incubated more than 100 projects and productions on 5 continents, by providing fiscal sponsorship, mentorship, inspiration, fundraising, connectivity, and step-by-step toolkits for launching projects. To date, their creative activists under their umbrella have touched more than 90 million people and raised more than $11.2 million to fund their projects.
Their Creative Activist Program (CAP) serves as a global hub for individuals who are using Arts, Adventure, and/or Activism to create high-impact media projects and productions within our Core Social Issue categories: Human Rights, the Environment, Youth & Education, Gender Equality, and Health & Well-Being. CVF encourages collaboration and facilitate workshops, speaker series, think tanks, and a myriad of community and networking events to serve our community and connect like-minded artists and professionals.
Learn more about their amazing work at creativevisions.org and follow them on Facebook for your daily dose of inspiration.
February 22, 2014
Krewella was one of the generous donors to Give a Beat's online auction last December. Recently, Krewella made it to Beatport's best artist list! Good things happen to those that give back!
Chicago’s West Loop was once known as one of the Midwest’s busiest manufacturing corridors. But soon, thanks to a new EP dubbed Play Hard, it may be known for a sound manufactured by one of America’s most exciting new electronic music acts: KREWELLA.Jahan, Yasmine and Rainman, who live in and create music in the gritty yet artsy neighborhood, burst onto the national stage with their debut video “Killin’ It” in early 2012, racking up Facebook likes and spreading virally around the globe via Twitter as EDM fans swooned over KREWELLA’s unique brand of dubstep- infused electronic music with catchy female vocals. However, KREWELLA insists that they are just getting started.“We get pigeonholed into being 'dubstep' a lot, but only one of the tracks on our EP is actually dubstep,” says Kris Trindl aka ‘Rainman,’ beatmaker and one third of KREWELLA. “People like to put us in a box, but we just like good music....if it’s between 100BPM to 170 BPM we’ll figure out a way to make it work and have a good time with it,” the producer and DJ says. “We just make music that we love.”Jahan Yousaf, who co-writes lyrics along with her sister Yasmine Yousaf, help Rainman create KREWELLA’s signature sound. Tracks from their debut EP Play Hard embody this signature sound, luring in listeners with melody and sensuality before Skrillex-worthy drops send fans into frenetic fits of EDM bliss. Kris’ masculine, pounding beats are offset by cooing vocals from both sisters, often resulting in a dizzying, heady mélange that sometimes veers into pop territory.“Thanks to the internet, we grew up on a plethora of genres...KREWELLA is basically a product of the music that we were raised on—ranging from pop, to punk, to metal,” says Jahan. "Every track on the Play Hard EP embodies a different subgenre of EDM ranging from dubstep, to progressive house, to moombahton." Demand has proved so strong for KREWELLA’s signature sound that they have had to adjust touring plans from small clubs to major festival dates this year.Despite their early success, Krewella continues to viciously commit to one goal and one goal only-- "Making you wet... one song at a time" - Beatport
February 20, 2014
An interview with Georgetown ethnomusicologist and documentary filmmaker Ben Harbert about his work in Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women and Elayn Hunt Correctional Institute for Women where he explored the power and role music plays in women's' lives. Harbert's documentary "Follow Me Down: Portraits of Louisiana Prison Musicians weaves together interviews and performances of extraordinary inmate musicians.
February 19, 2014
The Fetzer Institute fosters awareness of the power of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community.
People across the globe, from all cultures and traditions, embrace love and forgiveness in daily life. These values are universally viewed as central to the fabric of humanity. Yet, the emerging global community has few institutions dedicated to deepening the understanding and fostering deeper awareness of these values. In this context, the Fetzer Institute pursues a unique role—working to investigate, activate, and celebrate the power of love and forgiveness as a practical force for good in today’s world. They are interested in how people truly experience and understand love and forgiveness from their diverse points of view, especially from the perspective of their daily work in the world.
Learn more about the Fetzer Institute on their website and follow them on Facebook for daily inspiration of the power of love and forgiveness.
February 18, 2014
Ronna Kaplan M.A., Music Therapy and the Military, The Huffington Post, Jan. 2, 2013, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ronna-kaplan-ma/veterans-music-therapy_b_2361076.html.
The article discusses the recent announcement that a music therapy program would be created at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, which is the first point of care in the U.S. for the wounded, ill and injured from global conflicts. The opinion piece written by Ronna Kaplan M.A., past President of the Music Therapy Association, provides interesting background on the use of music therapy on veterans. The practice "began after World Wars I and II, when community musicians performed in veterans' hospitals and medical professionals noticed patients' positive and emotional responses to music." By 1995, therapists were using drumming with Vietnam veterans diagnosed with PTSD as "[m]usic therapy utilizing improvisation on hand drums helped veterans modulate their 'often misdirected, exaggerated, and unrecognized emotions,' with the goal being generalization of these skills to everyday life. Drumming provided an opportunity for the men to express and control their feelings and helped build a sense of connectedness and group mission." Read the article here.
Ronna Kaplan M.A., Music Therapy and the Military, The Huffington Post, Jan. 2, 2013, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ronna-kaplan-ma/veterans-music-therapy_b_2361076.html.
February 15, 2014
Protohype is another awesome talent that joined us in teaching DJ fundamentals to youth in the Los Angeles foster care system last December.
Max Hype is Protohype. Originating in the hip hop world, 22 year old Protohype's fusion with bass music has created a new genre, Dub Hop. Combining the gritty low end of dubstep with trunk rattling hip hop drums, a sound is born like nothing else. His progressive sound has lead him to new heights in both the bass music community and the hip hop world. His massive collection of free music floating through the interweb has gained him respect not only from other DJ's, but from fans across the country. Be on the lookout for Protohype, coming to crush a city near you. - Beatport
Protohype is another awesome talent that joined us in teaching DJ fundamentals to youth in the Los Angeles foster care system last December.
Max Hype is Protohype. Originating in the hip hop world, 22 year old Protohype's fusion with bass music has created a new genre, Dub Hop. Combining the gritty low end of dubstep with trunk rattling hip hop drums, a sound is born like nothing else. His progressive sound has lead him to new heights in both the bass music community and the hip hop world. His massive collection of free music floating through the interweb has gained him respect not only from other DJ's, but from fans across the country. Be on the lookout for Protohype, coming to crush a city near you. - Beatport
We can't believe that we haven't already shared all of these exciting updates with you all.
Earlier this year, Give a Beat joined the Creative Activist Program of the Creative Visions Foundation! We are so happy to be part of this amazing program with so many other awesome organizations and can't wait to share our future collaborations with all of you.
We also received our official 501(c)(3) status.
AND...we got a new logo! What do you all think?
AND...we got a new logo! What do you all think?
February 11, 2014
Robert J. Zatorre, Why Music Makes Our Brain Sing, NY Times,
June 9, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/opinion/sunday/why-music-makes-our-brain-sing.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1&.
We are all familiar with "that moment when you feel a chill” of pleasure to a musical passage." This article explains the brain chemistry behind it, most interestingly, the release of that dopamine high during an anticipation phase rather than during a "peak emotional moment". Read the full article here.
February 10, 2014
For as long as I can remember, music has been in my life. My parents showed me their love for music which has rubbed off on me in a very good way! Music was always being played in the house, day and night, weekdays and weekends. Even at the young age of 4, I attended my very first concert as a child, which will forever be etched into my memory. This moment opened me up for many more music filled times. Since I expressed to my parents my love for music, concerts had become a regular occurrence in my family. Traveling the United States and parts of Canada on family trips allowed me to hear what others listen to and has opened me up to various genres. I feel that music is necessity in my life to perform my everyday tasks. It is also something I use to calm myself in stressful situations. Even what I listen to reflects what mood I'm in. I don't know what I would do without music in my life. It is what keeps me going. Forget a television, just give me a radio and I'm set for life! Music is something that I cannot live without.
February 8, 2014
Continue reading →
Mr. Choc was one of the awesome artists that came out today to teach music production and DJ'ing on a variety of platforms to youth in the Los Angeles foster system.
Born in Fresno, California and raised in Bakersfield, California, Mr. Choc's success comes from a lifelong passion for music. Introduced to hip-hop culture as a break-dancer, he was intrigued by the power the DJ had over a crowd, fueling his transition from B-Boy to DJ.
He focused on developing his DJ skills and by 1993, he ran two separate three-hour mixshows, one with fellow DJ C Minus in Bakersfield at KKXX, and another in Arizona, Power 1490. By 1995, he was picked up by Los Angeles' Power 106, making him a go-to guy at three stations in three cities at the same time.
Within six months, Choc focused his energies on his work at Power 106, where he was doing overnights and weekend mixes. The following year, he became a member of the World Famous Beat Junkies, one of the most respected DJs crew in the world. In 1999, Choc became the mix-show coordinator for Power 106, and also took over the high profile 2 hr traffic jam drive time mix earning the station No.1 for his time slot for three years straight during his seven-year tenure. After working with Power 106 for 11 years, he currently carries on his radio presence on Soul Assassins radio with DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill on XM 66, Shade 45 every Monday from 7pm-9pm.
February 6, 2014
Sam Cooke and the Song that 'Almost Scared Him', NPR Staff, NPR, Feb. 1, 2014, http://www.npr.org/2014/02/01/268995033/sam-cooke-and-the-song-that-almost-scared-him.
Earlier this week, NPR featured a beautifully written short piece on Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come”. Catch the full article and podcast here.
"It was less work than any song he'd ever written," [Cooke biographer Peter] Guralnick says. "It almost scared him that the song — it was almost as if the song were intended for somebody else. He grabbed it out of the air and it came to him whole, despite the fact that in many ways it's probably the most complex song that he wrote. It was both singular — in the sense that you started out, 'I was born by the river' — but it also told the story both of a generation and of a people."
…
"A Change Is Gonna Come" was released on the album Ain't That Good News in March of 1964. The civil rights movement picked up on it immediately, but most of Cooke's audience did not — mostly because it wasn't selected as one of the first singles and because Cooke only played the song before a live audience once.
…
Guralnick says "A Change Is Gonna Come" is now much more than a civil rights anthem. It's become a universal message of hope, one that does not age.
"Generation after generation has heard the promise of it. It continues to be a song of enormous impact," he says. "We all feel in some way or another that a change is gonna come, and he found that lyric. It was the kind of hook that he always looked for: The phrase that was both familiar but was striking enough that it would have its own originality. And that makes it almost endlessly adaptable to whatever goal, whatever movement is of the moment.
February 3, 2014
February 1, 2014
DJ Klever was one of the awesome DJ's that joined us last month in Los Angeles with We Are The Movement to teach foster children DJ'ing fundamentals.
DJ Klever was born on the fourth of July in 1977. Before he could even walk, let alone strut, Klever was spoon-fed the world of rhythm by way of his father, famous blues musician, Juke Joint Johnny. At the age of four years old, Klever received his very first drum set, a “Manimall”. Muppet Show kit that he practiced playing until the skins busted.
Flash forward to 1997, Klever began relentlessly competing in every DJ competition possible, where he linked up with the “Third World Citizens” – Faust, Shorty, Shotgun, Craze, and T-Rock. In 2000, Klever seized the national DMC championship title and while at the international DMC competition, he was inducted into the world famous Allies crew, consisting of world-renowned turntablists Craze and A-Trak. Shortly after, Klever began traveling the globe with Craze during so, the two released a now cult classic “Scratch Nerds”. In 2001, Klever successfully defended his national DMC title. He then represented the states in London for the international tittle.
Klever began to produce prominent break records for battle Dj’s and producers in the early 2000′s, releasing two immensely popular battle break records with DJ SHOTGUN (former Dj for Goodie Mob), Dirty South Breaks and Get Crunk Breaks. More commercially, his talent can be also heard on various production: Rob Swift..s (X-ecutioners) album – Sound Event, Bubba Sparxxx.. – Deliverance. To NBA BALLERS 2: PHENOM.
January 30, 2014
Last night, Grammy award-winning Esperanza Spalding and non-profit Human Rights First hosted a night of performance and discussion calling for the closure of Guantanamo Bay. Watch the live performance - Spotlight on Guantanamo. Back in November 2013, Esperanza also launched a music video titled "We Are America" (video below) urging Congress to close Guantanamo responsibly.
January 30, 2014
"If you have a feeling that something is wrong, don't be afraid to speak up"
Who is Fred Korematsu? Does Korematsu v. United States ring a bell? Today, learn more about this amazing civil rights activist and let his story inspire you to be a change-maker.
January 28, 2014
Music & Memory is a non-profit helping seniors living in nursing homes get access to the songs of their youth. Experience the power of music to bring back memories in this video with one of Music & Memory's beneficiaries who has advanced Alzheimer's.
January 27, 2014
I stood there, hunched over a turntable and a Moog
synthesizer soaking in the skeptical and intrigued stares in my eleventh grade
English class. As a group research assignment, our task was to choose an art
form, and then teach a lesson for an entire class period. Liz, Dalila and I
decided the best topic was to demystify the art of electronic music, for our
classmates and ourselves.
It was the early spring of 2006 in Metro Detroit, a
time when the windows of high school hoopties finally roll down, billowing
smoke and unleashing blasts of Kid Rock and Eminem in the parking lot. The
radio in my hoopty was stuck on AM. We sang Journey and Styx in choir. We
played John Williams in band. In drama club we rehearsed to perform the
sexless, edgeless, kiddie version of Grease. The only relief I got from this
noise nonsense was crate digging through my parent’s collection of vinyl, since
I was too cheap to buy music downloads, and too prewd to pirate it.
That was where electronic music started for me,
between the stiff and flaky sleeves of DEVO and Depeche Mode, between the
Theremin frequencies of the Beatles and Beach Boys, between the hair line of
Brian Eno and the bass line of the Talking Heads. What I didn’t know was that
these relics were part of the foundation of electronic music. What I did know
is that I liked it a lot more than Foreplay Longtime and Lose Yourself.
When Mr C, our English teacher who was the
emotional doppelganger of Bob Dylan, made the announcement about the project,
Liz and Dalila and I immediately agreed to be a team, silently, shooting
acknowledging glances across the classroom. We had the rest of the class to
hold a charette and pick a topic. Whatever ideas we first flirted with for project
ideas couldn’t stand up to the quixotic, alluring suggestion I put forward:
electronic music. Not just techno, that was too narrow, we decided. We would,
in the course of 45 minutes, uncover the history of electronic sound in popular
culture. It was so full of new territory, yet somehow already farmiliar. It was
2006, and it was two weeks from the Detroit Electronic Music Festival.
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