Brand new EUROPE EP available for Name-Your-Price at http://www.emefemusic.com

CALENDAR

UPCOMING SHOWS:
February 17: 92YTribeca with Mokaad and Ms Lady
March 1: Glasslands with Ikebe Shakedown
March 26: Brooklyn Bowl with Turkuaz

for ticket info visit our Facebook page.

PAST SHOWS:
2010:
February 6 - LIVE AT SULLIVAN HALL, 9PM
February 14 - Valentine's Day, the offical holiday of EMEFE.
March 1 - LIVE AT TUTUMA SOCIAL CLUB, 9PM
March 11 - LIVE AT CAMEO in Brooklyn, 9PM
April 2 - LIVE AT BOWERY POETRY CLUB, 12MIDNIGHT
April 16 - LIVE AT TUTUMA SOCIAL CLUB, 8:30 and 10:30PM
May 6 - "HELLO SUMMER" SHOW at SULLIVAN HALL, 10:30PM

July 2 - BOWERY POETRY CLUB with MOKAAD, doors at 9:30pm
July 25 - MERCURY LOUNGE with NYLE, Gato Loco, and The Mighty Mighty, 7:00pm

September 17 - CEG Presents: End of the Summer Afro-Funk Throwdown featuring EMEFE w/ guests Mokaad and Underground System Afrobeat, more info at emefemusic.com
September 17 - EMEFE releases it's debut cd, Music Frees All!
October 23 - AN EVENING WITH EMEFE at The Bitter End, 7pm
November 6 - Get Up/Get Down with Eyelove/DJ SMKTZ at Cameo Gallery
November 7 - Double Beat with Gato Loco at Bowery Poetry Club
November 19 - USA V EMEFE, AN AFROBEAT DOUBLE HEADER - Rose Live - 10:30pm

November 30 - AROUND THE WORLD PARTY at Cameo Gallery
December 18th - EMEFE DANCE PARTY with Guarco and DJ Feliz Cumbe - Bowery Poetry Club - 11:30pm
2011:
January 28th - AFRO-FUNK THROWDOWN PART 2 with Mokaad and members of Antibalas/FELA! - Sullivan Hall - 9:30pm
February 3rd - LOCAL 269 WITH THE BAILEN BROTHERS! 10PM
February 4th - UNDERGROUND GROUND with JAKE SNIDER BAND and ANTHONY DA COSTA!
February 23 - THE STUDIO @ WEBSTER HALL with SPORT OF KINGS !! 9PM
February 24 - NYU Ultraviolet Live at Kimmel Center. 7pm
February 26 - AFROBEAT PARTY @ ECLECTIC HOUSE, WESLEYAN with Superhuman Happiness ! 9pm
March 9 - Knitting Factory with Ismael Kouyate 9pm
March 19 - Highline Ballroom as part of 3 Generations Fundraiser
March 25 - SUNY Purchase with Mokaad
April 17 - EMEFE horns in Tribeca
April 21 - Joe's Pub with Jake Snider
April 22 - Milcreek Tavern in Philly
May 6 - Live at the Blue Note
May 20 - EMEFE/MOKAAD at BPC
June 3 - Music Frees All Festival at Drom
June 18 - Crest Fest
June 25 - Ars Nova
July 15 - Brooklyn Lyceum with MOKAAD
Sept 1 - NYU Kimmel
Sept 9 - EMEFE/MOKAAD at Purchase
Sept 24 - Cornelia St Block Party
Oct 1 - Bishops in Northampton MA
Oct 6 - Southpaw with Mokaad and Ms Lady
Oct 21 - LPR with Rusted Root, Felabration at Joe's Pub
Nov 11 - SUNY Purchase
Nov 12 - Southpaw
Nov 30 - LPR
December 2 - Brattleboro, VT
December 3 - Boston MA
December 4 - Philly PA
Dec 10 - Blue Note
Dec 11 - MIMA
2012:
Jan 18 - Bowery Electric
Jan 21 - Middlebury VT

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THE BLOG...

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Saturday, January 30, 2010

Last night's show: Chico Mann at Joe's Pub



Last night Mr. Aukstik and I went out to Joe's Pub to see Chico Mann - the electro-funky brainchild of Marcos Garcia, guitarist of Antibalas. I have always been a fan of Marcos because of his crisp guitar work and his distinct voice on recent Antibalas tunes "War Hero" and "Hilo". We walked into the cool dark acoustically-awesome room of Joe's Pub and our feet started moving right away. Marcos Garcia was behind what looked like an old school keyboard/synth and a few effects pedals lined up, with a microphone there too, of course. He was joined by two other musicians, one behind a computer/mixing board/synth (I think...), supplying the bed effects and parts with uncontrollable style and passion, the other playing bongoes, a cymbal, and a drum pad so deep in the pocket that it was hard to believe he was playing live. They were blasting through infectious grooves that were crafted for the dance floor, for venues like this. The flow was so good - and when Marcos would come out to sing, the music would elevate. The vocal parts and lines were so on point for the music they were making. When the set ended, we wanted more Chico Mann, to say the least. We had just gotten started. I could have listened to those grooves - the high keys lines played by Marcos layered on the Fela Kuti-esque guitar parts layered on the synth melodic bed layered on the crisp bongos layered on the simple drum machine pattern - for hours longer. Long story short, and I think I can speak for Billy when I say this: SEE/LISTEN TO CHICO MANN!!

-miles

ps. go to ChicoMann.com for more.

Monday, January 25, 2010

FELA! The Musical


This is an order from Miles to see FELA! THE MUSICAL, now on Broadway.
Put simply, the show is so uplifting. The music is great, supplied from members of Antibalas, lead by Aaron Johnson. From the moment you walk in to the theater, the band is already going with infectious afrobeat Fela and Antibalas grooves. I couldn't help stomp my feet on my way to my seats. I was having a good time before the show even started!

And the show itself was great. Very entertaining, funny and theatrical but not over-done. If you don't know who Fela Kuti was (and you are wondering why all these people are talking about him), this is a great way to learn the basics about his life. He was an amazingly influential character, and though his name has seriously come into the media, more people need to know about him: his life, his music, his legacy. Anybody in any line of work can learn from him.

To learn more, go to www.felaonbroadway.com. Take one night out of your busy lives to free your mind and experience the spirit of Fela!

m

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Check out afro-funky show thursday night (1/21)

There's a party goin on thursday night at Cameo in Brooklyn courtesy of Zongo Junction, an ill young afrobeat band with friends from NYU and New School. Also playing is the constantly fresh Ikebe Shakedown... so check it out, there will definitely be members of EMEFE there!

It is important to support afrobeat in any way possible - it is the most uplifting music out there today and any effort to keep it up should be supported and recognized... and danced to!!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

EMEFE's thoughts on JUSTICE





Justice.....not too much can be said to categorize this duo of musical geniuses. Not only have they single-handedly been able to reinvent electro/dance music in less than 6 years, but also have managed to tour the globe and pick up 4 GRAMMY Nominations, 3 MTV Europe Music Awards, and 1 MTV Video Music Award along the way. Being an avid listener of Justice, I pride myself in knowing that each remix of theirs not only serves "justice" to the original tune, but absolutely blows the original out of the water, making the final product a hit every time. Being a trumpet player who enjoys jazz, hip hop, and big band swing music, one would not normally think that I would be attracted to a group like Justice, and I could imagine why. But the reason that I love Justice so much is the exact same reason that I enjoy jazz, hip hop, and swing ----- because it GROOVES! Who could not like music that just makes you want to jump out of your seat and move your body! Justice's music is legendary in that manner--when one puts on a song, say their hit, "DVNO", something is triggered in the mind that causes immediate movement in the lower quarters which slowly but surely creeps into the upper ligaments and creates an all out dancing freak. Having just recently purchased tickets to see Justice LIVE in NYC in February, you can imagine why my body is already feeling the urge to move. I am preparing myself for one of the most epic shows ever, and I will try very hard to remain relatively calm throughout it.

So kids, if you have not heard any of Justice's tracks, go out and educate yourself! Their album "Cross" is on sale everywhere and they are planning to release a brand spankin new CD early this year.

PEACE

-B.A.

Monday, January 11, 2010

ahh, the new year...


2010 it is, and these two pictures pretty much sum up how (i think) this year will go.

first we have: DESSERT.
taken at the Ritz Carlton hotel in florida, man what a spread... and this is only one half of the table! the chocolate at this place, unbelievable. really chocolatey. anyway, this year will definitely bring some treats like those pictured here. yeah, Tiger Woods is supposedly a dirty dirty boy, and yeah NBC is about to put Jay Leno back to Conan's spot, but there are rosy happy times ahead, i assure you. great music is brewing, life goes on - let's just smile and eat our dessert.


then we have: URINAL.
taken on the corner of bleecker and carmine, this speaks for itself pretty much. 2010 - THE FUTURE! You have some nudey mags and tabloids in the window, toilet's there if you need it. it's the new thing! THE FUTURE! anything can happen on the street... it's a free country, ain't it?

well, it will be an exciting year. EMEFE will truly make its presence felt. we hope you will be there with us.

-m

Friday, January 1, 2010

Bernard "Pretty" Purdie

Happy New Year!!

Nothing like the purdie shuffle,
a true legend, and a happiness-spreading man



What a beat



And again, killing it with the King



Have a happiness filled 2010!