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11/25/04

Nomadic Wax Brings Senegal Hip-Hop to Brooklyn

By Jack Hamilton

Upon the most surface listening, the veteran rap duo BMG 44’s most recent release, a track titled simply “44”, sounds virtually indistinguishable from something you’d hear rolling out of a car on your block in Brooklyn. The chorus is ragged and sounds like an anthem, a la Ja Rule or DMX (or even ONYX?), while the flow on the verses is more polished but no less forceful, invoking more than a shade of classic KRS-One. The beat is true-school, through and through, owing as much to the legacies of Pete Rock and DJ Premier as any great hip-hop track should. Upon anything more than the most surface listen, however, while you would undoubtedly still hear these traits, what would most likely catch your ear first is the fact that you can’t understand a single thing these MC’s are saying.

BMG 44 are rapping in Wolof, which unless you’ve spent significant time in Gambia, Mauritania or, in the case of BMG 44, Senegal, would probably sound vaguely like French but not much else. Already a classic in Senegal, “44” is the opening cut off “African Underground, Vol. 1: Hip-Hop Senegal”, a compilation that stands as the flagship release of a small, Brooklyn-based record label called Nomadic Wax. Featuring fourteen tracks from various Senegalese MCs, all of whom are legends on the wildly popular hip-hop scene of their small, West African country, but thoroughly unknown almost anywhere else, “African Underground, Vol. 1” hits American stores on November 30th. With its unveiling, Nomadic Wax has set its eyes on a heretofore unprecedented level of international exposure for both Senegalese hip-hop and, ultimately, African hip-hop in general.

The founder of Nomadic Wax is a 28-year-old Brooklynite Ben Herson, whose passion for African hip-hop is surpassed only by his belief in Nomadic Wax’s ability to take this music, and these artists, to unimagined heights. Herson, with the help of engineer Dan Cantor, produced and recorded all of the tracks on “African Underground, Vol. 1”, a labor that represented the culmination of a ten-year love affair with Senegalese music. Raised in the Boston area, Herson began studying drums at a young age, and at the age of 15 became acquainted with a Senegalese drummer, also living in Boston. The two became friends, and ten years later, Herson made his first trip to Senegal.

“To be honest, when I started going to Senegal it was really just to study drums, that was my intention,” says Herson. “My first time there I was only there for two weeks, and the second-to-last day I was there I was just in the marketplace, checking it out. The way the music industry works over there, there are these little shacks that sell all the cassettes, and there are about 20 or 30 of them in a given marketplace. You can pretty much get anything you’re looking for; and I saw that there was a whole bunch of local hip-hop and decided to check it out. I grabbed a couple cassettes, took them back home, and just started listening.”

Herson, who’d been listening to hip-hop for about as long as he could remember, was moved by what he heard on the cassettes; so moved that, in 2000, he found himself writing his senior thesis at Hampshire College on Senegalese hip-hop. The next year he returned to Senegal, this time with some bare-bones beats and a newfound desire to actually record the MC’s who’d first inspired him.

“After I finished writing my thesis, I kept in touch with a lot of the MC’s and went back in 2001 to start to record,” recalls Herson. “My original intention was just to stay as a production company; it was never, ever my intention to start a record label with this thing. It was just to produce the music and find somebody else to release it.”

Over the next three years, Herson honed his production skills and began enlisting the help of other New York-based musicians. Soon he had established a studio in Bed-Stuy, and had begun collaborating with other African artists living in the US. Herson’s initial reluctance in starting a label of his own was overcome by his excitement over the possibilities he saw developing. Since completing work on “Vol. 1”, Herson has turned his efforts towards Nomadic Wax’s next project, a volume of Tanzanian hip-hop; eventually he and his company hope to record a compilation for every country in Africa with a prominent hip-hop scene. In the meantime, Nomadic Wax has secured both domestic and international distribution for “African Underground, Vol. 1: Hip-Hop Senegal”, which hits stores in America November 30th and is penciled for a mid-March release in Europe. Besides having huge expectations for the compilation’s potential impact, especially in Europe, where an ever-growing West African population has been largely ignored by music distributors, Herson and Nomadic Wax are thrilled at the prospect of hopefully rewarding the artists on “African Underground, Vol. 1” with previously unknown economic success.

“The way the industry is set up in Senegal, even if you’re selling tons of cassettes, you can’t survive on that,” explains Herson. “Cassettes are manufactured for about a dollar, and sell for about a dollar-fifty. Unless the artists are tapping into the Western market, that’s the only way they’re going to make any money, and the only way they have made any money. And we’re not even talking a lot of money; just enough to come home off the road and give their parents a little bit of dough, and maybe buy a new pair of sneakers.”

At the very least, the release of “African Underground, Vol 1: Hip-Hop Senegal” will be responsible for putting a few more dollars in a mother’s pocket, and a few more pairs of sneakers on a few more pairs of feet. But if the passion and purpose behind Nomadic Wax is any indication, Ben Herson and his artists might be on the verge of something far more lasting, and far more monumental.

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10/30/04

Gary U.S. Bonds: Brings Rock and Blues to Greenpoint

By Scott Robertson

While the art and music scene that has made its way from Manhattan to Williamsburg over the past ten years seems like the nucleus of everything hip and happening, some of it took a trip over the Williamsburg Bridge and found itself in Greenpoint, an already flourishing community of artists and musicians. Although many think of Williamsburg as the scene for stars and celebrated acts, they should know that Greenpoint too boasts quite the bill.

With organizations such as New York Dance and Arts Innovations (NYDAI) leading a neighborhood passionate about their music, venues like Club Europa heeded the call. Beyond bringing the best of Poland to the stage, Club Europa concerts range from classical to metal, from jazz to rock, encompassing at times a state of the art laser light show.

While Manhattan and Williamsburg get all the hype, Greenpoint, NYDAI, and Club Europa are doing it right! Booking shows so good you may think about moving to Manhattan Avenue, where rock n’ roll is just a stroll away.
Not only was the Rock and Blues Legends Night at Club Europa the best show for your dough in town, it gave new meaning to the phrase up close and personal.

Gary U.S. Bonds, one of the worlds most prized R&B singers, played to an intimate crowd for almost two hours. This is a man who influenced a generation with his legendary spirit, energy and song. This is a man whose music Rolling Stone Magazine called “some of America’s best rock n’ roll”. This is a man that played at Club Europa in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, an undisputed musical legend, that sang Ray Charles, Otis Redding and his own songs right here for all of us in our own backyard. Now that is truly “music to the ears”.

Bonds sang hit after good-time hit, from his own “New Orleans” to Otis Redding’s “Dreams to Remember” which wrapped itself around the audience like an old best friend. Fans listened in awe as they sat practically on the stage, knowing that they have seen him play all of these songs before, but never like this.

Bonds spoke to the audience as if Club Europa was his living room and his fans were his friends. The music was almost too good to be so tangible, but then again, Bonds lived in Brooklyn a long time ago, and said that he was happy to be home and to see the communities of Williamsburg and Greenpoint bursting with so many artists.

Gary U.S. Bonds and his band the Roadhouse Rockers; sang monumental songs with style and skill not often heard in modern day music. And if it were not for the proximity of the stage or the friendly dialogue between Bonds and his fans that seemed to weave each song to the next, this performance could have warranted the largest of arenas. But, it happened at Club Europa, a short walk from Greenpoint Avenue and the G train, and that is reason enough to be excited for the music and performances to come.

Club Europa
98 Meserole Avenue (Corner of Manhattan Ave.)
718.383.5723
www.europaclub.com

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10/03/04

Second Annual Jazz Festival receives a standing ovation
By Becky Wicks

Some would say that there’s nothing more soothing to the soul than the sound of a solo saxophone, singing out to a crowded room. But perhaps a close second is clutching that cool glass of wine with your fingers and taking gentle sips in your comfy chair as the music wraps itself around you. When an entire jazz band attacks your senses at the same time as the wine, enveloping you in a melodious blanket right there in your local bar well, that’s when you know you’re witnessing something really special.

The first Annual Williamsburg Jazz Festival in 2003 began as a vision conjured up by jazz musician and enthusiast, Jesse Selengut, who is absolutely thrilled by the response.

“It was our intent to create a music festival of lasting cultural significance, by featuring up-and-coming fresh voices in jazz alongside nationally known and established artists”.

It’s exciting for everybody involved to know that all 20 bands at all 4 of the venues, Laila Lounge, IO Restaurant, Galapagos and Club Europa, were met with eager anticipation and followed with rapturous applause. The four unique jazz themes of the festival were classic, electro, Latin and Polish, and some nights were so popular that people were actually turned away at the door!

“An excellent definition of art is that it makes you feel different, special, and somehow enriched to be around it,” says Jesse. “The greatest success of all to me, was witnessing this ‘happening art’ and seeing people having such a great time.”

LAILA LOUNGE
Laila Lounge welcomed the festival for a second straight year. Those in attendance at Laila for its evening of Electro Jazz saw Sylvia Gordon mixing her powerful jazz vocals with sprinkles of soul and pop.

Joy Askew, equipped with her laptop, also performed sexy electro covers of Cole Porter tunes. Laila, located at North 7th and Berry Street, was also excited and honored to host the festival’s biggest and youngest act. 19 year-old rising star Nellie McKay brought down the house with her distinctive and charming singing and songwriting skills.

Watching from the back of the room, hidden, if it weren’t for the green light from the cigarette machine, Mrs. Mckay listened as her daughter’s dreamy and sometimes quirky voice drifted over the heads of more than a hundred people to reach her maternal (and managerial) ears. Is she proud of how far Nellie has come since her childhood days in Harlem?

“Not so much proud as tired,” she said with a wry smile. “I still have to do her laundry!” Despite Nellie’s laundry habits, online tickets for her performance sold out three weeks before the show. According to event founder Jesse, “Friday was definitely the hottest night!”

GALAPAGOS

This dark and cozy venue on North 6th Street, with its huge reflective pool was swimming with jazz fans on Friday night when Chicago born saxophonist Chris Potter wowed the crowds with his unique, energetic performance. Galapagos is a popular venue for Williamsburg artists to display their many creative talents and it really hit a high note when Friday’s performances packed the space with its largest crowd in five years!

Thursday’s impressive Polish night saw Marek’s Jazz Vision and The Komeda Project dazzling the masses. The bright sounds of Polish Folk and Classic Jazz really lit up the dim room! Marek’s phenomenal and sometimes funky trumpet skills have earned him credit both in America and in Europe.

It was hard not to feel the energy emerging from the stage as The Gerry Eastman Quartet revved up their instruments on Saturday night. It was equally hard not to wonder how Gerry managed to not fall over as he grooved enthusiastically with his huge upright bass! Gerry, who operates the Williamsburg Music Center on South 5th Street and Bedford Avenue, played with an inspiring passion, staying true to the Center’s mission of preserving classical jazz.

IO RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE Kent Avenue was pumping on Saturday. Classic Jazz night was the perfect accompaniment to the many delicious meals that were ordered. Salads were served and saxophones were heard as Between Green filled the room with a soft but soulful sound. Largely influenced by Michael McGinnis, these five guys have a passion for incorporating improvisation to create a different performance every time. The piano twinkled like the stars outside on this chilly end-of-summer evening. You could almost imagine the notes drifting out over the East River towards Manhattan from this waterside venue.

Papio wine samples added to the flavor of Eric Reed’s piano performance at 11 p.m., and comfortable diners patted their full stomachs and tapped their toes to his tunes. Other performances at IO throughout the festival included Ray Vega, Howard Fishman and the Talat Ensemble.

CLUB EUROPA There’s something in the way he closes his eyes when he plays; when his cheeks puff out like a hamster as he blows the trumpet, you know the music is taking Jesse Selengut to another place.

His band NOIR plays regularly at Laila Lounge but on Sunday night it was Club Europa’s turn to move their heads to this exciting electronica and groove-infused jazz. Club Europa on Meserole Avenue in Greenpoint, hosts many types of musical events and was a perfect setting for the jazz festival. Flickering candles lit the comfy red couches, and couples snuggled with their wine glasses, wishing it wasn’t Sunday and trying to forget it was the last night of the festival! Golden Monkey teased the crowds with vibes, flutes and samplers before NOIR bent eardrums even further with their mysterious and moody mix of instruments, which some have even called psychedelic.

The 2004 Williamsburg Jazz Festival was a huge success, one that will definitely be repeated and expanded upon next year! Jesse hopes to maybe add one more venue to the list.
“The whole event is growing. Unlike last year, this time we had production managers in each place with walkie-talkies! I was able to play with NOIR knowing that my team would take care of things.”
When asked if he’d like to make the next festival last a week instead of four days he laughed, flashed a tired but happy smile and said four nights was quite enough for him. But like the energy that Jesse exerts when playing his trumpet, his dreams too have plenty of power behind them.
“In five years from now, I hope the event will be held outside in McCarren Park so we can fit 10 to 20,000 people!”
Judging by these past four harmonious days of Williamsburg Jazz, it might be wise to reserve that space on the grass for September 2009!

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