Thursday, December 27, 2007

Reggae Evolution - Best of 2007 Show

Jah Ray and I have joined forces for the Best of 2007 show and it will air on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 from 7-10 PM on KAZI 88.7 FM. We have picked out the very best tunes for the year so I hope you can tune in.

If you missed it, you can download the full show here: Music4Life Podcast.

DJ-RJ

Friday, December 14, 2007

Duran Duran

I got to go to the show this week at Austin Music Hall and it was awesome! They announced that their new single Falling Down, which was produced by Justin Timberlake was #1 on Mix 94.7 FM. They played it and it sounded great along with all of their obvious hits. My favs: Notorious, Wild Boys, Rio, Reach Up For The Sunrise, and Girls On Film (encore). For some reason they did not do Hungry Like The Wolf. Amazing that they can still be relevant and great after so many years!

Thursday, November 29, 2007

New Pictures Coming

We finally did a team photo shoot tonight with Jenny Rhea and enjoyed ourselves. Look for them on the website soon.

RJ

Sunday, November 18, 2007

More Latin Vibes

My renewed passion for salsa continues daily.

Finally got a chance to see El Cantante with Marc Anthony & J.Lo on DVD this week. It's the story of Hector Lavoe. The music is great! Get the CD or check out the video.

Got turned on to Cortijo y Su Combo today from a friend and been checking out some of his songs via iTunes. He was popular in the 50s and 60s and incorporated the plena and bomba rhythms of Puerto Rico into his music.

Found that Andy MontaƱez was in his band in the 70s. He released an album called Salsaton in 2006, where he merged salsa with reggaeton that is very good. Nice that they kept most of the acoustic vibes of salsa as opposed to the same cliched reggaeton beat. Check out Se Le Ve.

All for now!

DJ-RJ

Monday, November 12, 2007

Great Weekend

I had two great gigs this weekend.

Saturday night, I did a Sweet 16 party for Paige. Played almost all hip-hop all night over at Chez Zee's Gallery Room on Balcones. I spoke with Mary Frances after the event and was surprised to find out that the place is quite affordable to rent. Great for cocktails or a small party. They can comfortably feed 70-80 people.

On Sunday, I did sound at Unity and then hustled over to Pfluger Hall for a wedding. It was an Indian-Filipino union and we had a great time. Played some bhangra music and lots of other Top 40 hits. Also did the ceremony earlier in the day at her parent's house in Pflugerville. The ceremony was an hour long and was so beautiful. They had Filipino and Indian rituals. I had a great time and feel so fortuante to be part of their special day. Big shout out and congrats to Venu & Liezl !

DJ-RJ

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Persian Reggae?

What next?

These sisters have some sweet music!

ABJEEZ
RJ

Two New Interviews

Two great reggae artists, one from Germany and Kris Brown from Ohio plus you can hear me playing drums too on one of them. Hope you dig these:
Here is a shot from Saturday night doing the hokey pokey:
Bless You in all that you do!
DJ-RJ

Excited

I am working this morning at Sacred Shelf bookstore and excited to be getting back to full speed in my life! So many good things happening.

Been updating the website and scheduling a photoshoot for the whole team. Tonight Lori and I will attend a dinner with ISES memebers. Have a new print ad for Austin Wedding Day that I am quite excited about. Got a great image and design that I think is going to grab people's attention.

And then of course there is music. The new Annie Lennox Sing is great. Interesting also to me is the return of the Spice Girls and their new single that seems to making some noise, as well as their tour and other deals.

Had two nice interviews on my Tuesday night radio show. One with Umberto Echo from Munich and also Kris Brown from Austin about his CD release which I was fortunate to be able to play drums on. Look for them on the PODCAST very soon (today hopefully).

This weekend I have a 14 year-old birthday party at Chez Zee and a wedding at Pfluger Hall.

Life is good!

DJ-RJ

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Wedding Folks

Last night I performed at a wonderful wedding at Great Hills Country Club. The dancefloor was full almost the whole night. Got a chance to play some cumbias for a change and enjoyed that. They also had Mariachi Garibay and The Texas Dragon Dance Team that were very cool. The officiant who did the service was Larry Todd with Austin Wedding Chaplains. We got to hang out for awhile during the evening and he told me about their organization. The money they collect to do weddings helps out veterans, police and firemen and their rates are pretty affordable, plus you get to write off that expense as a tax deductible donation. Great deal for everybody!

Great Swing Music

Mom, Lori and I went to see A Ride With Bob last night at Paramount Theatre. It was a play that told the story of Bob Wills written by Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel. The music was incredible and the actors were great too. Learned a lot about Bob's life and what he went through.

I was really impressed by The Quebe Sisters, who my sister had seen a few weeks ago in Ft Worth. These 3 young sisters play fiddle and sing like The Andrews Sisters. Simply amazing! We go to meet them and buy a CD. Quite impressive to see so much talent! Check them out!

RJ

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

October 13th - Salsa Time!!!!

I am really excited about this show!!!!! Come out and celebrate with me and dance your butt off!!

RJ

On Saturday October 13th, Flamingo Cantina continues its exploration of international flair as Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca fuses an entire diaspora’s worth of influence to a chassis of Afro-Cuban origin. Born in the Congo of Angolan ancestry, Ricardo Lemvo formed Makina Loca 17 years ago in Los Angeles and the 10-piece band quickly attracted worldwide attention with their seamless blend of Cuban son montuno and Zairean soukous. With Lemvo fluently singing in each of Spanish, Lingala, Kikongo, French, English, and Portuguese, a Makina Loca set conjures exotic travel as an escape route from American cultural isolation. Promoting its fifth album titled Isabela after Lemvo’s newborn daughter, Makina Loca expects to open the hearts of those long-due for the Cuban clave’ rhythm to act as their Afro-Latin tour guide.

DJ-RJ opens the show with a hot mix of salsa, merengue, bachata, reggaeton and more.

Doors at 8:30 p.m. Cover is $12/$14; tickets are available at End of an Ear Records located at 2209 S 1st St and Flamingo Cantina located at 515 E. Sixth Street, venue phone 512/494-9336. www.flamingocantina.com.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Amazon selling downloads now!

I just tried out Amazon's new digital music downloads and I'm impressed! There is no copy protection on the files and they are at 256k bitrate which is higher than iTunes. No copy protection means I won't have to burn them to CD and then rerip them to run them in my DJ software. Their price is the same as iTunes at .99 cents a song. Amazon also has things that iTunes does not have. So I know where I might be buying a lot more of my music now.

iTunes does offer some of their music without DRM copy protection, though those are $1.29 each.

DJ-RJ

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

I Know You Got Soul

That record had a lot of influence on me and many others who sampled it.

Rest in peace Bobby!

RJ


Funk/Soul/R&B/Gospel musician and songwriter,Bobby Byrd past today in an Atlanta Hospital
Bobby Byrd was best known as James Brown's longtime sideman and co-vocalist on songs such as Licking Stick - Licking Stick, Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine and Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved. Byrd also recorded many solo funk tracks, most famously I Know You Got Soul (1971), which have been sampled by musicians including Public Enemy, Eric B. & Rakim, Ice Cube, LL Cool J and A Tribe Called Quest. He was the original leader and founder of The Famous Flames, the vocal group with which James Brown first became famous. Byrd is actually the man who discovered James Brown.

Bobby Byrd and James Brown met in a Georgia youth detention facility. Brown was an inmate, Byrd was not. Byrd's local baseball team played the prison team of which Brown was a member. It was Bobby Byrd's family that sponsored his release and took him in afterwards.

Byrd was leader of a vocal group called The Avons when Brown joined in the mid-1950s. The Avons later became The Flames, then The Famous Flames, before they were repackaged with Brown as the frontman. James Brown and the Famous Flames, with Byrd as a member, recorded many hit songs, including Please, Please, Please, Think, Bewildered, Oh Baby, Don't You Weep, I'll Go Crazy, and many more. Brown and The Flames were also known for their powerful on stage performances across the United States in venues such as the Apollo Theatre in New York, the Regal in Chicago,and The Royal Theatre in Baltimore (where they recorded the 1964 Top 10 Pop live album "Pure Dynamite: Live at the Royal}, among numerous other concert venues, and on film in the 1964 concert film the T.A.M.I. Show, where Brown, Byrd, and the other Famous Flames (Bobby Bennett and "Baby Lloyd" Stallworth) upstaged The Rolling Stones. Byrd also appeared with Brown and the group in the 1965 Frankie Avalon motion picture Ski Party, Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and twice on The Ed Sullivan Show. Byrd was the only member of The Flames to remain with Brown when the group disbanded in 1968.

He was married to soul singer Vicki Anderson, another James Brown collaborator. His step-daughter is Carleen Anderson.

In October 2004 Bobby Byrd's songs I Know You Got Soul and Hot Pants were featured on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack, playing on fictional radio station Master Sounds 98.3. Also, in September 2005 his song Try It Again appeared on the soundtrack of Indigo Prophecy.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Blood Diamonds

I watched Blood Diamond with Leonardo DiCaprio last night and learned a lot about the issue of conflict diamonds and how they are used to fund civil war in Africa.

I want to encourage all of you who are buying diamond rings to ask the people you are buying them from if the diamonds they are selling you are certified "conflict-free." The Kimberly Process was put in place in 2003 and it requires governments to certify that shipments of rough diamonds are free from blood diamonds. Apparently it is not working totally and diamonds are still being sold that have not been certified.

Here are some more links to get more information: Global Witness, Democracy Now.

DJ-RJ

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

On The Air

I am doing my first live show tonight on KAZI 88.7 FM from 7-10 PM. The new studio is awesome!

Tune in and enjoy the vibes!

RJ

Monday, June 11, 2007

The O'Neil Brothers

If you need music for your wedding ceremony, then there is a great resource that you should check out. The O'Neill Brothers are from Minnesota, and they have produced a large selection of music that is ideal for Wedding Ceremonies. You can order their CDs online or download the music in DRM-Free MP3 format through their website.

O'Neil Brothers

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Updates

I discovered a new artist from Jamaica who is mixing rock with reggae and doing it quite well! So, thought I would post a link so other folks could check her out. Her name is Tessanne Chin and I am amazed at her voice and the production. The whole thing!

Check her on MySpace: TESSANNE

Anne and I have booked another live show for Vida Deluxe on Wednesday, June 27th at Flamingo Cantina. We're also working on another date for Irie Bean the same week (we hope).

Anne and I were vendors at the BiGAustin Idea Day last week aty The Hilton and it was awesome! We provided music for the awards show, which was MCed by Ron Oliveira. Big thanks to DJ Ted who did an excellent job running the tracks. Next week we are doing the Seton Nurses Week show at Doubletree Hotel for about 800 nurses! Should be cool with a fashion show focusing on the history of nurse wear. Anne will have some of her scrubs and t-shirts on sale and Music4Life will be providing sound reinforcement and music for the show.

Renovation continues at the KAZI studios, so no live shows until that is finished. We're doubling our space and it should be a real nice to have more room to work in.

All for now!

DJ-RJ


When you can find joy where there is nothing, you can find joy in anything. Place no conditions on happiness, and it is always yours.

Embrace the uncertainty of the future, for within that uncertainty is limitless, fertile ground for creating beauty, joy and fulfillment. When you no longer need security, you will indeed have it.

Accept that you do not know, and there is no limit to what you can learn. Let go of the need to possess, and there is no end to what you can have.

There is a universe filled with beauty in each tiny grain of sand. There is a lifetime of experience in every small moment of the day.

Be true to your purpose and fulfillment will find you. With what you have to give, you can reach all you could ever imagine to seek.

See the joy where there is nothing, and everywhere else as well. Live the beauty that is now, and truly know the abundant richness that is life.

-- Ralph Marston

Friday, April 06, 2007

Great Food for Your Event

I attended the ISES monthly meeting yesterday at Whole Foods and the food was excellent and fresh! Contact Hannah Moore for more information at 542-2209 on how they can help you with your event.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Austin's Green Wedding Venue

The Barr Mansion is about to be certified as Austin's only green wedding restaurant serving only organic food. I think that is great news for those of you who are looking for higher quality meals at your reception. Check out the article for more info.

DJ-RJ

Saturday, March 31, 2007

The Aloha Spirit

Tuned in to Hawai'i 101 tonight while hanging out with my mother and it has been wonderful vibes. Not quite as good as being there, though the spirit is in the music for sure!

Check it out and relax:

Hawai'i 101

DJ-RJ

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

New Wedding Planner

I received an email from a sweet woman named Marsha Jack today who was very excited about her new business. I gave her a call and we spoke for a few minutes about her new company called A Gay Affair. She is Austin's first wedding planner catering to the GLBT community and I'm sure she would be delighted to help you plan your event.

DJ-RJ

Friday, March 16, 2007

Building The 50-Year Marriage

In these times with so many marriages ending in divorce, it seems like a great idea to make an investment in the relationship you are building so you can go the distance. I met Julie Darby at the Bridal Show last Sunday and she is offering a course on how to build a 50-year marriage on Saturday, April 7th at the Rennaisance Hotel.

Check out her website for more information: Block Out The Noise.

Wishing you the best this weekend!

DJ-RJ

Monday, March 12, 2007

Join Us at BiG Austin Marketplace 2007

Every day more things happen that bring me an immense amount of joy and show me that I am exactly where I am supposed to be in life. I just found out I have been one of the 20 businesses picked to participate in BiGMarketplace 2007 at The Hilton on Friday, April 27th. I am just elated!

Special thanks to Anne for kicking my butt to register. Her unwavering support continues to inspire me every day!

DJ-RJ

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Bridal Show



Special thanks to all of the couples who came by our booth today at The Convention Center and spoke with us about the reception. Ted, Lori and I had a great time and we look forward to making some more new friends to celebrate with. Special thanks also to Dan at PrintGlobe for the awesome banner and next day delivery too.

RJ

Thursday, March 08, 2007

New Venue in Dripping Springs



A client turned me on to an awesome new wedding venue today in Dripping Springs called Vista West Ranch. The venue is owned and operated by Cindy Pearson and her husband and has a capacity of 350. They are booking now and in the final stages of construction. They open at the end of May and they are currently running special pricing at $2,000. That's a great deal if you are looking for a nice place away from Austin.

They also have a floral business called Petal Pushers.

DJ-RJ

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Bridal Show - This Sunday

Hope to see you this Sunday at The Austin Convention Center from 12:30-5pm. The whole team will be there to answer any questions you may have about the services we provide for weddings. We are in booth #606. More info and tickets are available online.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Recent Photos

Here is one from the Vida Deluxe gig on Sunday at Flamingo Cantina:



Congratulations to Jeff & Nikki! From Saturday night out at Creekside Pavillion:






And last weekend at Trevor & Victoria's birthday party:



Having fun!!!

Tomorrow and Wednesday I will be recording the kids for UIL competition during the day.

DJ-RJ

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Beats for Pizza

I booked a wedding tonight with Naddy & Tanner that I am very excited about. Naddy is from Trinidad and we will be playing lots of soca and calypso music along with American music at Plantation House in Pflugerville. This one is going to be hot!

Just finished working with Mark Brown on a demo for a commercial for Mangia Pizza. We came up with a cool beat and laid the vocals in about an hour.

Just got an MP3 on email from Nick and a new mix of the DnB track we are working on and it is coming along quite nicely. We set the lifeline to have it finished on April 1st and then we will release it digitally to iTunes and probably also Beatport and see what happens.

RJ

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Creating Music

I did my first session with Booof 7 tonight and we have some great vibes coming together with a funk tune we are working on together. I'm very excited about it. You can hear an early demo of it on MySpace. Looking forward to getting it out into the world and seeing what happens with it.

I sent an MP3 of the Workie Workie riddim to General Levy (at his request). He is a ragga MC from London and he wants to voice a song on it. Next I will see about licensing the rights to the riddim track from Steely & Clevie.

Work continues on a drum-n-bass track that I have been working on with Nick Little. I think we're calling the project 10 Cents Mofo, which is what it costs Nick every time I send him a text message. LOL!

My sweetie and I are putting together a new band project called Vida Deluxe for a benefit for my friend Yellow at Flamingo Cantina on Sunday March 4th. Yellow is in the hospital and needs a heart transplant. The lineup is going to be great with Grimy Styles and Mau Mau Chaplains and more. Also, just found out Mad Professor will be in town Saturday night at Flamingo with his Dub You Crazy show. Should be cool.

Sent my application to ASCAP last night to start publishing the songs I have been writing under the name Music4Life.

Have been booking lots of shows with the DJ business too, so life is great!

Let me know if I can help you in any way and don't give up on your dreams.

DJ-RJ

Monday, January 29, 2007

Podcast Launched

Woohoo! I have posted the first episode of the Music4Life podcast today:

Music4Life

You can leave comments and feedback there.

DJ-RJ

Monday, January 15, 2007

Great Vibes Today



Dad and I got out in the ice today and did 2 hours of great 50s R&B (see playlist in the comments). Got lots of calls from folks who were digging it.

Had 2 awesome weddings this weekend also.

Life is great!

DJ-RJ

Thursday, January 11, 2007

New Music Moving Me!

A couple CDs I am excited about today.

James Hunter's album, People Gonna Talk is like taking a journey back to the 50s when RnB was quite different from how it is today. All live instrumentation and crisp recording. James is an English soul singer and I can't wait to turn my father on to it. Very nice!

Another new thing a friend turned me on to is a French artist named Jehro (pronounced ZHE-ro). His self-titled album is really a breath of fresh air for me. He is a Frenchman who moved to London and soaked up the sounds of reggae and soul around him and his created his own sound from those influences. I hear Bob Marley influences, with sweet vocals, some in Spanish too. Acoustic soul vibes!

One of my MySpace friends posted some new songs to iTunes today and I quite like them as well. The group name is Ror-Shak from Brooklyn and their sound is smooth pop and electronic with Julee Cruise on vocals. Similar sound to Zero 7.

Check them out and enjoy some fresh new sounds!

DJ-RJ

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Recording - New Year Vibes - Pops

Been in the studio more lately it seems. Did some vocal overdubs with Jye-I on Sunday and today recorded demos of three songs for Lissie Connelly and also got her up on MySpace. Check her out and say hey.

Had a great show on Monday (see comments for playlist). The new What It Is! funk compilation from Rhino is fantastic. Played some tracks from that and also excited about Omar's album called Sing (If You Want It). Since the new year turned over I have had a lot to sing about.

Later this week, my father is in town again. Tune in to my show next Monday from 1-3 pm when he will sit in with me agin. Last time we played 50s R&B and got great response from listeners.

This week Austin Wedding Day magazine will premiere their first edition for 2007 in a new format and size. I'm looking forward to seeing it as well as the new ad in it for Music4Life... then two weddings this weekend that I am excited about.

All for now. Seattle's Best just asked me to turn off the open sign so I guess I gotta get out of here.

All the best to you this year!!

DJ-RJ

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Vinyl is Alive


Did my reggae show tonight and played almost all vinyl. It was so nice to revisit those times. I just don't get to play much vinyl any more. Really enjoyed those pops and ticks!

Happy New Year!

DJ-RJ
ps: click the comments for the full playlist