Three Black Kings and a Black Queen: H.E.R and the LA Philharmonic

Three Black Kings and a Black Queen: H.E.R and the LA Philharmonic

Aug.14, 2021

Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA

By Shelah Moody

“Freedom for my brothers

Freedom 'cause they judge us

Freedom from the others

Freedom from the leaders, they're keeping us

Freedom gon' keep us strong

Freedom if you just hold on

Freedom ain't free at all, no…”— H.E.R.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, opened their sold-out, Aug. 14 concert at the Hollywood Bowl with “Star-Spangled Banner.”

The national anthem would have been appropriate for a July 4th picnic or a fireworks show, but opening with an antiquated song written by Francis Scott Key, a slave owner who saw blacks as inferior (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Scott_Key) seemed wildly inappropriate at a concert celebrating black music. This concert featured one of the industry’s most celebrated and woke artists, Oscar and Grammy winner Gabriela Wilson, aka, H.E.R.

I confess that I started a bit of good trouble when the “Star-Spangled Banner” played. I muttered under my breath that I would remain seated. The mixed group of millennials on my left heard me and remained seated as well. The older white gay couple on my right said they agreed and so did the Asians seated in front of us. The young black woman who’d just popped a bottle of champagne for her birthday did not rise, either.

We, as one section united, masked up, loving music, hating injustice, remained seated until the “Star-Spangled Banner” was over.

The LA Philharmonic redeemed themselves after the awkward opening, performing Duke Ellington’s eloquent jazz composition “Three Black Kings” a symphonic eulogy honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Then, she appeared wearing an oversized red satin shirt, matching shorts, black heels, trademark shades, and waist-length wavy hair. Appropriately, the 24-year-old phenomenon known as H.E.R. made her grand entrance as the LA Phil played melodic, string-infused riffs of Marvin Gaye’s protest anthem “Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler”). Her sultry, R&B vocals soared high above the nosebleed seats as she segued into Gaye’s “What’s Going On.”

H.E.R. was stunned with her two original compositions (I’d pick either to replace the” Star-Spangled Banner” as America’s national anthem). One was “Fight for You,” (from the film “Judas and the Black Messiah”) which earned the Vallejo, CA- born singer an Oscar for Best Original Song, and the other was “I Can’t Breathe” which earned H.E.R. a 2020 Grammy Award for Song of the Year.

As she performed “I Can't Breathe,” the names of Breona Taylor, George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland and other African Americans killed by police flashed in intricate designs on the stage.

“Starting a war, screaming, "Peace" at the same time

All the corruption, injustice, the same crimes

Always a problem if we do or don't fight

And we die, we don't have the same right

What is a gun to a man that surrenders?

What's it gonna take for someone to defend her?

If we all agree that we're equal as people

Then why can't we see what is evil?

I can't breathe”

Borrowing a line from a Stevie Wonder song, I consider H.E.R. a female Shakespeare of her time. Watching the “Hard Place” singer jump on the bass, guitar, keyboards, and drums while singing, rapping, and dancing at the Hollywood Bowl show; I’d also put her on the genius level of Prince.

H.E.R. told the audience that performing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic had been one of her top goals.

To top it off, H.E.R., whose moniker means “having everything revealed” is simply adorable. She dedicated her ballad “Best Part,” performed with one of her backup singers in Daniel Caesar’s place, to a lucky couple in the audience who she referred to as “Johnnie and Jasmine.”

During “Best Part,” H.E.R.’s concert became live theater as Johnny got down on one knee, held out a ring box, and proposed to Jasmine in front of the stage. The audience ate it up.

As she sang and played keyboards, H.E.R. dedicated her autobiographical composition “I’m Not Ok” to anyone who has gone through a mental health crisis and asked the audience to turn on their phone flashlights to illuminate the darkness.

Since H.E.R. has collaborated with so many artists including Skip Marley (“Slow Down”), Lauryn Hill (“Sweetest Thing”), YG (“Slide”) DJ Khaled (“We Going Crazy”) and icons such as Hollywood Bowl alumni Janet Jackson is singing her praises on social media, I’d expected a few special guests to pop up at the Hollywood show. But HE.R., accompanied by her soulful band, the LA Phil, her soulful band and an expensive, high-tech light show dazzled on her own. H.E.R. proved that she is enough.

H.E.R performs Sept. 18 and 19 at the Lights out Festival, Concord Pavilion, Concord, CA. (livenation.com). Listen to H.E. R. on Streetwise Radio.

Three Black Kings and a Black Queen: H.E.R and the LA Philharmonic

Mark Anthony Rael , Shines With "For Not The Muse"

                                                             BIOGRAPHY

Born in 1951 in Detroit Michigan, Mark Anthony Rael,  musician, singer ,songwriter, and music producer, made his singing debut at age 12 with his bad, “The Human Race.”   Mark’s singing career was launched with Capital Records in Hollywood, California at age 22.  In 1980, Mark was asked to join the band “The Knack”  (My Sherona) as lead vocalist, but declined to further his solo career. 
Mark has produced and written globally with Belizean Artist Ras Indio, Jamaican Artist Dillgin Tony Bailey and Swedish-African Artist Aminatah.  Closer to his home in Los Angeles, California, Mark produced numbers of local Hip Hop Artist. 
Presently living in San Diego, California, Mark is completing a new album comprised of composition using orchestra, rock, reggae and other exotic rhythms to formulate a fusion of sound with this album.  Mark is currently in the works of forming a band to play live worldwide.
Soon to be released are five new albums including Celtic, R&B and other styles.  “For Not the Muse” was written, performed, produced and mixed by Mark.

Keep Listening to more from this accomplished musician on Streetwise Radio.

You can purchase his CD here.

Titans of Music Celebrate 40th Anniversary of Bob Marley’s “Exodus” Album

By Shelah Moody





Ziggy Marley and Tom Morello 



Photos Courtesy of Tuff Gong Worldwide, copyright 2017

On Nov. 1 at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, titans of reggae, rock, R&B, blues and New Orleans funk joined Ziggy and Stephen Marley in an all-star celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Bob Marley and the Wailers’  “Exodus” album.
 Released in June, 1977, “Exodus,” inspired by the 1976 assassination attempt at Bob Marley’s Kingston, JA home, which led him to leave Jamaica and take refuge in England, was hailed by “Time” magazine as the album of the century.
 The sold-out Exodus 40 Live concert was orchestrated by Bob Marley’s eldest sons, multiple Grammy winners Ziggy and Stephen Marley, in collaboration with bassist/producer Don Was.



Stephen Marley and Cyril Neville 

  They put together a true movement of Jah people; a revolutionary dream band featuring Cyril Neville (Neville Brothers) on percussion, Terence Higgins (Dirty Dozen Brass Band) on drums, Ranoy Gordon and Lamar “Riff Raff” Brown (longtime guitarist and keyboardist for Stephen Marley), organist Ray Angry  known for his work with Christina Aguilera and Ja Rule) and Peter Stroud (known for his work with Sheryl Crow and Don Henley) on  lead guitar.



Aloe Blacc

 Each of the special guests on the Exodus 40 Live bill brought their own interpretations of Bob Marley’s music to the stage, some smooth and charismatic like Aloe Blacc’s version of “Waiting in Vain” and some introspective, like Jim James version of “Turn Your Lights Down Low.”
In one poetic moment, Stephen stood behind Cyril Neville and played the electric guitar as Neville sang the lyrics of Bob Marley’s “Guiltiness” in his raspy, wisdom-soaked voice.
“Whoa to the downpressor/they’ll eat the bread of sad tomorrow.”
Decades before “Exodus” was produced, Jamaican artists drew inspiration from the New Orleans R&B and blues artists they heard on the radio, hence, the evolution of reggae music.
In another poetic moment, Stephen and Ziggy rocked their electric guitars as Citizen Cope, eyes closed, sang a soulful version of “Heathen,” complimented by the sensual backing vocals of Briana Lee and Maiya Skyes.
In a glorious crescendo, during Ziggy and Stephen’s performance of the “Exodus” title track, special guest Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine delivered what will go down in history as one of the most bad-booty guitar solos of all time.


   Tom Morello 
 
  Morello made his guitar whisper, then talk, wail, then shout, then scream. Then, he flipped over his guitar and played it with his teeth. On the back of Morello’s guitar was a hand-written sign with a clear message.
“Fuck Trump.” 
The audience went wild. There was one more message scrawled on the front of Morello’s guitar: “Arm the Homeless.”
Social media lit up with comments about whether blatant political statements were appropriate at a reggae concert. Lest we forget, reggae music is peace music but it is also protest music as well as a catalyst for change.
“Exodus was a natural theme for Marley,” Vivien Goldman writes in “The Book of Exodus: The Making & Meaning of Bob Marley and the Wailers’ album of the century.”  (Three Rivers Press, 2006). ”Its issues of power, betrayal, hope disillusionments and the search for serenity were all uppermost in his mind as he created the ‘Exodus’ album with the Wailers. The Book of Exodus deals with leaving familiar oppression behind, braving the unknown and letting faith guide you to a better future.”



   The Exodus 40 Live concert followed Tuff Gong Worldwide’s release of “Exodus: The Movement Continues…” a restatement, reissue, 40th anniversary edition of Bob Marley & the Wailers classic. Old school reggae fans will be glad to know that this version is also available on vinyl and cassette at Urban Outfitters for $12.99.
“It’s been 40 years since the release of the original ‘Exodus’ album, so we decided to do something very special: give the listeners a brand new perspective by mixing the album from scratch once again; the only difference being I am now the mixing engineer and it’s 2017, not 1977,” Ziggy writes in the album’s liner notes. “Along the way, I’ve discovered many gems in the original sessions, whether it be instrument parts that were not used, alternate vocal takes, alternate takes of songs, etc.”
On June 18, Ziggy Marley and the LA Philharmonic performed a beautiful, classical version of the song “Exodus” at the Hollywood Bowl in celebration of the album’s 40th anniversary.
For more information, go to www.ziggymarley.com and www.tuffgongworldwide.com.

Listen to the music of Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley and Stephen Marley on Streetwise Radio!

L.A. Loves Prince Tribute Photos by Shelah Moody and Denise Robertson

                            

It was a funky, purple party for one of the greatest artists of all time.

How do you celebrate a force that was aural and visual, who was singer, songwriter, musician and dancer, who was preacher, pimp and philanthropist?

On May 6, the City of Los Angeles presented a star studded, free concert at City Hall in honor of Prince Rogers Nelson, who was found dead in an elevator at his Paisley Park home in Chanhassen, Minn. at age 57. Another legend gone too soon. The multiple Grammy and Oscar winner left behind generations of fans who will have to learn how to cope with life after Prince. While the exact cause of Prince’s death is being determined, Prince’s fans continue to celebrate his life and party, in his honor, like it’s 2099.

When Prince’s death was announced on April 21, CNN devoted an entire day of coverage to remarkable life. Public buildings in cities across the country, including Los Angeles San Francisco, New Orleans and Minneapolis, Prince’s birthplace, lit up purple.

“Prince loved L.A. and L.A. loves Prince,” said activist Najee Ali, one of the organizers of “Prince Loves L.A.”

“This was Prince’s second home. He spent a lot of time here; in fact, the video for his hit song, “Diamonds and Pearls” was shot right behind us, in City Hall. Prince was cremated so soon that L.A. fans didn’t have a chance to have closure; to say goodbye. Prince deserves a proper goodbye, so we decided to have a great, free concert for all of the Prince fans.”

Downtown Los Angeles was ablaze with color on the day of the celebration, and the trees surrounding City Hall rained purple blossoms. As fans queued outside City Hall, pop up vendors hawked bootlegged Prince R.I.P. T-shirts, hats, commemorative buttons, ribbons, music and other memorabilia from duffle bags. Seven-year-old Amari Evers, one of Prince’s youngest fans and a “retired” Prince impersonator, showed up in his purple/paisley best and his new haircut with the Prince/love symbol shaved into it.

                                    

                                                          Amari Evers

One fan known as Cody the Funky White Boy said he’s seen Prince perform more than 100 times and had the rare opportunity to hang out with His Royal Badness at Paisley Park. I asked Cody a burning question, what did Prince smell like?

“He wore a floral scent; he smelled like flowers,” said Cody. “He was the sweetest, funniest dude. One night, after a concert, he even invited me to his house. I got to watch that night’s concert with him, and he was critiquing himself, and cracking jokes. It was amazing. We stayed up until 8:00 in the morning. ”

On the steps of LA City Hall, civic leaders, spiritual leaders, glitterati and artists who had worked with Prince over four decades paid tribute to the Purple One.

“I didn’t know Prince, but I met him,” said Ali. “He had a great heart and a great spirit, and I know for a fact that Prince was not just a musician, he was an activist. Prince believed that black lives matter. That’s why he donated, that’s why he gave to a lot of causes to support our community, but he gave quietly. Whether one person or a million people show up today, the fact is, Prince is a legacy that will be unequalled. His music will last forever. I’m just grateful to see so many fans out today. We’re gonna have a big party and have fun. I know that right now, Michael Jackson, Prince, James Brown, Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye, Tupac and so many others are jammin’ in heaven right now.”
DJ R-TISTIC, revved up the crowd with Prince’s greatest hits such as “Let’s Go Crazy,” “1999,” “Raspberry Beret” “Sexy MF” and “Glamorous Life,” which Prince produced for his superstar protégée, percussionist Sheila E. Emcee Tammi Mac of Radio Free 102.3 KJLH FM showed the audience how to do the “Bird” dance, inspired by the eighties hit recorded by Prince protégées Morris Day and the Time. Even the sign language interpreters had fun interpreting songs like “I Feel for You” while dancing at the same time.

Michael Bernard Beckwith, New Thought minister, author, and founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center in Culver City, CA, blessed the stage and called for a moment of silence for Prince.

“Let us think, just for a moment about all of the sweet memories that Prince gave us,” said Beckwith. “Think about the inspiration; think about the creativity, the celebration of life. Think about the philanthropy, the activism. Be aware that all of those spiritual qualities never were born and will never die. They continue to unfold in a great and mighty way. Prince was a man who left nothing on the playing field, who gave us everything he had, who lifted us up into the stratosphere of celebration so that we could ‘go crazy’ for God.

                           

                                                     Morris Hayes

                            

                                           Marva King , Maya and Nandy

Backed by members of Prince’s New Power Generation Band, including keyboardists Cassandra O’Neal and Morris Hayes, an incredible and musically diverse line up of guests artists honored Prince in song. Eric Benet performed Prince’s 1970s breakthrough song, “Wanna Be Your Lover.” Rahsaan Patterson performed “Pop Life,” and Deitrick Haddon performed “Raspberry Beret” and “I Would Die 4 U.” Faith Evans performed “I Feel for You” which became a hit for Chaka Khan in the eighties. Afro-ed vocalist Marva King performed “Kiss” accompanied by Prince twin dance sensations from Australia, Maya and Nandy McClean. One of the best vocal performances of the evening was delivered by singer/songwriter BJ the Chicago Kid, who sang a fiery sensual falsetto version of Prince’s ballad, “Do Me Baby.”

                                                  

                            

                                                       Cassandra O'Neal


                                    

                                                          Aloe Blacc

Singer/ activist Aloe Blacc received a 2015 Grammy nomination Best R&B Album for “Lift Your Spirit,” and is perhaps best known for his international hit, “The Man.” Wearing a purple velour jacket, Blacc honored Prince with his version of “Diamonds and Pearls.”

“Prince is such an important piece of the fabric of music,” said Blacc. “Historically, he was one of the most brilliant musicians, one of the most brilliant songwriters, one of the best entertainers you can imagine. We will never forget what Prince has given us. Because of what he was able to do and the footsteps he walked, doors opened for artists like myself, who can now stand on stage and share with you the music that I create. Prince is “The Man.”

As evening segued into night and after several white doves were released at City Hall to the tune of Prince’s “When Doves Cry,” the crowd’s excitement built in anticipation of a surprise guest. The crowd roared when another icon and creative force, Stevie Wonder, emerged on the stage, leading the band in an all rendition of Prince’s theme song, “Purple Rain.” Incidentally, Wonder is also the owner of one of the event’s sponsors, Radio Free 102.3 KJLH FM. Ironically, Wonder was called upon to sing at the funerals of Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Natalie Cole in the span of less than a decade. In an interview with Larry King, Prince cited Stevie Wonder as one of his greatest inspirations.

Wonder thanked the city leaders, artists and fans for coming together to celebrate the life of one of the greatest artists in history.

 “What a celebration, what an incredible life—the music, the legacy that he gave us,” Wonder said from the stage. “I think the only thing we can do, in the spirit of Prince, is to truly love one another and come together. We can’t just talk about it; we’ve got to be about it.”

Phil Kahan

DJ Michael Ealey of Streetwise Radio received singer/songwriter Phil Kahan’s information and started playing his song “No Fear”. Phil Kahan is a 22 year old from Boston, MA. He is very talented. Phil started writing music at the age of 9, He also wrote and recorded his first song at the age of 12. Phil lives in Los Angeles now. He is a notable songwriter that can sing. The other songs that I really like are “Be Cool”, “Tonight”, “The Start” and “No Fear”. Phil Kahan is definitely an artist to look out for. You can listen to other songs from Phil Kahan on Streetwise Radio. You can also listen to Streetwise Radio on iTunes, Pandora, Live365, MyGen365, Athena365 and Gilroy Radio.

LM

http://www.reverbnation.com/philkahanmusic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWl4MyiuaMU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cRt6-Rj3rk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOw8t8J2dlo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayuCage6UXI