R.I.P. Amp Fiddler, 1958-2023

Sadly, Detroit singer/producer Amp Fiddler – who worked with George Clinton and mentored J Dilla – has passed away at 65. 

Lambchop presents FLOTUS @ The Great Hall, Monday

Watch Kurt Wagner chat about his neighbour-inspired FLOTUS album and play a couple of tunes – one by Prince.  

Maxwell @ Massey Hall, Tuesday

Along his tribute to Prince, Maxwell's appearance at the BET Awards will be remembered for this popular meme.   

One For The Weekend: Bob Ohiri & Uhuru Sounds

Here's a party-rocker off Bob Ohiri's Uhuru Aiye album on Ashiko Records from 1985 which should be reissued.

Watch D'Angelo perform Prince's Sometimes It Snows In April

Appropriately enough, Maya Rudolph & Gretchen Lieberum of Princess accompanied D'Angelo.  

Before They Were Famous: Prince Nelson

Bryant Junior High, Minneapolis – 7th grade class of 1972.

Prince pops up at SXSW 2013

Prince & Sharon Jones: Together at last

José James: The other Minneapolis marvel

There's no shortage of jazz-lite shows around town this weekend with the Toronto Jazz Fest in full swing but if you're tastes run a bit deeper you should do yourself a favour and check out fast-rising vocalist José James and his Blackmagic band at Revival (783 College) tonight (Friday, July 2)  along with Elizabeth Shepherd and DJs John Kong and Jason Palma. Have a listen to what James does with John Coltrane's Equinox and Resolution and you'll understand why the 31 year-old baritone is considered to be the hottest musical prospect out of Minneapolis since the Purple Wonder himself.  Tickets are $25, doors open at 9 pm.

Equinox by José James


Resolution by José James

And while we're on the subject of Prince, that crazy caricature emblazoned tunic he was wearing on stage at the BET Awards on Sunday wasn't simply another head-scratching display of narcissism, the odd fashion statement was actually meant to be a promotional teaser for his new album, 20Ten.
Just as his Planet Earth album was distributed in the UK with the Mail On Sunday in 2007, the 10-track recording which Prince claims has "strong funk and new wave elements" (shock!) is being given away free as a cover-mount CD with various European newspapers and magazines. France's Courier International will have it first on July 8, followed by Belgium's Het Nieuwsblad, England's Daily Mirror, Scotland's Daily Record with their July 10 editions and then the German version of Rolling Stone will have it on July 22.
No date has been set for a North American release but with more than 2.5 million copies of 20Ten being distributed overseas, anyone interested in hearing it shouldn't have much difficulty finding it online next week. 

 20Ten track listing:

1. Compassion
2. Endlessly Beginning
3. Future Soul Song
4. Sticky Like Glue
5. Lavaux
6. Act Of God
7. Walk In Sand
8. Sea Of Everything
9. Everybody Loves Me
10. untitled bonus track




LINKS
José James site http://www.josejamesmusic.com
José James myspace http://www.myspace.com/josejamesquartet