It's a Miracle How We Get so Lyrical
The author attended the inaugural Santa Monica Jazz Festival, where Lakecia Benjamin and Isaiah Collier delivered Coltrane‑centric sets, followed by a Dave Chappelle show at the Hollywood Palladium that blended comedy with surprise musical collaborations. The after‑party featured D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Mos Def and other hip‑hop icons, creating a rare cross‑genre jam. The experiences sparked the author’s plan to form a collective that amplifies under‑represented LA artists. The narrative paints a vivid picture of Los Angeles’ cultural friction and its potential for new artistic ecosystems.
On Coming Back, the Recent Comeback Efforts of Rappers and Half-Clones
A wave of high‑profile comeback attempts is sweeping hip‑hop, highlighted by Kanye West’s earth‑replica stunt before 80,000 fans and public endorsements of Sean "Diddy" Combs by Usher, J. Cole and Jay Electronica despite his legal troubles. The trend extends to other stars such...
Nina Simone in Las Vegas, 1968
In a 1968 Downbeat interview, Nina Simone bluntly criticized the music industry’s technical laxity and cultural complacency, noting untuned pianos and faulty microphones in clubs. She warned that jazz was on a trajectory toward corporate capture, foreshadowing the genre’s institutionalization....
I Kinda Still Feel Like I'm Flying
The post reflects on Sarah Vaughan’s Copenhagen set, where her exhaustion surfaced amid a polished, audience‑driven show. It contrasts her vulnerable interlude with the relentless expectation for flawless entertainment, highlighting a broader industry pressure on Black jazz icons. The author...