Funk Night Records – 45’s
Will Sessions “Getcho Mind Right”
If you are from the Detroit area unless, you’ve been sleeping, you’ve most likely heard about the legendary Funk Night. This monthly gathering has brought people of all kinds of people together time after time for no other reason other than to celebrate, dance, to classic funk tracks. Funk Night was started by Scott Craig back in the late 90’s. Scott and Brad Hales ran it for some time then took a brief hiatus. Scott left town and Funk Night started back up again and is still every last Friday of the month.
The real story is the music, the house DJ Frank Raines & the house band, Will Sessions. Will Sessions came together in a basement back in 2007. Most of the members are were involved in in Wayne State University’s Jazz Program. The bands tight enough to jump from funk, hip hop, jazz-fusion to soul music that could make The Funky Meters stop and stare. In the past the band has done live collaborations with artists such as Guilty Simpson, Black Milk, Mayer Hawthorne, Monica Blaire, Phat Kat, & Rickey Calloway. This band is got to be the funkiest thing from Detroit besides Enemy Squad. Of course they are two different worlds of Funk, but you’ll get the idea.
Now Frank Raines, whom many of know and love who has been deeply involved with funk night over the years as a DJ and promoter has stepped it up and started Funk Night Records. Since I have never seen him spin anything but vinyl records its no surprise to me that he was to only release the debut release of Will Sessions via Funk Night Records on 45’s. We just wanted to give you a taste. There are two 45’s (limited edition of 500) and they are only available at Funk Night or directly from Frank.
Will Sessions members: Bryan Arnold (trumpet/keys), Tim Shellabarger (drums), Eric Kacir (guitar), Ryan Gimpert (bass), Matt Martinez trombone), Tom Parks (trumpet), Sam Beubien (trumpet/keys), Billy Love (Vocals)
Links:
Funk Night – www.myspace.com/funknightdetroit
Will Sessions – www.myspace.com/willsessionsdetroit
Funk Night Records – www.funknightrecords.com
PRISON INC
Prison Inc., group show exhibition curated by Gregg Stone, featuring a large collection of drawings created by incarcerated artists with letters from the artists. Additionally, Crewest officially opens a new “Featured Artist Room.” This new Featured Artist Room will feature monthly installations by featured artists selected by Crewest. Kicking off inside this new room, Crewest presents “Life Inside” a collaborative installation, directed under Edgar “OSOK” Hoill, featuring the creative works of Adrian Nieto, John Jarasa, Gregg Stone, Juan Sanchez Jr., Salim Assid Jr., Elena Dominguez, David Montes and Rafael Vasquez. Dedicated and inspired by the trying times of prison.
Exhibiting Artists:
Gregg Stone, Edgar “OSOK” Hoill, Kenny McDermott, J. Cheddah, Leno Delgado, William Woods, Klive Hulsey, Martin Bueno, Javier, Penko, Warlock, Oscar Campos, Adrian Nieto, John Jarasa, Juan Sanchez Jr., Salim Assid Jr., Elena Dominguez, David Montes and Rafael Vasquez.
This is exhibition will be open to the public till Feb 27, 2010. For more information check out Crewest, 110 Winston St., Los Angeles, CA
Links:
Alex Gopher “Party People”
After talking on the phone with a producer and friend who has been involved with some instrumental projects over the years we thought we should post this Video. Alex Gopher “Party People.” This is one of our favorite DJ’s in the mix, for real. Check it out, check out some of his life sets. Spread it around.
Reorganized J Dilla estate & plans for J Dilla Foundation
Announcing reorganized J Dilla estate & plans for J Dilla Foundation
Via: j-dilla.com January 24, 2010
The family of late music producer James “J Dilla” Yancey is extremely pleased to announce the appointment of West Coast probate attorney Alex Borden as administrator of Yancey’s estate, and also to announce the establishment of the official J Dilla Foundation. The developments mark a new chapter in preserving and enhancing the legacy of the legendary artist and secure a means of future prosperity for his mother, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey, daughters Ja’Mya Yancey and Ty-Monae Whitlow, and brother, John “Illa J” Yancey.
“I’m so excited because it’s like one big organization,” says Maureen Yancey, who has worked tirelessly to ensure that the well-being of her family remains a priority for all involved and her son’s accomplishments are held in a positive and productive light. “We’ve got cutting-edge people all over the country waiting to work and be a part of it. Everybody’s on one accord it seems like the universe is working with us.”
Borden came on board last April following Arthur Erk’s tenure as Executor and has been working closely with the Yancey family in developing creative opportunities for J Dilla’s vast catalog of music. Says Yancey: “It’s awesome to not only have things back on the right track, but to have people who are really in your corner. I’m just blown away by the past few years, and working doubly hard to get things corrected, it drives you. It’s wonderful.”
The Estate will serve as the channel through which the Yancey family will receive financial benefit from the J Dilla/Jay Dee name, merchandise, and recordings; the goal of which is to create a successful, joyous, and profitable enterprise to be controlled by the family once the probate process is complete. All business dealings with the music of James Yancey, Pay Jay Productions, Inc. and the Estate of James Yancey should be directed to the Estate through the newly launched official J Dilla website www.j-dilla.com. The Estate will also manage contracts, copyrights, and other matters relating to the Yancey name and/or Pay Jay Productions, Inc., and welcomes ideas, requests, and licensing opportunities for evaluation and review with the family.
“We’re very happy about it,” says Yancey in regards to her family’s relationship to the new administration. “The entire family knows how Alex’s team works and how they’ve pulled together and stood up for us even before this time, and it’s just been excellent. The communication is wonderful. It’s like family…we’re just one big family.”
In a separate but complementary role to the Estate, the newly established J Dilla Foundation has filed for tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status as a non-profit charitable institution to help fund the development of music in the inner city and provide scholarships to students enrolled at schools with progressive music curricula. Four initiatives will be launched each year and three cities chosen to enhance local music programs, with scholarships awarded to one or more students at the beginning of the fall semester. Target cities for 2010 are Detroit, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. The Foundation will hold fundraisers in each city with each effort anticipated to bring approximately in $10,000+ of donations.
“One of the things Dilla wanted me to do with his legacy was to use it to help others, people with illness, and kids who were musically gifted but had little hope due to poverty,” says Yancey, founder and chair of the Foundation. “The Foundation is to keep Dilla’s dream alive to help youth—those who aspire to make good music—and develop their time, talent, and nurture their skill. We also want to be there financially for those who are talented but don’t have the money or access to the networks they need to help them grow.”
By the time of his death in February of 2006 from complications due to Lupus, Yancey was revered by the music world for his contributions to hip-hop and R&B, emerging from the mid-1990s underground hip-hop scene in Detroit, Michigan to become one of the industry’s most influential artists. “Every year, Dilla and his dream get bigger and bigger,” says Yancey. “Every time I go to a different city and visit with his fans, the dream just grows. It’s something that I can’t even describe, and it’s not going to die.”
Contact:
Estate of J Dilla/James Yancey
www.j-dilla.com
J Dilla Foundation
www.jdillafoundation.org
We’re back!
After a little downtime, we’ve tried to streamline things so that we can bring more quality content and less crap. So this is where it begins. We will be updating almost everyday and sending out newsletters a couple times a month with our pics of the weeks starting with in the next 12 hours. The next issue of La Famiglia will be published on the 15th. This issue has in-depth interviews with Glen Friedman, Blek le Rat, Chris Dean, DJ Js-1, WON + much more.
The old Site, galleryies are still live if you can find them. We will most likely re-post some of our favorite art features and interviews from the past year in the future. Thanks for all the love. Come thru daily and let us know whats good. Theres a few posts below.
