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jaimie branch, Free-Jazz Trumpeter and Composer, Dies at 39

Konstantinos Pappis
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jaimie branch, Free-Jazz Trumpeter and Composer, Dies at 39

jamie branch, the New York-via-Chicago avant-garde jazz composer and trumpeter, has died. The label International Anthem announced the news on Twitter, writing: “At 9:21 pm on Monday, August 22, composer and trumpeter jaimie branch passed away in her home in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Her family, friends and community are heart broken.” She was 39.

Born in Huntington, Long Island and raised in Wilmette, Illinois, branch began playing trumpet when she was nine. After earning her undergraduate degree at the New England Conservatory of Music, where she studied under the likes of John McNeil, Joe Morris, and Steve Lacy, branch returned to Chicago and started performing with artists such as Keefe Jackson, Jason Ajemian, and Tim Daisy. She spent two years at Baltimore’s Towson University before moving to New York in 2015, releasing her first solo album, Fly or Die, in 2017. Two years later, she followed it up with Fly or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise and collaborated with flutist Anne La Berge and violist Ig Henneman on the album Dropping Stuff and Other Folk Songs. Another Fly or Die record, FLY or DIE LIVE, arrived in 2021.

Earlier this year, branch’s project with drummer Jason Nazary, Anteloper, released a new album called Pink Dolphins. She also contributed to the debut LP by Eli Winter, which came out last week. In addition to her work as a solo artist, brach has appeared alongside indie rock groups including TV on the Radio, Spoon, Belle Orchestre, Local H, and Atlas Moth.

“jaimie was a daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend and teacher; she touched countless numbers of people with her music and spirit, both of which are fearless, truthful and beautiful, and will live on in hearts and ears forever,” International Anthem’s statement continued. “jaimie’s family asks not just for your thoughts and prayers but also for your action. Show your love and support for your family and friends and anyone who may be in need — just like jaimie did for all of us.”

Capitol Records “Severs Ties” With Virtual Rapper FN Meka After Online Backlash

Konstantinos Pappis
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Capitol Records “Severs Ties” With Virtual Rapper FN Meka After Online Backlash

Capitol Records has “severed ties” with AI rapper and TikTok influencer FN Meka, who became the subject of online backlash surrounding his use of the N-word. Critics also shared an old image from one of Meka’s accounts of the rapper in a scene of police brutality.

“CMG has severed ties with the FN Meka project, effective immediately,” a representative of Capitol Music Group said in a statement to The New York Times. “We offer our deepest apologies to the Black community for our insensitivity in signing this project without asking enough questions about equity and the creative process behind it. We thank those who have reached out to us with constructive feedback in the past couple of days – your input was invaluable as we came to the decision to end our association with the project.”

Capitol Records announced it had “signed” FN Meka on August 14, describing him as an “AI powered robot rapper” and “the world’s first A.R. artist to sign with a major label.” FN Meka’s first single ‘Florida Water’ featured Gunna and gaming streamer Clix.

Just hours before Capitol’s announcement, the activist organization Blackout issued a statement asking for the label to cut ties with FN Meka and calling the project “an amalgamation of gross stereotypes.” It also specifically pointed out the involvement of Gunna, who is currently in jail on RICO charges. Their statement reads:

It has come to our attention that your company has decided to partner with Factory New on signing the artificially designed ‘rapper’ FN Meka. While we applaud innovation in tech that connects listeners to music and enhances the experience, we find fault in the lack of awareness in how offensive this caricature is. It is a direct insult to the Black community and our culture. An amalgamation of gross stereotypes, appropriative mannerisms that derive from Black artists, complete with slurs infused in lyrics.

This digital effigy is a careless abomination and disrespectful to real people who face real consequences in real life. For example, Gunna, a Black artist who is featured on a song with FN Meka, is currently incarcerated for rapping the same type of lyrics this robot mimics. The difference is, your artificial rapper will not be subject to federal charges for such.

For your company to approve this shows a serious lack of diversity and resounding amount of tone deaf leadership, this is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

We demand this partnership be terminated, a formal public apology be issued, FN Meka removed from all platforms. Furthermore, all monies spent by Capitol Records and Factory New for this project will be allocated to charitable organizations that directly support Black youth in the arts, as well as marketing budgets for Black artists signed to Capitol Records. We look forward to your response and compliance.

In 2021, Genius revealed that the creators behind FN Meka are brothers Chris and Brandon Le, who teamed with Factory New co-founder Anthony Martini (of hardcore band E.Town Concrete) to launch the project. Talking about FN Meka’s origins in a 2021 interview with Music Business Worldwide, Martini said:

We’ve developed a proprietary AI technology that analyzes certain popular songs of a specified genre and generates recommendations for the various elements of song construction: lyrical content, chords, melody, tempo, sounds, etc. We then combine these elements to create the song.

As of now, a human voice performs the vocals, but we are working towards the ability to have a computer come up with and perform its own words – and even collaborate with other computers as “co-writer.”

In a new interview with The New York Times, Martini said he anticipated the rapper’s cancellation due to “blogs that have latched onto a clickbait headline and created this narrative.” He described FN Meka as “a Black guy” and “not this malicious plan of white executives,” adding that it’s “literally no different from managing a human artist, except that it’s digital.” He also noted that the team behind the project was “actually one of the most diverse teams you can get” and that Martini was “the only white person involved.”

Watch: A Jazzman’s Blues Official Trailer

Abbie Wilson
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Watch: A Jazzman’s Blues Official Trailer

Featuring juke joint blues in the deep South, A Jazzman’s Blues is a sweeping tale of forbidden love that unfolds forty years of secrets and lies. The film stars Joshua Boone and Solea Pfeiffer as star-crossed lovers Bayou and Leanne alongside a cast that includes Amirah Vann, Austin Scott, Milauna Jemai Jackson, Brent Antonello, Brad Benedict, Kario Marcel, Lana Young and Ryan Eggold. Ruth B. performs the film’s original song, which was arranged and produced by multi-Grammy winner & two-time Academy Award nominee Terence Blanchard, with music by Aaron Zigman and choreography by Debbie Allen.

Watch the trailer for A Jazzman’s Blues below.

Easy Ways to Enhance Your Sports Betting Experience

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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Easy Ways to Enhance Your Sports Betting Experience

Online sports betting has been around for years since the internet became mainstream. For some time now, online sports betting sites have become very popular. People are increasingly opting for online sites as they get connected to many options. Most importantly, online casinos allow avid gamblers to bet on their favorite teams anytime and from any location.

While most people view online sports betting sites as a way to wager on their favorite teams for fun, others use them to generate an extra income. A wholesome sports betting experience is a culmination of fun, making the most of bonuses and promotions. Every day, millions of avid players login in across numerous online casinos.

The online casino industry has continued to thrive thanks to significant technological advancements and innovations. Sites today cater better to their members’ needs by providing multiple sports options to bet on. If you’ve already been betting on matches in the NFL league and are looking to enhance your experience, here are some quick and easy ways to do this.

  1. Choose a trustworthy site

An easy, effective way to boost your experience online is to choose a reputable betting site. The rationale is that good casinos offer the best sports and games, and the selection is also broad. Moreover, legitimate casinos provide high-quality services. For example, they typically offer bonuses and promotions to new players. Another crucial reason to choose a reputable casino is for safe and secure sports betting.

Legitimate sites are licensed, which means they are bound by law to protect your betting activities. While checking for licensing, ensure that you sign onto a site offering quality customer services. Whenever you are having issues while betting, reliable customer support representatives will address your concerns and sort your problems swiftly and comprehensively.

  1. Take advantage of bonuses

The second way to improve your online experience is to take advantage of your bonuses and promotions. New users are always offered bonuses and promotions when they sign up on sites. When you become a new member, take advantage of bonuses and rewards, which can be in the form of free spins, money, or free play. At times, you might even win free cash after making your first deposit for real cash games. If you’re looking for some codes, get your Caesars Kentucky promo code since it will be launching soon.

Besides the new user bonuses and incentives, online sports betting sites offer regular promotions to regular players and members. These are often in the form of cashback, VIP programs, and reload bonuses. Ensure that you understand each reward before applying it to improve your gameplay.

  1. Play for free

Many people who bet on online sites have no prior experience with land-based betting, such as horse-race betting. A common misconception among online gamblers is they need to spend a lot of cash to win their games. That cannot be any further removed from the truth. If you desire to enjoy the online gaming experience, there is no reason to have to spend a lot of your money right from the start.

Most reputable online sites offer a wide range of free games that you can choose from. Furthermore, you can also use free demos. This will allow you to learn how to play different games if you want to try something other than sports betting. Henceforth, you will have an enhanced skill set and knowledge going into real cash games, including traditional casino games and mainstream sports.

  1. Have a bankroll and manage it well

When you gamble online without having and sticking to your bankroll, you are setting yourself up for frustration. The best way to go about online sports betting is to manage your money well. Most successful gamblers are very hands-on with their bankroll management. The goal is to ensure that your bankroll lasts you a more extended period. Before playing real-money games, come up with a reasonable budget.

Set aside a reasonable amount and, if possible, open a separate bank account for the gambling money. Efficient bankroll management is also about knowing your limit and understanding when it is time to stop. Never go broke betting on online sites. Apart from getting yourself in debt, it might ruin your experience forever. If you start noticing that you might have a gambling addiction problem, please seek help.

  1. Always take breaks

Regarding sports betting, practice is the surest way to build and strengthen your skillset. And although playing in online casinos is exciting, you must take frequent breaks. A break allows you to rest your body and mind, which is absolutely necessary. It protects you from over-exerting yourself and experiencing burnout.

If you are an obsessive player and find yourself playing, analyzing, and betting on matches for extensive hours, consider taking a step back. Try to play for a reasonable number of hours and space your breaks using a timer. These intervals will allow you to recharge and return to wagering on your sports with a fresh and focused mind.

Conclusion

There are several strategies at the disposal of anyone looking to improve their online betting experience. Others include betting on fantasy tournaments and playing with friends. If you have been in a slump of late, these five tips should help you bounce back and make the experience more worthwhile.

5 Gifts For The Aspiring Artist In Your Life

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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5 Gifts For The Aspiring Artist In Your Life

We all know someone who’s artistic, loves to sketch, take photographs, or simply creates. Artists take note of the beauty in life. Therefore, the gifts you give them should be beneficial and allow them to continue to create beauty.

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for an aspiring or professional artist, below are five gifts that will be beneficial and loved!

1. Wall Decor & Photography

Aspiring artists have a place they like to work in. Perhaps it’s a studio or their garage.

Help elevate their workspace with some wall decor or photography. A painting from their favorite artist, for instance, is a gift they’ll cherish and enjoy looking at each and every day.

If that aspiring artist in your life is your significant other, become the art! If you’re looking for a more intimate and romantic gift, consider Boudoir photography. While we can’t promise they’ll have this portrait up in their work studio, we do guarantee it’ll be a gift they’ll enjoy glancing at whenever they get a chance!

2. Sketchbook

If they’re unsure of their medium yet, or you don’t know what art they’re into, mixed media pads are great choices. These are amazing gifts as they allow for sketching, painting, watercolors, and more. And, let’s face it; have you ever met an artist that’s turned down a sketchbook?

Now, let’s say you know the type of art someone likes to create. Get them paper that fits their preferences. For example, heavy, thick paper is best for artists using markers and watercolors. If they’re using dry media, lighter paper is best. You will also have to consider the “tooth” or texture. If they’re using charcoal or pastels, paper with more bite is suitable as the pits and grooves hold the pigment.

3. Leather Paint Brush Roll

This is a great gift for painters on the go. These waxed leather cases keep brushes organized and in the best shape possible. You can even customize the outside or inner pockets!

Add their name, initials, or a short phrase that means a lot to them or you. Whatever you decide to write, it will be sure to inspire them each time they paint.

4. Hand Massager

More than likely, your favorite artist is a little rough on their hands. After they spend a long day painting, drawing, or sculpting, they can sit down and unwind with a hand massager.

Most hand massagers have a few intensity levels and deciding on the model you get, may include heat and vibration. They also come sold is cord or cordless options.

Not only do hand massages feel good, but it helps ease muscle tension and can reduce pain. Some benefits of hand massages include:

  • Reduced hand pain
  • Less anxiety
  • Better mood
  • Improved sleep
  • Greater grip strength

5. Paintbrush Cleaner

Another way to protect those paintbrushes from falling apart or getting ruined is to clean them after each use. Having them cleaned regularly also increases longevity and saves money in the long run.

Having a brush cleaner offers a simple solution. These tools wash paintbrushes without you having to run to the sink to wash out the colors. Some models even give your brushes plenty of space to dry.

There are different types of paintbrush cleaners. Some look like mason jars, champagne bottles, or shower caddies. Always read the product description and customer reviews to learn if it’s a good pick.

Final Thoughts

Can’t decide on a gift for the artist in your life? Any of these items will work! Whether it’s for a birthday or holiday, the artist in your life will appreciate you getting them a gift that allows them to create.

Coco Release New Song ‘Rough Water’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Coco Release New Song ‘Rough Water’

Coco – the project of Maia Friedman (Dirty Projectors), Dan Molad (Lucius), and Oliver Hill (Pavo Pavo) – are back with a new single called ‘Rough Water’. They’ve also announced the first vinyl pressing of their self-titled debut, which is available to pre-order on Bandcamp. Check out ‘Rough Water’ below, along with Coco’s upcoming tour dates.

Coco recorded the new single in Joshua Tree. “The open space out there really lends itself to loud music,” the band said in a statement. “It brings about a desire to shout into the emptiness. The lyrics are partly a love letter to the angry spirits and partly a self-entreaty to inhale and relish in the chaos of life.”

Coco 2022 Tour Dates:

Sept 2 – London, UK – Omeara
Sept 3 – Wiltshire, UK – End of the Road Festival
Oct 22 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club *
Oct 24 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair *
Oct 25 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall*
Oct 26 – New York, NY – Webster Hall *
Oct 28 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall *
Oct 29 – Ferndale, MI – The Magic Bag *
Oct 31 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre *
Nov 1 – Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall Ballroom *
Nov 2 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line Music Cafe *
Nov 3 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads Saloon *
Nov 5 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre *
Nov 6 – Fort Collins, CO – Washington’s *
Nov 8 – S Salt Lake, UT – The Common Wealth Room *
Nov 10 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall *
Nov 11 – Seattle, WA – Showbox *
Nov 12 – Vancouver, BC – Hollywood Theatre*
Nov 13 – Vancouver, BC – Hollywood Theatre*
Dec  – San Francisco, CA – Cafe Du Nord
Dec 10 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room

*supporting Kevin Morby:

Johanna Warren Shares New Single ‘Piscean Lover’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Johanna Warren Shares New Single ‘Piscean Lover’

Johanna Warren has previewed her upcoming album Lessons for Mutants with a new single called ‘Piscean Lover’. It follows lead cut ‘I’d Be Orange’, which landed on our Best New Songs segment. Check it out via the accompanying video, co-directed by Warren and Richey Beckett, below.

Lessons for Mutants is set to arrive October 7 on Wax Nine/Carpark Records.

Album Review: Julia Jacklin, ‘PRE PLEASURE’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Album Review: Julia Jacklin, ‘PRE PLEASURE’

There’s a moment on ‘Less of a Stranger’, a stark highlight from Julia Jacklin’s magnificent third album PRE PLEASURE, that’s sort of magical. Rarely does the Australian singer-songwriter play tricks with the camera, but here, she turns the lens around in a way that’s both startling and revelatory. “When I look into the mirror/ I see my father/ When I close my eyes/ I see you,” she sings, an emotional truth that transcends the physical realities of the body she yearned to explore on a song like ‘Head Alone’. The “you” in question is her mother; the song is a plea to understand and be understood, to bend and finally align with the primordial line that connects them. Then, switching perspective, she asks, “When you look into the mirror/ Does your father appear?/ Eyes closed/ Do you see your mother too?” She’s probably addressing the same person she’s aching to feel less estranged from – to relate on this fundamental level – but hearing it, it’s hard not to feel like the light’s suddenly fallen on you. There’s a wall that breaks: What if the darkness, at least, means the same thing to those of us listening?

While PRE PLEASURE isn’t exactly cinematic, Jacklin’s awareness of how every thread of life reverberates into the present and onto others is constantly switched on. If it plays a little like a movie, she knows she doesn’t really have the power to direct it, and that there might be little to be gained from projecting it. After ‘Less of a Stranger’, Jacklin zooms out on the following track, ‘Moviegoer’, where the struggle to find connection through art is not only pointless but potentially damaging:  “Moviegoers forty dollars down/ Nobody from work invites them round for dinner/ Movie director is going down too/ Forty million dollars still nobody loves you.” On opener ‘Lydia Wears a Cross’, she rewinds the tape back to her childhood – something she’s rarely attempted in her songwriting before – to examine the role religion has played in shaping her worldview, but you can also hear the chorus as a reflection of her fractured relationship with her chosen artform: “I’d be a believer/ If it was all just song and dance.” A lightly distorted guitar line accentuates the melancholy.

Her approach on PRE PLEASURE is to loosen the pressure, put in the work, and give it time. “The songs on this record took either three years to write or three minutes,” she remarked in press materials, and you can’t really tell the difference. She started a lot of the songs on keys rather than guitar; traveled to Canada and worked with a new producer for the third time; fell back in love with the theatrical pop of Robyn and Celine Dion. On some of the album’s biggest, most gripping songs, she communicates with an urgency that sounds fresh and rejuvenating, even if whatever joy they radiate is fleeting and volatile. On ‘I Was Neon’, she sees herself as “a floodlight/ Arms out reaching for everything in sight,” a vision so immense it’s a wonder the song, as propulsive as it is anxious, feels capable of carrying it.

To record, Jacklin collaborated with her Canada-based touring band, bassist Ben Whiteley and guitarist Will Kidman, who also play in the Weather Station, and standout ‘Love, Try Not to Let Go’ initially evokes the kind of poetic restraint that marks Tamara Lindeman’s songwriting; you can imagine Jacklin sitting down on the piano and finding her way through the song, gently leaning on the simple but eternal weight of words like love and time. Until, that is, it explodes with the same restless intensity that drives ‘I Was Neon’, the fear of losing hold of everything you’ve spent a lifetime trying to embody and express. “Can I give my love to everyone somehow?” she wonders, a thought that leaves her breathless and overwhelmed.

On the heart-wrenchingly intimate ‘Too in Love to Die’, Jacklin puts all her faith in that life-giving force, her voice delicate and enveloping, stretching out as she vows to “reach out a hand.” Her extraordinary commitment is a striking contrast to the wariness and caution with which she has learned to treat every relationship, the stories of internalized shame and “conflicting advice” she unpacks elsewhere on the album and that continue to haunt her. Despite a perceived lack of control, when it grounds itself in the present, PRE PLEASURE feels like seeing the world tentatively through new eyes. On the penultimate ‘Be Careful With Yourself’, she directly relays her approach to preserving a meaningful connection, which is deliberate and practical, yet sometimes, she admits on ‘End of a Friendship’, ultimately futile: “I sat there in silence, accepted our fate/ We always found it hard to relate.” Maybe doing the work alone isn’t enough; there’s always more hanging in the air. “All my love is spinning round the room/ If only it would land, plant and bloom,” she sings, devastated and still bursting with love that’s endless and free. Try to contain it, and you’d miss the perfect shot.

Tenci Announce New Album, Share Video for New Song ‘Two Cups’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Tenci Announce New Album, Share Video for New Song ‘Two Cups’

Tenci, the Chicago-based band led by Jess Shoman, have announced their new album: A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing lands on November 4 via Keeled Scales. The follow-up to 2020’s My Heart Is An Open Field is led by the new single ‘Two Cups’, which arrives with an accompanying video directed by John TerEick. Check it out below, and scroll down for the album cover, tracklist, and Tenci’s upcoming tour dates.

On A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing, Shoman is joined by Curtis Oren on saxophone and guitar, Izzy Reidy (Izzy True) on bass, and Joseph Farago (Joey Nebulous) on drums. The LP was recorded with with engineer Abby Black and mixed by Melina Duterte of Jay Som. According to a press release, it “explores a collection of well-like vessels – cups, puddles, fists – which hold tightly on to love and newfound joy. Each song forms a spell to ‘fill my heart back up,’ Shoman says, ‘by reframing complex feelings by turning my head sideways and seeing them in a different way.'”

A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing Cover Artwork:

A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing Tracklist:

1. Shapeshifter
2. Vanishing Coin
3. Be
4. Great Big Elephant
5. Cold Dirty Water
6. The Ball Spins
7. Sharp Wheel
8. Out of Body
9. Sour Cherries
10. Swallow Me Whole, Blue
11. Two Cups
12. Memories

Tenci 2022 Tour Dates:

Fri Nov 4 – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
Mon Nov 7 – Minneapolis, MN
Wed Nov 9 – Toronto, ON – The Baby G
Thu Nov 10 – Montreal, QC – Casa de Popolo
Fri Nov 11 – Boston, MA – Lilypad
Sat Nov 12 – Brooklyn, NY – Baby’s All Right
Mon Nov 14 – Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMOCA
Tue Nov 15 – Washington, DC – DC9
Thu Nov 17 – Cincinnati, OH – MOTR Pub
Fri Nov 18 – Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
Sat Nov 19 – Chicago, IL – Sleeping Village

Melody’s Echo Chamber Announces Rarities Album, Unveils New Single ‘Unfold’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Melody’s Echo Chamber Announces Rarities Album, Unveils New Single ‘Unfold’

Melody’s Echo Chamber, the project of French musician Melody Prochet, has announced a new collection of seven rare and unreleased tracks called Unfold. Billed as the lost follow-up to her self-titled debut, which was recorded and co-produced with Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, the album will be released alongside a 10th-anniversary edition of Melody’s Echo Chamber on September 30 via Domino/Fat Possum. Check out Unfold‘s lead single and title track below.

Speaking about ‘Unfold’, Prochet said in a press release: “To me this song captures the emotional ambivalence of a crossroad, like a child finding a special seashell hidden in the sand but the ocean’s creature still lives inside, I guess it’s the sound releasing of the beloved.”

Melody’s Echo Chamber released her most recent album, Emotional Eternal, earlier this year. Read about the inspirations behind the LP in our interview with Melody Prochet.

Unfold Cover Artwork:

Unfold Tracklist:

1. Pêcheuse de Lune
2. Ocean Road
3. Norfolk Hotel
4. Unfold
5. From Pink They Fell Into Blue
6. Pieces of Sound
7. The Cure

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