On November the 24th, 2014, Amai Kuda and Y Josephine will launch their first album as a duo with a special show at The Gladstone Art Hotel. AfroSoul Volume II: MaZai is the much anticipated follow-up to Amai Kuda’s first release, Sand from the Sea, which was described as “one of the year’s most exciting new discoveries” by Nicholas Jennings in 2011 (one of Canada’s foremost music journalists and historians).

Like Amai Kuda’s debut, MaZai seamlessly brings together elements of soul, folk, jazz, gospel, blues, rap, R&B, reggae and African continental musical styles, while introducing a new element of Afro-Latin rhythms.

With a continued focus on the voice and percussion, this new offering is all the richer for having the involvement of experienced and innovative percussionist Y Josephine. On this album she plays cajon, bongo, djembe, congas, ngoma, guiro, shakers and even creates a sound remnant of the West African ‘talking drum’ by playing on a jar filled with liquid.

With over two decades experience as a working musician, Y Josephine has performed and recorded with a host of bands in Venezuela, Aruba, Spain, the UK and now Canada. As Edinburgh’s The Skinny (magazine) said, “Y Josephine plays guitar, somehow gets a whole drum kit out of a Peruvian fruit box, and sings in a sweet, smoky, untouchably cool voice. ” In MaZai her sound is combined in lush vocal arrangements with Amai’s clear yet “powerful, soulful” voice (Benjamine Boles, Now Magazine).

For Amai Kuda’s part, MaZai is clearly the work of a more confident, artistically mature and focused songwriter/producer. With the same “infectious, dynamic” (the late Billy Bryans – music producer formerly of the Parachute Club) and unique sound that prompted her to create her own genre, the new album offers consistently poetic lyrics, addressing subjects ranging from ancestors, relationship with the natural world, and colonization, to unrequited love.

Set to unfailingly driving rhythms, this is music that is likely to move you emotionally, spiritually and physically, often all at the same time.

When the couple are not recording, performing or busking on the streets of Toronto, they live in a caravan in the country and are working as part of The Seven Directions collective towards creating a centre dedicated to decolonization. Essentially activist-artists, these women put their faith in the power of music and grassroots organizing to change the world.

The CD jacket is filled with the artwork of Amai and Y Josephine, who makes designer books and is establishing herself as someone to watch in the world of visual art, much as she has in music.

http://www.ynamai.com

Monday November 24, 2014
7pm doors, 8pm showtime
The Gladstone Hotel
$10 entrance / $20 with CD
Featuring:
Komi Olaf
Victoria Mata
Chellz Gemmaria
Amai Kuda and Y Josephine with full band

Ras Astor Black and his team are inviting everyone to celebrate Reggae in the Sun and under the Stars http://youtu.be/jxWFXUcI_xU at Montego Bay’s newest musical cultural theatre on the stage at DonWay, A Jamaican style village, and a Jamaican Tourist Board Licensed Hotel and Entertainment Centre located on the Hip Strip. http://www.visitjamaica.com/donway-a-jamaican-style-village.

Reggae in the Sun and under the Stars Edu-Tainment is produced by the students of the Ras Astor Black Interactive Music and Arts Institute and they focused on all areas of our Jamaican Reggae culture including filming, music, arts and performances which is broadcast on BobArtsTV channels 36 in the hotels and 168 in the residential areas of Trelawny, St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland and Chicago on Comcast Cable.

They want everyone to experience the sweet musical journey with 3 concerts per day. You will learn about Jamaica’s musical icons and Inductees. It’s a beautiful and fun filled day to sing and dance to the official music of Jamaica, Reggae.

The Stage is a limited seating capacity Theatre so RSVP now and book your travel by clicking on this link http://www.applevacations.com/?agentId=14273943

MJ Magazine just found out about Chi-town female MC, K Valentine and after listening to a few of her tracks we are putting everyone on alert, this is one artist to look out for. K Valentine seems to be what hip-hop is missing right now, a positive female energy that’s loaded with lyrics.

Admittedly she’s got a couple questionable tracks (questionable from the stand point of the raw sex vibe that too many female MCs limit themselves to) but she is clearly not lyrically limited. The track that captured our attention is a single called “Chi-raq” in which she talks extensively about the black on black crime in Chicago.

K Valentine also has a mixtape download link on her website, check it out http://www.kvalentine.com/

There are no words to really describe the tribute that Talib Kweli has done for Ms Lauryn Hill. The song is simply titled Ms. Hill and in it, the Brooklyn MC speaks from his heart about how he appreciates and respects everything that is Lauryn Hill.

From MJ Magazine’s view point, it takes a real man to acknowledge a real sister the way Kweli did on this record. The honesty is so transparent. We are sharing the song for all to listen because we here at MJ Magazine also appreciate and respect Ms Lauryn Hill and we are glad that Talib Kweli took time out to say what so many of us have been thinking.

The Universal Zulu Nation UK are proud to present the indisputable Godfather of Hip Hop, Afrika Bambaataa, on tour and in conversation to celebrate 40 years of Hip Hop culture this November for Hip Hop History Month.

This series of events will showcase Afrika Bambaataa’s considerable live showmanship in a series of live gigs, as well as his unique take on the history of Hip Hop in a number of talks at some of the UK’s most prestigious institutions, including the British Library, British Film Institute and the Leeds City Museum. The live tour will be partially in conjunction with the legendary Grandmaster Flash, celebrated rapper Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def and Keith Murray. The tour is  in partnership with Academy  Events

These events also celebrate the 41st anniversary of the Universal Zulu Nation: