dubstep

Harmony is the key my sisters and brothers Oh yes it is I say Harmony is the key my sisters and brothers People can't wait 'cause another day might be too late Come on get on the friendship… (in post Gladys Knight and The Pips - Friendship Train from Ugly Talented. More by this artist at eMusic Amazont iTunes)

Rhythm guitar lessons are just as important as learning how to solo or play lead. In fact, many noteworthy guitar players agree that learning to play solid rhythm guitar is an ideal foundation for an aspiring lead guitar player who wishes to bust out screaming hot licks and nasty pinch harmonics.

There are many rhythm guitar lessons available today and many music schools offer a rhythm guitar course. But if you don't have time to go to your nearest music school for guitar lessons, you can find a rhythm guitar lesson online or sign up for a rhythm guitar lesson on the internet. It is easy to find websites that offer guitar tutorials; and if in the old days guitarists learned by ear or from tab, today's guitarists will learn faster on video.

But how does an aspiring guitarist really put into action what has learned about playing rhythm guitar? How can he further develop his guitar playing abilities?

Here are four simple tips on how to support what you have learned from your rhythm guitar tutorials. These are meant to hasten your guitar playing abilities and shorten your journey to being a guitar god.

Take Group Lessons

Learning guitar in a group is a great way of developing your guitar playing skill, plus you can share what you have learned from your rhythm guitar lessons online. Learning guitar alone can sometimes be difficult for a beginner, and having someone to show you how to do something the right way is a big plus. You are also able to have a small circle of guitar enthusiasts for jam sessions, with group participants learning, exchanging ideas, and enjoying the music.

Play Along With Favorites

One of the best ways to develop your rhythm guitar playing ability is to learn rhythm guitar parts of your favorite songs and jam along with the song as if you were part of band. This not only develops your ability to play by ear, but also teaches you how to learn songs by ear, and easily catch chord progressions. Learning as many rhythm guitar parts possible also teaches you different rhythm guitar riffs that you can put to use in your own songs, or to simply show off to your guitar learning buddies.

Keep Learning New Riffs

You have to keep learning new riffs. You can start out by simply finding these on the internet and practicing them at home, or from guitar magazines who offer riffs for popular songs.

Practice and Improvise

Learning rhythm guitar will take time, and how fast you learn also depends on how much time you devote to practice, and how much patience you have since you may end up doing the same riff over and over again to really master it. Once you get used to it, let the creative side of you take over and try creating variations to the original riff, and master it until you can do it beautifully even with eyes closed.

If you are just starting to learn how to play rhythm guitar, remember that your fingers will ache and your fingertips will get calloused. However once you master rhythm guitar playing, it won't be long until you take it to the next level, of lead guitar playing.

Rick Napolitano is a musician and song writer who has paired up with some of the biggest names in rock particularly Don Lappin, Adam Ross, in order to teach others how to learn guitar. Check out their huge database of video guitar lessons at http://www.learnguitar.net

You guys totally missed the hottest and freshest Thursday night party this past week at 40C. Seriously, where the hell were you? We mean, there's a lot going on, but this party, hosted by our friends TJ and… (in post Photos: The Fix! at 40C from the culture of me. More by this artist at eMusic Amie Street Amazont iTunes)

Prince Rogers Nelson was born on June 7, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When he grew up, he would become a well-known singer, song writer, record producer and an actor. His career started in the 1970s and he is still going strong today. Throughout his career, Prince has dabbled in a few different music genres, including rock, rhythm and blues, funk and pop and has always taken control of his own music. In fact, he has been known as a perfectionist where his music is concerned, which is probably why he has composed, produced and performed almost all of his music. Prince would also become known as an artist who was extremely protective over his own music. His need to control the music he created as well as how protective he was over it would cause him trouble in the future, but nothing serious enough to end his musical career.

Prince's parents went their separate ways when he was fairly young. He did not have a very good relationship with his step father and ran away. He then went to stay with his biological father for a while and it was then that he was given his first guitar. From that point on he practiced and experimented with music until he began his musical career in the mid 1970s. His cousin's husband, Pepe Willie was a great help to Prince and the start of his musical career. With this help and his determination, Prince went on to release his first album in April of 1978. This album would be the first of many more albums he would release later in his career.

Prince has always been extremely protective of his work, almost to a fault. He even went so far as to change his name to the title of a symbol in the early 1990s when he got into a dispute with the label he was under at the time. He didn't feel that they were allowing him to fully express himself and experiment with his music. It was the first step he took in order to get out of the contracts he was in, though he would return to his original name later on. He also got into a dispute with YouTube and eBay who were releasing his work without payment or proper authorization, which resulted in copyright infringement.

Prince has had many relationships, but it appears that his love is for his music. His music is what he puts his energy into and this could be a good reason why he is so protective of his work. It is probably why he had a difficult time remaining in contracts under other labels that he felt got in the way of his music. Music is an artistic expression and one cannot blame Prince for wanting to be able to express himself through his music, without the limitations on what he was allowed to do when under contract. Despite this, he would continue his musical career and would win numerous awards, including a few Grammy Awards. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments. You can find the best marketplace for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments at these sites for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments

Modern thrash classic. I have nothing more to add. This is a classic, a masterpiece. If you don't know it back and forth - shame on you. Shame! Download these three and become enlightened like the rest of… (in post The Haunted - "S/t" (1998) from Metal Bastard's MP3 Blahg. Download this at eMusic iTunes More by this artist at eMusic)

The essential driving force of a drum set is the bass drums. These are physically at the heart of the set with all hardware resting upon them. The bass also provides the underlying beat to your drumming. Without an adequately set-up and tuned set, your playing and rhythm section can be compromised and your equipment can suffer slow-building damage.

If you aren't getting the best sound of your set consider several of the following possibilities which compromise sound. For starters, keep in mind a bass set has a tendency to creep or move during practice and playing. This happens as you continue to use the kick pedal. One way to keep your kit from moving is to use a rug or small carpet under both the set and your seat. You can also keep your bass drum at a steeper angle by raising the front drum legs. If your set has spikes on the drum set, utilize them to keep your set in place. Sturdy drum kits tend to provide a reliable and unique sound.

When cleaning your kick you can use compressed air for those small crevices and hard-to-reach areas. Too much contact in these areas can cause unwanted shifting and movement, so compressed air alleviates any of these problems while keeping your set clean. However, some old-timers swear by the grim and grit built up on their cymbals, so consider leaving those cymbals alone or ask around before getting started on cleaning them. If you do like to clean your cymbals, look for abrasive-free polishes.

A bass cover might also serve you better than using a pillow. A cover can come in handy later especially while touring and has better sound mobility and flexibility. Although, not all drummers choose internal muffling. When tuning your bass, remember you can't tighten heads too much; you won't ever get a high pitch out of them.

Don't forget extreme weather can also damage a drum set, so watch out for humidity and cold weather. If you aren't getting the sound you want, check for warped or cracked heads. A great tip for keeping the sound you want is to carry a small took kit around with your set for any unforeseen problems and basic maintenance.

If all else fails, prop up a camera and videotape yourself practicing. You might notice some form problems that aren't always detectable even with the most attentive drummers. You may find your physical proximity, drumstick length, or basic set placement are more of a hindrance than you think. After the initial set up of your kit, always remember to make it your own. Adjustments can be made for the best possible sound and playing ability out of your bass drums.

Other tips for great drumming include keeping notes and/or a journal, write down those song and beat transcriptions that work best for you and which ones you need to visit again. Always listen to drummers and new music (not just favorites) and get creative.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for Web sites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background also includes teaching, gardening, and fashion. For more of her useful articles on percussion, please visit Drum Sets, supplier of a wide range of drum sets, drum kits, drum heads, stands, and more.

Danny Rampling is a former British House Music DJ and is widely credited as one of the original founders of the UK's rave/club scene. His long career began in the early 1980s playing hip-hop, soul and funk around numerous bars and clubs in London. During a now legendary holiday in Ibiza in 1987, Rampling, along with fellow DJs Paul Oakenfold and Nicky Holloway, attended Amnesia, a then open air nightclub in San Rafael. At the club the group were introduced to the unique eclectic style of DJ Alfredo, playing, among other genres, the new house music that had been exported from the USA.

Upon his return to England, Rampling, along with his then wife, Jenny, attempted to recreate the Ibizan experience by promoting what is regarded as the UK's first Balearic rave club, Shoom. Shoom ran for 3 years, starting out at a gym in Southwark, London. It launched acid house culture virtually overnight, while simultaneously providing a basis for mass ecstasy use in the UK.

In the following years Rampling continued his career in music as a DJ and producer, remixing many UK and international acts while forming a band, The Millionaire Hippies. In November 1994 he joined the BBC, presenting the "Lovegroove Dance Party" on Radio 1 until March 2002, making it the second longest running dance music show in radio after Pete Tong's "Essential Selection".

The mid 1990's also saw Rampling's DJing style diversify. While still playing House and Garage sets, Rampling also began to headline at harder, trancier parties, e.g. 'South', at The Zap Club, in Brighton. Rampling himself referred to his newer style as 'Euro', and at this time showcased new Euro tracks, during the final thirty minute weekly mix of his Radio 1 Show. Additionally, Rampling's Double CD Love Groove Dance Mix featured House and Garage on the first CD, and 'Euro' on the second.

In 2005 Danny Rampling announced his retirement from DJing to concentrate on running his restaurant, however by 2007 this hiatus from the world of DJ'ing had been lifted by some on-off appearances at selected clubs.

Danny Rampling has decided to make his comeback by accepting many offers to DJ around the globe, He will be playing a special Twenty Years of House Summer Boat Party in London on Saturday 19th July 2008. He will be joined by up-coming house DJs Jerry Frempong & Ian Morbey from Pret A Ecouter Music.

Danny has launched a new music site that encapsulates the history of house music, the site is called TWENTY YEARS OF HOUSE MUSIC http://www.twentyyearsofhouse.com - there is even a free DJ mix from the legend himself that he is giving away.

http://www.twentyyearsofhouse.com

The Lacoste Tennis Mid was introduced back in the late '80s and now it gets an updated look with the use of snakeskin, jaffa orange accents and a nubuck leather upper with beige accents. As far as color combos go, this would have to be one of the most strking releases we've seen thus far this year. Go the Croc! Scheduled to release in late August!

 

 

If keeping the time and setting the groove is your thing, then you need drum kits to help you get them thumping their feet. If you're already making them thump their feet, then you already know what you need. This one is for those who are new to drumming.

Drum kits come in various shapes, sizes and pieces. You can get 4 piece drum sets that are made up of a bass drum, snare drum, one tom tom and a floor tom (also called side tom).

Such basic drum kits are usually okay for beginners. You can start building your drum skills with those. As your ability increases and you start developing taste and preferences, you can add more drums to your set up.

Most drum sets are usually sold as complete kits with all the drums required, drum hardware, cymbals hi-hats and drum throne (Drummers call their seats throne. That's where they rule the beats!). However, it is important that you note that a good number of drum kits do not include cymbals, hi-hats, hardware and drum throne.

For such drum kits, you'll need to pick your cymbals, hi-hats and other things. This is where you'll eventually end up if you take up drums more seriously. Professional drummers usually prefer to handpick their own drums, hardware, and all.

But as you start out, you will do very well with complete drum kits. Not only is this option a lot more straightforward, it is also a lot cheaper.

We once had a swish cymbal which was smashed by a novice drummer. When our experienced drummer came around he was pained to see this great cymbal from Zlidjan destroyed. The amatuer thought that every cymbal could be hit like the crash cymbal. So, give yourself enough time to know how to use the basic set. Later, you'll graduate to the other more advanced kits.

Buy drum kits that are within your budget. If you think a drumset is too expensive, it is. Once you are really ready to buy very expensive drum kits, you'll be cutting enough shows at fees that will make the cost chicken change.

Bill McRea is the publisher of Guitar Warehouse the best place to Buy Guitar and learn Guitar Playing Techniques. Visit our site for over 60 Free Guitar Lessons and Information about playing Guitar.

Music takes center stage on the heels of the official registration opening for the Nike+ Human Race, the world’s biggest one-day running event taking place on August 31, 2008.  The race brings together the power of sport and music to inspire and connect runners from every corner of the planet.  Participants in this unprecedented event will experience an exclusive music performance by some of today’s top artists in each of the 25 designated race cities.

In Los Angeles, nine-time Grammy Award winning artist Kanye West will headline the run’s post race concert for the grand finale of the 25-city Nike+ Human Race.  Runners will take to the streets passing the city’s most famous landmarks before ending at the LA Coliseum to see West take the stage.  
“I’m hitting the stage in Los Angeles for the Nike+ Human Race, Nike's dopest 10k run ever. This race is bringing together hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world to run and listen to some great music while serving a higher cause, and I’m excited to perform in L.A. as part of the grand finale.”
West’s performance will bring to a close, an unprecedented day of races and activities around the globe starting in Taipei, ending in LA and including cities across Europe, Asia and North and South America. 

In London, runners will be treated to an exclusive performance by world-renowned American DJ, songwriter, musician and singer Moby in the city’s famed Wembley Stadium.  Other all-star artists confirmed to play at the Nike+ Human Race include chart-topping rock band All-American Rejects in NY; hometown favorite Fall Out Boy in Chicago; R&B songstress Kelly Rowland in Paris; dance-electro-pop duo The Pinker Tones in Madrid, Turkish pop sensation Kenan Dogulu in Istanbul; the Fantastic Four in Munich; Beijing-based singing duo Yu Quan in Shanghai and American rock band Boys Like Girls in Singapore.  

Beyond running and music, the Nike+ Human Race is also an opportunity to give back. Participants will be able to run for a worthy cause and support the three official Nike+ Human Race charitable partners: the Lance Armstrong Foundation – uniting people in the fight against cancer; WWF - the global conservation organization addressing the causes and impacts of climate change; and the UN refugee agency's ninemillion.org campaign – bringing sport and education to refugee youth.  Together, Nike and runners will raise funds to donate at least USD $3 million to the Nike+ Human Race charities.  Money will be raised via givebacks from registration fees, a percentage of Nike+ Human Race t-shirt sales and a donation of USD $1 million from Nike.
The Nike+ Human Race will also feature an online pledge tool so individual runners can donate additional funds to the cause of their choice and invite friends and family to contribute on their behalf.

“As a committed runner and a cancer survivor, I’m proud to be participating in the Nike+ Human Race,” Lance Armstrong said. “The race offers the best of both worlds by bringing together a global community to run together and support worthy causes like the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the UN refugee agency’s ninemillion.org and WWF in our combined efforts to have a positive impact on the world.

Other Nike athletes will also be joining the movement to run with the world and for a cause.  Like Lance Armstrong, they will serve as honorary athlete ambassadors for the charities and join in Human Race activities.  Six-time marathon winner and current NY Marathon Champion, Paula Radcliffe and middle distance runner Kara Goucher will be running to support WWF, while marathoner Meb Keflezighi will be representing ninemillion.org.

Nikeplus.com will be the official destination for the Nike+ Human Race and for all pre-race training needs. Here, runners can create a personal profile page or stay motivated by sampling and downloading the latest in Nike+ Sport Music offerings. Sport Music offers runners the best in original Training Run and Coaching Mixes designed specifically for treadmill and road runs.  Beginning June 15, runners will also be able to visit Race City pages covering local race info and news, Training pages for information and links to in-city training runs, events with official race partners including 24Hour Fitness and Starbucks and Nike+ Coach training.  Gear pages covering the latest in Nike performance training gear and Nike+ product will also be offered.

About Nike+ Human Race
On 08.31.08, Nike hosts a run like no other before with the Nike+ Human Race - the World’s Largest One Day Running Event.  Nike’s first global race will take place over the course of one day, with a goal of one million runners, across 25 cities and featuring 25 top musical acts.  The 10k event celebrates runners and their sport, offering participants across the globe the chance to run and compete together in an unprecedented race experience.  Spanning multiple continents, Nike+ Human Race cities will include LA, New York, London, Madrid, Paris, Istanbul, Melbourne, Shanghai, São Paulo and Vancouver among others.  Following races in each city, participants will be treated to an exclusive music concert featuring one of today’s top artists.  Participants will be able to run for a cause as a portion of funds raised will be donated to three Nike+ Human Race beneficiaries: WWF, the global conservation organization, Lance Armstrong Foundation and UN refugee agency's ninemillion.org campaign.  The race will be open to anyone, anywhere. Runners outside of the 25 race day cities can join by logging into nikeplus.com.  With the help of Nike+ and the Nike+ SportBand, every city and every road can become a race-day course.  For more information, visit nikeplus.com.  

There are many ways to compose a piece of music. ABA forms, sonata allegro form, and so on. But the humble theme and variations has been around for centuries. While not used nearly as much as it was during the classical period, it still can be used to create artistic and attractive contemporary piano pieces. Let's get started!

First, we need a theme! Eight bars are the perfect size to contain your theme. I work within this framework all the time and it has proven to be a workhorse when it comes to capturing musical ideas. Now, we can either begin with chords or melody. For theme and variations, I like to start with the melody (as do most composers.) This is because it's a lot easier to create variations for a simple melody than it is to create different textures for chord changes.

The melody does not (and should not) be sophisticated for theme and variations. Why? Because we want to change the melody. It's a lot easier to vary a simple theme than it is a complex one, although I'm sure it's been done successfully. Look at Pachobel's canon as an example. The theme is simple yet beautiful - exactly what we want.

Once the first 8-bars is complete, we harmonize it and we have the complete theme. Now we create variation one. Most theme and variations composed by the "masters" start their initial variations with just a little change and gradually vary the theme to where it may be unrecognizable towards the end.

We don't have to do this here. In fact, I suggest beginners only create 3 variations at the most. Look at it as an arc. You start out with something, let's say something andante or slow. Now we want to add some contrast to the whole thing so around variations 2 or 3 we speed it up a little. Eventually we close the theme and variations by returning to the original theme. Take a look at the author's lesson #54 for a good example of how to do this.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Visit http://www.quiescencemusic.com now and get a FREE piano lesson!

I guess you practice on your guitar in the hope of becoming a better guitarist with the joy that follows. However, many learning processes are active when you practice on your guitar.

After reading this article I hope you will be more aware of factors that can limit your progress as a guitarist and that your guitar practice sessions will be more effective.

At times when you practice on your guitar you might find that you are nervous and dont feel too good because you feel forced to play due to a guitar lesson coming up.

You feel that you havent done your homework or maybe other negative feelings are present for some reason.

The feelings you have when you practice a certain piece of music have a tendency to be evoked anew when you play the piece at another occasion.

Can tensions stick to your sheet music? Yes, in a way at least.

My experience, also confirmed when reading about this topic, is that your actual tension level when playing a musical composition on your guitar also tends to be present when you play the same piece of music in public.

In short, it will be harder to perform a piece of music in a relaxed way when you have practiced it with too much tension.

Can you learn not to play a piece of music on your guitar?

Well, You practice on your guitar in order to become a better player and maybe to learn a piece of music that you like.

The fact is that if you dont concentrate on your guitar playing you can make a lot of mistakes when trying to learn a piece of music. These mistakes tend to slow down the learning process, or rather, they will be a part of the learning process.

The more times you make mistakes playing a particular passage on your guitar the harder it will be for you to play it right because of those earlier mistakes trying to get your attention!

Can the secret learning processes become your friends?

Can you actually use these principles to your advantage? Yes and yes! In accordance with the before mentioned dangers when practicing you can:

1. Make your guitar practicing sessions to joyful and peaceful moments in your life. The joy will follow your music to your listeners.

2. Always practice a new piece of guitar music slowly so that you can play it with a minimum of tension and with correct posture.

3. Once again, practice slowly! Then you will be able to practice a guitar piece without mistakes and you will learn faster and feel better.

Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and learn to play resources at http://www.capotastomusic.com

More and more often, people who want to become great singers are turning away from local vocal coaches and turning towards online singing lessons, in particular they are turning towards Singorama online singing lessons.

Why? There are four major reasons, and they are as follows.

The first reason is cost. Local vocal coaches cost a lot of money and they have to be paid per lesson. Singorama is affordable and only has to be purchased once. You can get literally unlimited singing lessons using Singorama.

The second reason is effectiveness. Sadly many local vocal coaches are training vocalists using outdated methods that don't work as well as the cutting edge techniques that enable those who purchase Singorama online singing lessons to improve their singing so significantly in such a short period of time.

The third reason is convenience. When you use online singing lessons you can improve your singing whenever you want from the comfort of your own home. With a vocal coach you will often have to make a long trip that adds the cost of time & gas to the already high price of the lessons themselves!

The fourth reason is shyness. The fact is many people feel very self conscious about their voices when they are trying to learn to sing better and may not feel comfortable singing in front of a vocal coach. Online singing lessons allow people to improve their singing without the uncomfortable feeling of singing in front of others when you do not feel ready yet.

It's a good idea to combine vocal lessons with ear training because you can only sing as well as you can hear. Pure Pitch Method is the recommended ear training program. It can help you to develop both relative pitch and perfect pitch.

Johnny Moon recommends Singorama For Online Singing Lessons.

Combine with Online Ear Training for best results.

If you are thinking of getting married in the area there are plenty of fantastic wedding venues in Cambridgeshire. One thing Cambridgeshire is not short on is scenery for those ever so important wedding photographs. Whether its the Cambridge backs, Ely Cathedral, or the expansive countryside around historic Peterborough and Huntingdon you are sure to find the perfect location.

For most people the first big decision is whether or not you will have a traditional White Wedding in a church, or go for the increasingly popular option of having a civil service in a more diverse location.

If you opt for a civil ceremony will you then need to decide if you will be having the reception in the same place as the wedding ceremony. This is often the case if it is a country hotel for example, but may not be if the ceremony takes place on your favourite football pitch!

One increasingly popular location for civil ceremonies is the Cambridge Colleges. New Hall College in particular now has a license to carry out civil weddings and where better can you enjoy the culture and history of Cambridge than getting married in a Cambridge College?

Some favourite wedding venues in Cambridgeshire include Quy Mill, Chilford Hall, Swynford Paddocks and of course Ely Cathedral. There are an abundance of reception venues that range from country hotels with marquees to famous sites such as Tattersalls in Newmarket or the Corn Exchange in Cambridge.

If you are getting married on a budget there are a number of smaller halls that you can hire within the major cities that wont cost a fortune.

In terms of entertainment, the only real priority is to find a good DJ to make your special night go with a swing. We would always recommend seeking references from any DJ you are looking to use as this can make or break your night. Any DJ that is as good as he says he is should have no problem letting you speak to two or three of his happy customers.

Another popular form of entertainment these days is to employ a magician or other such entertainer to keep your day guests happy while the photographs are being taken. This can take a couple of hours and a magician is a great ice breaker and gives your guests something to talk about.

To find a great venue for your special day follow the link below:

Wedding Venues in Cambridgeshire

Craig Jeavons is the Managing Director of http://www.cambridgeshiretouristguide.com the comprehensive guide for where to go and what to do in the county of Cambridgeshire.

Don Omar was one of the first international reggaeton stars because of his great music. He became very popular in the late 90's and 2000 when he worked with the excellent producers Luny Tunes. Everybody remembers the song Reggeaton Latino which was a huge hit worldwide.

Don Omar's real name is William Landron and was born in Villa's Palmeras Puerto Rico, and went a lot to church as a young child. Since he was a child he knew he loved the music and wanted to sing, so he dedicated himself in the music industry.

Don Omar used to write songs for other artists, but then he got involved in singing himself. His carrier got big and made a hit song in 2002 called "A la Reconquista". From there he became huge in the Latino community. Don Omar made other albums with Luny Tunes, Eliel and together made hit songs like "Intocable" and "Dile". The songs of Don Omar in 2005 spread all around the United States, and made officially Don Omar a international artist.

Don Omar's new album "Kings of Kings" is a big success, hitting the number one spot in the Latin Billboards. To end this article Don Omar is one of the top reggaeton stars of all time.

My name is Sara and i was born in the USA. For more information visit http://donomarlive.blogspot.com

Following on from the initial ‘Great White’ colorway released in April 2008, we can now reveal the stunning second version of the Sneaker Freaker X PUMA ‘Jirozame’ project. This new colorway of the PUMA Blaze of Glory flips the shoe to inky black, with a slash of vivid color that sets it off in all the right places. Highlights include sensual nubuck with turqoise sateen, silky laces, red chunks and poppin’ pink bits, all hooked up with the legendary smoke-tinted Trinomic cell unit in the sole of the shoe.

There’s also a choice of several beautifully designed insoles and multiple laces to complement the highly distinctive sneaker. “This thing looks evil!” says the editor and founder of Sneaker Freaker, Simon “Woody” Wood. “ And I love evil! It’s seriously the most comfortable shoe PUMA has ever made. Once you put this thing on you’ll never want to take it off. The Trinomic system was so far ahead of its time, you won’t believe your feet!” Be wary of its apparently docile nature, this one is lethal. And very, very black.

Here's a list of retailers below so find the one in your local area and bug them because as always, numbers are limited and you won't wanna miss out.

READ MORE ABOUT THE SNEAKER FREAKER BLAZE OF GLORY SHOE HERE.

AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS Provider (Melbourne) // Apartment (Brisbane)

NORTH AMERICA Atmos (NYC) // ARC (NYC) // Bodega (Boston) // Premium Goods (Houston)
Livestock (Vancouver) // Ubiq (Philly) // Undefeated (US) // Classic Kicks (NYC)

EUROPE Colette (Paris) // The Gloss (Zurich) // Hanon (Aberdeen, Scotland) // Shinzo (Paris)
Solebox (Berlin) // Sole Service (Oslo) // Sneakersnstuff (Stockholm) // Size (Carnaby St) // 90 SQM (Amsterdam)

ASIA Beams (Tokyo) // DMOP (Hong Kong) // Limited Edt (Singapore) Mita (Tokyo) // Sole What (Malaysia)

 

 

To see pictures of the Great White version of this shoe, go here...

Not sure whats happening with me on this one, but it seems like the more I listen to it, the better Urban Gypsy gets. Urban Gypsy stated simply is one of Marc Antoines best CDs to date.

Unfortunately, its not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just cant force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Urban Gypsy. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

These days its a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs.

Overall Urban Gypsy is an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up and is most definitely a worthy addition to any Jazz collection. Truly an outstanding Jazz CD. One of those that is completely void of any wasted time, as each track is simply superb.

While this entire album is really very good the truly standout tunes are track 2 - Quand Le Jazz Hip-Hop, track 10 - Paris Jam, and track 12 - Storytime.

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 - Latin Quarter. This is a great track!

Urban Gypsy Release Notes:

Marc Antoine originally released Urban Gypsy on January 27, 1998 on the NYC Music label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Latin Quarter

2. Quand Le Jazz Hip-Hop

3. Sand Castle

4. Steppin'

5. El Matador

6. First Rain

7. Urban Gypsy

8. Forget-Me-Not

9. Brazil '96

10. Paris Jam

11. Hollywood Viscount

12. Storytime

Personnel includes: Marc Antoine (vocals, guitar, keyboards, Moog synthesizer, programming); Sovory (vocals); Harold Todd (flute); Rachel Z (Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); Jimmy Haslip (bass); Luis Conte (percussion).

Principally recorded at Sonic Jungle Studios, Los Angeles, California.

Lenovo Notebooks

No matter what instrument you play and regardless of how long you have played it's vitally important to begin incorporating some jazz improvisation or just improvisation practice into your daily routines (you do practice daily, don't you?). Let's look into the reason why this makes sense:

First we need an analogy: let's equate music with language-- for me that language is English. Now what are the component skills that one needs in order to have a true command of that language? To be able to to read it and write for sure. However, an oft overlooked and certainly under practiced skill is the ability to speak well, especially under pressure. For example, think of all the times in your life you wish you could come up with just the right words for that particular occasion: proposing to your sweetheart, asking the boss for a raise, negotiating your price for your new house, give an impromptu toast at a dinner and so forth.

The ability to read or write does not really come into play in these situations. Of course you could read your pre-prepared marriage proposal, or read your raise request to to your boss but that would not be practical and it is doubtful you would achieve your desired goal. High school and college debate teams train for their competitions by verbally "sparring" with one another until they can think of the appropriate words with just the right inflection at the appropriate time. Public speaking organizations such as Toastmasters help their members in an encouraging atmosphere to acquire public speaking skills. These skills are only in some way indirectly related to the ability of being able to read the printed word and write it down. I'm telling you that this is exactly the challenges we are presented with when learning a musical instrument (even if your instrument is vocal!).

My experience growing up as a young musician will illustrate my point quite well I think. I started playing the trumpet in the 4th grade. We studied from the Rubank Elementary Method book (still around to this day!). "Now this note is called a G, it's on the 2nd line of the treble staff and it is held for 4 counts: 1-2-3-4. Now you try, and so on. This is the letter A , it sounds like this: see the word apple, can you say it," and so on. This is how it goes unless you get a teacher or mentor that realizes a whole dimension of your music education is being largely ignored. Once a musician has a "vocabulary" of a dozen notes or so it's time to begin some improvisation practice. Unlike the rote skill of sight reading from a score, taking a break and just freely playing an improvisation of the melody line can be a refreshing change of pace that ( make no mistake about it) is increasing your skills as a musician regardless of the "style" of music you play or want to play!

So here I am in my high school stage band when the director looks at me in the middle of a tune and said those ominous words: "OK Marty, take a solo!" I looked down at my music panic stricken. Where were the notes! All I saw were a series of slash marks (////) with funny symbols above them like Bbm7/Eb7/F7 and so on. Needless to say my first "improvised" jazz solo was a disaster even though it was comprised of mainly rests! Sometime later the director approached me with an LP recording. Some of you may remember, a vinyl "record" you played on a "turntable" that spun around at 331/3 rpm...OK if you don't have a clue Google it!

Anyway, the name of the record was Nothin But the Blues. It was a play along record by a jazz educator named Jamey Aebersold. You would put the record on and hear a jazz trio of piano, bass and drums play what I later learned was called a "12 bar blues chord progression" that repeated for a number of "choruses". I supplied the lead line and the improvised solos. Well I wore that record out! It actually changed my musical "life" and focus. Now I own the CD version and break it out once in a while to share with my students. I have students that have played for much less than a year playing decent improvised solos! Do they understand the meaning of an Fm7 or C7 chord. Some do, but most do not. The fact that they do not yet have a total command of the "vocabulary" DOES NOT AFFECT THEIR ABILITY TO PLAY A DECENT IMPROVISED SOLO.

A baby says "mama" or "dada" before they can read it or write it! A baby starts putting words together and making silly sounds because not only is it fun but this is a fundamental part of how we learn a language- and after all isn't music a language? Stay tuned for Jazz Improvisation Secrets Part II.

Marty Lehr is a music educator and performer. Marty believes that starting a study of (jazz) improvisation in combination with "traditional" studies at an early stage in your music career will greatly enhance your abilities over time. One of the best sources for jazz improvisation study is Jamey Aebersold Jazz. Visit Jamey Aebersold Jazz Review for more information:

Jamey Aebersold Jazz Review

The best jazz improvisation study materials money can buy!