Here is the brand new video for Ray Lugo's "Now". 'Now" is a meditation on the importance of the present moment and redirecting the mind away from a past we cannot change or a future we seldom control. SHARE if you recognize and let's go forward with clear thoughts. Featuring some frequent collaborators with Ray (Terrificos, Kokolo, Boogaloo Destroyers, L.E.S. Express): "Big respect to the talented artists who worked on this tune and made it shine: Ian Toole: Guitar, Keys, Casey Howard: Saxophone, Andy Averbuch: Guitar Jake Fader: Guitar Mixed by: Dusty Mastered by:Adam Boose. All blessings to you, fellas."...

The great reedsman and composer Julius Hemphill was a member of the collective Black Artists Group (B.A.G.) of St. Louis, and a founder of the World Saxophone Quartet, an all-sax ensemble that played and recontextualized many originals, standards and pop songs for wind only. Hemphill also played with Ike Turner, Anthony Braxton, Lester Bowie, Human Arts Ensemble and Bjork, as well as starting both a sax quintet and sextet. He had a harsh tone, with influence from African music to pop to avant-garde and theater. He can be heard often in the duo format. And like Braxton, his line-ups could...

It's always legit to have Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears back on the scene with new music and a tour. The veteran Austin TX-based band has several raucous records and are an entertaining live act. Boozy & garagey, they mix R&B, punk & blues with Daptone-esque horns, a concoction that is groovy and nasty. Taken from their forthcoming fifth LP Backlash, produced by Stewart Sikes (Loretta Lynn, Cat Power) and out Feb 10, "PTP" (Power to the Pussy) is a sexually charged romp of a song that sounds like Stax-gone-garage. They've made a fun animated video for the tune...

Happy birthday to the legendary Romani-gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, one of the most influential musicians to come out of 20th century Europe. Django made the guitar the star before the amplified era, with melodies to delicately massage the toughest of ears. Often in partnership with French violinist Stephane Grappelli & their Quintette du Hot Club de France, the 1930's recordings stand as standard-bearers for some of the most advanced harmonic runs of the day and jazz on the whole were given legitimacy in Europe by the time Django went electric in '46. His fast fingers (even if he could...

The excellent Dreams: Border Blaster feature at KCET features cool videos every week. This episode features the C.A.M.P.O.S. tune, "Dream of the Bell Flower", yet another great tune from the Peace & Rhythm-released 2xLP Miracle & Criminals. Check out the show. (And order the album here.) "New York psychedelic band C.A.M.P.O.S. gets groovy with some found footage" Border Blaster airs locally in Los Angeles and nationally in the US via Dish and DirectTV on partner channel LinkTV. It is in partnership with Dublab. https://www.kcet.org/ http://dublab.com/