Week 12's Thing - 3 month Mix Tape
Plug in your headphones and check out this hot track that's been stuck in my head this week. I can't hear it enough, frankly. It's called HOME by Bole 2 Harlem. Bole 2 Harlem is not actually a band. Bole 2 Harlem is a conglomeration of a bunch of Ethiopian musicians of the highest caliber. They were lovingly assembled by this producer-man named David “Duke Mushroom” Schommer. i enjoyed an interesting interview with Mr. Schommer on piratepods.com. Even though the interviewer sounds like she's too busy painting her toenails to pay attention to her subject, David Schommer is interesting enough to carry on both sides of the conversation.
This album is fantastic. It's just the right groove for the last month of summer. It encourages you to lay back and enjoy the ride.
I discovered this song on an NPR ((HA HA - it's not even NPR; it's NCPR. That's North Country Public Radio)) So.
I discovered this song on an obscure radio show called The Beat Authority with David Sommerstein. He does a 2-hour show every friday. They save the shows and the show's musical line-up on NCPR's website. I have a deep respect for David Sommerstein. He's really showing his listeners amazing music. World music, FLOABN. Even though world music has a very stereotypical connotation for me. I always think of Enya. Ick.
How did I find out about this radio show? This past New Year we were driving up to the Adirondacks. Every couple of years, we rent this amazing A-frame house right next to a frozen lake and hunker down for New Year's Eve. We drink plenty of champagne and hot tub in the great out-of-doors.
While we were driving there this past New Year's, as we got closer to the house and higher into the mountains, every station was the sound of static. Our co-pilot was furiously looking for a non-staticy radio station. All of a sudden, this song came clearly out of the static.....(Ray Barretto - Mercy Mercy Baby)
And then, David Sommerstein said the show was called The Beat Collective. And then static. And then we were there.
Even after all the champagne, I somehow remembered that name until after New Year's.
And now, I have this amazing new album to listen to until the end of time.
It's fairly amazing how life rolls out in front of you like a big, red carpet. This thing happens here. You forget that thing that one day. You ignore the phone. You recognize an old face. You decide to hold that grudge. You discover if you relax the back of your throat and soft palate, you can breathe a little deeper. You discover that if you wear your earbuds the opposite way of the way you've been wearing them all this time, they work much better. If you make paella, take the shells off the shrimp first. Things that seem totally unconnected, somehow make sense to you because you are your own context.
(psst. I did a thing this week. I started a fundraiser. But I didn't want to use my NOTV blog to pimp my fundraiser.
It feels really great to have people donate their money to your cause. They are putting their faith in you to use their money with respect. This is inspiring. I'm going to make you guys something great. Just you wait.)
Relax and feel the groove.
(NOTV for 12 weeks (!?!) so far)
(Oh yeah! Don't forget to check out previous blog posts Art de Toilette and Arbor Day for additional materials And, if you haven't yet - check out my NO TV facebook thing - http://www.facebook.com/52weeksofnotv - and like it, if you will. It's supposed to do something. )