The British film festival came to a close over the weekend so thought I'd do a quick BHM selection.
Portrait of Jason by Shirley Clarke
This documentary by Shirley Clarke was recently restored thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign by distributor Milestone who are helping to keep many black and independent films in circulation - notably Charles Burnett's Killer of Sheep which Spike Lee recommended in the interview with Pharrell I posted. A quick intro if you're unfamiliar with her : she was student of Hans Richter and a pivotal member of the New American Cinema movement. Their statement of intent contained a strong critique of the spread of hollywood-style film culture:
"The official cinema all over the world is running out of breath. It is morally corrupt, aesthetically obsolete, thematically superficial, temperamentally boring."
Alongside fellow director Maya Deren she pushed the boundaries of film and led the way for women in film. The Connection and The Cool World tell stories of outsiders; Jazz playing heroine addicts waiting to score and gangs in Harlem, she also directed a documentary on Jazz legend Ornette Coleman and an Academy Award winning piece on poet Robert Frost. I included her in this BHM post because black people tend to be the focus of her films and regardless of her motivations for this the quality of her works speak for themselves.
Her films are extremely hard to find (The Cool World is on youtube) so for that reason alone I recommend going to see this. Jason, a friend of her long time collaborator Carl Lee, was a gay hustler and 'alcoholic genius' who Clarke interviews in her apartment over the course of 12 hours discussing sexuality, race, class and everything in-between. Whilst it may not sound like the most 'exicting' film Ingmar Bergman called it 'the most fascinating film' he's ever seen - so that has to say something, right?
For more info about Clarke check this in depth interview with Lauren Rabinovitz here. * The next film directed by Nigerian Chika Anadu, B For Boy from Nigeria is her debut feature film. B For Boy is a contemporary drama set in Nigeria about the pressures placed on women to give birth to a male child. It has been shortlisted for the First Feature competition.
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Mother of George was directed by Andrew Dosunmu with cast featuring Isaach de Bankolé (Chocolat, Ghost Dog, Casino Royale), Danai Gurira & Bukky Ajayi. Another Nigerian film from a Nigerian director dealing again with fertility; this time it's set in the Nigerian quarter of Crown Heights, NYC. A former design assistant at YSL, music video director and fashion photographer it's no surprise that teamed with cinematographer Bradford Young it won best Cinematography award at Sundance.
'Mother of George depicts what happens in today's world when the pressure to prove one's fertility becomes fused with the ultimate sacrifice for love, when tradition clashes with modernity, and when secrets in families lead to surprising choices and devastating outcomes.'
In other news Dosunmu has also taken over from Steve McQueen for the Fela biopic. * Gone Too Far by Destiny Ekaragha
Bringing it back the U.K Malachi Kirkby plays a British-Nigerian teenager whose just starting to become to popular when his 'freshy' (bush or whatever you wanna call it) brother lands from Nigerian, played by OC Ukeje (Half of a Yellow Sun) who just won best lead actor for Hoodrush in the Nollywood 2013 Awards , and things take a turn for the worse. Adpated from Bola Agbaje's theatre production of the same name, Ekaragha's debut feature is a coming of age story set in Peckham that explores issues of race and perception whilst maintaining her signature balance of comedy and seriousness.
Check her award winning short Tight Jeans from 2008below.
Post on 12 Years a Slave and Half of a Yellow Sun to follow.
Since Wizkid dropped his debut album 'Superstar' back in 2011 there has not been this much anticipation for an album coming from any Nigerian artist. Last summer 'Like To Party' was the jam and this summer he dropped a slick video to the slow burning single 'Run My Race'. At £7.99 for 19 tracks (Deluxe iTunes version) , all produced by LeriQ, it is more than value for money especially having put out 2 free mixtapes. Burn Notice below is the prequel to the album so check that first as it further showcases his variety.
When I saw the length of it on iTunes I was worried that the quality wouldn't be consistent. 6 of the tracks had already been released and rinsed as singles so most people will skip over them but there is enough new material including 4 bonus tracks to keep both old fans and newcomers happy . It's the kind of album that you could take a house party and let it play from start to finish and no one would want to change it. LeriQ makes sure there enough variation in the production with tracks like 'Guilty', 'Dem No Know', 'Don't Know' ft Reminisce & Olamide, 'Jah Love Is True' ft Wizkid and the Outro 'Remember Me'. Again the change in pace with these last few tracks is where he shows his ability to make songs that can be listened to after the club. Even you don't understand Yoruba the infectious rhythms should be enough to get your head nodding at least. If the album is properly promoted by the label and supported by his fans there's no reason why it shouldn't chart. Buy the album Elsewhere, Ghanian Fuse ODG is still making some noise with his track 'Antenna' which is still in the top 40 and everyone has surely heard or danced to his 'Azonto' which now reminds me of Mr.C The Slideman's 'Cha Cha Slide.'
With the likes of Znobia, Marfox, Murlo Nguzunguzu (check their slept on r&b / tarraxinha inspired 'Perfect Lullaby' mix for DIS Magazine from 2011, Jam City (check his '09 mix for Bok Bok's Lower End Spam), Dub Boy, Buraka Son Sistema, The Heatwave, Thristian, Gilles Peterson and others pushing all styles of African music : Nigerian, Ghanian, South African, Angolan, Kenyan it can only go from strength to strength in both the underground and mainstream. With Notting Hill Carnival around the corner its time to get in the mood. *Airhorn*
The mother of singers such as Adele, future stars Jessie Ware - who has cited her as an influence ( note the similarity between 'Sweet Talk' and 'Your Love Is King'), Eglo's Fatima, Twigs and Toronto's very own Rochelle Jordan, Sade's influence musically, stylistically and behaviourally, to me, is undoubtable.
Anonymity in underground music is nothing new but when you're a multi platinum artist it is unheard of. Like many originators her private life has remained a mystery to the public. I'm sure there's more information out there if you can be bothered to look but I don't want to break the spell. With enigmas like Prince, Timbaland, Aphex Twin and Burial apart from a few interviews and pictures (which maybe not even be them) it is their music that has done the talking for them, well maybe not in the case of Timbaland. Their mystique, along with untouchable back catalogues of archetypal music has guaranteed them their immortality. They created their own genres (hold tight Wiley).
Admittedly, these artists operated in an era where Twitter, Instagram and Facebook did not exist and vorarephilia was not epidemic. There's something reassuring in the fact that you could walk past someone so culturally and personally influential in the street and not even know it was them. Granted, a lot of people could point out Prince and (pre steroids) Timbaland but what I'm trying to say is that the others do not actively court the media. Or maybe they do? Everyone wants what they can't have - a photo, a girl, a dub it's all the same. That said, Sade has been on the cover of I-D, The Face, Time, Rolling Stones, and Interview magazine so it is clear that she is select about who she speaks to when she decides to play ball.
For those who are unfamiliar, Sade is 4 piece band from Hull. They have released 6 albums (excluding best of and live concert albums) - all of which are multi platinum, they have won grammys and toured the world several times. The eponymous member Helen Folasade Adu, of Nigerian and British heritage was the biggest selling musician in the USA in 2012. Even with all these accolades there's still a possibility you're not familiar with their music apart from 'Smooth Operator' and 'Sweetest Taboo' but it's more than likely that you've seen her face. Their last album in 'Soldier of Love' in 2010 was their first in 10 years - she is #veryrvre. To top it all off she has had the likes of Jay-Z, Kanye West & Drake queueing up to work together and declined *jammer voice* all of them. (Jay-Z did get on a remix though)
“I only make records when I feel I have something to say. I’m not interested in releasing music just for the sake of selling something. Sade is not a brand.”
In a career that has spanned nearly 30 years she has never compromised herself, she stayed in her lane and has reaped the rewards of not attempting to pander to new audiences unlike many of her contemporaries. This meant she successfully dodged that awkward phase where it feels like a parent is trying so hard to stay 'down with the kids.' The band members have stayed the same and essentially their sound has remained unchanged but If it ain't broke... You like what she has to offer or don't listen.
“The difference between Madonna and me is that she really seems to want to be incredibly famous and rich and I don't.”
Whilst it does help that her particular style of music is more accessible that should not diminish her achievements because she is an outsider in many ways. Her detractors label it 'elevator' or 'lobby' music and each to their own. So it's not Sun Ra but then again its not generic 'smooth jazz'. With elements of trip hop it's stripped back yet funky, glacial yet emotional. Put it this way a Sade/Gucci Mane collab could easily cause a new ice age. She embodies the essence of 'tutu' which literally translates as "cool" from the Yoruba language.. "An Itutu aesthetic includes the appearance of a calm, collected face that is found in much Yoruba sculpture. It has been suggested by Robert Farris Thompson of Yale University that Itutu is the origin of the American idea of the "cool". His 1973 article 'An Aesthetic of the Cool' traces the idea of Itutu from the Yoruba to several other African civilisations and finally to the Americas, where the descendants of Africans perpetuated the importance of being "cool." (Thank you Wikipedia /JSTOR) It's a 'coolness' the stems from a knowledge of self which is manifested in composure . The concepts of 'cool' are often linked to the sacred usage of water and in 'Love Deluxe' there is a clear aquatic theme in both subject matter and instrumentation.Time magazine called her the 'Queen of cool' which if you know her music, check interviews and browse her pictures it is clear why.
Sade, even whilst she was young and impressionable, did not feel the need to take off her clothes in order to seduce the public. As beautiful as she is her simple fashion sense did more than any skimpy outfit could. The embodiment of simplicity, her understated less is more style is timeless.
'I don't like things that are glittery or flashy. Simplicity is the key, looking subtle without looking dull.' She hits the nail on the head when she says :
'when it comes down to it I'm a singer not a stripper.'
This, to me, is why she is a perfect role model for young girls who look up to singers. Bandz will NOT make her dance! I'm not saying that I don't appreciate some flesh...but when my 3 year old sister was performing Rihanna's 'What's My Name' on her fake microphone and guitar in front of my family one Christmas - I knew there was trouble. Sex sells, but when the age of your audience starts as young as 3 you have to be careful who you're selling to. Nudity is always controversial as proven by Robin Thicke along with Justin Timberlake's feeble imitation. 'Artistic' nudity. (Let's save that debate for another time.) 'Blurred Lines' is currently at number one so I guess it worked.
That said, the 'Love Deluxe' album cover shot by renowned fashion photographer Albert Watson features her 'nude' but tastefully covered up - a trend which was started by none other than Prince with his 'Lovesexy' cover. The only time she ever revealed herself was alongside Helen Bonham Carter and Amy Winehouse for the Lavender Trust in order to raise awareness for breast cancer. As Fatima Robinson, a choreographer for the likes of Michael Jackson and Aaliyah, duly stated Sade was 'sensual and sexy, without trying. It wasn’t contrived in any way.' So by her stating 'She was probably the only artist I’ve ever worked with where I go ‘wow, I wish I could move like her' instead of making them move like me.' It shows there is more to sex appeal than nudity. It's what she doesn't reveal that makes her sexy. Although Sade doesn't dance if you watch the 'Cherish The Day' video you'll see what Fatima means.
The early to mid 1980s was all about being BIG. Big personas, big hair, heavy make-up and equally outlandish costumes. Whilst others were taking cues from David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust persona, the Blitz club's own Spandau Ballet or Madonna's 'Like a virgin', Sade was staying true to her own style. Men's blazers, loafers, denim shirts as well as elegant, figure hugging dresses. Her understated style has been noted by the likes of Gianfranco Ferré, Gaultier, and Balmain's Rousteing. As one of the Blitz Kids she was at the forefront of fashion before she was a singer. So when she did eventually become a star she was immediately set apart from her contemporaries. Her exoticised image and sophisticated jazz influenced music launched Sade as the female face of the fashion-conscious 1980s. She instantly became a style icon with the red lipstick and leather gloves becoming her signatures.
“There were no girls of my age around, so I played with the boys on the fringe of my brother’s circle. I didn’t have a girl friend till I was nine. This probably explains why reportedly Princess Diana’s question to her after a Prince’s Trust concert was: “Do you always dress like a man?” Maybe someone should ask Janelle Monae the same thing...
(Photograph by Letac / Shapersofthe80s archive)
Now, Love Deluxe. It was released in 1992 The album begins with the grammy winning 'No Ordinary Love'. No long intro it's straight into the deep end. This can be disorientating for some but this is an album you want to get 'lost' in. The icy pads matched with icy her voice and that guitar - it's game over. The emotion in the track steadily crescendo's to the point where you could shed a tear and then it smoothes out allowing you to recompose yourself. The video, directed by her fellow CSM student Sophie Muller, sees Sade as a mermaid singing about her own Prince Namor.
The dubbed out second track, 'Feel No Pain', which could be used as today's Job Seekers Anthem is highly motivational. Not on a level with MJ's 'They Don't Care About Us' but if you have ever 'seen a man break down' and you need something to help you in your mission to get them back in the game then this is it.
'Couldn't love you more' - underwater love song.
'Like A Tattoo' - Spanish guitar...
'Kiss of life' - sampled by MF Doom for Doomsday (Metal Fingers - Saffron) and you can see why. As great as her voice is when the instrumental breaks down it's pure bliss.
'Cherish The Day' - 1m 37s everytime...and that snare!
'Pearls' - Just Watch below (sampled by D'Cruze on Heaven - which I just uploaded)
'Bullet Proof Soul' - I need to hire Stuart Matthewman to play the sax as I walk through the rain in my trench doing my best Inspector Morse / Columbo impressions. 'Mermaids' - An instrumental outro ending the album on the underwater theme that it began with. No rating system but if you like your R&B slightly dark and emotional then this is for you. If your getting sampled by Havoc, Dilla, Dillinja, Doom and....Drake then you have to be doing something right. In my eyes this album along their previous two as well as Soul II Soul's is are of the foundations of the 'neo soul' movement that came to prominence in the late 90s with the like of D'Angelo, Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu. My youtube playlist of Sade sampling songs : Shar-Day Further listening : The band (excluding Sade herself) went on to form Sweetback in 1994 releasing their debut self-titled album in 1996 featuring Maxwell (Stuart Matthewman of Sade went on to produce much of 'Urban Hang Suite' , Amel Larrieux of Groove Theory and Aya.
