Simpatico

2011 is a year I’m looking forward to leaving behind. But, as usual, I’ll take some music with me. My 2011 music mix can be downloaded in two parts here:
He Said
She Said

Each link should automatically download a folder that you can unzip to get to the music. The first mix is called “He Said” and the second is called “She Said.” You can add them to iTunes just by creating an empty playlist and then dragging the songs into it. The tracks should show up in the right order, but I’ve included a .pdf file with a track list for each.

I was enthralled with  amazing female artists this year. “She Said” is definitely my favorite of these two mixes. The first track “Escape Tonight” is my song of the year. The mix ends with my album of the year. For the second year in a row, my favorite album was by a female rapper. This time it is the French-Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux’s mixtape Elefant. I’ve included the whole 22 minute mixtape, because it was distributed as a single track anyhow. I could listen to that mix every day even though I have no idea what she’s saying.

Last year, my album of the year was the full-length debut from Minnesota rapper and writer, Dessa. This year, she released another amazing album Castor, The Twin with lush live-music reinterpretations of songs from earlier in her career. I highly recommend catching her and the entire talented Doomtree collective when they tour this spring (Feb 12 in Chapel Hill).

One of my favorite female artists of the year didn’t even make the mix. The fascinating album from tUnE-yArDs really holds my attention, but I like watching Merrill Garbus create her songs live even better. Check out this video to see what I mean.

There’s one more video you should check out to accompany my mix. “Oracao” by the Brazilians A Banda Mais Bonita Da Cidade. It’s a transfixing song and a beautifully constructed video. If you get bored with the song, at least  skip to the last minute to see the pure joy at the end.

On the “He Said” mix, I’ll highlight River City Extension as my favorite band of the year. I stumbled upon them one Tuesday night at Chapel Hill’s Nightlight club.  Jay Parker and I had gone to see Onward, Soldiers (from last year’s mix). There were about 18 of us in the club. When River City Extension took the stage, I realized that about a dozen of the audience were actually in their band. They killed. It was really hard to choose one song from their album, and I can’t wait to see them again. (Plus they’ll have a new album out in early 2012.)

This year, I also became a big fan of The Monti, a local arts organization that arranges storytelling events. I highly recommend their podcast, and I’ll join any of you at a live show whenever you want.  I even plan to take the stage with them a couple of times this year. I participated in one StorySlam last year, and got 2nd place! I was tempted, but didn’t put any of their stories on the mix. That said, Sage Francis’ track “The Best of Times” would make a great Monti story.

Enjoy the music. As always, tell me what you like and what you don’t. Send me a mix and I’ll love you forever.

Happy New Year,
Graig

colorlines:

Hours before the show aired, Roots drummer Questlove told his Twitter followers to keep their ears pricked during Tuesday morning’s show.

“Aight late night walkon song devotees: you love it when we snark: this next one takes the cake. ask around cause i aint tweeting title,” he tweeted.

…and then Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann strode to the couch smiling and waving to the crowd while The Roots played a Fishbone’s “Lyin’ Ass Bitch.”

The original song is below:

JR

 

            In 1960, Braxton Foushee and a group of other African-American students from Lincoln High School started the Chapel Hill sit-in movement just weeks after hearing of the Greensboro sit-ins. These youth picketed and sat-in at segregated lunch counters and movie theaters, and they even organized a mass protest that delayed the start of a UNC-Duke football game.

            Braxton went on to become Carrboro’s first African-American alderman. During his tenure on the Board of Alderman, he was instrumental in the preservation of Carr Mill Mall and of the creation of Anderson Park. Looking back on those decisions, Braxton says the board had to look at the big picture and take a long term perspective.  Clearly, those decisions have resulted in two facilities that are among the most used in town.

            Along with his service to the community, Braxton successfully ran his own business for over twenty years. He has also worked in our local schools and at the Hospital. He has volunteered with the local NAACP and the Boy Scouts.  He has served on the board of OWASA. 

            Braxton Foushee has impacted his community in deep and meaningful ways.  At an age where he could enjoy a retirement, we are fortunate that he is once again stepping up to help.  Although I cannot vote in Carrboro elections I truly love the town, and I wholeheartedly support his candidacy for the Carrboro Board of Alderman.

            Today Braxton has the same passion of the civil-rights activist, the vision of the former alderman, and the common sense of a small business owner. He is connected to Carrboro in so many ways that he thinks about every challenge the town faces from many perspectives. Braxton is a great listener, and he is willing and able to speak clearly and calmly for what he believes.

            I appreciate the way Braxton considers the needs of multiple constituencies, and the way he measures the long-term impacts of town policies.  He has common sense ideas about how to address the need for additional workforce housing, support the residents of the Rogers-Eubanks neighborhood, and to use Carrboro’s industrial areas.

            We are always fortunate when elected service draws those who maintain that magical elixir of passion and wisdom, vision and practicality.  Braxton Foushee has all of these.  I wholeheartedly endorse Braxton Foushee for Carrboro Board of Aldermen.