2009 is certainly shaping up to be quite an interesting year….

1. AIG -
Is an acronym which stands for “American International Group.” With such a nebulous & generic name is it any wonder that we have no idea what they are doing with our taxpayer dollars? These people had betta watch out. The kind of stuff they (and others in the Financial Services Industry) are doing is the same kind of stuff that got Marie Anttonette’s head chopped off during the French Revolution. I wonder just how much patience the American people are going to show?

2. HARDCORE SOUL MUSIC -
Yes Virginia, it’s coming back and it’s coming back STRONG. Stay tuned for artists like Leela James, Jill Sharpe

3. BERKS JAZZ FEST -
As we get closer to this event, I get more and more excited. I’ll be
there for both weekends along with a full staff of Soul-Patrol reporters covering a truly sick number of great jazz, blues, funk & soul shows. Go here and look at the lineup:

www.berksjazzfest.com/ticketedevents.htm

4. DATELINE LOS ANGELES – Are you a “Fast Food Funkateer?” Well if you are in Los Angeles please do not be alarmed if you are sitting down eating your WHOPPER or VEGGIE DELITE and you hear my voice coming thru the PA system (stay tuned)

5. DEREK MCKEITH -
I do want you to check out this interview (Windows Media Required)

Derek McKeith Interview

Derek McKeith is one of our best up & coming “Black Rockers” and we talk about just what that means from a past, present and future perspective. Not only does Derek have a great new album (set for release this month), that we have reviewed right here on Soul-Patrol, but we have been playing it over on Nu Soul @ RadioIO.com and getting great response over there.
More Derek McKeith Here

As you will see from this interview, Derek McKeith has also got some pretty interesting things to say about the state of “Rock n’ Roll” and it’s place in Black History.

Derek McKeith Part 3

The interview took place in NYC @ the popular spot Sweet Rhythm, just prior to Dereck’s SLAMMIN show, which I also emceed. In attendance as well that night were was Earl ‘The Pearl’ Monroe (Reverse Spin Records), Al Goodman (Ray, Goodman & Brown), Ken Webb, Allison Williams, Vaughan Harper and actress, Sheila Frazier(Derek’s mom) and others. You can view the interview at the following link:

Big up’s to our friend Ken Webb for producing this piece. If you go to Ken Webb’s site at the following link:

www.kenwebb.com/kenwebbshow.htm You will see links not only to this inteview, but to a whole bunch of different kinds of video content that Ken has been producing lately, everything from Jazz to Soul and yes Virginia, even “Black Rock”….Check it all out and let me know whatcha think????

6. JAZZ, ROCK N’ ROLL & A WHOLE LOTTA SOUL -
I will be teaching a 3 part non credit course on the history of American Popular Music (Rock n’ Roll, Jazz and R&B) at Burlington County College next month. (stay tuned)

7. THANKS TO JIMI BLEU @ WFDU FM 89.1 (Listen Here)
I was a guest on his show this morning. We discussed Women & Blues Music, Berks Jazz Fest & the Carnegie Hall Black Music Honors Program, Bettye LaVette, Janis Joplin, Tina Turner, Alberta Hunter, Bessie Smith, Leela James, Beyonce and of course played some great music. I Tweeted during the interview and you can read my Tweets at

www.twitter.com/kozmicfunk

8. JOHN LEE HOOKER – is still what I wanna be like whenever I grow up.

(boom, boom, boom, boom)