In their Food + Travel guide, GQ Magazine gives props to NYC's hippest city -- An Eater's Guide. The secret is out and we'd like to encourage everyone to stop by for a soulful audition of your favorite tunes, followed perhaps by an equally exciting culllinary experience at one of our fine eating establishments. Check out GQ's read here:
Photo: Wes Bender ©2013
Rickie Lee Jones has been at the top of my favorite pop artist list for decades. The New Yorker's Ben Greenman catches up with Rickie Lee to discuss her new album The Devil You Know produced by another favorite artist - Ben Harper & released this past September. Rickie Lee's latest is a collection of covers from a variety of artists including the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, The Band and Harper himself. This is Jones' first album since Balm In Gilead (released in 2009). Check out this interesting interview-style read here.
Hurricane Sandy rolled into town Monday, October 29th, bringing with her a huge wave of unprecedented destruction, fury & wrath that crippled our city, leaving many New Yorkers and others along the eastern seaboard without the basic necessities of life. My thoughts and prayers are with those who experienced the worst Sandy had to offer.
Check out this moving version of the great T-Bone Walker classic
WHEN Michael Phelps strides on to the deck at the Olympic pool in London to race for gold, one thing will be certain.
Photograph: Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIREHe will have headphones clamped to his head, with aggressive hip-hop pumping through his ears almost to the instant he steps on to the starting block. In Beijing, where he won a record eight gold medals, his pre-race choice was Lil' Wayne's I'm Me, the lyrics a perfect fit for his all-conquering performance.
It's a formula that has worked for Phelps through three Olympic Games (Eminem was his artist of choice in 2004) and a record 14 gold medals, but it doesn't just work for history's greatest swimmer. Olympians of all types will be tapping into iPods for inspiration when the Games begin in London.
Research into the influence of music on athletic performance has shown that the right beat and lyrics not only puts an athlete into the right frame of mind to perform at their best but also improves their performance…
To read more, check out Nicole Jeffery's story here
Helicopter Girl (Jackie Joyce) is a recent discovery for me (thanks to Peter Clark of Redpoint Audio Design). Something about her voice and looks reminds me of a young Eartha Kitt. This video (which was released in 2004 on her Voodoo Chic recording) is really cool because of its style treatment -- an homage to the Blue Note record label and their iconic album cover graphic design (made famous by the collaboration of graphic designer Reid Miles & photographer Francis Wolff). With its retro-hipster musicians and black & white filmic look, this one easily transported me way back... The tune is catchy too and flows smoothly and, you've got to love her vocal delivery... Let your mind unravel...
Wes Bender