SOUND OF CHANGE: New York x Rhythm Take Over, The Waffle-less London

Last week, our traveling friend Ezra Pine took a little trip out East to the Big Apple. His first trip ever out to New York City, Ezra broke down his experience out in the big city.

When I was 17, I told myself I wouldn’t go to New York unless I was flown out for a gig.  It was a way of motivating myself, and while I did little in the way of musical performance, Rhythm USA sent me out as part of the welcoming crew for Project NYC, with ample time to explore.   The past 5 days were a culmination of that childhood prophecy, a realization of the satisfaction of inadvertently ending up exactly where you hoped you’d be, and an education on the right side of the States. Here are some snapshots…

Juxtapose:
Driving through Queens, the juxtaposition between the Calvary Cemetery and the Manhattan skyline is an ironic commentary in itself.  A city that has so much life daftly resembles a place of endless rest.  Quite the first impression…

Heat,  "Move on Up" by Curtis Mayfield:

With 100-degree days transitioning into 100 percent humidity nights, the city can literally sweat the energy out of you.  Listen to my boy Curtis, whistle this song as you walk through the blistering evenings and Move On Up.

SpeakEasy: West Way/EmployeesOnly/Blind Barber

When you walk into a seemingly abandoned barber shop on the Lower East Side, or  pill-box sized psychic shop in the West Village, or a strip club on the west side, one could never imagine stepping into the heart of underground nightlife.  These dimly lit speakeasies offer a departure from the glitzy clubs, devoid of Tiesto’s Bronzed Army of Fist-Pumpers and spin anything from De La Soul,  Agent Orange, Curtis Mayfield, MC5 or my personal favorite memory from Tuesday night: Doing the jitterbug with Kirsten Dunst to Bobby Day’s  Rockin Robin that deliciously transitioned into a Ducksauce VS Michael Jackson mashup. Is this real life?

Project Tradeshow:

This past week brought the world of contemporary fashion to New York’s SoHo district.  Project NYC tradeshow called upon brands, designers, buyer and bloggers to take the pulse of modern fashion.  Rhythm’s US stalwarts took a trip to the right coast and learned invaluable lessons on the genetically-infused ping-pong skills of Swedes, the importance of Richard Avedon’s personal photo chair, and how it feels to pack up 1000 pieces of clothing. Have a look at: http://www.rhythmlivinusa.com/blog/2011/07/project-nyc.html

The Waffle-less London:

Modern Soundtrack, "I Want You" Mixtape, Theophilus London, 2010

Trinidad-born, Brooklyn-raised maestro of genre-bending hip hop, Theophilus London created the perfect scatterbrained soundtrack to a journey about a city that sleeps between the hours "never" and "seriously, never".  Don't expect any thread of stylistic continuity, every track dips from a different well, from Marvin Gaye's baby-makin soul to Vampire Weekend, to 90's Chicago-house, which makes every track like a selection from Forest's chocolates.