Playing For Change: Live Tonight 7.18.09

Tipitina's Live Webcast From New Orleans, July 18 10PM CT

We just received word that our performance in New Orleans this Saturday, July 18 is going to be webcast live from Tipitina's website! So, if you're not able to make it to the show, you can check it out online at Tipitina's beginning at approximately 10PM CST.

The band's rehearsing at the Music Shed in New Orleans right now, and they sound so good! I hope you'll tune in Saturday night-- hearing these guys perform live is truly a special experience. And please pass the above link around to your friends and family!

One Love,
Playing For Change

A Primer: War, No More Trouble


Or Two: One Love

'Playing For Change' Peace!

And Peace Through Music

How Producer Mark Johnson put it all together.

Morning Edition, May 4, 2009 - Until a video of "Stand by Me" had gone viral on YouTube, Roger Ridley had sung and played guitar anonymously on the streets of Santa Monica, Calif., for years. The video begins with Ridley and then mixes in 40 other musicians from around the world. It's part of a 10-song collection called Playing for Change: Songs Around the World.

Producer Mark Johnson got the idea a few years ago when he heard Ridley's voice on a street in Santa Monica.

"I approached him after the performance and said, 'Hey, if I come back in an hour with some recording equipment and cameras, I'd love to record you, film you, add musicians around the world to it,' " Johnson says. "And he looked at me really funny, sort of thought I was crazy. But he said, 'OK, if you come back, we'll do it.' "..................Rest Here with Video Links to a Couple of the Songs

Brings up the NPR Player to Listen to Discussion

New Episode #9, "A Change Is Gonna Come.", Now up at PLAYINGFORCHANGE.COM

This performance of Sam Cooke's classic anthem was recorded and filmed live in New Orleans this past year. It showcases the power and love created when musicians from Playing For Change meet and perform together for the first time. Grandpa Elliott and Clarence Bekker had only known each other through the "Stand By Me" video until they met in person to perform as the Playing For Change Band.

I invite you to witness the soul and perseverance of these two special people who sing with so much conviction that it becomes clear we can truly come together as a human race, one song at a time. As you will see, this performance demonstrates that we are the Change we want to see in the world.

To learn more about the concert where this amazing song was recorded, check out the blog entry that was just posted: "Seeing Through the Eyes of Grandpa."

Songs Around The World (CD + DVD)

Songs Around the World

"War/No More Trouble"

Playing for Change



"Songs Around The World (CD + DVD)"

Playing For Change: Album Release

Songs Around The World CD/DVD In Stores Now!!

Introduction:

The Latest Song: Chanda Mama

This Song Around The World is a folk tune from Chennai, India. We started the track in New Orleans and added musicians from the across the globe before finally delivering it the people of it’s origin. We ended up in Chennai recording and filming the vocals from the Oneness Choir. The track has a feeling of perseverance and joy and features vocalists from four continents.

Today, April 28th, 2009 is a big day and has been a long time coming. After 4 years of filming and recording musicians around the globe, we are finally releasing our album "Playing For Change: Songs Around The World" featuring a 10 song CD and 7 track DVD. This is a collection of songs and videos featuring over 100 musicians from around the world that have never met in person, but have been brought together through the power of music

Click here to visit the site or visit your favorite Starbucks location to pick up a copy in person!.

Today is our chance to show the world that independent projects designed to connect and inspire people can be successful. If you have been moved by the music you've heard or the videos you have seen from Playing For Change then I encourage you to purchase the CD/DVD for yourself and/or give it to a family member or friend as a gift. Our continuing journey is not possible without your support.

The album demonstrates that regardless of our religion, race, gender, or political views we can unite through music. The time is now to unite as a human race and this global collaboration driven by your love and encouragement is designed to lead us in that direction.

After supporting the movement, take your own online journey and get to know the musicians through our new site (which will be updated regularly with new videos, songs, photos and much more ... ).

Thank you for your help and keep your thoughts, questions and advice coming. Together, we will continue to connect the world through music.

One Love,
Mark Johnson

Stand By Me:


"Songs Around The World (CD + DVD)"

Playing For Change: Song Around the World "One Love"

From the award-winning documentary, "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music", comes an incredible rendition of the legendary Bob Marley song "One Love" with Keb' Mo' and Manu Chao. This is the third video from the documentary and a follow up to the classic "Stand By Me" and the incredible "Don't Worry." Released in celebration of Bob Marley's birthday on February 6th, this tribute to the legend is performed by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it traveled the globe. This video will be available soon at iTunes and will also be available on CD/DVD on 4.28.09 everywhere music is sold.

Ashford and Simpson: "Solid As Barack"

I took the recently released 'Ashford and Simpson' song, dedicated to President Barack Obama, and put some photo's to it, enjoy.

Ashford And Simpson: Six months ago during a concert in LA we turned the mike over to the audience and "Solid as Barack" was born! At Feinstein's in New York Stephen Holden reviewed us for the New York Times mentioning it. Saturday Night Live then aired a fun version and we figured it was time to embrace the idea with a real tribute with lyrics for Barack.

Ashford And Simpson 'MySpace Site'

Song Around the World "Stand By Me"

Playing For Change



Join with the Playing For Change Foundation

Exclusive First Listen: Youth and Paul McCartney

NPR brings another musical treat Exclusive to it's audience, this one about the group known as The Fireman.

NPR.org, November 18, 2008 - When The Fireman released its debut album in 1993 — the instrumental dance and electronica mix Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest — the band's identity was a mystery. U.K. music magazine Melody Maker eventually exposed The Fireman as a duo featuring the bassist and producer known as Youth and, to everyone's surprise, Paul McCartney. Reviewers praised the collaboration as "staggeringly brilliant," but it was a strange and entirely unexpected direction for the former Beatle.

A Comment from the community at NPR:

I was hoping for something more spiritual, but I was not disappointed. It is structured like a live concert so the listerner must give it time to develope to its full. (What musician does not start slowly, except for Dave Grohl?) I wonder if there will be a live version of this. I personally like "Don't Stop Running," because it reminds me of my walk down a different Abbey Road.

And there's a few more as well as abit more of the description at the link above.

Than over at NPR's All Songs Considered from October 20, 2008 you'll find Paul McCartney and The Fireman, Oasis, More.

Paul McCartney is about to release a new album he recorded with bassist and producer Martin Glover, a.k.a. Youth. Calling their project The Fireman, McCartney and Youth have put together an inspired mix of vocal pop and rock songs called Electric Arguments. It's due out in November, but we've got a sneak preview of it for you. Also on the show: Oasis is back with one of its best albums in years; Hear the song "To Be Where There's Life" from the CD Dig Out Your Soul. Simon Bookish is the performance and recording name of London-based composer Leo Chadburn. His music is part David Bowie, part Philip Glass. Hear a cut from his new album Everything/Everything. We've also got music for you from the Australia-based instrumental project Bombazine Black, a collaboration with singer Amy Rigby and '70s pop artist Wreckless Eric, Nashville's artful, Americana rock group Lambchop, and new music from Vic Chesnutt with Elf Power and the Amorphous Strums.

But back to the new release of The Fireman.

You can open their player and listen to the whole album, with that link or over at the site link.

But they go further and give you the individual song cuts, of which I'll give a couple here, there's thirteen songs on the album:

Nothing Too Much Just Out of Sight


Sun Is Shining


Lovers in a Dream


Don't Stop Running

There's some really good sounds within and great mixes, sounds you might not expect from a McCartney album but than again you might as he's always been one to experiment and move into differant styles.

Extra Golden sing "Obama"

Extra Golden Plays 'Obama' Live In Studio

KEXP, November 5, 2008 - Extra Golden is a unique band made even more so by its connection to Barack Obama. In 2006 the President-Elect and his office made it possible for the group's Kenyan members to obtain visas to play in the U.S., and in gratitude they wrote the song "Obama". The lyrics are, "Thanks for the things you did, and thank your Mother too." Per Nigerian tradition, the song also thanks Michelle Obama.


Extra Golden is a true collaboration of American and Kenyan musicians who play an original blend of Kenyan benga (the popular guitar-based style, performed by the Luo people of Western Kenya) and American rock.


Since the dramatic events in the band's lives — including the tragic death of original singer and guitarist Otieno Jagwasi — Extra Golden came back after its debut album to record Hera Ma Nono. The group toured the U.S. this summer, and was primed to play in the KEXP studios when it arrived in June.


Times have been difficult in Kenya, following the controversial election at the end of 2007 and the violence that followed. In their interview with KEXP, the band talked about the hard times that followed, as well as how they might be received with their original music back in Kenya. Extra Golden seemed happy to be touring across the U.S. and Canada this summer, as well as through the U.K. and Europe following this in-studio performance.


Originally recorded June 25, 2008 for both "Wo-Pop" and "The Best Ambiance."


Listen to the previous Favorite Session, or see Our Full Archive.


This story originally ran on July 29, 2008


Click here to download, Free, Extra Golden's live performance of 'Obama'.