Soulmeka migration

by SCOTT C

You ready for that new Montreal sound? Well, if reference to the term “Montreal sound” has always left you kind of confounded and curious, you might want to check out the Bank of Mount Real event this Friday, June 15, at Boodha Bar, where they present a night called “Way Out Mi League” (like Jackie Robinson). With a sound influenced by Qawwali arrangements, J Dilla productions and jazz chords, Montreal producer Sikh Knowledge and crew unveil a slew of original material before handing over the controls to DJ Redd Dredd and Goodvibes, filling in the blanks with some good ol’ hip hop and dancehall. Oh yeah, and they’re launching their new logo as well, which seems like as good an excuse as any to throw a party, eh, Sikh? Six dollars gets you in, and please leave the slackness at home.

The always funky Fredy V and Black Soil get set for a big show this Friday at Club Lambi, where they’re ready to take it to the people with a new 75-minute set of funk, soul, reggae and Latin flavours. As always, plenty of guests will be on deck to throw support, with Aka Soulo, Sha’ron Brooks, Queen Odessa, Preach Ankobia, Eduardo Sanchez, Epsi, Rashad Specter, CeasRock and DJ Kani taking up all the space in the place. The $10 show starts at 8 p.m., with an after party scheduled to go down at Lola Lounge, where big man Godfather D does his Chillincypherizm night every Friday. If you can’t do both, do yourself a favour and pick one.

Speaking of Odessa “Queen” Thornhill, you can also catch her on June 21 at Zanzibar (1252 Bleury), where she’ll be part of the line-up for “In the Beginning There Was the Word,” a show that builds on the premise that hip hop is the spoken word, and spoken word is hip hop. She’ll be joined by class acts Aliyah aka TruTH, the Narcicyst and Foblaze on the cut. Tix are $8, show’s at 9 p.m.

Bigups to Soulmeka’s ma and pa Uzi and Natacha, who after years of throwing weekly parties, first at Salon Daomé and then Academy, have decided to change gears and concentrate on one night of music, art and culture. In a letter sent out to their extended music-loving family earlier this week, they described a period of managing not one but six nights (Dizzy, Soulmeka, Terranga, Diskfunktion, Lazy Days Sessions and Soultek), not to mention loft parties and special events, as an undertaking that left them tired and worn thin. With the announcement that they’ve left Academy, they embark on a new journey, focusing all their energy and attention on a new weekly night at l’Alizé (900 Ontario E.) called Flava, launching on June 23. Doors open at 8 p.m. for cocktails, with a live African band playing the sounds of Guinea, Senegal and Mali from 9–11 p.m. You can also expect HVW8’s Gene Pendon to bring his usual visual magic as he paints live, while the entire Soulmeka family, featuring Uzi, Bougie Soliterre, John Juster and Tchaka, bring the vibes until 3 a.m. Best of luck guys, we know you got soul...

HAMMOND! We will have you… fathead@videotron.ca