Two thousand and shine

by MORGAN STEIKER

Happy new year to all y’all movers, shakers, poppers, lockers, savers, wasters, shavers, growers, ballers, blockers, brokers, cleaners, donors, takers, and above all, my funkafied readers.

Word on Web street is that K-OS is organizing a remix contest for his upcoming album, Yes!. In cahoots with the Web site/online music community indabamusic.com, he’s inviting musicians from all over the world to take any of the 11 songs from his new project and remix or rearrange them however they want. K-OS isn’t the first artist to do this—it’s been an industry trend lately—but he’s releasing his entire album, allowing you to help him create a new sound and musical vision. Every song is a separate contest and all 11 winners will get, on top of a chunky $1,000, production credits on the companion album to Yes!, which will be released by Universal Music Canada. You can enter the contest for free on the Web site and then download the different “widgets” (vocals, drums, bass) of each track into whatever music program you use, or the one provided by the site, and basically take it from there. Indaba runs a bunch of contests in the same vein with other artists, ranging from the Roots to Yo-Yo Ma, so make sure to stay up on it.

SHORN ’NUFF: Red Dredd

Starting this month, local DJ and all-round hip hop PhD Simahlak is curating a new show on CKUT called The Montreal Sessions every Tuesday from 3–5 p.m. Guests will include Paul 107 (author of Bully, It’s the Pits and All City), the good people from local clothing company Good Life, artist Gene “Starship” Pendon and many others. Each guest will be asked to speak about how music inspires their own passion, and to discuss certain musical pieces that drive or lend to their creativity. In addition to learning about various interesting local projects, it’s also a good chance for you to go on a musical ride with an excellent DJ. Don’t miss it.

This weekend will mark the Montreal debut of live remix group Keys N Krates, made up of familiar record-spinner Jr. Flo, keyboardist Matisse and drummer Adam Tune. These guys don’t eff around when it comes to remixing their favourite tunes on stage, so come get sweaty at Academy on Friday, Jan. 16.

Y’all can start 2009 on a righteous note by coming to Blizzarts on Wednesday, Jan. 21 and participating in “Help the People: Back a Yard Fundraiser.” The night welcomes you to donate any school supplies (pens, pencils, books, tape, scissors) as well as clothes in good condition and/or money, which will be used to provide supplies for schools in Mt. Salem, part of Jamaica’s Montego Bay. The soundtrack for your good deeds will be the kind riddims provided by selectors Mossman and Red Dredd starting at 10:30 p.m.

As always, hit me hard with music, news, feedback, anything… just do it.

THE YEAR OF THE TURTLE…DABEATSEEKER@GMAIL.COM