Tommy P's Release Party @ Bazaar Cafe

A panoramic View of the Bazaar Cafe

Last Friday, I walked into the Bazaar Cafe for the first time not knowing exactly what to expect. My friend Dane Ohri invited me to drop by and I was fashionably late. Stumbling my way through the secret side entrance, I was unexpectedly teleported from the cold, suburban neighborhood of the Outer Richmond into what felt like a warm, knickknack ridden living room. The Bazaar cafe comprised of an assortment of folks and instruments; all of them somehow were conveniently placed in front of the two pathways to get to the bathroom and cafe counter. As the first act, Thunderegg, came to a close, I managed to mosey over to a comfortable position near the counter top and observe the stage.

Dane Ohri

Let me just tell you, the stage presence of every single artist was mesmerizing. Dane came on next and he killed it. His voice was even better in person; the energy he produced on stage was great and it encouraged the crowd to join in by stomping a rhythm and clapping their hands. What Jean Marc dropped on stage I can only describe as some jazzy, RnB-folk goodness. His voice along with the complimentary sounds  by a very talented cello player and drummer made me crack a big, fat smile. It was definitely a set list I couldn't help but feel was perfect.

A short intermission between the final act allowed me to cozy up with the performers...get to know them more, learn some background information about the cafe, and be the shameless publicist I am. Tommy Phan, the host of the night, was quite the character! He was nice, humble, and overall a funny guy. Through him and others I was able to get more of an understanding of the community that comprised the Bazaar Cafe. Most of the crowd that came in were participants of the Open Mic Night on Thursdays. In fact, a lot of them are also talented, aspiring musicians giving their friends support. Nothing gets my heart all warm and marshmellow-y than collaborations and a thriving art community somewhere and the Bazaar Cafe sure has both.

Tommy P.

The clock hits 9, and Tommy could no longer postpone his big performance. He got up there and sang songs from his new album and the composition captivated me. I absolutely loved Tommy's chemistry with the crowd, his lighthearted jokes and music was the needed finish to an already great night. The ending improv was fantastic too, everyone joined in and the room was quickly filled with all types of sounds and voices echoing "California".

Now, I'm not the biggest fan of folk, but friday night I was completely floored. I haven't experienced many venues like the Bazaar cafe that felt so good, I had to write a big giant blog blurb about it. 

You should check out the Bazaar Cafe's open mic night that happens every thursday. It's a hot spot for a lot of local talent and I definitely will be dropping by more on occasion.

Also, check out Tommy's new album on Bandcamp, Nowhere Now. Only $5 dollars!

The physical album is very cute, he makes them himself! He is quite talented and I wish him luck on his musical journey.

Blende

Blende.

If you mashed Daft Punk into a pot of Kavinsky, sprinkle some Oliver and Justice on top and you get Blende (Johan). Hailing from the island of the UK, this man has unlocked the sweet, sweet secrets of the classic jim jam boogie. It's something about that formula of dreamy nu-disco, heavy electro, and funky house that gets my ears wetter than the morning dew on a foggy morning. Lately, Blende is blowing up on Soundcloud, releasing new remixes and showcasing his latest collaboration EP with Surrender!. It's quite a treat so be sure to give it a listen!

This is by far, one of my favorite remixes of Lana Del Rey! Great composition!




His EP just released yesterday! Check it out exclusively on Beatport!

Flume

Flume.

I absolutely adore Flume (Harley Streten). This young producer hailing from Sydney, Australia impressed me with his intricate beats since his first EP, Sleepless and continues to surprise my ears with his new releases on Soundcloud. Can you believe this kid started out making chunes at the wee age of 13 from a simple music program on a cereal box? I can dig it.

In November 2012, Flume released his self-titled debut album and let me say the content is pretty solid. I love the composition of his songs. The blips, bloops, vocal effects,  and dreamy synths help create a nice hook on the inner crevice of your ear's g-spot; with the accompaniment of deep rhythmic drumbeats and soulful vocals, Flume makes your ears creamy from something I like to call pure futuristic RnB glitchy lovin' with a side of Disco smooth and hard knockin' Hip Hop. 

Below is the official album teaser:

 You can purchase his album through iTunes.

Check out his latest song with Anna Lunoe, I Met You. Instant eargasm served lickity split!

Beats Antique [72hr FREE DOWNLOAD OF ELECTROFONE]

Beats Antique is a experimental electronic music band that combines belly dancing music with some down-tempo, hip hop, and jazz. They originally formed in the Bay Area around 2007, and have been making sick music since.

What's more amazing is that their belly dancer, Zoe Jakes, performs to their music and it's quite spectacular. But I don't know, I might have a soft spot for Ethnic Fusion belly dancing.

Anyway, they're performing at the Fox Theater in Oakland, Friday March 30th. It will be siiiiick

Tickets are being sold here

Get them while you still can!

Get it! Get it! Get it, son!

Their latest album is up for a free download in the next 72 hours on their official website!

get this beauty here!

Tobtok

Tobtok is a House musician that brings the funky with a touch of 80s pop.

This 18 year old producer has released a couple of banging tracks that all y'all should listen to.

Nuff' talking, more listening!

Check this cat's Facebook and Tumblr!

Also check out this fool's new EP Reincarnation on Beatport!

Vanilla

Vanilla is a chill hip hop/ trip hop artist that makes music you want to lay in bed to. This mysterious figure appears on various occasions in Soundcloud, providing great music for the daily grind of any simpleton. 

These relaxing beats roll you into a state of tranquility, where brain and work can co-exist without discourse. 

Sit back and enjoy.

Vanilla recently released an album called High Life. It's very addicting and very free on Bandcamp!

An alternative mediafire link was also provided. Get it, get it, son!

High Life - Vanilla [mf]

Reactable

Visual, auditory, and tactile learners rejoice! Electronic music production no longer has to be this overwhelming interface of knobs, levels, switches, buttons, and wires! 

Introducing Reactable Live! A fun and futuristic instrument using different markers to create sound generators, processors, and controllers on a touch screen loaded with the Reactable software. Learning how a synthesizer works and how it composes electronic music just got easier. The Reactable Live also gives homage to the old school noises of the original Moog synthesizer! Gosh golly! I wish we had this in community college!

Here's an introductory video on how it works:

There's also a Reactable mobile app! Available for the iphone and android devices. It may not be as cool as putting blocks on a table, but fun to mess around with nonetheless.