waxpoetics Magazine - Jazz-Soul-Hip Hop...

Since 2001, Wax Poetics has been hailed as no magazine’s equal in its fresh approach to independent music journalism. Staunchly unique in quality and focus, Wax Poetics is a classic in its own time, rigorously exploring the musical legacy of our past and revealing its relevance for today’s reader. Wax Poetics is a high-caliber music journal focusing on hip-hop’s brilliant evolution—from its birth as a collision of classic disco, soul, jazz, and funk, to its present domination of contemporary music culture and its limitless future as a popular art form. Wax Poetics delivers a unique mix of content that includes compelling interviews with famous and forgotten jazz, funk, and soul artists, as well as profiles of the most innovative and historically relevant hip-hop and dance producers, DJs, and artists worldwide.

Wax Poetics is 7"×10" and printed on a high-quality paper.

These perfect-bound editions are collectable reference books unlike any magazine of its kind being printed today.

Fast becoming the bible of today's Funk and Hip Hop scene

Covers numerous Genres from Jazz Hip Hop to Soul, Funk, Jazzfusion, Reggae etc…

Dedicated to highlighting lesser-known musicians and artists, primarily in the hip hop, jazz and blues fields, Wax Poetics magazine has gained a strong following among music obsessives for its in-depth interviews, informed writing and concern over musical minutiae. This compilation of "favorite" articles from the hard-to-find magazine's first five issues is a must-have for anyone with a deep interest in American music and the culture surrounding it. Interviews include two of James Brown's most famous drummers-Jab'O Starks and Clyde Stubblefield, the latter of whom is behind "Funky Drummer," one of the most-sampled pieces in hip-hop-as well as the the Beatminerz, who discuss their never-ending quest for new and groundbreaking samples, and more usual suspects like Prince Paul, Diamond D and RZA. Andrew Mason offers a detailed guide to the Ultimate Breaks and Beats series, a classic source for turntablists, and Karl Hagstrom Miller's story of stumbling across a rare Charles Mingus album ("Make Checks Payable to Charles Mingus") is alone worth the cover price. Though many of the figures and themes may be too obscure for casual listeners, vinyl collectors and OCD-style music fans will find an illuminating treasure trove in the first of what promises to be an essential series.Dedicated to highlighting lesser-known musicians and artists, primarily in the hip hop, jazz and blues fields, Wax Poetics magazine has gained a strong following among music obsessives for its in-depth interviews, informed writing and concern over musical minutiae. This compilation of "favorite" articles from the hard-to-find magazine's first five issues is a must-have for anyone with a deep interest in American music and the culture surrounding it. Interviews include two of James Brown's most famous drummers-Jab'O Starks and Clyde Stubblefield, the latter of whom is behind "Funky Drummer," one of the most-sampled pieces in hip-hop-as well as the the Beatminerz, who discuss their never-ending quest for new and groundbreaking samples, and more usual suspects like Prince Paul, Diamond D and RZA. Andrew Mason offers a detailed guide to the Ultimate Breaks and Beats series, a classic source for turntablists, and Karl Hagstrom Miller's story of stumbling across a rare Charles Mingus album ("Make Checks Payable to Charles Mingus") is alone worth the cover price. Though many of the figures and themes may be too obscure for casual listeners, vinyl collectors and OCD-style music fans will find an illuminating treasure trove in the first of what promises to be an essential series.The book is amazing, it chronicles a good deal of exquisite vinyl pieces showing the progression, variation, and the eclectically appealing array of music in existence. It's only a taste, and a delicious one at that. You're sure to enjoy.
Jimbo

Eric Dolphy - Something Sweet, Something Tender

An utterly inaccessible but extremely worthwhile jazz masterpiece. There's no piano here - Dolphy plays a variety of woodwinds (bass clarinet on "Hat and Beard" and "Something Sweet, Something Tender"; flute on "Gazzelloni"; alto sax on the title cut and "Straight Up and Down"); and the band includes other famous jazz figures such as Tony Williams (soon to join Miles Davis and form his own group, Tony Williams Lifetime) on drums and Freddie Hubbard (also of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage-era band, and the Coltrane group that made Ascension) playing trumpet. But the real star of the show is Dolphy, merging Monk's innovations in odd chord progression, Coleman's love of atypical harmonies, and Mingus' experiments with song structure - often, the themes are played in odd measures, giving them a tremendously off-kilter feel (the nervy "Straight Up and Down"; Monk tribute "Hat and Beard", with an insane vibraphone part from Bobby Hutcherson). The sole ballad of the set, "Something Sweet, Something Tender", mainly a duet between Dolph and bassist Ron Davis, is beautiful in a weird way, much like some of Coltrane's very last recordings. There's also a strange pseudo-classical experiment ("Gazzelloni") that's absolutely brilliant, because there is nothing else like it. And I do mean nothing - listen to Dolph's flute. It will dispel all notions of the instrument having a pleasant, easy-on-the-ears sound. It also will dispel all notions of vibes being pleasant and easy-on-the-ears, for those looking to see notions dispelled. It's an insane piece, which is precisely why I love it. That, and it has a bass solo. Those are always good. The amazing title track is probably the worst song here, but it would've been the best on any other album - again, the bass solo really is something. I gotta say, get this right now if you like Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and/or Charles Mingus - especially if you, like me, like all three of 'em. It's not for everybody, but it's very much worth a buy.

If You Could See Me Now - Sonny Stitt

The most perfect saxophonist--ever. Tenor or, here, alto. The complete phrases, articulations, everything so clean. The tone as uncluttered, embodied, true as it gets. The melody's always there, plus countermelodies and intricate melodies between the main phrases--3 melodies at once. Stitt said he played "simple and to please the people, just like Art Tatum." That says it all about Sonny's musicianship. And the reason younger players and musicians can't "get" him.