WRFB: Radio Free Brooklyn: It's August 24th and "I Gotta Go!"

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for tuning in to the show last night. I've been feeling a bit antsy here in NY lately. I am in need of another road trip.  Michigan was a great start, but I'm yearning for the road or a plane or something.  So since I don't really have time time to take a trip, I took one musically. Check out the songs and if there is sometime you like, feel free to take the musical journey with me by supporting one of these artists.

Don't forget that Thursday WRFB are doing Part 3 of our Keep the Stream Alive Fundraisers. It's going to be another amazing night! We are so pleased to have Toshi Reagon, Tamar-kali, The DAY Show, Analogue Transit, California King, Ashley Philips and David Pilgrim on the bill.  Now that's a hot night! So please come out and support us or tune in to the live broadcast.

Have a great rest of the week!

Peace,
Shelley

WRFB: Keep the Stream Alive Fundraiser (Part 3)

Brooklyn Movie Labs
449 Nostrand Avenue @Halsey Street
Brooklyn, NY 11216
A/C to Nostrand Avenue
Doors @6:30 pm / Broadcast-Show @ 7:30pm

$10 minimum donation (please feel free to give more)

Listen Live @ brooklynmovielabs.com/radio
Donate @ www.brooklynmovielabs.com
WRFB on Facebook @ facebook.com/radiofreebrooklyn



1. James Taylor – “Carolina In My Mind” on One Man Band (2007)

2. The Jones Girls – “Nights Over Egypt” on Get As Much As You Can (1981)

3. Bob Marley & the Wailers – “Zimbabwe” on Survival (1979)

4. Simon & Garfunkel – “America” on Bookends (1968)

5. Harper Simon – “Tennessee” on Harper Simon (2009)

6. Jonah Smith Band – “Swamps of Georgia” on Beneath the Underdog (2003)

7. Brazilian Girls – “Internacional” on New York City (2008)

8. Bebel Gilberto – “Sem Contenção” on Tanto Tempo (2000)

9. Pamela Means – “Amsterdam” on Precedent (2009)

10. Taj Mahal – “Going Up to the Country and Paint My Mailbox Blue” on The Real Thing (1971)

11. America – “Ventura Highway” on Homecoming (1972)

12. Chris Robinson (New Earth Mud) – “...If You See California” on This Magnificent Distance (2004)

Boldaslove.us Presents: The Getaway (A 2010 Summer Mix from the New Black Imagination)

Hey Everyone,

I am one of the featured artists on the new Boldaslove.us Mixtape The Getaway! It's an incredible mix of artists from the New Black Imagination including Tamar-kali, Game Rebellion, BLK JKS, Living Colour, Janelle Monae and many more!  Some artists you may know while other will be new to you. Take a listen and download it. It's Free!  Enjoy!

Peace,
Shelley

Download the Boldaslove.us presents: The Getaway Mixtape

WRFB: Radio Free Brooklyn: Amazon Womyn Rise!!

Night Stage During the Day and Michfest

Hey Everyone,

It was another great night at WRFB.  I just got back from the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival and in the spirit of that I played all music by the ladies!  I had such a great time at the festival and I will be blogging and posting photos as I did last year.  In the mean time enjoy the music of the women who were featured there. You might look at this list and say, "Chaka Khan was there!?"  Sadly she was not, but everyone loves Chaka so I threw her in the mix.

Kicking off the list is a song called "Amazon." It is the unofficial/official theme song of the festival. Originally recorded by Maxine Feldman, one of the founding mother's of the lesbian feminist movement, and now re-corded by the daughters of that movement.  The version I listed below is brand new. Produced by Toshi Reagon and featuring vocals by Judith Casselberry, Aleah Long, Cris Williamson, Bitch and many more. I was honored to be asked to be a part of the recording.  You can hear my voice in the background. It was an amazing day!

Support the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival! 
 Purchase the Amazon EP!

Finally, WRFB will be having a second fundraiser to Keep the Stream Alive, next Tuesday, August 17, 7pm at Brooklyn Movie Labs. We will be doing our regular broadcast, but it will include a full night of live performance and interviews.  Some of the artists on the night include Vinx, Greta's Bakery, The Ki Ki Experience, The Onliest, Ruben Butchart and more. It's going to be an amazing night so come on out! Check out the Facebook Invite for details.

Have a great rest of the week and enjoy the music!

Peace,
Shelley


1. Various Artists - “Amazon (Reggae)” / “Rise Again” on Amazon Thirty-Five (2010)

2. Holly Near – “I Ain't Afraid” on Edge (2000)

3. Laura Love – “Mahbootay” on Shum Ticky (1998)

4. Karma Mayet Johnson – “Wasn't Nobody” on September Songs (2010)

5. Sia – “Breathe Me” on Colour the Small One (2004)

6. Toshi Reagon – “Scorpio” on Until We’re Done (2008)

7. Rufus feat. Chaka Khan – “Smokin' Room” on Rags To Rufus (1974)

8. Cris Williamson – “Texas Ruby Red” on The Essential Cris Williamson (2005)

9. Nedra Johnson – “Scooter Phat Ft. God-Des” on Nedra (2005)

10. Sistas In The Pit – “Black Girl” on The Missing Piece (2005)

11. Maxine Feldman – “Amazon” originally on Closet Sale (1979) currently on Amazon Thirty-Five (2010)

Enjoy the Amazon Archive!

WRFB: Radio Free Brooklyn: It's July 27th and "You're Busted!!"

Hey Everyone,

So tonight's show was all about cheating.   In tonight's broadcast people were musically, shot, cussed out and politely told that two can play that game.  It might not be a easy topic in real life, but it's makes for some great songs.  Check the playlist and enjoy!

On another note, tonight was our 15th broadcast at WRFB: Radio Free Brooklyn. We've been having a wonderful time playing the music we love and interviewing the artists that matter like Tamar-kali, Greta's Bakery, I Love Monsters, Angela Johnson, Dionne Ferris and more.  It's been incredible, but we are community radio and we need the community to keep the stream alive.

We are having a fundrasier on Saturday July 31st at Brooklyn Movie Labs, home of WRFB.  We are so excited to have Lindsey Wilson, Xenia Rubinos, Giovanni Truppi, Jeff Jeudy, Dexter Taylor, Shelley Nicole (yes that's me) and a few more special guests TBA.  It's going to be an amazing night of music with a silent auction to boot. So come on out. I will leave all the information below. We can't wait to see you on Saturday night!

Peace,
Shelley

Saturday July 31st 
 r 'n b party
(radio in bed-stuy)

A fundraiser for WRFB: Radio Free Brooklyn

Featuring: Shelley Nicole, Lindsey Wilson, Jeff Jeudy, Xenia Rubinos, Giovanni Truppi, Dexter Taylor and more special guests TBA.

@ Brooklyn Movie Labs

449 Nostrand Avenue (corner of Halsey St.)
Brooklyn, NY
Doors @ 8pm, Show @ 8:30pm
$10 minimum (but please feel free to give more)
For more info and to donate online go to:
www.brooklynmovielabs.com


July 27th Playlist

1. Billy Paul – “Me and Mrs. Jones” on 360 Degrees of Billy Paul (1972)

2. Shelley Nicole's blaKbüshe – “Cheatin' Baby Daddy” on she who bleeds... (2003)

3. The Allman Brothers Band – “One Way Out” on Eat a Peach (1972)

4. D'Angelo – “Shit, Damn, Motherfucker” on Brown Sugar (1995)

5. Dru Hill – “In My Bed” on Dru Hill (1996)

6. Fishbone – “Lyin' Ass Bitch” on Fishbone (1985)

7. Taj Mahal – “Frankie & Albert” on Taj's Blues (1973)

8. Prince O(-+-> - “Gotta Stop (Messin' Around)” on The Hits/The B-Sides (1993)

9. Marvin Gaye – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” on In the Groove/Heard it Through the Grapevine (1968)

10. Howlin' Wolf – “Evil (Is Going On)” on Moanin’ at the Moonlight (1954 single release/1959 when album came out)

11. The Human League – “Human” on Crash (1986)

12. Michael Jackson – “Cheater” on Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection (2004)

How High is Too High? & WRFB: Radio Free Brooklyn Needs Your Help!

Hey Everyone,

Tonight we took a little journey through musical contraband.  Who's shooting it, who's selling it and who's just laid back in the haze.  Enjoy the high!  Some of you have been asking about a show archive and I will be posting the archive of many of my shows very soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

On another note, if you have been listening to WRFB: Radio Free Brooklyn, planning to listen or just checking out my playlists, then this message is for you. We at WRFB need your help. Like most community radio stations we can not exist without YOU.  We are very proud to say that we broadcast from Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, but we are in jeopardy of losing our space.   For the last 14 weeks we have been playing great music that you otherwise would not hear on commercial radio and we've gotten incredible feedback. We even landed ourselves an article in the Williamsburg-Greenpoint News, but that's not enough. We Need You! So please go to www.brooklynmovielabs.com and make a donation to keep WRFB alive! Without Brooklyn Movie Labs there is no Radio Free Brooklyn. Every donation helps.  Five-dollars can turn into hundreds even thousands so please don't be shy about your donation however great or small.

We are also having a fundrasier for WRFB at Brooklyn Movie Labs on Saturday July 31st. There will be performances as well as a silent auction. As I have more details about the performers I will pass them along.  Thank you in advance for your support.

For More information about WRFB and Brooklyn Movie Labs:
www.twitter.com/radiofreebklyn
www.radiofreebrooklynonline.blogspot.com
Email us at: radiofreebrooklynonline@gmail.com
You can Listen to WRFB: Radio Free Brooklyn 
Every Tuesday from 7-11pm at www.brooklynmovielabs.com/radio
Brooklyn Movie Labs: www.brooklynmovielabs.com

Peace,
Shelley

1. Curtis Mayfield - "Pusherman" on Superfly (1972)

2. The Notorious B.I.G. - “Ten Crack Commandments” on Life After Death (1997)

3. Me'Shell Ndegéocello - “Shoot'n Up And Gett'n High” on Plantation Lullabies (1993)

4. Jimi Hendrix - “Purple Haze” on Are you Experienced? (1967)

5. Method Man & Redman - “How High (Remix)” on Blackout! (1999)

6. Stevie Wonder - “Too High” on Innervisions (1973)

7. Cypress Hill - “I Wanna Get High” on Black Sunday (1993)

8. D'Angelo - “Brown Sugar” on Brown Sugar (1995)

9. Rick James - “Mary Jane” on Come Get It! (1978)

10. Brazilian Girls - “Pussy” on Brazilian Girls (2005)

11. Fleetwood Mac - “Gold Dust Woman” on Rumours (1977)

WRFB: Radio Free Brooklyn: It's July 13th and I'm going to Funk U Up!

Good evening,

Do not attempt to push the back button or go to another blog. You have entered my atmosphere. A land called Future Funk. A turning point; a paradigm shift. Hold on to your wig children this daughter's ship has come directly from the mother. This is not a game or some sort of hoax. The future of the funk has arrived. Climb on board. It's time to roll...

People have always told me that blaKbüshe reminded them of Parliament-Funkadelic and I have to be honest and say that I couldn't understand why. I grew up with P-Funk and I was steeped in classics like "Give Up the Funk (Tear The Roof Off the Sucka)," "P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)," "One Nation" and the list goes on. So when I thought about my band I could see similarities, but still wasn't clear.  Then I heard the rest.  "Super Stupid," "Bop Gun," "Red Hot Momma" and  that list goes on.  That was my light bulb moment.  

So what is Funk?  I have been asking myself this question for the past few weeks. I had the pleasure of  being a part of an all-star band paying tribute to Garry "Star Child" Shider aka The Diaperman from Parliament-Funkadelic.   I remember dancing to "(Not Just) Knee Deep" and "One Nation Under a Groove" as a kid.  Back in the day when grown folks had their own business and kids were not allowed to hang around. So we would leave and play the records of our time and dance innocently to the funk!  A much simpler time indeed. Before I was in the business of music, I was just a music lover standing in awe of it's power.

The songs that I selected for tonight's show are all funk, but some of you might disagree. You might think it's rock or soul or fusion, but I ask you, is it funky? Can you tell me what exactly makes funk, funk?

Is it the hard hittin' bass that stops your heart, the wah of the guitars or maybe the scream, horns in harmony, vocals that make you want to slap your momma? What makes something funk and not just soul, rock, R&B, jazz fusion, etc.? Do two, three or four genres converge at a starpoint that suddenly makes it funk? If something is funky does that make it funk? These are the questions I ask you.  What have you been programmed to believe funk is? For me there is only one question.  Do I feel it in your bones? If so, then that's the FUNK!

Some of the selections below we know well and others are rare gems. I hope you enjoy them all.   It's been a fun and funky few weeks.  Thank you Star Child for bringing so much power into one room for the love of you. Rest in the Funk!

Peace,
Shelley

1. Parliament - “Mothership Connection (Star Child)” on Mothership Connection (1975)

2. James Brown – “There It Is, Pt. 1” on There It Is (1972)

3. B.T. Express – “Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)” on Do It ('Til You're Satisfied) (1974)

4. Cameo – “Funk Funk” on Cardiac Arrest (1977) 

5. Atlantis – “It's Getting Better” on It's Getting Better (1973)

6. The Isley Brothers – “Fight the Power (Part 1)” on The Heat is On (1975)

7. Mother Night – “Julie Nixon” on Mother Night (1972)

8. Yvonne Fair – “Let Your Hair Down” on The Bitch is Black (1975)

9. Sly & the Family Stone – “Sing A Simple Song” on Stand! (1968)

10. War – “Galaxy” on Galaxy (1977)

11. Mother's Finest – “Baby Love” on Mother's Finest Live (1979)

12. Funkadelic – “Super Stupid” on Maggot Brain (1971)