In a Space Outta Sound

So...Jah and I are driving through the mean streets this afternoon and I find myself doing something I almost never do...listening to the radio. Anyone who knows me well knows that I have removed the popular New York based garbage proliferating radio stations from my memory. I have NPR, WBAI (listener sponsored radio) and a Jazz station (also listener sponsored) on memory, but other than that....I usually listen to my CD's in the car.

Well today, I am driving along and feeling real kinda mellow. As time goes on, I am catching a vibe from somewhere that I can't quite put my finger on. Then Jah starts his new "look what I can do" skill, whistling. Then it hits me..there is this slow dub rockin' out on the radio for like a minute that just has me in a straight zone!

Music certainly does soothe this savage beast.

I slowed down a bit, breathed a little deeper and let all sorts of folks cut me off in traffic and cross the street when they know I had the light...but I did not care. Jah and I are making up our own mellow lyrics to go with this dub about things we like. Things like skateboarding, taking naps and cooking. I was so mentally far away from where I was physically while listening to this dub it was crazy. So what was this tonic, this elixir for the ears washing over me?????...I just had to know.....Hell, I did not even recognize the radio station or know how I had arrived at it. Cause I knew darn well it was NOT Hot 97!

So, when the next commercial break came up, I pulled over to the side of the road hoping that they would tell me the name of the song, or the name of this phantom radio station at least. Well, turns out that it was a Princeton University based radio station that i had programed into my radio some time ago, but never listened to. But, they did not tell us the name of the song....and I needed the name of this song. So, I needed to call the station.

As many of you know, I am no stranger to calling up a radio station. In the past however, my calls have usually been to give the S.O.B's a piece of my mind. I have called several popular radio stations in NYC to lodge some sort of complaint regarding programing, on air personalities or whatever. After a while, I just gave up and deleted the most egregious offenders from my memory. And so, I spend the $10.00 that Verizon charges for a 411 call and asked for the number to the station. Got the station and asked for the name of the song played before the break and Grace Jones "My Jamaican Guy", which was a ear-refreshing experience in and of itself.

Turns out this dub is by an artist that I have never heard of. Discovering an artist, who may not be new but is new to me, whose music I know I am gonna fall in love with is one the best feelings for me. I become euphoric thinking about the hours I will spend researching this artist, learning about his/her life and listening to their creations. I have had a such experiences when I came to know Fela Kuti's work and more recently upon discovering Aloe Blacc and Steve Spacek.

So I have found my new musical muse....The artist is Nightmares on Wax, the song is titled "Flip Ya Lid" off the album "In a Space Outta Sound".

So once I have the valuable information in hand, my dear child asks "mommy, what are you gonna do with that now?" I told him that I was gonna go home, research the artist and play this song over and over again. My side kick Jah is used to this routine and how my obsession with music drives me by now. So he just shrugged his shoulders like "okay, whatever you say lady".

So many of you ask me, where did you learn about that artist, or where did you find this music. Well, this is an example of how it usually goes folks. I don't usually find the music as much as it finds me....once it introduces itself to me though, I stalk it like a jealous lover....okay, maybe that is a bit over the top, but I think you get my drift.

There is no task too mundane that music cannot help me trudge through to completion. Music makes everything better, easier, more palatable. I have music on all day long at work and often wonder how people work without it. I need my music. I love my music. Music is my friend. Take a listen to my new discovery....hope you enjoy it as much as I am.


One,
KC