PANEL: MUSIC & CIVIL RIGHTS WITH KAMASI WASHINGTON AND CHRISTIAN SCOTT – Ashley Kahn (moderator); Kamasi Washington (tenor saxophone); Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah (trumpet).
Although the Civil Right movement of the 60s and the anti-apartheid movements of the 80s are seen by many as struggles of the past, discussions about civil right have flared up again. What is the role musicians can have when it comes to social and political issues? Saxophonist Kamasi Washington and trumpeter Christian Scott discuss their experiences and those of fellow musicians.
Kamasi Washington & The Metropole Orkest 7/8/16 North Sea Jazz Festival; Re Run
Kamasi Washington & The Metropole Orkest 7/8/16 North Sea Jazz Festival; Henrietta Our Hero
Christian Scott 7/8/16 North Sea Jazz Festival: Diaspora
Christian Scott 7/8/16 North Sea Jazz Festival: New Heroes
D’Angelo – February 2, 2012
Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
Part 1 of 2: Playa Playa, Feel Like Makin’ Love [Roberta Flack cover], Ain’t That Easy, Devil’s Pie, Chicken Grease, The Line (Intro) > The Root, The Charade, I’ve Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body) [Parliament cover], Shit, Damn, Motherfucker (inc. drum solo & Conant Gardens [Slum Village cover])
D’Angelo – February 2, 2012
Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
Part 2 of 2: D’Angelo Solo Medley (inc. Brown Sugar, Jonz In My Bonz, Spanish Joint, Me and Those Dreamin’ Eyes of Mine, Cruisin’, Higher, One Mo’Gin, Untitled (How Does It Feel)), Another Life, Sugah Daddy, Space Oddity [David Bowie cover], Brown Sugar
VIDEO: by Rapha El
AUDIO: Tascam iM2 } iPhone 4S FiRe 2 app by deloaded
SYNC: Funk It B log
When The Roots embarked on the world tour for their 5th album, Phrenology, in early 2003, they had entered one of their most experimental stages (just as Common had recently done with his Electric Circus album, released only 2 weeks after Phrenology.) The Roots had fully embraced the jam band aesthetic; with guitar now an integral part of their live sound each band member took time on stage for extended solos and improvisations every night. At the same time, their sound was as tight and hard hitting as any funk/soul revue you can remember. At the top of their game, they consistently rocked crowds and impressed critics.
With 10 years of hindsight, we can look back and see just how on point this group was as they paved the way for the next generation of hip hop and soul musicians. On the 10 year anniversary of the Phrenology tour I present four broadcast videos of The Roots from 2003, each with different lineups and guitarists.
First up is their homecoming show at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom near the end of the tour. This show featured a slew of surprise guests, including Nice & Smooth, Brand Nubian, and Special Ed. Watch the full video below in 2 parts, download the DVD, or download the full audience audio recording.
The Roots
March 14th, 2003
NYC, NY @ Roseland Ballroom
TV broadcast (pro-shot) > VHS (very low generation) > DVDR
01. Rock You
02. Thought At Work
03. Swept Away
04. The Next Movement
05. Quills
06. Proceed
07. Act Too… Love of My Life
08. Panic!!!!!
09. What You Want
10. Water
11. The Seed (w/ Cody ChesnuTT)
12. Silent Treatment (reggae version)
13. You Got Me
14. Drum & percussion duet
15. Peter Piper [Run DMC cover]
49min04sec
Black Thought – MC Questlove – drums HUB – bass Kamal – keys Scratch – human beatbox F. Knuckles – percussion Ben Kenney – guitar
Next up is a video from their European Tour just a few weeks later. By this point, guitarist Ben Kenney had left to join Incubus on bass. Having been with The Roots since the summer of 2001 when he filled in on bass while HUB was out, he switched to guitar in mid-August of 2001, then departed in mid-March of 2003.
For this short European tour, Vernon Reid & Martin Luther both held down guitar duties. By May of 2003, Captain Kirk Douglas stepped in on guitar and has been in the band ever since. Presented for the first time with upgraded audio, you can watch this video on youtube, download the DVD, or download the broadcast audio.
The Roots
March 23rd, 2003
Koln, Germany @ E-Werk
TV broadcast (pro-shot) > PAL VHS (low generation) > DVDR (Panasonic in flexible record mode) > Sony Vegas Video 10.0 (audio upgrade) > DVDR
01. Rock You
02. Thought @ Work
03. Swept Away
04. The Next Movement
05. Quills
06. Bass solo
07. Sacrifice
08. Double Trouble
09. Improv Jam (w/ Roy Hargrove & Vernon Reid)
10. Fuck All My Enemies interlude > You Got Me
11. Drums & percussion duet
12. Keyboard solo
13. Hip Hop 101
14. Human beatbox solo > Hip Hop 101
73min46sec
Black Thought – MC Questlove – drums HUB – bass Kamal – keys Scratch – human beatbox F. Knuckles – percussion Vernon Reid – guitar Martin Luther – guitar, vocals
Next up is a broadcast video from the North Sea Jazz Festival during the summer of 2003. This video features both Martin Luther and Captain Kirk Douglas on guitars. And by this point, Scratch had departed from the group.
The Roots
July 11, 2003
The Hague, Netherlands @ North Sea Jazz Festival
01. Swept Away
02. The Next Movement
03. Quills
04. Love of My Life
05. Interlude I
06. Water
07. Interlude II
08. Break You Off
09. Bass solo
10. Guitar solo
11. Interlude III
12. You Got Me
13. Drum & percussion duet
14. Keyboard solo
15. Hip Hop 101
57min43sec
Part 2 of 3:
Black Thought – MC Questlove – drums HUB – bass Kamal – keys F. Knuckles – percussion Martin Luther – guitar, vocals Captain Kirk Douglas – guitar, vocals
Finally, I have a short broadcast video from the Hurricane Festival in Germany on June 21, 2003. This video features Captain Kirk Douglas on guitar.
The Roots
June 21, 2003
Scheessel, Germany @ Hurricane Festival
01. Thought @ Work
02. Questlove interview
03. Thought @ Work (continued)
04. The Next Movement
05. Questlove interview
06. The Next Movement (continued)
07. Quills
08. Questlove interview
30min35sec
Black Thought – MC Questlove – drums HUB – bass Kamal – keys F. Knuckles – percussion Captain Kirk Douglas – guitar, vocals
P.S. I also recently uploaded 4 audio recordings of Cody ChesnuTT from his 2003/4 Headphone Masterpiece tour when he opened for The Roots. Download them here.
