FUNKY EVENTS

WE RECOMMEND THIS EVENT: The Women’s Coalition for Empowerment, Inc presents Sistah 70s Review. A Concert Party at the Rotunda on Penn’s Campus in West Philadelphia, Philadelphia

Follow Shekhinah B. and the WCE, Inc organization’s activities in 2019-2020 at: https://thewce.org

Thursday Feb 20th – Thursday Feb 27th, 2020

Streaming weekly WEDNESDAYS at 1pm ET on FP Radio.net, VibeMistress Stephanie Renee hosts a sermon of soul, r&b, hip-hop, jazz & spoken word selections. Since 2007, weekly SSR podcasts have aired on this web radio station every Wednesday at 1pm ET (with replays on Thurs 8am, Sats at 12noon). Follow Stef and all the activities of her non-profit arts & media culture foundation, Soul Sanctuary, Inc., via their Facebook group at Soul Sanctuary Radio Congregation.

EVERY THURSDAY, 8-10pm ET & SATURDAY, 12midnite ET: Our weekly Soul & Dance music mix show broadcasts on our web radio station. & Philadelphia FM radio. Listen from anywhere on Thursdays using the FunkyPeopleRadio.net player & on Saturdays using the WURD radio player to stream the broadcasts on your smartphone or web device!

Hear and download a FREE copy of any previously archived show dating back to January 2013, by searching/downloading the files by air date & set year on our TUNE In podcast page, http://tun.in/pjbCg or via iTunes page, http://q-r.to/babCPY

The latest weekly podcast will be posted online Friday mornings before 12 noon. Thanks for grooving to our sound!

The New Music Equals Life Show has arrived on Funky People Radio.net for 2019! Join resident mixer, Cash Ellis aka Big Dinero, for an hour-long music journey to move your Mind, Body, and Soul with Funk, Soul, R&B, Hip-Hop and House Dance music blends!

The Music=Life podcast is the latest feature addition to the FP web radio schedule and broadcasts new shows every other Monday evening at 8pm ET (with weekly encores on Wednesday at 10am, Saturdays at 6pm ET). See you in the Funk Lounge – let’s vibe!

Follow Cash & the Music=Life shows via social media at: Mixcloud: https://Mixcloud.com/cmoney2 or on Facebook at: DJ Big Dinero’s Beat Page Group!

The Women’s Coalition for Empowerment, Inc presents a 5-Part Art Economic Empowerment Workshop Series designed for emerging art professionals in need of financial management skills to develop better business practices to use their talents/passions as a profitable enterprise.

Part 1 – Financial Management/Budgeting Goals (04/24/19)
Part 2 – Applied Technology Basics (06/26/19)
Part 3 – Forming a Business (08/28/19)
Part 4 – Securing Paid Opportunities & Resource Management (09/25/19)
Part 5 – Networking and a free live musical performance (10/30/19)

Outcomes from successful participation will support the promotion and implementation of workforce development within the arts, creative activities, and art production that generate profits for artists.

Admission: FREE
Location: The Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103.
Click to LEARN MORE or check for times and series dates in 2019 via Facebook.

Follow the WCE, Inc and their organization’s activities at: https://thewce.org

Get tickets at: https://www.axs.com/

Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick formed Incognito in 1980. Inspired by Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Kool & the Gang, Marvin Gaye and UK bands such as Gonzalez & FBI, Incognito released their debut album Jazz Funk in 1981. Ten years later Incognitowere signed to Gilles Peterson’s Talkin’ Loud label and became the biggest act in the label’s history with charts hits such as Always There feat. Jocelyn Brown, Still a friend of mine, Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing & Everyday.

Since leaving the label in 2002, Incognito have released a slew of incredible albums and have collaborated with Chaka Khan, Mario Biondi & Ed Motta.

THIS PERFORMANCE WILL SELL OUT: International DJ/Producer, BLACK COFFEE returns to tour in the US! Catch his stop thru Washington, DC on Saturday November 2nd, 9pm at ECHO STAGE – DC. Opening support by Blond:ish, The MBA & Ameer Brooks. DON’T MISS THIS FALL DATE – Get GA Tickets early at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-coffee-tickets-73444507499

Considering his meteoric rise to fame, it would be easy to stereotype Black Coffee as just another black diamond, a BEE beat magnet out to mine the insatiable upwardly mobile urban house party market. But as he proved on his South African Music Award-winning album Home Brewed, this DJ and producer defies convention. Sidestepping Afro-house clichés and stage-managed highs in favour of restrained sophistication, Black Coffee’s penchant is for true Afropolitan house: home-brewed but trendsetting and future-focused. Expect almost sculptural balance and beauty.

If one heard a clamour and ululating emanating from the eastern provinces of South Africa, KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape, announcing the recognition of a cultural phenomenon.. and their role in the development of this cultural phenomenon.. one could not argue were that clamour and ululating to be in respect of one.. that is the soul, spirit, talent and vision of Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo, one most known as “Black Coffee”.

Black Coffee was born in Durban in KwaZulu Natal and grew up in the Eastern Cape in Mthatha, before moving back to Durban to study music at Natal Tech where he majored in Jazz. His reason for studying music was because he felt that as a producer, he had to deepen his overall musical knowledge, develop his listening skills and advance his knowledge of music theory. Leaving Tech prior to completion of his studies, Black Coffee with two friends Thandukwazi “Demor” Sikhosana and Mnqobi “Shota” Mdabe worked as backup vocalists for the renowned Madala Kunene. Deciding then to form an urban soul trio “Shana” the three moved to Johannesburg to make their way.

Keeping ‘Simply hot and naturally African’ (the meaning of ‘Shana’) together as an ongoing project, the three also pursued their individual visions, collaborating on the way.

Black Coffee was chosen as one of two South African participants in the Red Bull Music Academy in 2003 jump-starting him into the South African DJ scene – a decision he says he has never looked back on. His first big break was when his song “Happiness” was featured on the DJs at Work album.

2005, the same year as the release of Black Coffee’s powerful debut album ‘Black Coffee’ saw the birth and formation of Soulistic Music, Black Coffee’s wholly owned 360° corporate structure, his team’s home base and the jump-off point for himself, and as time has evidenced for many others too.

Black Coffee revealed that his first album was created using very basic music-making software. “I don’t know how to explain the production stages of my album because all I did was put down the basic ideas that I had, I didn’t use any MIDI controllers everything was played with a computer mouse. He added that the use of live instruments in a song is also very important, giving a track that final magic touch and bringing it to life.

A view through the Black Coffee ‘lens’, at the end of 2011, confirms a delightful, fresh and truly heart warming vista of dynamic and exciting creative production, glimpses of a genius unfolding and degree’s of difficulty, challenge and hardship.

To many Black Coffee has led the ‘house music’ way.. establishing since a global pre-eminence in vocal house music.. and a business approach structured to unlock the plethora of opportunities offered by a converged digital realm driven by the songs and their performance.

Reserved, studiously academic, inventive, imaginative, quiet, enigmatic, shy and bold are but of the few ways in which many across the world perceive Black Coffee. No matter how he is seen he remains one of the very few club DJs in the country who genuinely understands the precise function of a music deejay: he does not simply re-mix songs, he re-interprets their previously unimagined musical possibilities, adapting and arranging as each work advises and quietly creating new works that give life. When he debuted with his interpretation of Hugh Masekela’s rambunctious jazz hit Stimela (2005 original South African release, 2008 UK release), Black Coffee simply demonstrated how it was possible to re-work the South African canon music vault into club music, creating works that were acceptable to both the youth and the old, a feat not easily achievable. It has required a decidedly original-inclined, singular mind such as that of Black Coffee to be able to pursue this kinf of music trajectory and the gold and platinum awards since are testimony to his resolve .

2007 brought another powerful Black Coffee release “Have Another One” which featured amongst others a host of great female vocalists, both young and old.. with Bucie, Siphokhazi and Busi Mhlongo at the helm of an array of original works. With world demand and interest in a Black Coffee performance starting to stand up and shout so to speak, Black Coffee began a new phase of growth in 2008 with a string of new Soulistic Music signed releases from Culoe de Song, Tumelo and the great Zakes Bantwini all achieving gold and platinum sales.

In 2009 Black Coffee dropped his third offering, titled ”Home Brewed”, featuring Ringo Madlingozi, Zonke, Hugh Masekela, Zakes Bantwini and others, and at the South African Music Awards 2010 he scooped two awards in the categories Best Urban Dance Album and Best Male Artist.

Highlights during 2011 included a nomination for the 2011 MTV Europe Africa, India and Middle East Category for the Worldwide Act, the launch of Africa Rising and its first presentation (which included a 24-piece orchestra along with a band and featured artists performing Black Coffee’s works) at Moses Mabhida Stadium and the four releases on the Soulistic Label including Culoe de Song’s “Elevation”, Sai & Ribatones “Here and Now”, Boddhi Satva’s “Invocation” and the label’s “Soulistic Cuts”.

Over the past five years, Soulistic Music under Black Coffee’s leadership has built a worldwide network of exclusive track licenses, tours and agents giving Black Coffee and other Soulistic Music artists their real break into the international touring market where they have become regular features in cities from Sydney to New York, Sao Paulo to Luanda and Los Angeles to Athens.

There is no question that from family, to community, to clan, to culture, to country.. to the world.. all are blessed by the productivity of such great creative genius as is Black Coffee.

Follow Black Coffee at : Black Coffee  and https://soundcloud.com/djblackcoffee

MARK THESE DATES: The DMV Black Restaurant Week returns this fall from Nov. 3 to 10, 2019. The week long event features dining deals and extensive programming spotlights black bar and restaurant workers, highlights black-owned businesses in the region, and seeks to empower more people of color to open their own establishments. 

DMV Black Restaurant Week members offer discounts to diners throughout the entire week at about 50 establishments. Founders explain that the DMV Black Restaurant Week is more flexible because take-out eateries, cafes, caterers, coffee shops, wine bars, and other businesses that don’t fit squarely into the “restaurant” category can take part.

Location: The Washington, DC metro area, (DMV = D.C., Maryland & Virginia)

Follow this event activity on social media. Register for a list of participating restaurants and dining times/locations at: https://www.dmvbrw.com/

RECOMMENDED SHOW: With over 26 million records sold, his own production label, and six studio albums under his belt, Grammy Award-winning, international music sensation Sean Paul makes his Avant Gardner debut on November 3rd.  The Jamaican rapper/singer has made his stamp on popular culture with the multi-platinum tracks “Temperature” & “Get Busy” among others, most recently reaching the top of the charts with “Cheap Thrills” with Sia and “No Lie” with Dua Lipa.

Buy tickets online at  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sean-paul-tickets-72456775165 and get more tour details at www.allseanpaul.com

Doors open at 7pm / Showtime at 8pm, Sunday Nov. 3, 2019, Great Hall, Avant Gardner, Brooklyn, NY

WE RECOMMEND THIS SHOW: The Women’s Coalition for Empowerment, Inc presents Sistah Soul Series at the A-Loft Hotel in Downtown Center City, Philadelphia.

Sistah Soul Series is a monthly quaint live acoustic musical installment set to take place on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 6PM – 8PM from September through December 2019 at Aloft Philadelphia Downtown at the WXYZ Lounge. Hosted by Creative Cultural Producer/International Vocal Performer, Shekhinah B. representing The Women’s Coalition for Empowerment, Inc. Admission is FREE with RSVP registration at: sistahs-soul-series.eventbrite.com

Expected Music Style(s): R&B, Jazz, Soul, Blues, World, and Funk-Fusion.

The event is open to the public targeting music enthusiasts, local performers, musicians, and the after-work cocktail hour professional crowd in the downtown area.

Drink Specials | Food | Networking | Acoustic Live Entertainment

On-Street Metered Parking, accessible via public transportation and wheelchair accessible.

Guest Vocalists to be featured each month of the series!

Follow Shekhinah B. and the WCE, Inc organization’s activities in 2019-2020 at: https://thewce.org

RECOMMENDED: Don’t miss this evening of R&B & Funky Soul with Grammy winning artist, Chaka Khan + jazz newcomer Emmaline. One show, 8pm at Newark, NJ’s Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Thursday, November 14, 2019. 

The reigning Queen of funk, soul, and R&B—and ten-time GRAMMY® winner—Chaka Khan returns to NJPAC for what’s sure to be a classic concert, featuring such iconic hits as “I Feel for You,” “Through the Fire,” “I’m Every Woman,” “Ain’t Nobody” and others.

Opening the performance is up-and-coming jazz vocalist Emmaline. Critics have praised the singer/songwriter’s ethereal vocals and lyrics combined with elements of vintage jazz harmonies and modern neo-soul grooves to create a soulful vibe.

A dance party in the lobby immediately follows the performance, free to all ticketholders. Get tickets at: https://ticketmaster.com

KEM (born Kim Owens), is a Nashville-born, Detroit-based singer, songwriter, musician, and producer, overcame homelessness and addiction to become one of the most popular adult contemporary R&B artists of the 2000s and early 2010s. Known for his warm, mellow, and positive sound, the Grammy-nominated artist carried on the tradition of the quiet storm radio format — exemplified by the likes of Smokey Robinson, the Isley Brothers, and Anita Baker — with a steady supply of romantic and introspective ballads.

Kem funded the recording of his self-released debut, Kemistry, by working as a waiter and as a singer in a wedding band. After he sold 10,000 copies, the disc was picked up by Motown for nationwide release in February 2003. The album eventually reached the Top 20 of the Top Hip-Hop/R&B Albums chart. Its follow-up, Album II, came out in May 2005. Like its predecessor, it reached gold status; it sold over 500,000 copies in the U.S. For a few years, Kem was less active as a recording artist, though he did appear on the fourth volume in Guru‘s Jazzmatazz series.

Kem‘s third album for Motown, titled Intimacy, was issued in August 2010, debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, and went gold as well; the single “Why Would You Say” was nominated for Grammy awards in the categories of Best R&B Male Performance and Best R&B Song. A holiday album, What Christmas Means, came in 2012. The following year, Ronald Isley‘s This Song Is for You was released, highlighted by “My Favorite Thing,” a song Kem wrote and produced. Promise to Love, his fourth proper album of reliably smooth, gently uplifting material, arrived in August 2014.

Show Date: Saturday November 16, 2019, 8pm

Location: The Theatre at MGM National Harbor, 101 MGM National Drive, Oxon Hill, MD 20002

For VIP & General admission tickets, go to this link: https://www.ticketmaster.com

KINDRED THE FAMILY SOUL is a Grammy-nominated adult contemporary R&B duo from Philadelphia consisting of husband and wife Fatin Dantzler and Aja Graydon. Big hit singles eluded them, but they developed a strong following that appreciated their unwavering dedication to releasing relatable and mature R&B. Throughout their career, Dantzler and Graydon co-wrote most of their songs, which were rooted in traditional soul and gospel. They incorporated nuanced contemporary sounds with help from co-producers such as Anthony Bell, Adam Blackstone, Vidal Davis, Andre Harris, Steve McKie, and James Poyser.

Dantzler and Graydon began as solo performers. Dantzler was born in Philadelphia and got his start in the music business writing songs for Pebbles and Bell Biv DeVoe. Graydon, from Washington, D.C., had a solo deal at the age of 15. The two united and began writing songs, but then married and started a family, which necessitated the steady income of work outside the music business. After a time as an appliance salesman, however, Dantzler went back to trying to make it on the local scene. He and Graydon began performing at the Black Lily club, where they caught the attention of Jill Scott, who took them to her label, Hidden Beach Recordings.

They spent the next two years working on the debut Kindred the Family Soul album, Surrender to Love, which was released in 2003. It featured an impressive cast of collaborators, including Scott, string arranger Larry Gold, Bilal, King Britt, and the then-upcoming Jazmine Sullivan. It was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best R&B/Soul Album. Kindred released two additional albums for Hidden Beach. In This Life Together, inspired by Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis‘ memoir of the same title, arrived in 2005. The Arrival, released three years later, was their highest-charting title to that point, reaching number 67 on the Billboard 200 and number seven on the R&B Albums chart. For their fourth album, Dantzler and Graydon moved to Shanachie, where they released 2011’s Love Has No Recession, with guests ranging from go-go pioneer Chuck Brown to relative newcomer BJ the Chicago Kid. Another Shanachie release, A Couple Friends, followed in 2014. Kindred‘s sixth full-length, Legacy of Love, arrived in 2016 and climbed into the Top 15 of the Billboard R&B chart.

Show Date: Friday November 30, 2019, 7pm

Location: Baltimore Soundstage, 124 Market Place, Baltimore, MD 21202

For VIP & General admission tickets, go to this link: https://www.ticketmaster.com

YEAR-END HOLIDAY SHOW: Musiq Soulchild is a hip-hop soul artist that was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He built a reputation for being musically gifted, beat boxing for MC’s, free styling on the open mic circuit or just performing acappella for strangers on the streets.

Deeply inspired by the R&B/Soul sound of the 70’s he uses the name “Soulchild” as a way to show respect and admiration to his biggest musical influences such as Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye and many others. In April 2016 he released his 7th studio album entitled “Life On Earth” leading with the new hit single “I Do”. The album peaked at #2 on Billboard R&B album charts and # 3 on the Top Hip-Hop R&B album charts. He has received awards from Billboard, BET, ASCAP, BMI, and Soul Train. He has also earned award nominations from MTV, the American Music Awards, the NAACP and 12 Grammy nominations.

Show Date: Friday December 27, 2019, 7pm & 10pm shows

Location: City Winery Washington DC, 1350 Okie Street NE, Washington, DC 20002

For VIP & General admission tickets, go to this link: https://citywinery.com/washingtondc/

MARK THE DATE for PSP 2020 ! We’ll be kicking off our 6th annual outdoor season on Sunday June 28th with a gathering for all the Pleasure Seekers & Funky People. Reunite with family & friends for a day of sun, fun & recreational activities. Lounge. Commune. Socialize. Enjoy positive vibrations for soulful music lovers. You can play, dance & eat a bit, too. 🙂

Bring your own coolers, grills, picnic snacks & preferred beverages. Don’t forget to bring Blankets, Tents, Chairs & Sports Games of your preference. Kids Are Welcome. FREE for ALL.

#PhillySOULPICNIC
a 2020 Summer House Reunion
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Sonic features by:  TEE ALFORD & FRIENDS

WE RECOMMEND THIS EVENT: Don’t miss the 30^th year of the celebration of House Music in its birthplace”, The Chosen Few Music Festival is returning to Chicago in July 2020. We’ll post the weekender details here as soon as they become available.

Started in 1990 as a small gathering of friends behind the Museum of Science & Industry, the Chosen Few Picnic & House Music Festival is the world’s longest-running event dedicated to House Music, attracting more than 40,000 fans each year. Nicknamed the “Woodstock of House Music” for its family-reunion vibe, the Picnic features 12 hours of music from the Chosen Few DJs – Wayne Williams, Jesse Saunders, Tony Hatchett, Alan King, Andre Hatchett, Terry Hunter and Mike Dunn, plus guest DJs and vocalists.

Bookmark the official website for updates, lineup announcements, ticket sales at: http://CHOSENFEWDJS.COM/