Sidestepper
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Sidestepper

Bogotá, Bogota D.C., Colombia | INDIE

Bogotá, Bogota D.C., Colombia | INDIE
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"A Dozen Favorte CDs from 2003, Listed Alphabetically, and Another Dozen That Merit Mention"

Basement Jaxx, “Kish Kash” (Astralwerks)—The third release from the British producers Simon Ratcliffe and Felix Buxton features guest vocals from the likes of Siouxsie Sioux, JC Chasez, and Me’shell Ndegéocello, who sets forth the album’s mission on the second song, “Right Here’s the Spot”: “I wanna make you dance . . . I’m going to get to you.” Ratcliffe and Buxton know how to deploy the bells and whistles of contemporary dance music, and they’re also capable of surprises, as they demonstrate in “Supersonic,” which is enriched by the throaty growlings of the sixty-five-year-old Jamaican cabaret singer Totlyn Jackson.
Vic Chesnutt, “Silver Lake” (New West)—Chesnutt is one of pop music’s most emotional singers: he can do anguish and resignation better than almost anyone. He’s also a fearless songwriter whose odd, prolix lyrics would be rough going were it not for his beautiful melodies. This is one of Chesnutt’s rootsiest efforts, and also one of his strongest, containing everything from a ballad written from the point of view of a Styrofoam cooler to a reminiscence of his own convalescence from a car accident that left him paralyzed. The gospel-tinged closer, “In My Way, Yes,” is especially moving.
Dizzee Rascal, “Boy in da Corner” (Matador)—One of hip-hop’s greatest strengths is its ability to communicate a sense of place, whether N.W.A.’s Compton or Jay-Z’s Marcy Houses. This début record, which won England’s prestigious Mercury Prize, is firmly rooted in East London’s council tenancies. While it marks the emergence of an immensely talented rapper with a minimalist, garage-inflected production style, what stands out upon repeated listens is the writing, particularly in the teen-pregnancy anthem “I Luv U,” which was first released when Dizzee Rascal was only sixteen.
Kelis, “Tasty” (Arista)—An unholy cross between Beyoncé and Bette Davis, Kelis hybridized modern R. & B. and vintage rock-soul on her début, “Kaleidoscope,” back in 1999. But “Kaleidoscope,” with its barbed, strange bunch of Neptunes songs, didn’t sell, and her follow-up, “Wonderland,” wasn’t even released Stateside. “Tasty” marks Kelis’s triumphant return, both with the Neptunes (they provided her with the single “Milkshake,” which is as catchy and as lascivious as early-eighties Prince) and without them (elsewhere, the singer collaborates, usually to great effect, with Raphael Saadiq, Andre 3000 of OutKast, and even her fiancé, Nas).
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, “Hearts of Oak” (Lookout!)—In an era when the general populace has been hoodwinked into thinking that corporate acts such as Good Charlotte represent the new face of punk rock, bands like Ted Leo and the Pharmacists stand out. Leo’s lyrics are politically passionate and tongue-twistingly erudite, and the Pharmacists serve up a heavy dose of both hardcore intensity and New Wave melody.
The Libertines, “Up the Bracket” (Rough Trade)—Public drunkenness, squabbling, even accusations of burglary: this English foursome got as much attention for living up to their name as they did for their music. That’s a shame, because the group recalls the Clash, the Kinks, and other rebellious British masters while managing to forge an utterly original sound. Their début record rockets from the sweet shuffle of “Radio America” to the edgy and dramatic “The Good Old Days” to the rueful anthem “What a Waster.”

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Shelby Lynne, “Identity Crisis” (Capitol)—Opening with the beautifully sung, subtly bitter “Telephone,” Lynne’s new album forgoes the sleek production of her previous record in favor of a more homespun sound. Lynne wrote all the songs here. They range from country ballads (“Lonesome,” which sounds like a lost Patsy Cline gem) to gospel-tinged rave-ups (“10 Rocks”) and tough rock numbers (“Gotta Be Better”). Her vocals, pushed way out in front of the mix, are reminders that an intimate connection between performer and material makes for an intimate connection between material and audience.
Van Morrison, “What’s Wrong with This Picture” (Blue Note)—The venerable Irish bard is on a jazz label now, but this isn’t exactly a jazz record, just more of the idiosyncratic Celtic soul that Morrison has been creating for four decades. Still, the move to a new home seems to have energized Morrison both as a singer and as a songwriter, and if the album finds him complaining too much about the draining effects of fame—he’s not exactly Britney Spears—there’s a handful of songs that should move immediately into his large canon, including the ruefully funny title track, the folky “Little Village,” and the dead-on Stax soul of “Get On With the Show.”
OutKast, “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” (Arista)—The most hyped record of the year, OutKast’s fifth album finds Big Boi and Andre 3000 going their separate ways, possibly for good, as the group delivers a double CD that is in fact two solo albums. Big Boi’s contribution is the more consistent of the two; it remains tethe - The New Yorker


"Sidestepper"

Artist Name: Sidestepper
Genre: Cumbia, Salsa, Vallenato, World Fusion
Country: Colombia, United Kingdom


Artist Bio:
Sidestepper is a lesson about getting lost in music. Richard Blair was a rising producer in the UK, working with Peter Gabriel's Real World sound factory and a host of international stars when he took a fateful detour to Bogota, Colombia, back in 1992. Thinking he'd spend a few months, Blair tarried in Colombia for three years, transformed the local music scene, and then returned to the UK under the nom-du-club Sidestepper and did the same to London's percolating drum 'n' bass scene.

It goes without saying that you can't make Sidestepper's music without living it; you've gotta walk the walk and talk the talk. Richard Blair was no tourist. Living in Colombia's crowded, rainy capital, he learned the language, soaked up the nightlife and fell in with some of the country's most forward-thinking musicians. Blair produced and engineered pivotal albums by the pop vallenato superstar Carlos Vives and pioneering rockers Aterciopelados, becoming a catalyst for Colombian music at a time when artists were fusing Latin roots with modern sounds. Blair knew both his introduction to Colombian rhythms was producing the dynamic Afro-Colombian percussion ensemble of Toto La Momposina for Real World.

Sidestepper continues the reinvention of Latin music with subsonic bass and state-of-the-art production smarts. Where so much of today's Latin music is formulaic salsa romantica, Sidestepper's tough rhythms conjure up the spirits of bad boys like Eddie Palmieri, Willie Colon, and Larry Harlow. At same time, Blair and co. remind D&B jocks that the beats don't have to get soft to be progressive.

In 1999 Blair released Sidestepper's debut EP, Logozon, and Sidestepper began the transformation from a solo electronic project into a full band beginning to play live. 2000 saw the release of More Grip, and Sidestepper played extensively in Europe during 2000 and 2001. 2003's 3am (In beats we trust), ventured into dub and reggae territory, and saw the further evolution of Sidestepper into a live band based in Bogota. Sidestepper has toured the U.S., and continues to play in Colombia and abroad. —Courtesy Calabash Music - National Geographic


"Sidestepper"

Sidestepper deambula por caminos inusuales, intentando amalgamar la música popular colombiana con ritmos electrónicos. Su responsable, el británico Richard Blair, se enamoró de Colombia cuando produjo el disco que Real World editó de Totó la Momposina y sus tambores. Tal como él lo aclara, More Grip "revela el pulso de dos actitudes culturales diferentes. Sidestepper encarna a ambas: Londres, la rica, industrializada y próspera capital británica, y Bogotá, la enorme ciudad Latinoamericana que aún está necesitada del desarrollo más básico". Pero el contraste entre el primer y el tercer mundo elocuente en More Grip no sólo es pretexto de lo musical, también influye en la parte lírica. "Campo", en su letra, lo evidencia: "Elegantemente prendiendo mecha enfrente de esa mujer del valle de Old Parr, que me cogió y contagió con su sabor a campo y ahora yo soy de la ciudad, soy de la ciudad, soy del campo".

Héctor Buitrago (Aterciopelados) tiene una participación mínima como corista, y Andrea Echeverry presta su voz en "Linda Manigua" y "Hoy tenemos", y hace coros en otras como "La Bara". Como ella, otros cantantes toman parte en More Grip, entre los que destaca Iván Benavides (Bloque), y otros surgidos de la canción popular.

El sonido de "Hoy tenemos" o "Chévere Q'Chévere" acopla poderosos metales y percusión tropical sobre drum 'n'bass. En esta última, la voz de Juan de Luque rapea de una forma peculiar que ilustra lo que Colombia influyó en Manu Chao.

Resulta ejemplar la forma en la que Blair pasando varios años de su vida en Bogotá, se ha metido de lleno a desmenuzar los sonidos del país, razón por la cual estos 10 tracks suenan auténticos y retienen el infeccioso vigor rítmico de su música. Un digno disco colombiano a la vez que "una refrescante visión de la música tradicional" como el mismo Blair lo considera. - Zona de Distension


"SIDESTEPPER Y CHOC QUIB TOWN COMPARTIR?N EL ESCENARIO EN EL TEATRO DE LA CIUDAD"

- El objetivo de ambas agrupaciones es rescatar los sonidos autoctonos de Colombia, combinando distintos generos musicales
- La Bogota negra, mestiza, indigena, anglo y multicultural en un concierto lleno de eclecticismo


El objetivo de ambas agrupaciones es rescatar los sonidos autoctonos de Colombia, combinando distintos generos musicales
* La Bogota negra, mestiza, indigena, anglo y multicultural en un concierto lleno de eclecticismo

En la escena de la musica colombiana sin fronteras que marca el rumbo hacia el futuro, Sidestepper y Choc Quib Town constituyen agrupaciones que van de la mano tanto en proyectos como en intereses musicales, enfocados en la mezcla de los sonidos caribeños, electronicos y de hip hop.

Ambas agrupaciones compartiran el escenario del Teatro de la Ciudad el proximo sabado 1 de diciembre, a partir de las 20:00 horas, como parte del ciclo Otono en el Teatro de la Ciudad que organiza la Secretaria de Cultura del Gobierno del Distrito Federal.

Sidestepper es conocido como un grupo responsable de encarnar los nuevos sonidos de la musica colombiana. Encabezados por el britanico Richard Blair, cuentan con cinco producciones discograficas que han dado la vuelta al mundo. Entre sus exitos mas reconocidos se destacan Mas papaya, Logozo, Hoy tenemos y Chevere Q'Chevere.

La agrupacion inicio en 1997 como un proyecto solamente electronico, mezclando beats y bajo ingles con sonidos latinos. Richard Blair visito por primera vez Colombia en 1993 para trabajar con la conocida cantante folklorica Toto La Momposina. Ambos se conocieron en los estudios de Real World de Peter Gabriel, donde Richard trabajaba como ingeniero.

Al regresar a Londres comenzo a investigar como hacer una nueva musica latina usando beats y bajos modernos. El resultado fue el album titulado Southern Star, lanzado en 1997, que contena el tema latino Drum and Bass Maine. Despues conocio al compositor colombiano Ivan Benavides y juntos realizaron el disco La tierra del olvido, de Carlos Vives.

Su mas reciente disco, Continental, fue lanzado en Colombia en julio de 2006. La banda actual esta integrada por Janio Coronado, Goyo Martinez, Erika Munoz (voces), Ivan Benavides (electronica y voz), Teto Ocampo (guitarra), Kike Egurrola (bateria) y Richard Blair (bajo y beats).


Choc Quib Town es una agrupacion que conjuga el sonido rural colombiano con el hip hop, rumba, flow y mucha energia, pues eso es lo que proyectan estos jovenes que vienen desde el Pacifico produciendo un sonido autentico, lleno de calle, alegria y matices de la selva espesa colombiana.

Las raices del grupo son remotas. En el departamento del Choco, Colombia, desembarco la raza negra en tiempos de la colonizacion, los descendientes han contribuido con sus tradiciones a la creacion de generos musicales como el currulao y la champeta. Por otro lado, el rap a Colombia llego en los anos noventa por el puerto de Buenaventura. El genero originario de Estados Unidos cala en los jovenes, que lo acogieron y lo interpretan a su manera, mezclandolo con otros sonidos del Pacifico colombiano. De esa fusion nacio en el año 2000 Choc Quib Town, banda colombiana que abrazo ademas el funk, el raggae jamaiquino, el bunde, el abozao, el bambaza y el agua-bajo.

La banda rinde homenaje a la tierra donde nacieron, Choco, zona de sabor y de corazones abiertos, de lagrimas, de lucha y de gente con deseos de superacion. El grupo representa a la musica afro, regada por la diaspora africana, que hoy esta presente en todo el mundo.

La agrupacion se define como la mezcla de varios estilos, cuya espina dorsal son los sonidos autoctonos de su region. Luego de participar en diversos proyectos musicales y vivir en Cali, el grupo radico en Bogota donde reclutaron interpretes de bateria, multipercusion y bajo, y en octubre de 2006 grabaron el primer album, Somos Pacifico, con los productores Ivan Benavides y Ernesto Santos.

Aunque el rap se caracteriza por sus letras fuertes y de denuncia social, Choc Quib Town ha adaptado liricas que siguen la misma linea pero que no estan cargadas de ira ni de violencia. Este factor tambien los ha diferenciado de los raperos norteamericanos.

Bogota chocoana, Bogota negra, Bogota mestiza, Bogota indigena, Bogota anglo, Bogota multicultural que parece ofrecer a los jovenes todas las posibilidades imaginables de identificacion e inclusion cultural. De eso se trata y Sidestepper y Choc Quib Town lo demostraran el sabado 1 de diciembre a las 20:00 horas en el Teatro de la Ciudad (Donceles 36, Centro Historico).

http://www.cultura.df.gob.mx/culturama/prensa/detalleNoticia/indexN.html?id=932
- Secretaria de Cultura del Distrito Federal - Mexico


Discography

3 a.m
21st century salsa
More Grip
Continental
La Buena Vibra Sound System

Photos

Bio

Talk about getting lost in music.

The Sidestepper story began with the sui generis singles "Maine" and "Logozo" (Palms Phat Global ..1) - mighty 12-inches that brought Latin fire to the dancehall - and continued with the South American vs. London dance floor clash found on More Grip and 3 a.m. (in beats we trust).

Richard Blair was a rising producer in the U.K., working with Peter Gabriels Real World sound factory and a host of international stars when he took a fateful detour to Bogota, Colombia, back in 1992. Thinking he would spend a few months, Blair remained in Colombia for three years, transformed the local music scene, and then returned to the U.K. under the nom-du-club Sidestepper and did the same to Londons percolating drum n bass scene.

More Grip, 3 A.M. (In Beats We Trust), other albums are 21st century salsa, drum n bass direct from the developing world. Imagine the heat of Latin club shot through with endorphin rush of junglist clatter or the boom of a drum n bass session deepened with tropical percussion and horns. Forget what you heard, Sidestepper is the real Latin boom!!!

Sidespteppers newest Single "Paloma" takes the bands vision further, wrapping vocals and live instruments around his devastating bass lines. Featuring some of Colombias most lethal singers and players like Aterciopelados vocalist Andrea Echeverri and Carlos Vives songwriter/Bloque vocalist Ivan Benavides, Sidestepper does for Latin music what Bristol prophets Massive Attack and Roni Size did for R&B, jungle, and hip-hop.

Band Members