Last night I got to see the newly reconstructed/refurbished former club Moloko, now called Hush, for the first time. The transformation is amazing, I’m just not sure if it classy and elegant enough after being hosted in much dasher clubs in recent months. But that’s neither here nor there. The reason I was there was to learn who made it to the top 3 in each category for the 10th Metro FM Music Awards that will be taking place at the... 

DJ heavyweight and producer Louie Vega is on an African tour, and made a stop in South Africa where he is probably most loved. Kaya FM took this opportunity to bring the man to Jozi last week. The main aim was to introduce the Masters At Work co-founder to the media as part of the Kaya FM family since he started doing mixes for the regional station not too long ago. Anena, Louie and Black Coffee Accompanying him was his wife and house vocalist Anena... 

Late last month I was invited to the launch event for Kenyan-born Afrosoul singer Liz Ogumbo‘s debut album aptly titled KenSoul. The very first thing that caught my eye was the setup and decor at the venue, which actually made me forget about the difficulty I went through trying to find the place. Liz with her singers and dancers After sharing pleasantries with Gallo Record‘s Duncan, RJ Benjamin and Nonkululeko Godana (part of Liz‘s... 

When Nkululeko Goqo, DJ Black Coffee‘s manager, mentioned that they were doing a four day event to launch the DJ Black Coffee Foundation, I was kinda confused at how that was possible. However, as he unpacked it for me, it created this sense of curiosity and excitement about how it would all transpire. Philanthropist and medical doctor from Tumelo Home The first leg of the launch was the gala dinner that took place at the Hyatt Hotel in Rosebank... 

Artist: Simphiwe Dana Title: Kulture Noir Label: Gallo Records On her third album, African soul songstress Simphiwe Dana keeps it simple, yet enigmatic and experimental. She assembles the most inventive African producers. These include the South Africa’s own powerhouse Thapelo Khomo, who also produced her debut album Zandisile; Nigeria’s guitar maestro Kunle Ayo; as well as Mozambican musician Moreira Conguica of the Moreira Project. ... 

Artist: The Roots Title: How I Got Over Label: Universal Music After their underrated but gem-filled album The Tipping Point, the illustrious hip hop band The Roots are back with a new studio offering How I Got Over. It consists of an assorted array of artists; complementing the sound they have honed over the years. As much as the band still focuses on the live instruments element of the music, the vocals are not compromised. ?uestlove is assisted... 

Artist: Herbie Hancock Title: The Imagine Project Label: Sony Music Prolific pianist Herbie Hancock collaborates with musical giants from all over the world for what is dubbed The Imagine Project. Inspired by John Lennon and one of his biggest classics, the innovation starts from the packaging of the CD; enticing the listener to hear the music inside. Singers P!NK and Seal start off Imagine Intro, letting India.Arie and Oumou Sangare battle it... 

Artist: Kirk Whalum Title: Everything Is Everything: The Music Of Donny Hathaway Label: Sheer Music The saxophonist extraordinaire returns shortly after releasing Gospel According To Jazz III to tackle some of legendary soul musician Donny Hathaway’s most revered classics. From the very beginning of the album with Giving Up, a track that has been covered by the likes of Jennifer Holiday (for Tyler Perry‘s Why Did I Get Married soundtrack)... 

Following the success and popularity of their Road To Zion hit, serious artists Nas and Damian Marley decided to record a full album. The amazing chemistry they share on Distant Relatives on its own proves a consummate decision for this collaboration. With Grammy Award winner Marley presenting his reggae roots, and Nas his incomparable rapping; it’s a seamless blend celebrating correlations between hip hop and reggae that traces back to African... 

After the critically acclaimed and commercially successful themed offering Back To Basics, Christina Aguilera progresses to the next level with her latest release, Bionic. Bionic sees Aguilera go back to the more urban contemporary sound that won her crossover success as she straddled the line between pop, R&B and hip hop. Whether on a highly-charged beat or a slower melody highlighting a particular piece of music, Aguilera flexes her unmistakably...