Waiata 119

music
ng waiata
SPOTLIGHT
Common
Nobodys Smiling
(Universal)
ap stalwart Common is
heading our way for the inaugural Soulfest soul and r&b music festival
in October, where hell be performing
alongside Maxwell, DAngelo, Mos Def
and Angie Stone. Mana caught up with
the Chicago native ahead of his visit to
New Zealand to talk about the new album.
Nobodys Smiling, Commons dope
tenth album, is a call to action about the
violence afflicting parts of Chicago. Hes
upbeat when he calls to discuss it. He and
his old friend Kanye West (Common was
a surprise guest when Kanye played in
Auckland in 2006) are both supporting
organisations that provide positive opportunities. Weve worked together to
get 20,000 jobs for the youth of Chicago.
Jobs are very helpful for getting people
out of impoverished situations and hopefully stopping the violence. Kanye definitely cares for Chicago.
The rapper is still buoyant about
Kanyes wedding to reality TV doyenne
Kim Kardashian. I have never been to

Florence and the people that we were
at the wedding with were wonderful.
Kanye and Kim just treated their guests
with so much love and it was just a fun
great vibe. It was also inspiring being
around artists like Mos Def and Steve
McQueen. He says McQueen, the director of his favourite film 12 Years a
Slave, is fiercely intelligent. He has a lot
of depth when it comes to art. He wants
to do things that mean something so I
really respect him a lot.
Kanye led the acclaimed production
on Commons chart-topping albums
Be in 2005 and 2007s Finding Forever.
He has inspired me in many ways. Hes
very talented and he has a great vision.
He says Kanye is misunderstood and that
hes a very good-hearted person. He
cares for people. People might take his
outspokenness in what he feels as being
[truth] they might not agree with all of
the things, but I really respect him and
w w w. m ana.co. n z |71
ng waiata
MUSIC
out now
on tour
ScHoolboy Q (USA)
1 Oct, The Foundry,
Christchurch City
2 Oct, Union Hall, University
of Otago, Dunedin
3 Oct, James Cabaret,
Wellington
Wiz Khalifa
Blacc
Hollywood
warner music
love the freedom that he expresses and

who he is.
Obama is referenced favourably on
the new album. I love our president
and I believe that when things are confined to politics, the president can only
do so much. But I know his heart is in
the right place and thats why I have
always supported him.
He insists, contrary to the gloomy
title, America is an incredible country.
Its a powerful place, man. Not just
powerful like in having power, but the
art that comes out of it, the people that
are here, the landscapes. It has a lot to
offer to the world and so I look at things
and say what can we do to improve?
Hype Williams directed the video
for potent first single Kingdom. It
really told the story about whats going
on and it lets you know that women are
involved in this too, they are victims
of the street and some of its trials.
Female MC Dreezy raps tight on Hustle
Harder. Dreezy is very dope and I love
seeing a female MC really, really rhyme.
She snapped on Nobodys Smiling.
Hes looking forward to his visit to
New Zealand but despite their pending
game in Chicago, Common hasnt heard
72|mana magazine
Fifth studio album from

the rapper, with guests
including Ty Dolla $ign,
Ghost Loft, Chevy Woods
and Nicki Minaj. Falls short
of expectations for a new
direction but will hopefully
be followed up by more
excellent mixtapes.
of the All Blacks. Its an all black rugby

team? Im not familiar with it but thats
great to hear man. I was just talking with
a friend about how cool New Zealand is.
Kerretta
Pirohia
golden antenna
Heavy instrumental
postrock three-piece
Kerretta have incorporated
a haunting mteatea into
their first ever track with
vocals,Kawea Tatou Ki
Nga Hiwi. For fans of edgy,
dynamic and unpredictable
rock soundscapes.
Electric Wire
Hustle
Moana & The

Tribe
Love Can Prevail
RIMA
every waking hour
black pearl
New Zealand duo Electric

Wire Hustle (Mara TK, son
of Billy, and Taay Ninh)
are releasing their second
album in the US, Europe,
the UK and South America
on Questloves label
Okayplayer. 10 excellent
tracks of leftfield r&b and
genre-bending world and
soul influences.
Album number five from

Moana Maniapoto and
her Tribe, this self-funded
collection of songs was
produced by Paddy Free
(Pitch Black) and recorded
in Piha, Lake Rotorua and
Blair Castle in Glasgow.
Some songs are in te reo,
some in Englishall are
Maniapotos signature
blend of soul inspiration
and musicianship.
Alexander Bisley
Nobodys Smiling is out now. Common

will be in Auckland for Soulfest on 26
October.
Mana Legends
Jay Epae
Jay Epae wrote Tumblin Down for Maria

Dallas, had a top five hit in Sweden, and
created a magnificent Kiwi dance craze with
a song called The Creep. What a dude.
Born in Manaia, Taranaki,
Epae made his way in the
local music scene, eventually shifting to the USA in
1957 to further his career.
Signed initially to Mercury,
then to Capitol, he cut
a handful of groovy pop
singles, one of which hit big
in Sweden.
The song Putti Putti,
released in 1960, got picked

up by Radio Nord, a Swedish
pirate radio station broadcasting offshore from a ship
(a la Radio Hauraki). It hit
the top 5 on the Swedish
charts, leading Epae to tour
there. It sold over 50,000
copies in Sweden, and was
also released in the US,
Australia, and Britain.
Epae returned here and

released his one and only
solo album Hold On Tight!
Its Jay Epae in 1966, the
same year he penned the
pop hit Tumblin Down for
Maria Dallas.
Author Chris Bourke
describes Epaes album
as an eclectic showcase
of R&B, country and pop
styles, showing how adept
Epae could be at emulating Arthur Alexander, Fats
Domino, Bobby Charles as
well as Dean Martin and
on The Creep, an Epae original James Brown.
The Creep is arguably
his greatest musical contribution, a fantastic dance
number. Its a wickedly
slinky slab of r&b. The cover

of the original single even
has a handy diagram of the
dance moves.
Following his album,
Epae later shifted to
Australia, working the
nightclub scene for many
years before he fell on hard
times, had problems with
the bottle, and lived on the
streets for a spell.
His New Zealand family
lost touch, and they eventually tracked him down, living
in Brisbane, in early 1994.
He returned to Wellington,
to be near his sister Tui
and Hector (of the Maori
Volcanics), but sadly passed
away on July 25, 1994, aged
61. Peter McLennan
jay epae groovers

the creep
Do the brand new dance, its called The
Creep Heck yes.
Putti Putti
Swinging tropical rock rhythms, mean
slide steel too.
Tumblin Down
Epae recorded it for his album with a
more classic r&b feel.
Jungle Speaks
Big band swagger with a ton of fruity
jungle sound effects.
My Girl
Great doo-wop soul: My girl is a stone
cold killer diller Tell it, Jay!
The Jillionaire (Major

Lazer) (USA)
5 Oct, Loco, Queenstown
Rodriguez (US)
13 Oct, ASB Theatre, Aotea
Centre, Auckland
16 Oct, Wellington Opera
House
Lil Jon (USA)
16 Oct, Powerstation,
Auckland
Tempo Dance Festival
7 19 Oct, Q Theatre,
Auckland
Tempo.co.nz
Aloe Blacc (USA)
21 Oct, Auckland Town Hall,
Auckland
23 Oct, The Opera House,
Wellington
Soulfest
Featuring Maxwell,
Dangelo, Common,
Mos Def, Anthony
Hamilton,Angie Stone,
Musiq Soulchild
26 Oct, Western Springs
Stadium, Auckland
Sola Rosa
24 Oct ,Dux Live,
Christchurch
31 Oct, San Francisco
Bathhouse, Wellington
1 Nov, Tuning Fork, Auckland
The Grand Ol Toppry
featuring The Topp
Twins
1 Oct 2 Nov, Nationwide
Tour
topptwins.com
Read more at audioculture.co.nz
www. mana.co. nz |73

Waiata 119

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Waiata 119

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Waiata 119

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

music

Kim Kardashian. I have never been to

love the freedom that he expresses and

Fifth studio album from

of the All Blacks. Its an all black rugby

Moana & The

Love Can Prevail

every waking hour

New Zealand duo Electric

Album number five from

Nobodys Smiling is out now. Common

Jay Epae wrote Tumblin Down for Maria

released in 1960, got picked

Epae returned here and

slinky slab of r&b. The cover

jay epae groovers

The Jillionaire (Major

Read more at audioculture.co.nz

www. mana.co. nz |73

You might also like