I've Done it Again

1, 2, 3, 4 I've bought another song in an ad. Yes that's right. I picked up Feist recently in large part due to her song in a commercial for iPod or another Apple product. I've got to give those folks credit - they definitely picked a song that is quirky, raw, simple and contagious. As a work-a-holic, frequent homebody, and chronic undersleeper, I probably saw her perform on Leno too (May 2007), with my brain probably - hopefully - surrounding, eating, and eliminating everything but her performance.

And it's not the first time I've fallen for an Apple performer; my CSS cd is on the way as we speak. They're the band, you might remember, with the song/chorus, "Music is my boyfriend...music is my....imaginary friend." Friends and family of mine will remember the work I did to find and record the song for fun mixtapes I made them early in my dj'ing.

So once again, the saga continues: I'm buying and playing commercial music - literally music in commercials. And I don't know if I can stop. But medication can come in a funny pill; according to one of the magazines I devour for musical sustenance (Wax Poetics, Batanga, Urb, Bust, Venuszine, Essence - ok probably not Essence), the lead singer of CSS frequently wears what, essentially, can be summarized to onesies or unitards. I haven't read what brand she prefers, but I doubt it's Gucci, Vera Wang, or Calvin Klein.

Here's to good music, no matter where it appears. For now.

-Reza Rites

Music of Reza Rites, Schedule to Voices of Women

Voices of Women airs every Saturday morning from 9-11 AM (EST) on WRIU, 90.3 FM or at www.wriu.org. The station broadcasts from Kingston, RI with a reach as far away, at times, as Long Island, NY and Cape Cod, MA. The show has several hosts: Beth, Gail, Liza, and me, Reza Rites. Below is a quick look at who you can expect in January (and the end of December and early February). Changes could be made at any time - without accompanying postings to indicate them; I, Reza Rites, apologize for any potential inconveniences or errors.

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December 27, 2008: Beth and Gail

January 3, 2009: Reza Rites

January 10, 2009: Gail and Beth

January 17: Liza

January 24: Reza Rites

January 31: (Gail and Beth??)

February 7: Liza

It's Time: Music I'm Searching For

Artists and (Album Titles)

• Kid Sister (Dream Date)
• Yo'Majesty (Futuristically Speaking...Never Be Afraid)
• Terry Lynn (Kingstonlogic 2.0)
• CSS (Donkey)
• Lykke Li (Youth Novels)
• Ayo (Joyful)
• Nikka Costa (Pebble to Pearl)
• Uh Huh Her (Common Reaction)
• Solange Knowles (Sol-Angel & the Hadley Street Dreams)
• Little Jackie (The Stoop)
• Margie Joseph (Margie Joseph)
• The Sweet Inspirations (The Sweet Inspirations)
• Laura Reed and the Deep Pockets (Live at Tree Sound Studios)
• Miti Miti (Altar Espandex)
• Gilberto Gil (Banda Larga Cordel)
• Alla (Es Tiempo)
• Sergio Mendes (Encanto)
• Olga Tanon (Exitos in 2 Tiempos)
  

Compilations

• SoulShaker Volume 5: More Deep Funk, Soul and Groovy Club Sounds from Today's Scene
• The New MasterSounds Re::Mixed
  

Other Artists - New or Old Albums

• Rebel Diaz
• Suai
• Nina Sky
• Janelle Monae
• Amanda Blank
• Moni Love
  
• Celia Cruz
• Maria De Barros
• Kaissa
• Rye Rye
• Gnarls Barkley
  
• Teyana Taylor
  
• Zigmat
  
• Yusa
  
• Akrobatic
• Corinne Bailey Rae (live/unplugged albums)
• Lauryn Hill (live/unplugged albums)

FUTURE SEARCHES/WISHES

• Cecile
• The New Lilly Allen
• Gabriella Cilmi
• Sugar Cubes (Early Bjork)
• Kelis
  

All Hail the British Invasion...serously, ALL

A friend of mine subscribes to Entertainment Weekly, which I happened to peruse the other day because I am a magazine (and entertainment) junkie. In there was an article about one of the newest young songbirds tweeting out of the British Isles: Miss Adele.

I didn't memorize the article, I don't have it right before me, and I am not a correspondent for EW, so don't expect a torrent of specifics. One of the things I do remember finding interesting in the article is Adele's pride in the fact that she had joined the ranks of several of her national and regional brothers and sisters in the grammy nominations she - and they - had received in the category of best album.

Duhhhh, I autogloated to myself, as I recalled the playlist I had just finished posting on this very blog, for over the weekend I had played not one, but two songs by the Botticelli-esque vocalist. I had also played two tracks by Duffy, one of her grammy-nominated soul sisters in crime.

But before I could pat myself on the back for playing some really funky, now-grammy-nominated yet underground artist, I had to come to terms with the fact that I was playing a funky, now-grammy-nominated, cleverly exposed artist.

You see Adele - and Duffy - have songs on heavy rotation if you watch or fail to change television commercials. It's something that I started noticing slowly, but now I'm almost embarrassed! I mean Voices of Women airs on RI's largest NON-COMMERCIAL radio station.

Take Adele's song Chasing Pavements - NOT one of my favorites - but let's go with it. If you watched the Lifetime channel leading up to and after Thanksgiving, you probably saw commercials for Flirting with Forty - an essentially white, Heather Locklear-led version of the movie, When Stella Got Her Groove Back. And if you left the room or didn't change it, you would have noticed Adele's song blaring in the back- and foreground of these obnoxious commercials. And these commercials played over and over and over...as if Lifetime was actually sponsoring a telethon for the film and its lead actress.

Duffy too!!! Now, MTV watchers probably got a taste of her in between programming on the channel, and I know I caught her on one of the rare Saturday evenings when I decided to actually care about what SNL was airing. But she's definitely getting more than her share of exposure; you can hear her in 2-3 commercials! I'll have to come back to update this post with the products being advertised, but needless to say - the sounds of this platinum, retro-soul chanteuse is far from underground.

Now that I've rambled on and on, I guess there's a few conclusions with which I walk away and choose to share:

- The game of How to Manage musicians and broadcast music is definitely on. Those pushing for the use of classic rock and motown in commercials may now be directly competing with the management of newer artists and contemporary masters. Look at Santogold and The Neptunes and the sneaker and beer commercials, for instance. Or look at Cat Powers and the diamond commercial that featured her beautiful rendition of a Cat Stevens song - aired regularly prior to the release of her most recent album.

- Does this count as product endorsement, or are commercials just easy to break into for a musician wanting exposure?

- Are there comment lines to call if you want more information about an artist playing in a commercial - or if you think an artist's music should be removed.

- If MTV, The Grammy's, Lifetime TV, and car companies are all playing the same musicians, maybe I need to be a little more conscious of the artists I'm NOT playing. Either everyone should benefit from these opportunities to share their music or we (I) have to be aware of what I can do to support that equity.

On the other hand, from Amy to Corinne to Duffy to Adele - I do love the new British Invasion!!! And I'm not alone.

Voices of Women, Selections by Reza

What - or who - am I talking about when I say 'Venus Sings?'

(me - Reza Rites - Kalyana, Misty, Ghislaine, and Ife pose with international superstar, Zap Mama. She is pictured here in the pink dress next to Ghislaine and a staff member at the concert. Kalyana and Ghislaine, themselves, are emerging musical artists.)

Well, today on WRIU, I played the following artists - songs (- and albums):

• Aretha Franklin - One Way Ticket - Spirit in the Dark
• Joss Stone - Spoiled - Mind, Body & Soul
• Erykah Badu - That Hump from New Amerykah Part One - 4th World War
• Michelle Cruz - (exclusive interview) - The Rhode to Africa Interview Series
• Michelle Cruz - Deixa A Cappella
  
• Janet - Never Letchu Go - Discipline
• Aaliyah - At Your Best (You Are Love) - Age Ain't Nothing but a Number
• Corinne Bailey Rae - Like A Star - Corinne Bailey Rae, disc 1
• Bjork - Venus As a Boy - from Debut
• Adele - First Love - from 19
• Duffy - Delayed Devotion - Rockferry
• Amy Winehouse - Back to Black - Back to Black
• Duffy - Mercy - Delayed Devotion
• Adele - Right as Rain - 19
• Fiona Apple - The First Taste - Tidal
• Dawn Penn - No No No - No No No
• Santogold - You'll Find a Way - Santogold
• Santogold - Creator - Santogold
• Santogold - Unstoppable - Santogold
• Rihanna - Don't Stop the Music - Good Girl Gone Bad
• Shakira (Luis Fernando Ochoa) - Pies Descalzos, Suenos Blancos (Meme's Super Club Mix) - Shakira, The Remixes
• Bravebird - Amel Larrieux - Bravebird
• Wunmi - Keep it Rockin - A.L.A.
• Sister Nancy - Bam Bam
• Me'Shell N'degeocello - Hot Night - Cookie: The Anthropological Mix Tape
• Ivy Queen - Te He Querido, Te He Llorado - Flashback

Maybe you tuned in? Or maybe you will the next time.

Peace,
Reza

Hey You Guys

Let's see what Reza Rites can really do.

As a freelance journalist, and as one of the hosts and producers of Voices of Women on WRIU, I thought it was time to create a new place to blog about women in music.

I come across a lot of great female artists who deserve more attention than what I previously have been able to provide. While I won't promise volumes of work, I do pledge to offer regular tidbits to represent and promote my vocal sisters. This might also be a place for my WRIU playlists, as well a place to archive random facts and updates; we'll have to see how it goes.

RezaRitesRi.com is still the original G when it comes to all my projects so make sure you check in there. But I'm always ready to travel, and I'm excited about this new journey. I hope you are too.

Peace and love,
Reza