June
1, 2008 |
EXCLUSIVE: 3 FREE
downloads from Legends of the
Preacher
Click here to download free full album versions of "Nago Nago," "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and
"A Vida Tava Tao Bao" in MP3 format.
May 18, 2008 | Banning Eyre Loves Nation Beat!
Check out what Banning Eyre, who had great things to say about our Globalfest show, thinks about our new album:
Nation Beat's marriage of Americana—from second-line backbeats to Hank Williams—with the funky folklore of northeast Brazil is nothing short of inspirational. Loping, sensual percussion rhythms, searing bowed-string melodies, sweetly soaring slide guitar, and heart-tugging vocals are the band's stock in trade. Brazil and the U.S. both feature hybrid, Afro-European music cultures and musical ideas transfer easily from one context to the other. That's why Nation Beat's blends and segues flow so smoothly and satisfyingly. "Nago Nago" is part Allman Brothers, part Little Feet, and all thumping Brazilian maracatu. "De Repente No Repente" starts out like an old-time guitar ballad with a Brazilian twist, and winds up as transcultural country boogie. And Williams's "I'm So Lonesome I could Cry" gets a brilliant treatment that touches on all the band's strong suits. Drummer and percussionist Scott Kettner is the mastermind behind this delightful foray into Brasiliamericana. Since recording their first CD, Nation Beat has recruited Brazilian vocalist Liliana Araujo, whose rich, earthy voice brings a powerful shot of soulful authenticity to each of these 15 tracks. Two percussionists, a bassman, a fine fiddler, and a versatile guitarist complete the group, and that would be quite enough. But on Legends of the Preacher, the band joins forces with Frank London and the adventurously eclectic Klezmatics, adding the lyricism and transcendent melancholy of klezmer brass, violin, and even some Yiddish vocals to the mix. Why does an old world, Jewish wedding vibe work with all this new world, Afro-Christian culture? Couldn't tell you, but it does. Threaded through these songs are the adventures of preacher, who ultimately meets a sad end. But after a journey like this, you just know he's going to heaven.
Banning Eyre is a world-renowned ethnomusicologist, performer, and author of the acclaimed novel In Griot Time. For more on him, check out the link below. And get ready to hear Legends of the Preacher yourself this summer!
April 28, 2008 | Legends of the Preacher Animation Contest
Nation Beat and Modiba Productions are hosting an animation contest in conjunction with Nation Beat's highly anticipated upcoming album, Legends of the Preacher (July 15, 2008). Entrants are asked to submit 60-90 second animated music video shorts featuring a track of their choice. Modiba will offer files from the album's original artwork featuring the band members as cartoon characters. Vector character models will be provided in .FLA format, and will be published under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license, so that they can be used in animated videos by contestants. In addition to the $500 cash prize, the winning video will be featured on NationalGeographic.com, as well as being highlighted on Nation Beat and Modiba's websites, myspace pages, and a variety of other media outlets highlighting with the record release.
How To Enter:
• Download an AIF of a song, and character models of the band already imported into Flash.
• To submit your entry, simply post the video to youtube.com and send an email with the youtube link to info@modiba.net
• The winner, announced on July 18th through an eblast to Modiba's mailing list with a link to their winning video, will receive a $500 cash prize and a high level of exposure for their video coinciding with the album release in a variety of media outlets including NationalGeographic.com, the band and label's websites and myspace.
For full details, song clips and character models, please click here.
April 09, 2008 | Afropop Review
Noted Musicologist, music critic and musician Banning Eyre wrote a really nice review of our Globalfest show. Check out the link below to see what he has to say about our sound.
Click here to download free full album versions of "Nago Nago," "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and
"A Vida Tava Tao Bao" in MP3 format.
May 18, 2008 | Banning Eyre Loves Nation Beat!
Check out what Banning Eyre, who had great things to say about our Globalfest show, thinks about our new album:
Nation Beat's marriage of Americana—from second-line backbeats to Hank Williams—with the funky folklore of northeast Brazil is nothing short of inspirational. Loping, sensual percussion rhythms, searing bowed-string melodies, sweetly soaring slide guitar, and heart-tugging vocals are the band's stock in trade. Brazil and the U.S. both feature hybrid, Afro-European music cultures and musical ideas transfer easily from one context to the other. That's why Nation Beat's blends and segues flow so smoothly and satisfyingly. "Nago Nago" is part Allman Brothers, part Little Feet, and all thumping Brazilian maracatu. "De Repente No Repente" starts out like an old-time guitar ballad with a Brazilian twist, and winds up as transcultural country boogie. And Williams's "I'm So Lonesome I could Cry" gets a brilliant treatment that touches on all the band's strong suits. Drummer and percussionist Scott Kettner is the mastermind behind this delightful foray into Brasiliamericana. Since recording their first CD, Nation Beat has recruited Brazilian vocalist Liliana Araujo, whose rich, earthy voice brings a powerful shot of soulful authenticity to each of these 15 tracks. Two percussionists, a bassman, a fine fiddler, and a versatile guitarist complete the group, and that would be quite enough. But on Legends of the Preacher, the band joins forces with Frank London and the adventurously eclectic Klezmatics, adding the lyricism and transcendent melancholy of klezmer brass, violin, and even some Yiddish vocals to the mix. Why does an old world, Jewish wedding vibe work with all this new world, Afro-Christian culture? Couldn't tell you, but it does. Threaded through these songs are the adventures of preacher, who ultimately meets a sad end. But after a journey like this, you just know he's going to heaven.
Banning Eyre is a world-renowned ethnomusicologist, performer, and author of the acclaimed novel In Griot Time. For more on him, check out the link below. And get ready to hear Legends of the Preacher yourself this summer!
April 28, 2008 | Legends of the Preacher Animation Contest
Nation Beat and Modiba Productions are hosting an animation contest in conjunction with Nation Beat's highly anticipated upcoming album, Legends of the Preacher (July 15, 2008). Entrants are asked to submit 60-90 second animated music video shorts featuring a track of their choice. Modiba will offer files from the album's original artwork featuring the band members as cartoon characters. Vector character models will be provided in .FLA format, and will be published under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license, so that they can be used in animated videos by contestants. In addition to the $500 cash prize, the winning video will be featured on NationalGeographic.com, as well as being highlighted on Nation Beat and Modiba's websites, myspace pages, and a variety of other media outlets highlighting with the record release.
How To Enter:
• Download an AIF of a song, and character models of the band already imported into Flash.
• To submit your entry, simply post the video to youtube.com and send an email with the youtube link to info@modiba.net
• The winner, announced on July 18th through an eblast to Modiba's mailing list with a link to their winning video, will receive a $500 cash prize and a high level of exposure for their video coinciding with the album release in a variety of media outlets including NationalGeographic.com, the band and label's websites and myspace.
For full details, song clips and character models, please click here.
April 09, 2008 | Afropop Review
Noted Musicologist, music critic and musician Banning Eyre wrote a really nice review of our Globalfest show. Check out the link below to see what he has to say about our sound.
