WAX POETICS

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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #66 WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #66 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #66

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Wax Poetics Issue 66 (DJ Shadow b/w David Axelrod) The new Wax Poetics features a spread showcasing our new collaboration with RAS G! In honor of this, all orders over $100 will receive a copy of the this new issue.  Order must be placed between 4/17-4/24.  Plus free shipping USA & International on all orders $100 and up!    The issue is also available to purchase separately if you prefer.  DJ ShadowThe late 1980s and early ’90s saw the dawn of a new day as sampling was at a high point with hip-hop’s golden era. Following in the footsteps of Double Dee & Steinski, Prince Paul, and the Dust Brothers, DJ SHADOW would push the boundaries of sampling with his early Mo’ Wax releases. His first full-length album, Endtroducing…, further shined a light on the art form, as the album exploded through popular culture and put the reluctant star in the spotlight. David AxelrodProducer/composer DAVID AXELROD landed a dream job at Capitol Records in 1964, immediately working with jazz legend Cannonball Adderley and lifting soul singer Lou Rawls to great heights. Leon Sylvers IIIGifted songwriter, bassist, and producer LEON SYLVERS III led his siblings’ group THE SYLVERS from their teenaged harmony-tinged sweet-soul beginnings to mainstream disco heights. Then, in the late-’70s and early ’80s, he helped usher in the new wave of synthesizer-driven R&B, writing and producing hits for everyone from Shalamar to Gladys Knight and the Pips. DJ KrushAfter splitting with his crew in Japan, DJ KRUSH embarked on a journey with British label Mo’ Wax that found the turntablist/producer using hip-hop’s breakbeat foundation while pioneering a new genre of abstract instrumentals. Cynthia RobinsonCYNTHIA ROBINSON was a single mother when she joined Sly and the Family Stone as a trumpeter and vocalist in 1966. As one of the band’s most prominent figures, she became lovers with Sly, giving birth to their daughter, Sylvyette “Phunne” Stone, in 1976. Years later, as Robinson carried the torch with the Family Stone into the next century, Phunne would have the chance to join her mother onstage as a vocalist. Also: Australian plunderers the Avalanches release their first record in sixteen years; adventures of a reggae messenger with Danny Holloway.  
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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #65 WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #65 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #65

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All orders over $75 will receive the new Wax Poetics Magazine (Issue #65). Features: A Tribe Called QuestWax Poetics Issue 65 is going back to our roots with 21 pages dedicated to A Tribe Called Quest’s debut album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, including an oral history with original founding members Q-Tip, Phife Dawg (in his final interview), Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi, as well as “fifth member” and iconic engineer Bob Power! Rare and classic photos by Ernie Paniccioli and Janette Beckman, as well as pics from the personal collection of Ali Shaheed Muhammad. David Bowie Back cover feature explores David Bowie’s time in Philly, recording David Live and much of his R&B masterpiece, Young Americans—at the iconic Sigma Sound Studios used by Gamble & Huff and countless Philly soul acts. The in-depth, 20-page story is told with the help of producer Tony Visconti; pianist Mike Garson; model, muse, and singer Ava Cherry; singer Robin Clark, and her husband, guitarist and collaborator Carlos Alomar. Rare photos of Bowie at Sigma by photographer Dagmar! We also offer a four-page “David in Philly” timeline and a five-page interview with Bowie photographer Steve Schapiro. Northern Soul In-depth history of England’s soul club scene with excellent photos documenting the DJs and dancers. Also:Organist and “Why Can’t We Live Together” songwriter Timmy Thomas; bassist and jazz-futurist Esperanza Spalding; singer/rapper Anderson .Paak; singer Dornik; and Hawiian music blog and label Aloha Got Soul.  
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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #64 WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #64 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #64

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Contents: Yo! MTV RapsExploding onto cable television in August 1988, Yo! MTV Raps was a huge hit because it was necessary. Perhaps the most potent catalyst in hip-hop’s infiltration of the mainstream, Yo! beamed future superstars and regional rap heroes alike into living rooms for the first time ever. The InternetSyd tha Kyd and Matt Martians have emerged from production, engineering, and DJing roles within the Odd Future crew to claim their own stake in this new movement of Black musical expression. Originally intended to be a Neptunes-like production team, their collective, named the Internet, is now a full-fledged band with Syd taking lead vocal duties. Their third album, Ego Death, doubles down on their questioning of what it means to be young, gifted, and Black in America. KashifAfter a stint as keyboard player with B.T. Express, Brooklyn’s Kashif turned to writing and producing for other artists, infusing synthesizers into R&B and taking the post-disco genre into a modern boogie wonderland. Mary WilsonAfter Florence Ballard and Diana Ross left the Supremes, last remaining original member Mary Wilson found that her love for performing was enough to keep the name going into a new era of hits. Also: R&B wild child Miguel; blue-eyed soul crooner Bobby Caldwell and producer Jack Splash team up as Cool Uncle; soulful folk singer-songwriter Mia Doi Todd; modern-funk synth wiz kid Brian Ellis; pop-art-soul act Twin Shadow; new blue-eyed-soul/rock duo Young Gun Silver Fox; and Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios.
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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #63 WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #63 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #63

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All orders over $100 will receive the new Wax Poetics Magazine (Issue #63). Contents: Blues BrotherMentored on the axe by Stevie Ray Vaughan’s brother Jimmy and mentored on the music business by friend Cody Chesnutt, Austin guitarist Gary Clark Jr. was hailed as blues music’s second coming after a couple of self-released records and his Grammy-winning, major-label debut, Blak and Blu. But not wanting to be put in a box, Clark took a cue from Chesnutt’s The Headphone Masterpiece and set out to record and self-produce a wide-ranging yet personal album from his own perspective. The result, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, sees Clark bridging the gap between genres while creating his own thing. Top Billin’After a couple of his singles blew up, nineteen-year-old singer-songwriter Raury flipped that success into an ambitious desire to create profound and impactful art. As he headlines his own festivals, and his anxiously anticipated finally debut drops, Raury now leads a pack of young artists aiming to start a movement to take the music industry in a new, positive direction. Also: Blue-eyed-soul man Boz Scaggs, Motown songwriter Marilyn McLeod, classic rock producer John Simon, saxophonist and Kendrick Lamar collaborator Kamasi Washington, soul singer throwback Leon Bridges, French beatmaker Onra, Stones Throw producer Knxwledge, and underground sound manipulator Norvis Jr.
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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #62 WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #62 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #62

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All orders over $75 will receive the new Wax Poetics Magazine (Issue #62). Wax Poetics Issue 62 features electronic producer/composer Giorgio Moroder on the cover, with instrumental duo Ratatat on the flip.  Contents Giorgio MoroderRatatatThe Ladies of ChicSteve ArringtonUnknown Mortal OrchestraThe Photography of Les McCannVan HuntDivine StylerNu ShoozJamaiel ShabakaIbeyiSeven Davis Jr.Bixiga 70Nick Hakim45 Francki of IAMShusei Nagaoka Features Iconic computer composer Giorgio Moroder got his start writing and producing pop music in Germany. But a chance encounter with American session singer Donna Summer would change the course of his career. A string of hits together would make Summer an R&B and disco superstar and Moroder a wanted musical asset in the States, and their proto-techno, all-synthesizer dance track “I Feel Love” set the tone for the future of music. As Moroder embraced the Moog synthesizer and continued to revolutionize dance music, he transferred this electronic sentiment to multiple soundtracks, including the now-classics Midnight Express and Scarface. After a cameo on Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories, the seventy-five-year-old composer now returns to the scene with a new album, Déjà Vu. When fellow college alums Mike Stroud and Evan Mast ran into each other in Brooklyn and decided to jam together, they realized they had a penchant for making catchy yet cerebral instrumentals.Their newly formed band, Ratatat, featured smart interplay between guitar, synthesizers, and crisp beats. Four albums later—and collaborations with Kid Cudi and Jay Z along the way— the multi-instrumentalists return with their fifth LP, Magnifique. With Chic, Nile Rodgers and partner Bernard Edwards created sophisticated dance music draped in mystery and anchored in the unison singing of a rotating cast of female vocalists—Norma Jean Wright, Luci Martin, Alfa Anderson, Robin Clark, Diva Gray, Michelle Cobbs, and newcomers Folami Ankoanda-Thompson and Kimberly Davis. In the 1970s, Ohio’s blue-collar cities started churning out the hardest-working musicians in the business. Dayton native Steve Arrington came up watching the Ohio Players in the spotlight, spurring him to grind. As the drummer for the R&B band Slave, he quickly rose to take over as lead singer, which led to a successful solo career. But when he found a new calling in the Lord, he dropped out of the business altogether. After decades away, Steve is dipping his toes into the musical waters once again.
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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #61 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #61

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ISSUE IS FREE WITH ALL ORDERS OVER $100 (WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE ADDED TO THE ORDER) Wax Poetics Issue 61 cover one features James Brown on the front and Curtis Mayfield on the back. Cover two features Bishop Nehru on the front and Ghostface Killah on the back.    Contents: Fred Wesley on James Brown’s classic The PaybackCurtis Mayfield and the ImpressionsBishop NehruGhostface KillahRick Stevens of Tower of PowerTV on the RadioJoiTuxedoElectric Wire HustleSoulectionYoung FathersIslam and Hip-hopMorrie TurnerEmory Douglas Fred Wesley did his second stint with the James Brown Band during the Godfather of Soul’s rebirth in the 1970s, his golden period with Polydor Records. As Brown’s musical director, bandleader, and arranger, Wesley also got songwriting credits, a rare feat for an artist in the JB family—and a gesture that has kept him paid to this day. Here, Wesley reminisces about their seminal and best-selling record, The Payback, which can be seen as a hard and cold metaphor for social justice. The Impressions were up and down on the charts for a decade, depending on the creative inspiration of its songwriter and lead vocalist Curtis Mayfield. After the success of 1963’s “It’s All Right,” Mayfield would write a string of socially conscious songs that helped spark the Civil Rights Movement, including “Keep On Pushing,” and “People Get Ready.” The final three increasingly sociopolitical chart-toppers he wrote for the group—“We’re a Winner,” “This Is My Country,” and “Choice of Colors”—would lean more towards Black Power, alienating some fans and radio stations, but would set the tone for his incredibly important solo work to come. After releasing his first mixtape, 2012’s Nehruvia, at only sixteen, New York phenom Bishop Nehru arrived as a fresh voice laced with erudite wordplay and a penchant for classic beats. With his EP strictlyFLOWz the following year, he grabbed the attention of MF DOOM, resulting in their recent collaboration, 2014’s NehruvianDOOM. As he prepares his solo album, with Nas on board as executive producer, the old-soul poet is poised to help bring the art form back to New York. In an arena where MCs seldom have extended careers, Wu-Tang’s Ghostface Killah has increasingly improved through two decades after his 1996 solo debut, Ironman. His use of cryptic slang and his gift for spinning complex tales leaves an unmatched legacy—one that’s still growing.
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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #60 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #60

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Longtime contributing editor Andrew “Monk” Mason interviews Blondie cofounders Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, and chronicles the band’s rise from New York’s DIY art-rock downtown scene to worldwide airwaves with the disco hits “Heart of Glass” and the Giorgio Moroder–produced “Call Me.” But perhaps their real legacy is tied to the then burgeoning hip-hop movement; after meeting “Fab 5” Freddy, Blondie would record “Rapture”—the first pop song to incorporate a rap—and help bring the nascent artform to a larger global audience.   BlondieSZAOnyxRaekwon (Only Built 4 Cuban Linx)Robert CrumbHarvey MasonMarsha AmbrosiusEddy SenayBudos BandTaylor McFerrinFatimaStick Against StoneJordan Rakei
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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #58 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #58

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It's not about giving the middle finger and saying, “Whatever.” It’s about real talk. As Cee Lo says in our cover story, “I despise the notion of ‘whatever.’ ” Mr. Green has something to say. He’s not the character he portrays on TV. And he’s not superficially enamored with an industry run by “atheists”—so he must find a balance of being a superstar in the spotlight and a human being in the shadows of introspection. Up-and-coming rapper Action Bronson doesn’t front about his occupation, doesn’t try to sugarcoat his story. The former chef is just a regular guy with a knack for rhyme and storytelling. He doesn’t hesitate to tell us that he’s thankful and that music is something he takes very seriously.Also featuring:Cee Lo Green, Action Bronson, Ron Isley, Thom Bell, Millie Jackson, Kool G Rap, Swamp Dogg, Brian Jackson, Freda Payne, K-Maxx, Chicano Batman, KING, Leyla McCalla
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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #57 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #57

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Not everyone fits in with the mainstream. Some are born to be different. They are misfits, individualists, outsiders, and eccentrics that let their freak flags fly. Yet they have found a way to thrive on their own terms, transcending barriers of categorical concepts and popular expectations. Also featuring: Milosh & Rhye, the story of the Soul Train dancers, Black Milk, Ed Motta, Kon, Boardwalk, and Bruno Morais.
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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #56 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #56

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Issue 56 Cover 1 (Madlib b/w Kool Herc) celebrates the fortieth anniversary of hip-hop; also included is Afrika Bambaataa’s record collection, Sugar Hill Records house band turned electro/industrial band Tackhead, and wunderkind Mac Miller. Cover 2 (Little Dragon b/w Hiatus Kaiyote) celebrates the Wide World of Soul, representing Sweden and Australia, as well as Scotland (Average White Band), Jamaica (Cultural Roots), Romania (Rodion G.A.), and Japan (Shintaro Sakamoto). Also included: disco remixer John Morales and Bruce Lee soundtracks.
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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #53 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #53

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Like a highly trained Shaolin monk, this issue has many styles. And many of our featured artists are masters and leaders of their respective styles and movements. And most have combined multiple styles to create a new one. RZA put his two loves, hip-hop and kung fu flicks, together and created the Wu-Tang Clan, becoming its self-appointed leader and arguably the master of New York’s grittiest period of hip-hop.
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WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #52 QUICK VIEW

WAX POETICS : ISSUE - #52

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Wax Poetics Issue 52 celebrates the individual. Cover 1: Sade b/w Flying Lotus. Cover 2: Lenny Kravitz b/w Dam-Funk. Features on Betty Wright, Roller Boogie, Gary Bartz, Cody Chesnutt, and Quantic & Alice Russell. Also in this issue: Georgia Anne Muldrow, Thundercat, Jamire Williams and ERIMAJ, Myron & E, and MeLo.

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