"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything." - Plato
Posts tagged "jesse boykins III"

happynewyear

I wish you all a happy new year full of love & happiness. A new year in which I believe a lot and I’ve waited for since the beginning of 2009. For lot of people around and as well as for me, 2009 was a very hard year, death, illness, job loss, depression… I hope we will all grow from those proof of life (with the the family & friends’s support who i’m very thankful for) and see what life has to give to us and the freedom we have. Freedom to react in a positive or negtive way to the events, freedom to do, freedom to believe, freedom to work, freedom to give up or not, freedom to do everything we can to make things we want happen. I look at this new year as the beginning of something new, as a year full of positive events & musicaly productive. Even if 2009 wasn’t so bad in music, I’m thinking about Jay Electronica, Sa-ra & Shafiq, Jesse Boykins III, BlakRoc, Yann Kesz, Maxwell, Mos def or Little Dragon, I feel and I know lot of people feel it as well that 2010 is going to be a GREAT year for music. I’m thinking about the 2010 release we already know about as José James (I listened to the album, it’s a must have), Sade, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Gil Scott Heron, Erykah Badu, Silhouette Brown, Corinne Baley Rae etc. Bilal should release his album in 2010, also Jay Electronica + all the surprise we will have. It’s a sign that 2010 is going to be much better than 2009.
That you all find peace, love & happiness in this new year. I wish you the best.
Musically,
Loveonthebeat.net

Best 2009 concert : Prince live @ Bataclan, Paris.
Best 2009 new artist (to me, I know some discovered him before 2009) : Jesse Boykins III
Best 2009 party : Bobbito Garcia & Rich Medina @ Maroquinerie
Best 2009 twingo moment : Sean P freestyling in my car
Best 2009 album : I’m not going to answer, it’s so hard to pick up one.

Je vous souhaite une très bonne année empli d’amour et de joie. Voici enfin 2010, année que j’ai attendu depuis le début de 2009. Pour beaucoup de gens autour de moi ainsi que pour moi, 2009 a été une année très difficile, décès, maladie, licenciement, dépression… J’espère que nous allons tous grandir et apprendre de ces épreuves (avec le soutien de la famille & des amis pour lesquels je suis très reconnaissante) et que nous allons tous enfin réaliser ce que la vie a à nous offrir et la part de liberté que nous avons. Liberté de réagir positivement ou négativement aux événements, liberté de croire, de penser, liberté de laisser tomber ou non, liberté d’offrir, de recevoir, liberté de donner tout ce qu’on a pour avoir les choses que nous voulons vraiment. Je vois cette année comme le début de quelque chose de nouveau ainsi qu’une année musicalement productive. Bien sûr il y a eu des bonnes choses musicalement en 2009, je pense à Jay Electronica, Sa-ra & Shafiq, Jesse Boykins III, BlakRoc, Yann Kesz, Maxwell, Mos def ou Little Dragon. Cependant je sens que 2010 va être une très grande année musicalement. Déjà il y a toutes les sorties d’album dont nous somme sûr, comme José James (je l’ai et c’est vraiment un très bon album), Sade, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Gil Scott Heron, Erykah Badu, Silhouette Brown, Corinne Baley Rae. Il y a aussi le retour de Bilal et peut-être (enfin!) un album de Jay Electronica ? Et puis toutes les surprises musicales que 2010 nous réserve.
Je vous souhaite à tous de trouver la paix, la joie et l’amour cette année.
Musicalement,
Loveonthebeat.net


New music video from Jesse Boykins III, “Itis” directed by Atif Ateeq. Very well done, my favorite moment of the video is the bed scene, I love it. However I don’t really like to see guys laying down on the floor singing. If not the video is great.

Jesse Boykins III said on his blog:
So I decided to explain my concept of the “Itis” to those who check out my site and are interested in it..
I was trying to find a way to symbolize inspiration. Its something that comes and goes without you noticing if you don’t sit back and pay attention. Honestly, I was at My Boy Atif Ateeq (The Director) & Eric Poon’s WeAreVane Pop up shop in NYC for a gathering he was having and I was watching a woman smoke this cigarette. She layed her head back and exhaled slow. Now in my eyes it was like she was throwing out inspiration (even though I’m not a fan of tobacco).. Smoke was the perfect thing to symbolize a change in mood or mark the moment when inspiration hits. So I got up with the team shared my vision and we made it happen. Thanks to everyone who contributed. Special thanks to Atif Ateeq & Dr. Woo for spending crazy time on the Edit. Much Apreciated.


jesseafta

The great producer, Afta-1 remixed Amorous by Jesse Boykins III, it’s my favorite track from this singer. Afta-1 did an beautiful work with this remix, I really love the new atmosphere he gave to this song.

Le producteur Californien, Afta-1 a remixé Amorous de Jesse Boykins III, morceau que je préfère de ce chanteur. Afta-1 a fait un très beau travail sur ce remix, j’adore cette nouvelle atmosphère qu’il a apporté a ce morceau.

Jesse Boykins III – Amorous (Afta-1 Love Mix)

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For people that missed it, I did an interview of Jesse Boykins III.


jb2

Jesse Boykins III is a singer I am still discovering – his voice, his music, his spirituality. I totally slept on his music when a friend of mine told me to listen to him because he was « the new (and nowadays the only one) neo soul singer » – dixit Jamal. As for me neo soul is Bilal and D’angelo, nobody can really do better than them but we have to leave a chance to the new generation, mine, the youngest. I listenned and weren’t that much impress at first. Then I saw a video live of Amorous and I totally felt in love with the music. The song is beautiful, Jesse Boykins III is really great on stage. He looks like he did that forever; He is natural, funny, plays with the audience (the feminine part of the audience, lol), is in harmony with his band. It’s really pleasant to see artists like this on stage, just having a great time and so giving a great time to the public. This is why I contacted him to ask him a few questions about his music, his influences, his move to NYC, his friendship with Bilal and the future. Yes, Jesse Boykins III is working on a new album called « Love Apparatus ».

You were born in Chicago but grew up in Jamaica. How long did you stay there and what was the music you were listening to ?
I was in Jamaica for about 8 years… most of my childhood. I grew up listening and being around mostly gospel, church hymns but my uncles always jammed reggae in the car and when the family get togethers.

Why did you move to Miami and what did you do, musicaly speaking ?
At the time my mother was in miami, while I was in Jamaica. I just wanted to be with my mom, hence the move. I owe a lot of my sound and influence to my move because that is where I met my mentor Ms Shenita Hunt. She was my middle and high school choir director. She basically open my ears as far as what and how I listened to music.

How was it to come to NY to the New School University ?
The New York move happen so fast. I remember getting a phone call on tuesday requesting me to make the orientation and being on a flight the next day, with one suitcase some socks and underwear, a pair of jeans, 3 t shirts and a sweater. I forgot to pack a towel… HA! I was glad to be in a new surrounding though. I was on edge for my 1st week in NY.

click here to read the rest of the interview


feelingit2
I just found this video on Lichiban‘s blog (Damn I MISS NYC ! I want to go back live there…). This is a live video at the VONY benefit show in tribeca, where Bilal and Jesse Boykins III performed (we really need that in France… If only artists asked a little less money – flight + hotel + cabs + food + the perfomence = too much money).
So I knew Jesse Boykins III from my friend Jamal. Jamal was actualy crazy about this singer, he couldn’t stop telling us to listen to the album. So did I. The album is good, i liked it but I wasn’t crazy about it either. I didn’t even try to look what he could do on stage because I didn’t even know he was doing shows. Looking at Lichiban’s blog, I was surprised to find this video, the guy is good looking, with lot of good energy and is actully really good on stage! I hope I will see him in France soon (if you read us Jesse ;)

video (bilal) + french version