Wednesday

StreetcredMusic: Release, The First Pianowomen Video, Kayce Laine

I met Kayce Laine
.....in 2012, she was playing keys and doing backup vocals for 
..........Gio Moretti. We were filming Gio's gig for my doc film.


I chose Kayce to be in the first shoot of Pianowomen, for her talent of course, and she's a friend. Kayce has been exposed to music her entire life, her dad is a wonderful musician....and she truly sets the bar for Pianowomen ...as you will see. 

Kayce Laine, Live
 I wanted the three 'original' Pianowomen to be diverse in their styles, and to bring their original music.

I knew we would get some gems with this project and we hit the jackpot right from the jump!

Please enjoy, the first Pianowomen video: 
    ........Kayce Laine, "Echo"

>>While my docfilm remains on the shelf, until we can all get together for a showing, and final edit, I will continue to use my resources and continue with these marvelous women.

feel free to comment....

  Kayce's  FB page    ...   Follow me:: Pete Carma 
  

StreetcredMusic: Op/Ed .. Tessa Lena

Social theory and pain in the ass made simple, from 'Tessa Makes Love'

Tessa Lena

 "Since I feel very passionate about human ability to see beyond our differences, here is what occupies my mind. I have a very distinct feeling that somebody is hard at work directing the public conversation about racism and historical injustices toward a place that is both painful and not productive. People get to yell at each other and maybe vent and maybe hurt each other a little more but nothing gets fixed fundamentally. Who wins? Assholes."

 Fact: America has a long history of treating non-whites horrendously and building wealth on the backs of “the other.” To be fair, the practice was not started in America. It was started, as far as geography and known history go, in different places in Eurasia. A lot earlier, and with a lot less focus on skin color. By humans. There are many wonderful ways to dehumanize and consume “the other,” race is just one recent invention. Of humans.

Tessa Lena
 "I believe, also very passionately, that the decisive factor is not skin color or even culture (even though culture weighs a lot more in this case) but what’s in the head. If there is a bug in the head, one can lynch a slave, burn a witch, kill a Muslim, and go to bed with a smile. The “other” can be worth hating or disregarding for many reasons: gender, religion, and yes, skin color. As long as the eyes looking at you belong to a person with a dull soul, you are annoying, and you don’t count. And if you dare open your mouth... God."
                                  ***********************************
 Europeans (and Asians) were probably the first groups of people to enthusiastically embrace human alienation from nature and abandon “local” in favor of building massive empires. Europeans certainly popularized the idea and exported it world-wide, and it not surprising that “white people” are known for the brand. However, it is a trap.
I have a theory that as a species, we are simply not capable of maintaining balanced, non-abusive empires. It is beyond our mental ability, even if our minds want to own everything. Empires are too big and too abstract, it is impossible to love a hundred million people, while it is also impossible to treat people fairly without love. Theoretical morals don’t work, ever. They can’t work. I think that a couple thousand years will pass and this grand empire-building experiment will be over, but we are here now, obviously, and we can’t just console ourselves with theory, we still need to solve problems effectively.

 So yes, there is a problem of institutional racism in the U.S. and it’s ridiculous. I am convinced that fundamentally, it is rooted in centuries of misinterpreting the indigenous organization of life–but even though it is probably true, we can’t expect everybody to dig that deep, digging deep takes time and effort, and people are known for not trying to understand shit unless it hurts.

 Here’s where assholes come in, in a new role though. The phrase “white privilege” is, in my mind, a new weapon of an evil genius. By giving people this catch phrase, you don’t solve ANYTHING but direct the very real anger and hurt against a very broad category of people including people who are just minding their business without being particularly evil. That’s divide and conquer at its best. The evil ones, the ones who carry the most responsibility for today’s injustices, won’t care about the rhetoric and TED presentaions, and the non-evil ones will get hurt and snap back, as humans do. While people yell at each other on Facebook and perpetuate hurt feelings, assholes keep doing their thing.
>>>>>" That’s my feeling about it, anyway. I don’t think there is any other way besides Love. And solving concrete problems with minimal hate."
                             ************************************

Me, Pete Carma "how lucky I am to have a shared trust with the most talented creative women on the music scene, who also are out spoken about the issues of the day".

Have you seen Tessa's #Pianowomen Video, "Baby Robots"
 
In case you missed the previous Op/Ed pages they Are HERE:

Sunday

StreetcredMusic: Op-Ed by Arika Kane

An Op-Ed by a friend, Arika Kane who has my support 100%
      .....and whom I thank for trusting me to bring this to you.

Arika:
 "Music is what I create and express through words and voice from the direct source of my heart and my soul."        
     To me, growing
 up in the 90's was the perfect era to be inspired by music. The music business seemed like a dream to be a part of. As I was easily impressionable, I was inspired by many great and iconic artists, and even ones before my time as my family indulged me in their great musical influences as well. Watching from outside, it looked like success and happiness in the music industry were one in the same, and that they were both quite tangible if you had the talent, the drive and put in the hard work. Now as a woman who has been in the Music business for over seven years, I can tell you that the above is untrue. Success and happiness can be true, but I found out very harshly that talent, drive and hard work is not what makes or breaks you in this industry today.



  When following my dreams as a recording artist, songwriter and performer, the first obstacle I slammed into was my gender. In a male dominated industry from DJ's, producers, promoters, to radio etc; my career would find barriers and roadblocks simply because I was a female. I was treated as "free game" because I was hungry for success. I didn't get far with my agenda of promoting myself and my music unless I was willing to satisfy the male egos of those DJ's, promoters, producers etc. by sleeping with them, as if I were a slab of meat to be passed around, like I owed them a favor for playing my record or airing my interview. 


Arika

     After recording an album, I would go out on promotional tours to promote my music on radio stations and night clubs doing interviews and appearances. Little did I know I was wasting money and time because many interviews would not get aired and my music would not get played because I said no to what the DJ's and promoters wanted in return, my body. There were radio program directors who were no different, and were actually so upset that I rejected their "indecent proposals" that some even went out of their way to call up the radio stations that were genuinely playing my music, and bully them into no longer playing my music. 
                                                 ******************
     My second industry obstacle has been my race. Music fans all over the world generally have an unconditional love for music no matter who is singing it or what they're singing. However, the industry "wizards" have many more hangups. Many had, and still have, serious issues that I sing R&B music and that I am not African American. I have been declined by numerous magazines, television and radio stations due to this hang up inside the industry. A statement I remember, "we will not feature her because she has the audacity to sing R&B and has no business doing so". Also many industry insiders labeled me as "a danger to black music''.  That is not only insulting to so many soulful pioneers throughout history, but it's a mindset that I, and most of the world, do not resonate with. 


     Music is a language of the soul, a universal healing tool and one of the few things that bring us together as a human race. Music does not see color, or religion; it is without ego or entitlement. It is a blessing and a gift that is not here to segregate or separate, but to remind us that we are all one. Music spreads one language... Love. So to those who still have a problem hearing my voice and not being able to match it with a skin color that makes them feel comfortable, I say look within yourselves because it is not my issue to own nor deal with. Soul is Soul, and we all have one whether we are black, white, green or purple. 
                                                  ******************

     The third industry obstacle has been being an Independent Artist. I am signed to the Independent Label BSE Recordings who is very industry savvy and has been an incredible platform and support system for my artistry, and who has traveled this journey with me. My achievements include 3 Studio Album Releases, multiple Billboard charting songs, over ten #1 best selling U.S. songs in Soul or R&B, #1 best selling 2015 R&B Album, over 50 music placements with VH1, MTV, BET, along with 2 theme songs for VH1's reality TV series Hollywood Exes' & Atlanta Exes'. With these achievements, you would think I would be a household name by now, but being an Independent artist right now means you are purposely overlooked by the major platforms, media, award shows and places where millions of viewers are tuning in. I have been offered major record deals but it included selling my soul and all that I am, so I have declined so far and have chosen to keep my integrity and creativity as an artist until there is an offer that respects those non negotiable terms. You can hear more passion from those experiences in my song "Anywhere But Up" from my latest album "Thru The Veil". 
  
  We can also blame streaming for one of the main issues for Independent artists lack of major exposure. Streaming music has literally taken all the income away from the artist, songwriter and producers of the musical content. Streaming has made actual music sales irrelevant which puts independent labels and artists out of business because there is no income, and therefore there is no level playing field for talent breakthrough. No one outside of the circle of major labels are able to "rise from the rafters" so to speak. Those who have the platform have it, and those who don't are stuck with their music streaming and empty pockets. To me, the industry is not really a "music business" anymore. It's more of a monopoly with the major corporations calling the shots and controlling the perception of who's popular or who's successful. 

                                                              ******************

    Apparently, and thankfully, I must have been built to weather this storm as I have somehow always seemed to conjure up the fight inside of me. I refused to be told I can't, I won't, or who I am and who I am not. You can hear more of that passion in my song "Liberated" also from "Thru The Veil". No matter what obstacle that has been, or will be thrown my way, I will continue to stand strong in my presence and be proud of my success and accomplishments. I will continue to spread the light and love that's within my heart through lyrics and sound out into the world because that's what I do, and that's what I love. 

..................I thank you Pete & StreetcredMusic for this platform. 
             .......................With Love, Arika Kane
                                             ******************
Pete: to my readers, usually I put links and videos and music in my articles, but we did not want this to seem like a 'promo'
           .....BUT if you want to hear the best R&B around...and #supportindie
                 .........Arika's MUSIC HERE

 

Other OP/ED here: BY: Artist/Activist Jennie Booth

 

Friday

StreetcredMusic: Artists In New York, Yuval Semo. Video Release: 'Dry Bones'

...adding another one of the 'under the radar', creators in NYC, that I encounter as my blog plows it's way through the insanity of Indie Music in the Big Apple.

Yuval Semo, from Israel, who founded the unique band that is emerging in New York City now...

Seasonal Beast  
'Seasonal Beast' FB page
Yuval:
 "Coming to New York changed my entire perspective. I am originally from Tel Aviv, Israel, but I arrived in NYC right after graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston. When I first got to Berklee, I think I must have been intimidated by the level of musicianship around me. I never really studied music before, and suddenly I’m surrounded with people that all know how to play exactly like Charlie Parker. I felt that if that's not what you spent your entire childhood on achieving, then you don’t belong. So I didn’t really play with people, but it did make me focus on my compositional skills."

Seasonal Beast vocalists: Chen Prat & Yula Beeri

Yuval Semo, Seasonal Beast
"Once I arrived in New York, somehow things changed for me. My fear of performance completely disappeared, and I found my self playing in bands with some of those musicians I was afraid to play with when I was in Boston. You hear a lot of stories about people that arrived in New York and felt intimidated by its hugeness, but for me, it liberated me from the fear of exposing myself and the fear of failure. I became a touring musician (Kaki King, The Mountain Goats) but It took me a good number of years to actually feel comfortable organizing my own band."

 ......the video just released::: Yuval, with Yula Beeri:: 
        .......enjoy::  'Dry Bones'

Yuval:: 
"Pete,  BTW, did you know that Yula Beeri, actually went to middle school with me? I had a little crush on her when I was 12. She had no idea who I was…And here we are years later!

ME:: Yuval, we all have a crush on Yula!!! Ah haha. 

Yuval and me at a gig last summer. 'Seasonal Beast'
So there you have another chapter of my 'Artists in New York' series..
.....to see them all type 'Artists in New York' in the search box on the blog!!
   
                                                 #Supportindie

Follow me::: Pete Carma



Wednesday

StreetcredMusic: June Swoon Tunes 4U.

June... Spring/summer/music and women, and a couple of  #Pianowomen in the mix.

Enjoy some emotion mixed in!

~~First up, enjoy the composition, vocals, piano and performance skills of..
Cezara Lucia Vladescu, FB
..........the Video is>> 'Morphine'
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June Swoon:: NYC, The Bitter End.

.....the composition and vocals of....Erin Pellnat.
Erin Pellnat
...The video here::'Savage Beast'

Erin is now front woman for:: a new band~~~ Caretaker
..........their new album is coming soon!!
                            ***********************************************

....and then you can enjoy Miss Gio Moretti

Gios
...the video is::
               .......'To Say Goodbye'

                             ***************************************************
...my #Pianowomen video shoots this week....
...........follow us here:: Pete Carma
                    and here:: hashtag on FB & twitter #Pianowomen