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Movers & Shakers: Garth Trinidad Part II

During the last year of getting to know Garth Trinidad, I was able to learn about his interests outside of music. Unsurprisingly, Trinidad is a well-rounded artist in his own right. A graduate of Otis College of Art and Design, Trinidad was an artist-in-residence at the Beacon Arts Building in Inglewood, CA. Additionally, in 2012 Trinidad created Jim Kelly,  a unique music and live performance experience with his partner in sound crime, Mateo Senolia. What I loved most about this event was the music offerings: no top 40, and plenty of new music to discover. Trinidad + Senolia equals a very eclectic, groovy vibe, so much so, that they landed a deal on Osunlade’s Yoruba label. You can catch the duo spinning some Friday nights at Bar Marmont in Hollywood. Lastly, Trinidad hooked up with two of LA’s finest, Dam-Funk and J-Logic, to create MAC or the Modern Audio Collective. One of their first shows at the end of 2012 featured Talib Kweli and drew a packed house in Venice’s Del Monte Speakeasy. I am waiting with bated breath for what these three will bring in 2013.

Watch and listen as Trinidad and I chat about how he finds new music, the impact of technology on the music industry, and what the future holds for him. Hopefully by now you’ve purchased those Moja Moja Pre-Grammy brunch tickets. Enjoy!

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Movers & Shakers: Garth Trinidad

No other DJ in the last decade has had a bigger influence on Los Angeles music culture than Garth Trinidad. As both a resident DJ with KCRW over the last 15 years and a voting member of The Recording Academy, Trinidad has risen to prominence by championing progressive, creative and often overlooked artistry in urban alternative music. Through his weekly show, Chocolate City, Trinidad has inspired a refashioning of the Los Angeles underground music scene, providing a much-needed platform for new, independent music artists. Further, Chocolate City has evolved into a global soundscape by infusing soulful classics with the best in independent world music.

I’ve had the good fortune of getting to know Garth over the last year and was happy to discover the many layers of the man
behind the music. Garth, a loving husband and father, is also an artist in his own right and, lucky for us, 2013 will be a year of many Trinidad-laced projects. First up, is the KCRW 5th Annual Moja Moja Pre-Grammy Brunch & Benefit Concert happening this Saturday, February 9th at the W in Hollywood. The brunch, which benefits Oxfam America and The Darfur Stoves Project, will honor the legendary George Clinton this year and feature intimate performances by artists such as pianist, Chloe Flowers and Malaysian singer-songwriter, Yuna. This event usually sells out so check here for tickets for more information.

Watch and listen to the first in a two-part series with Garth Trinidad. Stay tuned for more to come!

Photos by Monica Orozco and JLogic.

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LA EVENTS: Kiss N’ Grind & M.A.C.

LA Babies, we know there is no shortage of events in Los Angeles on any given weekend, and of course a holiday weekend brings its own spice to the city. However, there are two that we must bring to your attention:

Kiss N’ Grind Black Friday edition: The fam is podcasting for Black Friday, but don’t let us stop you. LA’s premiere party is doing it big this weekend at the Vanguard in Hollywood! This time the guest DJ is none other than the legendary Ali Shaheed Muhammed from A Tribe Called Quest. $15 presale tickets are available until noon on November 21st; after that tickets are $20 at the door. And as always, this event is curated by none other than Vikter Duplaix!

M.A.C: This is a party that we look forward to becoming regular attendees to. M.A.C. or the Modern Audio Collective, which is comprised of Dam-Funk, J-Logic, and Garth Trinidad, with special guest Talib Kweli is going down at the Del Monte Speakeasy in Venice! $15 cover all night with DJ sets and live performances. This set of musicians is guaranteed to please so we’d suggest early arrival to this event!

There are no excuses to working off that Thanksgiving meal this weekend! Get your body rock on and we will see you on the dance floor!

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Movers & Shakers: Catching Up With DJ A-Ski

We’ve developed a few friendships over the years here at Black Is, and one of our closest compadres is the infamous LA native, DJ A-Ski. A-Ski was one of the first people in the city we connected with way back in 2007, and at that time both of us were at the beginning of building our brands. Since then, A-Ski’s brand Unique74 has grown in leaps and bounds with connections nationwide and worldwide. Listen in as KC catches up with A-Ski and finds out what he’s been up to, his take on current Los Angeles DJ culture, and where he’s going next.

*Forgive our background noise – coming to you live from the city of Angels!

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