Charlie Phillips enters the beat realm

Charlie Phillips is a name to remember.

I've known him since freshman year and I must say that the musical direction that he has traveled in these past 4 years is remarkable. I had the pleasure of playing on Charlie's debut cd, as well as playing in his current live band. For you those who are new to his music, imagine the combined sounds of D'Angelo, Hendrix, Prince, and Jeff Buckley as interpreted by an individual with his own direction in mind.

Yesterday, he put out a new song called "Sweat/Make it My World", a digitized whirlwind of echoes and cowbells. If Fela Kuti was into Joy Division and Radiohead, the outcome would be a bit like this song. It remains both energetic and chilled, layered yet melodic. Definitely give it a listen, you won't regret it.

Download Here

You can also follow him at his blog:

Blog by Charlie Phillips

Mokaad and the Flexpoints: Funkify Your Life

The first post on this blog will be dedicated to the funkier side of things.

If you are a SUNY Purchase student, there's a good chance you have consciously or subconsciously heard the barrage of funk coming from the Stood or the Hub walkway at some time. This experience has been brought to you by none other than Mokaad and the Flexpoints, a 9-piece outfit dedicated to bringing the funk back into your life.

They're just starting up again for the semester, but get ready for some extremely high-energy gigs in the next few months. This Saturday, Mokaad will be gracing the stage of NYC's own Crash Mansion. The one-hour set will start at 12:30 AM; this is one you don't want to miss!

For evidence, check out the 10-minute whirlwind funk tease from Saturday's Haiti Benefit:

Mokaad and the Flexpoints live at the Stood 2-8-10 from Aural Material on Vimeo.