New Edition K-Ci & JoJo

Another incredible concert!!
Unbelievable, crazy, hot....the show was way more AWESOME than R.Kelly's, which I attended last Friday. (see my last blog posted)
The audience stood up when New Edition appreard on stage, and they wouldn't sit back. They...I sould say "We"....were stanading all the time during the show. Everyone sang with the guys together so it was too loud to hear the guys sing though. lol

I don't know how I can describe the show I mean I can't find any good words... but it was really really great and I enjoyed myself a lot. Definetly the memorable show....


Ronnie

Ralph

Mike







Special guest, K-Ci & JoJo, their show was so much fun. They were not with the band but really great. I heard K-Ci is gonna drop his solo CD in July and performed a song from the album...I guess the song titlbe is "Conversation"...but might be wrong....

JoJo

K-Ci

K-Ci Jump off the stage...



Anyways, I loved them a lot and I want them to come back to the Bay again!!

R.Kelly!!

R.Kelly R.Kelly R.Kelly.....such a great entertainer!!!
The show last nite @Paramount Theatre/Oakland, CA was SUPER AWESOME!!! I've never experienced such a HOT & CRAZY concert!!!
In this sold-out concert, the audience, including me of course, got so excited from the beginning...throughout the show. I really loved the last 20 minets of steppin' time! Steppers showed up on the stage and everybody in the house danced together...that was really fun time.

Stage set was goegeous, splended, and Mr. Entertainer R.Kelly sang and performed so great. This show is absolutely one of the memorable shows in my life. Guess what? This show is gonna be on DVD!!!!! I don't know when but we gotta keep an eye on it. It should be the good one and I'm so glad that I was the part of the great show.

Here are the photos of the show....(Photos were strictly prohibited but I took some anyway....I am so bad...haha)





After the concert, I wanted to go to another show -- Kofy Brown @Uptown Nightclub -- very close to Paramount Theatre, but I was too tired to go to the second show....I have no energy left....so I hopt to have another chance for Kofy.

Anthony Hamilton & Heather Headley + Van Hunt

They are teamed up and on the road together....and stop by Bay Area TWICE!! So I attended the BOTH show at Paramount Theatre in Oakland, CA, 4/19 (wed) & 4/24 (mon).

Let's start with Anthony Hamilton.....
On the 1st show (4/19), there was a huge crowd and eveyone, including me, got super high tension when Anthony hit on the stage. He is just great! He is the bomb! I loved his energy and spirit in his performance....
On the 2nd show (4/24), there was a little less people but still hot! His first outfit was different than the one on the 1st show and I liked his black T-shirt with white print on the left shoulder and on the back and I also liked his cap and hat, which is his trademark....he is such a fashionable man plus cool dancer.
Here are some of the photos from the 2nd show...



Isn't he cool????


Ok, Heather Headley.....she is such an incredible lady---–so cute, sexy, powerful, energetic, beautiful..Theree are so many words to describe her. But more than anything, I really liked her singing with her gifted voice. She is so talented.
Oh, the song "I With I Was" touched my heart and made me cry.....

OK now here are the photos of her from the2ndd show at Paramount Theatre.





Finally, Van Hunt....
He got only 20 minutes to perform and I guess he sang only 5 or 6 songs. He was very cool and I really like his outfit..very stylish!!!
Ok that picture....I only got 1 good photo though...



Alright, this is all for today. I want all the artists to come back to SF Bay Area!!!

KEM concert

Kem's performance is so much better than listening CD. I mean, his fans should see his live performance cause it's SUPER!

When I traveled LA and San Diego with my friend who visited me from Japan in March, I went to his concert at 4th and B. Also I had a chance to see him again in Oakland Paramount Theatre in March 27th.
Here are their photos....

@Paramount Theatre, Oaland, CA [03.27.06]

@Paramount Theatre, Oaland, CA [03.27.06]

@4th and B, San Diego, CA [03.23.06]

@4th and B, San Diego, CA [03.23.06]



Opening act: Algebra @4th and B, San Diego, CA [03.23.06]

I'm going to see Kem again in August 31st at Montalvo Arts Center, CA hehehe.....

O'Jays & Temptations

I love O'Jays. They are one of my favorite group from 70's as well as the Dramatics. I had the 2nd chance to see ther live performance here in SF Bay Area!!!





In this concert, I fell in love with Walter Willams.....



Luckly enough, I will be able to see the O'Jays and Dramatics again in Bay Area in May!!!!! I just can't wait....

- KBLX STONE SOUL PICNIC

Motown's Music Fest.

I went to Motown's Music Fest. right next day I saw the gospel concer in Mosonic Temple in Detroit. Since my favorite group, The Dramatics performed live there, I got really really excited...well, I got hyper tention, I should say....

Their performance was excellent as usual and the other artists were great!!








Here's Grammy Award winner, John Legend!!


and The Miracles!!


I just love concerts....

SUPERBOWL GOSPEL CELEBRATION

I went to Detroit again...actually this was my 3rd time to visit Detroit. I LOVE Detroit!!
Well, it was during SuperBowl week and I was sooooooo excited to be there, but things were just messed up and didn't go well as I had planed. However, I tried to enjoy myself anyway.

I went to SUPERBOWL GOSPEL CELEBRATION, which was very nice concert.




The Winans、Hezekiah Walker、Mary Mary, The Clark Sisters were there along with the headliner, Patti Labelle. They were all AWESOME!! expecially I liked The Winans. Their songs, performances and even voices touched my heart and I cried....
I really had a good time.

Will Wheaton ~ Old School Soul ~

I got this Old School Soul CD last month and have been listening to it so many times. FANTASTIC ALBUM!!
I guess I probably have listened to it more than 20 times or more by now. haha
As I listen to the CD repeatedly, I get to know the goodness of each song and they become an addiction.

When I listened to his voice for the first time, it reminds me of Will Dowining, so Will Wheaton might be categolized in the same group of Will Downing, Luther Vandross and that kind of singers, but I think he is more than that. I mean, of course Luther and Will Downing are very very talented great singers, however, I think that Will Wheaton has something different than them.

I like...

1) Old School Soul
3) Never Meant To Hurt You
5) Satisfy
6) Do My Thang
7) When Nobody Gave A Damn
8) Just Can't Get Enough
9) Where Are You Now
10) Any Other Way
11) Come On Everybody (Club Mix)

Hahaha....I like most of the songs!! But that's true though.
I am very interested to to hear the names of great soul singers such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Temptations, Four Tops, Miracles, Low Rawls, who passed away one week ago, on the 1st track - Old School Soul. But it would be better if I could hear the name of my favorite legendary vocal group, The Dramatics!! LOL
I really like the slow sweet ballad song, "Never Meant To Hurt You" as well as "When Nobody Gave A Damn" cause they are very soft and warm. Also sexy number "Satisfy" and "Do My Thang" really make me hot! (^ ^) Then "Come On Everybody (Club Mix) definitely makes me feel dancing!! I like that!

Although I've lestened to this album so many time, I never got bored. I think, at least to me, this kind of "never-get-bored-CD" is truely the right one that R&B lovers must have.
Let me give a shoutout to Will Wheaton.
THANK FOR THE GOOD MUSIC!!!

•Will Wheaton official Site
•Buy it at CD Baby
•Soul Tracks Artist Page

The Wandering Soul

Last night, I saw him perform his song "Can't Let Go" on NBC The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He was so cool with a nice hat and soulful as usual.

My man Anthony Hamilton was a licenced barber before he got a fame. I just got to know that recently in the article by Newsweek Entertainment, which surprised me a lot. He's know that he had had a hard time till he was finally discovered as a talented soul artist. I'm really happy about his success on his music career and would like to see him on TV or concert more and more.

I went to his concert with Angie Stone in Oakland, CA in October, 2004 and that was incredibly HOT! So I hope he will be on the road and I can see him again soon.

By the way, I love the photo.

Lou Rawls has died

We lost again one of the soul legends, Lou Rawls after fighting lung and brain cancer in a Los Angeles hospital this morning (1/06). He was 72.
His "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing" topped the charts and earned Rawls his first two Grammy nominations in 1966 and also he won three Grammys in his career.

Here are the news.

R.I.P. LOU RAWLS....

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful new year.

This picture is the traditional Japanese food that I cooked. On the new year day, we, as Japanese, have a custom to eat this kind of typical Japanese foods, which each dish has a each meaning for example, black beans mean a good luck and health for family.

Anyway, my very first day of 2006 was so simple but I had a good time at home with eating the Japanese dish, drinking Sake, and listening to O'Jays songs.

My new year resolutions is to listen to a lot of good music as usual....this might be just my wish though...LOL I expect musicians to give me a lot of that!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

X'mas is coming...

I got a X'mas tree and decorated it listening my favoite CD, "Dramatic Christmas" and "Ultimate Soul Christmas."
This CD contains standard Christmas songs such as "This Christmas" and their original songs like "All I Want for Christmas Is My Baby," which is written by Winzell Kelly.
My favorite song is "A Holiday Thought" because I like the dialogues by all the members except for Willie. I really like Ron's talking with his natural tenor voice. He is very sexy!! In addition, Lenny's bright voice can be heard so well!!
I also like the very first track "The Very Best Christmas" because Squirrel, the former original member, joins and sings together like back in the day.
Anyway, over all it's a masterpiece to me!


This Christmas compilation is dual CD album containing standard Christmas songs by various famous artists such as Luther Vandross, Donny Hathaway, Nat King Cole, Boyz II Men, The Whispers, The Temptations and so on. It's just gorgeous!! Among the album, my best song is The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) by Nat King Cole, which is a cream of the crop all the time!

By the way, this is the decorated Christmas tree in my house.


HAPPY HOLIDAY!!

Lenny Mays ~ a member of the Dramatics

Today is the 1st anniversary of Lenny May's passing.It's been 1 year since he passed and it's unbelievably fast. Time flies...

Although I never met Lenny, I really miss him. While listening "I Cried All The Way Home," which is his favorite song, I feel him existing in my mind. I wish I could see him sing on stage....

I will never forget him and he will always live in my heart.
R.I.P.

=====
*LENNY MAYS TRIBUTE SITE by Larry "Squirrel" Demps, a former member of the Dramatics.
* The Dramatics Fan Site

My Way....

When being at home, I listen to music most of the time with either stereo or iPod mini & speakers, which I wrote in previous post, and I need music especially when I'm cooking. For me it ain't too much to say that I don't feel like cooking without sounds. It's just boring without music. Sounds or rhythm of music is really important for cooking...maybe that applies only to me. haha

I often groove and dance with the music like this.....


Who laughed at me huh?? Hey You! You are laughing at me, aren't you??? LOL

Yeah, I know I'm silly but this is one of my ways to enjoy music.

Winzell Kelly released his first solo CD

One of my favorite artists, Winzell Kelly of the Dramatics, released his first solo album in September, 2005.
Of course I got the CD and listened to it....yeah, it's good! It's kinda an addiction again like OUTTA DA D, a R&B conpilation from EverReel Productions, which Winzell sings some of the songs in the compilation. (read my post in past)

A half of the songs in the CD are from OUTTA DA D and the rest are new songs. I like them all but my favorite is "Packin' My Bag" because another my favorite song, "It's You that I Need" of Enchantment is sampled. Therefore, "Packin' My Bag" has old school flavor, which is so comfortable to hear.

Anyway, music samples are available at EverRell Productions website so you should liesten to them now!!

Sons of Champlin Exclusive Performance - Part II

I post some pictures of Sons of Champlin in-store live at Tower Rercords San Mateo, CA.

They did the autographs before their performance and of course I got their autographs on my CD!!



Johnny Bamont and former Tower of Power member Mic Gillette.


Bill Champlin (left), Mark "Fenny" Fenichel (right)
James Preston

The original member, Geoff Palmer.


I'm sorry that I couldn't get a good picture of the base player, David Schallock.

It's hard for me to identify their music genre. If someone says their music ic ROCK, I can agree with that, but it sounds like blues or soul. Their music has multi-music ganre flavers. Only I can say is that their music is SUPER!