Big Brooklyn Red

Thursday, February 2, 2012

2012-01-31T14:30:00.000-05:00

The Lucky Clover

1111 SW First Avenue

Miami, FL 33131

786-691-2750

8pm - 11pm

Friday, February 3, 2012

2012-01-31T14:00:00.000-05:00

Big Brooklyn Red & The Magic City 3

Pearl Restaurant & Lounge - South Beach

One Ocean Drive

Miami Beach, FL 33139

305-538-1111

8 - 11 pm

Saturday, February 4, 2012

2012-01-31T13:30:00.001-05:00

Big Brooklyn Red & The Magic City 3

Nikki Beach Miami

One Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-538-1111

8 - 11 pm

Monday, January 30, 2012

2012-01-28T00:30:00.000-05:00

Saturday, January 28, 2012

2012-01-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

Nikki Beach Miami

One Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-538-1111

8 - 11 pm

January 21, 2012

2012-01-13T00:30:00.000-05:00

Late Night Groove Series

Saturday, January 21, 2012

12:30 AM

(ok... technically it will be Sunday...)

* reservations recommended *

Blue Note Jazz Club

131 West 3rd Street

New York, NY 10012

(212) 475-8592

Blue Note

Thursday, January 12, 2012

2012-01-11T19:30:00.000-05:00

Art Deco Weekend 2012

Big Brooklyn Red and Max Farber

The Betsy Hotel

1440 Ocean Drive

Miami Beach, FL 33139

305.531.6100

8 - 11 PM

No Cover

Featured on BSoul.tv

2012-01-07T01:30:00.000-05:00

Get your Beautiful Soul at bsoul.tv

January 1, 2012

2011-12-26T21:00:00.000-05:00

New Year... New Soul... Soul Food Brunch @ Eden

Eden South Beach

210 23rd Street

Miami Beach, FL 33139

305. 397.8760

Every Thursday in December

2011-12-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011

2011-12-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

10:00 pm

170 Northeast 38th Street
Miami, FL 33137-3628
(305) 576-9577

TheStage.com

FREE Holiday Music Download

2011-12-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

"The Christmas Song"

Franchise Music featuring Big Brooklyn Red

Christmas @ The Blue Note

2011-12-22T23:45:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

2011-12-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Pop Up Piano Miami

2011-12-04T22:00:00.000-05:00

Village Green Park - Key Biscayne

December 4

Sunday, December 4

2011-12-04T12:45:00.001-05:00

5 pm
After The Fair Live Music Series
Catch Grill & Bar
Marriott Biscayne Bay
1633 North Bayshore Drive
Miami, Florida 33132

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

2011-11-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

Monday, Nov. 14, 2011

2011-11-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

"To Life" inspired by L'Chaim Kosher Vodka

2011-11-07T15:00:00.000-05:00

Hear it on SoundCloud.

Soon Come...

2011-11-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

... a new Big Brooklyn Red website!

Friday, October 7th

2011-10-08T01:00:00.000-04:00

Van Dyke Cafe846 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 534-3600

Thursday, October 6, 2011

2011-10-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red Performs at 8:00 pm

Unplugged Sessions @ The Blue Piano
4600 Northeast 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33137
(305) 576-7919

Sunday, September 18

2011-09-14T09:15:00.001-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red & the Magic City3 - Live

Daddy's Soul Food
637 Washington Avenue
South Beach, FL

8 pm - Midnight

Daddy's is an upscale, sexy lounge that features made to order southern cuisine... Come out for dinner and music to feed your soul.

Friday, September 16

2011-09-14T09:00:00.001-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red and Max Farber

The Blue Piano
4600 Northeast 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33137
(305) 576-7919

BBR Weblinks

2011-09-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red on Twitter
Big Brooklyn Red on Facebook
Big Brooklyn Red on YouTube
Big Brooklyn Red on MySpace
Big Brooklyn Red on Google
Big Brooklyn Red on Gmail

Belting with Big Brooklyn Red

2011-08-30T11:00:00.000-04:00

Belting with Big Brooklyn Red: NBC Miami via John Hood

BBR & The Magic City 3 - Live @ The Stage (11July2011): Walking With Kings

2011-08-30T10:30:00.000-04:00

Sunday, September 4, 2011

2011-08-30T03:30:00.000-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red & the Magic City3 - Live

Sunday, August 7, 2011

2011-08-30T00:00:00.000-04:00

Live @ The Stage (11July2011): Vagina, It's Not A Dirty Word

2011-08-03T10:15:00.000-04:00

Friday, July 29

2011-07-28T10:00:00.003-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red and Max Farber

The Blue Piano
4600 Northeast 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33137
(305) 576-7919

Thursday, July 28

2011-07-28T10:00:00.001-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red and Max Farber

The Betsy Hotel
1440 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.531.6100

9:00 PM
No Cover

In memorium...Amy, Amy, Amy!

2011-07-23T13:30:00.003-04:00

Amy Winehouse is dead. Britney Spears is alive and well. If any of you cunts find this to be acceptable...stop reading now.

My wife showed me a video of Amy Winehouse performing at Joe's Pub in '05 or '06 just before she became the next new thing. There she was, this little thing, with her huge voice that seemed to scrape every blood vessel as it left her body. She had purity and passion. She had a tone that sent chills up my spine. It was as if her soul had done her homework before she could manifest into flesh. It was all there...Billie, Dinah, Sarah, Ella, Etta, Chaka...lifetimes of the universal language infused into this little white chick from England. More than anything she had all of the colors of tragedy that make singing from the soul so perilous.

I wanted to sing with her. I wanted to harmonize with her so that she knew that she wasn't alone. When she started going through her troubles, I even wrote poetry for her and sent it to her MySpace page for encouragement. She never seemed to have enough of that. The world was far more interested in watching her descent.

Fuck you for that...if it applies to you.
If you took pleasure in her defiling herself...Fuck You!
If you mention her in the same sentence with Charlie Sheen...Fuck You!

Amy was an artist. Does that word mean anything to anyone anymore? There are painfully few left who can hold that title with a straight face. There are even less in Soul Music who make it to the ears of the unwashed masses. Her descent was a direct result of the complete disrespect of the art and artist...and that nobody seemed to be there for her without having their grubby fucking hands out. The world seems determined to bring down what makes an artist special and bolster the celebrity of those who have no other talent than a lack of shame. Worse than all that, Amy Winehouse will be remembered by most in broad stroke iconography...the beehive and the binges.

I mourn for Amy Winehouse. I had hoped that her redemption would come in this life. I hoped to have seen her shut everyone up by surviving the damage she had to done herself, by way of the saving grace of music.

Now all I can hope for is that she is singing with all the other angels that left us too soon.

God bless you Amy, you will be missed.

Big Brooklyn Red & the Magic City3 Live @ Daddy's Soul Food

2011-07-03T17:04:00.004-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red & the Magic City3 Live@ Daddy's Soul Food.
637 Washington Ave. South Beach
2 nights, July 3rd & 4th, 2 sets each night, 8pm and 10pm at Miami's only unadulterated Soul food spot. Daddy's is an upscale, sexy lounge that features made to order southern cuisine...come out for dinner and music to feed your soul.

Wednesday - April 27, 2011

2011-04-18T22:30:00.004-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red performs in the neighborhood he grew up in!

21+ w/ ID
admission: $10
8 pm doors/9 pm show

Southpaw BK
125 Fifth Avenue
Brooklyn, USA 11217
718.230.0236

Big Brooklyn Red kicking back at The Stage

2011-04-01T11:21:00.002-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red @ Uptown Grand NYC

2011-03-24T20:00:00.000-04:00

Rose's Bar Reunion - Miami

2011-03-24T19:30:00.002-04:00

March 26 & 27, 2011

170 Northeast 38th Street Miami, FL 33137-3628 (305) 576-9577

TheStage.com

Friday, March 11, 2011

2011-02-08T15:00:00.000-05:00

Vonn Jazz & Blues
245 East Campus View Boulevard
Columbus, OH 43235
614-431-5299

7:00 p.m.

Vonn Jazz & Blues

Sunday, February 27, 2011

2011-02-08T14:00:00.000-05:00

Harlow's Restaurant & Nightclub
2708 J STREET
Sacramento, CA 95816
916.441.4693
Harlows.com

Doors: 9 pm

Tickets: $15
Purchase Tickets

Friday, February 25, 2011

2011-02-08T13:00:00.000-05:00

The New Parish
579 18th Street
(at San Pablo)
Oakland, CA 94612
TheNewParish.com

Doors: 9:00pm / Show: 10:00pm

Advance: $15 / Door: $20
Purchase Tickets

Thursday, February 24, 2011

2011-02-08T12:30:00.000-05:00

The Little Temple
4519 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323-660-4540
TheLittleTemple.com

Doors: 9pm

Tickets: $14
Purchase Tickets

Monday, February 14, 2011

2011-02-08T12:00:00.000-05:00

Celebrate Valentine's Day

with Big Brooklyn Red
The Elbo Room
647 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA
415.552.7788

http://www.elbo.com/

Sunday Night, February 13, 2011

2011-02-08T11:30:00.000-05:00

Big Brooklyn Red @ Pier 23

Pier 23 on the Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA
415-362-5125
http://www.pier23cafe.com/

Sunday Brunch, February 13, 2011

2011-02-08T11:15:00.000-05:00

Brunch @ Farmer Brown
29 Mason Street (@ Market)
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-409-FARM (3276)
http://www.farmerbrownsf.com/

Friday, February 11, 2011

2011-02-08T11:00:00.000-05:00

1300 On Fillmore
1300 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
415-771-7100
http://www.1300fillmore.com/

Saturday, January 8, 2011

2011-01-01T00:30:00.004-05:00

Soulfest @ House of Blues
Saturday 01/08/2011
Doors: 07:00 PM
Show: 08:00 PM
Ages: 18+

Ticket Prices:
$37.50 - General Admission

$47.50 - Reserved Balcony
BUY TICKETS

House of Blues Atlantic City
801 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 236-BLUE (2583)

Christmas Eve @ The Blue Note

2010-11-26T22:45:00.001-05:00

Late Night Groove Series
Friday, Dec. 24, 2010
12:30 AM
(ok... technically it will be Saturday... which will technically make it Christmas.)

* reservations recommended *

Blue Note Jazz Club
131 West 3rd Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 475-8592

Blue Note

Saturday, Nov. 27, 2010

2010-11-19T16:36:00.000-05:00

The Florida Room
1685 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-674-6152
10pm-12am

Friday, October 22, 2010

2010-10-20T01:00:00.000-04:00

MAYA AZUCENA: DUETS WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

For this special CMJ show at 92YTribeca, she brings together a host of special guests to perform a night of duets, including: Chris Rob, Big Brooklyn Red, Jahstix,
Hasan Salaam, and Mark Shine.

Friday Oct 22, 2010
COST: $15
Doors: 8 pm/Show: 9 pm,
200 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10013
212-601-1000
92YTribeca

Thursday, October 21, 2010

2010-10-15T14:00:00.000-04:00

Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010
COST: $10.00

Reservations: 212-280-2110

Doors: 6pm / Show: 8pm

2110 Adam Claytown Powell Jr. Blvd.
(7th Ave. between 125th & 126th)

New York, NY 10027
Uptown Grand

"Vagina Is Not A Dirty Word" Freestyle in Hartford, CT

2010-09-15T15:00:00.000-04:00

Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010

2010-07-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

10:00 am - 7:30 pm

Springfield Indie Soul Fest

@ King Phillip's Stockade Park

Springfield, MA 01108
413-233-4560

http://www.organixsoul.com/

Adults - $10 / 13 & under - FREE

Jay-J "Love Alive" Promo

2010-07-17T13:26:00.002-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red - Snippets & Samples

2010-06-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red on CD BABY

Big Brooklyn Red on iTunes

Big Brooklyn Red on Amazon

Big Brooklyn Red on Yahoo!

More Big Brooklyn Red on CD BABY

"Decide": Jay-J featuring Big Brooklyn Red

2010-06-29T08:30:00.000-04:00

Click below to listen (&/or buy):
Jay-J featuring Big Brooklyn Red - "Decide" (+ Remixes)

Sunday: July 4, 2010

2010-06-25T20:00:00.000-04:00

2010 Fillmore Street Jazz Festival
On Fillmore Street between Jackson & Eddy 10 am to 6 pm
San Francisco, CA 94115

http://www.fillmorejazzfestival.com/

Saturday, July 3, 2010

2010-06-25T18:30:00.000-04:00

BlackThorn Tavern
834 Iriving Street @ 9th Ave
San Francisco, CA 94122
Tel: (415) 564 6627
http://www.blackthornsf.com/

Friday, July 2, 2010

2010-06-25T18:00:00.000-04:00

1300OnFillmore
1300 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
415-771-7100
http://www.1300fillmore.com/

Thursday: July 1, 2010

2010-06-23T21:05:00.000-04:00

Boom Boom Room
1601 Fillmore Street (@ Geary)
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 673-8000
http://www.boomboomblues.com/

Wednesday: June 30, 2010

2010-06-23T20:50:00.000-04:00

Lucky 13
1301 Park Street
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 523-2118
http://www.lucky13alameda.com/

Tuesday: June 29, 2010

2010-06-23T20:45:00.000-04:00

Coda Lounge

Jazz Mafia Tuesdays
1710 Mission Street (@ Duboce)
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-551-CODA (2632)

http://www.codalive.com/

Sunday: June 27, 2010

2010-06-23T20:40:00.000-04:00

Brunch @ Farmer Brown
29 Mason Street (@ Market)
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-409-FARM (3276)
http://www.farmerbrownsf.com/

Saturday: June 26, 2010

2010-06-23T20:35:00.000-04:00

Soul Music By the Bay Conference
Waterfront Hotel
10 Washington Street
Oakland, CA 94607
510.836.3800

Friday: June 25, 2010

2010-06-23T20:30:00.003-04:00

Q's Lounge @ Everett & Jones Barbeque
126 Broadway (@ 2nd Street Entrance)
Oakland, CA 94607
Q's Lounge

Big Brooklyn Red Miami's Soul Man :: 944

2010-06-15T21:30:00.001-04:00

944 Summer 2008 Issue:
Big Brooklyn Red Miami's Soul Man :: 944

Recap: Big Brooklyn Red at Frank’s Cocktail Lounge

2010-06-04T11:30:00.002-04:00

Recap: Big Brooklyn Red at Frank's Cocktail Lounge

BBR @ Organix Soul: April 24, 2010

2010-05-23T22:00:00.000-04:00

Saturday, May 22, 2010

2010-04-26T16:30:00.004-04:00

Doors @ 8 pm

$10.00

Frank's Cocktail Lounge
660 Fulton Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 625-9339

Saturday, May 1, 2010

2010-04-25T01:00:00.001-04:00

The Florida Room
1685 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-674-6152
10pm-12am

Saturday, April 24, 2010

2010-04-17T00:00:00.007-04:00

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND:
The Soulful sounds of Big Brooklyn Red

ORGANIX SOUL
Essence Bar & Grill
1127 Main Street
Springfield, MA 01103
413-233-4560
http://www.organixsoul.com/

Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm

$10 advance tickets
$20 at the door

Big Brooklyn Red's live performance will be followed by the funkiest old/new school after-party on the planet with R & B, Soul, Old School Hip Hop and Classic House... this event will sell out!

Sunday April 11, 2010

2010-04-06T13:30:00.007-04:00

8:00 pm -1:00 am

The Soulcial @ B.E.D.

929 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
B.E.D. Miami

Thursday, April 1, 2010

2010-03-31T13:00:00.005-04:00

Bubbles & Beats Magic Hour

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Essensia Lounge

@ The Palms Hotel

3025 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33140

BBR @ The Clevelander: March 25, 2010

2010-03-27T00:00:00.002-04:00

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

2010-03-11T20:30:00.005-05:00

Doors Open @ 10 pm

Home Grown Stone Groove
The Vagabond
30 NE 14th St.
Miami, FL 33132

The Vagabond Website

Thursday, March 25, 2010 - WMC 2010

2010-03-11T08:00:00.021-05:00

The Voices of Soul @ The Patio
Hosted by Big Brooklyn Red & Ingrid B.

Clevelander Hotel
1020 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
10:00 pm - 5:00am

Admission: $10.00 or Free with WMC 2010 Badge

Featuring performances by:
Jaguar Wright
Yah Zarah
Lady Alma
Chinah Blac

To purchase Tickets: http://www.wanttickets.com/

March 25, 2010 - Winter Music Conference

2010-03-10T23:00:00.009-05:00

Special Performance by Big Brooklyn Red

Jay-J & Shifted Music Present - Love Alive WMC
Rooftop Terrace @ Clevelander Hotel South Beach
1020 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139

March 25, 2010: 11:00 a.m.

This event is FREE with RSVP but has limited capacity so first come, first served. Email: darrenhollanddj@gmail.com

Friday, March 5, 2010 - 7:00 p.m.

2010-03-01T05:30:00.004-05:00

Guest Performance with Michelle Foreman

Carnaval on the Mile - Ponce Circle
Hartnett Ponce Circle Park
2800 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
Coral Gables, FL 33134

Admission - FREE

Saturday, March 6, 2010 - 2:00 p.m.

2010-03-01T05:00:00.005-05:00

Carnaval on the Mile - Le Jeune Road Stage
Hartnett Ponce Circle Park
2800 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
Coral Gables, FL 33134

Admission - FREE

Monday, March 8, 2010

2010-03-01T04:00:00.003-05:00

Hip Hop vs. Soul

619 Washington Avenue

Miami Beach, FL 33139

305-672-8212

http://www.karmasouthbeach.com/

Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010

2010-02-26T17:00:00.004-05:00

The Florida Room
1685 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-674-6152
10pm-12am

Bsoul TV - Madame X performance (2008)

2010-02-19T00:30:00.005-05:00

Get your Beautiful Soul at bsoul.tv

Recovery Brunch - Valentine's Day Edition

2010-02-11T23:00:00.003-05:00

The Recovery Brunch with Big Brooklyn Red @ Creek 28

Creek 28
The Indian Creek Hotel
2727 Indian Creek Drive
Miami Beach, FL
800-491-2772
http://www.indiancreekhotel.com/creek28.html

Brunch Hours - 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

2010-02-08T09:00:00.003-05:00

CANDO Arts Co-op Artist Reception
309 23rd Street
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-772-5665

6:30pm - 9:00pm

Monday, February 15, 2010

2010-02-08T07:00:00.005-05:00

Local's Lane @ The Clevelander

8:00 p.m.

Clevelander South Beach
1020 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139

...dedicated Monday Nights in support of Miami's independant music scene...

Who DAT?!!

2010-02-07T22:00:00.005-05:00

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints on their win

@ Super Bowl 2010

Saturday, February 6, 2010

2010-02-02T17:15:00.004-05:00

Bardot
3456 North Miami Avenue
Miami, FL 33127-3534
(305) 576-5570
http://www.bardotmiami.com/

11:00 p.m.

"Use Me Up" Cover

2010-01-26T11:00:00.003-05:00

From The Soulcial @ Ginger Bay Cafe (Hollywood, FL)
Monday, January 25, 2010

Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010

2010-01-23T18:00:00.008-05:00

The Florida Room
1685 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-674-6152

10pm-12am

Project Medishare for Haiti, Inc. earthquake relief benefit

$20 suggested donation

Monday, Jan. 25, 2010

2010-01-23T17:30:00.007-05:00

The Soulcial @ Ginger Bay Cafe
1908 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, FL 33020-4524
(954) 924-1844

http://www.gingerbaycafefl.com/

8:00 pm - 1:00 am
$10 Cover

Monday, January 11, 2010

2010-01-07T23:30:00.004-05:00

Local's Lane @ The Clevelander

8:00 p.m.

Clevelander South Beach
1020 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139

...dedicated Monday Nights in support of Miami's independant music scene...

(space heater lamps available)

Give You Up (Live) - Miami Beach

2009-12-31T18:00:00.004-05:00

Upstairs @ The Van Dyke Cafe - 08/26/2009

2009-09-01T12:00:00.004-04:00

"Love Without A Limit"

2009-08-31T12:00:00.003-04:00

From The Soulcial @ Ginger Bay Cafe (Hollywood, FL)
Monday, August 31, 2009

Friday, August 14, 2009

2009-08-12T00:39:00.008-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red @ Kitchen 305

Kitchen 305
The Newport Beach Resort
16701 Collins Avenue (@ 163rd street)
Sunny Isles, FL

Doors: 7:00pm

Friday, August 14 - Saturday, August 15

2009-08-12T00:36:00.008-04:00

Woodstock 40th Anniversary @ Transit Lounge
Featuring Big Brooklyn Red

Transit Lounge
729 SW 1st Avenue
Miami, FL
305-377-4268
http://www.transitlounge.us/

Doors: 10:00 p.m.
A three day event in celebration of Woodstock to benefit The Innovation Foundation, a non-profit servicing art supplies to underprivileged Dade County public schools.

Sunday, August 16

2009-08-12T00:31:00.007-04:00

Sunday Brunch with Big Brooklyn Red @ Creek 28

Creek 28
The Indian Creek Hotel
2727 Indian Creek Drive
Miami Beach, FL
800-491-2772
http://www.indiancreekhotel.com/creek28.html

Brunch Hours - 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, August 26

2009-08-12T00:27:00.008-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red @ The Van Dyke Cafe
The Van Dyke Cafe
846 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, FL
305-354-3600
http://www.thevandykecafe.com/

Doors: 8:00pm

Thursday, September 3

2009-08-12T00:23:00.005-04:00

Big Brooklyn Red @ Transit Lounge

Transit Lounge
729 SW 1st ave
Miami, FL
307-377-4628
http://www.transitlounge.us/

Doors: 10:00 pm

MJ In Memorium

2009-07-11T00:30:00.002-04:00

As the hype dissipates, let us not forget the true lesson in Michael Jackson’s passing.

I watched the memorial intently. Afterwards, and for the days that followed, I was engaged in an array of conversations that ranged from the inane wrap-up of the memorial service to the very sincere statements of what MJ was as a cultural icon. The thru line was that we, the planet earth, had lost a one of a kind artist with immense talent and an original soul. This gave me hope.

What we loved about him was that he was an original. True artists always are unique. We can’t always relate to everything that they do or how they live. We can’t always relate to the person that contains the gift…but that’s point. Artists are not regular folk. I’m not saying we’re better or that our souls are worth more. (The world simply would not work if everyone was an artist just as the world would not be worth living in if there were no artists in it.) But there is a sacred covenant between the Creator and the artist that demands a different path.

In life, Michael Jackson was the inspiration for at least three generations. His signature dance moves, his tenor and his beautiful falsetto have been integral portions of every group that followed the Jackson 5. When an artist is inspired by another it is one thing, but when the accountants and lawyers who control the biz conspire to replicate an artist’s success by formula it is a mockery. To add insult to imitation, all of the industry creations that borrowed from his artistry, did so without consideration of the covenant and perpetrated the myth that anyone with the desire, effort, and a team of industry professionals could become an artist.

In death, this celebration of MJ’s originality should also serve to destroy the cookie-cutter molds that have diluted the real and brought us to this sad state of soul-less, auto tuned madness. It is this blasphemy that has the music business at the brink of extinction.

If you truly honor the spirit of Michael Jackson then it is incumbent upon you to seek out the real. I challenge everyone who reads this to ignore the hype, turn off the radio, search for music that inspires you (it is easier than ever), buy it, play it for someone younger than you, then request it on radio, request it from your cable provider on video shows, ask for it by name from your satellite radio, tell 100 people you know would like it…take back your music! I dare you…or let the same bastards that drove Michael Jackson to an early grave have the last laugh all the way to the bank while they rape you in the ear holes.