DOWNLOAD THE MIXTAPE HERE!!

With a titanic effort spanning three continents, and with participants from Stockholm to Cape Town, the Paper Cha$erz family is ready to release their first mixtape, created completely on Indaba Music. If descriptions were comprised of one word, the word for this mixtape would be diversity. Not only is the music encompassed in this album diverse, but, the collaborators and the subject matter is diverse. Spearheaded by the underground Philadelphia producer St. Paul and Canadian MC Kava-1, the mixtape has finally come to fruition after months of planning and recording. One of the standout, and rather surprising, qualities of the mixtape is the subject matter. Though the mixtape is titled Paper Cha$erz (Vol. 1), many of the songs focus on social issues, either personal or in story form, which circumvent the need to tout all the usual mainstream showings of bling, rims, iced grillz, and paper. Let's face it, one of the things that made Illmatic such a dominant hip-hop force was, while Nas' wordsmithing was impeccable, its continued, track after track, social commentary and imagery; and it is refreshing to see that this mixtape often follows in the Illmatic tradition. Of course, that's not to say that the whole mixtape is socially conscious or personal. Tracks like "My Grind On", "Paperchasin Anthem", and "FreshChick" show the more commercial side of the tape. 

There are several standout tracks on the mixtape. The Paper Cha$erz family hits hard from the first track on the mixtape. "It Don't Matter" featuring MCs Sunny Tuff and Gangalee, is a bold condemnation of the commercial music industry, and glorifies the underground scene. The beat is catchy and well produced, which adds to the overall vibe of the track. Its hook claims, "You could be the best lyricist and don't prosper/ or you can be the worst MC and make it to the top/  It don't matter, it don't matter", and later, Gangalee notes, "...just 'cause you're dope on the block/ don't mean the A&R's gonna feel the same." With the emergence of "MCs" like Soulja Boy and Gucci Mane, it's easy to see where this commentary is coming from. Anyone who has been true to the hip-hop tradition from the first cypher knows that unfortunately, sometimes second rate rapping is more marketable. 

Another standout track is "Just 17". MC Kava-1, one of the mixtape's organizers, paints a great picture of a down-on-his-luck 17 year old, which weaves together a story of loss, maturity, coming of age, and the trappings of poverty into some pretty clever rapping. It's refreshing to hear more image and story driven rapping, especially a story that continues from the beginning of the song and follows through to the end. Kava-1's flow is dead on, and it's easy to hear some of his more old school and underground influences. There's also a lot of texture to notice in the beat: subtle vinyl noise, effective chops, and some nicely chosen samples.  

In a total 360, the track "My Grind On", is a banging, hard hitting, dirty south beat. MC ALLINGATOR focuses on more commercial ready material: the hustle and the need to be on your grind. This is more of a tribute to the Paper Cha$er name than the other tracks and is more club ready than the other tracks. In terms of subject matter, ALLINGATOR effectively provides one of the nicely placed and refreshing breaks from the heavier fare of the Paper Cha$erz mixtape. One of those heavier tracks is "Gotta Be More" by MC Jah I Witness. Jah chooses to create three portraits with his words. The first is a boy looking for a way out of the ghetto, either through education or through something else. The second scene is a woman whose man is in prison, and is looking for something to fill the void. Lastly, and perhaps the hardest hitting, is the portrait of the crack fiend who has been shunned by the world, falling deeper and deeper into a hole; one with "quick highs and long lows". All of these images are codified by a fitting chorus, a message that there's "Gotta Be More" than their status quo. Jah's more melodic, Drake like approach to his flow, is very appropriate and does the subject matter justice.   

St. Paul and Kava-1 have managed to pull together a good crew of artists, with a promise to release more in the future. "This is just the beginning!", says St. Paul. There's already another indaba session up for volume 2.

by Seth

So, there you are…standing on the bottom floor of a building with two options: should I take the stairs or an elevator?  Most people (including me) would probably wait and take the elevator, even though taking a quick walk up the stairs would be great way to get some quick exercise.  Culturally, the stairs just aren’t all that appealing anymore – we’ve decided that the automatic, effortless option is the way to go.  It’s time to change the way society views activities; there has to be a way to get society more active in an appealing way!  By using something called  “task unification”, you can assign a new fun activity to an ordinary task.

Overnight, a team of workers in Stockholm, Sweden transformed an ordinary subway staircase into a giant functioning piano keyboard! Within a short time, commuters in Stockholm began to take the musical stairs over the escalator. Why is this? Choice Architecture is a way in which decisions are influenced based on how the choices are presented, by presenting the stairs in a fun exciting way people decided to walk rather then lazily ride.  It is really very simple to decide to take the easy way out, so we need to condition our minds into associating fun with a task we don’t necessary enjoy. But is a giant piano the only way to get people more active or are there other ways? How about a set of stairs that lights up as you walk, or steps that give your motivational words as you climb? This mode of thinking needs to be implemented to multiple facets of life and fast.  But the question today still remains, would you choose to take the stairs over the ease of and escalator?  I’d prefer making music!

In case you missed it, recent college grad, Mike Gannon, won the Derek Trucks Band "Get What You Deserve" collaboration contest in March with a well-produced and performed re-imagination of Derek's song.  For a prize, Mike Gannon not only won a signed Epiphone G-400, but also the opportunity to meet the Derek Trucks Band at a show on August 7th in Massachusetts. After chatting with the band before the show, Derek invited Mike on stage to perform on the song "Get Out Of My Life, Woman." Borrowing Derek's vintage 1959 Les Paul, Mike had the thrilling experience of not only backing up the band, but soloing alongside some of the best musicians in the world. This incredible Indaba story was picked up by our friends at Ultimate Guitar. Mike wrote to us here at Indaba to describe his experience, and we've posted his note below along the video of his performance (he's the one in the blue hat - check out his solo at 3:40). 

My Indaba Experience 

For years I have been a student of music, eager to learn the secrets of the art of moving people emotionally by manipulating sound. To date, I have found no one that does this as effectively as the Derek Trucks Band.  Their music, immediately captivating, has a purity and worldliness that I had never previously experienced.  It is clear that their music is coming from a different place and has different motives behind it; a refreshing alternative to most of the contemporary music I hear, which has been driving my record collection farther and farther back in time.  Due to Derek’s generosity in interviews, I’ve learned much about the band’s inspiring approach to their craft and have gotten insight into some of the musical wells that they draw from.  Nearly every time I read an interview of Derek, I have a new and extremely eclectic list of records to check out, which over time have made Ali Akbar Khan, Mahalia, Nusrat, Howlin’ Wolf, etc. into household names, taking me on a musical journey from the Mississippi Delta to Hindustani tradition to Sufi worship and beyond.  This eye-opening process has been enormously transformative, not only as a musician but personally as well; something I, and I’m sure many others like me, are eternally grateful for. 

I first heard about Indaba’s “Get What You Deserve” cover contest on Derek’s website, and upon further investigation of the Indaba site, I found it to be a very cool space for musicians to collaborate, share ideas, and get feedback from a community of listeners.  I was excited to participate in this community that really seemed to be leveraging the power of web technology to facilitate musical creativity. 

 Mike Gannon's Winning Contest Submission

I don’t ever think of music as a competition, but I looked at Indaba’s contest as an opportunity to be creative and to put myself in front of an audience of musicians.  I also looked at it as an assignment; to take what I’ve learned from the DTB and the many musicians in whose direction they’ve pointed me, and synthesize it into a cohesive musical presentation that others would get something substantial from.  I tried to reinvent the tune, drawing on all my influences as purely and honestly as possible. Though I’m still not sure I succeeded, I enjoyed the process immensely and am very thankful to Indaba for the opportunity. 

After submitting my track, I got great feedback from the Indaba community.  It was the first time I’d ever recorded something and put it in front of an audience, but people were very supportive and encouraging.  After working on a record on your own for so long, you tend to lose objectivity, so it was affirming to know that my work was appreciated by an outside group of musicians.  I recorded everything alone in my college bedroom during my spring break, so this was the first time my work had seen the light of day.  Being chosen as the winner was icing on the cake, really, as again, it was never about judgment or competition for me.  I was hopeful that my track would reach Derek’s ears, but beyond that, I had already gotten what I was hoping to out of the whole experience.

One of the contest prizes was a meet and greet with the band which I was able to do close to home in early August.  Before the show, I went back and hung out on the tour bus while Derek was writing the setlist, and the band shared stories from their recent tour of Europe.  They were all very welcoming and made me feel right at home.  It was great to find that beyond being world class musicians, they are all genuine and generous people.   Before I left the bus, Derek asked if I had a guitar with me, which I didn’t, but his tech Bobby was able to dig up an extra, which they invited me to use on stage with them during “Get Out My Life”, which would come about midway through the set.  Though I wasn’t expecting this at all, I was thrilled to have the opportunity, and luckily I carry a slide in my pocket 24/7, wherever I go.  I kept to myself the fact that I had never really performed before.  Being primarily focused on composition and the art of the record, I have yet to delve into live performance, but this seemed like a good time to start, so I didn’t say anything.  When the show started, I went out to watch the band do its thing, which it did exceptionally well that night.  It’s always amazing to me how these guys keep improving, raising the bar and reinventing themselves night after night.  When it came time for “Get Out My Life”, Bobby pulled out the “extra” guitar, which happened to be a vintage 1959 Les Paul.  I carefully accepted this monument of guitar history and plugged into Derek’s second amp, now equipped with a tone I had been studying for years.  As we started to play, it was incredible to be hearing the music from inside the band.  I could feel the enormous musical presence of each band member more tangibly than I ever could from the audience.  Derek’s guitar next to me was just a force, clearly meticulously refined over the course of thousands of gigs.  During the verses, I was trying to fit in without getting in anyone’s way, and then when Derek nodded at me for a solo, I just tried not to think too much.  I was a bit tight from nerves, as this was a fairly overwhelming first gig for me, but that band really knows how to back a soloist and can raise anyone up a few notches. 

As I left the stage they were very kind and went out of their way to shake my hand, even though I don’t hold a candle to the heavyweights they’re used to having sit in with them.  After the show, they kindly greeted me again and I got a few more questions in before it was time to go.  From beginning to end it was a phenomenal experience, made possible by the openness of the guys in the band, and by the ingenuity of Indaba Music. 

Although I don’t think I’ve yet created what Derek would call “real music”, this has been an enormously helpful first step for me and I thank Indaba for the opportunity.  Indaba is a great resource and will help countless musicians along their path.  I look forward to the search for real musicianship and hope to be able to contribute in a positive way to music’s evolution.  I am blessed to be able to strive for perhaps the world’s best example of this search, the Derek Trucks Band. 

Finally, one last thank you to the DTB for treating the art of music with respect and dignity, and for putting in all the hard work it takes to push it to the next level.  It has made a huge difference in my life and in many others.  I look forward to watching DTB’s future unfold.  

-Mike Gannon

For more information on The Derek Trucks Band, visit www.derektrucks.com

Get the new album, Already Free, on iTunes or Amazon.

by Mantis

From time to time, I get members asking me to “leak” top-secret Indaba information. Some of you ask about new features we’re looking to implement or what site changes, upgrades, and contests we’re considering. I always have the unfortunate response of saying that I am not at liberty to release this sort of info. I am still working under those orders, but there is something so huge going on backstage that I CANNOT keep it all to myself! I will deal with the backlash…

Indaba is getting ready to launch a completely new, and might I add, awesome console! We have been working closely with Sun Microsystems in creating this amazing JavaFX application. This innovative digital audio workstation will not only allow you to upload, edit, and mix your music, but will include new features - such as high-quality recording of uncompressed audio directly to Indaba, real-time non-destructive effects, a clips library full of Creative Commons-licensed loops, and the abilitiy to drag the console from the browser to your desktop and work offline.

The new Indaba console will give you much more flexibility and will ultimately allow you to work faster. The capabilities available with the new console will allow musicians to take their work and collaborations to the next level; literally changing the way music is made. Just ask Rivers Cuomo the lead singer and guitarist from the band Weezer, who states "I got different companies contacting me all the time trying to get me excited about their products, and most of the time I just don't care. But this particular application, the Indaba Music Console caught my fancy."

We are looking to unleash this beast by July, so keep an ear out and get ready to experience a whole new fantastic face of indaba Music. It will be like nothing you've ever seen before!

(Anyone looking to hire an ex-EVP?)

Check out this interesting Digg interview with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. Trent Reznor has been at the forefront of using creative and unconventional methods to get his music out to fans - including offering albums for free digital release and individual stems to fans for remixing (something that we like to do all the time at Indaba!). Check out the rack gear setup behind him in this video - pretty sick!

K-OS has pre-released his latest album, Yes! on iTunes, with a full bonus album of remixes from Indaba users, called Yes, It's Yours! In case you missed it, Indaba ran a Studio Access program with K-OS early this year, in which Indaba members competed to have their remixes released alongside   K-OS' original tunes. The album will be officially released to all outlets on April 14th.

Congratulations to Jalyn, Remot, Phil Azer, TheSoundCrate, Ric's Notes, Zach W., Tee L., len afrosaxon, and Herr Kaschke. You're famous!

Download the iTunes pre-release of the Deluxe Edition of Yes! with both the original album along with the Indaba mixes!

Indaba member Adam Nussbaum performs live with Derek Trucks and the Allman Brothers! One of the most anticipated shows of the year for Allmans Brothers fans is their annual residency at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. A 20-year tradition for the band, the Allman Brothers wrapped up 15 shows in three weeks this weekend (which will bring them to 190 shows at the Beacon since 1989!). This annual event is also known for the incredible special guests who stop by to share the stage with the band. This year featured superstars Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, and Trey & Page of Phish, as well as Indaba's very own Adam Nussbaum!

Check out our boy – drummer on the left – rocking hard on the ever-popular "One Way Out". Certainly one of my favorite Allman tunes.

On today's guest blog, the second in a series of blogs from the Indaba team at SXSW, Mantis talks about the Interactive portion of SXSW.

Although this is not my first time at SXSW, it is my first time attending the interactive portion. Like most Indaba members, I am a huge music fan. The fact that I was able to be part of the creation of Indaba Music has absolutely nothing to do with my limited tech knowledge. For what I do know, I thank our awesome development team that schools me on a regular basis.     

With panels focused on site creation, web design, coding, programming, mobile tech trends, game design and social networks across the board, combined with meetings and conversations with members of other leading major community’s and companies such as You Tube, Facebook, Flicker and Java FX, I have learned quite a bit here. I am looking forward to bringing home new ideas, additional functionality and processes that will be beneficial to all of us here in the Indaba Music community.

I am having a great time with the Interactive portion of SXSW but, I must admit, I can’t wait for the music! With thousands upon thousands of bands infiltrating Austin, they close down the streets while the concerts, party’s and private events go all night long. I usually do not start the next day until someone pulls my head out of my cereal bowl.

I encourage anyone interested in internet technology in any capacity to attend at least one SXSW Interactive conference while I encourage everyone interested in music to check out the music portion. SXSW has become an annual event for me that I am thrilled to continue.

If you are reading this and happen to be at the conference, it would be great to meet you! Just stop anyone with an Indaba T-shirt to start conversation or, stop by our booths to meet the crew - let us know where you are performing as we are looking forward to seeing as many Indaba members live as possible.

Hey Indaba folk!

Just reminding you that we'll be heading down to SXSW tomorrow and will be there through March 22nd! If you're down in Austin, come say hi!  If not, keep up on your music-making and we'll keep you up-to-date on what's going on at SXSW.  By day, you'll find us in our neon green shirts at music trade show booth 501/502 (starting on the 18th), or at panels.  The nerds among us will be at panels such as Even Faster Websites and Kicking Ass With Controlled Metadata.  The others will be found at panels like Social Networks For the Anti-Social and Innovations in Digital Music.  By night, you'll spot us shaking it to Dirty Projectors, Max Tundra, Deer Tick, and Grizzly Bear (and every othershow we have time for!).  If you're especially interested in meeting David, there's no doubt you'll find him in the front row at the Indigo Girls show... Hope to see you there!

Come visit us at SXSW!

If you’re in Austin, Texas for the annual South By Southwest Music Festival, come hang out with us!  We’ll be at SXSW during both the Interactive and Music portions of the festival, from March 13-22.  You’ll find us in booth 501/502 for all of music (March 18-22), with Indaba t-shirts, guitar pics and all the people who make creating music on Indaba possible.  Come say hi at the booth, keep your ears open for more info about where we’ll be throughout the week, and keep your eyes open for Indaba team members prancing about in green Indaba t-shirts!  We look forward to seeing you!