Tag: jojoSOUL

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Performance at Brooklyn Botanic Garden with Babacar Top

Babacar and I have been working on a new production at our Rehearsal Residency in Downtown Brooklyn, which we premiered at the Botanic Garden for “Art in the Garden: Fall Sundays”.

The Garden allowed for enough space to have an audience all around us, spread out throughout the Water Garden section of the park. We set up the drum set near a small pond, and our choreography included our movement around a great tree and moving through the grass. It was a great event on a beautiful day, many thanks to Babacar Top and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Catch the performance next Sunday also, 10/25, and be sure to buy tickets in advance! Brooklyn Botanic Garden

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Outdoor Rehearsal Residency at Downtown Brooklyn Plaza- West African Dance with Babacar Top

So grateful to be collaborating with the incredible Babacar Top as part of his future West African Dance Production. We have rehearsed twice so far, and the energy we are creating has already been profoundly deep, creative, and inspired with still three more to go in the coming weeks.

Getting to perform outdoors at the Plaza at 300 Ashland in Downtown Brooklyn is a very unique opportunity. Across the street from Mark Morris Dance Center and next door to BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), we have the energy, the sounds, and the inspiration of the city all around us. People stop and watch as we work out details creating sounds and choreography of our performance, and many stop by and say hello and thank you.

The Plaza at 300 Ashland– Downtown Brooklyn- Thursdays 10/15, 10/22, 10/29 from Noon – 2:00pm

Thank you to @DowntownBrooklyn for creating this initiative to help artists rehearse and work!

Looking forward to continuing as this project blooms, stay tuned…

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XANADU: An Ensemble has Formed

This Episode features Jimmy Lopez on Percussion, Clinton Greenlee on Bass, Jackson Bell on Guitar, and jojoSOUL on Drum Set, Percussion, Vinyl, and Fruit Smoothies.

Recorded Live & Raw at the Loft in Brooklyn, NYC, windows open to catch that police siren at about 1:10 minutes in. Headphones recommended.

These Performances have been truly enjoyable for each of the musicians involved. This Ensemble has formed very organically out of a shared Love of Playing, and I am grateful to each musician and listener for taking these journeys with us.

Live from Brooklyn, NYC

Check out the IGTV Recordings of this session here!

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XANADU: Jackson Bell and Clinton Greenlee

Jackson Bell & Clinton Greenlee Visit jojoSOUL at the Loft for Some Musical Conversations, Mezcal Fruit Smoothies, Dinner, and Reconnection- Brooklyn, NYC

Here come the big guns, folks…

I met Jackson Bell and Clinton Greenlee while playing together in the band Couvo (singer/songwriter Josh Couvares) where we clicked and gelled into a highly versatile combo that led to us being friends and working together in new projects.

Jackson is simply SHRED-ALICIOUS. Wise beyond his years, he is an abstract thinker, and old-man-type storyteller full of random knowledge, and a monster musician. His playing doesn’t just speak for itself, it grabs you and tells you a weird story you can’t predict with a serious depth of sonic ability and a boldness to explore.

Clinton is a super-solid and incredibly proficient bassist, using his own style and steady strength for producing a truly beautiful sound in every note, and grooving waaayyy into the beyond and back from beat to beat. As gentle, reserved, and quiet as he may be perceived, his music skills are expressed completely without inhibitions.

These dudes play together a lot in many different projects, they are both independent teachers, Jackson graduated at Berklee College of Music and Clinton at George Mason University. It’s always a great privilege to jam with them and move through styles and sounds like we’re recapping our time apart and sharing what we have been feeling musically.

Here we gathered and just conversed in sound, as it’s been a while since we’ve been able to connect in-person. With no indication of where we’ll go, we always seem to just enter these jams fully trusting we can find each other throughout the journey, listening and reacting together down to the millisecond. Always such a great pleasure to play with them both.

Thank you Jackson Bell & Clinton Greenlee for your expertise, great energy, and love for playing!

A true SOUND Adventure! This Episode of XANADU is ALL Live Jazz Trio all the way through, featuring Jackson Bell on Guitar, Clinton Greenlee on Bass, and jojoSOUL on Drums & Percussion

First Movement is 0:00 – 20:20 minutes
Second Movement at 20:20 – 42:00 minutes
Final Jazz Jam 42:00 – 53:51 minutes to end

Behind the Mix + Interview

Follow Us on IG!
Jackson Bell – @jgbellmusic Clinton Greenlee – @clintongreenlee jojoSOUL – @jojoSOUL

Thanks to Agave L’amour for the photos and videos and to Daphne Always for the wine and love!

Here’s a video from our Trio project’s beginning in 2019
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XANADU: Jimmy Lopez

Jimmy Lopez visits the Loft- Brooklyn, NYC

Jimmy Lopez has been a friend since we met on Instagram watching each other’s feeds. I’ve been a fan of Jimmy’s since I’ve seen his name on flyers over the years as Percussionist for DJs within House and World Music Styles throughout NYC and beyond. He is the veteran Live Percussionist at Brooklyn’s Bembé, where he accompanies DJs through entire nights of sweaty dancing rhythms.

Live Percussion Duo Mix featuring Jimmy Lopez & jojoSOUL
-Drum Set, Timbales, Bongos, Shakers, Keys, Blocks, Bells, Djembes, Beatboxing, Hand Claps, Turntables, Vinyl, some coins dropping on the floor, and more…

Intro is a sample-flip taken from the end of the mix, featuring jojoSOUL on drum set loop and Jimmy Lopez on beatbox loop.

First Percussion Movement until 23:00 minutes
Interview at 23:00 minutes
Second Percussion Movement to end

Behind the Mix + Interview with Jimmy Lopez

Grateful for Visit from Friend and Fellow Percussionist, Jimmy Lopez for Smoothies, Drum Conversations, Creation, and Connection.
Jimmy! Thanks for your continued inspiration and wisdom!

www.jimmylopezpercussionist.com – A Forward-Thinking Hybrid Percussionist

Follow us on IG! Jimmy Lopez jojoSOUL Agave L’amour

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XANADU: Mariano Rubin de Celis

Agave L’amour, jojoSOUL, Mariano Rubin de Celis at the Loft in Brooklyn, NYC

Mariano Rubin de Celis has been a friend since 2017 when we met working together at Alan Cumming’s Club Cumming in the East Village, NYC. Mariano is Go-Go Dancing Royalty in NYC, and has performed as Solo Performer, and in many Ensembles and Productions. He is a true Artist using his ability to bring his Spirit and Vibration to every thing he does to Express and Uplift. Mariano’s family from Argentina have been to our Drum & Flow classes in Brooklyn when they’ve visited NYC, and there is never a dull moment when he’s around.

Tribal House Mix features Mariano Rubin on Vocals and Poetry
DJ jojoSOUL Mixing All Vinyl & Playing Additional Percussion
Interview at End of Mix

Grateful for the Visit from Dear Friend and Fellow Performer, Independent Artist Mariano Rubin de Celis for Dinner, Music, Creation, and Connection. Catch Mariano Sweating, Dancing, and Inspiring Across the World!
Mariano! Thanks for your continued inspiration and spirit!

Short clip from Creative Session at the Loft

MarianoRubin.com– Freelancer Production Designer providing Set Design, Prop Styling and costumed fabricated Sets and Props for Advertising, Fashion Photography, Music Videos, Events Decor and film industries in the greater NY area and LA. Check out Mariano’s Interview on VICE!

Follow us all on IG! Pictures by Mariano Rubin de Celis, first six by jojoSOUL, dinner by Agave L’amour

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