"I Have a Dream Remake" Free Download on Global Noize

In celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States of America, my remake of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech is being made available free from Global Noize (Global Noize is the blog of Six Degrees Records out of San Francisco).

Click on this link to visit the site and download the track.

globalnoize.blogspot.com/

Peace, respect and hope!

James Whetzel

A Funke Year of Good Juju and Mean Deep!

Hey good peeps this is my record label's end of the year blog. I'll be posting my personal end of the year blog soon, but in the meantime please enjoy these tales of the continuing adventures of The House of Good Juju and Mean Deep


Ladies and Gents it's been quite a year! The election of Barack Obama and imminent departure of the Bush administration is a great cause for celebration. At Funketabla we have additional cause to be jolly—the summer of 2008 was when we put out our two first funketabla releases.

The first was DJ Baba James (James Whetzel) "The House of Good Juju," the second was Mean Deep "Mean Deep." Now it goes without saying if you do not yet possess these albums you must purchase them immediately; you can either download the music on itunes, amazon, rhapsody, or you can buy the discs here at funketabla: www.funketabla.com/store.php or at CD Baby: cdbaby.com/cd/whetzeljames3 cdbaby.com/cd/meandeep

Both albums came out this summer and have been getting a lot of airplay across North America. Both albums also made it onto the charts! "The House of Good Juju" was #10 on the September 23rd top thirty overall list of KAOS radio in Olympia, WA, Evergreen College radio. On October 19th "The House of Good Juju" was #5 on the World Top 10 of Toronto, Ontario, station CIUT.

Both Mean Deep and The House of Good Juju made the top ten weekly electronic chart for CJSF of Burnaby, BC. Mean Deep was #7 and The House of Good Juju was #8.

Mean Deep went on to chart again on CJSF's electronic music charts at #3 on December 2nd, rating higher than Thievery Corporation!

Each record has garnered one review each so far.

"The House of Good Juju" was reviewed on October 25th by the interestingly named "Joel Shit" who is affiliated with KSCU radio in Santa Clara, CA. Our favorite part of his review was his description of the song Kitten, which includes a Super Mario Bros video game reference:

"It is not clear to me why the song is called “Kitten,” but I am sure it is obvious to people that pay attention during the song. At any rate, I like it, because it is what Mario would be hearing if he touched a star and a mushroom at the same time. He’d be invincible and big together. It’s not just the Starman music. It’s got something extra. I bet Pee-Wee Herman would like this song too."

You can check his full review at: joelshitshow.com/2008/10/2...good-juju/ or on The House of Good Juju CD Baby page.

Mean Deep was reviewed on November 21st by Sadie O at Stanford University's radio station KZSU in Palo Alto, CA. We liked her description of what we do:

"Electronica/Indian/etc mashup – but probably not like what you’re thinking. First outing from a pair of guys (Shri Deepayan and James Whetzel), and tending towards the rave rather than trance end of club. Lots of energy and beat with layers of musical ideas from all over, although India is the strongest identifiable element. Most of the vocals are a bit goofy, but the music is killer."

Her description of the track "Minuit" is also worth noting: "downtempo, deeply warped. Sort of the march of the large lopsided robots on opium."

"March of the Large Lopsided Robots on Opium" sounds like a good name for a Das Dhoom track . . . hmm.

You can check her complete review at the Mean Deep CD Baby page or directly at KZSU: zookeeper.stanford.edu/index.php

We've been getting great play at other stations around North America, including KBCS in Seattle/Bellevue, KUNM in Albuquerque, New Mexico, KALX in Berkeley, California, KSJS in San Jose, California, KWCW in Walla Walla, Washington, KDVS in Davis, California, WNCW in Asheville, North Carolina, KSER, in Everett, Washington, WMNF in Tampa, Florida, and KTRU in Houston, Texas.

Special thanks to Emch at WNYE in NYC, The Spice Route DJs at KBCS, Matt Kane at WZBC in Boston, and Darek Mazzone at KEXP.

We would like to thank James Whetzel and our unstoppable volunteer Anita Darbo for getting this music out to the world. The work of sending the CDs out to radio is actually still ongoing and we look forward to connecting with more radio stations around the world in 2009.

2009 looks to be a good year for funketabla. James Whetzel is working on two very cool new albums: "Sarod & Beats" and "Everything Strange." Shree D. & James are collaborating with Sebastian Lange from EQlateral in a new project called Das Dhoom, which is making wild poly-rhythmic Indian Industrial music!

James W. is currently in Seattle, WA, USA. Yas is currently in France, moving between Paris and Nantes and working with her new group Yas and the Lightmotiv. Yaw Amponsah is in the Northwest and leading a new drumming ensemble, and is also in demand as a session musicians for NW African performers. Shree D., pictured at top, is currently in Lyon, France acquiring new management skills and business acumen which he intends to apply to a several musical cultural projects when he returns to the Pacific Northwest.

Best wishes and good juju to you in 2009 from all of us at Funketabla! May it be a good year for us all! Cheers!

The House of Good Juju

The House of Good Juju is my new album. It’s a summation of five years of my club oriented and electronic music. These are things I started out playing as James Whetzel and now spin primarily as DJ Baba James.

The CD is now available through Funketabla, exclusively:

www.funketabla.com/store.php

Here is a quick breakdown about the music. It has fifteen tracks!

1. “About Love” is a mix of Bollywood, and Bhangra vibes with Hip Hop and West African beats, and the words for love in Hindi, Urdu, Spanish, French and English. C’est a propos de l’amour bebe!

2. “Space Tekyuman” is a re-interpretation of American Swing via the Tekyuman rhythm of Ghana, West Africa. I love the unique rhythm in this track, also I am proud of the lyrics, which are:

Aliens send to me the mothership
I need to take a trans-galactic trip
My soul’s grown small living on oil and cash
I want to fly to the sun and use no gas

Nautilus, Captain Nemo, send her to me
I want to go ten thousand leagues under the sea
It’s time I made my life aquatic
Because living on land is not doing it for me

Solution for stopping the start of wars
Shift violence to reverse, take a new course
Builders of bombs no longer get paid in cash
Demolished by their products are weapons plants

Wars would work better if they were simplified
With musical competitions we could decide
Victory would not go to who can kill well
But to whoever makes the music that is most beautiful!

If there can’t be dance what purpose revolution?
We need some fresh grooves and we need evolution
And we sure could use another election
Because we need a reality-based correction

Oh Life is a free and a subtle phenomenon
Happening everywhere and in everyone
Infinite in number are the possibilities
Every moment possesses new opportunities

3. “Sympathy for the 4/4″ is an instrumental which has a four on the floor beat supplied by a tabla bayan tuned down low. I play funk beats on tabla and break out some talking drums, West African rumba box (for the super low chunky bass), chimta, and keyboards.

4.”Theme From Beat On!” is a track which was made in honor of the Beat On! artists collective that produces the monthly Beat Council nights at ToST in Seattle. This track starts off with a Nigerian fuji influenced intro and then changes into some break beat.

5. “Washington State.” Many already know this clever little break beat track that is made up of the names of cities of the Evergreen State from Auburn to Walla Walla. An essential track for WA state residents and also for those who are Washington residents of the spirit.

6. “Sympathy for the Sarod.” This is an uptempo remix of “Sympathy for the 4/4″ featuring sarod and throat singing parts.

7. “Capitol Hill” is an ode to the Capitol Hill area of Seattle, which is where I grew up. It references Sir Mixalot’s “My Posse’s on Broadway,” and is a break beat bhangra influenced track that was originally going to be called “my bhangra’s on broadway.”

8. “The Superstar Scene” is rocktronica track with a generous helping of tabla and sarod.

9. “From Freak to Freakshow,” based on a true story, this higlife-ified housey track song is about how it is OK to be freaky but how getting your freakiness in other people’s business can lead you to becoming a freak show. And should there be any doubt, it is always best to keep your clothes on at a dance party . . .

10. “Afro-Balkan House” is a track that mixes a snippet of the beautiful accordion playing of Erin Kurtz with a house beat made up of a mixture of acoustic and electronic sounds. A little bit of highlife and congolese music sneaks into the rhythm section and there is a clever bassline break down and also a pretty sarod solo.

11. “Kitten” is my own instrumental version of congolese electronica with sarod talking the place of the vocal part that appeared in the original version of this song

12. “Mr. Whetzel’s Extraordinary Intergalactic Fuji” is one of the more ambitious tracks on the album. Weighing in at Seven minutes and two seconds, it is an electronic version of Nigerian fuji music. The parts played by various drums and percussion such as bata, sakara, and shekere are all played as electronic drums and synthesizers. The parts interlock to create a very large melodic rhythmic composition (aka a delicious intelligent groove). Bringing in the western synth and electronic drum sounds makes the fuji ideas take on unexpected references. It begins with what may sound like polyrhythmic psytrance, and finishes up as 12/8 break beat.

13. “International Bossa” is brazilectro Whetzel style. This track began as music I made for Seattle Center for a video to promote the series of cultural festivals known as Festal. They specifically wanted a Brazlian style beat with sounds of music from around the world. So I started with the Brazilian beat on drums and mixed in North African/Middle percussion, playing the clave no less, and added touches of West African rumba box, South Asian dhol and sarod, and a little bit of retro flavored keyboards, bass and guitar. Definitely a fun one to chill out too!

14. “Hello (featuring Aaron Straight)” features the sounds and vocalizations of digeridoo player Aaron Straight. Aaron’s digeridoo is mixed with sarod, whale songs, and delayed out throat singing. The bass line is quite large and the beat is puncy with a suggestion of reggaeton.

15. “Goodbye” is a hip hopping instrumental with big strings, funky bass parts, and massively reverbed throat singing. I had wanted to end an album with this track for years and I am so glad I finally got to do it!

You can preview “The House of Good Juju” at Funketabla.

Here’s the link one more time:

www.funketabla.com/store.php

Alright, good juju to you! peace, respect, love, and cheers!

James

"God Rest Ye Funky Bhangra" (ho ho ho . . . hai hai hai)

Ladies and Gents!

I hope you all are doing well. Here are two links to a little bit of holiday cheer that I put together just in time for Bhangra-mas . . .

ilike.com/artist/James+Whetzel

(just scroll down to find the track and then download it)

www.funketabla.com/jwhetzel.php

(right click to download it)

Cheers! Merry Bhangramas!

James

New track "Tabla Poetry #3" up online

Hey Ladies and Gents,

I have a new track up online called "Tabla Poetry #3." It's a mix of bhangra beats, West African bass, Indian classical melodies and Indian traditional Indian tabla compositions turned into rhythmic poetry in English. Whew! Yes that is all true, how could I lie to you and think I would get away with it? :-)

You can check it these fine locations:

ilike.com/artist/James+Whetzel

www.myspace.com/jameswhetzel

I'll be doing this piece for sure at the East of the Underground show this Friday, September 28th at Electric Tea Garden at Oseao, 1402 E. Pike. 9pm - 2am, Cover $5

I hope you enjoy the track, and I hope to see you at the show, cheers!

James

[photo attached to this blog by Rod Hoekstra, taken at Pike Place Market's Busker Fest 2007]

James Whetzel Serenading the Parks of the city of Seattle!

Mais oui, claro que si good ladies and gentlemen!

I am playing in the City of Seattle's fine parks as part of the City of Seattle's Busker Program.

i'll be playing sarod and singing in Waterfront Park, 1301 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101
Wednesday September 5th from 11:30am until 1:30pm

And I'll be playing more sarod and singing in Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104 in Chinatown/the ID on September 12th, from 11:30am until 1:30pm.

Please come by and say hi!

peace, cheers and best musical wishes!

James

James Live at Westlake Park, Tuesday, August 28th, 11:30am - 1:30pm

Yes it's true good ladies and gents!

As part of the City's Buskers in the Parks program, I am going to be playing in Westlake Park tommorow between 11:30am and 1:30pm.

I'll be playing sarod, singing and mixing in just enough high style throat singing to keep it spicy!

If you work downtown you know where to go for your lunch break!

I think the place where I am going to play near to the Seattle's Best Coffee location that is near to 4th Ave side of Westlake.

In case anyone needs the address, Westlake Park is located at: 401Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101

www.seattle.gov/parks/park...estlake.htm

Hope to see you there!

Best musical wishes, cheers!

James Whetzel
www.funketabla.com
www.myspace.com/jameswhetzel

James Live in Hing Hay Park, Thursday, August 23rd, 11:30am- 1:30pm

James live at Hing Hay Park Thursday, August 23rd, 11:30am - 1:30pm

Alright Ladies and Gents!

It's a busy time, which as you know is a good thing for a musician to say!

I'll be playing with the Beat Council Saturday, August 25th at the Electric Tea Garden at Oseao, 1402 E Pike. And I will also be playing at Wazhma's b-day celebration "We Can Dance If We Want To" August 24th at Nectar.

And Thursday I will be doing a unique show playing at Hing Hay Park in the Intl. District/Chinatown. I'll be playing sarod and singing, probably doing a little throat singing too. I'll play for an hour and a half in the time from 11:30am until 1:30pm. This is part of the City of Seattle's Buskers in the Parks program.

It is also going to be the beginning of a performance project of my own called 75 x Sarod.

More on that very very soon.

I hope that any of you who work or live near Hing Hay Park can come and see me do this unique show in a busy urban park.

Hing Hay Park is located at 423 Maynard Ave S. For more about Hing Hay Park check: www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp

Best musical regards,


James Whetzel
www.funketabla.com
www.myspace.com/jameswhetzel

James on NPR and on Komo TV 4! Sum CD up at CD Baby!

James on NPR and Komo TV 4, "Sum" CD up at CD Baby!
Category: Music

Ladies and Gents!

I hope you are doing well. I have been working hard busking at Pike
Place Market. I am usually there on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Usually play at 10 or 11am then 1pm or 2pm and 4 or 5pm.

This last Friday happened to be the 100th anniversary of the Market.
Pike Place Market wa one of the first markets of its type in the
country and one of the oldest surviving markets of this kind also.

In any case it is a very cool place and local media and media from
across the country were here to document its 100th birthday.

I managed to be lucky enough to intersect with some of this news coverage.

You can hear some of my sarod playing at the end of this report by
Phyllis Fletcher that aired on National Public Radio on Friday, August
17th.

Here's the name of the article and the link. Click on "listen" to
hear the piece and also hear a morsel of whetzel music at the end.


"Seattle's Pike Place Turns 100 Years Old"

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php

As I was playing on Friday there were several TV cameras around. Komo
4 ended up using me playing sarod as part of the background music for
their report and there is also a brief glimpse of me as well. The
Seattle Channel filmed me for a while and there were also cameras from
another station that I didn't recognize. Woo-hoo!

"Sum" CD Up on CD Baby

"Sum" for those of you who don't know is my chilled out ambient CD
that I put out in 2001. I just got it up on the online independent
online sales spot CD Baby. If you don't have it yet please go check
it out . . .

cdbaby.com/cd/whetzeljames2

Alright, much more news to come . . .

Cheers! Peace, Love and Respect, and as always best musical wishes!

James Whetzel
www.funketabla.com
www.myspace.com/jameswhetzel