American jazz composer, keyboardist, bandleader & occasional percussionist.

He was born on 12. June 1941 and lived until 9. February 2021 .

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Luca Averna & Chris Coco | Sueño Mediterraneo

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180g LIMITED EDITION | PRESS: [100x] (2×12″LP)

Minimalsoul™ is proud to present its only vinyl release of the year 2020. Needless to say, the Covid-19 pandemic hit us hard as it did with many other players within the underground electronic music community. Therefore, we decided to concentrate our efforts on a single release this year, considering its unique feature being our 20th vinyl-catalog release.

“Sueño Mediterráneo” meets our primary goals of then and now: expanding our sonic horizon and telling a story in music that focuses on the human being, the soul, and the essential things to appreciate in life. “Sueño Mediterráneo” is a two-hand effort by the Italian DJ and producer Luca Averna (elsewhere also known as Jay Green) and the UK House veteran DJ and producer Chris Coco.

Luca moved to Ibiza permanently a few years back, firmly wanting to live the isle differently, appreciating the rustical life of the western hills with his beloved wife, dog, turntables, vinyl records, and drum machines. Chris is an Ibiza regular since the 90s, and during the last two decades, he has become one of the most respected figures within the island’s Balearic scene.

After meeting a couple of years ago, they decided right away to produce music together, giving birth to this “Sueño Mediterráneo” project, with the desire to pay tribute to the 90s Italo Dream House, celebrate a newborn friendship, and their shared love for the White Island.

All tracks written & produced in 2018 by Chris Mellor and Luca Averna,
between Ibiza and London and using the following gear:
Roland® TR 606,626,707,909; Yamaha RX5, Yamaha DX7, Korg M1.
Additional Credits:
Guitar in ‘Mare’ By Micko Roche.
Bass Guitar in “Walearic Dub” By Yusuke.
Vocals in “Underwater” By Louis Van Johnson.
Vocals in “Il Tempio Dell’Amore” By Luca Averna.

Mastered by Rune Lindbaek.

Graphic design by Dextro.org.

Legends Mad Mike and Wajeed have an idea to build support for communities of marginalized music makers – right in the heart of Detroit. That effort might have gotten upstaged by the election, so now is the perfect time to dig in – and recall some of Detroit’s own history.

It’s not an accident that current political noise is all about discounting the votes of Detroit residents. You could easily see an echo in the music industry. So maybe it’s time for some resistance again.

by cdm.link

(TUNE-IN) here: https://radiothek.orf.at/fm4/live

This is rare footage of Frankie’s street dedication from the city of Chicago on 25 August 2004 as Frankie Knuckles Way!

Chicago House Music pioneers Larry Heard and Robert Owens have filed a multi-million dollar copyright infringement suit against Trax Records and defendant Rachael Cain, according to court documents discovered today by 5 Mag.

On Tuesday June 23, 2020, attorneys Robert S. Meloni and Christopher M. Heintskill filed suit in Federal Court in the Northern District of Illinois alleging Trax Records has committed copyright infringement for tracks including “Can You Feel It,” “Washing Machine,” “Beyond The Clouds,” “Bring Down The Walls,” “Donnie,” “Distant Planet” and “Never No More Lonely.”

“TRAX’S TREATMENT OF THOSE ARTISTS ON ITS LABEL IS NOTORIOUS TO THOSE IN THE ELECTRONIC WORLD.” — ROBERT OWENS

“This case involves an all-too familiar story of the early days of the music industry,” the complaint reads. “Talented, but unrepresented, musicians hungry for their first break were lulled into a business relationship with an unscrupulous record company that made promises it never intended to keep and masqueraded as paternalistic benefactors for those artists – like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

A statement provided to 5 Mag by TaP Music Publishing after initial publication of this story quotes Larry Heard as remembering how disappointed he was that “my earliest ventures into the music business was with a label in the community that turned out to be dishonest, like with many other artists that we hear about all too often. We are simply seeking justice and fairness. Maybe, our efforts will shed light on the many predatory practices that have been in place for a long time in this industry.”

“Trax’s treatment of those artists on its label is notorious to those in the electronic world,” Robert Owens says in the same release. “Many of my friends and fellow artists have been similarly treated. Hopefully this lawsuit will end Trax’s reign of non-payment. I’m grateful to TaP for their support in bringing this long overdue claim.”

The artists’ complaint alleges that Trax “built its catalogue by taking advantage of the unsophisticated but creative house-music artists and songwriters by having them sign away their copyrights for paltry amounts of money up front and promises of continued royalties throughout the life of the copyrights.” The complaint alleges that Trax’s original copyright filings from 1986 and 1987 contained false information and demands the court to invalidate them. (Heard also filed applications for copyright for the same tracks at the same time.)

Between 1985 and 1987, according to the complaint, Heard signed four documents with Trax founder Larry Sherman, none of which transferred or assigned any copyright and which didn’t include “Donnie,” “Never No More Lonely” or “Distant Planet.” The suit also alleges Trax entered “knowingly false information” in applications for copyright registration for these tracks alleging all rights had been transferred by the authors. The suit alleges these rights were never transferred by Heard or Owens.

“LARRY HEARD AND ROBERT OWENS HAVE FILED THIS LAWSUIT TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF RIGHTING THE WRONGS THEY SUFFERED, IN THE HOPE THAT IT MAY INSPIRE OTHER SIMILARLY SITUATED AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO STAND UP FOR THEIR RIGHTS AS WELL.” — ROBERT S. MELONI

“During my 40 years of practicing law in the music business, it was not all that uncommon to see record labels failing to honor their agreements with artists, particularly African-American artists,” litigator Robert S. Meloni said in a statement. Going as far back as Fat Waller, who practically gave away his rights to his iconic song Ain’t Misbehavin’ for a flat $500 just to stay out of alimony jail, through Little Richard, who was forced to sue his record label in 1984 for $112 million since he had not been paid any royalties since 1959, to Jimmy Hendrix and his infamous “1% contract” with PPX in 1965, all the way up to the legendary Chicago house music artists Larry Heard and Robert Owens and Trax Records – the subject of this lawsuit – African-American musicians have been especially victimized.

“Larry Heard and Robert Owens have filed this lawsuit to begin the process of righting the wrongs they suffered, in the hope that it may inspire other similarly situated African-Americans to stand up for their rights as well.”

The complaint also alleges that multiple songs have been “materially edited, remixed, and otherwise altered without Heard and/or Owen’s knowledge or permission, including making derivative versions through the addition of other writers (including Cain). In fact, there are over one dozen versions of ‘Can You Feel It’ that were released by Trax Records alone.

“Heard has never received a single accounting or payment from Defendants for monies from the exploitations of his musical works.”

The filing actually quotes 5 Mag’s obituary of Larry Sherman, which read in part: Many of 5 Mag’s early profiles of some of Chicago House Music’s legends outlined the feeling by the then-young, often black artists of exploitation. Jamie Principle told 5 Mag in 2011 that he never had a contract of any kind with Trax, while DJ Pierre of Phuture, whose Acid Tracks was released on Trax, claimed he never received any royalties at all from the label for what became one of the best-selling tracks of all time.

The document goes on to quote Frankie Knuckles, Adonis and others on their problems with Trax Records’ business practices over the years, including Knuckles calling the Trax Records group “barnacles” and that “[a]nytime I got some new product coming out they try and piggyback on whatever that it is that I’m doing to try and make whatever they can make off of it.” Adonis recently held a crowdsourcing campaign to make up for what he claimed were 34 years of receiving “not one penny” from Trax for the rights to “No Way Back” and other music.

Reached for comment, Rachael Cain referred 5 Mag to her attorney Rick Darke of Duane Morris LLP.

“Rachael Cain has been fighting for a long time to get these artists paid,” Darke said in a statement. “She just hasn’t received the monies from the parties responsible in order to pay them.” The “parties responsible” refers to Rachael Cain’s “long legal dispute with a Canadian investor, Casablanca Trax, Inc.”

“Casablanca obtained the rights and licenses to music from artists like Heard,” the statement continues, “and later transferred the rights to another entity. Though Cain has since prevailed on appeal, the parties responsible have not paid up,” according to Darke, who says Cain had been fighting “for 15 years to get artists like Heard and Owen royalties.”

“Since the very beginning I have been championing House music, TRAX Records and our artists,” Cain said in a statement. “As an artist myself I can totally understand and feel their frustration. Since 2002 TRAX Records has had no control over the TRAX classic catalogue which we intend to rectify. I would like them to know I have not been in control of the classics and have been fighting to get them paid.”

When asked about Heard and Owens’ claims in regard to invalidating the copyright, Darke told 5 Mag by phone that he hadn’t had a chance to dive into the specifics of the filings yet but “would be surprised if they were accurate.”

Story by Terry Matthew | 5 Mag

Juneteenth is a memorial day commemorating 19. June 1865. It is celebrated annually in memory of the liberation of African American people in the United States from slavery.

Charity project born during the COVID-19 emergency.

We are glad to share with you our participation in a charity project called ‘A Safe Place’, conceived and brought to life by our friends/colleagues of Where We Met / Spaziotempo / Threads.

More than 50 labels from all over the world are involved and each contributed a track to form a dazzling compilation of forward-thinking electronic music. There’s also merchandise you can buy and ALL proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

All detailed infos and direct links can be found here:
👉http://bit.ly/a_safe_place

#theundergroundhasvalue
#asafeplaceproject

Releases 25. May 2020

FREE & Live-streamed from Transmat Studios.

All donations will go to MOCAD and the Artists.

Presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit and MeanRed.

TICKETS & more booking info at Dice .

On the 24th April 2020, legendary producer Mike Huckaby died from complications of a stroke and COVID-19.

Survived by his mother and brother, Detroit promoter Adriel Thornton has launched a GoFundMe campaign in order to help them cover Huckaby’s funeral expenses.

The project has currently raised at least $3,600 of its $4,000 goal, with over 120 donors.

The family will hold a private service TODAY / Friday 8th May 2020, while a public memorial is being planned for later this summer when gatherings are permitted.

Donate here !

[msr edits: words by lazlo rugoff at the vinyl factory]

This is a special edition of the Music and Power with Ron Trent, dedicated to our dear friend and comrade Mike Huckaby.

This show was not planned but with the unexpected transitioning of Mike, Ron Trent made a special request to show respect. In recognising the genius in Mike and the genius Mike saw in others the theme of the show is “Afro Cubist” Afro Futurist music, artefacts, and sonics. The genius of other intelligence.

Tune in for a two hour tribute featuring Mike Huckaby’s music and edits along with other inspirations.

Mike Huckaby ( Died: April 24, 2020). He was more than an American DJ, producer and sound recording teacher from Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was a true friend who will be missed by many from around the world.

*His legacy continues to grow with passion.

Stay At Home streaming edition 19. April 2020.

2020 WINNERS 

AMERICANA 

Outstanding Americana Artist Group
Billy Brandt & The Sugarees 

Outstanding Americana Instrumentalist
Chris Codish – Multi

Outstanding Americana Recording
Billy Brandt & The Sugarees – “Riverside”

Outstanding Americana Songwriter 
Billy Brandt  

Outstanding Americana Vocalist  
Emily Rose

BLUES  

Outstanding Blues Artist / Group
Motor City Josh & The Big 3  

Outstanding Blues Instrumentalist  
Laith Al-Saadi – Guitar  

Outstanding Blues Recording
Brett Lucas – “Soul & Courage” 

Outstanding Blues Songwriter
Josh “Motor City” Ford

Outstanding Blues Vocalist  
Tosha Owens  

CLASSICAL  

Outstanding Classical Composer  
Patrick Prouty  

Outstanding Classical Instrumentalist 
Bugs Beddow – Trombone

Outstanding Classical Recording  
Tosha Owens – “We’ve Got Hate On The Run”  

Outstanding Classical Small Ensemble  
Motor City Brass  

Outstanding Classical Vocalist  
Jill Fitzgerald  

Outstanding Community Orchestra  
Royal Oak Symphony Orchestra

COUNTRY  

Outstanding Country Artist/Group  
Julianne Ankley & The Rogues  

Outstanding Country Instrumentalist  
Larry Labeck – Pedal Steel

Outstanding Country Recording  
Julianne Ankley – “Why”  

Outstanding Country Songwriter  
Julianne Ankley 

Outstanding Country Vocalist  
Julianne Ankley

ELECTRONIC/DANCE  

Outstanding Electronic/Dance Artist/Group  
Detroit Bureau of Sound  

Outstanding Electronic/Dance DJ  
DJ Linda Lexy  

Outstanding Electronic/Dance Recording  
Various Artists – “Pure Sounds Of Michigan”

Outstanding Electronic/Dance Writer/Producer  
Liz Larin  

GENERAL   

Outstanding Anthology/Compilation/Reissue   
Dennis Coffey – “Live At Baker’s 2006”   

Outstanding Children’s/Family Music
Mr. Bob’s Rubber Band

Outstanding Live Performance   
Motor City Josh & The Big 3 

Outstanding Live Sound Technician   
Kelly Tucker   

Outstanding Local Record Label 
Detroit Music Factory

Outstanding National Major Label Recording 
Alice Cooper – “Breadcrumbs”

Outstanding National Single  
Greta Van Fleet – “Lover, Leaver”

Outstanding National Small/Independent Label Recording 
Iggy Pop – “Free”   

Outstanding Record Producer 
Chuck Alkazian 

Outstanding Recording Studio   
Tempermill

Outstanding Tribute Band   
Major Dudes – A Steely Dan Tribute 

Outstanding Video / Limited Budget   
Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences Choir – “One Nation: Detroit’s Tribute To The Funk”

Outstanding Video / Major Budget   
The Raconteurs – “Help Me Stranger” 

GOSPEL/CHRISTIAN   

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Artist or Group
Sweet Crystal

Outstanding Gospel Choir
David Whitfield & Whitfield Productions

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Instrumentalist
Marq Speck – Keyboards   

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Recording 
Tosha Owens – “Build A Bridge”  

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Songwriter  
Marq Speck   

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Vocalist  
David Winans II  

JAZZ   

Outstanding Modern Jazz Artist/Group
Ralphe Armstrong

Outstanding Traditional Jazz Artist/Group
Sky Covington   

Outstanding Jazz Composer   
Scott Gwinnell  

Outstanding Jazz Instrumentalist 
Takashi Iio – Bass

Outstanding Jazz Recording 
Dennis Coffey – “Down By The River”

Outstanding Jazz Vocalist 
Thornetta Davis  

RAP    

Outstanding Rap Artist or Group
Trick Trick    

Outstanding Rap Composer
REDD   

Outstanding Rap MC 
Leaf Erikson

Outstanding Rap Producer
Tony “T-Money” Green       

Outstanding Rap Recording
REDD – “Drip 2 Clean”

ROCK    

Outstanding Rock/Pop Artist/Group
Gasoline Gypsies   

Outstanding Alt/Punk/Indie Artist/Group
The Beggars

Outstanding Heavy Rock Artist/Group
Dead In 5   

Outstanding Rock Instrumentalist 
Johnny “Bee” Badanjek – Drums

Outstanding Rock Recording
The Muggs – “Eye to Eye” 

Outstanding Rock Songwriter
Dirk Kroll  

Outstanding Rock Vocalist 
Barbara Payton

URBAN    

Outstanding Urban Artist/Group
Nadir Omowale    

Outstanding Urban Instrumentalist
Tony “T-Money” Green – Bass   

Outstanding Urban Recording
Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences Choir – “One Nation: Detroit’s Tribute To The Funk”

Outstanding Urban Songwriter 
Nadir Omowale   

Outstanding Urban Vocalist 
Nadir Omowale    

WORLD

Outstanding World Artist/Group
Sean Blackman’s In Transit   

Outstanding World Instrumentalist
Sean Blackman – Guitar

Outstanding World Recording 
James Simonson – “Realities”    

Outstanding World Songwriter 
Marbrisa    

Outstanding World Vocalist 
Maggie McCabe

The Drexciyan Empire had the honor to sit down and interview Mrs. Helen Stinson, the mother of the late James Stinson. Stinson, along with Gerald Donald formed Drexciya, the greatest electro band of all time. The Book of Drexciya, Volume One, will be released early May 2020 https://shop.tresorberlin.com/index.p…