House Of Vibe : Just Be Thankful

The annual House Of Vibe "Just Be Thankful" Show

Soul Music Friday : Tasha Taylor & Dessy DiLauro

If you like Soul, R&B and women who can sing, then tonight , you should come down to Harvelle's in Santa Monica! These two diverse yet equally original artists will make your Friday one to remember!

Dessy DiLauro brings her fro-hawked, Harlem renaissance influenced, hep-hop, jumpin', jivin' show in support of her latest record "You Won't Be The Boss" (featuring Deploi). The singer who has affiliations to House Of Vibe and Cirque Du Soleil, always brings her "A" game, singing her heart out and winning audiences over from here to Montreal.

Tonight she'll be supported by her band The Hep Cats.

Opening the night at 9:30, Tasha Taylor will be throwing down a set of soul and R&B in support of her album Taylor Made. Daughter of '70s R&B legend Johnny Taylor, Tasha is a wonderful vocalist who's warmth and soothing sounds will rock you gently into the midnight hour.

Dessy DiLauro : Beaded, Braided, Bangled And Confetti'ed

Sometimes a hairdo is a sub-culture - like balding dudes who shave their heads or people with dreadlocks. Like women who wear pixies or beehives, their hair in a tight bun or pony-tails, obviously hair is of huge importance in our society.

Dessy describes herself as "Feathered Fro-hawk Futuristic Art Deco Centric Harlem Renaissance Hep Music" which is an all-encompassing depiction of both her music and her personal style including her distinctive hair and even more distinctive hair-pieces that she designs and wears onstage. Her recent performances have been filled with guests from her universe, which is full of marvelous performers from both the music and circus worlds. (Her music director Ric'key Pageot is keyboardist for Madonna and Cirque Du Soleil)

Dessy and Ric'key will be representing House Of Vibe for the next few Wednesdays while HOV members Anthony Brewster (vocals/keys), Pete Antunes (drums) and Corey Cofield (bass) are on tour with Chali 2na. Come out and get hep!

Rapper Deploi

Horn players

Tap dancer Sarah Reich was awestruck and inspired

Ric'key's Curveboard stops the show

SRO

Rapper Anon

Singer Anthony Brewster

Dessy amid Harvelle's followers and fans

Sarah with drummer Chaun

Dessy DiLauro & Tasha Taylor : TGIF Double Header

It's around 80 degrees in L.A. today and while that itself is not particularly unusual, it's certainly the talk of the town. This unseasonable heat can make one a little crazy.

Let's instead talk about tonight's *HOT* double bill.

Opening the night, Tasha Taylor will be throwing down a set of soul and R&B in support of her album Taylor Made. Tasha is a wonderful vocalist who's warmth and soothing sounds rock me gently into the midnight hour.





here's video of Tasha singing Amy Winehouse's Valerie at Harvelle's July 26 of 2011

Dessy DiLauro brings her fro-hawked, Harlem renaissance influenced, hep-hop, jumping', jivin' show in support of her latest record "You Won't Be The Boss" (featuring Deploi). The singer who has affiliations to House Of Vibe and Cirque Du Soleil, always brings her "A" game, singing her heart out and winning audiences over from here to Montreal.

Dessy and Ric'key : To The Bridge!!

Making a stop at Harvelle's before heading off to NYC, Dessy DiLauro [official website] blew it up for real with her jumpin' jivin' hep-hop revival. Along with Ric'key Pageot, the 2 have created a style and sound which is influenced by among other things, Harlem renaissance-era jazz, be-bop and classic R&B. She's nu-skool, like Janelle Monae or Esperanza Spalding but has a hidden power rooted in the likes of classic singers like Donna Summer - not in tone or style - but in the vocal force that is hiding under the demure facade. 

On loan from House Of Vibe, Sebastian Leger (trumpet) with Dan Boissy (sax) do what they do best, burrrrrrn!! nice and slow!

In Ric'key's hands this accordion would make Lawerence Welk roll over in his well kept tomb!!

The audience was also treated to a performance by the Washington sisters, Myra and Brittani. Myra is on the TV program "X-Factor" singing with the in-studio band, while Brittani plays keyboards with Beyoncé. These 2 powerhouse women were dazzling to watch, Myra swinging her long hair (at least on one side of her head) beltin' it out while raisin' the roof, and skinny legged Brittani sat at the keyboard and before my eyes, turned into a New Orleans Baptist church organist who just caught the holy spirit, stabbing at the keys and poundin' them into submission!! Damn!! Get behind thee satan!!

Dessy DiLauro : Why You Raggin' - The Video

Why You Raggin'? is the latest video from hep-hop head Dessy Di Lauro.

Ric'key Pageot is Dessy's partner in crime

below: Toledo Diamond twirls dancers Dame Mindy & Dame Erin

 Featuring internationally known choreographer/dancer Toledo Diamond and his 2 fave dancing dames - Erin Bridges and Mindy Cantu - Dessy DiLauro's Why You Raggin' video brings a magical burst of color to video screens everywhere!! Kudos to director James Elder for a hot blend of visuals that matches the songs energy. [Dessy DiLauro Website]

Dessy DiLauro's EP Jumpin' 'N Jivin' Live @ The Swing House is available at all the usual outlets including Amazon & CD Baby

Harvelle's is hosting a party and performance by Dessy DiLauro on Thursday, July 14, 2011. 

The Toledo Show : The Return Of Brian AllenPlus Dessy DiLauro brings it!!

The Toledo Show is a never ending burlesque journey through grimey back alleys filled with unknown vices, sweaty women, tons of cigar smoke and all that stuff that seems cool until you're neck deep in it, and then it's just a daily reminder of how low down and filthy life can be.

But lucky for us, every Sunday we get to celebrate this life source and dance and party and dance some more while Toledo preaches the funk. We watch as Toledo's "Dames" dance with wild abandon - swinging from the ceiling, dancing on the bar (above), bumpin' and grindin' through the crowd and across the dance floor just for your extreme voyeuristic pleasure.

Bringing a short glimpse of what this coming Thursday will bring, hep-hop fro-hawked diva Dessy DiLauro (pictured above with partner Ric'key Pageot far right on the keys) kicked off the second set of the night with a look at her new video ("Why You Raggin'?"), which will debut proper Thursday, July 14, right here at Harvelle's. Dessy and Ric'key did a couple of their new songs, which revved the crowd up for what turned into a spectacularly raging set by The Toledo Show. While they are always "on point", The Toledo Show was extra electric tonight, perhaps spurned on by the return of fistful-of-dynamite bassist Brian Allen (pictured below - with saxophonist Walter Davis).

The Toledo Show happens every Sunday night at Harvelle's.

Dessy DiLauro : Jumpin' & Jivin'

Dessy DiLauro does it right! Bringin' her amazing voice and compelling material, she gets the party started and represents as an extended part of (long running Wednesday night residents) House Of Vibe Allstars! Chea!!

As a first-class singer, Dessy colors her own shade of neo-soul, and doesn't shy away from the sonic power her voice possesses! Her behind-the-scenes partner, Ric'key Pageot is a songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist/ programmer/ producer. He is nothing less than a genius of a musician who gives as dazzling a display of keyboard wizardry as Dessy does on vocals.

Just released is Jump N' Jivin' - Live at The Swing House [Buy it here!] This 7 song CD, captures Dessy at her best - in a live setting. Ric'key and the band's playing is sparkling and fresh and reminds me of the best of 70s and 80s funk/R&B. They add their own ingredients - mixing in ragtime, disco, breakbeats and classic pop songwriting hooks that equal as satisfying and original a collection as I've heard all year!

They'll be performing this Wednesday BEFORE House Of Vibe! Come early (8:30 pm) and check 'em out! [Dessy's Website]

Special welcome back shout-out to Brew, Fish & Corey!

Happy Birthday Guy Harrington!

Dessy Di Lauro : Bringing Tha Funk

There ain't much about funk to know except it makes your head move uncontrollably; it bounces your maggot brain around in your afroskull.
That feeling...
That is funk.


Tonight I didn't get to "Tha H" until the third set; when I did, I saw a petite little thing of a woman turning it out, hitting the high notes and effortlessly singing her soul out. Without resorting to Mariah-like tricks and avoiding Sasha Fierce-esque canned "r&b" Dessy Di Lauro can hit the notes, scat and give a vocal performance worthy of a much larger venue, so it's a special treat to hear vocals done solidly and with pure musicality in the comfort of Harvelle's.

Backing her was easily one if the funkiest bands I've seen of late.

Propelled by a rhythm duo - badass bassist Timothy Bailey, and a drummer with power in reserve - Deon Hariston - they dominated their respective kits into funk submission.

Together they made my cranium dance and do that thing it does whenever funk is around.

Onstage with Dessy was a duo of women - Brandi Williams and Deona Hariston - who could vibrate their vocal chords with dire passion and important soul messages.

Keyboardist and music director Ric'key Pageot finessed the keys with strong hands and strength of mind.

He rocked the accordion accordingly and funk was again brought. The dude was dressed impeccably as well.


Awesome horn section Winston Byrd on trumpet and trombonist Shaunte Palmer were tighter than Ringo Starr's snare drum.

Shaunte (pictured below with a club patron) also plays with Wednesday's regular House Of Vibe All Stars.

PLEASE NOTE:
This next Wednesday Dessy and her band will be performing in place of HOVAS, so if you weren't there tonight you'll have another opportunity to get up, get into it and get involved.

- Posted live from Harvelle's using BlogPress & the Hipstamatic photo app for the iPhone

Location:4th St,Santa Monica,United States