House Of Vibe & Chali 2na : Makin' Hip-Hop History

 The early '90s was a great time in rap music on the West coast, specifically L.A. and even more specifically the corner of Crenshaw & Exposition; a place called The Good Life Café. This mecca of creativity and it's new-school patrons took an academic approach to re-drawing hip-hop's architecture. In a wholly supportive atmosphere, The Good Life provided nourishment, not just for the body, but for the mind and soul as well, hosting workshops and open mics as a regular part of the curriculum; blatantly moving away from the gangsta posturing, misogyny, and other damaging stereotypes that had really thus far defined the West's rap game.

Deploi 

Kris Hawkins plays the guitar while Brew toasts on the m-i-c.

Chali 2na of Jurassic 5 and Myka-9 of Freestyle Fellowship were 2 of the scenes most active members. Last week at House Of Vibe's Westside Wednesday, they were re-united. With Chali firmly in control as the session's MC, he kept this 3-ring hip-hop circus moving as the video below clearly shows. As for the others involved - here's a very brief accounting; Ellay Khule (aka The Rifleman) is one of the original "lifers" who still use the original fast wordy style. J-Smoov and St. Mark were in a crew called 3 The Hard Way until J-Smoov went solo and St. Mark started Dark Leaf. Laidlaw (upper left corner) is Chali's brother, Deploi, Anon and Freewill are part of House Of Vibe / Westside Tribe. Freewill is also part of The Luminous Movement.

The video above is of House Of Vibe's performances of :

1-Welcome To The Fish Market (Chali 2na)

appearing on the mic in order is Chali 2na, Chali's brother Laidlaw, J-Smoov, HOV's Deploi, Freestyle Fellowship's Myka 9, Anon the inspirational MC, St. Mark, and Ellay Khule.

2-Mass Appeal (Gangstarr)/The Next Movement (The Roots)

Chali 2na, Laidlaw & FreeWill.

House Of Vibe Allstars - in this particular session were Anthony Brewster aka Brew (v, k), Greg Raymond (k), Corey Cofield (b), Deploi (rap), FreeWill (rap), Amy Lou (perc), Kris Hawkins (g), Shaunte Palmer (trombone), Sebastian Legar (trumpet), Jamon Laws (sax) and Walter Turner III (d)

House Of Vibe get down like this every Wednesday - only at Harvelle's in Santa Monica.

Dinner Show : A Retro Evening WIth Acoustic Blues

Back in the 1940s, Harvelle's incorporated the real estate to it's immediate North - now the home of West 4th/Jane. Tonight the club brings back some of that flavor with a summertime dinner show. With food prepared by Chef Demitrius (West 4th/Jane), the club's layout will be tables and chairs on the dance floor, and dinner will be served while Guy Davis plays his acoustic blues in an intimate and unique setting.

Please make your reservations now!

Limited Seating Available + Get your tickets early.

Seating is based on arrival of guests and if you're dining or just coming for drinks, get in early for best seats! (no pre-assigned or reserved seating)
buy tickets • dinner menu • guy davis • gino matteo

Sue Ann Carwell : First Lady Of Soul

Sue Ann Carwell is amazing! 

One of the blues-iest, most dynamic singers I've had the pleasure of witnessing, she has a deep pedigree as part of The Brides Of Funkenstein/Parlet (the legendary female singers of the Parliament /Funkadelic /George Clinton camp) and with her time (as the First Lady Of Soul Of MPLS) alongside Prince, where she was considered for the lead singer of The Time. She's been on albums by everyone, singing and arranging vocals by top-charters like Britney, Christina and Mya. Her most recent CD Blues In My Sunshine was co-written and produced by the legendary funkster (The Time guitarist) Jesse Johnson.

She stops by Harvelle's from time-to-time - usually as part of blues guitarist Zac Harmon's show. Here she brings it all the way down with a song from her CD : "It's All The Same".

Sue Ann Carwell's CD Blues In My Sunshine is available at all the usual outlets.

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. 

Ultralove : See Me Feel Me Touch Me Heal Me

Tonight - it's Ultralove!

Mike "Ultralove" Wagner is the up&comer to see.
Ultralove (the band) play every Monday night at Harvelle's and very quietly, it has become the best party night of the week. Ultralove's (the band) sound is hip-hop influenced - but in the hands of a skilled singer/songwriter like Ultralove (the man) and the crack-shot ballistics of Ultralove (the band) - the sound is new and fresh and - ok, i'll say it - it's "baby making music".

That's right.

How this skinny kid from Philly is able to transcend the genres and somehow create a hybrid between Stax style soul, eighties pop hooks, sexy Pendergrass/Prince style eroticism - all with the style and energy of a laid-back funkateer strumming an acoustic guitar - is a beautiful mystery for all of us to enjoy.

Kudos to the band : Doug Showalter (g) Adam Berg (k), Jon Swift (k and rap), Mike Gunn (bassist extrordinaire) and heavy hitter Seth Murphy (d).

Shout out to Chelsea, Shaunte, Sebastian, Lauralee, Brew, Guy and Greg Raymond.

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.

The Boneshakers : On-The-One & Then Some

The Boneshakers are an electric funk experience like none other. The 5 piece of Randy Jacobs (g), Dave McGraw (d), Tio Banks (k), Andre Barry (b) and legendary Sweet Pea Atkinson (v) electrifies the night!!

Randy Jacobs and The Boneshakers only come around Harvelle's about once a year. Tonight was the night!! Randy Jacobs is an amazing guitarist. In a club where amazing guitarists are featured several nights a week, Randy is the best of the best... knitting blankets of chik-a-chik funk and laying down blistering solos without a guitar pic. Randy isn't just a straight-up finger player - the boneshaker - hisself - uses his wrist, his palm, his digits - front and back - to play that thing! [MySpace][YouTube]

The frontman of The Boneshakers is the one and only Sweet Pea Atkinson. Sweet Pea is an O.G. soul singer who has seen it all and done it all. He doesn't sugarcoat a thing. One of the icons who's image looms high in the club, Sweet Pea also plays here as part of Was (Not Was).

Randy just released his CD The Return Of Randy Dynamite

it's available at all the usual outlets

Amazon - CD Baby - iTunes -