Please join us on release day, Friday, July 8, 2022 at Flamingo Cantina for our album release party for our new release: Perfect Friends. We’ll be performing the full album and maybe a few others with two sets and DJ Jah Bill keeping the vibes up starting from 9:00pm.
Pre-sale tickets are “2 for 1” and available now through Eventbrite.
Thank YOU for supporting all of these incredible musicians!
Big huge thanks to General Smiley for having us mix his new single, Hard Working People. His song is on the classic Full Up Riddim also known as the infamous Kutchie Riddim (Mighty Diamonds, etc.) from Studio 1.
AUSTIN SAXOPHONE PLAYER MARK WILSON RELEASES NEW INSTRUMENTAL REGGAE SINGLE RUDIE’S DREAM.
(AUSTIN, TEXAS – MAY 20, 2022; source: Music For Life)
Austin-based record label, Music For Life releases a new instrumental reggae single: RUDIE’S DREAM by Mark Wilson. This is another single from the forthcoming Music For Life release, Perfect Friends coming in July 2022.
DJ RJ has been a huge fan of instrumentals all his life and especially Dean Fraser’s many recordings over the years over many different versions and dubs. RJ’s idea for the track when he first spoke to Mark was something cool and smooth to enjoy while one might be out by the water relaxing.
What is it about a song that can create magic while not using words? We know in reggae music that “vibes” has a lot to do with whether a song will be received well by the listener. We hope you enjoy the vibes in Rudie’s Dream.
Mark had this to say about Rudie’s Dream:
When RJ and I started putting a melody on this rhythm track, we started with tenor saxophone and added flute, baritone saxophone and finished with Daniel “Tiger” Anaya on trumpet and Christoper “Zumbi” Richards on trombone—giving this song a 5-piece horn section.
My daughter, Jas Wilson did the artwork, a gifted young artist who recently graduated from college. Her art really captures the positive vibe of this track.
RJ and I started playing music together in the late 80s and have shared many adventures together on the road playing reggae shows and recording with Tribal Nation, Irie Jane, Urban Roots, Vida Deluxe, and 5 Ton Chicken. This is our second collaboration together.
ABOUT MARK WILSON
Since 1985, Mark Wilson has been performing in Austin with a lot of success. Some of the reggae bands he’s played with are The Killer Bees, Tribal Nation, and Contra Coup. He also recorded and toured internationally with Burning Spear for 6 years. Mark can be heard on the following Burning Spear albums: Jah Kingdom, The World Should Know, Love And Peace, Rasta Business.
Currently, he is a member of the Mau Mau Chaplains who have been playing their Wednesday residency at Austin’s reggae home, Flamingo Cantina for over 13 years. Mark is also a member of Shinyribs with The Tijuana Trainwreck Horns. In 2018, Shinyribs won Best Austin Band AND Album Of The Year from the Austin Chronicle; they also had the privilege of performing on PBS’ program Austin City Limits.
ABOUT MUSIC FOR LIFE
Music For Life is run by engineer/producer and Austin radio disc jockey, @DJRJ. His bi-weekly radio program, Reggae Evolution, has been on the air on KAZI 88.7 FM since 1989 and he has been performing in Austin’s reggae scene since 1987.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Mark Wilson: baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute
Daniel “Tiger” Anaya: trumpet
Christoper “Zumbi” Richards: trombone
R.J. Johnson: keyboards and drum programming, recording/mixing engineer
Gordon Mulrain: bass guitar
Marc Schaefgen: electric guitar
Michael Franklin: electric guitar
Mario Vela: percussion
Jas Wilson: art
Fumi Sugawara: graphic design
Chris Fischer: mastering
Zojak Worldwide: digital distribution
Thank you for supporting our works!
MEDIA NOTE
For general inquiries about this project, please contact Reggaewerx PR: Jennifer Cheshire
619 820 0782
reggaewerx@reggaewerx.com
Big thanks and respek to South Florida Caribbean News for covering the new single from Phillipidon, Time With You. We’re honored to be featured on this website that is a staple of Florida’s Caribbean community.
You can listen below:
Big thanks to the folks over at Jamaicans.com for helping us promote Tom Robinson’s new single, Afrotheria.
Friday, May 6, 2022
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
R.J. Johnson djrj@music4lifemedia.com
512 297 3575
PHILLIPIDON RELEASES A NEW REGGAE SINGLE, TIME WITH YOU
(AUSTIN, TEXAS – MAY 6, 2022; source: Music For Life) – Austin-based record label, Music For Life along with Phillipidon release a new “Lovers Rock” reggae single: Time With You.
In February of 2020, Philip came up to Austin to Music For Life and started working on this track with DJ RJ. It flowed out of Philip with no effort in one take and they went back and had to edit just a few things to finish it. From there they started to finish the rest of the track. Alan Moe Monsarrat from the Mau Mau Chaplains laid down a rock solid bassline—perfect for a Lovers Rock dance session. Jeremy Carlson from Lion Heights added some smooth keyboards to the track and a whole crew of vocalists on backgrounds, Kim Pollini, Jessica Sanchez, DJRJ and Marc Schaefgen. Guitars were covered by Marc Schaefgen and Steve Carter. DJ RJ added some harmonies on the DJ part at the end that came out real sweet and mixed it down for final delivery. This is a single from the forthcoming compilation album Perfect Friends coming later this year on the Music For Life label.
Phillipidon had this to say about the song:
“Time with You”, is a song that was created as a heartfelt plea from me to be with the woman that I love. I appeal to her to stay and to not walk away, although at this particular time we are going through some difficulties; having no doubts in my mind that the love that we share will only grow.
ABOUT PHILLIPIDON:
Philip White aka Phillipidon was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He is known for his gravelly-gruff voice, interlacing iconoclastic interjections, and weaving wanton mayhem amongst audiences with his impromptu outbursts during live performances. When he is not doing music, he is a college professor teaching anatomy, biology, and physiology at Houston Community College.
ABOUT MUSIC FOR LIFE:
Music For Life is run by producer/engineer and Austin radio DJ, @DJRJ. His bi-weekly radio program, Reggae Evolution, is on the air on KAZI 88.7 FM (2nd & 4th Tuesdays, from 9 to midnight), focusing on Roots & Culture from now back to the 50s. His passion for reggae music includes building Riddims, writing and mixing and helping people get their projects done.
TRACK LIST:
PRODUCTION CREDITS:
Philip White / Phillipidon: vocals and lyrics
R.J. Johnson: keyboards, drum programming, recording/mixing engineer
Alan Moe Monsarrat: bass guitar
Marc Schaefgen: electric guitar, background vocals
Steve Carter: electric guitar
Jeremy Carlson: keyboards, keyboard solo
Jessica Sanchez: background vocals
Kim Pollini: background vocals
Mario Vela: tambourine
Chris Fischer: mastering
Graphic Design: Fumi Sugawara
Distribution by Zojak Worldwide
Thank you for supporting our work!
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MEDIA NOTE:
For general inquiries about this project, please contact RJ Johnson:
RJ Johnson
512 297 3575
This is going to be a great festival this year. Hope you can make it out.
More info on their website: http://www.austinreggaefest.com
March 25, 2022
For Immediate Release
Media Contact: R.J. Johnson djrj@music4lifemedia.com 512 297 3575
(AUSTIN, TEXAS – MARCH 25, 2022; source: Music For Life) – Saxophonist Tom Robinson releases reggae single with Austin-based record label, Music For Life: AFROTHERIA.
As musicians, we are always open and looking for ideas for new songs. An inspirational thought or hook can pop into our head when we least expect it. In August of 2019, DJ RJ was at the grocery store in Austin picking up a few items and heard a simple bassline in his head. He quickly sung it into the voice-memo app on his phone to get back to later. RJ developed the idea into a “Riddim” (rhythm track) and invited Tom to collaborate with him on the track as an instrumental. We created lead voicelines, and a melody for the chorus, using Tom’s arsenal of saxophones (alto, baritone, soprano and tenor). After listening to the initial recording, Tom said: “the track sounds like elephants parading across the landscape.”
Afrotheria (from Latin Afro- “of Africa” + theria “wild beast”) is a clade of mammals, the living members of which belong to groups that are either currently living in Africa or of African origin: golden moles, elephant shrews (also known as sengis), tenrecs, aardvarks, hyraxes, elephants, sea cows, and several extinct clades. (from Wikipedia)
Tom and his girlfriend recently adopted a baby elephant and rhino through the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust located in Nairobi, Kenya and Tom will donate part of the CD sales to them.
We are hopeful that this song will help raise awareness to the state of African wildlife and help efforts to protect their habitat and their continuing existence.
ABOUT TOM ROBINSON:
Texas native saxophonist, Tom Robinson, began playing trumpet at age 10 in the San Francisco Bay area. Upon returning to Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1970, at age 15, he discovered the saxophone. The move to Austin in 1981, at age 26, opened many musical doors to perform, record and travel. Today residing in Austin, the release of the single, Afrotheria marks his first solo effort.
RJ Johnson adds:
Tom and I started playing music together in 1989 in Root 1. We have shared many adventures together on the road doing gigs and recording. I’ve heard him blow many solos on saxophone over the years. This is our first collaboration together with him and I’m so pleased to present his first reggae single.
I’m a huge fan of instrumental music and I’m very excited to bring this one out to the people especially for all of the awareness that it will raise for this group of mammals. I believe it’s our responsibility to honor and protect Creation including our non-human brothers and sisters.
ABOUT MUSIC FOR LIFE:
is run by producer and Austin radio DJ, @DJRJ. His bi-weekly radio program, Reggae Evolution, has been on the air on KAZI 88.7 FM since 1989 on Tuesday nights and he has been performing in Austin’s reggae scene since 1987 with many different bands.
PRODUCTION CREDITS:
Tom Robinson: alto, baritone, tenor and soprano saxophones
R.J. Johnson: keyboards and drum programming, recording engineer
Gordon Mulrain: bass guitar
Marc Schaefgen: electric guitar
James Fenner: Percussion
Ras G.: PercussionFumi Sugawara: Graphic Design
Chris Fischer: Mastering
Steven Stanley: final mix, backing vocal
Distribution by Zojak Worldwide
TRACK LISTING:
1 – Afrotheria
2 – Afrotheria (Sax Dub)
3 – Afrotheria (Dub)
Thank you for supporting our work!
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