Thursday, January 8, 2009

Pickster One - Live in Paris


As i had said in the previous post, the excitement of UM's newest endeavor "Downtime: a Night at The Lost Leaf with Pickster One" has completely engulfed our camp. Remember in the film "The Shining" how jack had been sitting at his desk typing the same words over and over.“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” The word "Downtime" has about the same frequency in our lives at this time, we just don't use typewriters anymore. Or show any signs of going mad with an axe anytime soon for that matter. Either way it's at the forefront of our minds and soon after you experience your first Tuesday night at The Lost Leaf I'm sure it'll be at the forefront of yours as well. However, as an American male living in this ad driven technological age I certainly know the value of a little prompting and coaxing. So let's say for some odd reason you've missed the constant communicative bombardment of promotional bulletins, comments, and updates being laid out for you every time you log onto your social network of choice. Let's say you haven't received enough flyer's for Downtime to make a paper mache battleship out of yet. Let us say, my friends, that you're just simply not 100% convinced that all work and no play will in fact make you a dull boy, or girl if that's what you are. Let us both pretend any or all of that is true and you need just a little more prompting. A bit more coaxing to come out next Tuesday. Then let me coax you with Pickster One's live instrumental mix recorded in Paris, France on Campus Radio 93.9 FM. You'll need no more my friend. This intricate mix is just a sketch of what you can expect from Downtime every other Tuesday at The Lost Leaf in Downtown Phoenix. This Pickster One mixture is one so involved that it sucks you into it's various moods over the course of the 46 tracks contained. I suggest listening to it while waiting for the first rail of the day to take you home after a night downtown at The Leaf with the clouds hanging low in the Phoenix sky. Or just anywhere else you may have a stereo i suppose. You'll be impressed either way. Enjoy.

Download: Pickster One Live in Paris, France







Bonus!
Since I included a very gratuitous Kubrick film reference
I figured I had better link to a scene.
Click the quote.




Wednesday, January 7, 2009

DOWNTIME - A NIGHT AT THE LOST LEAF WITH PICKSTER ONE AND FRIENDS


It seems that with each new year there is usually a noticeable amount of change in the air. Whether or not the previous 365 days lived up to expectations or beyond, the new year always seems to beckon a feeling that something big is on the horizon. This inevitably brings excitement, similar to the feeling of excitement upon receiving a big box of the most comfortable socks on earth. Well we here at Universatile Music did in fact feel the excitement of comfy new socks both literally, thanks to a big box of scion socks which are extremely comfy for some odd reason, and metaphorically in part because of our excitement about our first project of the new year...

UNIVERSATILE MUSIC PRESENTS:DOWNTIME


We've figured that over the course of the weekend, which we all know as Americans starts on Thursdays, you've indulged in constant over stimulation in some form or another to the point of melt down just before Monday creeps back around. So what do you do once you've made it through your mundane monday? Well I'll tell you. You put on your comfy socks to pad the blisters you got from dancing the past weekend and you get down to The Lost Leaf in beautiful Downtown Phoenix for a chill night of music, art, and drink with resident Downtime selector Pickster One of UM, Crusher Sound System, Blunt Club, Drunken Immortals, and TPMD fame playing Downtempo, Funk, Glitch, Jazz, Experimental, and Hip-Hop.

Now although Pickster himself promises that there's going to be "a relaxing vibe" in the air where you'll be able to have a conversation with the prettiest girl in the bar and save the grinding and yelling for later, you can expect things to get interesting when you throw live musicians into the equation. Being it that The Lost Leaf is a favorite hang out for many locally and nationally accomplished musicians, including the owner and staff, you can expect to find the best of the best joining forces with Pickster Uno every other tuesday. January 13th, our very first night, we've got Scott White of Crusher Sound System, Drunken Immortals, and The Threads playing various percussion and samplers. (and playing them very very well i might add)(very)

But wait, there's more. As I said this particular bar is a haven for talented musicians and artists alike. So it seems only right to include a man who's paintings you'll find on the walls. A man who you might find behind the bar some nights. And a man you'll find playing the acoustic upright bass with local jazz outfit Sonorus the rest of those nights. That man my friends is Mr. Tato Caraveo on the bass and any other stringed instrument he decides to strum, pluck, or bow. Yo.

Now I could go on about how to expect other guest musicians to take part in this event, but instead i'll change the subject. Lets talk about relaxation. Relaxation is a necessity in life, simple and plain. Collectively, we at both Universatile Music and The Lost Leaf feel that just like any necessity in life, relaxation should be free. That's why you'll never be charged a cover to come into Downtime at The Lost Leaf. That's right NO COVER for man and woman alike. As far as the relaxation supplements are concerned, The Leaf has an immense selection of beers from around the globe and back. If it's your first time, don't be shy, ask for a menu because it's easy to experience beer envy when you see someone drinking your favorite beer that you neglected to find at first glance. I should also add that there's no better way to justify drinking for your health then ordering a glass of wine or four off their equally impressive wine list. If the all the Sake, IPA's, and Pale Ales are too much for you, just stick with the good ol union made standards like PBR and Schlitz as you unwind before the onslaught of the rest of your week. Besides what could better prepare you for an onslaught than a strong beer.

The Lost Leaf is located in downtown Phoenix in heart of the art district on 5th Street just South of Roosevelt. I tell you this not because i don't think you're smart enough to see the address on the large flyer i posted above, but because i figure the extra directions might be needed seeing as how this particular bar only has an open sign in one front window of what looks like and in fact is a converted old house. Which is why I also tell you that if you click the link above you'll find a map. Now with all that knowledge, we're sure you won't have trouble finding your way to the very first DOWNTIME: A NIGHT AT THE LOST LEAF WITH PICKSTER ONE.

See you there Tuesday, January 13th. We'll all be wearing our comfy socks.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

The Insects feat. Pep Love - Switch


Once in awhile a track will come along that stops a person where they stand. Usually in these situations the halt in activity is almost immediately followed by the scrunching of ones face, sort of like they smell poo, then the nodding of ones head repeatedly. Recently my man Foundation, of Drunken Immortals and The Insects fame, gave me a few of his new mixtapes that he had left over from a recent tour of Europe with (fellow Vinyl Rocker) Pickster One and 2mex. So as I was preparing a set of CDJ's a few nights later for the Wu Tang Clan's sound check, Pickster and I decided to pop them in for check. Well here's where it all ties in. After a few dry mic checks it came time to check the mic's with some music behind them. As soon as the music, which just happened to be the The Insects' track "Switch" from the upcoming album Gone started, heads turned, noses wrinkled, and heads began nodding in unison. Sometime after that Pep Love's voice came in with the first lines of the song and all around it looked like the imaginary shit smell heightened as the heads started banging so hard that i'm sure some cats needed to see a "massage therapist" later that night. Bottom line is, if Wu's camp is feeling it, I know each and every one of you will be getting massages soon from excessive head nodding. Keep an eye out for Foundation's upcoming mixtape release party and The Insects upcoming release Gone.

DOWNLOAD HERE:

The Insects (feat. Pep Love of the Hieroglyphics) - Switch


Bonus!
Try clicking the 2mex link for the infamous "Euef Dur Challenge" video from the 808 and Handshakes Tour of Europe last summer.
2mex+Pickster One+Foundation+
Sweaty Eggs = Fucking Hillarious!