Kama Linden: A Testament To Positivity

Kama Linden is the embodiment of positive energy. I stumbled across her recently on MySpace and her infectious music immediately commanded my attention. Upon further investigation, I soon discovered that I was about to uncover a shining gem in this bleak music industry.

Kama began recording in 2000 for her debut release entitled "Uninhibited", which was released in the summer of 2004. Her overseas market quickly embraced her and her music, especially in Australia and the UK. A constant barrage of live performances has also helped to showcase her talents to an inviting public.

Her second CD entitled "Better Late Than never" was released in June of 2008 and the media machine got cranked up again. Touring the states and overseas again helped to showcase her talents on a live audience who could see that this young lady is extremely talented and not just a manufactured artist. I asked her how the new CD compared to her first effort? "I think it is much better and more autobiographical. This one took less time to make yet it has a story from beginning to end."

Kama, whose influences include Pink and Melissa Etheridge, describes her sound as ambitious, enthusiastic and intuitive. She can be somewhat of a camillion when it comes to pinpointing her sound. Her new CD has standout rock tracks such as my fav "If Looks Could Kill" and "Drink" to dance songs such as "Been There, Done That" and the title track. She then pulls the rug out from under your feet with a touching ballad entitled "You've Forgotten Me".

Kama is also a skilled yoga instructor. "Sometimes what starts out as your survival job becomes your other life. My idea is that people have been taught by yoga instructors how they need to look and they end up getting hurt. 90 degree feet, head through arms to look at the belly button, take your foot in pigeon and yank it sideways so you can tear your meniscus. I teach people how to use neutral spine, their own turn out and flexibility," stated Kama.

After doing a little research on Kama, I noticed that the term "angrychik" seemed to pop up alot. Is there a story behind this term? "Yes....women with an opinion are considered bitches. How dare you say what you feel, not just wait for your Mrs. degree, get ahead in business and in life. Think Alanis...with a plan."

One last question for you Kama. I am curious to hear your answer to this one. If you were stranded on a desert island with only one store bought CD, what would you want to have there with you? "It would be a tossup between Pink's 'Funhouse' and Evanescence 'The Open Door."

If you like your music upbeat and positive, then I suggest checking Kama out. Her CD is diverse and the styles switch up quicker than you can keep up with. She will always keep you guessing. One constant throughout all of her styles is a message of positivity and hope. Give her a chance and check her out at www.myspace.com/kamalinden or at www.kamalinden.com. With all of the bad news that we seem to see and hear from our various media outlets each day, Kama and her music are a welcome relief.

Blake Lewis Marches To The Beatbox Of A Different Drummer

It's funny how millions dream of auditioning for American Idol. Season 6 runner up Blake Lewis wasn't even going to audition because he did not find the show very appealing. A friend suggested to him to audition and he did so with a beatbox version of Seal's "Crazy" and then did an offscreen version of Maroon 5 "Sunday Morning" and wowed the judges.

Blakes's originality and his beat box skills were a breath of fresh air to the shows rather formulated and calculated format.His version of Bon Jovi's "You Give Love A Bad Name" showcased his gift for taking an classic tune and reworking it into a new, revitalized version. Bon Jovi, who was their mentor the week he did the song, said that Blake was quote "rolling the dice" on his risky performance. It was a risk that payed off as he floored the judges and the viewing audience alike.

Blake was runner up that season to winner Jordan Sparks and he began to work on his debut Cd release. He already had many songs ready for the Cd even before the season had ended. He was signed to Arista and released his debut entitled "A.D.D. Audio Day Dream" in December 2007. The bad news was that he was dropped just 6 months later in June of 2008. I asked Blake about the reasons behind the split. "I think I got a bum rap. I didn't have as much creative control over the Cd as I had wished. I love to produce and I probably did 50% to 70% of my debut, but i think it was just the wrong label to sign with."

The Cd is a mix of Blake's diversity. It seems to have an 80s vibes to it, along with funk, techno and dance. The Cd begins with a track called "Silence is Golden" and concludes with another entitled "But I Choose Noise." The surprising part is that there is not alot of beat boxing on it, his signature style that got him noticed on Idol. One of the stand out tracks is called "Know My Name" which is about a crush of his on Natalie Portman.

I asked Blake how he felt about all of the changes in the music industry and if they were a part of the early release from his contract like alot of other Idol contestants. " I think that I-tunes has ruined the industry. Whoever came up with the concept of I-tunes obviously has never been a musician who had to promote their own shows and make their own fliers and stuff like that. The price point is too low on each song. The artist does not make alot off of each Cd that is sold. They should have set it a little higher. The whole downloading aspect has taken the human element out of it. The little indie stores are becoming a things of the past and I hate that. I miss going into record stores and looking through bins of music."

"I really love creating new music and pushing the envelope. On Idol, I was thankful to be able to experiment and show that to so many people at one time, but they were controlling. I wasn't allowed to do as much creative arranging as I would have liked to. I love being out on the road and touring. It is alot of hard work. I like to stay after the shows and see all of the fans that stick around. I usually get on my bus afterwards and work on my Facebook or MySpace pages. It takes a while for me to unwind and I usually watch one or two movies before I go to sleep. I'm a big movie buff," stated Blake.

Blake has been writing a ton of material and actually has enough for two otr three Cd's. He is shooting for a March or April of 2009 release for his next cd. he recently did a cover of A Flock Of Seagulls "I Ran" which raced up the I-tunes chart to number 4. Blake seems to harbor a little bit of resentment towards the industry. He is such a creative person with so much passion towards to creations, it is easy to see why he gets frustrated with the industry trying to control him. It's like an artist creating a picture on canvas and someone coming by and saying it needs more yellow or you have too much red. Music is art and Blake is a very talented and gifted artist. I hope the industry with all of its regulation does not snuff out his creative fire or discourage him.

KC and The Sunshine Band 35 years and still going!!

Who would have thought that way back in 1973, that a funky little white boy who knew how to shake his booty would still be thrilling the crowds some 35 years later? I'm talking about none other than KC of KC and The Sunshine Band. The band is currently on tour and celebrating their 35th anniversary. Wow, it takes a special talent to be able to maintain a career for that long. I was fortunate enough to talk to KC by phone before their performance in High Point,NC on October 20.
I asked KC what the secret was to be going strong after 35 years. "There's no magic answer man, I guess it's because I just love what I'm doing. I have fun each and every night up there on stage. Even after all of these years," said KC. He is definitely a rare breed in celebrating his 35th anniversary this year. On a personal note, I told KC that he shared the same anniversary with my idols KISS.
"Yeah, today's industry is definitely different. What with the internet and downloading and all. It has some good points to it, but I miss the old days when you bought albums. You had a piece of art in your hands with the lyrics on the jacket sleeve and everything. Now, everything is just so tiny. Also, the internet definitely has made music less personable. You lose that touch when you go viral," KC responded when asked about how the industry has changed.
His music, to me, seems to transcend time and it takes you back to a place when you hear it. Each song seems to provoke memories when you hear them again. I told of my 8th grade dance waiting for the dj to play "Please Don't Go" so that I could ask this girl in my class, with whom I had a mad crush on, to dance. By the way, he played the song and I did get that dance and a kiss. That's what I love about music; how it can evoke such strong emotions and memories when you hear a particular song.
My last question was the one that I always ask anyone that i interview. If you were on a desert island with only one cd, which one would you want it to be? "Wow, that's really a tough question. I really don't know. Wait, I'd probably have my Ipod, but I guess if i had to pick just one, it would be our greatest hits cd," said KC.
Our phone conversation was short and to the point, but he really is a funny guy. So, our next stop was to High Point,NC to his show. He had a 14 band that night and the energy was non-stop. He had 4 dancers and KC did alot of dancing himself. he had almost as many costume changes as Cher or Diana Ross! After the first song he asked if there were any young people in the crowd and there were. He said that in case anyone was wondering, he was your mama's N-Sync. He said that he was what Justin Timberlake was going to look like in 30 years. The crowd just ate it up.
The band was really tight and his percussion section was amazing. His back-up dancers were constantly changing clothes and tearing up the stage with KC all night. He performed all of his hits including "Please Don't Go", "Boogie Shoes" and a surprise performance of "Yes I'm ready", which was originally a duet with Teri Desario.
The band also did several older r&b hits including "Brick House" by the Commodores, "Shake Your Body" by the Jacksons and "Lowrider" by War. It was a high energy show from beginning to end. You can definitely see why he has been going strong for 35 years. He is an awesome performer and musician. I had always heard how good of a show that he put on, but seeing is believing!
The problem with the music industry today is that there are less people like KC in it. Most of today's artists are here today, gone today. There is just no staying power. It seems as if you have to be the next "flavor of the week" to get airplay. KC is a rare breed. He is a singer, songwriter, producer, musician and singer. He wears many hats in an industry where most of today's music is cranked out and manufactured. The industry needs more people in it like KC, whether they shake their booties or not.