Category Archives: Blog Entries

Questlove Takes ‘…just visiting too’ and Passes it Around

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I REALLY planned on going to sleep last night at a decent hour (for me, that means before 1am). BUT, I just happened to be wrapping it up on Twitter at about 12:30… and saw a tweet from the brotha Questlove on my timeline that said:

meet Zo @Zo3hree5ive, your favortistist producer. the evidence?http://www.theforeignexchan…!-just_visiting_too.zip
12:40 AM Nov 4th from web

So I’m looking like, ‘Maaaaan, that’s dope! He just shouted me out along with the album…’ But then, it was brought to my attention by a friend of mine that the link he gave out was messed up and didn’t work… DAMMIT (little did I know, this was probably the best thing that could have happened). I sent him a DM (direct message on Twitter)… thanked him for the shout and provided a working link. The next thing I know, not only did he retweet it… but ended up passing the link to individuals making sure they downloaded the album and listened for themselves…

?uest sent the JV2 album link that I sent him to about 14 individuals to begin with…

And even started ‘introducing’ me to a couple of his people…

 

He apparently was hit up by a few people who wanted him to do the same for them… lol

 

Finally shutting it down…

 

A few folks responded…

 

Teedra Moses – music lovers get involved with @zo3hree5ive extremely refreshing music (MUSIC!!!!!!)

@Zo3hree5ive @questlove blessed me with ur beautiful music… just wanted 2 let u kno i luv it…

@questlove i kno im sooo L8…. but thanx 4 that refreshment u sent. GOD… that blessed my ears, heart n soul

 

Jody Watley – @questlove Downloading now. Really digging them, heavy rotation with me..I wanna do bv’s (background vocals) on next one! Thx

 

Bevy Smith – @questlove What a lovely soundtrack 2 wake up 2, thanks for hipping me (I’m 43,I can say hipping)! @Zo3hree5ive divine music, merci baby!

@questlove since you’re probably sleep or having a morning dalliance I googled Zo! He’s giving me Roy Hargrove & “Babies Making Babies” HINT

 

Rachel True – Super groovy, wanna hear more!!! why would i doubt @questlove & countless others!

Stephen Hill – @questlove || appreciate this, my MJ shirt partner!! love good listening!

 

Huge shouts to Questlove once again… He didn’t even have to do this…. but he DID.

Zo! – ‘…just visiting too’ + FULL Album Credits

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20091103-ZO

Zo!
…just visiting too
…just visiting too via Bandcamp

01. Perfect Angel featuring YahZarah
Produced by Zo!
All Instruments by Zo!
Vocals by YahZarah
Vocals Recorded and Mixed By Phonte at the Peanut Gallery, Raleigh, NC
Music Recorded and Mixed by Zo! at East Wing Studios, Silver Spring, MD

02. Nights Over Egypt featuring Carlitta Durand
Produced by Zo!
All Instruments by Zo!
Vocals by Carlitta Durand
Vocal Production by Phonte
Vocals Recorded and Mixed by Khrysis at Chopp Shopp Studios, Durham, NC
Music Recorded and Mixed by Zo! at East Wing Studios, Silver Spring, MD

03. Crazy You featuring Sy Smith
Produced by Zo!
All Instruments by Zo!
Vocals by Sy Smith
Vocals Recorded and Mixed by Grant “G-Nick” Nicholas at Rumbo Studios, Winnteka, CA
Music Recorded and Mixed by Zo! at East Wing Studios, Silver Spring, MD

04. Holding You, Loving You
Produced by Zo!
All Instruments by Zo!
Recorded and Mixed by Zo! at East Wing Studios, Silver Spring, MD

05. My Flame featuring Phonte
Produced by Zo!
All Instruments by Zo!
Lead Vocals by Phonte
Background Vocals by Carlitta Durand
Vocals Recorded and Mixed by Khrysis at Chopp Shopp Studios, Durham, NC
Music Recorded and Mixed by Zo! at East Wing Studios, Silver Spring, MD

06. Somethin’ Special featuring YahZarah
Produced by Zo!
All Instruments by Zo!
Lead Vocals by YahZarah
Background Vocals by Phonte
Handclaps and Fingersnaps by Phonte and YahZarah
Vocals Recorded and Mixed by Phonte at The Peanut Gallery, Raleigh, NC
Music Recorded and Mixed by Zo! at East Wing Studios, Silver Spring, MD

07. Highways Of My Life (Parts I & II) featuring Darien Brockington
Produced by Zo!
All Instruments by Zo!
Electric and Acoustic Guitar by Omar Hunter-El
Vocals by Darien Brockington
Backing Vocals (Part II) by Phonte
Vocals Recorded and Mixed by Darien Brockington at Chopp Shopp Studios, Durham, NC and by Phonte at The Peanut Gallery, Raleigh, NC
Music Recorded and Mixed by Zo! at East Wing Studios, Silver Spring, MD

…just visiting too: The Originals

01. Perfect Angel
Written by Stevie Wonder
Originally Performed by Minnie Riperton
From the Album “Perfect Angel” (Capitol Records, 1974)

02. Nights Over Egypt
Written by Cynthia Biggs and Dexter Wansel
Originally Performed by The Jones Girls
From the Album “Get As Much As You Can” (Philadelphia International Records, 1982)

03. Crazy You
Written and Originally Performed by Prince
From the Album “For You” (Warner Bros., 1978)

04. Holding You, Loving You
Written and Originally Performed by Don Blackman
From the Album “Blackman” (GRP Records, 1982)

05. My Flame
Written and Originally Performed by Bobby Caldwell
From the Album “What You Won’t Do For Love” (Sin-Drome, 1978)

06. Somethin’ Special
Written by Rod Temperton
Originally Performed by Quincy Jones; Lead Vocal by Patti Austin
From the Album “The Dude” (A&M, 1980)

07. Highways Of My Life (Parts I & II)
Written by Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley, Ronald Isley, O’Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley, and Chris Jasper
Originally Performed by The Isley Brothers
From the Album “3+3” (T-Neck, 1973)

Questlove Shows My 6th Period Class Some Love…

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This past Friday, I promised my students in the 6th period class that I would take my video camera in if they proved to me on Thursday that they were ready to present some music. On Thursday, we practiced and practiced some more… and they sounded GOOD. So, in keeping my word, I took the camera in the next day (mind you, when I saw them throughout the day they bugged the HELL outta me from the time I arrived until class time – “Did you bring the camera today? Did you bring it?!!?”… YES dammit! LOL). 6th period finally came, I got a good take of them introducing and performing The Roots’ joint “Break You Off” per THEIR request (how ’bout that?). I took the footage home, edited it, and put it up on YouTube Sunday night and tweeted about it. A few folks checked it out, a few others replied and gave the kids their props…

 

 

 

Sunday night, I also decided to DM a link to brother Questlove via Twitter. I figured, if he saw it and said nothing at all… At least he would appreciate what these kids wanted to play, while sounding pretty good actually playing it. Low and behold, Monday night I’m on Twitter and I read via ?uestlove tweet…

now THIS RIGHT HERE?!! is why i don’t mind 18 hour days http://bit.ly/2nOcGF thank you @zo3hree5ive

Yep, it was a link to my students’ video.

I took a screenshot of the tweet and emailed it to myself so I could show the class on Tuesday (I needed a picture because, they wouldn’t have believed me otherwise). When I saw the kids throughout the day, I kept telling them, “Make sure you’re in class today, I’ve got a surprise for y’all.”

Once the class came in, I had them gather around the computer and I asked them if they knew who ?uestlove is – half of um did…pretty good for a group of 16 and 17 year olds in my book. Once I explained that he was the drummer for The Roots (and damn near everybody else), I told them, “Well, he showed y’all some love on Twitter last night.”

Of course then the question became, “How YOU know?!”

So I double clicked the .jpg screenshot of the tweet that he put up…

 

The entire class in unison…. “OHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!……..”

In Class With Zo! (Vol. 1 – 4th Period)

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I’m now going into my 4th year as a music teacher and as soon as we got a drum set in the classroom it was like tossing two rocks in the middle of a circle of heads. These kids literally swarm to the drums… the funny thing is, they ALL play the SAME BEAT when ever they sit down on the set – a ‘bounce’ beat which is a cousin of DC’s Go-Go music. I guess it’s what the younger kats listen to… different songs, same beat…

Anyway, being that all of my students think they’re damn Dennis Chambers, I decided to have a competition between three of my students in my 4th period class… The rest is history.

Soul Power in NYC… With Phonte & Waajeed

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So since The Foreign Exchange was already in town to do the show at Merriweather Post Pavillion Saturday evening, Phonte and I decided ahead of time to go ahead and try to lock down some BoltBus tickets and roll up to New York to go and kick it with the brotha Waajeed for the day.

First on the agenda was to check out the newly released documentary Soul Power, which chronicles the 1974 mega concert that was held in Zaire, which included James Brown, Miriam Makeba, Bill Withers, The Crusaders, B.B. King, The Spinners, Celia Cruz, and many others. I’ll just say that it’s a must-see film for all musicians and music lovers. The concert footage was excellent and the way we were positioned in that tiny movie theatre, it damn near felt as if we were there – They had everything sounding so crisp… Definitely worth the time and money. I’ll be online ready to pick up the DVD when it’s released. 

Immediately following the movie, we hit up the BBQ’s spot on 23th and 8th cuz you know kats can’t get together without eating up every damn thing known to man.


The ‘Sticky Wings’ were on the menu and I was advised to take advantage. The waiter suggested I get a Hennessey Colada to wash it down with… I hesitated at first because I wanted one of their margaritas – Plus, I was kinda thinking like, ‘The hell are y’all putting Hennessey in a damn colada for anyway?’ …but I got one. The joint was actually pretty good…it came with a shot of Henney on the side too, which I happily took care of. Check the plate of waings though, licks faingers while eating å la John Witherspoon…


The BoltBus ride home was cool besides the fact that a kat came and sat in the seat next to me smelling like he had bathed in garlic butter. UGH… 

All in all… good times in NYC.

Monica Blaire Records for ‘SunStorm’…

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So I was on the way to a midnight rehearsal earlier tonight and happened to get a text message from Monica Blaire saying: “I just sent the joint!” I was on the way down to the first floor and upon arrival, I STAYED on the elevator, punched in my floor number and ventured right back up to my spot so I could open that email and retrieve this newly recorded song.

Blaire and I at our show performing with PPP in Chicago

Before I let ch’all know what I put my ears on, let me tell y’all one damn thing… Blaire is like a younger sister to me – a younger sister who happens to be talented as all hell, but you’ll never hear that from her. If you have not seen her perform live, you’re only cheating yourself…trust me. It was only right that we work together on SOMETHING soon. With all that said, I checked my inbox and listened to the joint and heard Blaire going IN on music that I composed… From what I heard, I think I just received the song that will be closing SunStorm.