Results tagged “theroots”

While surely everyone has let Michael Jackson cross their mind over the last few years, who actually still thinks of him as something capable of performing music? Well, for those who forgot, The King of Pop is making a comeback...to solidify his retirement. He will take the stage once again in London for the first time in over a decade before closing the book on his performing career "forever." Expectations are surely to be mixed, and details are still sparse, but organizers insist Jackson is in good enough physical health to sing and dance once more. The Family Residence Essential Enterprise (FREE), who are one of NY's largest local special needs organizations, are hoping MJ reaches out to them during rehearsal for the big shows. The group, despite their physical obstacles, have re-created the original "Thriller" video over 100 times, and would love to give Jackson a refresher course on how to make it all work. They hope that Jackson's continued commitment to charity organizations will have him take notice.

So, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Aside from the mannerisms we loved to hate when he was on SNL (talking too fast, constant fidgeting, laughing at his own jokes), how did he do on his first night filling Conan's big shoes? If you made it through the "Lick it for Ten" game, in which Our Host brings up three audience members to lick sponsor products for ten bucks, then you may have seen that the kid did alright! Yes expectations were low, but the general consensus is that Fallon is going to do his job well. You can watch the full episode here.

Jimmy Fallon talked with us this afternoon about his foray into Late Night which, believe it or not, is less than two weeks away. We were wondering how he was able to get his show up and running with its premiere coming a mere week after Conan goes off the air (his final Late Night in New York is tomorrow night). Fallon told us that he won't be moving into Conan's digs at Studio 6A inside 30 Rock, but rather into 6B, home until recently of WNBC 4 New York—or as Fallon put it, house of "the great Chuck Scarborough and Sue Simmons" (not to mention Matt Lauer and Ira Joe Fisher).

As Jimmy Fallon prepares for his Late Night close-up, house band The Roots are frantically writing hundreds of original songs to play on the show because NBC is refusing to pay music licensing fees. The group has 12 days til they take over the airwaves, and drummer ?uestlove told Rolling Stone that of the 200 songs they are attempting to pen, "we've written about 55 so far." In the same interview he tells the magazine that the entire band is "commuting via tour bus every morning at 8 am" from Philly. So it's safe to assume none of their 200 new jingles have to do with leaving a giant carbon footprint on the environment. Unless they use a biodiesel tour bus?

Jimmy Fallon is easing his way on to America's televisions, where he'll eventually land next year when he takes over hosting duties for Conan O'Brien. Until then, he's on the internet. Yesterday the former SNL cast member put up his first "blog, or vlog, if you wanna use that word" which, as Gawker points out, had a 1:36 runtime which "was far short of the 5 minute target." During that short time he announced that The Roots will be his house band, and he'll officially be taking over Studio 6B come March 2nd. In the meantime, more Jimmy is promised each night at 12:30 a.m., to be delivered right here.

The legendary hip-hop group The Roots have been well-respected for so long that they can provide instant credibility to whomever they work with. But that might prove to be a little easier when they were the house band for Jay-Z than it will be next to new Late Night host Jimmy Fallon. Various sources are reporting that Roots leader ?uestlove said in a radio interview over the weekend that they will be the house band for Fallon when he takes over for Conan O'Brien next year. That would make The Roots the first hip-hop band in the studio nightly alongside a major talk show host. Conan has gotten America to accept a man named La Bamba into their hearts--can Jimmy do the same for one known as "Black Thought"? TBD

ART: "Drawing Art and Politics" seems like a fitting event to have on the calendar today. "Spend an evening with New York’s renowned graphic artists Jules Feiffer, David Levine, Stan Mack, and Edward Sorel, as they examine the ways in which complex social and political issues are depicted by artists in today’s media. Jules Feiffer will moderate a discussion that explores the roots of political art and social realism in the context of John Sloan’s early 20th-century illustrations of New Yorkers engaging in routine pastimes and pleasures. Presented in conjunction with John Sloan’s New York." More info here.

THEATER: We saw Fiona Shaw in Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days on Saturday and highly recommend it. Shaw is mesmerizing in her performance as Winnie, crystallizing in her 90-minute virtuoso performance all the desperation, self-delusion and absurdity of an entire lifetime. (Her little-seen costar Tim Potter is also a hoot as Willie.) The production is as bitterly funny as it is affecting, and, as a metaphor, the blasted landscape that devours Winnie is as potent as it was in 1960, when the play was written. In our interview with Fiona Shaw she mentioned talk of a Broadway transfer, but don't take any chances; see it at BAM before it closes on February 2nd. – John Del Signore

Last night we sent photographer Raymond Haddad to the I'm Not There concert at Beacon Theater. Calexico, The Roots, My Morning Jacket, J Mascis, Yo La Tengo, Mason Jennings, Joe Henry, Mark Lanegan, Lee Ranaldo & the Million Dollar Bashers and many more were on hand to celebrate the soundtrack, the film and of course Bob Dylan himself (who, in fact, was not there). The soundtrack is a double-discer that's been getting praise from...

There's so much going on across the Ist-a-Verse that it's almost impossible to keep track these days. Fortunately, we do it so you don't have to!

In the Seinfeld episode "The Fire", Jerry is furious at a woman Kramer brings to a performance, who heckles him incessantly during his act. Her words succinctly describe the ethos of the heckler: "Well, that's the way I express myself. How are you gonna make it in this business if you can't take it?"

What's a Saturday morning without Saturday Morning Cartoons?! Okay, so maybe you haven't watched them in a while, but MoCCA has just brought them back for you. They're celebrating the art from some of shows that have aired over the 24 years of Saturday Morning’s “Golden Age”. There's also something about looking at the roots of television animation in the 1940s and 1950s and how the medium has changed since 1990...but what we really care about is SMURF VILLAGE! Yes, a real life sized replica of Smurf Village is currently sitting within the space of MoCCA. So pour yourself a nice bowl of sugary cereal and get on over there. The opening reception is tonight from 8 to 11pm.

Ah, the imperfect glory of colorful, divisive beets - so despised by some yet deemed utterly delicious by others. Few foods have such ardent fans and eaters willing to express their distain. In which camp do you sit? If you are the latter and it is based on an earlier canned experience, we now implore you to give them another try.

Sofia Quintero, Author, Divas Don't Yield, Activist, Co-Founder, Chica Luna

Can't you just feel the Oscar buzz in the air? The jangling of borrowed jewels and the buzzing of nominees nerves is like a cacophony even on this coast. Gothamist is excitedly anticipating the telecast like June Carter Cash before a duet with Johnny. In the meantime though, there are movies to be watched.

The Crooners, Old-Timey Musicians

Fairway is carrying a variety of greenhouse grown lettuce with roots still attached. The "butter lettuce" comes in a see-through container, so you can actually see the roots and the quality of the lettuce inside. Gothamist has seen this before with delicate lettuces like mache, but a whole head of lettuce with roots was a first for us. After bringing it home and making a salad with it, it was very fresh and convenient to use, as you could just rip off the lettuce you need and let the rest of the leaves stay in their roots. Gothamist wasn't sure it tasted any fresher than a regular head of lettuce, but it seems like it will last longer than bagged, loose lettuce leaves.

Recently Gothamist saw a little ad hidden away giving a web address and hinting toward free secret shows. This ad being in a print publication we were unable to click on it and thus had to remember the URL until we were sitting in front of a computer. We remembered, because we are poor and like music.

Hip-Hop dominates this week with at least three recommended shows. Some of the best acts in indie hip-hop play Irving Plaza tonight (Monday). It’s one of the only stops on the Stone Throw Records Tour featuring Madlib, M.E.D, Peanut Butter Wolf, and J-Rocc. On Tuesday Madlib and M.E.D. will also perform for free at Fat Beats. [Listen to some music Madlib put out on Blue Note.] Last year Madlib joined MF DOOM to release a highly acclaimed album as Madvillain. MF DOOM joins the not-very-indie De La Soul and The Roots on Summerstage Tuesday night for a benefit to save the Rhinos. Alternatively, Jean Grae (another indie favorite) joins Killah Priest from Wu-Tang Tuesday night at SOB's. [Listen to Jean at her website.] Wednesday the "Best Damn Rap Tour" with J-Live, Vast Aire, and C-Rayz Walz are at Northsix. Thursday 50's enemy Ja Rule plays BB Kings.

There’s been much debate about Old World vs. New World wines - which wines are better, the role of tradition, the opportunity for scientific advancements – Gothamist could go on forever, but we will not. To us it’s not a choice and either style can be fabulous based on what we are looking for at any moment in time. What interests us is the back story, the untold story of how the two worlds came together to save wine as we know it today (insert overture to “West Side Story” here).

There's something we left off of our Sell Outs list, because it deserves its very own post.

Bob McKee, Local Music Now