Jazz, Blues + Soul

Great conversation about this video and song on IG. A blooper by the bassist, at the start, turned into a fun and energy-filled tune: Senor Blues… This tune is our most requested song. (And, this video is the most watched. Go Figure!)

Music: I get into a place when we play. Jazz — like soul or hip-hop or house — is my birthright. It is not the music of the upper class. The music was born in the spaces that feel and move like today’s underground or alternative places.

My shows explore the connection between the eras. Jazz and blues; soul and classic tunes all played with an edge that I adore+. I am child of hip-hop. But this is NOT hip-hop anything. I refuse prefixes. I also embrace my influences to allow for my emotions to be felt and heard and seen.

Mom told me to make sure people could dance or sway to music. I try.

Journey with us through jazz, blues and soul pieces. Classics. Obscure B-Sides. Original tunes. Interesting “mash-ups” that might surprise and delight you.

#SampleSaleMusic continues the tradition of re-interpretation — by further spinning songs into new art and new experiences.

A sensual re-imagining of the classic. Calloway was the template but we tried to give it a bravado and vulnerable approach.

#SampleSaleMusic can also be a party with a band.

The fun journey is co-piloted by a DJ and multi-piece band. The DJ and band will play off each other. The DJ leads the way with the band playing with the tunes; taking over a tune, to play it live; the band and the DJ going tune for tune.

We craft shows that execute the musical and cultural legacy of modern music. The obvious influence of jazz and soul on Common, Lauryn Hill & Mos Def. Bad Boy and The Roc pushing edgy and exciting R&B, Soul & Funk. The West Coast & GFunk traditions the slide us from Stax to P-Funk.

We build vibes

And original music, too. Like the tune below, Tiger Eye – Dezron Douglas + Tai Allen

Our ability to play MUSIC is our advantage. It is our birthright. Jazz and blues are our foundations. Soul is found in the cells. And, hip-hop is our childhood. We play music out of ove.

Places we have rocked, with love: Brooklyn Museum (First Saturdays) | BAMCafe – Brooklyn | Art of Cool – Durham, NC | Miller Theater – Columbia Univ | Beyu Caffe – NC | The Nash – Arizona | Lincoln Center Atrium – NYC | American Jazz Museum – KC | Charles Wright Museum – Detroit | Apollo Theater – Music Cafe/SoundStage | Clement’s Place – NJ/Rutgers Univ | The Nile River – Springfield, MA | Nublu – NYC | The B-Side – Miami | SoHo House – NYC | Vocab – Indianapolis | and more…

The above… Sarah Vaughn’s Black Coffee over Tribe’s Electric Relaxation that used Ronnie Foster’s version of Mystic Brew

And, we like to educate our people with our workshops: The Sample Sale Workshop is a group conversation of (1) the influences of jazz, soul and classic samples; (2) a dive into the future of the culture — gender, styles, equity, control & MUSIC. No story can be only old tales and foggy memories!

And, (3) we bring to life a story that is local and important to the first fifty years. All are welcome but we wish for options with schools and youth organizations.

– UConn | New Jersey City University | UNC- Chapel Hill | New York City High Schools | NC Climate Conference | Mariners – Detroit | and more

Oh, I am a published, awarded, book having, agent repped poet. Well the poetry comes after the second chorus… #ShamelessPlug

We craft shows that execute the musical and cultural legacy of modern music.

– The obvious influence of jazz and soul on Common, Lauryn Hill & Mos Def
– Bad Boy vs The Roc using edgy R&B, Soul & Funk
– West Coast & GFunk traditions that took us from Stax to P-Funk to vocoders

We want folks to moooove. Jazz, according to my momma, is also about moving feet and butts. This leads to a chair dance or a foot-slide across the floor; on the grass; atop the wide stage; gravel for a block party; or, inside a dim lit club.

The song below was fun to create!

Livelying UP Lady Day & Coltrane — love my bandmates

The team looks forward to talking to you about the future now and classic today of music.

(e) – tai@vicelounge.com

Bonus…And this one inspired someone to sing with us as the song ended. WINNING!