The last night at LA's Temple Bar

I have good news and bad news.

The bad news is that the Temple Bar in Los Angeles is closing. Sadness. I had only been to the Temple Bar a few times since moving to Los Angeles and it was always a beacon of soul. People kept telling me that my former band should play there and it was one of those things where you find yourself saying “yeah, yeah, great idea, one of these days we’ll make it happen.” Life is short my friends, and it moves by quickly. ACT NOW. (Btw, whenever I give that advice I have to take the temperature on my own life. Do I have studio time scheduled in the near future??? Yes, phew, ok, now I can preach. :)

Now for the good news. My bass teacher invited me to the Temple Bar’s last show on September 27th which featured his band Weapon of Choice, the mega-nut funk phenomenon (did you know they opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, George Clinton, Pearl Jam, No Doubt, Ice Cube, and more?? I’m right now brushing the dirt off my shoulders because not only is Lonnie Marshall rated one of the Top 8 Funk bass players in music, he is also my bass teacher AND my producer. Go ‘head Lonnie) as well as one of the most famous non-famous underground female MCs I’ve ever heard in my LIFE, Medusa. From the opening strains of her live (yes, LIVE!!!!!!) hip-hop band playing Parliament’s “P.Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)” I felt like little orphan Annie when she first arrived at Daddy Warbucks’ mansion – “I think I’m gonna like it here.”

Please tell me, how many hip-hop artists, that are not touring mega-stars (and even them), still use live bands?? It was a rare treat to see. The way her players eased in and out of classic funk and straight-up head-bobbing hip-hop was pure bliss. We weren’t even half-way through the opening number when I turned to my cousin and said “I am in LOVE with this woman!” Thank you live hip-hop band for the acknowledgement that funk is in fact the older, wiser uncle of the art form. Besides her well-seasoned lyrical skillz, the real musicality of each member of the 7 piece band (which included a drummer, bassist, keys, a DJ, two amazing back-up vocalists, and a flutist/percussionist - you know you are experiencing a funky show when the flutist gets a solo on a song called “This Oowwee’s a Gangsta” – you’ll have to see her live show in order to know the REAL title to that song because I can’t use that word on my family-friend blog ☺), her command of the stage as well as the audience that temporarily worshipped her, she sent a message that was very clear – she is a woman to be reckoned with and because you are at her show, rocking along with her, you are not only welcome to the party, she extends her hand of gansta goddess funk right to ya. You leave with the funk face on, ready to conquer. Yeeeah.

I’m really not sure why this woman is not famous but check her out here and in the video below ( a performance from 2007, not the best quality video but you'll get the idea) and make sure to get front row seats to her next jam.



Comparisons – Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Lauryn Hill; dubbed the "Angela Davis of Hip-Hop," the Godmother of West Coast Hip Hop