Showing posts with label gulf aid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gulf aid. Show all posts

Friday, August 6, 2010

"It Ain't My Fault" Remix Contest


Preservation Hall and Gulf Aid call on artists worldwide to create remixes of the Gulf Oil Spill Crisis anthem “It Ain’t My Fault”

On May 12th, 2010, Mos Def and Preservation Hall’s Ben Jaffe met in New Orleans to collaborate on a song to benefit The Gulf Relief Foundation, an organization providing relief for those affected by the Gulf oil spill catastrophe.

In an all-night jam session less than 12 hours later, they recorded the song at Preservation Hall with the newly formed Gulf Aid Allstars: Mos Def, Lenny Kravitz, Trombone Shorty, Tim Robbins and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

The result: a remake of the New Orleans rhythm and blues classic “It Ain’t My Fault”.

Originally written and composed by legendary New Orleans artists Wardell Quezergue and Smokey Johnson, this exciting new version of the New Orleans brass band standard features poignant lyrics by hip-hop superstar Mos Def protesting the passing-of-blame for what is now the largest environmental catastrophe in U.S. history. Backed by the horns of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Trombone Shorty, along with the deft guitar work of Lenny Kravitz, "It Ain't My Fault" sings as an anthem of dissent in the midst of this ever-expanding crisis.

The track and accompanying music video of the session are now available for download exclusively on iTunes with all proceeds to benefit The Gulf Relief Foundation. As an extra incentive, your purchase of the single gets you a free 1-year subscription to Spin Magazine, just enter your iTunes receipt number at SPIN.COM/PreservationHall

Since the release of the track, the collaborations continue. Response to the cause and the track have spawned remixes of “It Ain’t My Fault” by noted artists nationwide, including Mark Farina, Chuck Love, King Britt, and more.

Now it’s your turn to collaborate for the cause.

We’re now offering you the chance to engage the issue and the music artistically by giving you access to the music and allowing you to remix it with complete artistic freedom. Whether you are a singer, producer, dj, musician or all the above, make this track yours. All music must be 100% original content.

Visit: http://www.gulfaidremix.com/

All you have to do is visit the site and grab the stems for "It Ain’t My Fault".When you are finished with your remix, upload it! You and other fans can then vote on your favorite. Spread the Word!

About the Gulf Relief Foundation(Gulf Aid):
Gulf Aid, a 501(c3) nonprofit corporation, has been established in response to what has been called one of the biggest oil spills in history just 50 miles off of the Louisiana Coast. The mission of the Gulf Relief Foundation is to provide relief to the fishing community of the Gulf Coast and their families, and to address the long-term challenge of restoring and protecting America’s coastal wetlands.

Links:
http://www.gulfaidremix.com
http://www.gulfaid.org/
http://www.preservationhall.com/
http://www.mosdef.com
http://www.lennykravitz.com/
http://tromboneshorty.com/



Monday, June 14, 2010

It Ain't My Fault in the Times-Picayune!

Great article here by wonderful New Orleans music writer, Keith Spera.
With any luck, the track will be up on iTunes tomorrow!
(Fingers crossed - and we'll definitely shout it from the rooftops when it happens!)

Lenny Kravitz, Mos Def and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band remake 'It Ain't My Fault' as Gulf Aid fundraiser

Published: Monday, June 14, 2010, 6:05 AM
Keith Spera, The Times-Picayune

Early on May 12, Preservation Hall Jazz Band creative director Ben Jaffe was still fuming about the previous day’s U.S. Senate hearings on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster.

The spectacle of BP, Transocean and Halliburton executives shucking and ducking responsibility warranted a response, Jaffe decided.

A certain New Orleans rhythm & blues classic sprang to mind: “It Ain’t My Fault.”

Written by legendary New Orleans arranger Wardell Quezergue and drummer Smokey Johnson in 1964, “It Ain’t My Fault” is now a Mardi Gras and brass band standard.

Less than 24 hours after the idea first struck Jaffe, a new version of “It Ain’t My Fault” featuring Lenny Kravitz, Mos Def, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, actor Tim Robbins and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band had been recorded and mixed.

Jaffe hoped to release the song immediately on iTunes to benefit the nonprofit Gulf Relief Foundation, created to promote coastal restoration and assist families affected by the spill.

But creative processes often move more quickly than legal processes. Weeks later, the various parties involved still were securing necessary clearances and lobbying iTunes to waive its percentage of sales. Meanwhile, a video of the late-night recording session at Preservation Hall circulated online.

Barring another delay, “It Ain’t My Fault” should be available via iTunes on Tuesday.
Its existence is a testament to the ability of technology to facilitate creativity — and the musical possibilities available at any given moment in New Orleans...

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

It Ain't My Fault!

On May 12th, Mos Def and Ben Jaffe got together to write a song for Gulf Aid, a benefit for those affected by the oil spill.

In an all-night jam session less than 12 hours later, they recorded the song with Lenny Kravitz, Trombone Shorty, Tim Robbins and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band...



Stay tuned for information regarding the release of this historic track!
In the meantime, please visit
Gulf Aid and The Gulf Restoration Network
to learn more about what you can do to help.