Fort Knox Recordings Featured by Listen Local First DC, plus FK5 Marley Tribute

Fort Knox Recording’s Liftoff, the band I touted as gatekeepers to the glo-fi movement, is featured today as part of Listen Local First’s DC Local Music Day. The band is a collaboration of Steven Albert, Steve and Johnna Raskin (of Speedy Consuela), and Thievery Corporation’s Rob Myers. They create rich sounds that are reminiscent of Saint Etienne, Calexico, Portishead, and Ennio Morrione. That’s why Listen Local First honors them.

Listen Local First is a musical initiative responsible for DC Local Music Day. The monthly event, which starts today, February 8th, will showcase Liftoff’s dreamy sets along with the music of seven local artists at participating businesses. On Facebook, you can find more on how this new model inks a harmonious treaty between commerce and the arts here in DC.

The other artists featured today are:

Oddisee
The Sweater Set
Cornel West Theory
Lucky Dub
Acme
The Jolley Brothers
More Humans

Tomorrow, February 9th, at The Dunes, The Listen Local First February Panel & Live Showcase will feature Black Broadway: The Roots of DC Hip Hop. Broadway is live DC Hip Hop Project Podcast recorded from Dunes moderators James Benson and Kokayi (from the DC Hip Hop Project). The panel features singer, songwriter, actor, poet W. Ellington Felton; Luke Stewart, Editor of Capital Bop; Blues musician, Stacy Brooks; and DJs Alizay and RBI. The discussion goes from 7pm to 8pm. Then at 8:30, special guests Nappy Riddem and the Cornel West Theory will perform. This event is co-sponsored by Fort Knox Recordings.

This past Monday, February 6th, the international music community celebrated “Bob Marley Day” by spreading love, respect, and special thanks to the reggae pioneer and his contributions to music. DC’s Fort Knox Five lent their heart-pumping musical style to a remix of “Soul Shakedown Party” to honor his 67th birthday. Officially released on Tuff Gong’s 2007 Roots Rock Remixed compilation, this track gloriously lives up to the words Bob adopted as a mantra: Give Thanks and Praises!