We’re pleased to have an official French photographer – Mr. Mass – as he supplies us with images of shows that we couldn’t possibly believe happened unless we saw the proof ourselves. A barefooted Dimlite playing alongside Julian Sartorious at New Morning in Paris this past Friday for dancing girls onstage? Yeah, it happened: see above. Mr. Purple Brain, Paul White, was there too: see below..

We told you it was going to be a good one…. On Sunday, June 26th, the funk converged at palate food + wine in Los Angeles. Palate’s chefs smoked up some Arkansas-style BBQ; their sommelier explained the subtle differences between the different 40 ounces on their tasting menu; Cut Chemist, J.Rocc, Breakestra’s Miles and Egon’s played the True Soul hits; Lee Anthony – straight off the plane from Little Rock – held court with those fans enthralled by his forty year stint with one of America’s best-kept-secrets of a soul label.

If you were there, you had ‘cue stained hands and bunch of Wonderbread in your gut to prove it. If you weren’t – well, don’t miss our next throw down.

Seu Jorge and Almaz just performed in São Paulo and Rio and, thanks to Ramon Moreira, we have photos to prove it.

Link: Seu Jorge and Almaz live in Brazil.

Seu Jorge and Almaz are in the final week of their 2010 European tour. And, thanks to Katie Anderson, we have photos from their show this past week at London’s Roundhouse.

Photos: Seu Jorge and Almaz at The Roundhouse, London.

Note to all of those who will soon travel to the Southwest of Japan in search of records: even though you might have heard stories of mint copies of James Knight and the Butlers’ solitary LP and sealed copies of Syl Johnson’s Is It Because I’m Black turning up in the “Rare Groove Sale” section of random Kyoto record stores, sometimes it’s more fitting to use your off day after a sold-out show in Osaka digging for the best riverside crab tempura in Arashiyama, and spend the evening drinking Mersaults from the late ’70s….

This much time in Japan without an update? Can mean only one thing: a sold-out show with Madlib and J.Rocc in Tokyo, Stone Coal White-vibes in a smokey basement lounge, congratulatory cakes served up at the United Arrows/Stones Throw Pop-Up Shop by a Japanese Don Draper looking sommelier while Nigerian psych resonated through posh loudspeakers, an acetate of the Mighty Riders (sic) solitary album, a $4000 UK issue of Leaf Hound’s hard-rock opus, an hour in line amongst Chinese tourists in 90+ degree heat at 7.30 am in Tsukiji Fish Market for sushi at Daiwa, boutiques named after arcane jazz bassists, and, of course, Ghetto Dining.

Sorry, that’s more than one thing….Photos from Osaka later.

16 hours in transit to Narita Airport from LAX, 3 hours to Shibuya from Narita, good fish, a beer and a shot of sake and it’s off ’till tomorrow: records at Fillmore, the Stones Throw pop up shop at United Arrows, J.Rocc arriving, and more.

Seu Jorge and Almaz final performance at Club Nokia was hailed by the LA Times as show in which “….a charismatic pop chameleon and his band subtly but decisively transform cover tunes….. (Seu Jorge) wasn’t indulging in nostalgic reveries. He was demonstrating how songs forever locked in our mental jukeboxes can be subtly but decisively transformed by a suggestive bass line, a spooky dub makeover, a shotgun blast of anguished emotion.”

See photos from the show by Kiwamu Omae, below, and read about the LA Times review in full. We’d like to close this tour diary by shouting out everyone who made this tour such a success: Seu Jorge and Almaz, Mariana Jorge, Gustavo da Lua, Francisco Hernandez, Pierre Chenne, Raquel Jorge and everyone at Cafune, Brazil, Pedja and Julien, Christian Bernhardt and The Agency Group, Havana Joe, KCRW, KEXP and all of the radio stations that helped out along the way and all of the promoters who made these shows possible. Thanks y’all!

Photos: Seu Jorge and Almaz Onstage at Club Nokia, LA.
Review: Seu Jorge and Almaz Live At Club Nokia In The LA Times.

Seu Jorge and Almaz wrapped their North American tour this past Saturday at Downtown L.A.’s Club Nokia. Before the show, the band and members of tour’s production crew – and a host of friends and family – gathered backstage as Seu Jorge waxed poetic on the three-week journey. Photos from the show coming tomorrow.

Photos: Seu Jorge and Almaz Backstage at Club Nokia, LA.

Yesterday Seu Jorge and Almaz performed an intimate private party sponsored by Sagatiba cachaça, Cafune Produções and Now-Again Records at West Hollywood’s Palihouse Hotel. Afterwards, guests mingled with Almaz and the likes of directors Michel Gondry and Jose Padilha as Almaz producer Mario C DJed. Tonight, Seu Jorge and Almaz wrap up their North American Tour at downtown LA’s Club Nokia.

Photos: Seu Jorge and Almaz at Palihouse Hotel, Los Angeles.

Seu Jorge and Almaz performed what the Boston Globe has described as “a celebration” at Boston’s Royale this past Saturday. After the show, they took a few minutes to peruse West African psychedelic, funk, afro-beat and highlife records offered for sale by celebrated Nigerian collector Uchenna Ikonne before heading North to the border for their show at the Osheaga Festival in Montreal.

Link: Boston Globe on Seu Jorge and Almaz.

The above photo was taken this past Friday at the end of Seu Jorge and Almaz’s encore at their New York City stop on their North American tour. Over 2,000 fans came to Terminal 5 to see Seu Jorge and Almaz perform their album in its entirety, and catch a Bowie-cover or two, and – in the encore – Jorge’s solo-guitar and percussion performance of “Carolina.”

The Seu Jorge and Almaz tour is off to an amazing start! Miami, Orlando and Atlanta down – Washington, DC is next. See all of the remaining dates on the Seu Jorge and Almaz Events page, and see photos from tour-producer Pierre here.

Seu Jorge and Almaz have been busy in the studio, rehearsing for their forthcoming North American tour and recording bonus material for the European issue of the Seu Jorge and Almaz album. Photos by Mariana Jorge.

Link: Seu Jorge and Almaz in the studio at seujorgealmaz.com

In a previous post, we told you that the screening of Snoot Films’ Kashmere Stage Band documentary Thundersoul – along with a performance from the 1974 Kashmere Stage Band – was not to be missed. Well, if you missed last night’s performance, these photos will barely do justice. Nor these reviews, which were texted to me following the show:

“AMAZING AND INSPIRING SHOW!” – MRR (MRR&ADM)
“So stoked to have been a part of that!” – The Gaslamp Killer
“That was life affirming, I’m going to be smiling about that tonight for years.” – Marc Kets, Associate Dean, Idyllwild Arts Academy.

The doc won the L.A. Film Festival’s Audience Award – its second (after winning the Audience Award at SXSW’s Film Festival earlier this year.). A theatrical release is in the works.