Taste Test Live

Taste Test Live is a weekly music review podcast series hosted by Damien Lamar and his co-hosts Blue Franswa & MJbaker. The show features a revolving cast of local creatives, artists, singers, entrepreneurs, storytellers and more to discuss the diverse selection of local and international music tastes.

This week, we  were join in the studio with the "Producer for the World: . . . Brian "Bishop" Jones worked with and produced tracks for T Pain, Young Cash,Tay Dizim, SHAWANNA & Twister, Bun B, Lil Boosie, Travis McCoy, and Juvenile to name a few.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the host and talent of “Taste Test” or the “Taste Test Live” podcast and in no way represent the views, positions, and opinions expressed or implied of WJCT.

Taste Test Live is a weekly music review podcast series hosted by Damien Lamar and his co-hosts Blue Franswa & MJbaker. The show features a revolving cast of local creatives, artists, singers, entrepreneurs, storytellers and more to discuss the diverse selection of local and international music tastes.

The Balance King is a sound curator, educator, composer, classically trained pianist, chemist, and trumpeter. He explores various disciplines and mediums to uncover the symbiotic relationship between virtuosity and invention. The Balance King has collaborated and curated with Mayo Clinic as a Research Scientist in a Protein Biochemistry lab studying aggregates of Alzheimer's Disease, Studio Allston Hotel, Jean Michel Basquiat's and Michael Holman's band Gray, Yellow House, King Britt, Jacksonville Public Libraries, Fashion photographer, Franklin Thompson and Tom Ford, Montessori Tides School, Liz Tran, Motif (interior design), Feeding Northeast Florida, Riverside Arts Market, Cool Moose Cafe, Bold Bean Coffee Roasters, Jacksonville Lantern Festival, and West End House among others,

MOCA Jacksonville is committed to supporting the work and discovery of contemporary artists, including performing artists, in our city. The Balance King set on Thursday, Nov. 21 is a taste of their new music series which starts in December. Its focus is on the regional music scene, and to bring together people across the city downtown to enjoy some great music over a happy hour at the new MOCA CAFE, which is also set to open in December. Activating downtown with art and culture, food and drink, is what this new MOCA music series is all about.

It will be happening every Thursday night from 5:30-7:00 starting in December, but you can come November 21 to my set and get a feel for what it’s all about.

There will be cocktails and happy hour dining menu of lite bites available.

Featured music selections in this episode:

Neşe Karaböcek - Yali Yali (Todd Terje Edit)

Daniel "Venom" Maunick -  (B1) Until the End

The views and opinions expressed are those of the host and talent of “Taste Test” or the “Taste Test Live” podcast and in no way represent the views, positions, and opinions expressed or implied of WJCT.

“I’M A BLACK WOMAN

WHO WRITES FOR BLACK WOMEN

ABOUT BLACK WOMEN.

PERIOD.”

— Nikeshia Elise Williams

Damien Lamar was compelled to speak more with this week’s guest who he originally met at a PB&J (Party Benefit & Jam) Jam Session at the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida a few weeks ago. There, Nikeshia Elise Williams presented her 20x20 slide and “spoke about the state of education and how despite decades of attempts at integration, schools are still segregated which has led specifically to the situation that Duval County School finds themselves in; with the fight over the half-cent sales tax, [and] the schools that it would benefit, and the political wrangling in the city over that issue.” She discussed the parallels of the education system in Chicago and feels the root cause are based on issues surrounded by race. “I feel like across the United States, teachers are taken for granted. They’re not protected. They don’t get paid well enough. They don’t get the credit for what they do (especially at the elementary or secondary level.) … We, as a nation need to take better care of our teachers because are literally taking care of our children.”

About Nikeshia Elise Williams

Nikesha Elise Williams is an Emmy award-winning news producer and author. She was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and attended The Florida State University where she graduated with a B.S. in Communication: Mass Media Studies and Honors English Creative Writing. Nikesha’s debut novel, Four Women, was awarded the 2018 Florida Authors and Publishers Association President’s Award in the category of Adult Contemporary/Literary Fiction. Four Women was also recognized by the National Association of Black Journalists as an Outstanding Literary Work. Nikesha is a full-time writer and writing coach and has freelanced for several publications including ESSENCE, Very Smart Brothas, and Shadow and Act.

Both Four Women, The Appeal of Ebony Jones and Adulting are available on Nikesha Williams’ on Amazon. Visit her website, or follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+ or contact her on good old-fashioned email.

Producer, songwriter and music lover with deep roots in Northeast Florida, Joe Gonzalez aka Papa Wheelie shares his story behind the song "Who Let the Dogs Out," which became a hit for the Bahamian group Baha Men in 1998.   

“Sunshine is all it takes to illuminate. I’m not on the hunt for anything. But there’s definitely some things in the dark. So, I’m glad this movie’s out there to help highlight the reality….It was the hook so good that everyone wanted it.” — Joe Gonzalez

Joe recounts how he and his friend began as two rappers who met at the Westside Skills Center, where they studied commercial art, but Joe's upbringing in a converted funeral home allowed him to explore music differently which led him to become a beatmaker for Brett's raps.

See the Jacksonville premiere of “Who Let The Dogs Out” documentary at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Sun-Ray Cinema, 1028 Park St. in Five Points. It’s a benefit for hurricane relief in the Bahamas.

Tickets: http://tinyurl.com/jaxdogs

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9617782/ 

Follow us on social media @tastetestradio and visit our website www.tastetest.live

Taste Test Live is your music digestion podcast! Hosted by singer, radio presenter & producer, Damien Lamar along with his co-hosts, Blue Franswa, photographer and serial-entrepreneur & songstress, MJbaker. Taste Test Live features in-depth music discussion, passion-filled opinions, and interviews by creatives, change-makers, exclusive tracks and more.

This week, we were joined in the studio with Bassist and Multi-Instrumentalist Lawrence Buckner who discussed his love for music, music education as well as the importance of unity and solidarity among musicians.

About Lawrence Buckner:

A U.S Army veteran, bassist, vocalist, songwriter, producer; Lawrence performs and records in a variety of musical situations. He has worked on movie soundtracks and jingles and currently tours with Mark Farner formerly of Grand Funk Railroad. He ha shared the stage with The Doors, Journey, Styxx, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Brandford Marsalis, and many other acts. He has numerous appearances as sideman and leader at Jazz Festivals in the United States and Europe.

Taste Test Live is a weekly music review podcast series hosted by Damien Lamar and his co-hosts Blue Franswa & MJbaker. The show features a revolving cast of local creatives, artists, singers, entrepreneurs, storytellers and more to discuss the diverse selection of local and international music tastes. If you want to be guest on the show, please email tastetestlive [at] gmail.com for consideration and instructions.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the host and talent of “Taste Test” or the “Taste Test Live” podcast and in no way represent the views, positions, and opinions expressed or implied of WJCT.

Taste Test Live is a weekly music review podcast series hosted by Damien Lamar and his co-hosts Blue Franswa & MJbaker. The show features a revolving cast of local creatives, artists, singers, entrepreneurs, story-tellers and more to discuss the diverse selection of local and international music tastes.

Filmmaker, Voice-Actor, Actor and above all else a Procrastinator in all those things Jazz Walker joins the hosts to discuss the release of his 13-minute film, "A GOOD MOURNING"

The movie will be available for viewing online on November 1, 2019 (Jazz's birthday)

Here is the trailer link:

Business: [email protected]

If you want to be guest on the show, please email tastetestlive [at] gmail.com for consideration and instructions.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the host and talent of “Taste Test” or the “Taste Test Live” podcast and in no way represent the views, positions and opinions expressed or implied of WJCT.

👏👏New Podcast Episode! 👏👏

Taste Test Live is a weekly music review podcast series hosted by Damien Lamar and his co-hosts Blue Franswa & MJbaker. The show features a revolving cast of local creatives, artists, singers, entrepreneurs, story-tellers and more to discuss the diverse selection of local and international music tastes. Tuesday night was jammed packed with fun and the most interesting conversations! This week's "Put This In Your Mouth" segment the crew reviews the latest in industry updates & music news with several laughs. Topics include details about the new Coming to America sequel, Tyler Perry Studios, Monica Arnold and Shannon Brown divorce, possible new music from Justin Bieber, and Grammy-winning gospel artist Kirk franklin edited by GMA (Dove Awards)

Also on this week’s episode, we sat down and discuss arts, education and had a creative tasting session with Erin Kendrick. 

About Erin Kendrick

Erin Kendrick is a visual artist and arts educator from Jacksonville, Florida. Her color-rich, acrylic ink-stained works of art and transformative installations seek to inspire a dialogue about contemporary spectatorship and the power of language as it relates to perceptions of and about black women. She has exhibited work in museums, galleries and alternative spaces throughout the southeastern United States. After receiving her formal art training at Florida State University (BFA, Studio Art, 1999) and Georgia State University (MFA, Drawing & Painting, 2003), she worked for many years as a Studio Artist and Arts Educator in Atlanta, Georgia.

She is currently the Lead Visual Art Instructor at Jacksonville Arts & Music School and a Teacher Artist for Cathedral Arts Project. She has also been an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Florida, Columbia College Jacksonville, and an art teacher for Duval County Public Schools. Erin was recently named the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville’s 2019 Art Educator of the Year. In 2018, she was voted Best Visual Artist, Best Art Exhibition, and Best Arts Educator in Folio Weekly’s Best of Jax 2018 poll. She is a former Community First Foundation Art Ventures Individual Artist Grant recipient, a two-time “Lift Every Student” Artist-In-Residence grant recipient and a member of the Arts Advisory Board for DCPS. Erin maintains a studio at CoRK Arts District. Her current initiative, Artists Types, helps practicing artists with career advancement by providing workshops, mini-courses, and templates for CV writing, artist statements, proposals, and more. As an educator she lives by Elbert Hubbard’s quote, “Art is not a thing. It is a way.”

Listen and subscribe now to stay updated on all things tasty! Search "Taste Test Live" and subscribe on Anchor, Apple Podcast, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher and more!

If you want to be guest on the show, please email tastetestlive [at] gmail.com for consideration and instructions. 

Damien Lamar (Host, Executive Producer & Audio Engineer)

Blue Franswa (co-Host)

MJbaker (co-Host)

Jihan Grant White (show music)

Vanderboogie by duckett (c) copyright 2014 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/duckett/48177 Ft: magmavander

The views and opinions expressed are those of the host and talent of “Taste Test” or the “Taste Test Live” podcast and in no way represent the views, positions and opinions expressed or implied of WJCT.

Taste Test Live crew is back for another hilarious show featuring Blue Franswa's favorite segment: "Put This In Your Mouth". This week's topics of discussion include Frank Ocean's new music, Ella's Mai's Good Morning America announcement that she's hosting the 2019 American Music Awards, Grammy-nominated rapper, Nikki Minaj marries Kenneth Perry; Steve Harvey's daughter Lori Harvey allegedly hitting a parked vehicle and was arrested, Transgender activists and allies had publicly urged Proctor & Gamble to remove its Venus symbol from its sanitary products, Lyricist Tobe Nwigwe “ The Ivory Tour’ coming to Jacksonville to The Murray Hill Theatre on December 13, 2019.  Plus a bonus interview with Markesha Fuller and Lauren Maddox, hosts for the Jacksonville event "Dîner en Blanc" . "At the last minute, the secret location is revealed to thousands of friends who have all been patiently waiting to learn where “Dîner en Blanc” will take place. Thousands of people, dressed all in white, and conducting themselves with the greatest decorum, elegance, and etiquette, all meet for a mass “chic picnic” in a public space.