My Friend Bruce Pays Tribute to His Hometown of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

My dear friend Bruce Bishop pays musical tribute to his hometown of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Find out more about Yarmouth here and more about Bruce here.

OMG by Heidrik. Shot in the Faroe Islands.

This song and video are stunningly beautiful. Why didn’t I ever hear about him before.

Britney – This Kiss

OK fine. Yes, I am a secret Britney fan. Admittedly a lot less secret now. I love the Casio VL-Tone backbeat going on.

 

Moses Melkonian – Like Gods

The latest from Moses Melkonian – a haunting  song and another beautiful video by Aaron Leaman – Like Gods.

Moving Video – Stand Up

Just discovered this beautifully done video. The creator was inspired by the sad story of Tyler Clementi  and posted the video two months ago. Never too late to share though. My inspiration and Eric Cooper’s  was the amazing Seth Walsh. We both agreed he was us.

When Tyler Clementi took his life (a student whose life eerily paralleled mine in so many ways), I decided enough was enough. I’ve felt a powerful kinship with him that I can’t even explain – and it stirred my soul to act. Something had to be done – I realized I had to find a way to speak up with my own unique voice to express what I felt in my heart.

When I first heard Sugarland’s song, “Stand Up,” I was moved to tears. I heard it right in the middle of the string of teen suicides last year just after we lost Tyler. After the very first listen to their song, I saw a very clear vision in my head…it was an anti-bullying video that matched the absolutely beautiful lyrics and music of Sugarland’s evocative and powerful song.

So, I present to you my way of speaking up and I hope that I will inspire you to do the same. I want you to help me raise awareness, and open up hearts and minds that may be closed due to fear, ignorance, or shame. I want you to help me fill mournful hearts with hope and love and inspire others to do the same. I want you to help me keep the promise I made to Tyler…. These teen suicides, these “bullycides,” must stop once and for all, and it starts with US.

So, I need YOUR HELP. Help start OUR movement. Help spread OUR message of love, hope, and change. It’s already begun… people are reposting this on their Facebook pages… and then others are sharing and reposting it! Some are sharing the link through personal email or twitter!! Join US in helping to raise awareness and make a difference in any way we can! Be a part of OUR MOVEMENT to stop anti-gay bullying! WE HAVE THE POWER TO AFFECT CHANGE!!!

If you’re reluctant to share our video, I leave you with one thought: JUST ONE person might have their eyes, ears, and heart opened for the first time. JUST ONE person may begin to think a little bit differently for the very first time in their life. That ONE person may have a gay sibling, child, friend, or relative… And that ONE person, may think differently about the gay youth in their lives. Think about the change that happens in society when people begin to simply THINK differently. Thinking differently IS CHANGE. Remember that YOU have that power. YOU can make a difference in somebody’s life. YOU can keep spreading our message of love, hope, and change. WON’T YOU STAND UP WITH US AND USE YOUR VOICE?

‘Moses Melkonian’ – We Are Mighty, We Are Young.

Every now and then the internet tosses up a little surprise in front of me  and today was one of those days. I noticed that someone had liked a post I put up here and they also had a blog so as is polite in the blogosphere I checked the blog out.  The last posting was a music video of him singing a totally funky song called ‘We Are Mighty, We Are Young”. I adore the song and  what a voice.

Here’s the song.

Apparently , according to an interview  with Steezy Street the song was inspired by the Occupy Movement which makes perfect sense. It also gives some of the only background I have been able to find on the performer.

I’ve been making music since I was a kid. My dad (Vartan Melkonian) is a composer and conductor of classical music… I remember being taken out of class to go and watch him record with the Royal Philharmonic in Abbey Road Studios… I had no idea how cool that was… I was just like “that’s loud!” I remember he put me in one of the booths to record whatever I wanted… I decided to play congas over his whole symphony without a bars rest! ha.

So I was learning piano at that time, but I stopped my lessons to pick up drums. I then began playing in many bands rock, jazz and avant-garde then guitar then bass… During this time my musical influences were ever growing and I never stopped composing at the piano… This is the first time I’ve been able to take all my influences, J-Dilla to Bach, and put them into one record.

The artist has a number of  other performances on YouTube including this one in which he starts by explaining that his real name is Richard Melkonian and he has chosen his grandfather’s name to honor him.

So far I have enjoyed all of his performances on YouTube  which you can search for yourself or try just clicking here.  You can also support this breath-of-fresh-air artist by  picking  up the ‘We Are Mighty, We Are Young’ single on iTunes here.

The Maccabeats – Miracle – Matisyahu – Hanukkah

Fun song for a good cause. It really put a smile on my face.

Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation helps children and adults suffering from leukemia, lymphoma, and other cancers and genetic disorders find matching donors for blood and marrow transplants. Every year, more than 10,000 patients in the United States need a transplant, and about half of them do not find a matching donor. They rely on Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation and other registries to save their lives by finding their Miracle Matches.
Learn more at www.GiftofLife.org.

Maher Zain – Freedom

Maher Zain, a Swedish singer of Lebanese origin sings about the recent  struggles in the Arab world. Clips from his performances in Malaysia at the Malawati Stadium in February 2011.

More on Maher Zain here.

Via http://musesephere.blogspot.com

Kazaky has released another video.

Err. Ummm. Here it is.