The Red Bull Music Academy hosted a first live performance in their London studio with Raphael Saadiq, whose album Stone Rollin' is close enough to taste (release date, May 10th). His videos for "Good Man," "Radio" and "Stone Rollin" have been released, but in these Red Bull sessions we get to preview a few more songs from his new album, including "Movin Down the Line" and "Day Dreams."

In early May, leading up to the official release date, Giant Step presents Raphael Saadiq Listening Sessions. First up, the next installment of our SVEDKA Vodka Listening Sessions series takes place in Miami at The Florida Room at Delano on May 6th. The next night, Giant Step and SOM. bring the listening event to San Francisco.

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Dennis Coffey has released a new self-titled album on the legendary Strut Records; check out the video above of Dennis getting down with Stones Throw's Mayer Hawthorne, covering the Parliament song "All Your Goodies Are Gone."  An original member of the Motown Funk Brothers, this self-titled album is reminiscent of Coffey's earliest work in the 60's. As a solo artist, Coffey is best known for his groove classics during the early 70's, including the heavily sampled "Scorpio." Decades later in 2011, Dennis Coffey's new album contains the perfect balance of fresh new sounds while staying true to the reputation he has withheld for so long.

Download this free remix of "Ubiquitous" from RCRDLBL.com, remixed by DJ Steinski. You can also get a nice mix from DJ House Shoes on Soundcloud: Constellations, the A to Z of Dennis Coffey.

Purchase on Dennis Coffey on iTunes | Amazon

Mark de Clive-Lowe, known for his incredible live performances, has been on over 250 major releases worldwide and shows no sign of stopping. His new EP Leaving This Planet EP features friends and family from LA, Atlanta, London, and Peru. A Bandcamp-only exclusive, this EP is just a teaser for his upcoming summer release, Renegades.

Mark de Clive-Lowe

This weekend, at long last, the second season of Treme kicks off on HBO, and with our SXSW Day Event still fresh in our minds, we couldn't be more excited.

Created by HBO's The Wire co-creators David Simon and Eric Overmyer, the 11-episode second season of the Emmy®-nominated drama series is set in New Orleans 2006, more than a year since Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. The national spotlight on the Crescent City has dimmed, and residents are finding it harder than ever to rebuild their lives. Some have become expatriates in distant cities. The insurance checks that never arrived for homeowners were followed by the bureaucratic nightmare that was the Road Home program, and a land-grab is underway as developers and disaster capitalists press their advantage. And yet the culture of New Orleans somehow endures. After the jump check out some of the musical talent slated to appear in season two. Read more »

You have surely heard Vinia Monija's voice before, but you may not be aware of her as an artist. Often the featured vocalist creating the hooks, Vinia has been part of the hip-hop scene since 1989, from her appearances with Jungle Brothers to her features on tracks by Mos Def and Common. Check out this selection of Vinia tracks, thanks to our friends at Mint Collective and DJ Seano.