Red Bull Music Academy's First Term Wraps Up In New York City

NEW YORK, May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Red Bull Music Academy has just completed the first term of its 2013 tenure in New York, adding its own signature to the city's rich music scene with an array of concerts, club nights, exhibitions, workshops, and lectures with legendary music makers. Highlights included watershed events like the cross-genre sound battle Culture Clash – "one of New York's best nights ever" (MTV Iggy), an audiovisual installation by Brian Eno, and a festival-within-a-festival of drone and noise music at Queens' spectacular Knockdown Center. Meanwhile, a 13-minute-long documentary film about the seminal NYC label DFA Records premiered on www.redbullmusicacademy.com, alongside select highlights from the Daily Note, a music paper on New York music and culture, distributed daily around town.

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Last Thursday saw the first-ever Red Bull Music Academy Culture Clash in NYC shaking the foundations of Roseland Ballroom. Four sounds were pitted against each other on four stages: Just Blaze and Young Guru, the main architects of Jay-Z's biggest hits; reggae and dancehall DJs Federation Sound; tropical bass collective Que Bajo?!; and the Trouble & Bass posse, who were victorious thanks to their wide-ranging arsenal of club hits and high decibel on-stage antics. Surprise guests included hip hop heavyweights Bun B, 2 Chainz and Raekwon (on Just Blaze and Young Guru's stage); dancehall singers Spragga Benz and Tifa for Federation Sound; house diva Robin S. ("Show Me Love") for Trouble & Bass; and Guyanan MC Jahdan Blakkamoore for Que Bajo?! Undoubtedly a historic event for New York City nightlife.

A big part of the Red Bull Music Academy is the exchange of knowledge between genres and generations. Term one of the New York Academy has seen plenty of such information inspiration, including a discussion of David Bowie's music by influential producers who worked with him: Nile Rodgers, Tony Visconti and Ken Scott; and a public lecture by the queen of future vintage soul, Erykah Badu. One of the many lectures that can be viewed on the Red Bull Music Academy website includes a conversation with pioneering artist, composer, and producer Brian Eno. His talk yielded unexpected insights on wide-ranging topics like spiritual surrender and what he'll one day be remembered for. The East Coast debut of his generative work 77 Million Paintings, presented as part of the Red Bull Music Academy program, creates ongoing permutations of visual and sonic elements. The result is "between music and painting" and can still be viewed at Manhattan's 145 W 32nd Street until June 2^nd.

The Red Bull Music Academy also premiered a documentary film about iconic NYC record label DFA Records last week, titled Too Old To Be New, Too New To Be Classic. Directed by Max Joseph and narrated by Marc Maron, it features music and appearances from James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, Holy Ghost!, Juan MacLean, and many more.

As always, the Red Bull Music Academy also provided a platform for the innovative music of tomorrow, as up and coming musicians and producers from 29 countries worked on tracks under the guidance of tutors such as electronic visionary Four Tet and beats pioneer Flying Lotus (an Academy alum). Studio sessions were facilitated in nine custom-built studios in a Chelsea building refitted by architect Jeffrey Inaba. Songs recorded during the session will be available later this year on www.redbullmusicacademy.com.

In the NYC metro area, commuters and pedestrians have grabbed copies of the highly collectible Daily Note newspaper, put together by some of New York's most respected music writers and illustrators. 75,000 copies of the papers are distributed on each Academy weekday through May 31^st, covering a broad range of cultural topics from the early days of the hip hop's internet to the backstories of some of the city's most iconic logos and artwork. PDF copies can be downloaded from the Academy website.

Throughout both terms RBMA Radio takes over the airwaves direct from Red Bull Music Academy's New York HQ every weekday, transmitting a live special at 6pm Eastern Time. A special two-hour edition of the daily broadcast takes place each Thursday at 6pm in conjunction with New York's East Village Radio, presented by Vivian Host, a former Academy participant and member of the Trouble & Bass crew, and Shawn Reynaldo, the editor-in-chief of influential online magazine XLR8R. Listeners can tune in worldwide at rbmaradio.com and eastvillageradio.com. Radio specials recorded in term one include an hour of street basketball-influenced jams with DJ and radio personality Bobbito Garcia, and a recording of Academy participant Koreless' live set at Webster Hall on May 8^th.

Since 1998, Red Bull Music Academy has visited a different city each year, transforming buildings to house musical stories and sessions. It's a parallel universe where the musical innovations of past and present are re-defined every day and night. More spectacular events, informative lectures and unlikely meetings of minds will occur from May 19^th, when the second term of this year's edition kicks off with a fresh set of 31 Academy participants from around the world and a back-to-back dance-off by New York's most trusted house music crews, Mister Saturday Night and Dope Jams. The next night will feature the first-ever "live DJ set" by legendary record producer Giorgio Moroder (Donna Summer, Daft Punk).

For daily updates visit www.redbullmusicacademy.com or follow @RBMA. To access an audio kit for radio productions, along with hi-res photos and video from the Red Bull Music Academy for media use, visit the Red Bull Content Pool at www.redbullcontentpool.com/musicacademy.

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Upcoming Red Bull Music Academy New York City 2013 - Signature Events

May, 19 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY PRESENTS BYTE BOOGIE
A night of house, house and more f***ing house. Mister Saturday Night have run one of the city's best 4/4-inclined parties over the past few years, and, now with a label in tow, they're set to become an international concern. Brooklyn's Dope Jams crew, meanwhile, will represent the dearly departed store's ethos with a collection of big tunes from NYC's halcyon days.

May, 20 - DEEP SPACE: A RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY SPECIAL
This special Red Bull Music Academy edition of Francois K's New York nightlife institution Deep Space will see sets from Academy participants T.Williams (PMR Records) and Benjamin Damage (50Weapons). The night will be topped off by the first-ever live DJ set of dance music revolutionary, Donna Summer producer and Daft Punk collaborator, Giorgio Moroder. Better bring them dancing shoes!

May, 21 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY PRESENTS TECHNICOLOR CODING
Rude house and envelope-pushing hip hop are the main staples on which the two out-of-towners (and Red Bull Music Academy graduates) Brenmar and Nick Hook have built their statuses as local underground heroes. At Tammany Hall, they will lead a pack of gifted Academy participants from no less than 12 (!) countries, including neon bass frontrunner and Pelican Fly associate Sinjin Hawke.

May, 22 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY PRESENTS DRUM MAJORS
The Red Bull Music Academy invites some of today's most in-demand hitmakers to swap the studio for the stage for one night only. Expect exclusive live performances by true hip hop heavyweights including longtime Drake collaborator Boi-1da, the man behind Chief Keef's biggest hits, Young Chop, ratchet trailblazer DJ Mustard, Maybach musos J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, and the great man Mannie Fresh.

May, 23 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY PRESENTS UNITED STATES OF BASS
The Red Bull Music Academy brings together the very pioneers of America's most influential regional bass music styles: from full-fledged legends like Afrika Bambaataa, DJ Magic Mike and Egyptian Lover, to more recent innovators like Salva, Big Freedia and Branko of Buraka Som Sistema. Expect two floors, 808 beats and one nation under a... BASS.

May, 24 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY PRESENTS NO SLEEP TILL CROYDON: THE ROOTS OF DUBSTEP
From gritty basements to the world's biggest festival arenas, the genre of dubstep has come a long way. The Red Bull Music Academy pays tribute to what is arguably the most influential form of electronic dance music of the past decade, with classic dubstep sets from Skream, his former mentor Hatcha, DMZ mastermind Mala, and the mighty Plastician. South London inna di area!

May, 25 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY PRESENTS 12 YEARS OF DFA RECORDS
From making indie kids dance again to taking Madison Square Garden by storm, DFA Records is a New York institution if there ever was one. In celebration of their 12th anniversary, the Red Bull Music Academy assembles the whole family for the biggest DFA party in the label's history. Expect a full night of live performances, DJ sets, listening sessions, memories, and all-out madness in four rooms.

May, 26 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY PRESENTS BLACKENED DISCO
Mysterious electronic alchemists are the order of the night here. Oneohtrix Point Never's queasy ambient music will go down (un)easily alongside the bewitching hip hop sampling sketches of Tri Angle's Evian Christ. Additionally the London-based post-industrial outfit Factory Floor will play an exclusive DJ set. Setting the mood will be PAN Records visionary Bill Kouligas as well as Seattle bass music producer Kid Simpl and Dutty Artz beatmaker ANNALOVE.

May, 26 -  THE DO-OVER: A RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY SPECIAL
In the past five years, LA's sangria-sipping institution has grown from an intimate backyard party into a global phenomenon, touching down across the globe to spread their message of heavy tunes and summer-time vibes. For this special NYC edition, the Red Bull Music Academy brings a cast of secret guests and Academy participants to jive with their cadre of residents including Red Bull Music Academy graduate Aloe Blacc.

May, 27 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY PRESENTS A CONVERSATION WITH JAMES MURPHY
If anyone epitomizes New York's history of punky electronic dancefloor fusions, it's James Murphy. Finding global acclaim with his tragi-comic observations in LCD Soundsystem, as well as starting the era-defining DFA label, James's story is one of conquering the world against all odds. The Red Bull Music Academy invites you to hear it from the man himself.

May, 27 - DEVIATION: A RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY SPECIAL
Deviation is the brainchild of Benji B and the physical incarnation of his genre-defying BBC Radio 1 show: a true stronghold for forward-thinking hip hop beats, soulful electronics and beyond. For this Red Bull Music Academy Special Benji rubs shoulders with New York's own rhythm fusionista FaltyDL and Viennese microKORG wizard Dorian Concept, amongst others.

May, 28 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY PRESENTS KUNST ALS KLANG PT. 1
The Red Bull Music Academy brings Pantha Du Prince & The Bell Laboratory's much talked-about, post-minimalist Elements Of Light show to the venerable surroundings of Manhattan's West Park Church for its US premiere. The show will feature a six-piece band on live electronics – and hundreds of bells.

May, 28 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY PRESENTS UNOVERSAL DANCEHALL
NYC's ever-eclectic record label brings the full "post-Internet" experience to Chinatown. GHE20G0TH1K's self-declared love champion Ian Isiah and Canadian producer Kuhrye-oo play alongside the electronic maximalism of Gobby and the blunted 303s of SFV Acid. Room 2 will see performances by Red Bull Music Academy participants from five countries, including Caribou drummer Pick A Piper and London-based soul nomad fLako.

May, 29 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY PRESENTS KUNST ALS KLANG PT. 2
The Red Bull Music Academy brings longtime collaborators Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto and their acclaimed audiovisual show "s" to New York for the first time ever. Sparse percussions, throbbing bass, and crystalline piano solos are embedded in sine waves and reworked live on stage to establish a new concept of minimal yet emotionally charged electronic music.

May, 30 - PASS THE GATES: NYC IN DUB
From indie to bass, dub still stands as one of the main musical influences of today. To celebrate this heritage, the Red Bull Music Academy invited some of the artists that carry the torch that King Tubby once ignited to perform in a truly unique setting. Expect double-trouble pairings, heavenly harmonies in surround sound, and mixing board magic live on stage.

May, 31 - RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY – CLOSING NIGHT
The Red Bull Music Academy says adios at New York's most talked-about new venue, Output. Brooklyn's own L.I.E.S. crew will be running the show in the main room, while an allstar cast of Red Bull Music Academy friends and fam bring down the curtain in style in the Panther Room. See you soon on a dancefloor in a galaxy not so far away!

SOURCE Red Bull Music Academy