AloeBlacc.com

Aloe's story on the journey to Ghana with Malaria No More UK

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:28:00 -0400

Today sees the launch of a short film (watch it here: http://bit.ly/JkNp3Y) showcasing Aloe’s recent trip to Ghana with Malaria No More UK. Aloe took time out from his tour schedule to witness the efforts underway to meet Ghana’s goal to make sure every home in the country has access to a mosquito net by the end of 2012.

Aloe is sharing his story with people across the world from today through an in depth blog in Huffington Post (read it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aloe-blacc), and feature interviews with Sir David Frost on Aljazeera, also on CNN this weekend and the BBC World Service’s breakfast show on World Malaria Day, 25^th April.

The film features highlights of Aloe’s trip including the news that up to 10 million people, 40% of Ghana’s population now have access to mosquito nets. It includes a special moment when Aloe meets a class of school children who have all suffered from malaria and together they sing his anthem of the times I Need A Dollar. Aloe recalls: “I visited a primary school and asked a classroom full of children: Who in the room has been affected by malaria? Every single child raised their hand. I was taken aback - this should not be the norm. Malaria is a preventable disease, yet it is robbing children of their health and opportunity for education.”

This World Malaria Day, Aloe is encouraging people to get involved with the charity challenge called Live Below the Line (http://bit.ly/IaqP8A). It invites people to get sponsored for charities, including Malaria No More UK, by living on just £1 a day for all food and drink for five days from 7-11 May. Aloe reflects: “As I sang I Need A Dollar with school children in Ghana, the lyrics took on a poignant new meaning. One dollar is close to the daily survival budget for 1.4 billion people in the world today, who live on this for absolutely everything. They really can’t afford to catch malaria. Live Below the Line is an imaginative and personal way to do something positive to address this”.

Aloe saw firsthand the importance of partnerships and education in maintaining the momentum to fight malaria. He says: “I’d read a lot about the life saving role of mosquito nets and was eager to see them in action. These nets, distributed with support from Malaria No More UK and partners will help reduce the number of people suffering from malaria, especially when people are educated about how to use and care for them properly”.

Malaria No More UK is part of a network of local and global organisations supporting malaria prevention efforts Ghana, including Ghana’s own National Malaria Control Program, the UK’s Department for International Development, the US’s President’s Malaria Initiative and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. This partnership has already distributed and hung over five million mosquito nets across five regions of Ghana, helping to protect up to 10 million people.

The last decade has seen unprecedented progress in reducing suffering and death from malaria, especially in Africa where over 90% of all deaths take place yet deaths have been reduced by one third since 2000. This progress will make a real difference in reducing poverty across the continent as malaria costs the African economy an estimated £8 billion a year.

Memorial Day Weekend 2012 | Live in Los Angeles

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:10:53 -0400

Aloe Blacc to play Lollapalooza | August 2012

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:43:38 -0400

'I Need a Dollar' Turns 2!

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:38:44 -0400

Today it’s the second birthday of Aloe Blacc’s I Need A Dollar, after it was first released as a single on 16 March, 2010. With the song already on its way to being a soundtrack for our times thanks to the way it encapsulated the economic woes being experienced by governments and individuals alike, we caught up with Blacc to discuss his creation and wish it happy birthday.

What was it that first inspired you to write I Need A Dollar?
“I was listening to a CD of field recordings made by chain gang workers, basically singing songs of woe. They were singing their own songs about their hardship and problems and I was inspired to write in that style. The details of my lyrics were personal experiences, mixed with friend’s experiences and just experiences I gleamed from the situation I saw happening in the US and the economic crisis.”

Did you get fired then?

“I was working as a business consultant and during a big round of layoffs I was part of the chopping block. I started writing the song back in 2005, before the financial crisis and a couple of years after I lost my job. I was laid off because the company was trying to trim down so they could sell it to another company. For me it gave me a chance to focus and incubate, make some music and develop myself into an artist. It gave me the chance to take music from being a hobby of mine into a full time activity. So the second verse when I sing about losing my job was personal, but the maybe inside the bottle… line was about a friend of mine who was falling into the trappings of alcoholism. So I sprinkled a few different experiences in there and mixed mine in to make the song.”

So the song predates the credit crunch, yet it became the fitting soundtrack for it.
“Over the years from 2005 onwards, I’d create different versus that applied to different situations and I think by 2008 most of the versus made sense! The first verse, Bad times are coming…relates directly to the financial crisis.”

Though released two years ago, the song has had quite a journey to prominence, it’s not been a standard hit single has it?
“It’s been really instructive and informative watching the song’s rise. I take apart the song and realise what people are attracted to and think How can I do this again? It’s a lot of fun. Three year-olds are singing the song, 33 year-olds are singing it, 73 year-olds are singing it! It’s got something that’s so visceral that everyone can repeat it and enjoy it.

Talk us through the sleeve, it’s a strong look. Is that what you wear when popping down the shops?
“My goal was to honour the tradition of soul music and present something as wholesome, honest and genuine as my heroes. I was paying respect to them. Wearing a suit and looking classy was my way of saying this kind of music is timeless and classy, I appreciate and I want the folks who see it to think good things and maybe pick it up and listen to it. Luckily it worked out. The bow-tie became a signature for me, it just suggests class, and that’s the way I’d like to honour my heroes like Al Green, Bill Withers and Marvin Gaye. The first release came with a dollar bill, did you see that? That was a nice tough from the label, I’m sure they were charging extra for it!”

Do you hate playing I Need A Dollar live yet?
“No, no, I love the song! It still gets the biggest cheer in the set and I appreciate the way people respond to it. If I could play the song more times in the set and not make my musicians angry then I would!”

Strangely, you can already imagine the song being used to soundtrack future documentaries about the credit crunch and the general economic difficulties around the globe right now. Is it weird to already be in the running to have a “song of our times”?
“It is strange, I honestly never expected any of this, but now being in that running it makes me want to stay in that running because I can see how much positive I can do with the music and lend my voice to causes like Malaria No More UK and express that we can cure this disease within our lifetime if we work together. So I feel really good about that and want to keep doing that. The best have done that. Bob Marley sung about change and helped influence positive change, Stevie Wonder is still doing it, and I’d like to be engage in that with my music. I Need A Dollar has been a big help.”

Have you thought about following it up yet?
“I’m in the middle of writing new stuff and hope to record soon. Will the next album have a similar contemporary subject mater? My dad asked me if I could sing more love songs and I think he’s write, love songs are missing. There’s a lot of break-up songs so I think a few love songs can’t hurt.”

Finally, you needed a dollar but how many did you actually get from releasing I Need A Dollar?
“[laughs] Enough to donate to a lot of charities!”
Paul Stokes @Stokesie Portrait Alex Lake, thanks to Al Horner

Cornbury Festival Dates + Ticket Info

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:55:01 -0400

Aloe Blacc performing Saturday, June 30 – Great Tew, Oxfordshire – The Original Cornbury Festival

http://bit.ly/cornburytix

Aloe's April Tour Dates - Europe

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:28:24 -0500

Saturday, April 21 - Zermatt, Switzerland / Zermatt Unplugged Festival

http://bit.ly/aloestarticketCH

Sunday, April 22 - Casablanca, Morocco / Jazzablanca

http://www.jazzablanca.com/artistes/aloeblacc.html

Tuesday, April 24 - Porto Portugal / Casa de Musica

http://bit.ly/x8At9f

Aloe returns from journey of discovery about malaria in Ghana

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:10:20 -0500

Aloe’s just back from Ghana, West Africa where took a few days out to learn about the impact of malaria – a preventable disease that tragically claims the life of a child every minute.

Aloe was with charity Malaria No More UK (http://malarianomore.org.uk), whose vital work supports Ghana’s goal to make sure everyone has access to a mosquito net by the end of 2012.

Aloe spent four days with a film crew and the Malaria No More UK team seeing firsthand the impact of malaria. The disease takes a heavy toll on all aspects of life in Ghana, accounting for around a third of all hospital admissions and more than a quarter of deaths amongst young children.

Aloe met many people involved in the malaria fight including health workers, community leaders, and families who have suffered from the disease. He also visited a community which has just benefited from a major malaria prevention programme distributing free mosquito nets. This vital work is part of an ongoing collaborative effort, including Malaria No More UK, that has already seen over 2.5 million mosquito nets distributed to help protect up to five million people, that’s around one fifth of Ghana’s total population.

Watch this space for the launch of an inspiring short film about Aloe’s trip going live in the run up to World Malaria Day on 25^th April! In the meantime, check out Malaria No More UK’s work saving lives in Ghana here: http://malarianomore.org.uk/about/our-work-in-africa/ghana

Become a fan of Malaria No More UK on facebook (link to http://www.facebook.com/MalariaNoMoreUK)

Follow Malaria No More Uk on Twitter (link to https://twitter.com/malarianomoreuk)

Frontier & Nova Present Aloe Blacc 2012 Australian Tour

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:49:00 -0500

Australia is going to be hit with a whole lotta soul when Aloe Blacc & The Grand Scheme come Down Under with his Good Things tour in January.

Nova, along with the Frontier Touring Company, are proudly presenting Blacc’s highly anticipated tour which will be the perfect way to welcome in the New Year.Blacc’s series of gigs kicks off in Melbourne on January 1, before moving onto Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide, and will follow on from his massive Falls Festival performances in Tasmania and Melbourne.Blacc’s recent smash “I Need A Dollar” peaked at #11 on the ARIA Charts and is still sitting in the Top 20 charts.Electric Empire and Maya Jupiter will join Aloe Blacc & The Grand Scheme on tour.

Full tour dates and info:

Tuesday January 3 - The Tivoli, Brisbane - (Ticketek 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au)

Wednesday January 4 - Enmore Theatre, Sydney - (Ticketek 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au)

Friday January 6 - The Trak, Melbourne - (Ticketek 132 849 or or www.ticketek.com.au)

~~Friday January 6 - Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide - Venue*tix - (08 8225 8888 or www.venuetix.com.au)~~ CANCELLED

For more info, head to frontiertouring.com

Download my new song free

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:05:00 -0500

Download my new song free:

Download “Tonight, Downtown” by Aloe Blacc

Win tickets to Aloe Blacc’s UK tour

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 03:38:25 -0500

Tanqueray is proudly presenting Aloe Blacc’s European tour, where he’ll be performing “Tonight, Downtown,” the track commissioned by Tanqueray as an ode to starting the night right.

To celebrate, Tanqueray is offering fans a pair of tickets to three of the UK gigs - Glasgow (12th December), Bristol (13th December) and London (15th December)

Follow Aloe Blacc on twitter at www.twitter.com/aloeblacc and tweet @aloeblacc to tell us what would be the perfect start to your night. Make sure you tag your tweet #startthenightright and the gig you want tickets for eg #startthenightright #manchester.

The competition opens on 2nd December and you can enter for any of the three gigs from the start. However, pls bear in mind that each round of the competition will close at different times – make sure you check the schedule below to prevent any disappointment:

1. Glasgow tickets – competition closes 7th December 2011 at 13:00 GMT

2. Bristol tickets – competition closes 8th December 2011 at 13:00 GMT

3. London tickets - competition closes 12th December 2011 at 13:00 GMT

We’ll be selecting a winner based on the most original and inspiring ways to start the night.

Please note travel and accommodation are not included. Terms and conditions

Aloe Blacc December 2011 UK Tour Dates

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:10:00 -0500

Sat 3rd Dec 2011 HMV Institute, Birmingham, Digbeth, United Kingdom Book Tickets

Sun 4th Dec 2011 O2 Academy Leeds, Leeds, Yorkshire, United Kingdom Book Tickets

Mon 5th Dec 2011 Rock City, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom Find Tickets

Wed 7th Dec 2011 The HMV Ritz, Manchester, United Kingdom Book Tickets

Thu 8th Dec 2011 O2 Academy Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom Book Tickets

Fri 9th Dec 2011 Plug, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom Book Tickets

Sun 11th Dec 2011 O2 Academy Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom Book Tickets

Mon 12th Dec 2011 O2 ABC, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom Book Tickets

Tue 13th Dec 2011 O2 Academy Bristol, Bristol, Somerset, United Kingdom Find Tickets

Thu 15th Dec 2011 HMV Hammersmith Apollo, Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom Find Tickets

Fri 16th Dec 2011 Dome, Brighton, United Kingdom Book Tickets

Good Things For All: Exile, Maya Jupiter, Electric Empire &...

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:31:00 -0500

Good Things For All: Exile, Maya Jupiter, Electric Empire & DJ Sarah Love to join Aloe Blacc & The Grand Scheme 2011 Tour

We are happy to announce that Exile, Maya Jupiter, Electric Empire & DJ Sarah Love will be joining our (Aloe Blacc & The Grand Scheme) 2011 tour in Europe & Australia.

Exile will perform on the European Tour until our date in Paris on November 29.

In addition to holding down the hosting for both the European & Australian Tour, Maya Jupiter will also take the stage as a performer during the Australian leg.

DJ Sarah Love will take as DJ after Paris for the rest of the European Tour.

Electric Empire will perform during the complete Australian Tour to end the year.

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Stay tuned to AloeBlacc.com for more exciting news regarding the upcoming European tour.

On November 29, We will to be playing at the Casino de Paris in...

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:40:00 -0400

On November 29, We will to be playing at the Casino de Paris in Paris, France. It is an incredible feeling to perform at a venue that has been in existence since the 18th century.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Aloe Blacc November 2011 European Tour Tickets on sale now.

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:49:00 -0400

Aloe Blacc & The Grand Scheme November 2011 European Tour Tickets on sale now.

THIS JUST IN: Aloe Blacc & The Grand Scheme will be spending the month of November on European Tour starting Wednesday, September 9 at the Palladium Club in Warsaw, Poland. The tour will also include dates in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Italy, & Switzerland. Finally the European Tour will conclude with a FREE event in Dublin Ireland at the Olympia Theater.

Ticket links for each event are below:

November 6 -Sala Capitol - Santiago, Spain - BUT TICKETS

November 7 - Joy Eslava - Madrid, Spain - BUY TICKETS

November 9 - Palladium Club - Warsaw, Poland - BUY TICKETS

November 13 - Brewhouse - Gothenburg, Sweden - BUY TICKETS

November 14 - Rockefeller Music Hall - Oslo, Norway - BUY TICKETS

November 15 - Vega - Copenhagen, Denmark - BUY TICKETS

November 17 - Enjoy Jazz Festival - Mannheim, Germany - BUY TICKETS

November 18 - Cocoon Club - Frankfurt Am Main, Germany - BUY TICKETS

November 20 - Essiagfabrik - Cologne, Germany - BUY TICKETS

November 22 - Backstage Werk - Munich Germany - BUY TICKETS

November 23 - Milan Alcatraz - Milan, Italy - BUY TICKETS

November 24 - Pala Atlantico - Rome, Italy - BUY TICKETS

November 26 - D! Club - Lausanne, Switzerland - BUY TICKETS

November 27 - Komplex - Zurick Switzerland - BUY TICKETS

November 29 - Casino De Paris - Paris, France - BUY TICKETS

December 2 - Olympia Theatre - Dublin, Ireland - FREE EVENT

GREEN LIGHTS OFFICIAL VIDEO | 08.17.11 Something special...

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:15:48 -0400

GREEN LIGHTS OFFICIAL VIDEO | 08.17.11

Something special happened today. As a music video pre-release for all my supportive fans, we wanted to share the official video for “Green Lights” I hope that you enjoy it.

Moments with Aloe Blacc, Mihalj “Miki” Kekenj &...

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:44:04 -0400

Moments with Aloe Blacc, Mihalj “Miki” Kekenj & Jaybo

“Mama Hold My Hand”

This is part 3 of 6. Many people don’t know that I wrote this song in 2002.

Moments with Aloe Blacc, Mihalj “Miki” Kekenj & Jaybo

Creating moments is the driving force behind MADE, and one such moment occurred with the culmination of a creative journey that involved singer & songwriter Aloe Blacc, violinist & composer Mihalj “Miki” Kekenj and painter Jaybo who came together, each armed with their talent and experience from their respective creative discipline, to create…a moment

This Just In: New Show Dates

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:19:02 -0400

We’ve just announced that we will be playing at the Palladium Club in Warsaw, Poland on November 9, 2011. Tickets are now on sale. You can get yours here.

«CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS»

Arthur’s Day is back on 22 September! We really excited to be...

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:12:49 -0400

Arthur’s Day is back on 22 September! We really excited to be joining the festivities in Ireland. Having heard the amazing things the Arthur Guinness Fund is doing around the world, and with my own goal being to encourage positive social change through my music, there was no question… I had to be involved. From the line up announced so far, I’d say it’s looking set to the be the best year yet – am hoping I’ll get a chance to see some of the other great acts while I’m there. See you on the 22nd. Don’t miss out on getting your tickets now at www.ticketmaster.ie!

Aloe Blacc California Tour Tickets on sale now! We are happy to...

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:06:39 -0400

Aloe Blacc California Tour Tickets on sale now!

We are happy to announce that the tickets for our upcoming California tour are now on sale. Aloe Blacc & The Grand Scheme will returning to Detroit Bar on October 12. On October 13, you can catch us in San Diego at Casbah. Then on Saturday October 22, we’ll be playing the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles. Ticket links for each event are below:

October 12 - Detroit Bar - Costa Mesa, CA - BUY TICKETS

October 13 - Casbah - San Diego, CA - BUY TICKETS

October 22 - El Rey Theater - Los Angeles, CA - BUY TICKETS

Aloe Blacc “Tonight Downtown” Official Video Really...

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:13:31 -0400

Aloe Blacc “Tonight Downtown” Official Video

Really happy with how this one turned out. We hope you enjoy!