Lenny Kravitz returned to LA last week with tour mate Raphael Saadiq for his “Black and White” America tour at Nokia Theatre. Saadiq opened with a spirited set for the sleepy crowd waiting on Lenny. The highlight of Saadiq’s set was a jam session that included a vocal solo from his young keyboardist. After a [...]

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Day Two of Coachella is like a second tour of duty: by now you know where the ATM is, where the good snacks are, and how to get in the checkpoint line that has the most gullible security guard. And parking is easier, because half the cars have been safely lodged in a campsite zone the night before.

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Like a good lover, Raphael Saadiq understands the importance of anticipation. The first number, Marvin Gaye’s version of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was played with the curtain still down, lights low. So when Saadiq came out singing “I Love That Girl” (I’m assuming he meant me), he was already pretty much in.

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Femi Kuti is the son of Fela and the righteous leader of his own Positive Force. He speaks now just days after the Nigerian government shut down the Shrine, the historic venue that was the birthplace of Afrobeat. This interview by Chris Ziegler.

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