Ayo kicked off FIAF’s month-long World Nomads symposium with an amazing performance that had people literally dancing in the aisles. I must admit, it’s hard not to be taken by the organic sounds of this chanteuse, her lush voice filling the air with sweet harmony. But, after this show, I’m in love.

What was so special, you ask? Halfway through the concert, she tore down the fourth wall with a smile and invited the crowd to join her onstage. After a awkward moment, the first courageous few hopped right up and, like a flood, nearly sixty people followed. What a beautiful scene that was, Ayo dancing along with her fans, hugging them, laughing with them, singing her melodies in the midst of a sea of smiles. The energy in the room was quite remarkable, and everyone left with a little bit of peace inside.

If you are not familiar with her work, my suggestion is to see her live. Keep an eye on her Myspace page here for show listings, etc.

There are so many different types of music shuffling through the radio and digital waves: music for the soul, music to party to, music to inspire you and music that makes you reminisce. Some people make music for the world, while others use music as a tool to change the world.

K-Salaam has proven track after track that his dedication to bringing head knocking, bass grinding music while weaving in a message of change and taking back what’s yours is not only to be expected, but respected. The highly anticipated release of “Whose world is this”, produced by both K-Salaam and Beatnick, serves as a tool and a message for the world to wake up and either be a part of the problem..or join to fight for the solution.

Featuring new original and exclusive tracks from a variety of Hip-hop and Reggae greats like Buju Banton, Sizzla, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez and so many more, make sure to be a part of this movement. The album releases July 29th, but this Sunday you can get a taste in Brooklyn @ Galapagos, featuring Dead Prez, Blitz The Ambassador, Jahdan and many more.

K-Salaam: I would like to dedicate this album to all people around the world who live in constant fear of being arrested, deported, attacked, or murdered just because of who we are. The truth is that all Immigrants, Refugees and People of Color everywhere have had to come to terms with the fact that we have no rights, and anything could happen to us at any time. I made this album because I wanted the world to hear our story. The World Is Ours.

Formally and informally, through praise and awards, Randy Weston has been crowned a king of American jazz piano repeatedly since he emerged in the 1950s.

But it’s not just jazz piano, and it is certainly not just an American sound. If it was, Langston Hughes probably wouldn’t have called his music “an ebb and flow of sound seemingly as natural as the waves of the sea.”

No, as much as Randy Weston learned from folks like Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington, his musical style owes as much to the decade he spent in Nigeria and Morocco. It’s a sound like no other, blended by a master.

Tonight in New York at the Paris Bar, catch Randy West playing with Alex Blake on upright bass and George Clarke on drums.

More on this special event, for which TRACE is the media partner, here.