Polarity
     
 
Polarity
 
 


Sounds Like: ELECTRONICA: Brazilian Girls, Tortoise, Massive Attack, Jazz Passengers, Prefuse 73, Weather Report; SONGS: Brazilian Girls, Tortoise, Massive Attack, Ani DiFranco, Michael Franti, Joe Henry, Los Lobos, Jazz Passengers, David Byrne, Joni Mitchell

Location:
AMERICA NORTH: USA:New York (NY)

 
   
 
 
 
   
 
   
Websites

About Polarity
The music of Polarity/1 is exactly what the name suggests: conjoined opposites - a mash-up of new: cutting edge electronica/hip hop/nu-jazz and old: roots music of America (blues, funk, country, early jazz), Brazil (samba, pagode, etc.) and West African groove science. "Polar succeeds in his mission of forcing you to pay attention and not lull into the sounds you 'expect' to hear," noted StarPolish.com

After a few years of playing percussion in samba bands at S.O.B.'s and other venues, Polar landed in hip hop which combined his interests in grooves, samples and wordplay into one form. He and rapper D.A.V. became Medicine Crew. In the aftermath of 9/11 Polar was asked to do a remix for Nile Rodgers' We Are Family Project released on a compilation by Tommy Boy Records.

His experience of 9/11 which was perpetrated in his neighborhood led to a collaboration with multi-platinum Pakistan rock band Junoon resulting in their hit song 'No More'. Polarity/1's CD, 'Speechless', which was nominated Best Electronica Album by Just Plain Folks, included four instrumentals choreographed by New York's Battery Dance Company in November 2006. He's scored four feature-length documentaries directed by Danny Schechter, including composing and performing the theme songs.

Currently, Polarity/1 is best known for political songs which are a regular feature of Amy Goodman's globally syndicated Democracy Now, NPR and many other politics-oriented broadcasts.
 
Members
Polar Levine: composer, producer, arranger, vocals, programming, keyboards, percussion, guitar, cavaquinho, blues harp. Guest Artists: Michael Blake, Gregg Bendian, Pete McCann, Rubio, Scott Parker, Sabina Sciubba, Jim Savitt, Ginetta Vendetta

Influences
hip hop, funk, every kind of jazz & country, blues, soul, gospel, Brazil, West Africa, Cuba, reggae, zouk, John Cage, Steve Reich

Stats
Visits: 931
Plays: 49
Streams: 29
Downloads: 20
Space Used: 164MB of 500MB
[9 of 15 song slots used]

Member Since: 03/06/07 10:23