Liberator 4.5
Shawn Hewitt and the Afro-Kraut Experience.
words: Pensoul
 

I am not much of a fan of Reuben sandwiches, however I was compelled to see what all the fuss was in the Canadian press surrounding this thing called Afro-Kraut. How silly I felt when I realized that it was not some sort of soul food Reuben sandwich but a sound, and not just any sound but that sound that your goosebumps wait for hoping for the opportunity to dance on the spot where your neck and shoulders meet.

It was a little over a year to date when I first had the Afro-Kraut experience. It was my first time in the Big Apple and what a frenzy it was chasing interviews during the CMJ music festival and learning the subway system. It was a Saturday night and the city was jumping with artists from all over the world, and somehow I ended up in a small smokeless bar in Tribeca, where a bunch of Canadians and folks who were curious about the Afro-Kraut soul sandwich gathered, hoping to get their appetites whetted. We all stood staring at the stage. Finally, the crowd fell silent as we were introduced to Shawn Hewitt and The National Strike.

Well, there wasn’t much of a strike I thought, when this skinny kid took the stage with a guy who looked like he had robbed Ragstock of the finest 70’s gear in the background (the multitalented Jones). Damn I thought, I am in the hip hop mecca of the world and here I am sitting with a group of total strangers looking at two guys on stage getting ready to do god knows what. After the first song I was a fan, I slowly was sucked out of my seat and like I was hypnotized moved closer and closer to the stage, hoping that the last bite would be as good as the first.

That was it, this skinny kid from Toronto, Canada had done what so many before him had ailed to do, turn Pensoul into a rock and roll fan, damn I thought what have I been missing, while Shawn bounced around from instrument to instrument, his one man supporting cast followed behind him taking his place where he left, from the guitar to the drums to key boards and back and forth. The sound was amazing and that was it I was sold, if hip hop was alive it better step up its game cause b-boys will be afrokrauting in no time thanks to Shawn Hewitt and the National Strike.

I waited a year for the chance to get in the head of this young genius from Toronto and when I found out he was coming to the States again and this time in our back yard, the 7th Street Entry, I could not wait to sit down and chat with the young man with an old soul to ask him where this new rock/soul music came from and what inspired it. Ladies and Gentlemen Shawn Hewitt…

What are you trying to accomplish with your music?
To be an artist who can capture the many stories of my generation.

What is the soft society and is there a hard society?
A soft society is something anybody can have. It's when a strong connected group of people help and motivate each other subconsciously. In this case connected people helping each other through the tough reality of working a 9 to 5 drone job while fighting for their creative mind at night. A hard society is one where no one has the will to fight or make meaningful connections.

What have you found to be the biggest challenges to actually getting your foot in the door of the music industry?
The biggest challenge has been trying to remember that it's a marathon not a sprint.

Who do you see as your audience?
Hmm-good question. I'd say right now my audience is two-pronged, on the one hand a indie rock crowd and on the other a crowd who yearns for soul music without the corny leanings of neo-soul.

After listening to your EP release, I thought it was hard to put it in a category; what section of the store do you see your album in?
Pop.

Given the fact that most of your audiences are indie kids, how do you feel dropping your EP on Universal has affected your look as an Indie artist?
It's fantastic as an indie artist to have my first release distributed nationally in Canada. I was the 2004 recipient of the NXNE fan's choice award where the prize was distribution through Universal Music Canada. The honesty of the music speaks for itself.

What advantages do you see yourself having as a Canadian artist?
We're in the middle of a cultural revolution it feels like in Canada. Sort of like a changing of the guard where all things, underground, urban, and. distinctly Canadian are making big footprints on the world stage. We’re lucky up here to have our own culture as Canadians while at the same time absorbing all that happens in the U.S. It breeds incredible perspective as an artist.

You just recently played the Kimmel Center in Philly with the Roots and TV On The Radio. What was the biggest surprise, and what are some things you learned from an artistic point of view?
The biggest surprise was the intense love of music that fans of the Roots have. They were dancing in the aisles; it felt like a revival. As for learning, you sometimes forget to be a fan sometimes. With great bands like that on the same bill I simply was that for two-and-a-half hours: a fan.

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Shawn has recently released an EP on Universal Records entitled "The Soft Society" which is currently available at the Electric Fetus. Also check out www.schmusic.com. With his new improved soul music minus the neo, I am sure he will have to work hard at remembering to be a fan.