One More Reason to Love Florence + the Machine :: "Hospital Beds" (Cold War Kids cover)

I am a huge fan of Florence Welch. The girl can flat out sing. I'm sure most of you are familiar with her recent success, particularly the hit Dog Days, which was all over the place last year. Well, if you have grown a bit weary of everyone overplaying that song but really enjoyed the greatness that is Florence + the Machine, I highly recommend checking out her album "Lungs: The B-sides". Most of these tracks haven't hit radio, despite showcasing Welch's powerhouse of a voice. My personal favorite is the cover she does of the Cold War Kids song Hospital Beds. While imitation is the highest form of flattery (Welch has adamantly expressed her love for Cold War Kids, and performed this song at Coachella last year with lead singer Nathan Willett), she makes the song her own with a unique and powerful interpretation.

(don't forget to download the songs for yourself by clicking the blue titles)

Here is the cover for your listening pleasure.

Hospital Beds- Florence + the Machine



For those of you who haven't heard the original yet, check it out below.

Saying Goodbye to Etta James (Jan.25, 1938 - Jan. 20, 2012)

Today the world lost singing legend Etta James, just days before her 74th birthday. James had been in failing health in recent years, having been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease in 2008 and Leukemia and Hepatitis C in 2011. The singer was deemed terminally ill just over a month ago, and has finally succumbed to Leukemia and other illnesses.

With a career that began in the mid 1950's, James is widely regarded as one of the greatest American singers of all time. Her long career showcased an immense talent, and prolific style that fused many musical genres including blues, jazz, rock & roll, soul, and gospel. The breadth of her influence is evident in her accolades. James was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame, and the Grammy Hall of Fame. In her lifetime she also was awarded 6 Grammy's and 17 Blues Music Awards, and was named as #22 on the Rolling Stone list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Despite her well-known struggle with substance use throughout her life and career, James broke through as a major talent as an artist for Chess Records, during its heyday in the 1960's. James is best known for her work during this period, compiling an impressive string of hits such as I Just Want to Make Love to You, Something's Got a Hold on Me, and her signature song At Last. Though her work in the 1970's-1980's never reached the same level of critical acclaim, the unique gravel-laden voice James produced with every belted note remained constant in her performances and production into the 2000's.

Etta will always hold a special place in my heart. I'm sure many of you share a connection to this singer, as her epic version of At Last has likely served as the soundtrack to as many of your romantic moments as it has mine. I encourage you all to take a few moments today to enjoy her gift. Below you will find a great live performance of her hit Somethings Got a Hold On Me. Her presence will be missed, but her talent will never be forgotten.

Soul Men: 12 Great Tracks

To celebrate the beginning of a new year I thought I would share with you some of my all-time favorite music performed by some classic old-school Soul singers. Below you will find a playlist of 12 awesome tracks. I chose ones that featured artists or songs some of you may not yet know, or those that were rare live performances. A few worth particular attention are the Jackie Wilson performance on the TV show, "Shindig" (1965), the rare gem "60 Minute Man" by the Dominoes, and "Cry to Me" by the late Solomon Burke who died just a few months ago. Be expecting a "Soul Women" edition soon!

Here is to wishing you all a year filled with adventure, good health, peace, and a wonderful soundtrack to accompany it all.

"Something He Can Feel" - Aretha Franklin

This song just reminded me how awesome Aretha is.




Remember how hot the video of the En Vogue version was? Hubba, hubba.

5 Reasons to Love Jazz Music, Vol. 1

Hand check, people. How many out there listen to Jazz music? Too few would be my guess. It's high time that changed, if you ask me. I first fell in love with Jazz as a young boy, learning to play the saxophone, trying my best to master Charlie Parker licks, swing like Count Basie, and match the sound of Paul Desmond. To a young musician, the stuff can be powerful. The freedom of the style, the history of the music, and the influence of Jazz on music of today are all strong reasons to love the genre.

That said, I will be the first to state that I know relatively little about Jazz music produced today. I would guess many of you are the same. When most people think of Jazz, they think of days of old. Names like Armstrong, Ellington, and Coltrane are often the first to come to mind. And rightly so, geniuses all. I'm here today to give you a handful of reasons to open your mind to contemporary Jazz. Special thanks to my Jazz-obsessed buddy James M. who when asked for a couple recommendations sent me a list of 40 (seriously, 40) great artists currently producing music. Here a just a few of today's greatest. I hope you enjoy and maybe experience something new.

1. Esperanza Spalding

Esperanza Spalding first came to my attention as the winner of last year's Grammy Award for Best New Artist. This was quite an event, as most people in this country hadn't yet heard of the lovely Jazz bassist/singer. On principle I was elated that the award went to a Jazz musician, and I was even more excited when I started listening her music. This woman is amazing. Raised by a single mother, she not only taught herself to play the violin by age 5, but began writing lyrics and composing by 15. By 17 she had dropped out of high school, completed her GED, and was admitted into the prestigious Berklee College of Music on full scholarship as a bass player. Her music is an eclectic fusion of influences from Brazil, to hip-hop, to pop music, to classic Jazz. She is both extremely talented and stunningly beautiful, and a great example of how Jazz music can still be innovative, provocative, intriguing, and hip. Here you will find her song "Little Fly", which takes a poem by William Blake and fuses it with a fantastic musical composition. I can't stop watching it. It is a thing of beauty.


2. Roy Hargrove

Roy Hargrove has gained international acclaim as a Grammy Award winning musician in two different genres (1997 and 2002). A gifted trumpet player from an early age, Hargrove was discovered as a potential star when Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis visited his high school in Waco Texas. With a musical style heavy on funk and groove, Hargrove is an eclectic performer who has collaborated with a wide array of musicians such as D'Angelo, Macy Gray, Joshua Redman, Joe Henderson, the Soultronics, Common, and Erykah Badu. His latest work has showcased his talent as a band leader, in both the Roy Hargrove Big Band and the Roy Hargrove Quintent. I heard the song above, "Strasborg Saint Denis" for the first time today and was hooked. The man knows how to groove.

3. Joshua Redmond

I have listened to Joshua Redman for quite a while now, and never cease to be amazed at this dude's mind-numbing skills on the horn. My first exposure to him was in 1996 when I caught Robert Altman's documentary Jazz '34. Redman blew my mind in the "Yeah Right" clip you see above (he is in the brown suit). This could be one of the greatest saxophone battles ever caught on film. In it Redman shows his chops while wailing on a throw-back tune from Kansas City's epic era of Jazz. The stylized outfits and the face contortions of the guitarist chomping on a cigar in the background are almost as fun to watch as the duel. Redman has steadily put out fantastic work, producing 13 albums between 1993 and 2009.

4. Jason Moran

Jason Moran is a new favorite of mine. The Jazz pianist and band leader composes work that draws inspiration from a variety of styles including stride piano, avant-garde jazz, classical music, hip hop, and spoken word. His piece "Thelonious" you see above showcases his talent, and the depth of skill that can be displayed on a piano through Jazz.


5. Charlie Hunter
My friend Elan introduced me to Charlie Hunter around 2001, when he passed me a copy of the guitarists reinterpretation of Bob Marley's classic album "Natty Dread". I saw Hunter perform a number of times at the legendary Oakland Jazz club, Yoshi's, where he has an annual show in December. When I first saw him play I thought I was hearing things. Upon closer inspection I realized the guy plays a custom-made 8-string guitar that allows him to play solos, bassline, and rhythm guitar ALL AT THE SAME TIME! (Insert music-dork-jaw-drop here). I encourage you to see this crazy stuff for yourself by checking youtube. My favorite song of Hunter's is actually his rendition of Marley's "No Woman No Cry" (below). Check it out.
No Woman No Cry: Charlie Hunter
No Woman, No Cry
Album: Natty Dread
Released: Feb 27, 1997
Label:Blue Note
Length: 5:15
Plays: 429
Genre: Jazz

The Radio Still Plays Good Music (Sometimes)- Metronomy:: "The Look", "You and I"

Okay, I know many of us have been frustrated with the quality of music on the radio. I would like to state that 93.1, WXRT Chicago is an exception to this rule. I have been listening to the station for the past few months, and love their programming. Great live performances, interesting specialty shows, cool personalities. But I truly realized how fantastic the station was when my lovely wife came running up the stairs a few nights ago to tell me about Metronomy. Apparently, the station literally had her dancing by herself in our kitchen for two hours, and this group was the one to set it off. So, thanks radio, for not always being lame. And thanks Shannon for the great recommendation, and for dancing like no-one is watching.

Metronomy - The Look from lorenzo fonda on Vimeo.

Originally an artistic outlet for Joseph Mount (composer, singer, keyboards, guitar) the group was formed in England in 1999 as an experiment in instrumental electronica. The group has grown significantly since then, and has crafted three albums, Pip Payne (2005), Nights Out (2008), and The English Riviera (2011), which blend vocal electronic pop music and instrumentals. Great live performances and incredibly catchy tunes have increased Metronomy's popularity, as have Mount's frequent remixes of songs from other artists such as the Gorillaz, Lykke Li, Lady Gaga, and Goldfrapp. Here you will find The Look off of their latest album, a great remix of the song by Fred Falke, and an amazing Metronomy remix of Gaga's You and I.

Top 10 Playlist Vol. 3

Hello all! Here is the 3rd installment of the top 10 playlist. These tracks have a bit of everything, and highlight some fantastic live performances. Thanks to all you out there shooting me suggestions. Keep the recommendations coming. Enjoy.



Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Sweden is so hot right now....

I don't know if you all have heard, but Sweden is killing it right now. I was just reminded of this thanks to a preview for the American version of Steig Larson's Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, due out next month. First, it reminded me of how fantastic the original Swedish-language trilogy was. The American version does look pretty sweet. But I highly recommend you all catch the original first (available on Netflix) because I seriously doubt the American Lisbeth could be half as awesome as the bad-ass Noomi Rapace you see pictured above.

The Millenium Trilogy novels/films are not the only awesome entertainment sensation coming out of the little Nordic powerhouse. There are the amazing Wallander mysteries, recently turned into great mini-movies for PBS's Masterpiece Mystery series. More pertinent to this blog, however, is killer music being produced by the likes of the dance-pop goddess Robyn, the indie pop band Miike Snow, and the quirky-yet-enchanting Lykee Li. I put together a few of my favorites from these artists below for you all to check out.

Audio Track Direct Downloads!!

Procrastination has taken serious hold this evening. Instead of working I compiled all the songs mentioned in previous posts that I have in my collection but haven't provided for download. I then figured out how to write the code for hyperlinks so that you could instantly download any of these tracks by clicking on the blue text. So. Here you go. This blog shit is addictive...
1. Misty Blue - Dorothy Moore
2. Yeah Yeah - Matt & Kim
3. Like Eating Glass - Bloc Party
4. Nike Boots - Wale
5.Pon de Floor - Major Lazer
6.Hold You - Gyptian
7.Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
8.Footsteps in the Dark - Isley Brothers
9.Brown Skin Lady - Black Star
10.Thieves in the Night - Black Star
11.Respiration - Black Star
12.Luchini - Camp Lo

Album Preview::Common - "The Dreamer/The Believer"

Just caught a first glimpse of two tracks off of Common's new upcoming album, The Dreamer, the Believer, due out on December 20th, 2011. Produced by No I.D., the album unveils a fresh electronica-fueled feel to back up Common's artistic flow, and includes guest appearances by two legendary poets, Nas and Maya Angelou. Below you will find videos for "Blue Sky", "So Sweet", and a behind the scenes promo video of the album photo-shoot.

"So Sweet" (filmed in Haiti) was originally only made available online with a $1 donation to J/P Haitian Relief Organization. It's now available for free, but Common continues to raise money to support relief efforts in Haiti.



Maya Angelou on Common:

“I wanted to speak about Common, who is extremely uncommon. When I first heard him, I knew he was rare. I thought, my goodness, this young man…hello. So good, so talented, well raised. When I met his mother, I understood much. I will always support him. I know that I stand on the shoulders of great men and women. And I know there are young men and women who stand upon my shoulders” - Maya Angelou

Seriously. Is there anything this guy does that isn't awesome? Loved by Maya Angelou? Raising money for Haiti? New album? Oh, and he just released a new autobiography, "One Day it Will all Make Sense", that is a New York Times Bestseller. Sick. And the ladies love him. Read why you should too here.