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Today we pay tribute to a legend. Her name is Nina Simone, known also as the "High Priestess of Soul". A couple of years ago I put together a compilation of her tunes to help tell a story as she is known to do. It will make you dance, shout, and hit you deep down to your core.
This is an edited version of Amiri Baraka's appearance on the Def Poetry Jam from Season 1, Episode 4, in 2002. One year ago, Amiri made his transition to the ancestral realm and we are continuing to honor his legacy. The music playing throughout the video is Pharaoh Sanders' "Equinox", which Baraka is scatting during his poem. Baraka was a huge fan of Jazz and Blues, and wrote several books on the subjects.
As Poet Laureate of New Jersey (2002–03), involved controversy over a public reading of his poem "Somebody Blew Up America?" and accusations of anti-semitism, and some negative attention from critics, and politicians. After the reading of that poem, then governor tried to remove Baraka from the position, which he couldn't do legally. Not long after, the state passed legislation to abolish the position altogether following the controversy.
We revisit "Money", a classic rock tune from English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, one of my all-time favorite rock songs that has a euphoric effect on me every time I hear it. Taken from their Dark Side of the Moon album that was released in 1973, the song is noted for having an unusual 7/4 time signature throughout the majority of the song, but switches to a 4/4 time signature for the extended guitar solo played by David Gilmour.
Dark Side of the Moon was recorded from 1972 to 1973 at the infamous Abbey Road Studios. Effects such as reverb, multi-tracking tape machines, and automatic double tracking were used to help give "Money" a psychedelic feel, with the exception of the guitar solo, which has more of a "dry" feel. The foundation of the song is based on standard 12 bar blues, originated by W.C. Handy. "Money" was ranked #69 on the list of "The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time" of Rolling Stone Magazine.
Personnel includes; David Gilmour (guitars, vocals), Roger Waters (bass guitar, tape effects), Richard Wright (Wurlitzer electric piano), Nick Mason (drums), with Dick Parry (tenor saxophone).
Happy birthday wishes to the late great "High Priestess of Soul", Nina Simone (born Eunice Kathleen Waymon ; February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003). Here's the full length version of "Sinnerman", one of my favorite renditions by her.
Hip-Hop & Blues duo CharlieRED, comprised of producer Cobaine Ivory and vocalist Rocki Evans, takes you back to the future with their "GreenGREED" track that will be on their forthcoming MUSE album that drops on August 20th. With them keeping it short and sweet, this track packs a lot of bang, along with plenty of soul reminiscent of days past when cats from back in the gap sang of issues surrounding them. I hear they are gaining a lot of industry support from fellow artists and also increasing their fanbase. Become a part of the movement and visit their website to find out how. Don't forget to grab your free download.
I'm super excited to be one of those to announce the Blue Note debut of Gregory Porter with his upcoming Liquid Spirit album that is set for release on September 17th. We get a tall, cool drink of what's to come through the upbeat, hand-clapping title track that makes me think that the spirit of Nina Simone was present when this song was being created. Porter retains the same core of musicians from his previous albums Water (2010) and Be Good (2012), who obviously compliments his sound through their chemistry. Brian Bacchus also returns as producer. You can pre-order the album now on iTunes or Amazon.
On yesterday we lost another one of our soul and blues legends, Bobby "Blue" Bland (January 27, 1930 – June 23, 2013), also known as the "Lion of the Blues" and "Sinatra of the Blues", after battling a lengthy illness. It's reported that he was surrounded by family and friends when he passed away at his home. Bland was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1981, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.
Bland had a string of consistent hits throughout the 1960's, having charted 23 Top Ten hits on the Billboard R&B Charts. One of my top favorites from him that was a strong R&B hit in the 1970's was "Aint' No Love (In The Heart of the City)", from the album The Dreamer (1974). Other hits on the "chitlin' circuit" were "I Pity The Fool", "Let The Good Times Roll", with B.B. King, "St. James Infirmary", "Members Only" and other "juke joint" favorites.
For those who are familiar with the talented Andreya Triana, you know how dynamic as an artist she is, who has one of the most soulful deliveries on the music scene. Currently, she has a new song called "Song For A Friend" that she has premiered at several of her recent shows. The original plan was to do a breakdown of the tune, but I decided to pass on that and just give you the chance to give your own take on this beautiful song. [grabs tissue]
Many, many respects to Maya Angelou who made age 85 today. Widely known for her poetry and speeches, she has also had acting parts in movies and television shows, and authored several books. Maya Angelou has won an extensive list of awards and honors, to include a Lifetime Achievement Award, Pulitzer Prize, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Tony Award, NAACP Image Award, Mother Teresa Award and the National Medal of Arts.
Muddy Waters (April 4, 1913 – April 30, 1983), born McKinley Morganfield in Issaquena County, Mississippi, was given the name "Muddy" by his grandmother, because he liked to play in the muddy water in a nearby creek, but later changed it to "Muddy Waters". Waters is known as the "father modern of Chicago blues" from providing tunes that took him from being a local favorite to boosting him to national recognition. His reign over the Chicago scene also provided a proving ground to other local musicians who went on to have successful solo careers.
By having a good-natured rivalry with former band member Howlin' Wolf, Waters scored hits with the songs "Mannish Boy" and "Sugar Sweet" in 1955, followed by "Trouble No More," "Forty Days & Forty Nights" and "Don't Go No Farther" in 1956.
Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter, actress and poet Jill Scott makes 41 today. Scott started reciting poetry in Philadelphia and was eventually discovered by Amir "Questlove" Thompson of The Roots. He asked her to join them in the studio where she helped pen the single "You Got Me", that featured Erykah Badu and won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group in 2000. The Roots debuted her as an artist during one of their live shows as the original artist and composer of the tune.
Scott was first signed to Hidden Beach Recordings and released Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 (2000), Experience: Jill Scott 826+ (2001) and Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2 (2004). The latter winning a Grammy in 2005 for Best Urban/Alternative R&B Performance for "Cross My Mind". The Collaborations (2007) served as pre-cursor for her next studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 (2007). She would eventually leave the label and released The Light of the Sun (2011) on her own imprint, Blues Babe Records, which is distributed by Warner Records.
If you pay close attention to the background in this video, you will see that Jill pays tribute to fellow artists Muddy Waters and Marvin Gaye, born under the ARIES zodiac sign.
Sometimes, I tend to think that Alice Russell is over-stuffed with soul the way she delivers her vocals with so much power and depth, that it seems as if it can take some skin off you. As one of the UK's biggest singers in Soul and Blues, she's gearing up for a February 2013 release of her fifth studio album titled To Dust. To lead up to this highly anticipated release, she gives a sneak peek with her first single "Heartbreaker" off the LP that's due out November 19th on Tru Thoughts. In a brief explanation about the single, Alice says; "It is a broken hearted love song about the end of a relationship. It’s about that time when you’re just emotionally exhausted, you know you just have to let it go, you are resigned to it all being over."
The single release features the original version, acoustic version and remixes by New York based producer Falty DL and Parisian house producer Yakine.
With all the talks lately online and some people discussing face to face about the uproar of comments about a possible biopic on Nina Simone, most weren't too pleased with the casting for the leading role. Then, Nina's daughter Simone issued a public statement via the Nina Simone Official Website saying that no filmmakers or producers approached her or the estate about such a movie.
Rewind to two years ago, I put together a compilation of Nina Simone tunes to help tell a story from the "High Priestess of Soul" who was a storyteller herself, and you have what I have titled Nina Unmixed. This will be available for download for a limited time. I have plans to do a follow-up sometime soon. Enjoy!
Los Angeles based DJ and producer/remixer Jeremy Sole is currently working on a Revival EP Series that i'm guessing will be reworks of classic oldies made especially for the dancefloor. Days ago he uploaded his remix of "Be My Husband" from Nina Simone's Pastel Blues album released in 1965. The original version of this tune was recorded as an a cappella with only hand claps and a hi-hat cymbal to accompany her vocals.
A very happy birthday to Rain Fingerhut, a lovely folk artist who writes and plays guitar that moved here to Houston from California a few months ago. Although i've only seen her about three times, she seems to have a really good attitude. Cheers to you on your celebration of life.
We're going to take a relaxing moment and put you in a mellow mood with the sounds of pianist Joe Alterman's "The First Night Home". Give Me The Simple Life is a wonderful Jazz album that features the legendary Houston Person on sax for a few tracks. For Jazz enthusiasts, this is one that doesn't disappoint.
If I were to pick two words to describe the sound of Bibi Tanga & The Selenites, they would be feelgood funk. The Parisian crew dropped their 40° of Sunshine album just last month, and after listening to a few of their tracks, their tunes put me in a good mood quickly. With the summer already sizzling from the heat (no doubt) and some amazing artistry by our indies, this is a perfect addition to your playlist for your cookout or party. Order your package of big tunes via their website and stay in the loop for upcoming shows.
Sam John "Lightnin'" Hopkins
(March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982)
Originally hailing from Centerville, Texas and gaining a deep appreciation for Blues music and musician Blind Lemon Jefferson at a young age. Eventually, after learning how to play guitar from his cousin, Hopkins would accompany Jefferson at church functions. Jefferson supposedly never let anyone play with him except for young Hopkins, who learned much from and was influenced greatly by Blind Lemon Jefferson. Several years later Hopkins came to Houston in hopes of breaking into the music scene. During his second attempt, while singing on Dowling St. in Houston's Third Ward, he was discovered by Lola Anne Cullum from the Los Angeles based record label, Aladdin Records. She convinced Hopkins to travel to Los Angeles where he accompanied pianist Wilson Smith. The duo recorded twelve tracks in their first sessions in 1946. An Aladdin Records executive decided the pair needed more dynamism in their names and dubbed Hopkins "Lightnin'" and Wilson "Thunder".
Hopkins recorded more sides for Aladdin in 1947. He returned to Houston and began recording for the Gold Star Records label. He performed regularly at clubs in and around Houston, particularly on Dowling St. where he had first been discovered. He recorded his hits "T-Model Blues" and "Tim Moore's Farm" at Sugar Hill Recording Studios in Houston. By the mid to late 1950s his prodigious output of quality recordings had gained him a following among African Americans and blues music aficionados. It has been estimated that he recorded between 800 and 1000 songs during his career. Houston's poet-in-residence for 35 years, Hopkins recorded more albums than any other bluesman. His distinctive fingerstyle playing often included playing, in effect, bass, rhythm, lead, percussion, and vocals, all at the same time. He played both "alternating" and "monotonic" bass styles incorporating imaginative, often chromatic turnarounds and single note lead lines. Tapping or slapping the body of his guitar added rhythmic accompaniment.
Johnny "Guitar" Watson
(February 3, 1935 – May 17, 1996)
Tonight's presentation of Friday Flashback, we're taking you back to one of my musical heroes who influenced many artists on the Blues, Funk and Jazz circuits. A Houston native who composed many hit records that spanned radio stations and music stores, from here, all the way across to Japan. "Superman Lover" is my top favorite by Mr. Watson, which was sampled by producer/emcee Redman, as well as a few other Hip-Hop artists. Get your dose of what he calls Funk Beyond The Call of Duty.
While many artists of today focus solely on sounding modern, Andy Suzuki & The Method dare to revisit the classic sounds of soul and rhythm & blues. "Tell Me" is the track that really grabbed my attention with its slight funk tinge, somewhat reminiscent of afro-beat, with lyrical content asking the lady in question to give him reasons why he should pursue her beyond the common ideas of getting involved in a relationship.
Be sure to pay them a visit on their website to order some great music, to watch video footage from their recent SXSW performance and to gather more info. Also, they are offering free downloads for signing up for their mailing list.
Gilbert "Gil" Scott-Heron
(April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011)
Widely considered as one of the forefathers and greatest influences to the world of Hip-Hop with his poetry that had the backings of African drumming, Soul, Jazz, Blues and Funk. His own term for himself was "bluesologist", which he defined as "a scientist who is concerned with the origin of the blues." His best known composition that is considered a critically acclaimed classic is The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. His works with multi-instrumentalist Brian Jackson include Free Will, Pieces of A Man and Winter In America, also gained heavy notoriety and considered classics by many.
Scott-Heron remained active until his death, and in 2010 released his first new album in 16 years, entitled I'm New Here. "The Last Holiday", was also published, posthumously in January 2012.
Starting his career as a "doo-wop" artist, he later became a session drummer for Motown Records, before becoming the top selling solo artist of Tamla, a Motown subsidiary. He was crowned the "Prince of Motown" and also the "Prince of Soul". His work in the early and mid-1970s included the albums, What's Going On, Let's Get It On, and I Want You, which helped influence the quiet storm, urban adult contemporary, and slow jam genres. Here, My Dear, In Our Lifetime and Midnight Love would all be heavy influences for the more modern soul sound.
In 1982, during an interview for New Musical Express magazine, he's quoted as saying:
"I don't make records for pleasure. I did when I was a younger artist, but I don't today. I record so that I can feed people what they need, what they feel. Hopefully, I record so that I can help someone overcome a bad time."
Although Nina Simone wasn't crowned to lead any nation, she was majestic. A woman of deep passion who touched you in the deepest corners of your soul to bring out things you might not have known were there. Her activism for liberties in human and civil rights was reflected through her compositions and performances. Before you listen to her "I Wish I Knew How It Feels To Be Free" tune, please take a moment to listen to the snippet of a rare interview that can pretty much set the tune up. Listen to the passion in her voice and by her mannerisms.
