World Flavor: Reggae: Toots and The Maytals – “Time Tough”
Toots and The Maytals are absolutely essential reggae/Jamaican soul music.
https://youtu.be/TXxOU49TVKA
Author
Rock to Know: The Doobie Brothers – “Black Water”
The Doobie Brothers has had a profound effect on me in many ways. I've always enjoyed the study of history, and through my exploration of The Doobie Brothers, I was able to gain a much better understanding of black and white relationships…
Soul Control: Donny Hathaway – “Someday We’ll All Be Free”
As with all soul music, there's a strong sense of feeling that is underscored by an ironic mix of personal pain, collective oppression, and joy on the shoulders of hope. That being said, Donny Hathaway qualifies as the personification of…
Jazz to Know: Dorothy Ashby – “Soul Vibrations”
Almost hard to believe that the harp could be so soulfully recontextualized. A reminder that instruments can be made to yield a variety of music forms; it all depends on the imagination and skill of the composer.…
Funk That Goes: The Meters – “Soul Machine”
Formed in 1967 in New Orleans, The Meters are among the founding architects of funk music. One listen of "Soul Machine" by The Meters, and you will recognize the roots of the hip hop/rap music. Drums and rhythm galore. What also stands…
Check This: Showbiz & AG – “Fat Pockets”
When Showbiz & AG dropped "Fat Pockets" in 1992, I hadn't yet owned an Akai S950. I was still a teenager, and technically I couldn't even get into The Fever (infamous Bronx nightclub) yet. Even still, I used to roll up to the Bronx, at…
Did Kanye West’s “Five-for-Five” Album Release Strategy Hinder Teyana Taylor’s K.T.S.E.?
Very few people can be the leader of the creative production behind the music on a given album and the marketing force behind said album at the same time. Normally, these roles are given to multiple people because it’s best to split…
Check This: Saga & Thelonious Martin – “Mongolian Cashmere” (Prod. by Thelonious…
Brooklyn MC Saga and Chicago producer Thelonious Martin's collaborative LP, Molotov. features most of Martin’s traditional sample-based beat style and Saga’s smooth rhyme approach. I think they've found a winning formula on this project.…
Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers Taught Me How To Shuffle
The Jazz Messengers are one of the richest sources of musical knowledge that we still have available to us. Initially Co-fronted by drummer Art Blakey and pianist Horace Silver, Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers (the moniker that was…
Pete Rock & CL Smooth Discuss the Making of “They Reminisce Over You” (T.R.O.Y.)
Pete Rock & CL Smooth's "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" is was one of the rare rap songs (and sampling gems) that everyone likes. It's an undisputed classic that makes you emotional just as much as makes you knod your head and…