Joomanji is the Santa Cruz based collective that pumps out some of the most rootsy and soulful vibes known to (wo)mankind. San Diego’s Jonah Christian provides an inspirational pulse while he tickles the whites releasing a plethora of savory sounds. Joomanji’s sound has an upbeat, almost, happy-go-lucky feel that is laced with sweet vocals and conscious lyrics. One of the many highlights is hearing Devin the Dude rip a bongload and bless the mic on the track “Toasted.”
Now that the music community's fickle eye has moved passed Yeezus to Jay Z's MCHG, it's ironically the perfect time to take a clearer look at Kanye's newest album. Now that all the instant reactions have passed and the reviews have been posted, the noise has died down and the music has a little space to breathe. But, before I post my thoughts, I want to take a look back on what has been one of the highlights of Kanye's music since his first mixtape: his samples. No matter what you think of Kanye as an artist, you have to appreciate his ear for music which ranges from the souliest Motown to Bollywood ballads. From what I can tell (after an excessive amount of time searching) all of these mixtapes aren't presented ANYWHERE else together online so so here are mixtapes of all (except Late Registration which seemingly doesn't exist) the samples from all of Kanye's six albums and a bonus mixtape from his G.O.O.D. Friday series. Enjoy the incredible variety of tunes! A full Spotify playlist of all these is coming soon!
There are a lot of great things going on with this song. The first is the groove: it's undeniable. A nine-and-a-half minute take on the old Wilson Pickett classic (by the same name), the California Honeydrops (their name-another great thing about this band) infuse the original soul classic with a little more swing, a little more optimism. While the original was almost a plea, this one seems to be more of a suggestion. The band themselves have a great story and the track shows each off each of their individual abilities as well as their combined funkiness. The lead singer is actually Polish, proving that soul is birthplace blind, and the band honed their craft in subway stations throughout Oakland. This live track off of their third album proves that they have come a long way from the damp underground and it's not hard to see why: great name, great sound; soulful music at its finest.
If you haven't seen the movie Blue Valentine, you should. Definitely not a first date type of movie but it's a raw look at a real couple. Along with some great acting and nice cinematography, it's very relatable, and perfectly captures the ups and downs of a relationship (may your lows never be as low as their lows). But other than the above, the best thing about the movie is its soundtrack, and especially, this jamandhalf. "You and Me" is really the heartbeat of the movie, popping up from time to time, providing the viewer with a regular pulse on where the movie is and where its come from.
With a classic doo-wop feel invigorated by the clarity of Penny's enchanting voice, "You and Me" is a obscure Motown classic with its simplicity being its true hallmark. With only a guitar and the back up band, the band eschews loud in favor of clean. With nothing to get in the way, the feelings of the jam are amplified that much louder and come out untarnished, only emboldened by the creaky sound quality. The song itself is a mystery, as SunsetintheRearview puts it:
"It has been estimated that when Penny & The Quarters recorded their previously unreleased demo, “You and Me,” the singers were all teenagers. Little more is known about the band other than the fact that they were invited to audition by Harmonic Sounds Studio in Columbus, Ohio, to record three of their demos sometime between 1970 and 1975. Whether they actually recorded the songs in the studio or in the home of the studio’s owner, Clem Price, is unknown. After Price died in 2006, the songs were discovered in one of his storage units and thereafter given to an archival record company called The Numero Group. In 2011 Numero Group publicized their efforts to track down members of Penny & The Quarters or their surviving family members to share the monetary profits from “You and Me.” One member of Numero Group has stated, “we have played this recording to over 100 movers and shakers from the time and no one has a clue.”
Whatever it is, wherever it came from, its just beautiful music that I hope all of you love. Check it out below.
We gotta start off with the biggest surprise of the weekend. With her artist bio comparing her to the greats Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight, I thought Candi Staton was hype, plain and simple. But I was still intrigued, and my buddies and I ended up slithering through the crowd to see her play at a prime spot in the Plaza Mayor of Caceres.
Immediately we knew we were in for a treat. With a full band (including a swimsuit-wearing guitar player) keeping it tight and funky and three backup singers taking their turns both supplementing Candi while also soaking up the love of the crowd themselves, Staton turned her diva on full and powered through a catalog of soul tinged Motown with heavy heaps of gospel and funk. While many of her songs were religious, she kept the preaching largely at home, instead moving the crowd with her spirit, still too strong even after 71. The whoa moment came late in her show, after the audience was good and warmed up. She dropped a 80s stylized beat and started singing the now ubiquitous lines, "Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air..." I immediately thought to myself, why would this 71 year old soul singer sing a Florence and the Machine jam when she dropped a knowledge bomb, saying that it was her original song, recorded over 25 years ago.
It's funny how little we can know about the music we love, but her dropping that was like having churros unexpectedly at the end of a long night-it just kept getting better. Her original (heavy disco-soul) was later released in 1986 with The Source (which sounds like an 80s Deadmau5 track) which was then later released by Florence and the Machine which was then remixed by XX. The track clearly has something magical about it, something that let it emerge like it did and remain relevant for so many decades. Whatever it is, the crowd on Friday definitely felt that magic, and while I felt like momentarily like a fool, the music was too good for me to second guess myself.
Gotta give it to some songs. They know what they're about. This song knows what it's about. This song should teach a class to other songs about knowing what they're about. And this song is about Booty City. A place you gotta see for yourself.
Clocking in at way less than three minutes, "Booty City" still manages to pack it in. With the same relentless spirit that Ainsley talked about way back when, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears pack as much energy as they can into the song's 160 seconds, and everyone (Joe Lewis, the singing band) and everything (the guitar riffs, the funky bass) seem excited about this mythical Booty City. While not a particularly deep song, it knows what it is, and it does that well. So next time you're headed to your Shangri-La, your El Dorado, your Booty City, put this song on and let Black Joe Lewis and his Honeybears ride with ya.
Count me firmly in the Adele bandwagon. Reminding us that "pop" music can truly be great music, Adele is both blowing up charts across the world and making fans from John Legend to the rapper Anthem. Today's jamandahalf and the great NPR Tiny Desk concert below give a little glimpse of Adele the artist and the young woman. Blessed with a towering voice, today's jam is a nuanced look at a past relationship. Alternating between confidently congratulating her ex on his new life with admitting that she still has feelings deep down, Adele's song is an untarnished look at the peculiar nature of relationships. There is no weak part to the song, and Adele's voice combined with the lyrics deftly handle the spotlight put on by the barren piano backing. The concert shows a little bit more about Adele. In stark contrast to her booming voice, she still seems refreshingly comfortable in her slight awkwardness. Adele as an complete entertainer clearly hasn't caught up with Adele the amazing singer, but that's perfectly ok.
As cheesy as it sounds, this artist's story strengthens my belief in chasing dreams till you catch them. Charles Bradley just recently released his first debut album; at the age of 63. Born in my hometown of Gainesville, Florida, Bradley's life really sounds made for one of the sad soul song that he now sings so powerfully. With a youth spent (wasted?) as a chef bouncing around the US, Bradley easily could have lost forever, one more person wondering, what if? But luckily his break did come, and Bradley seems to be making the best of every second.
It's sometimes easy to label an artist as "passionate." Most artists do, of course, feel strongly about what they do, and that transfers easily to their music. However, I have never heard an artist who sings each note like it was his last on earth. Bradley takes traditional Southern Soul and attacks it with measured desperation, with the end product sounding both extremely original and very modern. And with this project a lifetime in the making, its not surprising that Bradley completely conquers his debut. "How Long" is my personal favorite off of his first album, No Time For Dreaming, but I have to throw in "Why Is It So Hard," an autobiographical song by Bradley (with a Gainesville shoutout), who at 63 years young still has a whole new life ahead of him.
In some ways, Janelle Monae epitomizes the purpose of this blog. Her debut album, The ArchAndroid, shows a love of music, of music that transcends genre boundaries, and her album can be seen in some ways as a celebration of music. While I don't think every single track on her album is great, her bravery to embrace experimentation, her lack of fear of getting funky, is something that all music lovers can be happy about.
A standout track on ArchAndroid is "Faster," a riotous record which exhibits Monae's take on soul. Like its title suggests, this jamandahalf just moves, beating with an impatient energy. Monae never lets the song linger, never lets it get stale. At around the 1:55 mark, the song puts on its dancing shoes, moving into a schizophrenic call and response with a chorus and a robot, with Monae asking if she's a weirdo or a hero. Luckily for us she's somewhere in the middle, her music a result of flirting with both adjectives, along with many many others.
This song has swag. I'm not talking about the Lil' B swag! swag! swag!, but real musical swag: real energy, real soul, real power. "How You Like Me Now" continues a style of music which is deeply rooted in the past, songs that borrow heavily from old-school soul and sunk, but with a modern edge. This minigenre, a genre that includes bands like Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears and Fitz & The Tantrums seems to be intent on taking styles of the past and injecting Tahrir Square energy into into them, an energy that makes it impossible to not wanna bust out your best soul two steps.
The Heavy are a band supposedly from Noid, England, although it seems strangely appropriate that a place with that name doesn't actually exist. Because with a jam like this it doesn't matter where they are from, where you are from, where you are, or whether you like soul music or not. This song moves to such a reckless beat, a beat flirting with chaos, that I dare you to not feel something after you hear this song. And if you do feel something, it's a jamandahalf.
The first four lines set the stage perfectly for this powerful song: "It's early in the morning/about a quarter till three/I'm sitting here talking with my baby/over cigarettes and coffee." A song that showcases the incredible depth, range, and humanity present in both Otis Redding's songs and his voice, "Cigarettes and Coffee" is a simple story about a man and his woman, talking till the wee hours of the morning, enjoying one another for the simple things. Redding's songs are really about the simple things in life: things which happen everyday, things which we all feel from time to times, things we often don't think twice about. But the genius of Redding is that he makes beautiful art about these simple things, shining light on situations and moments which really define relationships and people. And of course being Motown, Redding's got great lines for days (I don't want no cream or sugar/cuz I got you!), reminding you that he is one of the soulful brothers that there ever was.
Ains, a soulful brother if there ever was one, comes by with "one of" his favorites. Find him at a nearby bar, singing motown greats like this jamandahalf. Thanks Ains, you're the man.
Why is it that when we discuss the things we love, people are so quick to throw out the term “favorite"?
Can we not just converse about the music, books, or works of art that find a way to move our soul without having to give just one the almighty rank of “numero uno”? Are we not, as human beings, constantly evolving? As we experience changes in ourselves, do these “favorites” not similarly change?
Perhaps this concept has always bothered me because whenever I’m asked to name my “favorite” movie, band, or book, I consistently hedge my bets with a throw-away line: “Well if I had a gun to my head I’d guess I’d have to say….” (Die Hard, The Stones, Everybody Poops).
I’ve specifically struggled with this term when it comes to the question of my “favorite” song. Everything inside me wants to pick something obscure, something that only “true” fans of music would appreciate, but I just can’t do it. With this there can be no hedging. From the tender age of five, when I could be found running around my living room in He-Man undies and abusing my dad’s copy of The Big Chill soundtrack, nothing has ever managed to move me like "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."
Everyone knows Grapevine (or at least everyone I want to know), whether it be Gladys Knight’s gospel foot-tapper, Creedence’s eleven minute bayou jam session, or “I know we’re cute, but please eat us” version turned in by the California Raisins. However, none of these can touch the sheer heartfelt force of Gaye’s proclamation of romantic deception. From the piano line (which manages to chill your spine while it moves your hips) to the silky smooth wail that seems to come straight from a lover’s trampled heart, Marvin all but guarantees that no one will sneak behind his back again. Grapevine is one of those classic tunes that can instantly snap you out of whatever funk you might happen to be in. It’s as if a zombie-version of Gaye is patting you on the back and letting you know he feels what you’re going through, but now it’s time to boogie.
Truth be told, I chose Grapevine as my next jam-and-half for the same reason I chose (and will continue to) my previous entries: it makes me want to jump on a table, shake my ass, and sing as if I know what I’m doing. As anyone who’s ever shared a drink (or six) with me can attest, each sip I take is just another tick on the clock before I bust out into song. And who knows? Maybe my next one will be my favorite.
Jam and a Half is all about feeling passionate about music. And nothing makes me feel the fire of inspiration like someone who is jammin straight from the heart. While The Chairmen of the Board may have been conceived by record company execs to pump out glossy hits, there is nothing phony about this classic track. The soul quartet made up of General Norman Johnson, Eddie Custis, Danny Woods, and Harrison Kennedy put out a number of albums throughout the 70's, but it was their 1969 hit "Give Me Just a Little More Time" that has proven to be an all time golden jam.
Something in the voice of that General Johnson just gets stuck in your chest and it seems as though the only relief is to wail the chorus as loud as you can. The General's pained moan is heartbreak and you cant help but empathize with the hiccuping hero. My homie Lew Dogg called it desperation. Dripping on every line. It twists his voice until hes squealing on the mic. And the band plays something grand enough to match. Tight knit sound, full compliment of horns, steadyrockin baseline, and keys to match. Simply known as The Funky Brothers, they lived up to the billing. The outro breakdown comes in too silky accompanied with the key rasta brrrrraAAA!!! This jam is a personal favorite and I know many cats who claim the same.
Sometimes we hear songs that we could have sworn we heard before. Like old friends, we hear them and right away feel at ease. Start grooving around a little bit. Might sing the chorus the second time it comes around. Those songs. This is that song. This jamandahalf is a funky combination of an old body with a new heart, a song that is so soulful you're sure it must have been made in a groovier era, yet so current that it somehow fits today's world perfectly.
Aloe Blacc, an artist from just round the ways in LA, has been around for a couple years, starting off as a rapper with DJ Exile, then joining a band, and recently returning to make it as a solo artist. But I'm guessing myself and most people first heard this jam as the intro to HBO's new decently entertaining Entourage copy, How to Make it in America, about two buddies trying to make it in New York. Although the episodes have been largely hit or miss, the intro, featuring this jamandahalf, is the closest thing in TV to a plate of ribs at Red Hill BBQ; it never fails to impress.
Although dripping with a soul not seen in years, Blacc's lyrics reflect these turbulent times. Blacc sings about a man tough on his luck, laid off, and broke, with his only two friends being "whiskey and wine." All he's looking for is a little love, someone to help him, but if you can't do that, a dollar will do. The elegant simplicity of "I Need A Dollar" shines throughout the song. Although trumpets join in towards the end, I wouldn't blame ya if you missed them, entranced by Blacc's effortless crooning.
For that dollar, Blacc has a story to tell. And it's tough to say which is more important, a story or a dollar (probably depends on how hungry you are); all I know is that at the end of the day I hope I have a couple more stories than dollars. But, if troubles come my way and I need a dollar, hope you're ready to hear a story.
Some people say that there are times when music can mirror life as it whips and wisps its course. If that is true I can only hope to have a moment as ridiculously funky as the one Isaac Hayes appears to have for 12 minutes of his life. Now when Isaac Hayes is cheffin up anything on the mic you know the soul is gonna be spread thicker than syrup on Aunt Jemima's very own pancakes, but this is potent stuff man. This is soul music on the jam tip something serious. The band takes the incredible energy of a passing glance and magnifies it into an epic orchestral portrayal of emotion as a fleeting moment plays out. The beginning of the track is a flood of strings as violins and guitar tango the track up slowly. A beautiful and slow duel between the two drips with the sadness of a someone who has lost the person they loved. A blues guitar comes in piercing but distorted like time against the smoothness of the violins and vocals, backed by a light beat, an easy base line, and a few weird space noises for good measure. But as the emotion builds, everybody wants in on the jam: the flute player moseys in and out, the horn section starts feelin the flow, and by the time the organ hits, its a wave of soul.
The groove rolls on like heady swells, up and down, rocking on a heavy sea. Building and subsiding, jumping back and forth between the past and the future right over the top of the present. While the song portrays a hurt that only love can make you know, the jam brings forth a rejuvenation of spirit in a culmination of funky jammin. The closing half of the track is a celebration of what was beautiful in the past as a man walks towards his future; all in one tumultuous musical journey. This epic cut is actually a transformation of the Dionne Warwick (amazing lady) hit from 1964, and appears on Hayes' 1969 album Hot Buttered Soul...yeah its that funky.
This blog is all about jams...great songs, songs that have that special something that after your precious 3 minutes and 14 seconds spent listening to it, you decide, you know what? I'd listen to that jam again, right now! Right now! Songs so good, you could have them on repeat over and over, and maybe over again. Just cuz they're that good. We're not looking for a certain genre, or style, we're looking for songs that will make ya tell your momma, hey momma, listen to this!
Sam Cooke made one of the best songs of the 20th century in "A Change is Gonna Come." Soulful lyrics, a powerful message, and a timely plead, make "A Change is Gonna Come" an untouchable jam and a half. The jam set the standard for many songs to come...Not only hoping for a change, but knowing that a change is coming, Sam Cooke wrote a socially conscious song that has everything that it needs to be a jam and a half. Covered by and referred to by everyone from Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin, to our president, Mr. Obama himself, ("It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America."). Mr. Cooke wrote this timeless piece in response to two events: his 18th month old son dying in an accidental drowning, and Mr. Cooke and his band being arrested after trying to check into a "white-only" motel. Sam soon realized that his pop career up to then wouldn't be enough.
Something more was needed. Sam Cooke's song, inspired by Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind," soon became an anthem for the civil right's movement, and poetically illustrates the difficulties that we need to overcome to make us a truly united nation. While it's been a long time coming, and many powers that be hope to keep it from coming, the promise of tomorrow is too great to not be seized by us today. This jam and a half is too pure, too strong, to make it deserve anything less than the "Jam and a Half'' title. Applicable to anything from the civil rights movement to the current health care promise, Cooke insists that a change is coming. You'll see. A Change is coming.
I included the original jam and a half, and a Fugees acoustic version. Enjoy
The first Jam and a Half had to be that fire, lava, magma....Had to be a jam which I've been playing a lot lately, but one that is also timeless, something you can listen to over and over and over again without ever getting tired of....Had to represent the jams that are going to be on here for as long as this blog is up....There is no other option, Nina Simone take's the inaugeral jam and a half....
Why Sinnerman? Because it's 10 minutes and 21 seconds of musical yummyness. This is a jam and a half in every way possible. Crazy vocals? check. Story? check. Emotion? so much that you can hear the mic messing up. The best musical interlude this side of Rosa Parks? check. This song is pure pooowweeerrrrr.....Been sampled a million times in rap songs, yet no one can ever capture the essence of Nina Simone at her purest. If you've never heard this song, be prepared to be blown away, if ya have, just sit back and jam a little...Sinnerman takes the inaugeral jam and a half
With every song, I'll include a download link and the youtube video. enjoy....
