Coeur de Pirate-Intermission

Sometimes we all need a minute to catch our breaths. Life seems like it has the habit of moving exceedingly fast when it wants to, and the past six months since graduation have been a brightly kaleidoscopic blur of people, faces, and great times. But a blur nonetheless. I find that its always helpful every now and then to look at where I am from the point of view of me telling someone what I am doing now and why I am doing it. Music always helps me get my mind right, and the aptly named "Intermission" by personal favorite Coeur de Pirate is the perfect thinking track. Put this one on repeat and try guessing where it ends and where it begins; pretty hard aint it. Better yet, put this on repeat and just think for a minute. Or three.

 Coeur De Pirate - Intermission (Jamandahalf.com) by jamand1/2

Jam Behind the Jam #2: Labi Siffre-My Song

In the second of our ongoing "Jam behind the Jam" series, we bring you Labi Siffre's epic jam, "My Song," a tale of being confident in oneself no matter what the circumstances. Labi, an openly gay British singer, songwriter, and poet, was born in England to a Barbadian/Belgian mother and a Nigerian father. Throughout his life, he performed across the world and worked with a host of musicians ranging from Ike and Tina to the Supremes, released 10 solo albums, and was an activist for a whole host of social causes and issues including the apartheid, gay's rights, and civil rights. Labi was not only covered by Jay-Z in his song Streets Iz Watching, but Eminem used part of his song "I Got The" to create his breakthrough single, "My Name Is."


Wait, wait, wait. What? An openly gay singer/songwriter was covered by Eminem? The same Eminem equally likely to drop a fire freestyle and diss gays? Yea. That Eminem. This Labi. Labi's music is timeless and despite a soft piano melody and smooth vocals, "My Song" is about the hardest thing that someone can probably ever do, stand up for who they are despite haters telling them that they're wrong.  I first heard Labi's song hidden behind Kanye West's song "I Wonder" and immediately I wondered (hehe) where Kanye dug his sample up. Luckily, "My Song" surpassed all expectations. A true Jam Behind the Jam, Labi's spits incredible knowledge and strength over the easiest of grooves. Take it to heart when he says:

"I may not always sing in tune

And sometime you don't hear me

But you don't have to be near me

To know that I'm singing."

And keep singing. We sure do.

Download Here

Nina Simone-Sinnerman

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....

Download here