I have posted this link before;
http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2009/03/discover-music-bands-you-listen-to/
I think people have a tendency to answer such questions with what they think makes them look good or what have you. I, on the other hand, find old mp3 mixes I burned and make no apologies. Here is a disc I burned for the road dated June 11, 2005. And yes. I still listen to these songs. I stopped buying cds some time ago. (whenever the last song listed came out… yeah…thats it) In the order they were burned in, what I’m listen to now.
“Doing It To Death Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4″ Fred Wesley and the JBS feat Maceo Parker This cut is twelve minutes and twelve seconds long. I am glad I found this disc because I cannot find this version anywhere. I miss napster….
“Moments In Love” by The Art of Noise This so happens to be the version they used in the 95 South “Tootsie Roll” remix. This is NOT the version I like the most but it does the trick. Sometimes you need to hear a song that makes you wish you were getting some.
“More Peas” by James Brown This version is almost 14 minutes long! This is what funk is! I get the impression that the shit they tossed out as not being good enough to sell would make great alternate cds. It is music like this that helped me gain an appreciation for music and instruments. Fred is amazing. How many instruments does Maceo play in this one? Geeze.
“Funky Good Time” James Brown Much of the early rap I listened to sampled this and other James Brown songs. They never meant for it to be that way, but the beats just translate into hip hop. The more I age the more I realize they were much closer to being jazz musicians in almost every sense of the word. The improving was outstanding and when James speaks to the guitar player he almost always says “Gimme some Wes!” As in Wes Montgomery.
“List Of People Who Ought To Be Killed.” George Carlin Ok so it isn’t music. I tend to throw a spoken word piece in from time to time. I feel like I knew this man. When I was in the first grade he had an HBO special that I snuck part way downstairs to hear when I should have been in bed. He told a joke about Rice Crispys sinking in milk and what they would say. I went to school the next day and repeated it. I got paddled at school (army fort in KY) and my mama went to school and tried to jump on the principal. I will have to tell that story in full one day.
“Keep On Truckin’” Long Version Eddie Kendricks As it is written this song is credited with starting the disco sound. I don’t know about all that but I love this song. The xylophone? Who the hell plays this thing let alone writes music for it? This song has it all!
“Things That Piss Me Off” George Carlin The best. He was so pissed of at everything. He had the ability to insult you and you would not only laugh but you would pay him for it. “You smell like an anchovy’s cunt!” Ouch.
“So Flute” by St. Germain I think this cat’s music is as close as my overall taste could be said to be. He takes hip hop rhytems and samples tidbits from blues songs and lays them over or under jazz. St. Germain is what music would come about if hip hop and dance instrumentals fucked jazz. If that bastard child was raised by the blues… the baby would be St. Germain.
“The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite) By Barry White featuring various Artist Whats to say? This don’t set the mood then there is no chemistry. This the kinda shit I listen to when I think I might get some. Also see, “Get You In The Mood” by The Whispers.
“Clap Back” Instrumental by Ja Rule I don’t recommend Ja but this beat is undeniable.
“Fur Elise” by Beethoven Beautiful. If the story be true, he sat down at a piano for the first time in his life, deaf,put his head on the thing and plucked this out. Fucking amazing. I wish I had something in me so good so strong that couldn’t be denied. That even if part of the vessel was gone i could still put it out.
“Day Is Done” Charlie Hunter featuring Norah Jones This cut came out two years before Norah Jones dropped her first cd. I don’t think she ever really reached this level of quality again. In this song, her voice sounds like the sultry sexy voice in my youthful fantasies. The part where she says “Down to earth then sinks the sun” is so sexy to me I can’t stop myself from blushing and I KNOW it’s coming. Sexy! Shit! Woooooooo!
“Bad Boys” Instrumental by Shine This beat is just determined gangster to me. I see the allure of the game in this beat. Not street level gangster shit. But ex thug now congressman type gangster shit. Have I said too much?
“Feel The Bass” Dj Magic Mike You have to have a track like this if you want to bang it out. If your teeth ain’t ratteling then ur stereo is bullshit.
“Dub Fire” Aswad I could not find the name of this song for like ten years. I only knew it as the song sampled by a female MC named Boss in a song called “Deeper” I had to try to seduce three different Jamaican girls before anyone took pity on me and told me what the song was called.
“Danger” Hidden Beach Music These folks are behind the music for the sexy (and crazy?) Jill Scott. They can play! “Danger” is a Mystikal song. You know the one where he says, “Head down, cock up, pussy poppin on a headstand!” Fortunately for those of you who might not be inclined to find that as sexy as it really really is… this doesn’t have the lyrics to the actual song.
“Carnival” Natalie Merchant Even non soul singers can benefit from a little light hip hop production.
“I Apologize” Anita Baker This is what a great voice sounds like. Right here. Not some teenie bopper half dressed high school kid whose only talent is that she can dance while being as naked as underage girls can be.Check any Anita Baker song. The voice is powerful.
“Bad MamaJamma” Carl Carlton Look. It is a personal fantasy of mine to see and hear Jill Scott perform this song and reference HERSELF! “(I) am built (I) am stacked (I) got all the curves a man likes!” Woooooooo! I suppose Jennifer Hudson would be willing to do it. Have you seen her in an interview before? She got that chicago thing Kanye has… The ability to see herself as being the complete shit! The end all and be all. I know what I’m talking about. I’m from chicago too bitches!
“Riding High” Faze-O You need this in the car for those late night cruises. Windows down, music blasting. Observing the speed limit. This is driving around music. The lead singer sounds like Rick James. What did the five fingers say to the face?
“Turn On Some Music” Marvin Gaye I think all Marvin did was fuck and get high. My bad. He did make a song about dancing. BUT was that just a metaphor for sex?
“Green Onions” Mongo Santamaria The classic instrumental track has been done up Mongo style. If you aren’t up on latin precussion like you would like to be, look Mongo up and pick a song title you know. You won’t be disappointed.
“Isabella” Kenny Burrell I don’t know who she is but I feel this song about her. In a day and age of downloading music for free i suggest you pay the 99cents and get this song. Amazon.com has it. If you ever even wanted to like jazz guitar then this is the cut.
“Fourplay” Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns Fred has a sound all his own. The way that Miles had a sound and B.B. King has a sound. When you hear it you know it’s him or someone trying to sound like him. I would do almost anything EXCEPT practice to be able to do that.
“Ebony Samba” Stan Getz Sometimes I like classic jazz. This is a great song but I admit I only like the first part… the second part leaves the original song behind and I think it gets lost once the vocals start.
“A Long Walk” Jill Scott Look. I like her music. I think she is sexy as all get out. This song did it to me. Ole girl quotes the Quran AND the bible. And for those of you with only one of those books in your house, the verses are almost identical. Except for the part about getting high (I worry about her sometimes) that right there would be an almost ideal first date. Can we split a cheese steak and some fries gurl? I know you hongry.
“Show Me A Little Shame” Ben Harper I wish I had my finger on my feelings like this. I wish I could just cock it back and push this sort of idea out CLEANLY. I get in my own way too much. But I understand this song so well I wish I wrote it. Saw him perform it live too. Great show. Great show.
“Still Tippin’” instrumental Mike Jones I like when instruments we don’t normally associate with hip hop show up in the songs. The violin in this beat almost validates the money Miss Mable May paid for lil such and such to get lessons. He done growed up all big and making the hippidy hop music now.
“Give Me One Reason” Tracy Chapman I grew up with the blues. And the blues I grew up with had a distincely powerful voice. Particularly the women. If the music weren’t so clean I won’t know this song wasn’t some classic blues cut. I believe k.d. lang is playing the guitar in this cut. Great song.
“La Campanella” Franz Liszt This is dizzying. When I try to play air piano (fuck yeah! what you gone do about it?) i can’t even move my fingers that fast much less pretend to do it in some sort of controlled fashion. You could bet if I could do this I would give piano recitals looking like Biz Markie circa 1988. Big dookie gold chain on, rings on every finger. Shoes with no shoe laces and a trucker hat with the letters F U ironed on the front. Just because…
“Unsquare Dance” Dave Bruebeck I was trying to make my way to DC to see the led gen before one of us dies. Unfortunately I am broke and won’t be able to make it. But I own 18 of his cds so I think I have done a little bit to support the artist. Or at least his record company anyway. Fun fun fun song. There are covers of it on youtube that are almost as fun too. Check them out.
“I want To Go Outside In The Rain” The Stylistics I wish I could sing. I can’t. I;m not saying I don’t because I do. Whenever I feel like it. I sound like Kermit D. Frog trying to be a pimp. I do enjoy slaughtering this song though. And not just in the shower.
“I Need More Love” Robert Randolph and the Family Band If you grew up with any kind of soul music in your house and you were born before 1980 you should be able to appriecate this song. It has a little bit of everything. This guy’s story is unique also.
“Disco Inferno (Burn Baby Burn)” The Tramps Ok. I have accepted that this song is synonymous with gay. I get that disco is synonymous with gay too. I even get that this song may well be about something gay. But it is a great song and if you can listen to it and not move a little…. why have you read this far down the post?
“Ain’t No Sunshine” Bill Withers Popular song to slaughter. The soul is so evident in his voice that it makes you think you can do it too. I know. I know. I hear myself slaughter this song sometimes.
“Midnight Groove” Barry White I love songs where someone is hollin in the background for no real reason. I think its one of the reasons why I like James Brown so much. (Listen to a song with good headphone on or on a stereo with great surround sound speakers. They are practically talking most the track! The Love Unlimited Orchestra was no joke. Here is proof.
“Unchain My Heart” Ray Charles I believe music like this should be getting play on modern radio. It has such relevance to the age old story of heartbreak and devotion. All while being a metaphor for drug addiction. Sounds like modern music.
“Let’s Do It Again” The Staple Sisters Mmmmmm hmmm! I can’t hear this and not think about how good… This song is wonderful. So straightforward without being overt. Subtle as one can be with such topics. Compare it to today’s music. Then you can see why what I’m listening to is the same shit I been listening to for years.
