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Sunday, Jan 16 2022, 12PM
In Questlove's documentary "Summer of Soul," the performances are riveting — standouts include Mahalia Jackson and Mavis Staples belting out "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and the Edwin Hawkins Singers’ “O Happy Day” — it’s the shots of the all-ages crowd that makes this film come alive, with the vibrant fashions, the incredible faces, the excitement, the boredom and the humanity of it all packed into every frame.
bit.ly
Originally recorded in 1970, with lyrics adapted from Psalms 19 and 137.
Babylon, in the Rastafari movement, is used to refer to any oppressive or unjust government or agency.
Gabriels is the gospel singer and choir director Jacob Lusk (from American Idol in 2011) and producers Ryan Hope and Ari Balouzian.
Explaining the meaning of the track "Blame", Jacob Lusk shared: "When examining our life's problems, we hastily assign blame - 'This happened because of this…' Our song 'Blame' seeks to examine the construct of not only fault and shame, but take a deep dive into the world of addiction, and indulgence."
www.thelineofbestfit.com
gabriels.bandcamp.com
Producer, composer and arranger Adrian Younge says, "'The American Negro' is an unapologetic critique, detailing the systemic and malevolent psychology that afflicts people of color. This project dissects the chemistry behind blind racism, using music as the medium to restore dignity and self-worth to my people."
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Listen to Younge's interview on KEXP's Sound & Vision podcast: www.kexp.org
Son of reggae artist Chronicle, Jamaica's Chronixx got his start under the name Little Chronicle. Born Jamar Rolando McNaughton, Chronixx showed musical promise at a young age, prompting his father to bring his son into the studio.: www.allmusic.com
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Watch Chronixx perform this song LIVE on KEXP in October of 2017: www.youtube.com
Album out in late February. The third in a series, releasing almost ten years to the day after the first. "Black Superhero" features Big K.R.I.T. and BJ the Chicago Kid, while Q-Tip, Jennifer Hudson, Gregory Porter, PJ Morton, and Ty Dolla Sign appear elsewhere on the album.
Charlie Buhler directed the video -- learn more about her work to champion representation in filmmaking: www.charliebuhler.com
Released in 2018.
This is the opening track off the American jazz saxophonists' second album "Heaven and Earth."
Read Afropunk's interview with Washington following the release of this record here: bit.ly
Originally recorded by Donald Byrd, but this song was written by Larry Mizell (Sr.) and Larry Gordon.
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As "Where Are We Going?" draws to a close, Gaye suggests that increasing activism may wake people from their stupor. "Day in, day out / It gets better, the people shout / Day by day flames get higher," he declares, referring to various revolutions... raging in 1972 (namely civil rights, women's rights, gay rights, and anti-war sentiment). : blindedbysound.com
Wajatta is a collaboration between comedian/musician Reggie Watts and DJ/producer John Tejada. This five track EP released in early December. wajatta.bandcamp.com
Thievery Corporation was formed in the summer of 1995 at Washington D.C.'s Eighteenth Street Lounge. Rob Garza and Lounge co-owner Eric Hilton were drawn together over their mutual love of club life, as well as dub, bossa nova and jazz records. thieverycorporation.com
This track is the opener from The Cannonball Adderly Quintet's "Country Preacher 'Live' at Operation Breadbasket" and features a rousing intro from Reverend Jesse Jackson.
Released in 1969 and recorded at an unidentified church for a Chicago chapter SCLC meeting.
1:01 PM
11th spin
On KEXP's podcast, Sound & Vision, Emily Fox explores why "Are You Experienced" is the best album from the Northwest:
www.kexp.org
Gil Scott-Heron wrote this poem and song when he was 21 years old. The original, spoken word version of "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" was released in 1970 on his debut album "Small Talk at 125th and Lenox," on which he recited the lyrics, accompanied by congas and bongo drums.
In 1971 Gil Scott-Heron and musical partner Brian Jackson re-arranged the song. Jackson jammed on the flute while warm, jazzy rhythms added depth to the previously sparse track. These elements, when added to Scott-Heron's calm and intelligent vocal delivery, earned the song radio airplay across the US.
"It has always been around, it will always have a niche / But they'll make it a privilege, not a right / Accessible only to the rich" - Ish, 1993
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Here are the lyrics of this 1993 song in support of abortion rights; genius.com
Listener request. Thanks, Charles!
Standalone single released after his 2017 album "Face Your Fear" in advance of his 2018 tour. curtisharding.com
Blood Orange is the alter ego of UK singer-songwriter-producer Dev Hynes. bloodorange.net
"This song works as a sort of mantra to not fold under the force of life’s duress as she sings with the most potent melody of the hook, 'Sometimes when yuh feel it yuh cry doh. Hurt yuh heart, enuh. But do, no mek it stress yuh.'" Read a review of this great track by Jamaican artist Koffee, also known as Mikayla Simpson.: www.euphoriazine.com
"Is this how we keep America great? With violence and hatred? What role do you play in interrupting and addressing that?" Seattle artist Tiffany Wilson asks in a statement about her single "America".
This was featured as KEXP's song of the day in November 2020: www.kexp.org
London-based, with roots in Ethiopia and Egypt, Alweya Demmisse is a sculptor, illustrator, and musician. www.alewya.com
As one of five surviving children from 11 siblings, Fatoumata Diawara carved out a singular creative path in the face of ardent opposition from her family, emerging as one of West Africa's most eloquent female artists.
Diawara has also worked courageously as a social activist, campaigning against the trafficking and sale of black migrants in Libyan slave markets and recording the song “Djonya” (it means ‘slavery’ in Bambará) in which she restates the universal, but often sadly disregarded, truth that we all belong to the same human race regardless of color, ethnicity or religion.
fatoumatadiawara.com
This song is a condemnation of racism and a call to action for protestors against police brutality, while also acting as an uplifting celebration of black culture. Go here for a discussion of the cultural and historical references in this anthem: bit.ly
Watch the video for this gorgeous song:
youtu.be
5 is the debut album from the SAULT collective. Originally elusive and shying away from the public, this album was produced by Inflo (Dean Josiah Cover).
Since 2019, SAULT has released *five* albums.
Originally recorded in 1964 and released on his album "Ain't That Good News". Although only a modest hit for Cooke in comparison with his previous singles, the song came to exemplify the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s.
It was re-released as a single after his tragic death on December 11, 1964.
Veronica Yvette Greenfield died on January 12 from cancer.
Spector formed The Ronettes in 1957 with her elder sister Estelly Bennett and their cousin Nedra Talley. Originally called "The Darling Sisters", they changed their name to "The Ronnettes" in 1963.
Cheryl Waters and producer Aarin Wright created this track shortly after the 2021 inauguration of President Joe Biden.
Read more about the creation of this inspired track at variety.com
Shomari (aka DJ Sho Nuph) started with local hip-hop crew Tribal Music in the 90s. www.shonuph.com
The Seattle artist was KEXP's guest DJ for Midnight in a Perfect World back in 2017. Go here to check out his playlist.: www.kexp.org
"I got the blueprint from the motherland..."
parisalexa.bandcamp.com
"All you black folks, you must go/ All you Mexicans, you must go/ And all you poor folks, you must go," the group's leader Q-Tip practically croons. "Muslims and gays, boy, we hate your ways/ So all you bad folks, you must go."
"We wanted to make [the song] more of an overarching premise and not an exact indictment of anything," he says. "We just spoke to the people -- black, white, gay, poor -- and to different religions. We tried to cover it all in three-and-a-half minutes."
www.billboard.com
In the early days of performing in New York City's Greenwich Village, Nina Simone often closed out her performances with "Sinnerman." The placement of the song in her setlist was intentional. In a documentary, she put it plainly:
"I want to shake people up so bad that when they leave a nightclub where I've performed, I want them to be in pieces."
bit.ly
A clip of Nina Simone performing "Sinnerman":
youtu.be
KEXP interview with Leon Bridges after the release of his sophomore album "Good Thing" featuring this track. www.kexp.org
Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley is the youngest son of Bob Marley. damianmarley.com
The second album from this British-born, Nashville-based artist. "Stand For Myself" was produced by Dan Auerbach.
Yola plays the Showbox at the Market on April 10. www.iamyola.com
This one's a beauty about America's backwards ways, flipped into a plea for acceptance. For Monáe, this could mean her sexual identity or her artistic expression — but she could also be encouraging us to have compassion for our loonier fellow Americans. The end of the song includes a speech imagining that will rally solidarity around what matters most.
