Aria- Heard Em Say- Kanye West ( Aaliyah’s Scratch practice record)
I was doing some practice on the bass and a little scratching. Aaliyah was watching a movie while I got this work in. When the movie ended she asked if she could come play records with me. Of course you can I replied, and we started up a session.
I asked her what she wanted to hear. She said “Music for the Morning” . Since he loves to pick out her own records I asked, which record do you think is good for the morning.
She picks Joni Mitchell Ladies of the Canyon. We drop the needle on it, and realize the first track is called Morning Morgantown. She wanted mellow music for the morning, dug in the crates and found a song specifically about the morning. I Couldn’t be prouder. She is gaining a value for music, and using it to add to the experiences of her life.
Thanks to Caryn Davidson. She and her family blessed us with six really nice crates of Classic rock, folk, and jazz records. The Joni Mitchell Aaliyah picked was from their collection. Thanks for passing on the love.
Joni Mitchell- Morning Morgantown (Ladies of the Canyon album)
For this edition of Brooklyn Beats we are featuring my friend Kat Parker. We were colleagues at Scratch DJ Academy, then she moved to Brooklyn only blocks away from me. Our kids are the same age, so we get together once a week for a vinyl session. A vinyl session that often includes up to four children, grilled cheese sandwiches, coffee and a melt down or two.
Kat is the mother of 2 :Miles and Sage
Tom, Sage and Miles
Wife of one- Tom
Tom in the crowd at the last Grateful Dead show in Chicago. Gotta love him.
Check out her mixes and recommendations from the site. You are sure to get turned on some really unique selections.
Within our weekly kid sessions many records get played. So many. From Willie Dixon, to the Grateful Dead, DMX to Clifton Chenier. T-Rex to The Supremes.
She and Tom have a ridiculous vinyl collection. I truly admire it. It is so thorough. The “Rock Wall” is what I call their rock section, it takes up an entire wall of their apartment. A journey to the top of this wall will shake you up and down for sure, and that is just one side of the place.
On a quick first glance into the stacks you can see Nick Drake box sets, White Stipes 45’s, and a Tom Waits 12 inch. This is all surrounded by Ziggy Stardust and Dylan. Delve deeper, you will find doubles of a lot of classics. Zeppelin is present, so are the Kinks, Beatles, Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy and Nine Inch Nails. Keep climbing and you are for sure to run into Dr. John jamming with Syl Johnson, and you my even move past a Digable Planet or two.
I have learned so much from the “Rock Wall” as well as the rest of the collection . I make it a point to pull something I have never heard before every time I visit. These two really love vinyl, and are dedicated to buying what seems like all of it.
Rarely do you find non Dj’s who love to spend hours getting their fingers dirty with the remnants of 50 year old records that have been in a dark basement for 20 years. But they really love buying records in bulk and feasting their ears on all kinds of music.
The eclectic tastes along with a dedication to vinyl really made me want to know what has been spinning on their turntable . (Which is technic 1200) (They also have a full DJ Set up in their bedroom.)
Hereeeeere we go
Kat, what is currently on your Turntable? –
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard- Quarters Album
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard- The River
What does it sound like to you ?
King Gizzard is this jazzy surfer rock. It’s raw beautiful and polyrhythmic. Looping and echoing back on itself.
The name is amazing, how did you find out about this group?
Well, Tom gets a weekly email blast from Jamie Widders called Widder Weekly. It is a great list of live shows and music listings. He recommended going to see Courtney Barnett. He said that she was like a female Kurt Cobain. That compariason made Tom and I want to check her out. She rocked, but during the show she mentioned that she was listening to King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. From there we got the vinyl.
What track in particular stands out to you?
I love the album and how it feels as a whole.
I really love a record you can put on and listen to all the way through. Not a collection of three minutes songs. I want a lush soundscape. One that has the ability to engage you fully, but is also a vehicle for escapism and mind expansion. On the other end I have a playful spirit, I love music that allows that to shine. This album gives me all of that.
Put it on, let it play!
Can you put us on to few more artists we should be checking for?
Sure,
Solomon LLori & His Afro-Drum Ensemble–
Gbogtbo-Omo ibile- This track features hubert laws on Tenor Sax and Donald Byrd on trumpet. A classic duo. Do check out Donald Byrd and Huber laws, they will make your life better.
Novos Baianos- Album- Acabou Chorare
This is amazing 70’s progressive Brazilian rock. I love listening to music in a language that I do not understand.
Not being able to understand Portuguese allows me to create my own inner dialogue with the music. I am not just on the receiving end as a listener, I get to contribute my own thoughts to the experience.
Novos Baianos- Tinido Trincando
Kat, thanks so much for sharing your music and thoughts with us. It is obvious from your answers that music is a huge part of your everyday life, making its way into all your experiences. Recording those experiences is why we do this, so thank you again. So glad we got a chance to hear some of them.
We got a lot of great new music to listen to. You broadened the horizon today.
My physical body is riding on the BQE, my head is on Harlem River Drive destined for Atlanta. Sun bursting through the back window warming my neck up a bit. 45 and windy, but the brisk air is nice.
Harlem River Drive- Bobbi Humphrey
Denice Williams, Dorothy Ashby, Thundercat and Common were on my flight! We all talked, listened to each other, did some reading, then took a nap. As we Touched down in the “A” Some rapper by the name of Sean P came to the microphone accompanied by Nasir Jones.
I guess Serendipity is real. I planned this trip to Atlanta months ago. A few weeks before the trip I found out that my Grandmother Louise Noble would be having a 90th birthday party on the day I arrive. The timing was perfect. I do not get to see my relatives in Georgia very often. They are amazingly loving, and make you feel truly at home. Plus 90 years old! I had to be there. My man Ricardo picked me up from the airport and we set out to Athens.
The surprise party was a gathering filled with love, and laughs. My grandmother was blown away by the outpouring. It felt good to hear so many people from all generations of the family paying homage to the Matriarch.
Me and my grandmother Louise Noble. 90 years old.
Within the next 4 hours I hung out with my parents, gave hugs to some wonderful relatives. Made a short toast at the birthday party, ate lasagna, and went back to my Aunt Martha and Jimmy’s house for some family kick it time.
I made the trip originally to come chill with my man Ricardo Spicer. We have been friends since first grade and grew up listening to every thing music had to offer together, usually on a yellow sony walkman with dual headphone jacks. My KRU from Shaker Heights are my brothers with out a doubt. We kick it very rarely now, but when we do we “never miss a beat”. Not just because we all have excellent timing, but mostly because we are family.
On the ride back Ric put me on to some nice funky soul and a true ATl banger.
Wipe me Down -Lil Boosie
Drive you Crazy- The Pointer Sisters
Ricardo and I went back to Atlanta met up with the crew, got burgers and headed to one of Atlanta’s finest establishments for a memorable night out. Actually the most memorable part was when Ric forgot I was staying at his house in the middle of the night.
I went to the bathroom, peeing, minding my own. Then the face of pure rage, half my boy Ric and half Jack Nicholson in the Shining busts the door open. I hear “Yo dawg, what you doing!” then look over and see only Ricardo’s head looking around the corner of the door, giving a really low growl at me. This dude forgot I was there, thought I was a burglar who decided to use the bathroom, and basically tried to jump me. This kind of moment is exactly the reason I made the trip. To create another memory with my friend. I will never forget that, and I will bring up each time we get together from now on.
Sunday morning I worked on re-organizing my playlists, taking music off Ric’s computer and spent some quality time just relaxing and doing nothing. Mid afternoon my other homie Kuzi came to pick me up and we went to his spot. I met his girlfriend Gretchen and daughter Kaia. The four us went through Apple music and picked a few things to play to for one another.
Me- Christine and the Queens- Tilted
Kuzi- Sub Motion Orchestra- Intro
Gretchen- Erykah Badu Phone Down (She would want it to be known that she has mixed feelings about this track)
Even though it was Ricardo’s Birthday he was at work most of the day. When he finally got to Kuzi’s house we watched a ridiculous Outkast concert. It was a Lallapalooza performance in Chicago. They killed it, filling all of us with nostalgia while rhyming every lyric, filling in every ad-lib, and letting it VIBRATE HIGHER!
So in honor of this weekend check out Outkast an Odyssey My tribute to this amazing duo. (The mix style is inspired by Soundbombing II)
Next came Fried Chicken, greens, mashed potatoes, crab cakes, biscuits and fried green tomatoes. A southern feast that gave me a nice fix. I was craving that meal, and it was super on point. Southern City kitchen, Big up! Big up!
We forgot to sing happy birthday in the restaurant so we did a barber shop quartet thing on the corner outside for Ric.
Monday chill day. Music trading, errands and such. The highlight was the impromptu beat session we put down. It started off with Kuzi playing some tracks he had been working on. I turned on the new Serato Dj controller Ric had, cued up some scratch sounds and just cut and cut and cut.
Used some nice effects, and we recorded scratch patterns on top of tough tough beats by Kuzi Nash. Next Ric wanted to use the pads on the DDjsx to chop up some Dramatics. So we set cues, found the sections we wanted, and went to work.
The Dramatics- In the Raind
Even though we did not get a chance to finish the beat, just being in the room with them. Ideas flowing, crazy laughs, lots of beats looping over and over again felt good. I played some of the blends I have been working on, and we bounced things off one another, all while putting in some good work.
For the most part my Kru and I only see each other at weddings and other big events like that. It was really great to just be able to spend time just chilling, watching games, pumping beats.
Live action Outro-
Flight delayed 30 min, then an hour, then two hours, now four hours. Ok, Ok, you dddd
Waiting for the bus to the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.
(Musical Time Stamp) Happy to see you by – Graham Central Station
It is 7:42 pm. Lola is still giving a few 10 second spurts of crying. I can understand it. She had a great day and refuses to give up on it. Aaliyah passed out with her hand in a bag of gummies at about 7. We really went hard today, and had a great time doing it. Playgrounds, museums, movies, snacks, limp body tantrums, lots of fun and an overwhelming amount of love.
There was a 4 or 5 month period after Lola was born where on Mondays and Tuesdays I had both Aaliyah and Lola for the whole day. 6 am till 6pm. It was no joke, and I am glad Aaliyah now has school everyday. For her sake, and my own sanity.
When I think back on it though, I loved every minute of it. Today was a great reminder of how blessed I am.
The three of us were really happy to be reliving one of those epic days together. Aaliyah and Lola were exuding joy being around each other all day. Random hugs occurred fairly often, and the vibes were just good. We laughed and enjoyed being together and with friends.
Time Stamps and activities
Pilar went to Oakland early this morning for a work trip. So I had a few hours with the girls at home in the morning. We danced to this.
Cuban Jam Session- Pamparana
This series of Cuban Jam Sessions was a favorite of her father Paul. These records were passed down to us, so we have to keep this music present in our lives.
930 am- Playground (Soaking wet playground equipment, but we were 30 min early for the museum and had to kill time)
Lola’s first time trying the big kid swing.
10:00 am- Met Casey and her daughter Zola as well as Jeannine and her daughter Jordan at the Children’s museum. We were separated most of the time, but got together long enough to snap this group photo.
This is our crew! We missed Chantille today though. Aaliayh’s picture of her whole family. Peep the style though!
Post museum photo shoot.
1:00 pm- Lola went down for a nap. Aaliyah and I took this opportunity to watch Shrek. It may seem hard to believe, but that was first time I had ever seen the movie. It was pretty good, Aaliyah and I sat together eating snacks just chilling till Lola woke up.
3:00- Shane and Sekou came over and we went to playground again. Aaliyah, Lola and Sekou basically sprinted the entire way there, then ran around and climbed and slid, and swung until it got dark.
They missed each other.
5:00- Dinner and Chill time.
As soon as we got back I made a quick dinner playlist.
I wanted to start with Life is just a moment, so you better enjoy it.
Life is just a moment- Roy Ayers
Bomdigi- Eric Sermon
Bonita AppleBum (2015) Pharrell Williams edit
Number One- Tuxedo
Pitch in on a Party- DJ Quick
Shaft in Africa- Johnny Pete
Viva Tirado- Gerald Wilson
Che Che makossa- Willie Colon
Don’t make me beg – Soul Notes
Kossa- DJ Day
Now its 8:33, and Excuse me miss just came on. I forgot about this song. Nice laid back groove for the evening. Go ahead and play it. This is a Neptune’s produced track. To learn more about the Neptune’s check out SPY MOB they are the backing band for N.E.R.D
Excuse me Miss- Jay-Z and Pharrell.
Spy Mob! Check em out.
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed the music and the memories.
The student body at the University of Missouri just did something historic. Through protests, hunger strikes, and the football team refusing to practice or play, they effected some real change. They ousted the president of the university Tim Wolfe for his lack of action in the face of consistent racial turmoil on campus.
Racial incidents had been brewing on campus for months. The student body president was called a racial slur while walking on campus. Also a group of Black students were called “niggers” while rehearsing for a performance.
Nothing was done by campus security who witnessed the incidents. The student body was not satisfied with the universities response or investigation of these hates crimes. Finally a swastika painted with human feces was put up on a dorm wall.
I have been a student athlete, and felt racial divides between my teammates. I am a black man in America, I feel that divide as well. So I relate to this story. I made the mistake of reading comments on the bottom of several articles on this situation. Let’s just say people are still extremely racist. Sometimes it feel likes the ignorance is to engrained to be overcome.
Today the power of “many” won.
The “many” students who came together to denounce these hateful actions were the main cause of Tim Wolfe’s swift removal. The “many” showed that sports can bring people together, even in the face of a national climate that is teeming with racially explosive incidents.
The “many” even showed that the athletes when joined together have some power of a massive entity like the NCAA.
The power of “money” also had a lot to do with this. College game day is a huge money maker. The amount of money that would have been lost by canceling the game was in the millions with tickets, concessions, food and beverage sales, Jerseys etc. Canceling the game would have been a huge loss. The student body created the situation that forced the hand of the administration.`
This is a real glimmer of hope, that could make it easier for people to take action against injustice. For a Division I football players on scholarship to put social issues, morals, and what is right above football is nothing short of amazing. I have been a division I athlete. Sports comes first, you are on scholarship and if you breach that contract they can take that scholarship away. So big ups to the players who stood for what was right, looking past the consequences that could have been incurred.
(This is a photo tweeted by Head football coach Gary Pinkel) players banding together
Big ups to Coach Gary Pinkel. He stood by his players. He didn’t try and threaten their scholarships or playing time. He also knew what was right, and now stands on the right side of history. Let us not forget that this is the same coach and team that knew Michael Sam was gay, supported him completely and helped usher in a new era of civil rights in major sports.
Big ups to the Legion of Black Collegians for organizing and to Jonathan Butler for his hunger strike. The combination of the athletes, grad students, and student unions is what helped to make this historic event occur. They banded together under one cause, and they won.
Rarely do you see NCAA athletes or students in general win over the university establishment.
This is a day to remember that even though we love sports in America, it cannot come before the civil rights of our citizens.
Remember Muhammad Ali today. He gave up being a champion at the peak of his career because he did not believe in the Vietnam war. His sport was important to him, but his beliefs came first. He faced the consequences of his actions , but he too came out on the right side of history. Some supported what he did, others bashed him as a communist.
There will be those who stand in judgment of the students on Missouri campus and what they did. I’ll never truly understand why any one would disagree with peaceful protests that end with real change, but hey. When people of color gain power and wield it to spur change, this can be scary for some.
People of color in America will always have to deal with some kind of discrimination. It is never going away.
What we can do is use the recent events at the University of Missouri as a catalyst. A catalyst to support and use THE POWER OF MANY to bring about change, no matter what the issue.
This is a day I am very thankful for.
Musical Time Stamps. A few protest songs to remember this day by.
Fight the Power- Public Enemy
A classic protest record. Plus it has the funky drummer on it.
Today I went into Aaliyah and Lola’s class to read and play some bass. I’ll say first that we love their school. All the teachers are wonderful people who truly love the kids. Aaliyah comes home so excited about what she has been learning daily.
Aaliyah has been asking me to read a book to her class during breakfast time. So today I went it and read The Wheels on the Bus. It is a familiar story, you sing about all the people and activities on the bus, and these things go on “all over town” As I read the kids ate waffles and sang with their mouths full. Ms. Shaquam and Ms. Tawanna (Aaliyah’s) teachers sang a long as well.
As I finished reading, I suggested they all get out shakers and tambourines. They all got instruments and we began a pretty official sing along.
Now this was my first time ever playing the bass and singing at the same time in front of people. It went pretty well. I played through a 12 bar boogie boogie style blues, then went into The Wheels on the Bus. The kids loved it, and it made Aaliyah so happy. I got the tightest longest hug ever after we finished.
I started playing the bass, so that I could teach the girls music. I want to have a family band, and have playing together be a huge part of our lives. Music brings people together. Today I got a little closer to my kids, their classmates and teachers.
That is the stuff that really matters
.
I went in to play and read today because I love my children. I did it all “From the Love side”
(Hank Ballard is one of the earliest influences on the music of James Brown. When you listen to this song, you can hear the similarities.)
We are saturated with advertisements, reviews, polls, pundits. Our peripheral is always being bombarded with information, telling us what to think, what to buy, what is good. Before we can decide if we actually like something, we read several reviews of what other people think first. What this means is that we almost never get to approach anything new in life with a clean slate of WHAT WE ACTUALLY THINK!
It ok to like what you like! Say it, I like it like that!
I like it like that- Pete Rodriguez
No matter what, we take into account what we have heard, or read, or the headline that we saw in passing. It is very difficult to separate your opinion these messages. Hype is a beast. When Kendrick Lamar’s album To Pimp A Butterfly was leaked, it came out to unbelievable praise. There were album of the year cries almost immediately.
I actually did not get to listen to it until about a week after its official release. That is seven days of Facebook, twitter, and Instagram posts, seven days of opening up streaming browsers with it prominently featured. Overhearing conversations, hearing it on the radio, essentially you are hearing that it is a great album all around. Which it is, but based upon everything I heard about it. I had preconceived notions about what to expect before I even got to hear it for myself.
I do genuinely love the album. Sonically it is everything I would like to hear. It’s Hip hop, jazz, funk, soul, spoken word all wrapped up in the anger of oppressed youth. It is also extremely honest and challenging mentally. I would say it is for deep close listening and absorption. Not for background enjoyment.
Kendrick Lamar- King Kunta
After Good Kid M.A.A.D City killed the game in 2012, To Pimp a Butterfly was a highly anticipated release. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to pull the cellophane off of an album that you are looking forward to hearing, play it and decide for yourself if it’s fire. Without having someone else tell it sucks or that it is amazing.
Modern listening does not even allow the average listener to really choose what they want to hear. Streaming services tell you what they think you should hear as soon as you open the application. There is a top 10 waiting for you, a list of WHATS’ HOT! Even if its only luke warm. However if you hear it 20 times a day, and Funk flex tells you its hot, the message starts to seep into your psyche. They have decided for you.
As a working DJ I can tell that most people use these lists as a guide for what to listen to. All the requests are the same as what is on the hot 97 or you tube, or spotify top 40.
As an experiment for yourself. Buy a new album legally. Try not to read any reviews on it, or ask any one about. Just put it on, play it and judge for yourself. Ask your self.
Does it sound good?
Does it feel good?
If you listen and answer yes, then it’s good. No matter the genre, or release date.
Do the same experiment with a movie. Just pick a movie and watch it. Don’t read the blurb, don’t look at how many stars. Just watch it, and decide for yourself if you like it.
It is difficult to go against the grain. When something is very popular and “trending” to say you don’t like it can ostracize you. Do the best you can be true to what you really feel.
Wether it is music, or books or movies. You don’t have to follow the trend. You get decide what you like, and how it makes you feel.
Just because you do not like something does not mean you are a hater. It’s ok to make choices on a case by case basis.
“If I don’t like it I don’t like, that don’t mean that I’m hating”. – Common (The 6th Sense)
Listen and decide for yourself.
I was inspired to write this piece based up two articles that came out this week.
The above article discusses how it became faux pas to say that you don’t like everything about Kendrick Lamar’s album To Pimp a Butterfly. I don’t agree with the overall message, especially when he questions why Kendrick would make a spoken word, funk jazz album in 2015. (Because he doing something different, and that is what we need) However, it did make me think about how the bandwagon of an album or artist gets going, then all of a sudden he/she is gods gift.
The above article is a rebuttal to the piece from Complex, but also a critique modern music journalism. I must say I agree with the overall message of the 2 dope boyz piece more.
Of course we have some beats to accompany.
Life is just a moment, so you better enjoy it.
Roy Ayers- Life is just a moment
Alabama Shakes- Don’t Wanna Fight (No reason to be conflicted and fight within yourself, listen and decide)
Brooklyn, if it were an independent city would be the 4th largest city in the United States. Brooklyn represents cultures from all over the world. West Indian, Russian, Jewish, Puerto Rican, African, Brazilian, Irish, Italian. All of these cultures plus many more have helped to build the fabric of life in Brooklyn.
The goal of Brooklyn Beats is to learn more about what Brooklynites are listening to and why. In my travels I will stop people with headphones on, ask them what they are listening to, and why they chose to listen to the artist/genere etc.
Music touches all people, but in different ways. If I can learn from the people what they love and why. I can not only put together DJ sets that move the crowd, but also learn the history and culture of the music. The deeper the knowledge base, the more creative the set. Plus I am a super nerd for learning the details of different forms of music the world over.
For the first installment of Brooklyn Beats we are starting close to home. You have probably seen some pics of Aaliyah and Lola around the site. Now let’s talk to my wife Pilar.
An amazing mother of two with excellent taste in music. Being with her has shaped my listening in such great ways. She has turned me on to so many great artists and albums. One thing I really love about her listening patterns, is that she loves “album cuts” She hardly ever plays the top singles from each album, she like the deep inner cuts. Pilar plays ATLiens by OUTKAST all the time (another reason to love her) her favorite song is Jazzy Belle, not Atliens, and not Elevators. I was drawn to that.
Pilar works with the Middle School Quality Initiative, a literacy initiative that works with public middle schools across all five Boroughs of New York City.
Number one Pilar is a Brooklyn native, with impeccable taste, also she is all over the city, sometimes riding the train for two hours or more a day. That’s a lot of listening time.
Let’s find out what she has been listening to.
Pilar, whats the flavor in your ear?
Artist– Blackalicious
Album/Compilation– Imani Vol I.
What made you choose that today?-
It’s been 10 years since Blazing Arrow was released. That album provided me with a lot of listening pleasure.
Does it have any special meaning for you?
Blazing Arrow made me think, bob my head, and blasted from both my home and car speakers on many occasions. I listened to the new album in hopes it would elicit similar experiences.
What do you like about it?
I love hearing the evolution of artists as they grow and change to make their music relevant to the current times. Their musical progression makes me that much more conscious of my own evolution.
Twist of Time- by Blackalicious- Imani Vol. I
This is the source of the Me and my arrow sample. Pretty sure I saw this when I was teaching in the Bronx some years back. I heard it, and immediately connected it to Blackalicious. Ringo Starr is the narrarator
For this edition of Brooklyn Beats we go to East New York, Starrett City. This is my man DJ Bamboo. We met working at the Scratch DJ Academy. Now you can catch him at H & M Times Square M-F 12-5
This guy is a master at blending trap, old school hip hop, breaks, Classics, dance music and reggae all into one banging set. Every time I show up to spin a set after him, he is on fire. Just live remixing, or rocking doubles, or killing a sample set. Always something fresh and official.
Brooklyn Beats-
DJ Bamboo
What are you rocking currently? – Milo Mills
What made you choose that? – I love the beat selection and production work.
Ok, so a major part of this site is going to be about listening for and finding the connections between styles/genres of music throughout history.
It has been said that the best artists can mimic their influences and then add their own flavors to make it original. Wether it is painting, or writing, or playing basketball, people use the work of previous generations to help create something new and special.
Recently there has been a surge of talk about “What is Original” The Blurred Lines vs. Got to give it up controversy sparked everything.
I’ll say it again. “Artists are influenced by Art” You see a painting, you hear a drum break, you watch a movie, talk to a friend, read a book. These experiences build the art you create. We should be free to use those influences freely (as long as we acknowledge them) to move creativity forward.
One of the most essential needs of creativity is a lack of self consciousness while performing and creating. I’m not talking about “knowledge of self”. I am talking about not thinking to much about what you are playing, or writing, or drawing. It is a fact that the best work is done once you hit the “Zone” a place where you are not even thinking, your muscle memory, soul, and surroundings are leading you. The second you begin to think, “I am playing the right notes” “Is this a good color” “No, I cant play that” “Is this the right way” the “Zone” is gone.
Creativity and originality come from being free in a creative moment, not hesitant because you think it may sound like Marvin Gaye. Which in my opinion is a good person to sound like.
Pharrell Williams is getting a lot of heat for the Blurred Lines controversy. I personally think the song is good. It just got so much bad press, that it became a witch hunt. When I first heard it, before any public opinion entered my brain, I liked it. There were articles saying it was the worst song ever written, C’mon, really?
Pharrell admitted to wanting to make a song the sounded like “Got to give it up” He acknowledges the influence.
So many artists take the songs they love and do exactly what Williams did with Blurred Lines. They also do it in even more obvious ways.
Ray Charles, Buddy Holly and Kanye West will be the focus of this session of
Cultural Continuity
Gospel to Blues/Soul, Rock to Hip Hop. We will follow the connection between these styles
It Must be Jesus is a gospel song written by Bob King in 1954. Bob King was a Blues influenced guitar player, who was the original guitar player for Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers. He wrote this song and sang lead for the Southern Tones. Peep the track below.
Listen Closely to the Vocal Intro, melody, the “Oh yeah” and the arrangement. This is foundation of this series of songs.
It Must Be Jesus- The Southern Tones
“It must be Jesus” was written in 1954, Ray Charles wrote and composed “I Got a Woman” in 1954 as well. What do you think he was listening to? His creativity was being influenced by gospel. Listen to the melody, and the “Oh Yeah” even the vocal intro is the taken from “It must be Jesus”. Weeeeellllllll, I got a woman. Ray Charles sped up the song overall and made it about a woman instead of Jesus. Musically he added blues inflected chords and changes, as well as a sax solo.
“I Got a Woman” by Ray Charles
Four years later in 1958 Buddy Holly recorded “Early in the morning” An early Rock song that sounds very similar to “I Got a Woman”
Listen to the way the melody builds. He even repeats a Ray Charles lyric (Early in the Morning) Holly opens the tune with a Weeeeellllll, and then we hear the ode to Charles. He also give the “Oh yeah” at the end of each stanza.
Throughout the song there is even more gospel influence as he does call and response with the background vocalists. The Rhythm section is playing a shuffle feel, just like the Charles version, however the bass is much more prominent. There is even a saxophone solo after the second chorus, the same place as in the Ray Charles version.
Early in the Morning by Buddy Holly
Now we come to 2005, Hip hop adds to the cultural continuity of “It Must be Jesus”
Kanye West produced and wrote “Gold Digger” along with Jaime Foxx for his 2005 album Late Registration.
On Gold Digger West has Jaime Foxx sing an interpolation of Ray Charles from “I Got Woman”.
They change the lyric from “She gives me money when I’m in need” to “She Take my money, when I’m in need” Switching the theme of the song significantly.
Within the verses you hear “She give me money” and “when I’m in need ” sung in the background entering and exiting every measure.
So West was influenced by watching Jamie Foxx play Ray Charles in RAY. Then he picked “I gotta woman to sample. Then he created the whole beat, a theme and rhyme scheme. Then laid down some banging drums, with scratches by A-Trak. All of sudden a whole new song is created.
Gold Digger- By Kanye West and Jaime Foxx
Now we have seen how artists are influenced by art. We have followed Gospel flowing into Blues, and Blues growing into Rock. Most recently Hip Hop as a genre becoming an extension of all three. We have listened to the cultural continuity of music and how artists take from what they love and make something new. Now ask the question.
Lola’s first time trying the big kid swing. 
(This is a photo tweeted by Head football coach Gary Pinkel) players banding together
