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Posts published in “Playlists”

Playlists celebrating musical artists, genres and themes curated by GBN’s editors and contributors

MUSIC MONDAY: MLK DAY – The Ultimate Civil Rights Soundtrack (LISTEN)

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Hello on this MLK Day Monday! Hope this missive finds you all well. I put together this collection of tracks to celebrate this day. I’ve included songs that speak directly to the struggle for Civil Rights.

Some of these tracks were favorite songs of Dr. King’s and other leaders of the movement. While other tracks both classic and new are inspired by their efforts and sacrifice.

I have also included a few excerpts for the great man’s speeches as well. Mahalia Jackson, Sam Cooke, Gil Scott-Heron, and Nina Simone are all present. Though so are Common, Steel Pulse, Killer Mike, and others that came in their wake.

Hope you enjoy the collection of soul, jazz, gospel, reggae, and hip-hop track to celebrate the King Holiday.

As always, stay safe sane, and kind. “See” ya soon!

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: “I’m Still Here” – Tracks to Bolster The Heart and Soul (LISTEN)

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Happy first Monday of 2022! Hope this young year has been treating you well so far.

Well, this collection is definitely a group effort. Last week I asked the readers of Good Black News and other friends and family to offer songs that have helped sustain them during these mercurial Covid times. Folks did not disappoint.

I have assembled a playlist of old and new music of many genres to enjoy during this fourth wave of The Vid.

I’M STILL HERE takes its title from a track by the immortal Sharon Jones. It was created for the documentary, Miss Sharon Jones!, about her tenacious battle with cancer. This collection contains songs offered by stalwart GBN music contributor, Jeff Meier, our Editor-in-Chief, Lori Lakin Hutcherson, and many readers and pals from all over.

Eighty-one year old Jazz legend Pharaoh Sanders is in the house with a record released during 2021. There are songs by folks like the emerging artist Yola too.

There are tracks considered by most as enduring classics, and others that will be well worth putting in the effort to “get to know.” Do enjoy more than 9 hours of music to fill your heart and soul. I hope this short missive finds you all safe and well.

Thanks for pitching in and enjoy. And as always, stay safe, sane, and kind. See ya soon.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: Listeners’ Choice: Help Marlon Make His First Playlist for 2022!

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Happy Last Monday of 2021! Hope you all have had a safe and pleasant holiday season, so far. This Covid era ain’t going away easy. So I was planning on my first GBN playlist of 2022 to be a collection songs that I found sustaining in the last nearly two years. Though I thought it would be nice to hear from some of you.

What songs have you played during ‘20 and ‘21 that helped keep your chin up? Were they tracks from back in the day that have always been your go to? It there a cut that that gained new meaning and poignance during lockdown? Have you discovered new music that has brightened these taxing times?

Let me/us know about ‘em in the comments. Help a brotha create a communal playlist of hope and tenacity.

Thanks, you all. And Happy New Year!

[Photo: Courtesy of Marlon West]

MUSIC MONDAY: An Afroclectic Christmas Playlist for 2021 (LISTEN)

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Happy Holiday Season, you all! I am thrilled to offer this “afroclectic” of music to round out 2021’s Christmastime. With more that a little help from my friends I’ve assembled another freewheeling collection.

There are tracks from fellow contributor, Jeff Meier’s ULTIMATE SOUL OF THE SEASON SOUNDTRACK, and our fearless leader, Lori Lakin Hutcherson’s A MERRY MOTOWN playlist, plus dozens of favorites and recent discoveries of my own.

Of course, Donny Hathaway, Sharon Jones, Nat King Cole, Marvin Gaye and other Christmas standard-bearers are present. Though there are 2021 holiday releases by Bill Will, Nao, Mandisa, José James, Shaggy and others as well. Here’s over thirteen hours of soul, jazz, reggae, gospel, hip hop, and more to for a Christmas musical journey.

Whether you are staying put, or travel far, please do have a wonderful, peaceful, and safe holiday season. It has been a pleasure and honor share music with you all here on Good Black News for another year.

Stay safe, sane, and kind. And I’ll see ya back here in the ‘22!

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: A Merry Motown Christmas Music Playlist (LISTEN)

by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)

Less that two weeks away, Christmas 2021 is fast approaching. Which means (if we’re lucky), more shopping, more gatherings, more cooking, eating and more time with loved ones. Which in turn means –more holiday music!

This week, we’re offering a collection near and dear to our ears that includes classic and modern takes on holiday favorites by artists who recorded on the legendary Motown label:

From Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Temptations, Four TopsJackson 5 to the Supremes, the Hitsville U.S.A. first gen hitmakers are doing their thing, as are next gen artists Ne-Yo, Boyz II Men, Kim Weston, Tiana Major 9 and more.

Wishing you all the best as we celebrate the season. Enjoy!

MUSIC MONDAY: Christmas Around The World Playlist 2021 (LISTEN)

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Christmastime is here, y’all. Hope you all are having a wonderful first Monday of December. Here is a collection of Christmas music from around the globe. This collection of artists from Jamaica, Africa, and various points around the world will put you in the holiday spirit:

Dig these tracks from Bob Marley, Jacob Miller, Calypso Rose, Angelique Kidjo, Yellowman, Boney M., and others are a showcase of originals and fresh takes on holiday standards. Happy Holidays!!

And as always, stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC: Ultimate “Soul of the Season” Christmas Soundtrack – Deluxe Edition (LISTEN)

by Jeff Meier (FB: Jeff.Meier.90)

In my house today, we’re hopefully finally getting our Christmas tree decorated, and hitting up the internet to buy a few more A Year of Good Black News 2022 calendars for our friends and family.  And in the background, of course, we’ll absolutely need those holiday tunes.

Last holiday season, one of our most popular playlists was our “Ultimate Soul of the Season Christmas Soundtrack. The inspiration behind it was to capture the mood of those radio stations that take the month of December to turn all Christmas, all the time.

The playlist is comprised of best in soulful Christmas music, in addition to a variety of Black artists in other genres ranging from blues to jazz to pop vocals to country. If you didn’t get the chance to subscribe to it last year, this year we’ve upgraded and improved the playlist, with our special ‘Deluxe Edition’ version:

The playlist ranges from the 1940s to today, from obvious beloved faves (Donny Hathaway, The Temptations, Nat King Cole) to obscure gems that could have been hits.

Now, we’ve got more than 60 new songs woven into the mix, including veteran oldies that are new to Spotify, as well as great new 2020 and 2021 Christmas tracks from artists like Bryson Tiller, Black Pumas, Summer Walker, Ty Dolla $ign, John Legend, and Tamela Mann.

Promising newcomers include vocal coach Stevie Mackey, repped with multiple songs on our list. And Sabrina Claudio, whose recent Christmas collection managed to score duets with The Weeknd and Alicia Keys, both songs added to the list.

Of course, up near the top of the list, we’ve added Queen of Christmas Mariah Carey‘s lush new song with Khalid and Kirk Franklin, “Fall In Love At Christmas.” 

So, get the fireplace going, the cookies baking, the presents wrapping, and the stockings hanging by the chimney with care – with some soulful tunes to make the whole month festive.  Enjoy!

MUSIC MONDAY: “Cool Yule” – A Jazzy Christmas Collection (LISTEN)

by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)

With Thanksgiving firmly in our rearview, it is officially time to bring on the peppermint, egg nog and, best of all (at least in my mind), Christmas music playlists!

This season Good Black News is starting off with a playlist chestnut we dropped last Christmas Eve, perhaps missed by anyone who was traveling, already out and about or otherwise engaged in the spirit. So one more again, I am happy to bring to you “Cool Yule”: A Jazzy Christmas Collection:

From Take 6 to Duke Ellington to Geri Allen to Oscar Peterson, this playlist includes vocal and instrumental jazz renditions of traditional and modern Christmas and end-of-year classics for all to enjoy.

Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan, Lena Horne, Betty Carter, Dianne Reeves, Etta James, Dinah Washington, Esperanza Spalding and Billie Holiday are among the female jazz vocalists represented on “Cool Yule,” with Billy Eckstine, Nat King Cole, Leslie Odom, Jr. and Louis Armstrong lending their deeper pipes to the playlist.

Also represented are jazz titans Miles Davis, John Coltrane, the Count Basie Orchestra, Benny Carter, Kenny Burrell, Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, the McCoy Tyner Trio, Jimmy Smith, the Elvin Jones Quintet and the Ramsey Lewis Trio.

Wishing you all the best as we warm into the winter season, and in the coming new year. Enjoy!

MUSIC MONDAY: Redemption Songs – Thanksgiving Music for 2021 (LISTEN)

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

This week many of us will be with friends and family to give thanks, cherish each other, and delight in good eats. For most of us it will be the first time in two years.

Here’s another Monday Music offering of songs and music to enjoy on our national day to give thanks.

These tracks are spread across various time periods and genres. They are all about grace, redemption, thanks, and yes, good food.

Hope you enjoy this collection with folks you love.

Please take good care, and as always stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Smokin Out The Window” – The Best of 2021 Playlist (LISTEN)

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

As we head into the holidays and a brand new year, this Music Monday we’re taking a look back in the rearview at some of the best soul, jazz, hip hop and reggae releases of 2021.

This playlist offers Silk Sonic, “Apple Crumble” with vocals by Idris Elba, Doja Cat, The Weeknd, Leon Bridges, Drake, Tinashe, Diana Ross, emerging new Isley vocalist Alex Isley, Amber Mark, Jon Batiste, wonderful instrumental and vocal jazz from Ron Carter, Jose James, and others.

Please enjoy. And as always, stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)