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Posts published in “Reggae/World”

MUSIC MONDAY: “Lockdown” – Greatest Releases of 2020 Playlist (LISTEN)

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

Happy New Year!

I hope 2021 is treating you all well, so far. Here is one more obligation to 2020. It is a companion piece to last week’s remembrance of the artists lost during that last year. This offering is a collection the music released during 2020.

Lockdown did not stop dozens of artists from creating great music. Long established artists and emerging ones all released music last year. As is my style, this is another free-wheeling collection of music, featuring jazz, soul, reggae, country music, and other genres.

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Making these playlists for GOOD BLACK NEWS has been an utter delight. I am honored and thrilled to keep going in 2021.

I’ll be back next, you all. Stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Lean on Me” – Playlist Honoring Artists Who Passed in 2020 (LISTEN)

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

Here’s a playlist of music artists who died this year. Although their beautiful voices and talents were lost in 2020, we can enjoy them for years to come.

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Musicians are often our collective voices, sharing ideas and feelings through their lyrics and melodies that the rest of us struggle to express. It’s why the deaths of musicians are often difficult to process.

It’s hard to say goodbye to the people who made the art and culture that define our times and speak so directly to us. This collection features soul, hip-hop, country, jazz, and other artists that have been taken by COVID-19, long illness, natural causes, gun violence, and overdoses.

There’s only one way into this world, yet they keep making up new ones to take us out. But I digress. Please enjoy this collection of music that will resonate for eons by folks we’ve lost on this trying trip around the sun.

An early Happy New Year to you all. I can’t scrape 2020 off the bottom of my proverbial shoe fast enough.

Stay safe, sane, and kind you all.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: An Afroclectic Holiday Playlist for 2020 (LISTEN)

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

Happy Holidays, in this fifth day of Chanukah. I’ll keep it brief this time. Other contributors are also offering Christmastime collections.

Though as is my style, this one is pretty free-wheeling. This collection has Soul, Reggae, Gospel, Ska, and Jazz Christmas tracks. (I included a few Christmas songs by the late Charley Pride too.)

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There are Yuletide classics from legendary artists like Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye, to recent cuts by Lil Nas X, Daveed Diggs and Sharon Jones.

I have again included tracks about food, cold weather, and songs like Love’s “Alone Again Or” that is particularly apt for Christmas 2020.

I hope these collections have been as sustaining for you to listen to as they have been for me to make them. Please enjoy this Afroclectic playlist selected for this holiday season.

There are a couple of funky Chanukah tracks include, not only because they are great, but this year in particular the Festival of Lights that celebrates a small victory in the midst of battle, has a lesson and meaning for us all.

Whatever lights you have in your window this year, it is a stalwart signal of joy and tenacity in these toughest of times.

As always stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Nothing Comes Easy” – A Celebration of Dub Reggae (LISTEN)

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

Dub has become its own genre of electronic music. Though it grew out of reggae in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Dub reggae started as a “version” of an existing song. The cuts were achieved by significantly manipulating and reshaping the recordings, often through the removal of some or all of the vocals, with the emphasis on the drums and bass. They were usually pressed on the B-sides of 45 RPM records.

The dub version is often made for a DJ to “toast” over. That tradition continues to this day across many music genres.

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Dub was pioneered by recording engineers and producers like Osbourne “King Tubby” Ruddock, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Errol Thompson, and others in the late 1960s. Augustus Pablo is credited as one of the pioneers and creators of the genre, and for bringing the melodica to dub.

The “Roland Space Echo” was widely used by dub producers in the 1970s to produce echoes and delay effects. These artists, especially King Tubby, Scientist, Lee Perry, and many that would follow, look upon the mixing console as an instrument itself.

This collection brings together early pioneers, and tracks by current artists. Enjoy! And as always, stay safe, sane, and kind.

(A note to the Spotify adherent: This collection will benefit from going to your “Advanced Preferences”, and setting your crossfade to its maximum of 12 seconds. Lean into that Dub-stylee.)

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: “I Can See Clearly Now” – A Playlist Tribute to Johnny Nash (LISTEN)

[Photo: American singer and songwriter Johnny Nash poses in a park in London, 1972. By Michael Putland / Getty Images]

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

Johnny Nash had no particular episode of personal hardship in mind when he composed “I Can See Clearly Now” in the early 1970s, though over the years it has struck a firm chord with generations who appreciate its feeling of new hope emerging from the despair: “I can see clearly now the rain has gone / I can see all obstacles in my way / Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind / It’s gonna be a bright, bright, sunshine-y day.”

He died last week at age 80.

Nash was American but spent time living in Jamaica in the mid-1960s, and the island’s influence on his music came to the fore in 1968, when his rock-steady compositions “You Got Soul” and “Hold Me Tight” were Top 10 hits in the UK, helping to kickstart a period of mainstream interest in reggae that remains to this day.

His reggae-fied version of Sam Cooke’s “Cupid” made it to No. 6 in the UK the following year, followed by “Stir it Up,” written for him, and later reclaimed, by his friend Bob Marley. That was a UK No. 13 in 1972, only months before the release of “I Can See Clearly Now.”

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This playlist includes many of Johnny Nash’s recordings, songs by him, Bob Marley, and other early reggae artists, plus many of the cuts that dominated the radio in 1972 alongside Johhny Nash’s enduring song of hope.

Hope you enjoy this tribute collection. Next week I’ll be back with a more “seasonal” offering.

Until such time, stay safe sane, and kind… and vote!

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

Michael Kiwanuka Wins 2020 Mercury Prize For Best British Album

According to theguardian.com, The 2020 Mercury Prize for the year’s best British album has gone to Michael Kiwanuka for his self-titled album, Kiwanuka.

The son of Ugandan immigrants to the U.K, Kiwanuka won this third time after having been nominated twice before for previous albums: Home Again (2012) and Love & Hate (2016).

To quote from The Guardian:

“I’m over the moon, so so excited,” he said on receiving the prize. “This [prize] is for art, for music, for albums – it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do, so to win a Mercury is a dream come true… It’s blown my mind.” He wins £25,000.

His album, released in November 2019, draws equally from folk and soul as the songwriter sings of freedom, love, and struggles both personal and collective; one track samples protests during the 1960s US civil rights movement. It was described in a Guardian review as a “bold, expansive, heartfelt, sublime album. He’s snuck in at the final whistle, but surely this is among the decade’s best.” It reached No 2 on release, and spent 18 weeks in the UK charts.

He thanked his producers, Inflo and Danger Mouse, “some of the best musicians, artists, creatives around, they’ve really helped me grow.” Asked why he given the album his name, he said he had experienced “imposter syndrome … it was taking things away from the experience of doing my dream job. So I made a decision when I was making this album that I wanted to be myself, enjoy it, and not hold back, and show myself as clear as I can be.”

Kiwanuka said an additional reason why his 2019 release title was eponymous was to honor his African heritage.

“Surprise! We’re Still Making Great Music!” – Playlist of New Songs to Savor from 30 R&B/Soul Favorites (LISTEN)

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

Many of our Spotify playlists on Good Black News celebrate the songs of years past – but today we’re going to twist it up a little.

With our Surprise! We’re Still Making Great Music playlist, we’re going to spotlight 30 favorite artists from throughout the years who you maybe didn’t know had something new to offer.

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With major record companies so focused on the youth/hip hop market, it’s often just part of the accepted path of a musician that after the hit-making years are over, an artist’s career shifts – sometimes concerts/touring, sometimes acting/performing in musicals, sometimes just retiring or changing careers.

But as the technology for recording gets less expensive, and the ability to distribute music electronically becomes simpler – more and more favorite acts are deciding to record new music.  However, just because they’ve made new music, doesn’t mean its been easy for us to find out about it.  Not many radio stations play new soul from veteran artists, and on the streaming services, these tracks are often not well-promoted – even to their likely audiences.

So we started exploring, and we’ve stumbled across dozens of fresh recordings from artists that we haven’t checked out in awhile, often in decades! Some artists have been recording all along – and we didn’t realize it. Some seem to be testing the waters – can they reignite their fanbase? And, this year in particular, with musicians stuck at home – and with news events and protests inspiring the artistic desire to say something, many are using their art to address the politics of today.

So, here are 30 favorite artists (+ one bonus artist) – a mixture of men, women, and groups with recent music from the last couple years you can check out now electronically.  Let us know in the comments who you are happy to see back in action behind the mic:

MUSIC MONDAY: “Dakar: A Collection of Afro-Latin Grooves” Playlist (LISTEN)

(Photo credit: Afro Latino Fest NYC Crowd photograph by Redens Desrosiers)

This is another one that comes with a rump-shaker warning:

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The term “Afro-Latin” is used to describe types of music from Latin American countries that were influenced by the Black population that came from Africa and established themselves mostly in major port cities.

When these Africans were brought over, the only thing they really could bring with them was culture. Whether it was music, dance, or religious beliefs, they attempted to preserve as much of their rich cultural heritage as possible in their new country.

I could probably do several playlists, but this one as features cumbia, bachata, bossa nova, merengue, rumba, salsa, samba, and tango. Afro-Latin artists have influenced many styles by the music of the United States giving rise to genres such as Latin pop, rock, jazz, hip hop, and reggaeton.

Please enjoy this freewheeling collection of music from Latin America and the US.

Stay safe sane, and kind until next week.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

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

MUSIC MONDAY: “Time Tough”- A Tribute to Reggae Legend Toots Hibbert (LISTEN)

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

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

This September 11th also marked the passing of one of the fathers of reggae music: Toots Hibbert.

Starting out with the rock steady pioneer Clement “Coxcome” Dodd, The Maytals emerged as one of the earliest reggae hit-makers. Hibbert holds a firm spot in Jamaica’s musical pantheon as the first artist to use the word reggae on a record, “Do The Reggay,” and to bring the music to the world at large.

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Many likely first heard his songs covered by The Clash, The Specials, and other punk and ska artists. This collection features the Toots & The Maytals versions of “Monkey Man” and “Pressure Drop.” 

I have also included some of his many covers including “Country Road” and collaborations with Willie Nelson, UB40, The Easy Star All-Stars, Los Pericos and others.

Hope you all enjoy this tribute to one reggae and ska music’s most enduring founders. Have a great week, and see you next Monday.

Stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Black Panther”-Inspired Playlist In Memory Of Chadwick Boseman (LISTEN)

Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther (Art by Marlon West)

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

With the passing of the great Chadwick Boseman, I am inclined to hold the playlist I made to share today until next week. I thought instead I’d share this playlist I created in celebration of Black Panther two years ago.

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I won’t say how many times I’ve seen the film, so far. Though I made this playlist by imagining what genius Princess Shuri would listen to in her lab.

It was made before the film grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide and broke numerous box office records, including the highest-grossing film by a Black director. Before it became the ninth-highest-grossing film of all time, the third-highest-grossing film in the U.S. and Canada, and the second-highest-grossing film of 2018.

I made before it received seven nominations at the 91st Academy Awards including Best Picture, with wins for Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design. Black Panther is the first superhero film to receive a Best Picture nomination.

Director Ryan Coogler wrote of Boseman this weekend: