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Posts tagged as “GBN Playlist”

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

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

By goodblacknews on December 27, 2021

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: “All Day Music” – a War Collection (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “All Day Music” – a War Collection (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on April 12, 2021

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

Along with the passing of hip-hop artist and actor DMX, whose distinctively gruff voice and raw and thoughtful messages made him an icon, last week also marked the passing of bassist B.B. Dickerson, one of the co-founders of War.

Few bass lines can be said to define an entire West Coast vibe, though on tracks like “Low Rider,” “Cisco Kid,” “Why Can’t We Be Friends,” “Slippin’ Into Darkness”, and so many others. he did just that.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:1HeyhXqW5b7182PUkvo0W5″]

Arguably my favorite band, War freely melded soul, Latin, jazz, blues, reggae, and rock influences into a funky whole. War’s lyrics were often political in their music almost always had a sunny, laid-back vibe emblematic of their Southern California roots.

Starting as cover-band, this racially integrated collective scored their first hit, “Spill the Wine,” backing The Animals former frontman, Eric Burton. They would go on to become one of the most popular funk bands of all time.

Hope you enjoy this collection of their hits and deep cuts as well. Next week, I’ll celebrate “Jazz Appreciation Month” with a playlist of live jazz that I promised last week.

Until such time. Stay safe, sane, and kind.

-m-

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)
MUSIC MONDAY: Weekly Playlist From GBN – Afrofuturism from Prince, Sun Ra, Janelle Monae, Parliament and More (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: Weekly Playlist From GBN – Afrofuturism from Prince, Sun Ra, Janelle Monae, Parliament and More (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on April 20, 2020

GBN Contributor Marlon West is back once again with an excellent curation of songs that help define the breadth of music and culture of the diaspora. This week’s focus is a playlist that mixes genres but is tied together by the concept known as “Afrofuturism.”

In Marlon’s words:

“Hope this Monday finds you all staying safe, sane, and kind. Here’s another playlist from your friend and selector, Marlon. Afrofuturism addresses themes and concerns of the African diaspora through technoculture and science fiction. Afrofuturist ideas have been explored though literature, visual arts, film, and of course music. Hope you dig this playlist of artists working in that mode from the 1950s to the present-day.”

Enjoy!

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

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)