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Posts tagged as “Marlon West”

MUSIC MONDAY: “Get Down On It” – an Old School and New Funk Mix – (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Get Down On It” – an Old School and New Funk Mix – (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on May 3, 2021

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

Sorry, not sorry for this more than a workday’s worth of rump-shaking tunes. Perhaps some of you are at stand-up desks and can get that groove on.

This week’s offering is devoted to Funk music. In the words of Parliament/Funkadelic, “Uncut funk, the bomb.” This mixture of soul, gospel, jazz, and rhythm, and blues was started in the mid-1960s by the “Godfather of Soul” James Brown.

Funk had its hey in the 1970s and ‘80s, though its impact is still felt around the world. Funk grooves have been sampled by hip-hop artists and rock bands alike.

If you’re like me, you’ll be thrilled to know there’s plenty of new funk music being created today. Lady Wray, Yola, Anderson.Paak, and others will make you a believer.

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This collection is devoted to funk masters like James Brown, Sly Stone, George Clinton and Lyn Collins, and new practitioners like Tank & The Bangas, Emily Wright, Thundercat, Los Coast and others.

Have a great week. And as ways stay safe, sane and kind. More soon.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: “A Song For You” – The Best of St. Louis Musical Artists (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “A Song For You” – The Best of St. Louis Musical Artists (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on April 26, 2021

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

I have done a few playlists, so far devoted to specific cities. Chicago, New Orleans, and DC are among them.

My own hometown, St. Louis, doesn’t get the same props as many other musical towns. Though from Josephine Baker to Chuck Berry to Donny Hathaway to Nelly, descendants of The Gateway City have made their mark.

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This collection brings together artists across several genres that are from, based, or got their start in St. Louis. Though Ike Turner was from Mississippi and Tina Turner was from Tennessee, it was during a gig at St. Louis’ Club Manhattan where Tina, then Anna Mae Bullock, first grabbed Ike’s microphone on stage and their tumultuous path to fame began.

From the advent of ragtime at the turn of the 20th century to hip-hop at the turn of the 21st, though, St. Louis has always profoundly impacted the direction of American music.

As always, stay sane, safe, and kind. “See” ya next week.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Now’s The Time” – a Collection of Live Jazz (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Now’s The Time” – a Collection of Live Jazz (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on April 19, 2021

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

Happy Music Monday, you all. As promised a couple of weeks ago, this collection is devoted to live jazz performances.

April is also Jazz Appreciation Month, so this playlist is arriving not a moment too soon. For many of us, live jazz is the best way to enjoy jazz. The unbridled spontaneity of top-notch musicians at the very top of the game, improvising and spurring each other on to greater creative heights is the essence of the art form.

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I’ve gathered performances from nearly 100 years of jazz music. Big band, Be-Bop, Avant Garde, Soul Jazz, and so many other styles are present. There are recordings from Massey Hall, the Village Vanguard, the Newport Jazz Festival, Birdland, and many other iconic venues.

Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy, Duke Ellington, Art Blakey, Geri Allen, and dozens of other greats are included in this over 13-hour collection of stunning performances. While the sound quality in some venues isn’t as good as that of a state-of-the-art recording studio, and post-production is not on the table, the improvisatory nature of jazz makes live performance the quintessential way to experience the music. Do enjoy!

And as always, stay sane, safe, and kind. “See” ya next week.

PS: This is another one to set that crossfade, on Spotify, at 12 seconds if you are listening on a computer.

Marlon West (photo courtesy 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.

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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: “I’ll Take You There” – A Collection of Live Concert Recordings (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “I’ll Take You There” – A Collection of Live Concert Recordings (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on April 5, 2021

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

Happy Music Monday from your friend and selector, Marlon. Hope this playlist and missive finds you safe and well.

For most of this lockdown, I have not been able to listen to crowds enjoying great music. While I’m still months away from attending a live show myself, the vaccine rollout has me seeing light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

To that end, I have made this collection to celebrate great live music performances. Live records aren’t nearly as plentiful as they once were. Though to many old-school music lovers, live albums were ubiquitous especially in the 1970s and ’80s, where live-recorded albums seemed to come out every week.

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That being said, there are recent offerings by The Black Pumas, Beyoncé, and Gary Clark Jr. Along with B.B. King at Cook County Jail, Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock, and Sam Cooke at The Harlem Square Club, there are “Unplugged” performances by Jill Scott, The Roots, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, Maxwell, and Lauryn Hill.

At upwards of 12 hours, I am still sure to have missed some gems. Feel free to make suggestions in the comments so I may add them. This is another eclectic journey through hip-hop, R&B, reggae, and rock ‘n roll. I didn’t even touch on jazz.

Next week’s offering will be devoted to live jazz recordings.

Until then, stay safe, sane, and kind.*

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

*A note to those listening to Spotify on a desktop or laptop. This is a good one to put your crossfade settings at the 12-second maximum. It will carry the crowd reactions across the tracks, making it feel like one long show. Kinda.

MUSIC MONDAY: “Twilight Time” – A Doo-Wop Collection (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Twilight Time” – A Doo-Wop Collection (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on March 29, 2021

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

Doo-Wop is a style of rhythm-and-blues and rock-and-roll vocal music most popular in the 1950s and ’60s. The term “doo-wop” is derived from the sounds made by the group as they provided the harmonic background for the lead singer.

Doo-Wop music is before “the time” me and most followers of Good Black News and these weekly playlists. Though there isn’t a genre called “musically transportive to that time period,” Doo-Wop tracks have been used on many film and television scores for that very reason.

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It started in African-American neighborhoods all around the United States including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Detroit, and Washington, DC.

Though its roots can be found as early as the records of the Mills Brothers and the Ink Spots in the 1930s and ’40s, Motown’s premier groups like The Shirelles and Temptations of the 1960s and ’70s were based in this classic doo-wop style.

Berry Gordy’s songwriting powerhouse, Smokey Robinson, had early hits with The Miracles that were straight Doo-Wop songs. Its influence has been felt on punk, alternative rock, and modern R&B artists.

I’ve gathered classics by The Platters, The Flamingos, Little Anthony and The Imperials, The Orions, The Moonglows, and many others for this playlist. Do enjoy.

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

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Everyday People” – A Sly and the Family Stone Collection (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Everyday People” – A Sly and the Family Stone Collection (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on March 22, 2021

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

Sly Stone turned 78 years old on the 15th of this month. I thought it was a good time to spotlight him and The Family Stone with a playlist.

His work has had a potent effect on the course of modern music. Sly and The Family Stone served a dazzling fusion of psychedelic rock, soul, gospel, jazz, and Latin flavors.

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The trailblazing classic “Dance To the Music” has the distinction of being chosen for the Grammy Hall Of Fame, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’s “500 Songs That Shaped Rock,” and Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs Of All Time.”

This collection gathers many of his hits including “Everyday People,” “Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again)” and “Family Affair,” “Stand!,” “Hot Fun in the Summertime,” “Runnin’ Away,” “If You Want Me To Stay,” “Time For Livin’,” and more.

From Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock to the halls of Motown and George Clinton’s P-Funk, from Michael Jackson and Curtis Mayfield, down the line to Bob Marley, the Isley Brothers, Prince, Public Enemy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Eyed Peas, Beastie Boys, The Roots, OutKast and on and on, Sly’s influence can be felt throughout popular music.

This is another one that comes with Rumpshaker Warning. Have a great week.

And always, stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

Eleven Years Ago Today: Good Black News Was Founded

Eleven Years Ago Today: Good Black News Was Founded

By goodblacknews on March 18, 2021

GOOD BLACK NEWS proudly celebrates its eleventh anniversary today, March 18, 2021. GBN initially launched in 2010 as a Facebook page (read the story behind GBN’s creation here), and in 2012, we created a dedicated website, goodblacknews.org, which has allowed us to provide archives, search functions and easy access to our most popular social media to you, our readers.

The outpouring of appreciation you’ve shown us over the years via follows, likes, comments, shares, reblogs, DMs and e-mails means the world (even when we are overwhelmed and can’t respond to them all), and inspires GBN to keep working to find ways to expand, improve, and offer more content on the main page as well as on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, YouTube, RSS feed, LinkedIn and Flipboard (new)!

In the past year, we were honored to not only have GBN’s 2016 Editorial “What I Said When My White Friend Asked for My Black Opinion on White Privilege” recirculate across the internet, but also to see the May 2020 editorial, A Letter to Friends Who Really Want to End Racism, spark much-needed conversation on both topics.

Additionally, GBN was featured in the April 2020 New York Times article “The News Is Making People Anxious. You’ll Never Believe What They’re Reading Instead.” and the June 2020 Good Housekeeping piece How To Explain White Privilege to Someone Who Doesn’t Think it Exists.

In July 2020 GBN Founder and Editor-in-Chief Lori Lakin Hutcherson was interviewed about Good Black News on Barry Shore’s Joy of Living podcast and in Fall 2020 finally spoke with Jason, the high school friend whose Facebook post lead to “What I Said When My White Friend Asked for My Black Opinion on White Privilege” on the premiere episode of the Three Uncanny Four podcast Do The Work:

In 2020, Lori also started a Q&A column entitled “Dear Lori” where she responds to questions about white privilege and race she’s been asked by readers that she intends to resume shortly, because the questions just don’t stop.

And after years of promising in these anniversary posts, we finally launched the GBN newsletter via email. The intention is for it to be weekly but for myriad reasons, it hasn’t been consistent. In the coming months, we aim to make it so.

GBN is super proud to announce that in Fall 2021 Workman Publishing will be offering our first physical product: a Page-A-Day® Calendar entitled A Year of Good Black News for 2022, chock full of history, trivia and fun Black facts to enjoy every day of the year. We will offer more information on the calendar and its availability in the coming months.

Good Black News remains a labor of love for Founder/Editor-In-Chief Lori Lakin Hutcherson and co-editor Lesa Lakin, and we must gratefully acknowledge 2020’s volunteer contributors: Susan Cartsonis, Julie Adelle Bibb, Beck Carpenter, Hanelle Culpepper Meier, Jessie Davis, Dan Evans, Gina Fattore, Julie Fishman, Michael Giltz, Eric Greene, Thaddeus Grimes-Gruczka, Ashanti Hutcherson, Warren Hutcherson, Fred Johnson, Epiphany Jordan, Brenda Lakin, Joyce Lakin, Ray Lancon, Lois Leveen, John Levinson, Rob Lowry, Catherine Metcalf, Lara Olsen, Flynn Richardson, Maeve Richardson, Rosanna Rossetto and Becky Schonbrun. 

Special thanks to Zyda Culpepper Mellon for allowing GBN to share her powerful video testimony on how white friends and family can be allies, to TedX speaker and contributor Dena Crowder for creating and sharing her Power Shot video series on GBN, to incredible Tech Jedi Samer Shenouda for migrating and revamping the GBN website to make us bigger, stronger, faster, and to Jeff Meier, Teddy Tenenbaum and Marlon West for creating incredible Spotify playlists and posts covering a variety of genres, sub-genres and artists celebrating the musical diaspora, past and present. You are all deeply, greatly appreciated.

Please continue to help us spread GBN by sharing, liking, re-tweeting and commenting, and consider following GBN here on the main page, as well as wherever you are on social media.

Please also consider joining our e-mail list via our “Contact Us” tab. We will only use this list to keep you updated on GBN and send you our e-newsletter. And, of course, you may opt out at any time.

GBN believes in bringing you positive news, reviews and stories of interest about black people all over the world, and greatly value your participation in continuing to build our shared vision.

Thank you again for your support, and we look forward to providing you with more Good Black News in the coming year, and beyond!

Warmly,

The Good Black News Team

MUSIC MONDAY: “Dream Land” – A Tribute Playlist to Bunny Wailer and the Wailers Legacy (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Dream Land” – A Tribute Playlist to Bunny Wailer and the Wailers Legacy (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on March 8, 2021

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

Bunny Wailer, born Neville O’Riley Livingston, died on March 2nd. He was an original member of The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, and a lifelong standard-bearer of reggae music.

“The Wailers are to reggae what the Beatles are to rock ‘n roll and pop music,” according to Jamaican music-business veteran Copeland Forbes.

This collection is devoted to the work of The Wailers, and the solo work of Rita Marley, Peter Tosh, and of Bunny Wailer himself.

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In the 1960s The Wailers hit their initial stride with Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One label, often called Jamaica’s Motown. They recorded for several producers, including Leslie Kong and, most notably, Lee “Scratch” Perry.

I’ve included several of those songs, and ones The Wailers went on to release on their own Wail ‘N Soul ‘M and Tuff Gong labels.

By 1974, Tosh and Wailer both would leave the group for solo careers. Bob Marley would use The Wailers name for his backup band.

Hope you enjoy this collection of music by greats artist done together and separately.

Stay stay, sane, and kind, you all. Until such time.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Chop Life” – An Afropop Collection (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Chop Life” – An Afropop Collection (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on March 1, 2021

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

African popular music (often called Afropop, Afro-pop or Afro pop), like African traditional music, is vast and varied.

This playlist centered contemporary genres of African music build the cross-pollination with western popular music like: rhythm & blues, hip-hop, jazz, salsa, and reggae.

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Afrobeats (not to be confused, as I was, with Afrobeat) and Afro-pop is less of a style and more of a descriptor for the fusion of sounds flowing out of Ghana and Nigeria.

Here’s a collection of mainly recent releases from a variety of artists. Hope you enjoy.

As always stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)