The Playlist Of The Weekend

Turn on your iPod, press “Shuffle Songs” and see what happens…

“Inside My Love”, Minnie Riperton

I think I’ve discovered that song in the brilliant Tarantino’s “Jacky Brown”. It’s a pure R’n’B song with the marvelous voice of Riperton in it. The bass and strings of the chorus grooves like hell and we can hear the highest and yet smooth note made by a human voice I’ve ever heard in a song. The composition of the song is quite interesting and the arrangements are pure Motown sound but the main attraction here is the vocal performance of Minnie Riperton combined to that incredible Motown sound.

“I Love What You Do For Me”, Incognito, Live in Tokyo

That’s the first time I hear that song. A good friend showed me that great funk band that I don’t know well. This live in Tokyo seems amazing and hides some great tunes I have to listen to. Great song, great musicians, great singer but yet, something is missing for me. There ain’t nothing particular here according to me. That grooves well and the saxophone gets brutal in the end but I miss something.

“City Talks”, Syd Matters, Someday We Will Foresee Obstacles

Syd Matters are one of the best actual French bands. There not so famous yet but success is on its his way. They are in a way the French Pink Floyds but with a proper personality. This song is a very nice ballad on an old album. Their next album, Ghost Wispers, could become one of the greatest albums ever made and I strongly recommend it.

“Twenty-Four Hours A Day”, Billie Holliday

Nice. A good old song. I’ve always loved Billie’s voice. It’s like she’s activating a part of your brain you didn’t suspect when she starts singing: you listen to the lady. The band is brilliant and the song very nice and joyful. A good swing only that only misses Django aka the God of Swing. Solos are flowing very smoothly up till the end. Billie only sings for a few seconds there!

“This Is Not America”, David Bowie and Pat Metheny

I once was a huge fan of Bowie. I love his voice and this song is a brilliant expression of his talent of singer. That almost makes you forget about the all 8Os sounds. But the song is amazingly arranged and complex. The presence of Metheny in its composition might explain that. Although I don’t really see where the guitar genius intervenes here since the song remains quite pop and simple and there isn’t any guitar really. Pure Bowie spirit all along the song.



The Shuffle Playlist Of The Week

Turn on your iPod, press “Shuffle Songs” and see what happens…

“Umfazi Omdala”, Johnny Clegg, Best Of Live at the Nelson Mandela Theatre

This is the typical African music played by “the white man”… the blackest of them though. Still sounds really good but a bit caricature of the black African songs but to be fair that’s what I like about this song: the fact that it doesn’t take itself seriously and assume that kind of burlesque aspect. The song is full of life and happiness. I really like the live version (that I haven’t found on youtube), less 80s like but still very kitschy. When the saxophone enters we have the feeling to listen the Cosby Show’s theme song or some TV show of that period. The voice arrangements are brilliant and the band is good and groovy. Good stuff…

“Don’t Stop ‘till You Get Enough” (Demo), Michael Jackson

To be fair, I’ve never really liked Michael Jackson’s sound. Sounds made up. The rhythm does move from the beginning till the end and it’s usually a loop so there ain’t no shades and everything sounds a bit alike. But on this demo version of “Don’t Stop ‘till You Get Enough”, recorded live, you get to hear what his music really sounds like and his voice as well and I have to admit it’s freaking amazing. This guy was really able to do everything he wanted with his voice. And the music sounds much better with that kind of live recording, much more human. This is really good.

“Ode To Billy Joe”, Bobby Gentry

This is a tube from the 60s. Quite cool and good. The singer’s voice is impressive. I like the weird rhythmic done with the guitar and the distant strings intervening here and there. Quiet and unusual song indeed…

“Not A Robot, But A Ghost”, Andrew Bird, Noble Beast

One of my favorite artists. This album is unbelievable. The song has been co-written by Andrew’s mad drummer Martin Dosh. His contribution is very audible since he’s the one responsible for the robotic weird rhythmic. The warm voice of Bird contrasts so well with the coldness of the rhythm here. The arrangements and recordings are amazing and endlessly delicate creating a very unusual atmosphere. This is music to listen to.

“Evidence”, Thelonious Monk, Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane

To be fair, that’s the first time I’m listening to that track. Coltrane seems to be at his best here. I’m less a fan of the weird stuff Monk does but still, this is brilliant jazz. As always, Coltrane’s sound enlightens the all track like a pure sunray. However the all track is hard to understand because of Monk’s play. Even his solo seems rambling and makes the whole track too experimental for me.