WILT_2021-22

A playlist of songs that intrigued me from Sunday to Saturday. Week of 30 May 2021 to 5 Jun 2021.

1. Green Eyes – Arlo Parks
2. It’s a Moot Point – Melanie Faye
3. Fall Again – Duval Timothy, Lil Silva, Melanie Faye
4. Connaissais de Face – Khruangbin
5. (Don’t Let The Dragon) Draag On – King Krule
6. The Healer – Erykah Badu
7. Smoke – Mac Ayres
8. Ferel (letherette Remix) – Elder Island, letherette
9. Revolutionize – Adrian Younge
10. Inth the Stratosphere feat. Nir Felder – Hironori Momoi, Nir Felder
11. Get Sun (feat. Arthur Verocai) – Haitus Kaiyote, Arthur Verocai
12. Freedom at Sunset – Doug Carn, Ali Saheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge
13. You and I – Kan Sano
14. Is It Because I’m Black – Syl Johnson
15. I’m Talkin’ ‘About Freedom – Syl Johnson
16. California Soul – Marlena Shaw
17. Inspiration Information – Shuggie Otis
18. Walk On By – Isaac Hayes
19. Billy Jack – Curtis Mayfield
20. Kerosene! – Yves Tumor
21. You Make Me Feel Brand New – Dezron Douglas, Brandee Younger
22. Mohabbat – Arooj Aftab
23. Theme of the Stargazers – June Tyson, Sun Ra & His Arkestra
24. Man From Tanganyika – Adele Sebastian
25. Castaways – Adam Neely, Martina DaSilva
26. Castaways (Indie Pop) – Andy Yu
27. Castaways – The Backyardigans
28. OwO – Adam Neely, Ben Levin

Hyperlink to Spotify playlist: WILT_2021-22

Notes

This week’s playlist features one of the longest compilations that I have put together. It starts with an initial listening of the contemporary R&B and Soul from upcoming artists like Arlo Parks and Melanie Faye. Personally, I find this emerging genre of New Soul very exciting, and also very respectful of of the rich pedigree before it. The ideas are fresh, the performances and instrumentation are bold, and where there are lyrics, written by a new generation for a new representative society.

Speaking of rich pedigree, one reason why this playlist started meandering and building is because many of the ideas featured here can probably be traced to Jazz and its culture, history and ideas. Jazz is very exciting to me because as a musical language and idea, it feels so alive. Classical, or European/Western-style music does feel too structured at times, though there are many moments when it feels equally impassioned, if expressed in a different manner. One other word that comes to mind with Jazz, is “freedom”. I will leave it at that, as it might be a loaded concept to some, but I do feel free and alive whenever I hear Jazz happen.

One of the standouts to me this week happens to be an idea and performance that marries both of what I enjoy about Classical music and Jazz, and that is the performance by Brandee Younger (Harp) and Dezron Douglas (Double Bass). This particular pairing explores the sonic ranges of the harp and the double bass, both traditionally “classical” instruments that have been adapted into the fold of jazz performances, and explores the musical energy and language of Jazz through certain song standards and multiple improvisations.

The bookend of this playlist comes in the form of the song “Castaways”, written for and performed in a children’s TV show called “The Backyardigans”. One unique footnote about this TV show, is that every episode featured a song arranged in a different genre, which actually made the show one of the few that explored a rich musical vocabulary for the benefit of its young audience. “Castaways” is also extremely popular on TikTok now, and has been featured in multiple posts on the social media platform, and in an exploration by musician and YouTube, Adam Neely, Why Castaways is a Masterclass in Songwriting.

Adam Neely is also a YouTube personality that I recommend anyone reading to follow, as his content is extremely educational for anyone who loves music and creativity, and has an open minded and genuine love for music as a language and form of expression.