Payn's Ponderings Black History Month Music Edition

[Dannyalcatraz]

Some early Tony MacAlpine :

 

[payn]

2/13 Mississippi John Hurt

This man developed a great guitar technique that got me to really practice at the instrument. Changed how I viewed playing and music in general. One person with a guitar can sound like band on their own. Really great stuff here. Enjoy!

 

[payn]

2/14 Al Green

Covered already in this thread, but Al Green had a classic voice and sound that affords more mentions. A sweeter and smoother side of soul.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

A pioneering talent, the great Leontyne Price:

 

[payn]

2/15 Janet Jackson

Michael Jackson casts a pretty huge shadow so I often forget about his very talented sister. It's also easy to think Prince and the Minneapolis sound gave her a path to stardom. No, despite all that Janet is a great talent all her own deserving of a shout out during black history, or any music recognition, month. Enjoy!

 

[payn]

2/16 Sam Cooke

Has there ever been a voice so smooth, so soothing, so soulful? Not only was Cooke unbelievably talented, he was able to crank out classic hits one after another in his unfortunately short career.

 

[payn]

2/17 Prince

The one and only. Prince was making entire albums by himself by the time he was 18. The real pioneer of the Minneapolis sound. So much pop music wouldn't exist if it didn't come out of his talented mind. Gone too soon, I so miss the purple Yoda.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

John Coltrane’s fearsome jazz classic, “Giant Steps”

Ramsey Lewis Trio’s untouchable instrumental version of “The In Crowd”

Herbie Hancock blew the doors off of MTV with ”Rockit “

Billy Cobham laid down “Stratos” in the early 80s or so, and I’ve heard covers of it being used in commercials to this day

 

[payn]

John Coltrane’s fearsome jazz classic, “Giant Steps”

Ramsey Lewis Trio’s untouchable instrumental version of “The In Crowd”

Herbie Hancock blew the doors off of MTV with ”Rockit “

Nice St Paul dining car backdrop on that "The In Crowd" tune.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Jimmy Smith’s album Peter and The Wolf is a jazz deconstruction of the classical original. It is rare as hell on vinyl, and wasn’t released on CD for a loooong time. It was one of Mom’s holy grail discs.