Looking for some Monday motivation? We've got you covered. From an exciting new take on a timeless classic to a forgotten long-out-of-print holiday-themed gem, here are five songs that you can listen to right now to start your week the right way.
Greg Ward, "Stardust"
[embed]https://soundcloud.com/greenleaf_music/stardust/s-9T1qD[/embed]
Saxophonist-composer Greg Ward, one of the most versatile saxophonists of his generation, will launch his new group Rogue Parade with
Stomping Off the Greenwood, his new album, out on January 11 via Greenleaf Music. Rogue Parade is a quintet of heavyweight creative Chicago musicians and this nine-track collection explores the group's unique two-guitar instrumentation, blending the acoustic and electronic sonic worlds, as this brand new lively and unique arrangement of Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust" shows.
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, "The Christmas Song"
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaLmvYQe3-w[/embed]
Craft Recordings recently released
The Christmas Collection, a collection of long-out-of-print tracks plucked from the Prestige, Contemporary and Debut vaults, remastered from original audio tapes. This holiday LP features such notable artists as Bobby Timmons, Dexter Gordon and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, among others, with Davis contributing a spirited take on "The Christmas Song."
Click here to find out more about the origins of this 1945 Bob Wells/Mel Tormé holiday classic.
Various artists, "(Sittin' On) The Dock of The Bay"
[embed]https://youtu.be/_Ca5QoXSe18[/embed]
Princess Cruises, Playing for Change and the Estate of Otis Redding teamed up to produce a video celebrating the 50th anniversary of Otis Redding's iconic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of The Bay." The video was filmed in port cities and places around the world visited by Princess Cruises and features such artists as Jack Johnson, Corinne Bailey Rae and Aloe Blacc. Proceeds from the video, which will be available on YouTube and screened on board Princess Cruises’ fleet, will benefit the Otis Redding Foundation and the Playing For Change Foundation. Both organizations support youth empowerment through music education.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis feat. Rubén Blades, "Begin the Beguine"
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve1-rY4jQqo[/embed]
The worlds of swing and salsa meld in this lively take on Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine" by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and vocalist Rubén Blades. The song is also included on the recently released album
Una Noche con Rubén Blades, release on October 19 via Blue Engine Records, documenting their concert at the Rose Theater in Manhattan, New York, from November 15, 2014.
Children of Zeus and Black Milk, "Won't End Well"
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caV4vW9AvN0[/embed]
Australian label Low Key Source paired up Manchester, U.K.'s production duo Children of Zeus with Detroit producer-rapper Black Milk for a collaborative single, "Won't End Well," depicting a scene touching on subject matters grounded in everyday life circumstances. The song caps a landmark year for Children of Zeus, which saw them release their acclaimed debut album
Travel Light, and coincides with their Australian and New Zealand tour in February and March 2019.
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