Looking for some Monday motivation? We’ve got you covered. From jubilant music by an all-star female ensemble to a compelling reflection of the urgency of this generation, here are five new songs that you can listen to right now to start your week the right way.
Kandace Springs, "Pearls"
https://youtu.be/Ycpy2jtuoiw
Singer/pianist Kandace Springs has announced her newest project, The Women Who Raised Me, out March 27 on Blue Note. The album is a tribute to the female vocalists who impacted Springs' music, stylings and journey. The announcement comes with the release of the LP's first single, "Pearls," a song originally made famous by R&B singer Sade. Springs' version features Avishai Cohen on trumpet, Steve Cardenas on bass and Clarence Penn on drums, and it is accompanied by a black-and-white video.
Lucas de Mulder with The New Mastersounds, "Ginger Beat"
Madrid-based guitarist Lucas de Mulder fuses jazz and instrumental soul effortlessly, winking gracefully at such artists as Grant Green, on his new single "Ginger Beat." Produced by Eddie Roberts of The New Mastersounds, and featuring the British band's keyboardist Joe Tatton and drummer Simon Allen plus Nate Edgar on electric bass, this is also the first single off a full-length cross-continental record that will be released on Color Red later this year. "As soon as we recorded the song we knew it would be the first single, it represents very well the whole album," says de Mulder.
Elsa Nilsson, "Hindsight"
https://youtu.be/8icgOJGw6FU
Flutist/composer Elsa Nilsson's upcoming album, Hindsight, is a direct reaction to the current political climate and reflects the urgency of her generation. Each of the pieces, including the title track presented here in a live version performed with her quartet, comes from the rhythmic structure of chants heard at Women's Marches and is a riveting mix of rock, jazz improvisation and the compositional structure of classical music. Hindsight is due out on February 21 via Bumble Bee Collective, and each of its tracks will have an accompanying video created by an artist who has been adversely affected by the current political climate.
Gail Jhonson and Jazz in Pink, "Joy Joy!" feat. Kim Waters
https://youtu.be/cz9IuwO3Fa0
Grammy-nominated keyboardist/composer Gail Jhonson, affectionately known as the First Lady of Smooth Jazz, has released a brand new single. "Joy Joy!," which features guest saxophonist Kim Waters, is a jubilant track from her upcoming Shanachie debut album, due out this summer. The album and song feature her leading her all-star female ensemble, Jazz in Pink, which she describes via a press release as creating a "Sisterness of rhythm, composition, performance and the pink principal-all expressed on stages that inspire. We wear pink, our fans wear pink, which shows we are all in solidarity and resonate together in our brand of musical expression."
Nina Simone, "I Sing Just To Know That I'm Alive"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psJ51X8qCBQ
"I Sing Just to Know that I'm Alive" was recorded by Nina Simone shortly after her move to Paris, as she lived alone and struggled with mental illness. The liveliness of the music is influenced by the plethora of African musicians she met while in France, and the song was included on her 1982 release, Fodder on My Wings. Simone considered this one of her best albums yet it has remained obscure within her celebrated oeuvre over the years. On April 14, Verve/UMe will give it the long-overdue reissue it deserves, releasing an expanded version on CD and vinyl and making it available via digital platforms for the first time ever.
Featured image of Kandace Springs courtesy of Shorefire Media.
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