Medium Cool is a weekly series related to popular culture, mostly film, TV, and books, with some music and games thrown in. We hope it’s a welcome break from the anger, hate, and idiocy we see almost daily from the other side in the political sphere.
Arguments welcomed, opinions respected, fools un-suffered. We’re here every Sunday at 7 pm.
Tonight on Medium Cool, let’s celebrate Black Music Month! (courtesy of President Joe Biden)
That one was stolen from TaMara in a comment thread. I had never heard of these guys, but those voices, wow!
President Biden in his proclamation of Black Music Month (excerpt)
During Black Music Month, we pay homage to legends of American music, who have composed the soundtrack of American life. Their creativity has given rise to distinctly American art forms that influence contemporary music worldwide and sing to the soul of the American experience.
Much of Black music is rooted in African rhythms, coupled with the experience of slavery and struggle in America. Barred from expressing themselves in their native tongues, enslaved people developed a language to articulate their hopes, dreams, sense of loss, and tenacity to overcome the harrowing nature of their lives. They used music to strategically and creatively voice their most deeply held feelings. Today, the creative ways that Black music tells stories of trial and triumph in American life continue to move us all to understand the common struggles of humanity. Spirituals, gospel, the blues, R&B, rock and roll, jazz, pop, rap, hip-hop, and more have molded American culture and given rise to new American art forms emulated around the globe.
This month, we celebrate the songs and artists that challenge us to think critically, stand up to injustice, and believe in ourselves. We recommit to expanding the promise of dignity and opportunity for all Americans. And we revel in the sounds, spirit, and soul of some of the very best music ever created.
Please commence sharing black music, and talking about it!
Raven
Probably the best footage of James Brown, 17 minutes at the TAMI Show!
https://youtu.be/6-E0X2JxCs4
prostratedragon
Like trying to say something punchy about the universe.
“Young Woman’s Blues,” Bessie Smith
Splitting Image
I have a playlist made up of Here’s Little Richard, James Brown Live at the Apollo, Otis Blue, and Marvin Gaye’s What’s Goin’ On.
It’s a never-fail picker-upper for me.
Jeffro
I grew up listening to Motown and “oldies” on our car radio (due to my RWNJ dad’s musical taste, go figure) and I love it, and my kids love it too. Kim Weston’s “Take Me In Your Arms” is probably my favorite from that era. =)
The resurgence of what I’d call neo-R&B/soul, whatever, has been just awesome. Great stuff, then and now!
Jeffro
OT but as a PS: Betty, now that my Hoos are out of the college World Series, I’m rooting for your Gators!
RSA
My two favorite broad genres of popular music, blues and rock, originated with Black musicians. When I try to think of American music genres whose history doesn’t start with a list of Black musicians, the only thing that comes to mind is bluegrass and to a lesser extent mainstream country music. (But I’m not an expert). That’s an amazing amount of influence—I think an outsider might fairly say that to a first approximation American music is Black music.
Brachiator
When did Black Music Month become a thing?
I guess you could just talk about American popular culture and be talking about black music.
The first pop music I listened to as a kid were old 78s of Little Richard (Lucille) and other rock and rhythm and blues artists.
For some reason I always got a kick to the Canadian mounties in Searchin‘ by the Coasters. Maybe because I later connected it to the cartoon character Dudley Do right.
I cannot imagine America without black music or black dance.
WaterGirl
@Brachiator: Did you read the post? A few days ago, Joe Biden declared this Black Music Month. :-)
Jeffro
@Brachiator:
<<like>>
Steeplejack
I was going to put this in the Father’s Day thread but thought it would go better here. Yesterday the SiriusXM channel The Groove did a countdown of dad songs, and I nailed it by predicting that No. 1 would be “Color Him Father” by the Winstons. Kind of shmaltzy but a good tune.
And of course there was the Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and a couple from James Brown, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” and “Papa Don’t Take No Mess.”
Old School
@Brachiator:
1979 by Jimmy Carter.
Brachiator
@Steeplejack:
Good choices for Father’s Day.
There is also Song For My Father, by Leon Thomas. Lyrics by Horace Silver.
Mai Naem mobile
So a music thread….so this has nothing to do with black music but they had Sylvia’s Mother by Dr Hook playing on the radio the other day and I have no idea why but the song always gets me laughing. The plaintive “and the ohpurrator says one moooore minute” just cracks me up. Pretty sure Dr. Hook was white.
WaterGirl
@Mai Naem mobile: This is Balloon Juice, since when do we follow the rules? :-)
Brachiator
@WaterGirl:
Biden declared it but, as noted, Jimmy Carter first inducted it.
Black Music Month is more pithy.
Baud
@Brachiator:
But could be confused with Black Sabbath Music Month.
Raoul Paste
Instead of “Is the Pope catholic” I always preferred “Does James Brown get down?”
Splitting Image
One gentleman that I don’t think gets the credit he deserves is Bobby McFerrin. He’s a smart, talented guy with a totally unique method of performance, but had an unfortunately-timed hit at one point, and has been known for the past 35 years as the “Don’t Worry Be Happy Guy”.
Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale
gwangung
@Brachiator: But probably anathema to a lot of Republicans no matter what you call it.
SteveinPHX
The Blues “Beer Drinkin Woman” Memphis Slim (1940ish?)
“I walked into a beer tavern
To give a girl a nice time
I had forty-five dollars when I entered
When I left I had one dime…”
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZRPsxttLbE
(gotta work on this link stuff)
WaterGirl
@Brachiator: I had no idea!
I just saw that Biden declared it and I thought it was new!
Gin & Tonic
@Brachiator: I believe you have that backwards. Song for my Father is an instrumental composition by Horace Silver, that’s been covered by scores of artists. It’s a jazz standard. Lyrics were added later, not by Silver.
NotMax
Too much from which to choose, so a small random sampling of possibly lesser known performances by black artists.
Gil Scott-Heron, I’m New Here.
Winifred Atwell, The Black and White Rag.
Nat King Cole, St. Louis Blues.
Alberta Hunter, I’m Having a Good Time.
Mills Brothers, The Old Man of the Mountain.
Ruth Brown, If I Can’t Sell It, I’ll Sit on It.
Gin & Tonic
@Splitting Image: And very well-trained – his father, an operatic baritone, was the first African-American man to sing with the Metropolitan Opera.
I’ve had the good fortune to see Bobby in concert, and his talent is remarkable and wide-ranging.
Alison Rose
(I shared a Valerie June song in a recent thread but no Black Music Month post would be complete without her.)
Valerie June – Tennessee Time
Yuno – Fall In Love
Prince – Thieves In The Temple
Aloe Blacc – I Need A Dollar
Kelela – Onanon
Ben Harper – Oppression
FKA Twigs – Kicks
Lil Nas X – Dead Right Now
Sudan Archives – Home Maker
Brachiator
@Raven:
Great stuff.
The Chadwick Boseman biographical film about Brown, Get On Up, is uneven but worth watching.
I am amazed at how Brown essentially took over Bobby Byrd’s rhythm and blues band, made it his own and transformed black music a number of times, ultimately reaching the apotheosis of Funk.
Here’s James Brown doing Sex Machine on Italian TV.
Wyatt Salamanca
Great topic for a thread. These were the first songs that came to mind, some rock and some jazz
Sweet Little Sixteen (live at Newport Jazz Festival) – Chuck Berry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vblyDCToX5k
Higher Ground (live version) Stevie Wonder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1_uU9eIZRo
Let’s Go Crazy (live version) – Prince
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svqYueRzAh0
In a Sentimental Mood – Duke Ellington and John Coltrane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCQfTNOC5aE
A Night In Tunisia (live version) – Dizzy Gillespie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-SYoldqi64
Bye-Ya – Thelonius Monk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVkPWUsFIe0
kalakal
I absolutely love Blues and here is the Bluesiest line ever from T-Bone Walker in his track Alimony Blues
“It’s a cold-blooded worldWhen a man has to pawn his shoes”
Matt McIrvin
my important related announcement: WE ARE GOING TO SEE JANELLE MONÁE THIS FALL. I am already hyped about this.
NotMax
@NotMax
One more, just because it popped to the surface after I’d posted the previous comment.
Paul Robeson, Ballad for Americans.
Matt McIrvin
@Brachiator: I do feel like Black music is too large for a month. It’s kind of the basis of everything in American music.
Brachiator
@Gin & Tonic:
Yep. I knew the original instrumental version very well. This was the first version of the song. I also love the Leon Thomas version with lyrics.
Lazy misuse of the Internet led me to credit Silver for the lyrics.
The lyrics may have been done by Ellen May Shashoyan.
Yutsano
Harry Belafonte doing a love letter to Africa always gets me. I still can’t find the long version (it’s over 5 minutes) but it’s still a treat for the eyes and ears.
oatler
@Brachiator:
Related to Leon Thomas, You Tube has Pharoah Sanders’ “Iphizo Zam” lp posted, with Sonny Sharrock playing a tornado and Thomas doing his thing.
WaterGirl
@Yutsano: I looked for the long version when Harry Belafonte died and I wasn’t able to find it.
Wyatt Salamanca
A few more for the road
Third Stone From The Sun – Jimi Hendrix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zts332Y-nyg
Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon – The Three Degrees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kugv2FAhZoI
Too Late To Turn Back Now – Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8Whtxcw8oU
Stolen Moments – Oliver Nelson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbaGDDbpcQ4
My Favorite Things – John Coltrane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWG2dsXV5HI
Steeplejack
I’m not a big Ken Burns fan, but I will say that Jazz is an excellent documentary, especially up to about 1960, when it kind of loses its way as jazz lost its way for a bit under the onslaught of rock music. I am a pretty big jazz fan, but I learned a lot about the early roots and the evolution of the genre.
I think you can still stream it on PBS Passport, but I know a lot of libraries also have it available on loan.
Josie
A couple of favorites that take me back to my courting years–Percy Sledge’s When a Man Loves a Woman and Otis Redding’s Try a Little Tenderness.
delphinium
Here’s BB King with 3 fine ladies ‘Aint Nobody’s Business‘ and a lovely song from Tracy Chapman ‘Smoke and Ashes‘.
prostratedragon
“Hold On, I’m Comin’,” Sam and Dave (by Porter and Hayes)
Brachiator
I loves me some double entendre blues.
Like Hot Dog For My Roll, by Butterbeans and Susie.
Yutsano
Did someone say Tracy Chapman? This is without a doubt one of my favourites by her.
James E Powell
@Brachiator:
Hard to imagine American popular culture post 1955 without talking about black music.
Not against the idea, but there’s way too much for just one month. I mean, we could do a month just on bass players.
kalakal
Some Blues
Albert King Born Under a Bad Sign
BB King The Thrill is Gone
Freddie King
Junior Wells & Buddy Guy
Messin’ with the Kid
Muddy Waters Hoochie Coochie Man
Brachiator
@Josie:
Try A Little Tenderness is amazing.
And the original is a Depression era song first recorded in 1932.
Josie
@Josie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYb84BDMbi0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYb84BDMbi0
schrodingers_cat
@Matt McIrvin: Agreed, American music is black music.
prostratedragon
Singer-pianist Nellie Lutcher. Like Helen Humes and Alberta Hunter, she had a resurgence in the 70s. Youtube has some complete live shows as well as albums.
“Hurry On Down”
kalakal
Someone whose work I’ve admired for years
Joan Armatrading Me, Myself and I
My Old Friend
Ihop
Tina turner (fuck ike)
Bessie Smith
Sister Rosetta
Bb king
Albert King
Gladys night
Whitney Houston
Prince
Nat cole
Miles Davis
John Coltrane
Buddy guy
Muddy waters
Junior wells
Lemon Jefferson
Elmore James
John Lee hooker
Leadbelly
Ray “goddam fucking” Charles
Ella Fitzgerald
Im not bragging, that’s a quick survey of the artists I fucking love on my hard drive.
Goddam, why would anyone not love billie holiday.
What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?
How did we get this far along and nobody’s mentioned Aretha Franklin? Aretha’s version of You Send Me is, IMO, better than Cooks, and Sam Cook was frickin great. Also her version of Tracks of My Tears is the best though Smokey far outclassed her as a songwriter. I love Motown and the Memphis soul from Stax.
More recently there was a lot of great hip hop in the early ’90s. Public Enemy were great but I really liked the jazz influenced stuff from The Digable Planets and the members of The Native Tongues etc.
Brachiator
The comic and musical genius of Fats Waller.
Your Feet’s Too Big.
James E Powell
Because I like bass:
Amazing Grace, Victor Wooten
Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone, Marcus Miller
School Days, Stanley Clarke
Did you think I was going to leave out Willie Dixon? No way!
Willie Dixon
Suzanne
No one mentioned OutKast yet? FFS.
B.O.B.
Steeplejack
@Ihop:
Billie Holiday, with an all-star band (1957): “Fine and Mellow.” (A much better print is included in Jazz.)
prostratedragon
With some introductory remarks by Mr. Gillespie on this historically important piece.
“Manteca,” Chano Pozo and Dizzy Gillespie
patrick II
My favorite music was anything Motown, especially the Temptations.
We underestimate how black culture and music has so much influence over music in foreign countries. It has been a huge cultural positive for the U.S. all over the world. Some of the best jazz and particularly R&B in the world is being performed in the Philippines. Here is a video of Filipina singer Morissette performing And I am Telling You
BlackPink, a female KPOP group, which I had not heard of until about two months ago, was the headliner at Coachella this past month. They sing mostly hip-hop and rap music with an Asian twist. They are immensely popular with one of their videos garnering over two billion YouTube views. They have 8.8 billion Spotify downloads.
Here is their latest video: Pink Venom
Yutsano
It was written by two white men, but Porgy and Bess allowed Black performers to show what they can do at a time when very few could even find work in opera.
Maxim
Betty Davis: Shut Off the Light
Marion Jones: Give Me Love
Charlie Parker: Billie’s Bounce
Mary Lou Williams: Ode to St. Cecilie
Lizzo: About Damn Time
Janelle Monae: I Like That
Jon Batiste: Freedom
Sparks
raven
The Alabama King Snake, House Rent Blues!
raven
Norway, 67.
Booker T & The MGs (Green Onions),
the Mar-Keys (Philly Dog),
Arthur Conley (Sweet Soul Music),
Eddie Floyd (Raise Your Hand),
Sam & Dave (You Don’t Know Like I Know + Soothe Me + Hold On I’m Coming),
Otis Redding (Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) + My Girl + Shake + (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction + Try A Little Tenderness).
Sparks
@Brachiator: Sadly it wasn’t the original Temptations. No Ruffin, no Kendricks.
zhena gogolia
Too lazy to check, but has anyone mentioned Scott Joplin? The rags, of course, but I also love his opera Treemonisha.
Steeplejack
Louis Jordan, “Caldonia.” This video always perks me up. Such a good time.
David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch
Here’s to Life – by Shirley Horn
Diamonds are Forever – Shirley Bassey
Time Has Come Today – The Chambers Brothers
I Don’t Want to Fight – Tina Turner magnificent live performance on the orginal Late Night with David Letterman
Black Enough [Ain’t Now But It’s Gonna Be] – Melba Moore
Last Dance – Donna Summer
Not too Late for Love – Norah Jones (another great performance on Letterman)
oatler
@raven:
The Memphis ’69 Blues Festival with Bukka White, Rufus Thomas, John Fahey, Furry Lewis, and the Insect Trust. On DVD and YT.
raven
@oatler: Awesome
David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch
The Boss – James Brown
SiubhanDuinne
Josh White
Oscar Brown, Jr.
raven
Richie Havens
Follow.
NotMax
@zhean gogolia
Some ragtime (though not specifically Joplin) included in the Winifred Atwell link up above in #23.
To scratch your Joplin itch, Eubie Blake plays along with two great Danes.
;)
prostratedragon
“Charleston,” James Prescott Johnson (1925) piano roll
Sparks
@Ihop: heehee, my thumb drive has many more artists. I also have every Motown song from the beginning to 1971. If my laptop worked, I’d be in heaven.
NotMax
Oopsie. #72:
zhean = zhena
raven
Nina Simone: Mississippi Goddam
raven
Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington “It Don’t Mean A Thing
raven
A Great Day In Harlem (Jazz Culture Documentary 1994)
prostratedragon
Combining a couple of threads here, 14 years ago when this video was posted, it was nearly the only example of the vocal music from Treemonisha to be found on youtube. Now there are several complete versions and many excerpts. This one is from Milan, where it was performed as part of an observance of Martin Luther King Day. You never know.
A Real Slow Drag”
David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch
I try to say goodbye and I choke – Macy Gray
Lets get it started – Mary J Blige
Hypnotize – Notorious B.I.G.
California Love – Tupac Shakur
Melody – (video)
“The Next Episode” (Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg)
“California Love” (Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg)
“In da Club” (50 Cent)
“Family Affair” (Mary J. Blige)
“No More Drama” (Mary J. Blige)
“M.A.A.D City” (Kendrick Lamar)
zhena gogolia
@NotMax: Wild!
NotMax
Pearl Bailey:
Beat Out That Rhythm on a Drum.
(Won’t You Come Home) Bill Bailey.
Mai Naem mobile
There’s very little American music without black music. I don’t even know where to start – Stevie Wonder – Jammin’, Otis Redding – These Arms of Mine, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell – You’re All I Need to Get By, Prince – I Wanna Be Your Lover, The Shirelles – Will You Love me Tomorrow? , The Drifters – Under the Boardwalk, Tina Turner – Proud Mary, Aretha Franklin – Think, Earth Wind & Fire – September, Sly and the Family Stone – Family Affair….all that and I haven’t even hit the 80s. I listen to the Soul Town station on Sirius and it’s just truly amazing how much good music Motown put out. Any record label would be proud to put out a third of the stuff they put out. Memorable stuff which has aged really well.
prostratedragon
@NotMax: The drummer in that scene from Carmen Jones is Max Roach.
citizen dave
Month way too short. I love the giants: Louis Armstrong, Coltrane, Miles, Ray Charles, Hendrix. A few hundred others too. Howling Wolf, John Lee Hooker (saw him once), Muddy Waters. A later guy, R L Burnside ( saw 3-4 times). The two dudes with Jack White last summer were friggin’ awesome.
laura
To try to list is to omit and overlook a rich history of excellence and innovation. Black Music is what America sounds like.
David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch
The late, great Irene Cara
Out Here On My Own
Fame
Wyatt Salamanca
Solace – Scott Joplin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AaZlFK_xI0
Fleurette Africaine (African Flower) – Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Max Roach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HFQy9_rY58
David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch
Sex Shooter – Apollonia 6
Give It To Me – Rick James live on SNL
Omnes Omnibus
@David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch: You forgot about Dre.
Ben Cisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️
Too many for vid links, but names covering decades:
Temptations
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Sam & Dave
Little Stevie Wonder
Jackson 5
Manhattans
George Clinton & Parliament / Funkadelic
Grover Washington Jr.
The Neville Brothers
Steel Pulse
Jonathan Butler
Aretha Franklin
Dionne Warwick
Pieces of a Dream
George Duke
Prince
Babyface
Jeffrey Osborne
Teddy Pendergrass
Anita Baker
Phyllis Hyman
Minnie Riperton
Living Colour
Lonnie Liston Smith
Miles Davis
Herbie Hancock
Sekou Bunch
Marcus Miller
OK I’ll stop now.
Omnes Omnibus
@Ben Cisco 🇺🇸🎖️🖥️♦️: Oh, yeah. Marcus Miller.
Lehrjet
I’m surprised that no one here has mentioned the Funk Brothers! If you haven’t seen it Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a great documentary on them. The House band for the Motown studio, they have more gold records than anyone else ever!
Mike S
@James E Powell: I hope you caught the 3 of them together when they toured as SMV for their album Thunder. One of the most amazing shows I’ve ever been to.
Kamasai Washington was another mind blower as he is taking jazz to a new place and level.
Truth
Catnaz
Saint James Infirmary, by numerous artists. The essence of the blues.
Ramalama
@What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?: Aretha Franklin’s version of Bridge Over Troubled Water was a song a bunch of my friends played on Sundays instead of going to Church. My friends and me: white. But a few of them were gay men with AIDS and looking for some relief that Our Fellow Brethren did not offer.
This was a long time ago.
Also, the fact that all of these major major singers like Ms. Aretha played and sang in the Blues Brothers movie was pretty special.
Ramalama
Long ago, I lived in this semi-coop in Jamaica Plain, MA where one of the roommates never lived in her room but she continued paying rent, and housed what looked like all of her possessions. Included was artwork by her famous artist grandfather, and knick-knacks like museum quality robes from the Ming Dynasty, and photos of her, the ghost of a roommate, with people like Mahalia Jackson. Who’s that, I asked another roommate. Roommate widened her eyes and handed me an album, live at Newport Rhode Island. I’d been to the Newport Folk Festival a jillion times. But not for music like Mahalia Jackson’s. Holy moly. Listen to the live recorded version of this song, with piano, organ, and bass. The accompaniment is so perfect and then that voice. I’ve worn the record out. I have obsessed over every moment in the song. Anyone who’s ever lived with me (in America, or now in Canada since I am and remain an expat) has heard me expound over the perfection of this song: On My Way.
Kindly forgive me. I really don’t get out much.
Brachiator
@Wyatt Salamanca:
Oh, yeah. I love this piece.
Sparks
@Steeplejack: Better than Slim Gaillard even.
Steeplejack
@Sparks:
Slim Gaillard was good too!
prostratedragon
There’s a multipart documentary about Slim Gaillard, made in the UK where he went to live. Here’s the first part.
Slim ‘n Slam in action — and all the cats joined in. “Hellzapoppin”
Ajabu
All I have to say after 58 years in Black music is please acknowledge my mentor, musical hero & lifelong friend, Randy Weston for his genius and enduring influence. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/01/obituaries/randy-weston-dead.html
Don’t know who he is? I’ll detail why in another post…
UncleEbeneezer
Just saw Boukman Eksperyans at the Hollywood Bowl Jazz fest and they were so much fun!
UncleEbeneezer
Smoke, Netflix, Chill- Tank & The Bangas
UncleEbeneezer
Do You Wanna Funk?– Sylvester
UncleEbeneezer
Desperate People– Living Colour
billcinsd
@kalakal: I like this from Leroy Carr’s 6 Cold Feet of ground recorded a couple of months before he drank himself to death.
Just lay my body,
baby in six cold feet of ground.
Just lay my body,
baby in six cold feet of ground.
Well I don’t have to be the loser,
when the deal goes down.
billcinsd
I’m going to add something from Chester Arthur Burnette, aka Howlin’ Wolf “I Ain’t Superstitious”
and a coupe from Sam Cooke, “A Change is Gonna Come“, and gospel with the Soul Stirrers “Touch the Hem of His Garment“
prostratedragon
And lo, an article about Meshell Ndegeocello appears.
David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch
Whitey on the Moon – Gil Scott-Heron
Sourmash
Sister Rosetta Tharpe. That’s the whole thing…
Ramalama
@prostratedragon: Nice!