Chris Turner | LOVELife Is a Challenge

I love it when I find talented emerging musicians in the underground music scene. There is something natural and original about these musicians that I really enjoy. They are some of my best kept secrets. I recently discovered and have been replaying the music of Chris Turner who is currently on tour with Esperanza Spalding. Classically trained in music, Chris Turner combines streams of jazz, hip-hop, funk and soul in his music. He transitions in and out of falsetto with a smooth ease. His first single "Brainstormin" from his mixtape "LOVELife Is a Challenge" happens to be my favourite song from the album.

Listen to "Brainstormin" here:

For the complete album, visit Chris Turner's bandcamp here.

You're welcome! ^_^

Sounds of Soul | 12 Songs I Love Right Now

In the spirit of today's special date, here are 12 tunes I've been replaying recently. Click on the album cover to listen. See the song/mix names below. Enjoy!

From left to right, top-down:

Kae Sun - Ship And The Globe - 3:18

Robert Glasper - Afro Blue feat Erykah Badu - 5:07

9th Wonder - The Righteous Way to Go - 3:00

Moovmnt x Jesse Boykins III - Mini Mix - 25:29

Dirty Jazz - Question & Kidragon - 30:14

Lokua Kanza - Nkolo - 2:59

The Foreign Exchange - This City Ain't The Same Without You - 3:10

Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again - 3:52

Kae Sun - Lifeline (Citizen Cope Cover) - 3:13

Solange Knowles - Losing You - 4:20

Robert Glasper - Black Radio - 4:51

Lianne La Havas - Au Cinema - 2:28

Sounds of Jazz | A Collection of 9 Rich Tunes

From left to right:

 Aguas de Marco - Joao Gilberto - Stan Getz

Study Guide

Pico da Neblina

Chambre Avec Vue - Henri Salvador

Walkright - Bahwee

Everybody loves the Sunshine - Roy Ayers

Saxophone Colossus - Sonny Rollins

Chet Baker plays Vladimir Cosma - Sentimental Walk in Paris, 1985

Coming to You Live - Charles Earland

Earfood - The Roy Hargrove Quintet

Enjoy!

Sounds of The Bossa Nova | 12 Tunes to Know

Bossa Nova is a popular style of Brazilian music that is known to have developed in the 1950s and 1960s. It is described as a fusion of the samba and jazz music genres. I adore the bossa nova and Afro-Brazilian culture. Perhaps that's strong evidence of my Afropolitan traits. Here are twelve tunes you should know from the bossa nova genre. Click on the album covers to listen.

From left-right, top-down:

Manoa - Lisa Ono
Bim Bom - Chega de Saudade by Joao Gilberto
Sylvia Telles - Voce

Mas Que Nada - Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66

Pink Martini & Saori Yuki

Antonio Carlos Jobim: Wave

Sam Prekop
Bossa Nova Cha Cha - Luiz Bonfa

The Astrud Gilberto album

Let Me - Jill Scott (featuring Sergio Mendes)

The Girl from Ipanema - Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto

Jazz Samba Encore! - Stan Getz & Luiz Bonfa

Tom Ze - Estuda

Oscar Peterson's version of Wave by Antonio Jobim

PS. If you must pick only one song, listen to the first, which is Manoa - Lisa Ono.

Enjoy!

Tunes of the Week

Every week, Auburn Butterfly recommends four tunes for your enjoyment. These will come from a variety of genres particularly jazz, blues, soul, folk, and some latin-american and african genres.

From left to right, top-down:

African Skhits - wun.two (8 mins)*

Manu Chao: Bongo Bong 

Le Voyage en Afrique/A journey in Africa

King - The Story

*From a two-track album with clips of jazz and blues. More info and free download here.

Click on the album cover to listen to each song.

Tunes of the Week

Every week, Auburn Butterfly recommends four tunes for your enjoyment. These will come from a variety of genres particularly jazz, blues, soul, folk, and some latin-american and african genres.

From left to right, top-down:

Chet Baker in Tokyo with Harold Danko, Hein Van Der Geyn, John Engels

The Girl from Ipanema - Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto

Rising Sun - The SoulJazz Orchestra

Coltrane/Prestige 7105

Click on the album covers to listen to the songs.

Enjoy!

Leila | The Black and White EP

I love the songs on Leila's The Black and White EP. Her music style has a flavour of jazz and hints of pop rock. I've been replaying her album all evening and I really like it. (Thank you Boutique La Boheme for the recommendation.) Enjoy!

Esperanza Spalding ft Joe Lovano: I Can't Help It

Esperanza Spalding presents her cover of Michael Jackson's I Can't Help It with an artistic video. The video tells the story of a young lady (Esperanza Spalding) who is in a relationship with man. She reminisces about a special lady she met in an art museum, and tells herself that she couldn't help but have feelings for her. Joe Lovano is featured in the song with accompaniment on the saxophone, and in the video with a stage performance. His timeless style is a wonderful complement to Esperanza's work. Despite the apparently controversial nature of the topic of homosexuality, Esperanza Spalding manages to artistically address it in a way that's respectful, classy, and beautiful.

Music Video: Esperanza Spalding ft Joe Lovano

You might also like:
Esperanza Spalding ft Algebra Blessett | Black Gold

Jazz | Iyeoka

I'm loving this music video for Iyeoka's song entitled "Say Yes". Iyeoka is a Nigerian-American award-winning poet, recording artist and TED fellow. Iyeoka's gift for telling stories is evident in her lyrics. She was featured on Russell Simmon's poetry jam, and was a 2nd place champion in the 2009 Individual World Poetry Slam. To many of her listeners, her smooth musical style invokes the essence of soul artists Amy Winehouse, Lauryn Hill and Nina Simone.

For more on Iyeoka's story or to purchase her album, visit her official website.

Soul Sister | Soul Brother by Carlos Quiterio

I'm loving these artworks by Carlos Quiterio.

From left to right, top to bottom:

Erykah Badu

Gil Scott Heron

Curtis Mayfield

Minnie Riperton

Ella Fitzgerald

Stevie Wonder