The HighLife

I don't know how many truly sunshiny days we'll have left before the sun decides it only wants to do half of its job for the next 5 months, and since i can still hear birds chirping it seemed like a good day to break you off with some Zach Deputy.  He a South Carolina native that makes his way around these parts quite often.  His music is never down or sullen, surprisingly soulful, deeply funky, and just downright fun.  He's a one man band (a la Keller Williams), but you forget that once the music gets going. 

He played at the Wormtown sidestage off Shakedown Street at Bonnaroo this year, and i was literally drawn, like a moth to a flame, to the sound.  Phish had their glowstick war, he had the haystack hoedown.  Straight up ridiculousness! And trust me, that hay was not pristine.  There's a video of the Saturday latenight hoedown that i found.  Everyone in it is getting down, except that it's 6:30 am.  There was another dance party further up Shakedown that morning, and if i hadn't already been in one hoedown earlier in the night/morning you might have seen a dude attached to a gigantic 3ft in diameter pink balloon tied to a 20ft string bouncing along to the music in the back of the crowd.   True story.  Anyhoo, check out more of his music. We'll definitely keep you posted about upcoming shows.  It's an awesome live experience.  He's a pretty chill dude too... Here's to sunshine.  This is Zach Deputy (Sunshine, She Say, Haystack Hoedown)

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band


Radiohead OK Computer

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

One Love, friends.

 

Ok, so this isn't exactly "new".  But it's probably new to you.  So, here are some classic cuts from the almighty Daptone Records, just reimagined.  Hope you dig!

Kardinal Offishall - Nina


"when love calls your heart, i guess you got to pursue"
-Mos Def

February has been a good month musically.  Random, but still good.  We had the Grammy's at the beginning of the month, with Adele and Chrisette Michelle taking home awards.  Bob Marley's birthday.  Mos Def's delayed album. Our introductions to the very danceable Private, and the uber-soulful Jesse Dee.  Lily Allen and Ryan Leslie releasing new albums. And an onslaught of fat beats in general.  That said, here's a set of pretty much all of February's Jumpoff selections, save one or two here and there.  Enjoy!

Ello, ello! Apologies for my negligence yesterday.  A lot going on.  But it's all to the good.  Back today with some more tunes for your listening pleasure. There's a common theme with both these tracks that i didn't realize until after i'd already decided what songs to drop today.  See if you can guess what it is.  Welcome to The Jumpoff!

A-Side
This song is kinda older.  Well, relative to these artist's tenure.  The track was featured on both Kanye and Paul Wall's albums.  There is also a chopped and screwed version on Paul Wall's album that's sort of featured at the end of this video, but that a topic for another day.  I saw the video for the first time last night, and aside from the fact that i didn't even know there was a video, i didn't know T.I. had a verse in it.  His addition is just an added benefit to an already good song.  Pay attention to his lyrics, especially his last line.  Very poignant.  So as they say down in Houston, what it do... Kanye West, Paul Wall, T.I., Tony Williams - Drive Slow



B-Side
A few days ago i put up a post honoring Bob Marley on his birthday, and I listened to a lot of random Marley tracks in the process of coming up with the post.  This next song is part of the result of all the research.  There's something about discovering new songs (new to me at least) that never gets old.  Maybe because it's new; who knows.  Anyhoo, i don't have much else to say, just "hit me from the top, you crazy mother-funky".  You'll know in a sec.  Bob Marley - Caution



And that will do it, hope you're rocking steady.  Now to go watch the entire state of North Carolina explode.  On the hardwood that is. What i'm about to say is sacrilege to some ears. I like both sides, i have friends on both sides (family, not so much), and i have personal experiences on both sides. So i will not pick a side, not even if it was the nat'l championship. It's the same with Yankees-Red Sox.  You don't have to understand, just believe that i'm not crazy, and take it however you wish.  Until next time, be easy.
Afolabi

Today 64 years ago, 1945 for the mathematically challenged, Robert Nesta Marley (2/6/1945 - 5/11/1981), commonly known as Bob Marley was born.  His music has definitely been in my life for as long as i can remember.  Most people don't realize that while he was alive he struggled to really reach the American audience the same way he did with Europe and Africa.  Eric Clapton did a lot to change that.  But it's simple really, British Commonwealth nations are more interconnected.  In his hey, at least in Nigeria, there was probably only one other artist that surpassed him in popularity, Fela Kuti.  And he was Nigerian.  His posthumous album, Legend, is still the top selling reggae album of all-time, and now his offspring are producing some of the best reggae out there.  He was with us for only 36 years, but in that he made a difference that is still being felt in his home country, and the world at large.  Here's to greatness!

Judge Not/ One cup of coffee - The first two singles he ever recorded (1962)

Concrete Jungle - First British tv performance, his introduction to world if you will (1973)



So take some time today to put up your lighters, burn one down, and simply celebrate the life of one the best and brightest of our kind. One love.

Sort of like the end of year dispatch.  Here's a playlist of music selections that were featured in January's Jumpoff posts.  Enjoy!