I've been listening to Zack Hemsey's album, Empty Room: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMeD1ztnl6A&list=SPF573D9... I've been listening to a lot of jazz, nu-jazz, hip hop (this isn't Lil Wayne or what you may think, it's the more intelligent underground rap) (and I like the rhythm and rhymes and beats), blues, blues rock, and funk. Jazz being Dave Brubeck, Cannonball Adderley (I have his "sticks" on constantly, can't find it on youtube, but "this here" is good too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYDGzJDJeDI), Nat Adderley (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9346mo8X84), Herbie Hancock (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4ASTMFN-h4), Bobby Timmons (the actual writer of this here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB2P1oaP-gk), etc. A lot of soul-jazz and hard bop. Nu-jazz is jazz that's electronically charged. As in, Goldfish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAdX_nwXlrY ... Fort Knox is awesome. The hip hop I listen to is Brother Ali (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6PoLT6hxv4), Hieroglyphics (the beat in Classic is absolutely perfect http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIKquKdJN24), Souls of Mischief (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlUrk1RTQ7A, Cab Fare) Mos Def (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl5mBLYftaM Blue Black Jack and Mathematics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5vw4ajnWGA), Visionaries (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l78Vy7oirk Come One Come All, fantastic beat; I also like Self Sufficient http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPvJ2kplLPA&list=AL94UKMT..., and If You Can't Say Love http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzSi7voW7Hc&playnext=1...) and stuff like that. I really like the use of piano in Brother Ali's the puzzle. He has some arabic in some of his songs that I don't understand, but who cares, it's just music. It's funny, I don't really care what's being said as long as the beat's good and the rhymes are good too. Though it's definitely a plus if the lyrics are meaningful/intelligent. I've been listening to Ray Charles, B. B. King, Muddy Waters, etc. Fun times. Blues rock's bands like the Black Keys, there's others whose names I can't remember off the top of my head. I really liked their Blackroc album, it's a really interesting sound, hip hop and rock (A good one is Hoochie Coo with Mos Def and Jim Jones http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vtWNDI_EOI, and also Done Did It http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_Ca1G812nQ) NINJA EDIT: I remembered some other bands. The Doors, Cream, Grand Funk. Cream has this great song that I can't get out of my head, Politician (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJqgk2XAg4k) and another good one is Tales of Brave Ulysses (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8hLc_nqx8g), along with the famous Crossroads (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg1pHeYmaQE) (once I learn electric guitar, these are the songs I'll be playing :D). Grand Funk has some great songs, like Mr. Limousine Driver (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpTsyTGH8Cc), High Falootin' Woman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP683QuEsvk), Got This Thing on the Move (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCeJt1u9PLA). The Doors...hmm...Break on Through The Other Side (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbiPDSxFgd8). Not sure if that's really blues rock, it's definitely rock. Roadhouse Blues (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XWQrt00_NM) is definitely, however. Funk is Stevie Wonder (I've posted a song or two of his to hubski), Herbie Hancock (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQsSQRWMhOs), Earth Wind & Fire (my favorite is Shining Star http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwc0AW67CmA). I've also listened to some Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, and other Motowners.
>I really like the use of piano in Brother Ali's the puzzle. Do you listen to Atmosphere at all? Broth Ali and Atmosphere are on the same label, and the guy who does the production/beats (Ant) is the same for both. So you'll find a lot of those nice piano style beats on the later albums by Atmosphere like Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having and When Life Gives You Lemons. This track comes to mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5VRXTEGO2w Atmosphere and Brother Ali are easily my favorite hip hop, but I'm biased cause they are from the Twin Cities and I get to see them live a couple times a year.
Wow this is the most powerful song I've heard in a while, I'm so glad you recommended me to Atmosphere: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEHTTFOwsDs. I swear it gave me goosebumps. Makes me think about how lucky I am to have my dad in my life. Thank you.
Always fun to share a favorite group with someone. When you mentioned you liked the piano type beat I figured you'd like Atmosphere stuff. Atmosphere are local heroes, and my favorite hip-hop group by far. You'd probably also like "The Waitress" off of When Life Gives You Lemons, "Became" off of The Family Sign, and Pour Me Another and Get Fly off of Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're having. All of those have a heavy piano to their beats. Ant is a big fan of the "dirty piano" sound, and you'll find it on lots of their tracks. It's why they are easily my favorite group, as I play piano, and love it when it's mixed with a hip-hop track. If you're the type of person that likes supporting artists on small labels, here is where you can buy their music directly. If you buy from their "Fifth Element" store they get all the profits. They also have a brick & mortar store by the same name in Minneapolis where they sell all their shit. They don't mind pirates, but they try to make it easy for people to get their music (DRM-Free) through their storefronts. They also release a free album almost every year, which you can get there, and they are just as good as their studio albums (sometimes better). http://fifthelementonline.com/collections/rhymesayers Cheers, hope you enjoy them! :)
We don't have accents except waaaay up North in "Iron Range" territory. In the Twin Cities there are little to no accents. The movie Fargo gave us a bad stereotype. We all talk like what I would consider normal, or like how the majority of people sound on TV or in movies(if that makes sense).
His stage name is "Ant", short for Anthony. He works on "Rhymesayers Entertainment" label, which is the label he and Slug founded years ago, and the same label Brother Ali is on. They have some other great local acts on there as well, and Ant does some of the production for other artists as well, but mostly Atmosphere and Brother Ali, who he normally does the whole album for. He is who does the beats for Atmosphere and Brother Ali. Ant technically is one half of Atmosphere, Slug being the other half of the duo. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_(producer) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhymesayers_Entertainment I'm convinced he is Steven Segal.
This is a post so loaded with great music that I was momentarily paralyzed, and for some reason the only thought that floated through the paralysis was to run the artist Nujabes by you -- Japanese jazz hip hop produced who could sneak right into your list very easily.
I totally appreciate all these links. This is mostly classic stuff that I've loved for years (Doors, BB, etc.) but it's been a blast from the past going through them. Check out This Is Our Science by Astronautalis if you're feeling like some more hip hop.
Thanks, flagamuffin (your username makes me laugh) (muffin is my favorite word). And here I was thinking I was the only guy on hubski who likes hip hop. Love this site! Strangely, if you told me a year ago that hip hop would be a large portion of the music I listen to, I would tell you that you're crazy and that rap isn't music :P. But somehow I changed.
For some reason, music gets old for me really fast (after playing it a couple times), so I'm always game for suggestions that fit into my style :). Thanks for Nujabes. I've really enjoyed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjqTiQhOgU8&list=AL94UKMT..., so far in the playlist.