http://youtu.be/8rEBz--bWVY

War - Four Cornered Room

I know that this blog is usually geared around hip-hop, and that I update ultra sporadically.  Last week I was in a bit of a mood, and started thinking about my dad and when he first introduced me to this song.  When I was in the eigth grade, I discovered a huge crate of records that my dad had since his Navy days.  I remember flipping through and seeing groups like the Ebonys, Bloodstone, Janis Joplin and many others.  I remember seeing the cover for War's "The World is a Ghetto" and I was immediately attracted to the cover art, and I decided to give it a listen.  One the tracks that stood out to me was "Four Cornered Room."  It begans with a beautiful harmonization as riffs of a harmonica sprinkle the track.  I have always been into arrangement, hence my love for Issac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield, and this track just spoke to me.  I remember playing it until I wore the needle on the record player out (my dad made me buy a new one).  This song spoke to the lonely teenaged angst in me and it let me know that everyone has those contemplative moments where they sit alone in their "four cornered room."  I searched the comments on youtube and a lot of people associate this song with drug use, but for me when I hear that melodic "Ooooooooooooohhhh" when the song starts, I picture myself back on Upland Road, faded black Jimi Hendrix shirt, bedroom door shut, incense burning, red light on.  Take a listen and tell me what you think.  Enjoy!

Switching Gears

Greeting or welcome back! I straight up abandoned this blog, but let's get back to business!

If you know me well, you know that my musical taste is a mix of EVERYTHING! My "musical mood" switches up from time to time and this go 'round, I am on my jazz kick. This is not the first time. I remember in 2001, I picked up a Nina Simone CD out of sheer curiosity and I was blown away. Her voice was so....different....so beautiful. She sang with a power that I'd never heard before. My favorite song on that CD was "Images." I always felt like that song was written for me. So of course the Nina Simone station on my Pandora has been rocking.....I will say this, there is something about jazz that puts me in an amourous mood. I was listening to "Bowties and Polkadots" and I just imagined that kind of early morning loving that puts a smile on your face. Not because of then act, but because you are in a bubble of happy. My new mood music.....jazz.