R.I.P. ETTA JAMES. & SARAH BURKE.

A true legend, Etta James passed away today at 73. This song is just amazing.

Also this week, Sarah Burke, a pioneer both for freesking, as well as women's sports in general, also died, of injuries sustained while shredding the shit in the super pipe in Utah. There is a huge hole in the freeski world now that will be quite hard to ever fill. Skier teen boys everywhere are heartbroken...and even 29 year old skiers too just a little bit...we don't get celebrity crushes over hurr at the Hero, but this is a bit of an exception...

I wish I could find her segment from Push, but this will have to do...Matchstick yo...

NEW FREE DAILY MUSICAL ASSOCIATION.

First off...Bernard Purdie yo...



Remember Thru-You? A new funky banger from Kutiman...

  Kutiman - Bango Fields


Thelonious Monk to Steve Lacy...




And last, but certainly not least, Bo Diddley.

Oh, and just b/c I'm down with some tumbleweeds these days...

FLY FREE.

FlyLo via KCRW. @ Music Box. Tonight.

Ceeezz yalls thurrss.




I was feelin' these tracks he did for José James album, Blackmagic. Spless up.

also peep José James - The Dreamer...

Made For Love...



Blackmagic...



More on José James from Pop & Hiss.

THROWING STONES.

A couple new things from Peanut Butter Wolf & crew....


First a free 6 song cover EP from Mayer Hawthorne. This is a really fffffkking cool collection of songs. Some old ones, some newer ones, some with his band, The County, and the one below even featuring his Pops on the pedal steel. I love how Mayer (and all the Stones Throw peeps) are such diggers, and appreciators for/of old soul and funk gems. He revamps a couple here. Honestly, I would just post em' all b/c every track on here is so quality. And its free.

Here's all the info, and a link to the free download via his Stones Throw page...

I'm for sure feeling the sexy ass cover of Chromeo's Don't Turn The Lights On...and this, which is added to my new summ jams fer sheeeeez. Sicky guitar solo....




Also now available in the ST store is the new self-titled full length from Hero fave James Pants (a.k.a. Jimmy Trousers). James has (a great first name...aaaand...) quite a knack for psych-funking the shit out of the already soulful jams he creates (I promise not say 'funk' or 'soul' again this post...).

Dig it fool.

   James Pants - Alone by stonesthrow

   James Pants - Darlin' by stonesthrow

MUSICAL FREE ASSOCIATION.

My first jam for tonight has been this track since my friend Natasha put me on earlier this eve... and from there I kind of let my mind (and the all seeing all knowing beast that is the internet) lead me in any new direction available...

New title-track single from Raphel Saddiq's forthcoming album, Stone Rollin'.

Not a bad jam to make love to your old lady by...




One of my favorite things about thinking/writing/listening to/ and of course, blogging about music is this free association part of it all.

Speaking of Lovage...I haven't listened to that album in FOREVER. And also, where the fuck is Dan The Automator these days?? Oh right...persuing personal musical passions...sounds about right.

Here's a little flashback...stay with me...

...I love Kid Koala's minimalism on the tables...



This all led me to an interesting little video from Jennifer Charles & her band, Elysian Fields, and the previously discussed Lovage of course). Very Serge Gainsborougish...with the video + the song I mean.

Oh and for your New Yorkers, Jennifer & E.F. are playing a show (supporting Norah Jones as headliner, as well as Jessie Harris, Vinicius Canturaria, Buke & Gass, JG Thrirwell's Manorexia, and Sex Mob) to benefit the Japan earthquake relief, with 100% of the proceeds going to  Japan Society’s Earthquake Relief Fund. It'll take place @ at Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street (at Pitt)
New York, NY, and tickets are available HERE.

Elysian Fields - Afterlife (2009)



So then I had to track down the O.G. of that song... its an old one, written by the legendary Edith Paif.

Edith Paif - Jezebel
Eternelle: The Best Of

AAAAANNNDDDD...Anna Calvi (who is playing here @ Troubador on June 7th) also does a version of "Jezebel", and I've been psyched on her for a minute now. Amazing voice, sick guitar skills. That all led me to this amazing piece of music...which I will leave you with.



Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi

EL OH ELEVEN.

Sticking with a couple rando artists to watch in the oh eleven...the guys this time.

Ok and here's some dudes....

Charles Bradley is 62 and has been waiting for his album to drop forever. Not really, but kinda. Well, now it is. And he's down with the Menahan Street Band, which makes everything pretty right on in my mind.



Diamond Rings doing big tings.



Of course U-Tern is NOT a newcomer, and has been holdin it down up in my former home of Van City for years. Holler at One Day Later and ODL Radio. Skills. His new project is called Oliver, and is a collabo w/ the homie Oligee (Pulse Recordings) from L.A.! ... and they have more on the way..



Not new either!!! Ducktails enjoyed a large Hero post on the OLD blog...this NJ crew is on some super sun drenched fuzzy surf rock...they have been riding the underground wave, and may creep up into a larger scale this year...dig.