Tears come easily for me. Music often acts as the trigger, and classic R&B voices get me almost every time. I just cued up Percy Sledge’s out-of-print 1994 album Blue Night and was immediately overcome by emotion. Listen for yourself. Damn. Sledge died last week.
---
I reviewed Lil Boosie’s wack concert at the Midland.
---
I reviewed a solid concert by Sixx:A.M. and Apocalyptica.
---
I reviewed Matt Kane & the Kansas City Generations Sextet’s Acknowledgement at Plastic Sax.
---
I didn’t know about Tony Bennett’s secret weapon until I first saw Ralph Sharon perform with the vocalist in the 1990s. Sharon died on March 31.
---
Johnny Kemp has died.
---
After years of conjecture, a collaboration between Tech N9ne and Eminem has been released.
---
Todd Clouser’s Chant is RIYL: Allen Ginsberg, beatniks, John Trudell. Clouser created a video for “You the Brave.”
---
Lila Downs’ Balas y Chocolate is a lot of fun. RIYL: Vicente Fernández, parties, Kinky.
---
Tyler, the Creator’’s Cherry Bomb is much better than I anticipated. And yes, “Smuckers” is the hip-hop event of the year.
---
Kenny Lattimore’s Anatomy of a Love Song is RIYL: Luther Vandross, classic R&B, Marvin Gaye. Here’s the video for “Love Me Back.”
---
The-Dream’s silky Crown is RIYL: Michael Jackson, radio playlists, Future.
---
Beethoven, Period, a collaboration between Matt Haimovitz and Christopher O’Riley, is my default work soundtrack.
(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)
