Download: The Couch Sessions Presents: Sunrise Suite

Are you a “morning person”?  That elusive, desirable trait of successful people?

I wouldn’t know…the most frequent question I’m asked before 10am is, “Are you alright….?”

It’s not that I hate mornings in themselves. I hate the noise and bustle that disrupt the peace & tranquility of sleep.  Loud news show hosts.  Popular radio.  Traffic.  “Honey Do” lists and “Honey why didn’t you do” lists that begin to form as soon as my beautiful wife gains consciousness.  The chorus of random, loud cell-phone banter.

But there’s a lot to love about mornings.  The fact that we’ve been given another day of life.

Stretching, reading scriptures and drinking green tea in peace before the city awakens.

Music has always facilitated the peaceful transition from the private world of my thoughts to forced world of chaos all around.

This play-list is inspired by that sentiment.  No too sleepy…not to ambient…stimulating, but in a calm, gentle way.  Forgive me if that sounds like a laxative…guess it kind of is…albeit a mental one.

Acoustic Jazz, hip-hop and soul is the blend with electronica sprinkles.

Headphone & morning commute friendly.

Peaceful journeys.

Tracklisting:

1. The Cinematic Orchestra – Prelude (live)

2. Mentz – Introduction II

3. Robert Glasper feat. Bilal – All Matter

4. The Roots feat. The Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Dilchestra – Antiquity

5. Tycho – Dictaphone’s Lament

6. Seal – State of Grace (acoustic)

7. Bebel Gilberto – August Day Song (king britt remix)

8. Stevie Wonder – Lookin’ for Another Pure Love

9. Common – Ghetto Heaven part 2 (instrumental)

10. Tonda Trio – Tide

11. Shafiq Husayn – Love Still Hurts

12. Dilla – Flyyyyy

13. Saine – Live a Little

14. The Cinematic Orchestra – Breathe (live)

Download: Audio Relaxation Therapy – Comfort Fit

Words: J.S. Yingling

Music: Comfort Fit (Download Forget and Remember LP HERE)

Download: Audio Relaxation Therapy – Black Gold 360

Random thoughts by JConda.  Soundtrack provided by Black Gold 360.

Dig the sounds?  Download the album (legally) HERE.

Download: Audio Relaxation Therapy – “Live With Me” (Zip File)

Today we’ll share Mr. Terry Calliers pain as we take an objective look at 2010.

photo courtesy of BostonBill via Flickr

Download – Audio Relaxation Therapy, December 09th, 2009

Today we announce a new download-able zip format for today’s A.R.T. session.

We’ll fall into the sounds of The Cinematic Orchestra as we take a minute to think about that place we call “home”….

Martin Luther – While My Guitar Gently Weeps

It’s amazing how unscripted good art can be.

In a world of information overload, where a simple Google search on “songwriting” pulls up over 2 million responses, the true artistry and craftsmanship of songwriting begins in a natural, beautiful place.

The heart.

Don’t get me wrong, art needs technique – to a certain extent.  However, when technique begins filter and regulate the creative process from beginning to end, well, then suddenly, creating art becomes “manufacturing product”.

What am I babbling about?  OK, an example.  The Beatles double album (known as “The White Album”) contained the enchanting lyric and melody of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”.  It is documented that George Harrison began writing this song after choosing to create a song based on the first two words of a randomly opened book.  Those words were “Gently weeps”.

To help us see the true beauty of the lyric and melody, we call upon Rebel Soul Brother Martin Luther.  In the 2007 film production of “Across the Universe”, Martin Luther played a Jimi Hendrix-esque character by the name of Jo-Jo.  “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was Jo-Jo’s solo.

Martin Luther exemplifies the laid back, honest nature of true artistry.  And I suppose that’s the point of my ranting.  “Radio Single”, “Branding” and “Marketing” are necessary terms…but need to separated from the artistic process.  Let your heart speak first.  Relax.  Have fun.  Create.  Never allow the mental critic (or the guys in suits) to hinder the love.

Silhouette Brown – Check In (Calling You)

If you ever find yourself visiting Atlanta, one of your destinations must be Moods Music in the Little Five Points area of the city.  It would be un-neighborly of me, however, not to warn you of the potential dangers of visiting this musical oasis.

First of all, come with a pre-determined amount of cash.  If you do not heed this advice, Daryll will take your money, as you will not leave the store without 5-10 CD’s – whilst all the while smiling and shaking your head as you explain to friends that you only came to get the new Erro.

One of these moments of unbridled spending passion led me to Silhouette Brown – a London-based nu soul, broken beat, downtempo outfit consisting of keyboardist Kaidi Tatham, producer Dego MacFarlane and siren vocalist Deborah Jordan.  I explained to the sister on duty what type of mood I was in and she suggested several albums including that of the aforementioned.  The scary abstract teddy bear cover didn’t do anything to boost my confidence in her selection.

The album washed over me with sparse, patient instrumentation, delightfully off-beat (and BANGIN’) drums intertwined with excellent songwriting and call-response vocals.  Today I share this bliss with you in the form of “Check In (Calling You)”.