jazz-funk

Lucas/Heaven: “Every City Has a Rhythm”

Under the handle Heaven the Dude, multi-instrumentalist producer Lucas Gorham’s already gotten some serious love from the electronic/beat crowd. Not too long ago he produced Houston MC Fat Tony’s 10,000 Hours record, making the country-rap concepts a beyond-satisfying reality. But more recently Gorham’s been hankering to tap into something a little more idiosyncratic, leading us to his new solo moniker, Lucas/Heaven. Lucas/Heaven shares his debut LP Blues of the World early next year, covering a ton of sonic territory from acid jazz to cumbia, funk and beyond – all underneath biting societal commentary in the vain of Gil-Scott Heron. Blues of the World is out February 18th, and Lucas/Heaven’s given us a taste of his exalted acoustics with the urban-meets-tropical, yacht-rock-adjacent “Every City Has a Rhythm”,just in time for your Best Of 2021 playlists.

Hiatus Kaiyote: “Red Room”

You’ve probably caught “Get Sun” a couple times on our airwaves and recently wondered, “when is HK gonna drop a new LP?”. Well, today, commemorating their first full decade together, Melbourne’s Hiatus Kaiyote just issued their third full-length, Mood Valiant. True to its name, Mood Valiant hears Hiatus Kaiyote taking a concentrated approach to their jazz-funk chill-out symphony, with each extended jam showing as much forethought as their more concise companions.

All in all, Mood Valiant is best experienced in its entirety, so that Hiatus Kaiyote can score you in and out of conscious thought, but if you need a quick intro to what may very well be your favorite record of 2021, look no further than “Red Room”!

Miles Davis (5.25.14)

Miles Davis is considered one of the most innovative and influential musicians of the 20th century. He added his voice to the narratives of our culture at significant points, and offered a perspective which considered the sanctity of silence in each moment. In this edition of Liner Notes Rabbi Neil Blumofe acknowledges what Miles Davis can teach us through this approach, not only in music but in our daily lives.