Ok this is Max Roach. Max Roach is a jazz drummer
One of my favorite albums of his is here, it's called 'Member's Don't Git Weary.'
Max played with Miles when Max and Miles played with Bird
and then he went on to play with so many people, I mean, I think he made over a hundred albums
and I really like the music that he did alone, the music that he did with Abbey Lincoln
who he was married to for quite some time.
As I was first starting to get into jazz, which is like y'know as a teenager
like venturing away from hip-hop just to see where the samples were coming from
I encountered some really weird Max Roach albums
and some amazing Max Roach solos, which is any beat producer's dream
We're still in jazz here. This is Thelonious Monk.
His phrasing, not to mention
there would be musicians on the side of the stage or talking sometimes saying
that it was impossible to go from this note to this note, that's impossible, there's no way
and he would always execute the impossible
how did you make that note match that note? How did you do that?
you hear the percussion in the piano when he plays but what you really hear, for me
is like when you think of Dilla or Mad Lib or any of those great producers
y'know that pull from that idea that George Clinton talked about
the funk of being a little ahead or behind the beat
like where to catch that magic spot, the twilight of the beat.
That's what he finds all the time in his playing
it's always not only what he plays but where he plays it.
There's something amazing about his phrasing.
So that's that.
Next, this is from the spoken word section
Social Security presents 'Genius on the Black Side.'
Hi this is James Earl Jones bringing you 'Genius on the Black Side.'
Today we're going to hear the sound of a true young genius, and by that I mean Stevie Wonder himself.
This comes out of the 60s and 70s
and as we know the civil rights movement leading up to the Black Power movement and the Black Arts movement
the dialogue that you see happening through social media right now
in many cases, the only thing that's new are the instruments that we're using
and the way that we have to communicate, but some of the subject matter is already here.
Then of course it's hosted by James Earl Jones
who served as an inspiration for me because he is one of those actors who...
we go on and on about his voice
but if you've ever seen him on stage, I've seen him on stage, and what he has is
a really strong and solid presence before he opens his mouth
like when an actor like that walks out, the room goes silent just because of his presence
and then when he speaks that's a whole other thing, right.
It's just a nice find, y'know? On the vinyl side.
Ok, from that we're going to house music.
Classic house music. This is Ron Trent.
Ron Trent is as a pioneer.
The definitive sound, like he really helped define what that sound is
and there's a lot to learn from the way he puts melodies and beats together
it's him talking over beats and stuff like that.
He was somebody who was making great music but also thinking
and connecting some really powerful ideas with beats
so that's fun late night listening.
Stromae.
Stromae is, I guess, maybe one of the few, if only pop artists that I rep for.
I love the concept. I was living in Paris when the 'Formidable' song came out
and so I remember on Twitter that day
people going crazy about Stromae is drunk, he's in the middle of Brussels walking around drunk
and then the next day the video comes out
and there were all these cameras planted and in fact he was acting
It's powerful, it's touching, as well as really danceable
and he's an amazing consummate performer
I mean, globally I think they get him. I think there's a lot of American artists who are really high on themselves
and don't realize that there's somebody who's doing it fresher.
So no names called, but he's got a fashion line, great beats and music.
This is from the comedy section. This is Steven Wright.
If sometimes you can't hear me it's 'cause sometimes I'm in parentheses.
I bought some powdered water but I don't know what to add.
Steven Wright is my favorite comedian.
I discovered Steven Wright when I was 12 years old
watching HBO or something late night and
I memorized all of his jokes as a kid
and wouldn't necessarily try to pass them off as my own but
if I was meeting somebody new, I was probably very bizarre, nerdy, annoying
in that I was ready to spout off some Steven Wright jokes
and this album in particular, which is his first album, blows my mind.
Let's do a film one.
John Cassavetes box set.
Tony Russell, this is my brother Hugh.
Hi.
And this is Rupert Cross.
Glad to know ya.
John Cassavetes epitomizes the independent film director.
The first film of his I saw was Gloria
and that film, I saw that with my mom and I was blown away
I saw it as a kid in the theater. "I am the man. I am the man."
"I am the man. I do anything I can. I am the man."
He's captured some of the most interesting moments
on screen in American cinema and also
can always serve as inspiration for anyone who wants to make a film
and realizes that there's other choices than the studio system.
King of innovation and just great storytelling and great filmmaking.
Alright.
Thank you so much for talking with us today.
No worries.