In 1973, the great trumpeter Donald Byrd was teaching at Howard University, and formed The Blackbyrds with some of his students. I'm not sure where I picked up their self-titled first album, but if you want to explore some seminal funk music, this is a must-have. There's some great jams here. Do It, Fluid is a great example of the loose vibe that rules this record.
My next entry crosses over into movie territory. Any fan of Brazilian music will recognize the name Caetano Veloso. His voice is known around the world. And one of the most famous is his rendition of Cucurrucucu Paloma. It's a beautiful song, and when Veloso sings it I get a shiver up my spine. But my favorite version is the one he sings in the movie Hable con Ella (Talk to Her), by the cinematic genius Pedro Almodóvar. Here's the clip, I think you'll agree it's a moving song:
I'm going to shift gears here, and mention a band my entire family really likes - Death Cab for Cutie. They're a Washington band, everyone likes to see the home team succeed, and they really are a good band. I know that some of my peeps won't really care for DCFC. But they've got some great songs. Check out Marching Bands of Manhattan:
And I have to mention I will Follow You into the Dark. Nice tune.
Next time, I'll cover the Flaming Lips, Garaj Mahal, and more.
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