Driven to Drink

Say that title five times quickly, or just say JSNTLP...as two consecutive triplets (J-S-N, T-L-P, J-S-N, T-L-P); add some traditional Brazilian and capoeira instruments, rhythms, & melodies; make yourself a caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil (...and better than a mojito in one home bartender's humble opinion...); and let's have ourselves a carnival party.

Really, this trio is GREAT.

We'll also spend some time talking about capoeria, and close with a full-tilt Driven2Drink tag of improvised songs.

Absolutely love that yinz're here with me.

-G

Brittany Howard, perhaps most famous as the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the Alabama Shakes, recently released her debut solo album, "Jaime," and it is exceptional...in this man's humble opinion.

Let's spend some time hanging with Ms. Howard, the Alabama Shakes, and a bonus Mac Miller...all the way live and all the way wonderful.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate us positively on iTunes, and be kind to but firm and honest with yourselves and others.

Thanks for hanging, and love yinz.

-G

This is really just a tiny story of how I was, and I'm not being hyperbolic here, saved by one man and a tiny Black Baptist church in South Point, Georgia.

And I was reminded of that story, the actual experience, while listening to Avery R. Young's exceptional album, "Tubman.".

So this is also a listening party, a bit of a semi-secular testimony to the power of the human voice, as an instrument of communication and an instrument of capturing the human condition most accurately outside of the human condition.

Love that you're here.

-G

Making the rounds recently have been clips of a George Carlin interview from 1990, a couple of Marc Maron monologues from his podcast, WTF, and a recent interview with Eddie Murphy...all related to growth, maturity, and the importance of lateral or upward punching comedy.

Making the rounds also?  Todd Phillips complaining that he can't make comedies anymore because of, "PC Culture."  Dave Chappelle's stand-up and his insistence that downward-punching comedy is being threatened by, "Cancel Culture," or whatever.

Today, we'll be focusing on Maron, Carlin, and Murphy.

Today, we'll spend time discussing the importance of power dynamics, group-think, maturity, and how cis, het, men sometimes do evolve.

Thanks for hanging.

Love yinz.

-G

Have you ever hooked-in to the Carolina Chocolate Drops?

Have you ever hooked-in to Rhiannon Giddens?

Have you ever hooked-in to the 1619 Project?

If yes, please hang.

If no? Also, please hang...and meet a powerful person and project.

This is an anti-racist podcast.

Plain and simple.

Love yinz.

-G

James Jamerson, a man who exceptionally few know but almost everybody has heard, was, along with Papa Zita on the kit, the heartbeat of Motown.  There were other drummers and other bassists with Motown, but James Jamerson was a virtuoso, an innovator, a professional, and above all else, a communicator and song-writer on the bass guitar.

Please hang with me today as we hang with James Jamerson a few of the most iconic basslines in the history of popular music.

Also, a scorching live performance by the legendary Roots crew and John Legend from their perfect album, Wake Up!

Love yinz,

G

With a fractured left fibia; vaporized medicine; mashed, fermented, and distilled grain; I bring you an absolute favorite, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley.

All live. 

All soul.

[air horn] x2

Please hang with us.

Welcome to Jamrock.

Love yinz.

-G

On November 8th, 2016 many of us lost our privileged, comfortable, clutching grasp on the entire supremacist mythology of the U.S.A., and Miss Sharon Jones suffered a stroke while watching the election results.  She had another the following day.  And a week later, on November 18th, in Cooperstown, NY, she passed.

In the time between the election and her final breath, Miss Jones joked that Trump's election almost killed her.  Her sense of humor and spirit were such a blessing.

Sharon Jones was a treasure, and we still have so many of her gifts in the form of recordings and live performances, a wonderful documentary, and her band, the Dap-Kings (as well as her amazing background singers, The Dapettes) continue performing to this day.

Just a year before her journey home, Sharon, et al, performed a scorching, soulful, jazzy, rhythm & bluesy, and utterly joyous holiday set at the NPR Tiny Desk.

Let's spend some time with that set and also a performance of one of her biggest hits: 100 Days, 100 Nights.

Be well.

Love yinz.

-G

Today there be crickets.

Not like, the audience was so quiet you could hear crickets.

But, I left the office window open and the recording equipment is so sensitive you could hear actual crickets.  And it was dusk.  So like, a cricket rave.

Which actually, somehow...works.

Because here there also be Dan Tepfer.  I don't have the brain or experience to do what he does.  But I do have the brain and experience to appreciate what he does...with a player piano, a computer, various algorithms, and a visual interpretation of what he does.  Which is create improvisational jazz pieces which, when the algorithm responds, requires that he then respond in kind to what the algorithm creates...thus making exciting and precarious pieces that require precision and structure but allow for such soul and depth of playing and communication that I guarantee you've never heard, nor will you feel, anything quite like this.

And, when you watch the video from the tiny desk, or any of his live videos on YouTube, including pieces from his wonderful "Natural Machines" album, it becomes an entire multiple sensory experience.  Have a nice drink, alter your mood/mind in whichever way(s) you find effective, diffuse essential oils or burn incense, put on comfy clothes and make it a FULL ON sensory spa experience.

And the crickets somehow add.  There are times when it feels like they are responding to Dan, or he to them...kind of like the Dark Side of the Moon with The Wizard of Oz situation.

Hang, won't yinz?

-G

That's right.  Sting...AND...Shaggy.  Not Sting...THEN Shaggy.  Not Shaggy...THEN Sting. Not Sting...meets Scooby Doo and Shaggy in a madcap adventure ending with an aristocratic old white man having his mask snatched and claiming, "And I would've gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids.  And Sting."  Nope.  Sting and Shaggy, together.  And loving it.  And so am I.  And I believe you will too.  Hang with us, won't you?

Love yinz.

-G