So I really can’t get enough of Liz Vice’s “Empty Me Out.” I came across this while on my computer last weekend and it’s been #OnRepeat for the last week. This is one of those songs that makes you feel good, whether you’re religious or not.

Liz Vice is a singer-songwriter from Portland Oregon whose music blends influences from R&B, Pop, Gospel, 1960’s Soul and Contemporary Christian R&B music. It’s always interesting hearing about musicians who overcome health issues; things that tend to completely alter their lives in a huge way. Such is the case with Liz Vice, who was on hemodialysis for three and a half years in her early twenties, finally receiving a kidney transplant which led to a full recovery. There’s a Light, was Vice’s first album debut in 2015 and she is currently touring and performing along the west coast, in Canada, and in parts of the South East.

“Empty Me Out” is essentially a song of prayer, like many of the songs on Liz Vice’s album, There’s a Light. I enjoyed listening to much of her music because of the vulnerability, intimacy, and yet bright, powerful timbre that you can hear in her voice. It is very unique, and yet familiar at the same time. The music video for “Empty Me Out” is pretty interesting as well because you get to see how different people, while listening to her music, interpret the song.

Take a listen below:

Is there an artist or group that you can’t stop listening to? Let us know in the comment section below!

This week, I’ve had Gregory Porter’s “Don’t Lose Your Steam” #OnRepeat. I’ve written about Gregory Porter before (for good reason), but I have to write about him again because he has a new album coming out soon.

Just a refresher (or in case there are still people out there who still aren’t familiar with this musician), Gregory Porter is a singer-songwriter and actor who won the Grammy in 2014 for Best Jazz Vocal Album for his Liquid Spirit album. His mixes Jazz, Soul, Funk and R&B and his tone is reminiscent of Donny Hathaway, Bill Withers, and Nat King Cole. Even though he won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album, it’s not realistic (and frankly difficult) to categorize Gregory into any real musical genre. Whenever I think of Gregory Porter, I think of him as a musician, performer, and a vocalist.

“Don’t Lose Your Steam” is a song that Gregory wrote for his son. His lyrics, like always, are poignant and poetic, conveying the universal message of hope for the future generation. One thing that I have always enjoyed about Gregory Porter’s writing is the fact that he can come up with catchy melodies that you find yourself humming long after you’ve finished listening to the song. There isn’t much left to be said about this fantastic musician; I would much rather you take a listen to this new song and buy the album, Take Me to the Alley, as soon as it is available.

Here is the song below:

Do you have a song or musician that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!

This week, I’ve had Melody Gardot’s “Our Love Is Easy” #OnRepeat. Most of Melody Gardot’s music is great, but this song is one that I frequently come back to when I think of this musician.

Melody Gardot is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter from Philadelphia. She started taking music lessons at an early age, but began to teach herself how to play guitar when she was in a hospital bed for a year due to being hit by a car. Writing and playing music helped her to cope with her injuries, which included some short-term memory issues. Because of this, Melody frequently advocates for music therapy at universities, citing music as something that has aided her in her recovery. Her music is a blend of elements of Jazz, Blues, Pop, and Country music. Some of her most well-known songs are “Who Will Comfort Me,” “Pretend I Don’t Exist,” and “Love Me Like a River Does.”

“Our Love Is Easy” is reminiscent to me of music from James Bond films; sleek and subtle, yet extravagant. The lyrics are poignant and the lyrical imagery is beautiful, causing you to feel almost overwhelmed from the emotions that are being expressed in the words, yet Melody’s voice is warm and intimate, giving the song the Jazz-like feel that is Gardot. I was immediately drawn in by the string arrangement in the beginning of the song and I couldn’t stop replaying this song over and over.

Take a listen below:

Is there a musician or group that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!

This week I’ve had Dianne Reeves’ song, “Tango,” #OnRepeat. I’ve actually been listening to Dianne and have been aware of her for awhile, but it wasn’t until I heard the recording and saw a live performance of this song, that I really started to take notice of her voice and performance style.

Dianne Reeves is a Jazz vocalist from Detroit, Michigan. She has performed and toured with musicians such as Billy Childs, Harry Belafonte, Esperanza Spalding, Richard Bona, Robert Glasper, Gregory Porter, and Lala Hathaway. She has won several Grammys and some of her most well-known songs are “River,””You Go To My Head,””How High the Moon.”

The song, “Tango,” consists mostly of riffs, licks and scatting performed by Dianne. The song starts out with Dianne singing a cappella in free rhythm, but in a flamenco-inspired style of singing, and slowly, other instruments join her. There are no lyrics for this song–more of a theme that Dianne and the other musicians return to throughout the piece–but Dianne’s musical choices make the song very interesting. I was truly impressed with her range and how effortless her improvising appears.

Take a listen below:

If you have a new musician or group that you can’t stop listening to, leave a comment below!

This week, I’ve had Cécile McLorin Savant’s “John Henry,” #OnRepeat. I always love discovering new vocalists who utilize their whole voice; it’s refreshing to listen to a knowledgeable vocalist.

Cécile McLorin Savant is a singer-songwriter from Miami, Florida. She has studied classical voice and improvisation, spending a lot of time in France. Her music focuses mostly on unique interpretations of rare Jazz and Blues pieces, singing in English, French, and Spanish. I can’t believe I haven’t heard of Cécile before now; she received Grammy nominations in 2014 and 2015 for Best Jazz Vocal Album and she has several albums out already. Cécile also won the Thelonious Monk competition in 2010, a prestigious award for many aspiring, young musicians.

“John Henry” is a song based off the tall tale of John Henry, the African American folk hero who had the job of hammering drills into rock to make holes for explosives to make room for railroad building. The legend goes that John Henry’s skill and strength is put to the test in a race against a steam-powered hammer; a competition which he won, but ultimately also killed him because his heart gave out from the immense work. Cécile conveys the ballad of John Henry perfectly, accessing the heavier, lower part of her range to imitate John Henry’s speech and adding licks and riffs that are stylistic of a bluesy, folk song. The ease at which she uses space, phrasing, and range to convey musical messages is at times staggering and something that many vocalists aspire to. I encourage anyone who is looking for ways in which to access all parts of their range and voice to use Cécile’s album, Woman Child, (along with all of her other music) as a good listening to reference.

Take a listen below:

Do you have a new musician or group that you can’t get enough of? Leave a comment below!

This week, I’ve had Halie Loren’s “Butterfly” #OnRepeat. I just recently discovered this artist while at work (I love being in a place where you’re exposed to new music all the time).

Halie Loren is a singer-songwriter who is originally from Alaska (not something you hear everyday), but moved to Oregon. She has won multiple awards for songwriting and some of her most well-known songs are “Thirsty,” “C’est Si Bon,” and “Sisters Song.”

The song, “Butterfly,” is a song about facing challenges and transforming because of those challenges. Loren’s voice is reminiscent of Billie Holiday and even Norah Jones; her music blends Rock, Blues, Jazz, and elements of R&B music. Her performance style and lyrics give an air of being an “old soul” and her voice is a great blend of crisp clarity with sultry raspiness. However, I really admire her lyric writing for its elements of imagery and warm undertones. This song was beautifully arranged as well; the musical accompaniment compliments the lyrics very well.

Take a listen below:

Do you have any artists or groups whose lyrics inspire you? Leave a comment below!

This week, I’ve had Marisa Monte’s version of “Dança da Solidão” #OnRepeat. I’ve been recently getting back into listening to Brazilian music and I think this is the perfect vocalist to reintroduce myself back into the music with.

Marisa Monte is a singer from Brazil who sings mostly Pop and Rock music (Música Popular Brasileira). Her music is eclectic and distinct, and you can tell–Monte was classically trained, yet grew up around the sounds of the Portela samba school. She also plays ukulele, cavaquinho, and guitar while she sings. Much of her music blends popular musical influences such as Rock, Pop, and Blues, with that of traditional Afro-Brazilian musics such as Forro and Samba. Some of her most well-known songs are “Nú Com A Minha Música”and “Aquele Abraço.”

“Dança da Solidão” was originally composed by Paulinho da Viola, a famous Brazilian singer/songwriter who also played guitar, mandolin, and cavaquinho. The song talks about the solitude of dance and disappointment that comes with life and love. My interpretation of the words were that dance, like solitude, were the only things that could bring happiness and contentment, but then again, I’m not fluent in Portuguese and I didn’t write the song. Either way, Monte’s interpretation of this piece is absolutely haunting–the voicings that she chooses to play on her instrument and her choice of vibrato placement and embellishment adds just the right amount to this already beautiful song.

Take a listen below:

Are there any new artists or groups that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!

This week I’ve had Ennio Morricone’s pieces “The Falls” and “Gabriel’s Oboe” from the film, The Mission, performed by Yo Yo Ma, #OnRepeat. I know I usually write about vocalists for the #OnRepeat posts, but once in awhile, instrumental pieces come along that are just so good that I have to let everybody know about it.

Ennio Morricone is a composer, conductor, arranger, and trumpet player from Rome, Italy. He has composed music for several films including The Untouchables, The Thing, Mission to Mars, The Holiday, and most recently, The Hateful Eight. He has won multiple Grammy Awards, Golden Globes, and countless other awards for his film score work.

Yo Yo Ma is a world-renowned cellist that gained fame as both a soloist and orchestral performer. He has won multiple Grammy Awards and plays in many different styles, collaborating with artists such as Celine Dion, Bobby McFerrin, and even the Dixie Chicks, and even several contemporary dancers.

Yo Yo Ma’s recordings of “The Falls” and “Gabriel’s Oboe” are from his collaborative album with Ennio Morricone, which features many of Morricone’s most loved and well-known compositions. These two pieces in particular are from the 1986 movie, The Mission, which tells the story of a Spanish Jesuit missionary who travels to the rainforests of Argentina and Paraguay to build a mission and convert a Guaraní village to the religion of Christianity. It is a great movie displaying themes of redemption and faith. These themes are conveyed strongly in this piece and in Yo Yo Ma’s playing. I encourage everyone to watch the movie and listen to Morricone’s pieces below:

Is there a new composer or performer that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!