This year’s ArtPrize song contest winners officially got their rewards Tuesday, so Local Spins wanted to reward readers with a special playlist, from Edye Evans Hyde to Nick Drake.
EDITOR’S NOTE: ArtPrize 2014 may be over, but on Tuesday, five winners of the ArtPrize song contest hosted by St. Cecilia Music Center were awarded their prizes of $2,000 and recording time at Mackinaw Harvest Music: Molly Bouwsma Schultz (rock/blues), Roger MacNaughton (jazz), Matthew Fisher (classical), Channing and Quinn (folk/country) and American Wi-Fi (pop/electronic). For Bouwsma Schultz, it’s her second straight win in the ArtPrize contest, with this year’s winning song, “Kindness (441 Cass),” dedicated to her grandfather. In honor of the win, Local Spins asked the dynamic singer — who fronts the indie-soul/rock band Vox Vidorra — to submit her current playlist of favorite songs. They’re listed here with a Spotify version of the playlist below. And check out other Local Spins Guest Playlists by West Michigan musicians here.
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1. “So What,” Miles Davis, as interpreted by Grand Rapids’ very own jazz queen and leader of the arts Edye Evans Hyde and a host of local greats on her 2011 album, “Magic In His Eyes.” – Edye seriously throws down with her scatting techniques and sweet resonant vocal tones which makes it easy to hear her natural ability to improvise seamlessly with the band in this collaboration. There is so much talent in this city alone it seems we have one of the Midwest’s best kept gems.
Listen to the track at: http://edyeevanshyde.com/audio/
2. “Me and Mr. Jones,” Amy Winehouse (from 2011’s “Back to Black”) – I love Amy’s use of modern cultural references in her lyrics. She was irreverent and raw. In this song, we hear a newly reinvented Doo-Wop Soul sound that has yet to be recreated. “What kind of f@#kery is this? You made me miss the Slick Rick gig….who’s Slick Rick?”
3. “Nobody Like You,” Aretha Franklin (from 1965’s “Jazz To Soul”) – My late and dear friend David Raffenaud gave me this album when we were kicking around covers to try and in doing so I learned there was a whole world of Aretha’s voice and sound that I had not been exposed to yet. Her performances are incredible and distinctly flavored with The Queen Of Soul’s sass, while uniquely more delicate than her more well known hits. You really get to hear how she makes a song hers with her interpretations of these carefully chosen standards.
4. “Voices,” Disclosure (featuring Sasha Keable) – I think in terms of thoughtful, fun, electronic music Disclosure is a couple of young guys who are upping the game for the genre. They obliviously know who to collaborate with and what their sound is—always evolving. I could run and dance to this stuff all day.
5. “You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks,” Funkadelic (from 1971’s “Maggot Brain”) – This is classic funk tune that keeps it real and brings us together. I always enjoy an album that feels like it was recorded amongst friends who are passionate about the same things: equality, justice, peace.
6. “I’m New Here,” Gil Scott-Heron (from 2010’s “I’m New Here”) – This song takes you in circles just like the lyrics do. Gil could tell you a lifetimes worth of information in a short line and that to me is a strength all great poets possess. This album a disrobed story about redemption, humility, and love. A must hear. “No matter how far wrong you’ve gone you can always turn around; Turn around turn around turn around, you may come full circle and be new here again.” Life in a nut shell if there was one.
7. “Love Story,” Harry Nillson (from 1970’s “Nilsson Sings Newman”) – Harry always added humor in the his vocal approach and he could also let it rip and be tender all in one performance. It seems in this song he takes an opportunity to be sarcastic, witty, and ahead of his time. “We’ll have a kid or maybe rent one, he’s got to be straight cause we don’t want a bent one.”
8. “Love Having You Around,” Stevie Wonder (from 1972’s “Music Of My Mind”) – Stevie unlocked a part of a musical universe and his music makes people happy. This song reminds me of dancing, singing, and acting out the lyrics with my nieces.
9. “Gracias A La Vida,” Violeta Parra – Violetta is a staple of Chilean folkloric music and art. Her music and art always refer to South American land and its people. Her songs are short, simple and hauntingly beautiful. Most famous for this longing suicidal march, she expresses gratitude for life and her lost lover.
10. “Strange Fruit,” Nina Simone – Strange Fruit’s origins and historical background deserve deeper observation. Originally a written as a poem Abel Meeropol set music to Strange Fruit himself. Billie Holiday’s famous interpretation is unforgettable but I also think Nina’s is one of the most powerful and chilling versions of this important piece of American music. It’s astonishing how a song can carry on history.
11. “River Man,” Nick Drake – Nick Drake’s vocal tambour and song arrangements always sound effortless to me. He sounds lonely and meditative. I’ve always fallen for venerable artists who aren’t afraid to be themselves. I haven’t even gotten to those string parts.
MOLLY BOUWSMA SCHULTZ: THE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST
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