Each month we’re going to feature a few songs or albums that we’re listening to here at Teen Jazz. We’ll showcase the playlists of our host, Shannon Kennedy, as well as a few of our Teen Jazz Artists, Contributors and Influences. We hope you enjoy getting an inside look, and even more importantly, we hope you discover some great music!
Shannon Kennedy, Teen Jazz Host
Pennoù Skoulm, Trinkañ (2009)
While working towards my Master’s degree, I studied Breton music. I recently got back into the genre and will be introducing it here on Teen Jazz quite soon. Pennoù Skoulm is a collaboration between several of my favorite musicians in the genre and so I’ve been listening to them quite a bit. The album Trinkañ in particular.
Althea Rene, “In the Flow” from In the Flow (2013)
I’ve been listening to quite a bit more flute lately and so Althea Rene’s In the Flow has been on my recent playlist. She’s an outstanding jazz flute player and I love her extended technique.
Miriam Bryant, Push Play (2013)
I only recently discovered this outstanding Swedish vocalist and I’ve had her EP Push Play on repeat ever since.
Ronnie Jordan, Teen Jazz Influence
My playlist right now includes a bit of everything from Cat Sevens to Miles, Sinatra to Tupac, Free to Akon, Sam Cooke to Toto plus lately, I’ve also been checking out various classic movie soundtrack/themes such as Our Man Flint
, The Omega Man
, In The Heat Of The Night
, Bullitt (1968 Film) to name a few.
Alex LoRe, Teen Jazz Artist
Currently, I’m listening to Patrick Watson‘s album “Wooden Arms“. He is a singer-songwriter from Canada; I think his songs are hauntingly beautiful, and I really dig that he uses unusual objects to make different sounds in his music.
Also, I’ve been continually studying Arnold Schoenberg‘s early work “Verklärte Nacht“. It’s incredible to hear Schoenberg compose in this post romantic style, and there is so much to learn melodically, thematically, etc from him.
Lastly, I’ve been really enjoying listening to Miles Davis‘ record “Live From the Plugged Nickel“. This is from late 1965 with his second quintet, featuring Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams. I especially dig this record because you get to hear these cats play almost all standards, and the liberty they take with both the songs and their improvising is very enlightening- it reminds me that music is whatever you want it to be.
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