Tag Archives: jazz

[Jazz/Soul] Ruth Koleva – I Don’t Know Why

Posted by Geoff Hong - February 20, 2018

Ruth Koléva
I Don T Know Why

Today we’ve got a jazzy new single to cap off your (hopefully) long weekend. Bulgarian singer-songwrite Ruth Koleva has shared her new single “I Don’t Know Why”, ahead of her upcoming sophomore album Confidence. Truth. Take in the soulful serenades of this new track to kick off your week!

With heavy R&B and soul influences, Koleva’s style can best be described as sensual and seductive. The talented Koleva found great early success in her Eastern European home country before eventually making her way stateside to Hollywood. Her musical stylings feature a seamless integration of many different sounds. Her upcoming album is expected to pack quite the punch. Koleva has gathered quite the ensemble– she receives help from “keys maestro” Ron Avant of Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals, Jameel Bruner formerly from The Internet, and drummer Gene Coye of Flying Lotus. Throughout her tracks, you’ll also hear the string accompaniments of the renowned Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra. Quite the collection of musical chops indeed.

Check out this new single– if you like it, keep an eye out for Ruth Koleva’s upcoming album, Confidence. Truth out on March 30th through Blackbook.

Galimatias – Blowback [TMN Interview/Single Release]

Posted by Geoff Hong - August 21, 2017

Galimatias
Blowback

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LA-based Danish artist Galimatias has been featured many times here on The Music Ninja. Known for his decadent piano chords and swirling melodies, Galimatias makes some of the most soulful tunes out there today. Transcending genres, he effortlessly blends together aspects of soul, jazz, hip-hop, and R&B. Galimatias has always hit us with sultry, emotional tunes that can instantly set the mood.

To help kick off your week, I’m excited to share Galimatias’ new sinful single, “Blowback”. Paying homage to one of his main musical muses, Matias samples Barbara Lewis’ 1963 soul classic “Hello Stranger”. Subdued electronic elements overlaid on pulsating rhythms and tight R&B beats create some characteristically sensual vibes on this track. Galimatias throws in his own ad-libs and vocal riffs; part of his effort to incorporate voice as part of his musical arsenal. Lewis’ sensual crooning is not overpowered whatsoever– showing Matias’ mastery of blending together such different musical elements.

As a TMN favorite, Galimatias has been interviewed by us before. I was lucky enough to catch up with him again, as he enters the newest phase of his solo career. Listen to the track above and read up on the interview after the jump: Continue reading →

[Chill] Above & Beyond – Sun & Moon (Deuxième Revisit)

Posted by Jordan Grammer - February 19, 2015

Above & Beyond
Sun & Moon (Deuxième Revisit)

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We use the term “chill” on TMN to describe everything from dubstep to Norah Jones covers. What we have for you today can be found elsewhere throughout the blogosphere as well as next to the definition of “chill” in your 2015 Merriam-Webster dictionary. I challenge you to have pants on by the time this tune ends, by your doing or someone else’s. “Sun & Moon” has been remixed and covered and mashed up to death in the electronic music world but nobody ever mentioned anything about jazz. Enter Deuxième aka the two most creative cats to come out of Connecticut in a minute aka the offspring of Duke Silver and Kenny G. Their spin on this is romantic, if not ethereal, and we are at a loss of words to truly put in words the type of way this has us feeling. Enjoy Ninjas and Ninjettes.

[Chill] Disclosure – Boiling (Deuxième Remix)

Posted by Jordan Grammer - October 28, 2014

Deuxieme
Boiling (Deuxième Remix)

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Sinead Harnett, whether you knew it or not, has lent her voice to some of the best electronic records in recent years. Her collaboration with Disclosure on one of Settle’s relatively ignored B-sides “Boiling” is widely treasured across the blogosphere as one of the album’s standout tracks. Her voice just melts into the UK duo’s production effortlessly and the marriage seems like it was built in heaven, until now. Enter Deuxième, a new player in the game from the suburban follies of Connecticut. With Rick Mitarotonda on guitar and Doug Bogan on keyboards/production, the two classically trained musicians give us a redone track that’s groovy, uplifting, melodic, and jazzy. Be on the look out for much more from these cool cats in the near future!

[Electro Swing] BONAPARTE – Quarantine (Klischée Remix)

Posted by Michael Serratore - August 16, 2012

Let me start this off by saying I am a massive fan of electro swing. In relation to all the other electronically-influenced genres it is still fairly underrepresented, which is in no way a bad thing. Without too many producers overcrowding the space, it’s not difficult to spot a real gem when it surfaces on the web, and that is exactly what we have here. There are so many interesting things going on in this track, but it’s only after you hear the original that you can really appreciate the pure creative genius of this remix. Klischée, an electro-swing duo from Switzerland, completely transform the high-energy punk elements of BONAPARTE‘s single, infusing it with classical jazz elements and groovy electronic beats that transports this festival rager back in time to what I can only imagine to be a 1920’s smokey dancehall setting.

The masterful blending of the old and the new is something truly special and is definitely one of the major appeals of the genre. So swap that glowstick for a brass cane, that outrageous fluffy head ornament for a fedora, and that embarrassing fluro getup for something that oozes style, and keep it classy, ninjas.

’BONAPARTE – Quarantine (Klischée Remix)’

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The Very Soulful Nina Simone – Feeling Good (Troublemaker Remix) + Muse Cover

Posted by Blas Yaselli - December 3, 2009

nina_remix_425

The fine folks over at EA asked me to remix this classic Nina Simone song for their new game, The Saboteur.

Much like my previous Johnny Cash remix, there were no “parts” or a “session,” just a stereo master to work with on this one. -Troublemaker

A great jazzy soulful song with a very dynamic vocal range making it one of the best and most emotional songs ever written. Since its conception in 1965 by song writers Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse, the song has been covered by A LOT of artists including Nina Simone, Sammy Davis Jr., Eels, Michael Bublé, The Pussycat Dolls, My Brightest Diamond, Muse, George Michael, Joe Bonamassa, John Barrowman, Adam Lambert, John Coltrane, Aṣa, David Hasselhoff, Muse (band), and Toše Proeski.

Feeling Good (Troublemaker Remix)

’Feeling Good (Troublemaker Remix).mp3′

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http://www.djtroublemaker.com/blog/

And just because I am a total Muse fanboy… here is Muse Version of this song as well from their album Origin of Symmetry

Muse – Feeling Good (Nina Simone cover)

’Muse – Feeling Good (Nina Simone cover).mp3′

Download

http://muse.mu/
http://www.myspace.com/muse

Jazz + Rock + Classical = Brasstronaut

Posted by Blas Yaselli - September 9, 2009

20081008_brasstronaut
Canadian band Brasstronaut has won me over with their soulful combination of alternative rock, jazz and classical themes. Requiem For A Scene is just one of the examples of how talented these guys are as they blend all these genres to create their own. Hearing Bryan Davies mastering the trumpet and Edo Van Breemen playing piano while laying some soothing jazzy vocals has become my favorite tune when I just want to come home and relax to some music.