Parsons Playlists: New Voices, Old Soul

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Laeticia (class of 2026) and features some modern jazz tunes.

New Voices, Old Soul: A Modern Jazz Playlist

Modern Jazz

Jazz has always been about pushing boundaries while honoring what came before. It is a genre that never died. It just changed addresses. This playlist is proof that the genre is very much alive in the hands of a new generation of artists who grew up on everything from hip hop to classical music and brought all of it into the jazz tradition. From intimate vocal performances to genre-bending fusion, these tracks represent the new sound of jazz, one that feels both familiar and completely fresh. Let this be your introduction to the voices shaping jazz right now.

Samara Joy – “Guess Who I Saw Today”

Lizzie Berchie – “We Found Love”

BrandonLee Cierley ft. Jimmie Herrod – “Naia’s Song”

Laufey – “Falling Behind”

Gregory Porter – “Consequence of Love”

Harrison ft. Jaleel Shaw – “You hate jazz?”

Esperanza Spalding – “Black Joy”

Herbie Hancock ft. Norah Jones – “Court and Spark”

Richard Bona – “Souwedi Na Wengue”

Jill Scott – “The Way”

Lindsey Webster – “Music in Me”

Brad Mehldau – “Exit Music”

Norah Jones – “Don’t Know Why”

DoomCannon ft. Lizzie Berchie – “Real Love”

Samara Joy – “Day By Day”

Kendrick Lamar – “For Free? (Interlude)”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube:

Parsons Playlists: Afrofuturism

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library Associate Melanie and features some music with an Afrofuturism aesthetic.

Afrofuturism

Afrofuturism is a genre that centers Black history and culture and incorporates science-fiction, technology, and futuristic elements into literature, music, and the visual arts. Often using current social movements or popular culture as a backdrop, Afrofuturism focuses on works that examine the past, question the present, or imagine an (often) optimistic future, and are meant to inspire a sense of pride in their audience.

From Sun Ra‘s cosmic jazz to Beyoncé‘s homage to her roots in “Black Parade” to Janelle Monáe‘s sci fi themes of identity and liberation and beyond, afrofuturistic music highlights Black imagination, storytelling, and resilience. So enjoy some out of this world grooves by Black artists!

Parliament – “Mothership Connection (Star Child)”

Sun Ra – “Plutonian Nights”

Alice Coltrane – “The Sun”

Pharoah Sanders – “Astral Traveling”

Labelle – “Space Children”

Herbie Hancock – “Rockit”

Public Enemy – “Welcome to the Terrordome”

Janelle Monáe (feat. Erykah Badu) – “Q.U.E.E.N.”

Stevie Wonder – “Higher Ground”

Earth Wind and Fire – “Getaway”

Janelle Monáe (feat. Big Boi) – “Tightrope”

Kendrick Lamar – “Black Panther”

Beyoncé – “Black Parade”

Betty Davis – “They Say I’m Different”

Afrika Bambaataa and The Sonic Force – “Planet Rock”

Erykah Badu – “The Healer”

Funkadelic – “Cosmic Slop”

Grace Jones – “Slave to the Rhythm”

A Tribe Called Quest – “Electric Relaxation”

Sun Ra – “Space is the Place”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57ZexgVaxF7DIz4bnYkKqf04go&si=PBZ_AkQFoPRYipiy

And here it is on Spotify:

Parsons Playlists: Funky Bass Grooves

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today we’re featuring a selection of songs with Funky Bass Grooves as curated by Music Library student manager Christian (class of 2023).

Parsons Playlists: Funky Bass Grooves

A playlist of some great songs with dangerously funky bass lines.

Fender bass guitar

Marcus Miller – “Detroit”

Vulfpeck – “Lost My Treble Long Ago”

Jaco Patorius – “Chicken”

Evan Brewer – “Actualize”

Alain Caron – “Jack Cannon”

Victor Wooten – “Funky D”

Cory Wong & Tom Misch – “Cosmic Sans”

Flevans – “12 Apostles”

The Fearless Flyers – “Ace of Aces”

Vulfpeck – “Dean Town”

Herbie Hancock – “Actual Proof”

Toconoma – “N°9”

PJ Morton – “Sticking to My Guns”

Anderson .Paak – “King James”

Bruno Mars – “Treasure”

The Internet – “Roll (Burbank Funk)”

Ty Ty – “She Never Really Liked Me”

Busty and the Bass – “Up Top”

Michael Kiwanuka and Tom Misch – “Money”

And here’s a link to the full playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57Zez1Ij0tblf2GmzrPupu-jPx

Bass guitar up close