Wanderlust ...: Goree, Senegal

The travel bug tends to hit at the worst of times. Like right after a vacation ends or in the middle of the school term. I suddenly feel an intense urge to hop on a plane and journey to some land unknown to me. Unfortunately, the logistics of life makes it such that I cannot always physically give into these travel urges. I have found that one way to satiate my wanderlust (or at least temporarily suppress) is to find visuals of distant lands, and just take a moment to dream myself away.

One place I long to visit is Senegal's Gorée Island.

I means, just look at that! It is gorgeous.

Images: Google

Artist on my mind: The Robert Glasper Experiment

I haven't posted in a bagillion years, but it is spring break and I am done with midterms. What better way to celebrate than with an artist review?

 I consider myself a recovering music-Nazi, i.e. I once used to frown upon most types of mainstream music and complained constantly about the deficit of genuine beats and good song-writing "these days". Yup, I was one of those people. Looking back, I think that was unfortunate, because they are many incredibly talented and skillfull instrumentalists and song-writers. You just have to keep an open mind (and ear, of course) in order to come across them.

Every now and then, you come across music that just rocks your world. If you enjoy classic jazz piano infused with elements of 90s grunge, earlymillenium R'n'B, West African Drums, then I am 100% certain that you will LOVE The Robert Glasper Experiment. In fact, so confident am I in the prowess of this band, that  I challenge anyone who hears The Robert Glasper Experiment to remain unmoved. They will rock your socks. On their newest album Black Radio, they collaborate with a number amazing artists (Erykah Badu and Lalah Hathaway are among them!).

They group was started by jazz pianist an hip hop producer Robert Glasper. Dude is amaze-balls!

I am not able to find the name of the band members. However the guys below is my favourite. His name is Casey Benjamin, he has an amazing style and he sings the vocals on my favourite of their songs. Let me not lie, I have a bit of a crush on this guy.

Did I mention that he is multi-instrumentalist? And he has a kick-ass beard!

This is one my fave songs by them. It is a cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" with Casey Benjamin on vocals.

Isn't that awesome? I also love their cover of Mongo Santamaria and Abbey Lincoln's "Afro Blue" with Erykah Badu on vocals.

Hope you are having a wonderful day!

Images: Google