Check out some of the new music released this week:

“Someone to Watch Over Me” is a jazz standard composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin from the 1926 musical Oh, Kay!. Several artists have recorded this song, but like her other recordings, Etta James put her soul-stirring stamp on it. The version presented here is not the first version Ms. James recorded of the song in 1962 for the album Etta James Sings For Lovers, but a subsequent version she recorded years later in 1995 for her album Time After Time.

Listen to Etta James’ gritty, throwdown version of the Barrett Strong song “Money (That’s What I Want)” from her live album Etta James Rocks The House

The TV One series, “Unsung”, whose premise parallels one of our goals here at GFM, giving those artists that may not be quite as well known, their well deserved accolades and attention. One of their early episodes featured Phyllis Hyman, which gives us an excuse to share some of her classics with you.

“In a Sentimental Mood”, (Duke Ellington, Manny Kurtz, Irving Mills), Sophisticated Ladies [Original Soundtrack], (RCA/1981).

“Living All Alone” (Thom Bell, Cynthia Biggs, Kenny Gamble), Living All Alone (Philadelphia International/1987)

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Jill Scott’s rendition of the Bill Withers classic “Lovely Day” is being used by her former label Hidden Beach to inspire a Random Acts of Kindness and Volunteerism campaign.

Hidden Beach explains the video saying:

“The new science of Happiness says that performing Random Acts of Kindness raises Serotonin – the bodies “feel good” chemical. We used kids in the video to depict the giving nature of the campaign. As we kick off the New Year, we wanted to remind everyone that the spirit of the holidays can continue every day of the year.”

The “Lovely Day” music video was directed by newcomer Alex Magana in San Fernando Valley and stars a cast of unknown child actors from Los Angeles. And the track appears on The Original Jill Scott from the vault vol. 1, which was named Best of 2011 by iTunes US and UK.

Source: http://www.theybf.com/

The year was 1968. The Jackson 5 was the opening act  for Etta’s Apollo Theater performance, Aretha Franklin received the cover of TIME magazine and Leonard Chess was looking for the right song to get Etta back on the charts. Created to pit against Aretha’s current success was the classic  soul, blues, pop single, Tell Mama. While Etta received much acclaim for this song and it posed her first Top 10 on Billboard since 1964, it was a song Etta NEVER liked and NEVER liked singing. She personally thought the song gave her the association of being “the gal you come to for comfort and easy sex.” Despite Etta’s disdain, the song was greatly admired by artists like Janis Joplin who highly esteemed Etta and later rerecorded the single.

Another hit single from the ingenious duo of writer, Rod Temperton and producer, Quincy Jones, Off The Wall‘s Rock With You proved to be an illustrating moment for Michael in the early 80′s. Echoing the dance floors of  Studio 54 with its moving bass line, flowing string arrangements, and synthesised sound of disco, this single captures a sensual playfulness fused with a joyous spirit in Jackson’s voice. Released November 3, 1979, Rock With You became a defining tune for Michael landing him in the #1 spot on Billboard’s pop and R&B single charts and later becoming the 4th biggest single of the 80′s decade.  From a perspective of resilience,  the staying power of  this single beneath the backdrop of industry changes due to the declining taste for disco and a resurgence of rock makes its chart topping endurance and platinum certification very impressive.

While Rock With You is 31 years old, its ripple effect in song and video is still felt in many contemporary artists like Chris Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Chuck Loeb and many, many others. Here’s a couple of  of examples to show  the single’s reach and influence: (more…)

“I wanna be your friend, after the lovin’ ends. It’s not over then. You see it just begins. And all anyone could say is ooh wee you got it made. May the best of luck always come your way.”  Ahh Luther… if only it was that simple. His silky delivery of those lyrics and the rest of the song made you believe anything was possible if you really loved each other.  “Because It’s Really Love”, from the album Give Me The Reason.