black history month: 8 great contemporary songs that bridge past and present

As a young music listener who loves new and old music, I love being able to make connections between past and present musicians. In honor of Black History Month, here are my favorite songs that bridge the past and present.

By Latoya Pennington, AFROPUNK Contributor 

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‘Blues Hand Me Down’ by Vintage Trouble -This song brings the energy of James Brown and classic rock n’ roll to the present.

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‘Bright Lights’ by Gary Clark Jr.- With a memorable fusion of B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix, this is classic modern day blues-rock.
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‘Everybody’s Brother’ by Cody ChesnuTT – Using a rhythm reminiscent of Mavis Staples’ “I’ll Take You There” to enhance the lyrics, the song looks back on the artist’s past with a soft smile.

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‘(S)cream’ by Sadiah Baba Talibah – This song enhances the raunchy vocals of funk singer Betty Davis with Talibah’s powerhouse vocals and orgasmic use of keyboard, horns, and electric guitar.

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‘Locked Inside’ by Janelle Monáe – While the upbeat rhythm gives off a 70’s MJ vibe, the grim yet hopeful lyrics speak of a future world all too relevant today.

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‘Sister Rosetta (Capture The Spirit)’ by The Noisettes – This song lives up to its name by paying homage to the godmother of rock n’ roll while celebrating classic rock’s passionate spirit.

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‘Left This Town’ by Quinn Deveaux and The Blue Street Review – The sounds of Ray Charles, early rock n’ roll, and New Orleans jazz come together to form a great song.

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‘Poor Butterfly’ by Cécile Mclorin Salvant – This beautiful acapella version of the jazz standard has the voices of Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan rolled into one.