The PineBoys explain why they chose Synchronicity:

Ron Porter says:" I remember watching MTV for hours on end and looking at these amazing videos the group made. The music was great, but the videos took the music from the album and took you on a visual journey and gave you a feeling that you wereactually in the video. Each of their videos were a surreal experience."

Leslie Robinson says:" I've was a fan of the band ever since their 1979 album, Reggatta de Blanc, so I actually got to hear the group grow as a band. Synchronicity for me is the perfect end piece to their tenure together as a band at that point in time. The album takes you on a musical journey from beginning to end and is personally one of my top 10 albums ever."

Preferred Tracks:

Synchronicity I--A fast paced beginning to start the album.

Synchronicity II----Compleately different vibe from the other song, the video for this song is great.

Every Breath You Take--Their biggest hit single, the group won two Grammys for this song, one for Best Song and the other for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. The song is #84 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time. The song also ranks at #25 on Billboard's All Time Top 100. The video (directed by Godley&Creme) is ranked #16 by MTV and #33 by VH1 in their list of Top 100 Videos Of All Time.

King Of Pain---Leslie's favorite song on the album.

Wrapped Around Your Finger

Tea In The Sahara---The song has a certain world music vibe about it.

Murder By Numbers---Fantastic ending to a great album.

Released in June 1983 by A&M Records, the album topped both the Billboard Pop Albums and Billboard 200 charts(ending the reign of Micheal Jackson's album, Thriller for a while) and won a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group. In 2003, the album was ranked number 455 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The Greatest Albums Of All Time. The album was produced by Hugh Padgham and The Police. Both Rolling Stone and Allmusic gave the album four and a half stars out of five.

Charing Ball explains why she chose Mama's Gun:

"Erykah Badu, the grandmother of the modern day, neo-soul movement, is probably best known for pushing boundaries in both sound, song structure and subject matter. Mama's Gun is probably her best representation of that, combining jazz, r&b, and the world sound together into a digestable, eccliatic mix. Favorites, probably 'Green Eyes', Cleva, and Times A Wastin'. Definitely a must have in anyone's Ipod or MP3 player....in fact, I think I'm going to listen to it now!"

Preferred Tracks:

Bag Lady---Nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.

Green Eyes

Time's A Wastin'

Cleva

Didn't Cha Know---Nominated for 2002 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song

Released in October 2000 by Motown Records, Rolling Stone magazine listed it among their 'Top 10 Albums' in 2000 and applauded her for taking "chances the way Stevie Wonder or Nina Simone did in their prime" and went on to say "she has taken her art to the next level." Both Rolling Stone and Allmusic magazines gave the album 4 stars out of five. 

My KARZ explains why she chose Tapestry:

My mother first introduced me to the album in the early 70's and it's been a mainstay in our album collection ever since. The lyrics are just so powerful and her voice is both raw and beautiful. Even today, some 35 years after I first heard it, I still pop it in the CD player in my car from time to time.

Preferred Tracks:

I Feel the Earth Move

So Far Away

It's Too Late---A #1 hit for King, the song ranks #469 on Rolling Stone's list of greatest songs of all time.

You've Got A Friend---later a #1 hit for her friend, James Taylor in July of 1971, he also won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance(Male). He also worked on this album with King (backing vocals and lead and background guitars)

(You Make Me Feel Like)A Natural Woman--the song first became a top 10 hit for R&B legend, Aretha Franklin in 1967

Will You Love Me Tomorrow--(co-written by Gerry Goffin) this song first became a #1 hit for the 1960's girl group, The Shirelles.

 Released in 1971 by Ode/A&M Records, Tapestry was on the Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart's for over six years and has sold over 22 million albums worldwide making it the biggest selling album ever, holding that position until the release of Micheal Jackson's "Thriller" in 1982. Carole won four Grammys for Tapestry including Album of The Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance(Female), Record of The Year(It's Too Late), and Song of The Year(You've Got A Friend). The album was later placed at #36 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".

Leslie Robinson explains why he chose Abandoned Luncheonette

"Like most fans of 80's music, I fell in love with Hall&Oates after they released their album 'Voices' in 1980. As they became more and more popular on radio and on MTV, I wanted to know more about their musical past so I started to listen to their music prior to the Voices album and the one that stood out among all the rest was this one. This album is well over 35 years old but is still considered among their finest work and I agree. One of the things that I love most about the album is that John Oates shares the lead vocals and in some cases handles the lead vocals on his own. This album establishes them as an equal musically.

Preferred Tracks:

When The Morning Comes--One of the most popular tracks on the album.

Had I Known You Better Then---My favorite song from this album. John's vocals on this song are superb.

She's Gone----Of course it's the most famous song on the album but originally when the album was released, was not a hit. In 1974 the R&B group Tavares covered this song and it became a R&B#1 hit for them.

I'm Just A Kid(Don't make Me Feel Like A Man)---John wrote this song and just sings his heart out on it. Daryl's background vocals and harmonies are exceptional.

Las Vegas Turnaround--Catchy tune written by John about Sara Allen, Daryl Hall's longtime girlfriend who at the time they were recording this album, was a stewardess.

Released in 1973 by Atlantic Records and produced by the legendary Arif Mardin, this album is considered by many critics some of their finest work.Both Rolling Stone and Allmusic magazines gave this album five stars.

Jim Bear explains why he chose Africa Brasil

'This is a record I stumbled upon not knowing who or what it was. It was at a time when I was going down paths in bossa nova , the music of Fela's afro beat, and American funk 45's from the 60's and 70's. This record embraced all these things at once yet sounded completely natural. Sung in Portuguese, and therefore unknowable to me, Ben's expressive voice didn't need translating. The rhythms, instrumentation and voices are irresistable. After repeated listenings I have yet to grow tired of this record.

Preferred Tracks:

Ponta de lanca africano----lead track. Song about a soccer player. Sets the tone that this will be a funky, exciting record. Often packaged with on funk compilations.

O Filosofo---the philosopher

O Plebeu---(common person)Great track with a bouncing rhythm and back-up singers 'la, la ling'

Taj Mahal--Funked up version of an older song. Jorge Ben filed a plagiarism lawsuit against British rock singer Rod Stewart for his use of the melody of "Taj Mahal" in the hit song "Do You Think I'm Sexy?" As a result of the lawsuit, Stewart agreed to donate all of his royalties from the song to UNICEF.

Xica Da Silva

A Historia De Jorge--The funk is thick on this song. Great song to keep a party rolling.

If a count was made of the proportion of good songs versus bad songs made by all the major Brazilian artist of the past 40 years , the odds are that Jorge Ben would be near the top. From 1963 to 1976, Ben produced a faultless string of albums, culminating in 1976's Africa Brasil. Samba, bossa, Afro-samba, tropicalia, funk, blues, folk; you name it, it's there in his work.

Gary Hines explains why he chose AJA:

"I like Aja by Steely Dan because so many songs reflect the 70's and the place where I was back then as a young adventurous type. I had the world in front of me and I decided to move to California after hearing the Aja album. It was just a real good time and things were so uncomplicated as they are now-I also was not in debt! But just a feel good album!"

SONGS PLAYED:

1)Black Cow

2)Josie

3)Aja

4)Peg

5)Deacon Blues

Album Info:

Released in 1977 by MCA Records, the album has sold over 20 million worldwide to date. Rolling Stone Magazine ranks Aja No.145 of the 500 Best Albums of all Time. The group basically consist of a duo:Walter Becker -lead and background guitars, lead and background vocals- and Donald Fagen -lead vocals and keyboards- but is known for using some of the best studio musicians around for this album including a then unknown vocalist/keyboard player who would later go on to fame as the new frontman for The Doobie Brothers and then as a solo artist....Micheal McDonald.

Support these essential artists by purchasing their music.