A self-proclaimed “future soul” artist, Josh Jacobson’s sound can be traced to his earliest days behind the piano where he studied the works of greats like Bach and contemporary legends like Stevie Wonder. He’s a pop artist, but with roots in jazz and soul. Like any true artist, his sound is a reflection of himself – the mind is a filter, remembering the most appealing qualities of his influences, and filling in the spaces with scenes from his world. Today, C-Heads give you a glimpse into Josh’s musical world – from Bill Withers to Passion Pit – who’s making it through the filter and into his songs.
Intro by Andy Gorel
Photography by Hayden Frank, Delanie Leyden, and Dash Grey
So soulful! One of my favorite bass lines of all time. I just started learning bass this fall, and playing along to this song was pretty much the first thing I did after learning how to play a major scale. Probably before that, really. Voodoo will always be one of my favorite records for the Pino/Questlove grooves, but I love Brown Sugar because it really showcases D’Angelo as a solo artist. There are several well-placed collaborators, but he wrote all of the songs and played most of the instruments himself. He’s a multi-faceted, masterful musician and one of my biggest influences in everything I do.
That vocal loop, the rising melody and heartbreaking ethereal harmonies on top…this song is amazing and made me cry immediately the first time I heard it. It’s so overwhelming and simple and perfectly constructed. I have this album on vinyl and just love the way the end of this song transitions into the next one too. Justin Vernon produced this record, played and sang on a few of the songs too. When I listen it to it I can just feel the energy of that beautiful meditative experience they had writing and recording this record together in the snowy woods of Wisconsin.
Maybe this sounds crazy, but Passion Pit was my first real introduction to electronic music. Before I really even understood what dance music was, I was just obsessed with this record and wondered where all those weird sounds came from. From a songwriting perspective this is also just a great song and arrangement all around. I love playing it as an acoustic piano cover because it’s always so unexpected in that format.
NAO is one of my favorite artists right now. I love the way this tune brings together classic R&B elements with modern electronic production! Her soulful vocal over that heavy bass line is just irresistible.
Bill Withers is one of the greatest soul singers of all time. I’ve gotten so much inspiration from Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, and countless other soul singers, but I chose this record because Bill’s minimalist sound resonates with me in a whole different way. This song, like much of his music, is so thoughtfully crafted and arranged.
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