Beyoncé: Freedom (Live at BET Awards 2016)

There were too many not-to-miss moments last night across television: the Copa América match between Chile and Argentina; the showdown between Cersei and the High Sparrow in GoT’s season finale; and of course, the 2016 BET Awards. The surprise opening performance was none other than Beyoncé, barefoot and ankle deep in water onstage and kicking up rain showers in perfect sync with her dancers (track …

Miles Davis, Robert Glasper feat. Erykah Badu: Maiysha (So Long)

Robert Glasper—longtime crusader of liberating jazz and its players from rigid definitions—took samples from Miles Davis’ archive (predominately his later electric years) and collaborated with the likes of Laura Mvula, Hiatus Kaiyote, Stevie Wonder and John Scofield to create the unique and contemporary tribute album Everything’s Beautiful. Erykah Badu not only lends her voice in drum machine-led bossa nova song “Maiysha (So Long)” but also …

Portishead: SOS (ABBA Cover)

In an exhilaratingly dark version of ABBA’s “SOS,” Portishead’s Beth Gibbons brings an immense heartbreak to the Swedish group’s 1975 pop song. The cover is a tribute to Jo Cox (a Batley and Spen MP who fought for refugees’ rights) who was murdered last week outside a library. In this context, and in this downtempo version, the song carries much more weight, pain and sorrow. …