What she does

January 29, 2016 in music | 3 comments

Over the holidays I asked my nineteen-year-old son, a music maven, to name a tune he liked that I probably hadn’t heard. He quickly brought up “What You Don’t Do,” by Lianne La Havas:

llh-wyddBlew me away. Still does. Can’t get enough of it.

It’s not just her soulful voice and delivery, but the arrangement. Wow. Such a swingy groove, with a beat recalling Sly and the Family Stones‘ Hot Fun in the Summertime. Both are in 12/8 time, with piano chords pounding an eighth-note rhythm over rising bass notes. (See the opening sheet music here and here.)

And the changes… the changes. Wow. The lyrics, and her delivery, have this teasing peek-a-boo to them that’s like nothing else I know. (But hey, I miss a lot.)

I see she’s on tour and sold out across the States, but not yet in Europe. Catch her if you can.

3 comments

  1. Stephanie Schweighofer-Jones’s avatar

    Stephanie Schweighofer-Jones on January 29, 2016 at 9:21 pm

    Crazy beautiful and infectious

  2. Geoff’s avatar

    Geoff on January 30, 2016 at 2:59 am

    A Londoner I see 🙂 Concert in Scarborough looks good 🙂

  3. Bob’s avatar

    Bob on January 30, 2016 at 10:28 am

    Great track. Thanks for sharing.

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