Summer is in full swing, and KCRW DJ Anne Litt has a handpicked playlist for the season.
Ezra Collective — “God Gave Me Feet for Dancing”
Ezra Collective made its KCRW debut in May 2023 on Morning Becomes Eclectic.
The London-based jazz quintet has enjoyed a banner year in the months since, going on tour and clinching the Mercury Award for Best Album in the UK or Ireland.
“God Gave Me Feet for Dancing” is a new single from the band’s upcoming album Dance, No One's Watching. The song, which features British singer Yazmin Lacey, is an ode to the dance floor and the band’s religious roots.
“For Ezra Collective, dancing is really bigger than just being in a club. They think of it as a community and spiritual thing, and it's a window into the element of Ezra Collective.”
Litt continues, “I discovered Ezra Collective back in 2017 and actually interviewed them at SXSW, having just heard one song called ‘Pure Shade,’ and I have been following their career ever since. This [album] is a triumph for them.”
Tolliver — “Weed Jazz June”
The title of this track is based on a Gwendolyn Brooks poem called “We Real Cool,” which follows a group of men hanging out at jazz clubs who died young. In an email to Litt, Tolliver says the song is about feeling like you’re going to live forever.
“Weed, jazz, and June — three great things that go great together. Tolliver is a marvel of funk: Bootsy Collins, Rick James, Sylvester are in his DNA,” Litt says.
The LA-based indie artist joined KCRW DJ Travis Holcombe on Freaks Only in 2021 for a live performance in honor of his EP Daddyland. Tolliver’s new, full-length album comes out in the fall.
Claude Fontaine — “Vaqueiro”
This American singer with a French name’s latest song lands ahead of her new album La Mer, due on September 6.
The LA native followed her heart and soul to London, where she embraced classic bossa nova, Brazilian tropicalia, and reggae, Litt explains.
“She writes love songs. And apparently the theme behind her whole new album called La Mer is really creating a fictionalized beautiful island space with blue oceans and cobblestone streets. And you want to get into the feeling of being in a Mediterranean village.”
Brijean — “Working on It”
The LA-based electro-jazz-pop duo has been making music for six years, and just released their latest LP called Macro. Brijean stopped by KCRW for a live session, which includes the track “Working On It.”
“The thing about Brijean, and I do think a theme of all the songs we're playing today, they really are summer songs, and they really are songs that are fun, and may seem light at heart, but there's so much musicality behind all of these artists,” Litt says.
Brijean plays The Lodge Room in Highland Park on August 1.
The Chills — “Heavenly Pop Hit”
New Zealand rock band The Chills made their U.S. radio debut on KCRW in 1990, after endless coaxing from Deirdre O’Donoghue, SNAP! host and adoring fan.
“[O’Donoghue] was a fan of The Chills from day one and in 1984, she played, arguably, their most famous song called ‘Pink Frost.’ And little by little, it worked on them, lured them … to the basement studios of KCRW back in the day. She was the biggest booster and got them to make their American debut.”
The group’s lead singer, Martin Phillipps, died on Sunday at age 61. KCRW interviewed Phillipps in 2022 for the 30th anniversary of their album Submarine Bells.
Read more: Martin Phillipps’ LA Story: 30 Years of The Chills’ ‘Soft Bomb’