Wind Parade

London-based R&B and soul artist Jordan Rakei has shared his take on Donald Byrd’s ‘Wind Parade’. Rakei is one of the many talented artists to be a part of the Blue Note Re:imagined project, which takes on a modern twist on classic songs from the Blue Note record label. Sticking very close to the original track, Rakei’s version adds modern harmonies and percussion parts which adds to the original track perfectly without overshadowing it. Despite the original song having simpler lyrics, Rakei’s addition of verses and a bridge really takes the track to a different level, and Jordan Rakei has the voice and capability to do so. When picking a song to recreate from Blue Note’s catalogue, Rakei said ‘Wind Parade’ spoke to him and felt a connection to its “funk, hip hop vibe and the ethereal vocals”. His take on reviving such a classic song demonstrates how soul music has developed but also stayed the same by adding elements that highlight the original beauty of the track.