Featured Favorites: Music to My Ears

Welcome to Featured Favorites, a special feature with a goal of highlighting the diversity of thought and interest on the Yeske Buie team and in the Yeske Buie community at large.

Music, often referred to as culturally universal, has been around since the beginning of humanity. While listening to music can be a uniquely personal experience, it also has the power to deeply connect us. Whether it’s the lyrics, the beat, the melody, or the space in between, we find that music has the ability to feed the soul, change your mood, recall memories, and relate to other human beings.

With appreciation and respect for the power of music, we asked our team the following questions for this edition of Featured Favorites:

As you read through our favorites, keep in mind that we want to hear from you! Which team member’s music taste resonates with you most? What artists, songs, or genres are you listening to or not listening to? Share your thoughts with us using the form at the bottom of this post so we can add your favorites to our playlists.

NOTE: We’ve included videos and playlists throughout this post with the hope of engaging and connecting with you more deeply. That said, we’d like to acknowledge that some music contains explicit language and/or suggestive material. If you find this content to be offensive, please feel free to ignore it.

I love having someone curate for me. I’ve been enjoying a couple of loooong New York Times playlists recently: At Home & Away 2021 and The Morning Summer 2022 Playlist. My partner and I share a Spotify account which works great — usually. We have had the occasional remote fight for playback control when he is in one location and I’m in the other. I’ll be in the car wondering, “why the heck does Spotify keep trying to play that podcast?” while he’s mowing trails wondering why he keeps dropping his podcast in favor of some music he doesn’t know!

On Cristin’s playlist right now is, “Anything by The Highwomen, a collection of independent artists. I find them empowering and their harmonies groovy.”

Music is a big deal for Yusuf – ask him about his detailed methodology for creating playlists sometime! Here’s what Yusuf is currently listening to…

Lauren says, “I am loving Miley Cyrus’ new album and covers of some old rock and alternative songs like Zombie by the Cranberries. She evokes powerful female energy for me (she has had her interesting past, but her current approach and persona speaks to me!).”

Mila’s current playlist includes, “A lot of Tyler the Creator and Mac Dre. I enjoy the passion that comes from both artists and the lyrics they write that resonate with me. Music inspires all emotions in me!”

Lauren is a loud and proud member of the Peloton community (I mean, does the Peloton community have any other kind of members?) and shared that “Most of the music I’m listening to comes from cycling playlists. It’s incredible how much variety and exposure there is between different classes and different instructors. Despite the differences, however, one commonality they all share is their infectious energy. Putting on my Peloton playlist at any time of day is guaranteed to boost my spirits.” Three of Lauren’s current favorites from her Peloton playlist include…

Kacie’s music inspiration lately has been aligned with the changing seasons: “As the weather gets warmer, I start listening to more country music. There is just something about it that makes me happy. Country music is also a must for me whenever I am at the beach or the lake. Spotify has a playlist called Party Cove that I’ve been vibing with lately!” Here’s a few songs from that playlist…

Sydney’s music preferences vary depending on the day or the emotion she’s feeling. More specifically, she says, “I listen to a large variety of music genres and have recently been sticking to a lot of early 2000’s music. Music can inspire any emotion, which is why it can be so impactful. However you are feeling, you can find a playlist that perfectly represents whatever you are going through.”

Known within the Yeske Buie team for his deep thoughtfulness, Ryan shared the following stories related to his current music preferences: “The musical artists I’m listening to on repeat right now are Caravan Palace and Nujabes — two very different (and very obscure) artists. The genre of Caravan Palace is called “electro swing” and invokes themes from the Roaring Twenties, mixing old-school swing with modern dance music. The band is comprised of talented multi-instrumentalists who play the piano, xylophone, trombone, clarinet, saxophone, standing bass, and guitar. You just can’t help but dance!

Nujabes (the stage name of Jun Seba) was a Japanese record producer best known for his instrumental mixes sampling from hip hop, soul, and jazz. Though Nujabes unfortunately passed away in 2010, his music has an enduring quality that fills you with peace and brings you to your happy place. One listener described it this way: ‘Every time I listen to it, it feels like having a fulfilling conversation with a good friend.’

I’ve also recently been reminded of my love for the orchestra, having played the French horn throughout high school and college. I’ll certainly be making more of an effort to attend performances by the SF Symphony Orchestra this year!”