If you’ve been following my blog, then you know I don’t write to music, and not because I don’t love music but because I love it a little too much.

It seeps into my bones, moves through my blood, and gets my booty shaking without me even realizing I’m in motion. And even though I once wrote a death scene to some Mozart, and I’ve been known to indulge in some bhangra here and there, for the most part, while writing I keep the speakers turned low.

[An interesting writing quirk – I can write entire novels with the television on, but you put on some music and shit, you’re lucky to get a paragraph out of me.]

That does not mean music doesn’t play a part in my books and characters – of course, it does – I just wrote about Rihanna and her ANTI album and how it is so JUMA. Every last word of it. And how it inspired me to get back to my words and stories and oh god, I need to stop now lest I devolve into another love letter to Rihanna, because like I mentioned in the original love letter, I kind of have a Rihanna problem.

Instead let me get chatty about some other music. Music that for one reason or another, feels so very Dutch and Juma – dark, sexy, lust-filled gorgeousness – a playlist of sorts, organized in no particular order besides a little pleasure for your ear drums. When I hear these songs, I have to stop and listen and let them move through me, really groove me, slow and seductive-like, just as D+J demand.

Take a peek, maybe have a listen, and get ready – The Keepers Are Coming Spring 2017

In A Sentimental Mood, John Coltrane

Moorni “Balle Balle”, Panjabi MC

Way Down We Go, Kaleo

Electric Relaxation, Tribe Called Quest

Tennessee Whiskey, Chris Stapleton

I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl, Nina Simone

Tearing Me Up, Bob Moses

Wet Dreamz, J Cole

Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene, Hozier

Paper Planes, MIA

Really Love, D’Angelo

Push and Shove, No Doubt

Sound & Color, Alabama Shakes

Who Did That To You, John Legend

Skinny Love, Bon Iver

Dearly Departed, Shakey Graves

Crash Push, Robi Draco Rosa

You are the Best Thing, Ray LaMontagne

Since I Seen’t You, Anthony Hamilton

Jackie and Wilson, Hozier

Chaiyya Chaiyya, King Khan and Malaika Arora

I’m Your Man, Leonard Cohen

Hope you enjoyed this musical interlude inspired by Dutch and Juma and sex and love and darkness and death – I’m sure I’ll be adding to it as I continue writing the trilogy.

Stay tuned…