Every time we think we’ve got a format down for BoL, up pops another thought. This week we have classic hip-hop from A Tribe Called Quest, conga-heavy music from all over the diaspora (and beyond)—Dave Chapelle, La India with Eddie Palmieri, Susana Baca, Bonga, Dead Can Dance, Da Lata and Marvin Gaye, plus beautiful jazz from John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. You want to talk about a mix, check out this week’s jukebox. Seen? Heard?

For this week, Breath Of Life’s one-year anniversary, we’re looking back through the last 52 weeks of posts. Instead of writing about ‘new’ songs, Mtume is writing about his favorite selections posted by Kalamu in the past year, and Kalamu is doing the same with Mtume’s selections. By the way, today (Sunday) also happens to be Fathers Day. Happy Father’s Day, everybody!

Optimism. A basic belief that regardless of how deep the midnight, the sun gon’ shine in my back door someday. We kick it off with Donny Hathaway‘s anthem "Someday We’ll All Be Free" and give you six additional versions: Teena Marie, Take 6, Regina Bell, Raymond Myles, Keb’ Mo’ and Kenny Garrett. Then Fat Freddy’s Drop sends us "Hope" from New Zealand. And we close with Isaac Hayes and Jimmy Scott covering Ruby & The Romantics "Our Day Will Come."

Marlena Shaw week on BoL—and what a week it is. You might think you know, but until you check out all these jams, well… let’s just say, you don’t really know. In addition to Marlena herself we have Gang Starr, Kool Keith and Dan “The Automator” Nakamura, along with DJ Food. And then we get D’Angelo,  Roberta  Flack and Nancy Wilson. All hail Marlena Shaw and all of the beautiful music she has spawned and inspired.