Duke DJ: Songs for a Spring Recharge

Colleagues share their picks for springtime tunes that help them feel refreshed

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April Clark.

According to the , adults who engage in music making and listening are more likely to report their overall health, brain health, and cognitive function as excellent or very good. Listening to music during the pandemic lowered stress and improved mood, providing .

鈥淭here鈥檚 a reciprocity between the music you listen to and your mood,鈥 said , a clinical child and adolescent psychology and Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke. 鈥淵ou can choose music to fit your mood or choose music to elevate your mood.鈥

For Working老牛影视鈥檚 next on Spotify, we asked Duke colleagues to share songs that help them recharge. The results? A playlist of 31 songs, from country and jazz to gospel, R&B and soul to enjoy this spring.

John F. Curry.

Curry, who has played saxophone and clarinet for more than three decades, suggested 鈥淎pril in Paris鈥 by Count Basie for our playlist. Curry turns to jazz to help him recharge. He鈥檚 the saxophonist in the big band, Triangle Jazz Orchestra, and clarinetist in the New Orleans Masquerade jazz band.

鈥淒uring the performance, you can get into a flow where you鈥檙e really concentrating on the music and you鈥檙e enjoying it,鈥 Curry said. 鈥淚f you鈥檝e practiced enough, it flows and it鈥檚 very pleasant. Afterwards, I usually feel good; I feel happy.鈥

Along with 鈥淕oodness of God,鈥 a song by gospel singer CeCe Winans, Clark, the PAS counselor, selected 鈥淗old On鈥 by Adele for the playlist.

鈥淎lthough I think she's talking about love in that song, I think the implications can reach beyond love,鈥 Clark said of Adele鈥檚 song. 鈥淚t鈥檚 to hold on to whatever you have hope in, whatever you have faith in, and you believe in. Hold on to yourself and your beliefs. I鈥檒l put that on repeat. That is my go-to song.鈥

In addition to Clark and Curry, the following colleagues shared songs for the playlist:

Teresa Keever, Duke Health and Well-being associate Vice President; Kenlyn Young of Duke Integrative Medicine; Cat de Montjoye, marketing manager of Duke Integrative Medicine; Dr. Will Yancy, director of the Duke Lifestyle and Weight Management Center; Duke Lifestyle and Weight Management Center dietitian Elisabetta Politi; Tom Szigethy, associate dean of students and director of the Student Wellness Center; and Jonathan E. Bagg, professor of the Practice of Music and violist in the Ciompi Quartet.

Listen to the playlist on the Working老牛影视 Spotify Channel

Got an idea for a playlist? Send your ideas through聽聽or write聽working@duke.edu.