Official biography (courtesy of Expansion Records)
In today’s music world of flash-in-the-pans, it’s exciting to witness an artist that not only retains her sizzle, she cranks up the heat with each successive release. Singer/Songwriter/Vocal Arranger/Music Educator Tracy Hamlin comes out on her fourth CD, No Limits, with all of her burners on 10, showcasing the broad expanse of her talent and skills within a generous 16-track CD (available July 17th) destined to impact the R&B, Dance, Smooth Jazz and Adult Contemporary charts.
On the heels of her hit single/video “Standby” (helmed by Raymond Barton) – a throwback to finger-poppin’ soul reminiscent of Prince’s “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore” – she switches it up with the title track/single “No Limits,” a percussive gently inspiring number she co-penned with Lorenzo Johnson who worked with Ledisi and is currently being nominated for a Grammy as a producer.
“You can’t settle for the same thing if you want change / There are no limits, so step out on faith / Be fearless, your time is now / Can’t let nothin’ hold you down”
Love is explored in grown and sexy offerings throughout No Limits beginning with another number Hamlin co-wrote entitled “Givin’ Me Sumthin’” (a hooky head-nodder about delicious new romantic obsession) and “Like a Woman Should” (a slow and sexy prelude-to-love conversation about what she’s bringing to the table in their mutual equation). Then there are two that feature the work of ubiquitous special guest Frank McComb. First is the sensual healing of “Plans For Two” (which he wrote, produced and drenches in his signature sound of shimmering Fender Rhodes electric piano). Second is “My Good Day” on which he duets with Tracy in the spirit of classics by Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway as the song’s writer/producer Ronald Hinkson slides in some tasty jazz guitar.
Additionally, the full service No Limits swings from the meditative “One Day in Your Life (a melancholy reflection featuring the flute of Kim Scott) and “Forever With You” (a soul-stirring declaration of love anthem) to “Same Song” (the gritty album-opening groove of brotherhood on which Tracy boldly voices the bitter irony of racism in 2015 when at heart we are all the same beneath the skin – produced by Michele Chiavarini) and “I Love Soul Music” (a soulful get down with live guitars, bass and drums proclaiming her lifelong in-the-DNA dedication to soul music like a Saturday afternoon into evening “Soul Train Line”)!
Finally, Tracy hits discerning fans with a dynamic cover of “Give Me Some Emotion,” a 1979 top shelf soul classic originally recorded by the late, great jazz keyboardist Webster Lewis (w/ vocalist Johnny Barry) – Lewis being a kindred Baltimore native just like Hamlin.
Released on her own DMH Records label via internationally respected Expansion Records in the U.K. Tracy Hamlin’s No Limits is the lady’s most broad reaching artistic statement to date…with songs that will magically wax even more brilliant once she takes them to the stage – her second home. Complete with four additional remixes by red hot Tom Glide and the team of John Khan & Earl Tutu (including the pulsing showcase of her floating soprano “Cover Me”), No Limits is destined to whisk Tracy Hamlin to the ears of millions more fans worldwide.
Tracy Hamlin is a classically trained singer-songwriter-educator and one-time member of jazz group Pieces of a Dream. Her previous CDs are Seasons (2005), Better Days (2009), This is My Life (2013) and in the UK Home (2014).