May SoulTracks Soul Music Newsletter

SoulTracks Soul Music Newsletter

May 2008

Happy May SoulTrackers! The weather is heating up and so is the music, as Spring has sprung in a big way for music lovers, with loads of great new releases. Michael Jackson recently re-released Thriller to big audiences, and it got me thinking about how much music has changed in the 25 years since that album originally ruled radio. So I hope you’ll check out a piece I’ve written about what the changes in popular music may mean to us.

Lots of good stuff in this month’s newsletter, so kick back, grab your coffee and enjoy your monthly dose of Soul!

Chris

New Music Reviews

Al Green– He’s one of the greatest singers of our time, a legend whose reputation continues to grow. And lover’s of this Southern Soul man will go crazy over his upcoming album, Lay It Down, which we think is his best album since the 70s. And we have an EXCLUSIVE LISTENING ROOM so you can hear it!

Lalah Hathaway – One of the great young soul music voices, Lalah Hathaway continues to wow audiences with her smoky, sensuous voice. We’re cheering that she’s back with a new album, Self Portrait, and we have an advance review of it!

Marian Marie is an adult soul singer who lays out the goods on love and relationships very nicely in her new album, Simply Me.

Vladimir Cetkar – This talented singer/songwriter/guitarist is wowing the ladies with his both his looks and his smooth sounds.

Mint Condition – One of the great R&B bands of the 90s, Mint Condition is making better music than ever, and it shows on their upcoming album, E-Life. Check out our review.

Robert Gee – This Cali-based singer/songwriter is creating some of the most accessible soul music around, and he displays it all on his debut album.

Soul ID – An international group that has created "Afropean Soul," Soul ID is melding cultures into a wonderful mixture that fans around the world are loving.

Sparlha Swa – She’s known around New York as an acoustic troubador, singing passionate songs and strumming her guitar. And we’ve reviewed her very good new live album.

Cheri Dennis – Part of Diddy’s crew, Cheri Dennis is a singer who has waited over a half decade to release her solo debut, and we’ve go the lowdown on it for you.

Renee Sebastian – A talented singer/songwriter and entrepreneur, Renee Sebastian has issued a very strong new EP that’s getting buzz all over the US.

Tia Dae – Both a singer and an actress, Tia Dae is getting love from DC and elsewhere for her new album, It’s a New Dae.

Rogiers – Modern-day loverman Rogiers is making waves with his sultry, sensual brand of soul music. Check out our review of his Life and Music.

TD Jakes – He’s a Gospel legend, and some of T.D. Jakes’ biggest Praise and Worship songs are brought together in a great new collection.

Also check out reviews of new albums by Soul Unsigned and the compilation Stax Does the Beatles as well as the latest goings on in Soul Music in our our News Section.

Where Are They Now? TAVARES

Tavares may be one of the most underrated soul groups of our time. With literally dozens of big hits, they established themselves as stars of both classic soul and dance music. And they still sound great. So we thought it was a good time for SoulTrackers to catch up with this talented group. Click Here to see our Where Are They Now? Feature

SoulTracks Popularity Index

Mint Condition has been making quality music for two decades, and they show no signs of slowing down. They also have a huge fanbase around the world that took Mint Condition to the top of our Popularity Index for the past month, with more folks reading about them than any other act. Click Here to see this month’s Popularity Index, with our top 25 artists.

Save the Date! SoulTracks Awards

The SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Awards have grown into a must-see event for lovers of modern soul music. Last year’s awards were truly magical, and this year’s show should will be even better. This year’s awards will be held on Friday, October 3 at Detroit’s beautiful Max M. Fisher Music Center. We’ll be providing you updates on performers, tickets, accomodations etc., over the Spring and Summer.

We hope to see you in Detroit in October!

Featured Artist Patti Austin

Grammy Award winner Patti Austin is both a living musical legend and flat out one of the greatest singers today. Her ability as a musical interpreter has won for her millions of fans in the jazz, soul, and pop universe and more than a quarter century of success on the charts. She’s written a beautiful new song, "The Grace of God," and has graciously agreed to share it with SoulTrackers as this month’s Choice Track FREE DOWNLOAD. You’re going to love it!

CD of the Month CALVIN RICHARDSON

Calvin Richardson won a ton of fans with his Southern soulful hit "Keep On Pushin’" in 2004 and after a long wait, he’s finally returning with an album of all new materiaI. So we’re honored to premiere Calvin’s’s new disc, When Love Comes, as this month’s CD of the Month, at a special pre-order price and with FREE SHIPPING to boot! To check out Calvin’s new stuff, just click here .

Top 10 Albums SY SMITH

Ultra-cool soulster Sy Smith sold a TON of music in April, making her album Conflict easily the top seller of the month. But new albums by Dianne Reeves, Vladimir Cetkar and Nina Vidal all entered the charts, juggling the top ten around. To see our entire top 10 chart, CLICK HERE.

New Listening Room! Nita Whitaker

SoulTrackers know how much we like Nita Whitaker. Her personal lyrics and mellow sounds have won for her a bunch of new fans among both soulheads and adult contemporary audiences. Now SoulTrackers can hear her latest album, Life Stories, in our newest Listening Room. Click here to check it out.