Extraterrestrial Brother: Vol I
The curious case of Martin Luther (sometimes Martin Luther McCoy and now, apparently, “Martian” Luther) was made that much more curious with the quiet release of his third studio and fourth overall album release in the last ten years. Along with fellow pioneers Eric Roberson and Fishbone, Martin Luther has been one of the legends […]
The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson
You can’t buy the kind of exposure that Le’Andria Johnson received after winning Sunday’s Best, BET’s gospel vocalist contest. You have to earn it. A contest that draws gospel singers from around the nation won’t have too many American Idol moments where somebody who can’t sing gets embarrassed on national TV. All believers may make […]
Welcomes You to the Velvet Lounge
Even when the music or tracks are something to behold, single-producer compilation projects can be unwieldy, unpredictable tricksters for their creators to wrap their arms around. So many details to manage, and it only takes one or two stray threads to unravel an ambitious production’s tapestry. One guest singer nails a producer’s composition on the […]
An Old Soul (2011)
At most times when an artist chooses to record an entire project of covers their song choices are usually scrutinized. This is especially true when their work is unproven on a national level. Yet, this notion certainly did not deter jazz chanteuse Kat Webb from recording a debut reflective of her eclectic tastes in contemporary […]
Clean Lust and Dirty Laundry [Free Mixtape]
Full bodied, open, and fearless, newcomer Honey LaRochelle delivers a banquet of powerful jazz, electro-soul, hip hop and pop sounds—sometimes all at the same time. Edgier than Choklate, more accessible than RaRe Valverde and yet more avant garde than Yahzarah, a young Honey LaRochelle fills a niche left wide open for those waiting for their […]
Funk in a Mason Jar (Reissue)
The name Harvey Mason means different things to different music fans. Some listeners associate the drummer with the group Fourplay due to Mason’s two-decade stint with the group. Others might yell out the name Headhunters or “Chameleon” in honor of the 1970s era jazz-fusion band he played with and the classic tune he co-composed with […]
Homebrew
Take the band Soul Cycle back in time to, say, 1974, and they’d fit right in. That’s not to say that Soul Cycle sounds exactly like ensembles such as Headhunters and The Blackbyrds. That’s not the case. This band – as their latest effort Homebrew shows – is at once classic and contemporary. They manage […]
R&B 101
Margo Thunder was all of 13-years old when she released the song “Soul of a Woman.” Listeners usually say a few things when a 13-year old child gets a hold of a tune like “Soul of a Woman.” They’ll ask what does that child know about being a woman. Then they’ll want to know where […]
Chapter 5: Underrated (Advance Review)
In an ideal world, those with better looks than vocals or hooks would be out striking poses so that more could hear true artists like Syleena Johnson. Thanks to her lineage (the daughter of blues star Syl Johnson), experience (training in gospel, jazz and classical music) and ability to evoke pain and passion with searing lyrics and […]
Love is a Verb
As they say in church, love is an action word. If that statement is true of the agapic love that is the primary topic addressed by preachers, it’s also true of Eros, the main theme of R&B love men like L Young. The Louisville native uses his new album, Love is a Verb, to explore […]
