Here My Love
Lovers’ epiphanies are becoming more and more prevalent in adult R&B. What once defined the soul scene of 1990s contemporary R&B using the Jodeci-112-R.Kelly gambit has now made its mighty return in the new generation of younger gents (The Dream, Trey Songz). Case, the R&B singer with a vocal balance of Lyfe Jennings and Tyrese, […]
Airtight’s Revenge (2010)
Bilal is a serious artist engaged in serious work. For that rare league of artists whose work has been hailed as “genius,” every new birth thereafter is held to ever increasing scrutiny and nearly unreachable expectations. When an artist comes out the gate with a debut as seminal as 2001’s First Born Second, it’s difficult […]
Jackiem Joyner (2010)
At the ripe old age of 30, Jackie Joyner is what many of his peers are struggling to become: tenacious, talented and tenured in the world of music. Since he was a preteen, Mr. Joyner’s been developing his gift of rhythm and composition, performing on the sax and drums in high school, leading his church’s […]
Journey to Love
Tawana Lael’s Journey To Love is not a religious album. After all, most of the songs deal with how she moves from a bad relationship to a good relationship. Lael takes the listener from a home where a woman is showing her no account man the door, to a club where the singer revels in […]
An American Record
Grayson Hugh called his new album An American Record for a reason. One listen tells you why. An American Record features funk, blues, country, rock, zydeco, folk, jazz, soul and R&B music with a little bit of gospel mixed in. Basically, any kind of authentically American music that has and been a part of this […]
Something About Faith (Advance Review)
Whatever term you feel most comfortable using—-skills, game, even je ne sais quoi— Faith Evans is one of those performers who just, well, has it. Fifteen years have passed since she hit the music scene with her urban-edged honeyed soprano, lyrical prowess and a propensity to, intentionally or not, evoke drama on and off-stage. However, […]
With the Roots – Wake Up Everybody (2010)
Unemployment, economic turmoil, and polarized political groups that seem to be more about self-serving agendas than societal change. It may seem incongruent (especially during an election year) for an elegant, urban performer to join creative forces with a no-holds-barred hip-hop band from the Illadeph, but those notions should be dispelled with just one listen to […]
The Cold Case Files
I can see why an artist like Darien Brockington would get so frustrated with the record business that he would consider up and walking away. He’s an indie soul artist who is much in demand as a vocalist. Brockington’s voice can be heard on records by groups like The Foreign Exchange and Little Brother, and […]
Lyrics
These days, it seems, practically anyone can get a hit, due to a formulaic process that has become routine: one part arrogance, a dash of sex appeal and slivers of Auto-Tune included to turn a mundane track into a mega-selling ringtone or catchy cell phone ad. Songs with subtlety and substance can be few and far between, […]
My Worship Experience
From humble beginnings in 1976, Tyscot Records has developed into a leading Gospel label and a highly recognized and respected African-American business, all under the leadership of Bishop Leonard Scott with the late Pastor Craig Tyson. Originally financed by Bishop Scott’s salary as a practicing dentist and designed to record a church choir from Pastor […]
