Lost and Found (2007)
"Hip" and "cool" are the first words to come to mind when listening to Lost and Found, the third project from soul singer, Ledisi. Like the long-legged strut Ledisi sported as she stole the show on the PBS Special, We All Love Ella, Ledisi’s debut on Verve Records is one long, confident swagger. And why […]
Thirsty (2007)
With one sip from this spiritually fortified elixir, Marvin Sapp fans will never go Thirsty again. Personally, it’s good to finally see Marvin Sapp more fully emerge from the shadows of his vocal doppelganger, the iconic Fred Hammond, and his beginnings as the lead singer for the legendary gospel group, Commissioned. With his seventh solo […]
The Confessions of Rick James: Memoirs of a Super Freak (book review)
"The Confessions of Rick James: Memoirs of a Super Freak," penned by the late funkateer, Rick James will keep the reader so engrossed in the words on the page that they will feel as if a dish filled with tasty delicacies has been placed before them as they deliberately try in vain to avoid swallowing […]
Still Kool (2007)
As 2006 rolled along, with hip-hop beginning its slow decline and emo-rock moving up the popular charts, about the last act anyone expected to land a hit on the pop and urban charts was Kool and the Gang. Sure, they were cool in their first incarnation in the 70s, playing hot funk and jazz and […]
Supercharged (2007)
Summer music always brings with it the most pleasant offerings, many of which are unexpected. Such is the case with Supercharged, the latest release from UK funk band, Down To The Bone. Regardless of your current surroundings, this collection of upbeat, funky blends leave you with images of cooling out on a beach somewhere in the tropics […]
Expressions (2007)
While he’s certainly gained a reputation as an artist with a solidly adult following, Ty Causey has often been tough to categorize. Over the past 4 years, he has quietly become one of the most consistently pleasing soul/jazz singers, attracting a sizeable audience from multiple genres. And his music has certainly fit in with the […]
Invincible (2007)
Two decades removed from his significant but often underappreciated role with the Isley Brothers, Chris Jasper continues to soldier on as a solo artist. One could argue that as the writer of some of the funkiest jams and sweetest soul ballads of his generation, Jasper has nothing more to prove. But the man who wrote […]
New Voice (2007)
"Got a new voice inside my head/ and it’s saying to me/ don’t be afraid of what you’re feeling." With these profound statements, Kendra Ross launches into her first track, the aptly titled "New Voice." With the incomparable Skoota Warner on drums and a funky guitar pluck courtesy of Christian Ver Halen, Ross sets the […]
The Chancellor (2007)
G is a Michigan born, New Orleans raised, Ivy League graduate with multiple degrees and still with time to be an attorney, MC, college professor, radio DJ at Virginia Tech AND a recording artist. His latest CD is "The Legend of…The Chancellor. The Legend of …The Chancellor" is a social conscious CD that caters to all […]
Save our Soul (2007)
Where did this guy come from, and how does he so effortlessly evoke the spirit of the artists whose songs he remakes, while clearly leaving his own unique imprint? The answer, I surmise, is this: The southern born, Lousiana bred Marc Broussard really paid attention to his surroundings. And even better, he absorbed them like […]
