Paint The Town (2020)
Ingram Street – Paint The Town Howard “Minquel” Ingram and Daniel “Woody” Ingram, the brother duo who make up the group Ingram Street, remember hearing a steady dose of Motown and Aretha Franklin being played in their Columbus, Ohio home. That was the music of their parents. They liked that music as well, but as with […]
Be The Change (2020)
Jarrod Lawson – Be The Change The eyes of the world have been focused on Portland throughout the summer as that northwestern city became one of the centers of the protest for racial justice and against police excessive force. The City of Roses might appear to be unlikely site because it has a relatively small Black […]
BrownMark – My Life in the Purple Kingdom (with Cynthia M. Uhrich)
Book Review: BrownMark – My Life in the Purple Kingdom (with Cynthia M. Uhrich) There’s been no shortage of books chronicling the work, legacy, and personal accounts of Prince since his tragic death in 2016. From Duane Tudahl’s exhaustive Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions to ex-wife/dancer Mayte’s candid The Most Beautiful and His […]
Twice in a Lifetime (2020)
British tunesmith and musician Andrew Roachford has built up a strong catalog over the past three decades. The singer’s flair for soulful tunes with rock underpinnings has resulted in albums that stand the test of time well beyond commercial shelf life. Many American listeners are primarily familiar with his 1989 breakthrough hit, “Cuddly Toy.” His […]
One World (2020)
Billy Ocean – One World When Billy Ocean became an international superstar in 1984 with hits such as “Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)” and “Suddenly,” the Trinidad native had already paid his dues for over a decade on the British soul scene, releasing his share of both successes (“Love Really Hurts Without You,” […]
Gospel According to PJ (2020)
PJ Morton – Gospel According to PJ PJ Morton is a preacher’s kid, and like many sons and daughters of pastors, Morton had a complex relationship with the church. The fact that Morton, like his equally famous father, Bishop Paul Morton, Sr., is a musician, only added complexity to the relationship. Music, after all, is […]
Spell My Name (2020)
Few fans of music from the ‘90s would have much issue spelling Toni Braxton’s name without her command to do so via her latest album title. Younger audiences primarily familiar with her from the reality TV series Braxton Family Values likely are clued in, as well. Still, given her off and on success in music […]
Blackbird (2020)
Bettye LaVette – Blackbird Throughout her long career, Bettye LaVette has sung songs in every genre – soul, R&B, blues and rock, just to name a few. The Detroit native had her first hit in 1962 with “My Man – He’s a Lovin’ Man,” and charted several other times in the 1970s and 1980s as an […]
The High Note
DVD Review – The High Note (2020) Telling a riveting story through a music-centered film can be a daunting task. Telling two stories that merge successfully is an even steeper challenge amidst the work of pulling in viewers with fresh original songs and colorful musical performances. Many flicks of this variety dazzle with impressive concert sequences while […]
All Rise (2020)
Gregory Porter – All Rise Gregory Porter’s music epitomizes what it means to be identifiable yet distinct. Porter’s powerfully soulful baritone stands as the identifiable constant that connects all of his work – regardless of whether that work consists primarily of originals or covers, studio albums or live. He is, along with Cecile McLorin Salvant, the […]
