B7 (2020)
Brandy – B7 If you were to ask an industry newbie what they aspired to achieve as an entertainer, the list probably includes a lot of what’s already a reality for Brandy Norwood. Her irresistible and eponymous 1994 debut, Brandy, went multi-platinum and introduced pop and R&B audiences to a Mississippi native with a sweet face and […]
Can We Fall In Love (2020)
Avant – Can We Fall in Love Since 2000, Avant has maintained a steady track record of quality grown folks’ R&B with just the right edge of youthful sensibility. Appealing to listeners of varying ages and stylistic preferences, his supple tenor tones and straightforward phrasing have seen him through eight albums of engaging modern-day soul. […]
Jazz is Dead 2 (Featuring Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad)
Roy Ayers, Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad – Jazz Is Dead 2 Vibraphonist Roy Ayers got his honorific as the Godfather of Neo-Soul the old fashioned away – he earned it. R&B, hip-hop, neo-soul and jazz artists regularly call on Ayers to play on their albums. The list includes Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Eric Benet, […]
Nostalgia (2020)
Wade C. Long – Nostalgia They say in the fashion world that styles get revived every 20 or 30 years or so. And just as bold colors, spandex and denim jackets return to some folks’ closets in recent years, a desire to recapture the synthy sounds of the 1980s explains why The Weeknd is out here […]
Soul Food: Cooking With Maceo (2020)
Maceo Parker – Soul Food: Cooking With Maceo Saxophone is first thing that comes to mind when people say the name Maceo Parker. Or maybe it’s James Brown exclaiming the name “Maceo!” as Parker unloads on one of his signature saxophone solos on tunes such as “Cold Sweat” or “Doing it to Death.” To be sure, […]
Tinted Sky (2020)
Bluey – Tinted Sky British soul collective Incognito was at the forefront of the acid-jazz movement during the 1980s and early ‘90s. Originally focused on instrumental grooves fusing soul, jazz, and disco, the offshoot of Light of the World found long-deserved commercial success throughout the ‘90s with vocally charged numbers featuring the likes of Jocelyn Brown, […]
Exodus (Advance Review)
Brian McKnight – Exodus On Brian McKnight’s sixteenth full-length studio album, Exodus, the venerable singer-songwriter demonstrates his continued ability to churn out quality melodies and atmospheric arrangements delivered with the kind of vocal resonance that elevated him to top-tier status in the 1990s and 2000s. The 13 tracks on the set vary in overall effectiveness, with […]
For The Love of You (2020)
Chris Jasper – For The Love of You Chris Jasper is the man who is most responsible for creating the Isley Brothers sound during the band’s fertile period from 1973 to 1983. Yet, music fans rarely heard his voice. Jasper, a classically trained pianist, composer and lyricist, wrote most of the band’s hits during that wonderful […]
Letters from a Broken Heart (2020)
Whitney McClain – Letters from a Broken Heart (EP) Blending a modern-day lyrical sensibility with classic pop elements of rhythm and musical arrangement, Whitney McClain’s latest EP, Letters from a Broken Heart, is a solid serving of R&B built to appeal to older and younger listeners alike. With an accessible vocal style conveying words of […]
Ella 100: Live at the Apollo
Various Artists – Ella 100: Live at the Apollo I was still listening to vinyl 45s and LPs when I had my first encounter with Ella Fitzgerald, while sitting in front of the television watching football. That’s when one of those ubiquitous commercials came on, where Fitzgerald shattered the crystal wineglass with her voice. Some celebrity […]
