The Heartbeat
Drummer Lil’ John Roberts came to the name of his debut album as a lead artist through the power of suggestion. In short, Roberts mentioned to another artist that he needed a name for his upcoming album and the drummer’s musical comrade suggested the name The Heartbeat. Roberts felt ownership of that name because that […]
3 AM
George “Georgie B” Bromfield is an artist with his feet firmly planted in the sounds of the 1980s and early 1990s. Now that alone will cause some folks to throw shade as they listen to 3 AM, the new record by Georgie B’s group The Groove Association. They will say that The Groove Association is derivative […]
Sing Pray Love, Vol. 1: Sing
“Music goes past being what I do to support myself and my family—this is my therapy. I can have a violent moment and get it out in a song; you’ll know it because you’ll hear it, you’ll see it, and it’s probably the safest way.” Kelly Price, 2011 (Knowshi.com) Blessed with some of the most […]
Living My Life (2014)
Ann Nesby became a star in the music industry at an age when female vocalists often find themselves being ushered out the back door. Nesby was in her early 30s when she emerged as the main vocal force behind gospel and inspirational group The Sounds of Blackness. She continued making her presence felt on the […]
Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse
Mariah Carey was in her late teens in 1987 when George Michael dropped one of decade’s best albums, Faith. Michael was the Robin Thicke of his era – or if we don’t want to be gender specific, the Adele of his era – because he was an artist from another country with big crossover appeal. […]
The Sunroom (2014)
If you’re like me and a member of Generation X, consider yourself lucky because we came of age during the most invigorating and innovative time period that music ever had—-the 1970s. Some of my fondest life memories ever involve block parties and cross-country car trips booming with Motown, The Sounds of Philadelphia, Stax and countless […]
…and then you shoot your cousin
If you don’t have okayplayer.com bookmarked, or if your connection to The Roots doesn’t go back to Organix or at least their 1999 seminal record Things Fall Apart, you might not realize that the group is a central figure in the conscious hip hop movement or in rap in general. Hard core rap fans might […]
Thank You For All You’ve Done
Artists everywhere count remaining relevant as a primary concern. They will update their look, refresh their sound and reboot their image in order to reach that demographic that marketers, radio and record labels desire. But from opening seconds of Thank You For All You’ve Done, Beverly Crawford’s latest project, it becomes clear that relevance – […]
Soul In The Rear View Mirror
Preston Glass has been a part of my music listening experience long before his latest album, Soul In The Rear View Mirror, came across my desk. By now, most SoulTrackers know Glass’s associations with Natalie Cole, Earth, Wind & Fire, Aretha Franklin, Kenny G and many others. Glass is way too young to rest on […]
Amplified Soul
I’ve always viewed the year 1979 as a high point in the gift to the world that is R&B music. I say that because that year serves as the distillation for all that came before, as well as offering a glimpse into what musical genres would be emerging. Nineteen seventy-nine also happens to be the […]
