Senses (2013)
When last we heard from Toussaint the Liberator – the stage name for Paul Barrett – he had just released the highly acclaimed reggae album Black Gold. I thought Black Gold was one of 2010’s best projects. That wasn’t bad for an Indiana native who grew up singing in the church before relocating to Boston. […]
Stay Right Here (2013)
You see that Lisa Marshall operates out of Austin, and then you hear her muscular brand of soul and blues with a little country mixed in and Janis Joplin immediately comes to mind. Marshall does count Joplin as a musical influence along with soul music royalty such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Gladys Knight […]
The Sunshine State of Mind (Advance Review) (2013)
When k.d. lang came out with a “Summerfling” from her album Invincible Summer in 2000, the world was still filled with all the optimism of a new century and we once again seemed to “run on the beach with Kennedy flair.” The federal coffers were filled so high, we were arguing about what to do […]
Forward (Advance Review) (2013)
In the mighty words sampled off DJ/producer Fatboy Slim’s “The Rockafeller Skank,” “Check it out now…the ‘funk soul’ brother.” This sentiment heard around the world by rapper Lord Finesse certainly applies to three artists who collectively embody that funky spirit. Back then, Jan Kincaid, Andrew Levy and Simon Bartholomew were paying their dues under the […]
Somewhere In My Lifetime (reissue) (2013)
If the pressures of life would have had its way, Phyllis Hyman could have easily been a ‘70s Halstonette of Halston designer fame. She had class, divine beauty and dressed in the garb that elite New Yorkers socialites would have easily exalted. She almost always decorated her towering 6 foot 2-inch body with the fanciest […]
In My Lane (2013)
Candace Bellamy can’t claim to have experienced the street adventures of some of today’s pop stars. Yet her backstory is compelling in its own way and provides a hint to what listeners hear in her music. Bellamy grew up in Knoxville, which likely influenced the rock and country sounds that can be heard in her […]
Collage (2013)
A collage is defined as “an artistic composition made of various materials (paper, cloth or wood) glued on a surface. A collage is a portable concept that can be applied to mediums other than visual art, and that is especially true of music. Some listeners remain in their musical comfort zones. However, music people possess […]
Ace of Hearts (2013)
It’s hard to watch one of your favorite teams break-up. “Twice,” “Nature Boy,” and “Sensitive”: each songs that inspired and excited a slew of underground soul/R&B fans in recent years, eager to see what Ahmed Sirour on production and Cleveland P. Jones on vocals would do next. We should have known there was trouble in […]
High Heels & Sneakers (2013)
Tess Henley is a pianist trained since three in the Suzuki Method. She’s also a vocalist possessing the vocal dexterity that made her an opening act for Jill Scott and Anthony Hamilton. However, songwriting is Henley’s calling card. Her work as a songwriter did more than win her accolades – it also won the Seattle […]
Manj (2013)
Based in Santa Cruz, CA and the brainchild of respected producer and instrumentalist Jonah Christian, the band Joomanji interlaces live musicianship (Amir Oosman’s drums, Kevin Cameron’s bass and Robert Finucane’s keyboards) and scattered samplings of vinylized hip-hop to create their forward, fluid sound. Years of live performances and a fearless approach to experimentation is what […]
