The Space Between (2012)
Bashiri Asad’s The Space Between gains momentum as it progresses. The album combines classic soul lyricism and vocals with contemporary production techniques and decisions, such as the choice to open the record with the spoken word piece “In The Air.” The cut features fellow Hoosier, guest poet Tasha Jones. The piece, which uses food as […]
A Beautifully Complicated Life
Chinua Hawk’s A Beautifully Complicated Life includes four and a half cover songs. What, you might ask, is half a cover song? I would define it as an original that covers the same thematic ground as an older song, with which it shares a title. Music fans might recall Regina Belle’s “If I Could,” a […]
Billie-Eve (2012)
Quoting the chorus one of Broadway’s greatest empowering songs, “You gotta have heart/ Miles and miles of heart.” The German-born singer/songwriter/musician Ayo (AKA Joy Olasunmibo Ogunmakin) strongly relates to those potent words of wisdom from the musical Damn Yankees. Her attractive musical pictures are articulate and honest, thoroughly adorned with simplicity that relies on live […]
Urban Xpressionz
The artist who goes by the moniker PVibez can best be described as a music geek. He performs live, but would much rather spend his time in the studio where he mixes his alchemy and comes up with projects such as Urban Xpressionz, his latest. Ask him what musical styles count as influences and he’ll […]
Breakin’ the Rules
Highly inspired by his parent’s discerning ear for quality music, there were many musicians (Herbie Hancock, Donnie Hathaway) and producers (Quincy Jones, Maurice White) that Rahni Song admired and respected from afar. But it was a particular interview with Melba Moore that struck this multi-gifted talent in a very persuasive way. Transitioning from his day […]
Means To An End
Sometimes Americans sound like we believe that the only legitimate practitioners of soul music live in the good ole’ U.S. of A. Fortunately it becomes more difficult to hold that view considering the number of non-American performers making critically successful records. Still, that canard that artists from a place like Great Britain are somehow less […]
AKA Casanova Black
From young struggling artist to record label executive, J Hollins has come a long way since his days singing with a vocal band in his hometown of Chicago. Since 2004, his dashed dreams of chasing major label heaven have been replaced by climbing the independent music ladder with his Block Bleeders Entertainment (BBE) imprint. BBE […]
One Voice
The songs on One Voice, Micah Stampley’s latest album, all have those great hooks that are destined to be sung during praise and worship services in churches across America. That is definitely the case for “Overcome.” The youth will love the Florida Seminole-like war cry that opens up the energetic “Hosanna.” Praise leaders know how […]
Owed to Mama Rickie
Whenever the spirit calls her, Georgia Anne Muldrow is unafraid to go against the mainstream musical grain. Through her ambitious body of work on several underground record labels—for a combined seven projects—in her very young career, the singer/songwriter/musician never wastes any opportunity on speaking her mind on spirituality, self-doubt and the human race, or in […]
Lira EP (2011)
Whenever the opportunity arises, I like to scope out artists based outside the U.S. who have widely impacted their country’s pop culture. I was particularly drawn to South African R&B/jazz superstar Lira during the worldwide broadcast of the star-studded 2010 FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Concert from South Africa. Her rendition of Miriam Makeba’s signature piece, […]
