Categories
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0 Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, and Beyonce' to Jam for Barack
- News
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 01/15/2009
The Presidential Inaugural Committee (pic2009.org) has confirmed the talent line-up scheduled to perform on Sunday afternoon, January 18, 2009, 2:30 pm Eastern at the "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial." The event is free and open to the public, and may be worth the trip to Washington, DC. Here are the confirmed performers: Beyonce' Mary J. Blige Stevie Wonder John Legend Usher Herbie Hancock will.i.am Shakira Bono Bruce Springsteen Sheryl Crow James Taylor John Mellencamp Josh Groban Garth Brooks Renee Fleming Heather Headley Jennifer Nettles Queen Latifah, Jamie Foxx, Denzel Washington, and Martin Luther King III will read historical passages after each musical set as the stage is changed for the next performer. More talent will be announced as they are confirmed. HBO will broadcast the event live with a replay scheduled for later in the evening. Previous Post | Next Post
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0 Chess Soul Drives Cadillac Records to the Bank
- Review
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 01/08/2009
Chicago is one of the great American cities famous for creating musical history. The 'Windy City' has nurtured great artists, great music, and great radio. Curtis Mayfield, the Chi-Lites, Walter Jackson, the Lost Generation, and Ramsey Lewis are just a few of the 2nd generation Chi-Town classic soul sensations. One of the best first generation compilations featuring a treasure trove of Chicago goodies is the double CD Chess Soul: A Decade of Chicago's Finest. 2008's Cadillac Records movie featuring Beyonce' as Etta James is a semi-fictional account of the story of Chicago's Chess Records, and it's founder, Leonard Chess. After the blues era peaked, Chess, notable for recording the blues masters, turned his attention to the emerging R&B scene. Chess Soul: A Decade of Chicago's Finest, showcases recordings made between 1961 - 1971. What makes the Chess soul sound so distinctive is the close lineage the music has to the blues. Many of the 45 songs featured in this collection were regional rather than national or international hits. All the more reason to take a closer look at the tone and texture that makes these songs stand out. It doesn't get any better than the vintage classic soul sound of Gene Chandler, Fontella Bass, Etta James, and Billy Stewart. Chess Soul: A Decade of Chicago's Finest was first issued in 1997, to mark the 50th anniversary of the record label. There's an authentic raw edge to most of these songs. Singing with emotion is the audience pleasing formula used by these artists. You won't find as much of the slick uptown production style that marked the later sophisticated soul of Motown, Stax, Atlantic, and Philadelphia International Records. Regardless, Chess Soul: A Decade of Chicago's Finest is an excellent anthology revealing why the Windy City is so important in the history of R&B. Take a look through the track list. These songs will bring back great memories. CD 1 "Mama Didn't Lie" - Jan Bradley "Strange Feeling" - Billy Stewart "I've Been So Lonely" - Cookie & The Cupcakes "Soulful Dress" - Sugar Pie DeSanto "Love Ain't Nothin' (But A Monkey On Your Back) - Johnny Nash "Who's That Guy?" - The Kolettes "Ain't Love Good, Ain't Love Proud" - Tony Clarke "I Had A Talk with My Man" - Mitty Collier "I Can't Help Myself" - The Gems "Don't Mess Up A Good Thing" - Fontella Bass & Bobby McClure "Voice Your Choice" - The Radiants "Selfish One" - Jackie Ross "The Entertainer" - Tony Clarke "I Do Love You" - Billy Stewart "Love Is A Five Letter Word" - James Phelps "The Soul of A Man" - Fontella Bass "Temptation Bout To Get Me" - The Knight Brothers "Do I Make Myself Clear?" - Etta James & Sugar Pie DeSanto "Take Me For A Little While" - Jackie Ross "What About Me?" - The Valentinos "I'm Satisfied" - Mitty Collier "Searching For My Love" - Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces "Only Time Will Tell" - Etta James CD 2 "Rescue Me" - Fontella Bass "I'm Not Ashamed" - Bobby McClure "Stay By My Side" - Jo Ann Garrett "Have Pity On Me" - Billy Young "Wade In The Water" - Ramsey Lewis "I Fooled You This Time" - Gene Chandler "Don't Pass Me By" - Big Maybelle "Lonely Girl" - Andrea Davis "To Be A Lover" - Gene Chandler "Don't Knock Love" - Barbara Carr "I Believe She Will" - Eddie & Ernie "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" - Marlena Shaw "A Love Reputation" - Denise LaSalle "Dirty Man" - Laura Lee "I Can't Make It Without You" - Fred Hughes "Hold On" - The Radiants "Good To Me" - Irma Thomas "You Left The Water Running" - Maurice & Mac "Oh What A Day" - The Dells "Baby, I Love You" - Little Milton "Losers Weepers" - Etta James "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation" - The Dells Chess Soul: A Decade of Chicago's Finest Previous Post | Next Post
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0 India.Arie Drops Love Testimonial Kiss
- News
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 01/06/2009
India.Arie has a new album on the way, Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics, scheduled for release on Tuesday, February 10, 2009. She's nominated for a new Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a duo or group with vocals for "Words" by Anthony David (featuring India.Arie). The 51st Annual Grammy Awards will be presented on "Grammy Sunday," February 8, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California (broadcast live on CBS from 8 - 11:30 p.m Eastern). Previous Post | Next Post
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- Flashback
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 01/01/2009
Here are original Isley guys Rudolph, O'Kelly, and Ronald on the cover of their 1969 T Neck album, The Brothers: Isley. "I Turned You On" and "The Blacker The Berrie" are 2 uptempo hits from this release. On the back cover of this vinyl LP, liner note writer Richard Robinson describes the entrepreneurial spirit of the business oriented Isley Brothers who created their own record label (T Neck), management firm, and television production company. O'Kelly Isley, who died in 1986, explains in the liner notes that "we do all types of music but until we owned our own record company we had to stay in the particular bag that was selling at the time. Now we can do whatever we want, be it gospel, country and western, or rock." The rest as they say is history, as the Isley Brothers successfully morphed through 6 decades of music generating hit after hit. In the late 1980's, Chris Jasper, a former member of the expanded Isley Brothers, also went on to form his own independent record label, Gold City Records. Gold City has recently featured the latest contemporary gospel recorded by Chris Jasper. Previous Post | Next Post
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0 Femi Courts Success with Sweet Water Soul part 2
- Review
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 12/30/2008
As mentioned last time, singer Femi hails from the Bay Area of San Francisco - Oakland. She's worked with Ledisi, Black Eyed Peas, and other artists. Her 6 song EP Sweet Water Soul offers a smooth blend of musical influences. Femi's delicate voice is supported by capable arrangements touching Afro-Latin/Caribbean, salsa, rock, and R&B. This is not a hook laden collection of songs, as the tunes venture into their own style and space. Sweet Water Soul avoids the cookie-cutter approach to neo-soul, but attempts instead to discover new territory on it's maiden voyage. Femi succeeds in creating a soulful 'singer - songwriter' statement which should be a good starting point from which to build even more inventive melodies. In addition to several other players, Femi is featured on Fender Rhodes, piano, acoustic guitar, synth bass, synth organ, synth strings, cajon, percussion, kalimba, bell tree, rainstick, drum programming, and sequencing. My favorite tracks are the airy "Pages," the rhythmic "If I Knew," and her funky production of "Crush." Sweet Water Soul: "Sweet Water (Rezo)" "Imported" "Crush" "If I Knew" "I Want You" "Pages" Your browser does not support the audio element. Listen to 30 seconds of the melodic "Pages." Previous Post | Next Post
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0 Femi Courts Success with Sweet Water Soul
- Review
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 12/26/2008
From the Oakland, California music scene comes Femi, who will remind you of Patrice Rushen, Minnie Riperton, and Sade. Femi's new 6 track EP Sweet Water Soul offers a refreshing spin on vintage R&B that many of her more popular contemporaries have all but passed on. Next week, we'll update you on the emerging Femi, a lady who brings much more to the table than just a fresh new face. Previous Post | Next Post
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0 Aretha Recites The Night Before Christmas
- Christmas
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 12/23/2008
When Aretha Franklin gives you a reading of "The Night Before Christmas," it's not just the same old passage. We've added some of our own elements, including Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Your browser does not support the audio element. Listen to a quick two minute tale featuring The Queen of Soul, from her 2008 holiday CD, This Christmas Aretha. Previous Post | Next Post
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0 Ledisi Lifts Christmas Up with Musical Style
- Christmas
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 12/18/2008
Ledisi is woman who offers a new breath of fresh air in the competitive arena of song styling. You'll pick up just a hint of Anita Baker and Chaka Khan in her magnificent delivery. Ledisi is more of a torch singer with the pipes to prove it. Don't confuse her with the trendy light-weight pop princess divas of today. According to the official Ledisi website, her name, (pronounced led-duh-see, is adopted from the word that means "to bring forth" in the Yoruba language of Nigeria). You can read her long biography at length on her website, but our focus here is her holiday album, It's Christmas. Ledisi has put together a top notch feast of Yuletide favorites. The opening track, "I'll Go," showcases her impressive vocal prowess within a 2 minute 4 second snapshot. This album is contemporary and tasteful. I enjoyed all the tracks. The strength of It's Christmas is Ledisi's fantastic voice. She adds just enough vocal improvisation to the traditional tunes to keep them interesting. Frankly, I'm quite impressed with her sophistication of craft. This is just her 2nd album for the legendary Verve label. Ledisi has been tagged as an R&B/Jazz/Pop singer. She's versatile enough to handle a broad range of material. After 2 Grammy nominations, there's definitely a future award waiting for Ledisi. Ledisi: It's Christmas "I'll Go" "Children Go Where I Send Thee" "Give Love On Christmas Day" "Be There For Christmas" "This Christmas (Could Be The One)" "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" "It's Christmas" "What A Wonderful World" "Please Come Home For Christmas" "Silent Night" "Thank You" Previous Post | Next Post
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0 The 10 Best Funky-Christmas Party Jams
- Christmas
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 12/15/2008
Here are my all time picks for the 10 best funky-Christmas party jams (as appraised in 2008). "Christmas in Hollis" - Run-D.M.C. "N - Yo - City" - Bootsy Collins "Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto" - James Brown "Christmas Rappin'" - Kurtis Blow "Little Drummer Boy" - Kofi "Joy To The World - Aretha Franklin " Winter Mix" - Gloria Gaynor "Nutcracker Suite (remix)" - Berlin Symphony Orchestra "Funky Christmas" - The Whispers "Happy Holidays" - Ohio Players bonus: "Here Comes Santa Claus" - Rupaul For the sonic volume, energy, and originality, Run-D.M.C. makes the top of the list. "Christmas In Hollis" is featured in the original 1988 movie, Die Hard. Bootsy Collins, James Brown, and Kurtis Blow all stretch out with a funky Yuletide beat. Kofi's entertaining reggae version of "The Little Drummer Boy" offers an edgy contrast traveling from a softer chorus to a driving percussion during different parts of his score. Aretha Franklin's version of "Joy To The World" is not exclusively funk, as it includes the high energy gymnastics of a soaring gospel choir. Gloria Gaynor offers "Winter Mix" to prove that exciting "house music" never goes out of style, even when reworking "Winter Wonderland," which is what she does on "Winter Mix." The remixed "Nutcracker Suite" by the Berlin Symphony Orchestra is crafty and clever. "Funky Christmas" from the Whispers dances along, old school style, with their trademark harmonically tight vocals. "Happy Holidays" from the Ohio Players has to be included in my list, even though this song barely propels itself up to a medium tempo beat. The Ohio Players managed to keep their unique style and identity on this nearly 8-minute track. While somewhat repetitive due to the length, the holiday message charms us into the spirit of the season. As a bonus, a shout out to Rupaul, who took Johnnie Taylor's "Disco Lady" melody, and turned it into a tongue-and-cheek party prance. This ain't cowboy Gene Autry singing here! Watch my exclusive 90 second video and count the number of friendly faces who have wonderful holiday songs to share with you! I make a quick appearance for a few seconds. Spoiler alert. Yes, I got Aretha to autograph her Christmas CD for me while she was on tour to promote it! Previous Post | Next Post
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0 Odetta Creates A Unique Christmas Concert
- Christmas
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 12/11/2008
In 2005, Odetta, the singer of folk based African American traditional songs, released an immaculately recorded live album. Gonna Let It Shine, A Concert for the Holidays is a stellar collection of spirituals celebrating Christmas. If you love gospel, praise, and traditional spirituals, Odetta delivers a definitive 16 song collection of favorites. The clarity of the live sound is phenomenal. Gonna Let It Shine, A Concert for the Holidays was recorded in front of a festive audience on the campus of Fordham University in New York City. Throughout both the ballads and uptempo tracks, Odetta respectfully transmits an inspirational message propelled by the power of faith and the glory of Christmas. Gonna Let It Shine, A Concert for the Holidays, is a completely different Christmas album. It comes from the classically trained, civil rights savvy, legendary vocalist from Birmingham, Alabama, the late Odetta (who passed away on December 2, 2008). "Intro" "This Little Light of Mine" (with the Holmes Brothers) "Rise Up Shepherd" "Mary Had A Baby" "What Month Was Jesus Born In?" "Shout For Joy" "Virgin Mary Had One Son" "Down By The Riverside" (with the Holmes Brothers) "Poor Little Jesus" "Freedom Trilogy" "Somebody Talking 'Bout Jesus" "Keep On Movin' It On" "O Jerusalem" "If Anybody Asks You" "Midnight Special" bonus: "This Little Light of Mine" (unedited - with the Holmes Brothers) Previous Post | Next Post