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Neo-Soul, Page 5

Footprints: Lalah Hathaway Live at The Troubadour, April 21, 2015

Lalah Hathaway – Troubadour – Tuesday April 21, 2015 (10PM show)
A Concert Reflection by A. Scott Galloway
Show Photography: Arnold Turner
 
Jazz composer/saxophonist Wayne Shorter wrote a piece entitled “Footprints” that within its original instrumental structure conveyed volumes about the dual weight and gravity of upholding lineage and legacy. On a cool Tuesday evening in West Hollywood over the course of two shows, singer/songwriter Lalah Hathaway proudly upheld her end of the genealogical bargain in highly anticipated concerts steeped in the Black Pool of music history. Not only was she performing at The Troubadour nightclub – ground zero for where her father Donny Hathaway recorded the most thrilling half of a “Live” LP 43 years prior in August of `71 – she was recording her shows for CD and DVD, too. This is high hallowed territory for not only is Donny Hathaway Live (Atco 33-386 – 1972) arguably the greatest live album of all time, it is the greatest album of all time. A second volume titled In Performance was released 8 years later containing as many gems as the first.
 
LalahTroubadorMarqueeByBrune
The Troubadour marquee (Photo: Wendy Smith-Brune’)

Charlie Wilson | Forever Charlie

Charlie Wilson - Forever Charlie
 
Charlie Wilson | Forever Charlie (RCA)
by Brent Faulkner
 
Some veteran artists eschew the spotlight past their career’s prime, while others embrace it, continuing to share, preserve, and flex their artistry. For Charlie Wilson, he is the latter, remaining active in his early sixties after a brilliant musical career as the front man of The Gap Band. The 00s have been extremely kind to Wilson, as he has issued six solo albums, with his last five notably sporting his first name in their title.

Jazmine Sullivan | Reality Show

Jazmine Sullivan - Reality Show
 
Jazmine Sullivan | Reality Show (RCA)
by Brent Faulkner
 
Prior to the release of her third album Reality Show, it had been nearly five years since Philly R&B artist Jazmine Sullivan had released a new studio album. It seemed after another critical home-run in sophomore album Love Me Back that Sullivan simply disappeared from the face of the earth. Gone were the commanding pipes of one of contemporary R&B’s most impressive new voices.

D’Angelo and The Vanguard | Black Messiah

D'angelo - Black Messiah
 
D’Angelo and The Vanguard | Black Messiah
By Peggy Oliver
 
It’s been awhile – maybe a little longer than awhile. Alright, how about summing up D’Angelo’s fifteen-year return to the recording fold by quoting from L.L. Cool J’s larger than life rap classic, “Don’t call it a comeback.” Yet, despite a fourteen years recording absence since D’Angelo waxed Voodoo in 2000, do not mistake the fact that his career path falls more into the sabbatical mode, as he took a break for five years between the aforementioned sessions of his major commercial successes, his 1995 introduction, Brown Sugar (including the smash title track and “Lady”) and Voodoo (“Feel Like Makin’ Love” and “Untitled (How Does It Feel)”).

Maysa | A Very Maysa Christmas

Maysa - A Very Maysa Christmas
 
Maysa | A Very Maysa Christmas
Shanachie
by Brent Faulkner
 
An adjective that best describes Baltimore singer/songwriter Maysa (Leak) is versatility. Incredibly gifted possessing nothing short of a beautiful, angelic-sounding instrument, Maysa is a magnificent musician. A mix of soul, jazz, and R&B, Maysa offers a “little bit of this and a little bit of that.” Classically trained sporting a classical performance degree from Morgan State University, Maysa is definitely the real-deal.

Kandace Springs | EP

Kandace Springs
 
Kandace Springs | Kandace Springs EP
Blue Note Records
by Brent Faulkner
 
From the first time the listener hears the music of Kandace Springs, there’s something immediately special. The singer/songwriter has given us a glowing first impression upon a numerous people, including Prince. If that isn’t enough to awe itself, Spring’s EP Kandace Springs EP should definitely do the trick and provide the ear with something truly alluring.

Janelle Monáe | The Electric Lady

Janelle Monáe - The Electric Lady 2014
 
Janelle Monáe | The Electric Lady
Bad Boy | Wondaland
by Brent Faulkner
 
It could be argued that popular music, particularly R&B is in an age that relies too heavily on conformity. Trendiness often has commercial aspirations in mind (aka money), but sometimes joining the bandwagon hurts creativity and originality in music. Janelle Monáe eschews being like everybody else – she doesn’t buy into conformity in the least.

Renee Dion & Jon Rogers | Moonlight

Renee Dion & Jon Rodgers - Moonlight
 
Renee Dion & Jon Rogers | Moonlight
By Peggy Oliver
 
On one of producer/beat crafter Jon Rogers’ mixtapes, (complex)ions: MAUVE’, he handed out major props to Renee Dion with a hearty, “keeping it live.” The feeling was apparently mutual as Dion hired Rogers to sonically guide her poetic soulful voice and to share head billing for her latest project, Moonlight. Though the behind the scenes teaching moments from Dion developed into a semi-rugged training ground for Rogers, who had never interacted with a vocalist, the end results on Moonlight capture Dion’s upgraded musical vision from her previous work.

Rajdulari | Journey of a Woman

Rajdulari - Journey of a Woman
 
Rajdulari | Journey of a Woman
By Peggy Oliver
 
Through the ever increasing social media tools, musicians are masterminding their Facebook page and hash tagging like crazy towards their fans and music industry insiders about their latest achievements in their career. When a relatively unknown artist is already tweeting about their road to the Grammy Awards, this could be someone with a justified confidence or they are stroking their ego a bit more then they should.

Robert Glasper Experiment | Black Radio 2

Robert Glasper Experiment - Black Radio 2
 
Robert Glasper Experiment | Black Radio 2
Blue Note
By Peggy Oliver
 
When an artist commits to a sequel that rides on the extremely successful
previous work, the expectations to top its predecessor are exceedingly
high, certainly when the predecessor was recognized with a Grammy Award.
With a wealth of musical co-horts at his disposal and a tight band
under his leadership, Robert Glasper was ready to meet the needs of fans
and critics to follow-up the R&B Grammy Awarded 2012 release, Black Radio.

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