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Independent Artists, Page 2

Oya Serves Up Sizzling Salute To Prince

Oya Thomas “Tribute to Prince”
Skyloft (Laguna Beach)
Saturday May 28, 2016
Concert reflections and photographs by A. Scott Galloway
 
Vocalist Oya Thomas caught my attention a couple of years back with the beautiful Sunday morning song “Peace in the Valley” from her CD The Spirit of Oya. So I was stunned to receive an email invitation to a Saturday night show she was fronting in memory of Prince on Memorial Day. I knew she could sing and that she was also very nice on the eyes so when a last minute cancellation made it possible for me to see this show, I made that move.
 
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English Singer Nao Unveils Mysterious Enigmatic Stage Presence In L.A.

Nao
The Roxy – West Hollywood, CA
Friday May 13, 2016
Concert Reflections by A. Scott Galloway
Photos by Michael K. Adams
 
Nao at The Roxy - May 13, 2016 - by Michael K Adams 2
 
Obscured in red light, Nao sings in a cockney neo soul alto over sinewy pulsing grooves and speaks with gracefully gesturing limbs as if languid and outstretched underwater. Though the music has a techno vibe, her backing is a power trio of guitar, bass (doubling on occasional synth) and way off in the corner stage left, drums – delivering Grand Funk bottom as she falls in with the guitarist parroting snaky unorthodox lines.

Reggae Legends Third World Rock Playboy Jazz Festival Day 2

Playboy Jazz Festival – Day 2 – Sunday June 14, 2015
 
A Concert Reflection by A. Scott Galloway
Photos: Mathew Imaging
 
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Brown Bunnies of Playboy
 
An afternoon of tradition and roots gave way to an evening of mash-ups and fusions for the second day of the 37th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl.

37th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival Proves An Avalanche of Diversity

Playboy Jazz Festival – Saturday June 13, 2015
 
Concert Reflection by A. Scott Galloway
Photos: Mathew Imaging
 
June gloom morphed into jazz-soul glory for Saturday June 13, 2015 – the first day of the 37th annual Playboy Jazz Festival – a day of great music that found the heat slowly and consistently escalating to the very end.
 
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Honeys at Playboy

Saun & Starr | Look Closer

Saun & Starr
 
Saun & Starr | Look Closer
By Peggy Oliver
 
Call it coincidence or better yet, call it destiny when two or more people immediately connect with each other while managing to continue their circle of life through various spaces of time. Sandra ‘Saun’ Williams and Starr Duncan-Lowe grew up a short distance from each other in The Bronx, New York. Yet it was their meeting at a local talent show that began their journey of a much respected friendship – musically and personally – and the rest is more than history.

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.

Gyles | Love & Denial

Gyles - Love & Denial
 
Gyles | Love & Denial
(2012 Duffmusiq)
by Brent Faulkner
 
Described as a “powerhouse vocalist and thoughtful lyricist”, R&B
artist Gyles releases EP Love & Denial via Duffmusiq, supported by a
lofty list of accomplishments. Amongst her artistic resumé, Gyles has
lent her vocals to a host of award-winning and nominated artists
including Juno award recipients Carlos Morgan and Jully Black, and Juno
nominee Camille Davis.

Julie Dexter | New Again

Julie Dexter - New Again art cover
 
Julie Dexter | New Again
by Brent Faulkner
 
Julie Dexter, a British independent soul/jazz artist, recently released her fourth LP, 2011’s New Again. As a vocalist, Julie Dexter is a ‘smooth operator,’ borrowing some cues from the past, namely from jazz vocalists and R&B vocalists; Sade’s cool sound comes to mind when making comparisons and descriptions of Dexter’s approach. Throughout, Julie Dexter’s voice is smooth, pure, and refined, never losing any of it’s sugary, sensual goodness.

John Jay | The Secret to Life

John Jay - The Secret To Life
 
John Jay |The Secret to Life
By Peggy Oliver
 
John Jay may not be a household name in the gospel industry — yet. However, by no means, does it diminish the fact that his talents have been solidified through his body of work and in a variety of musical settings. From appearances at Jazz Aspen Snowmass to the Holy Hip Hop Awards, Jay’s gospel journey can certainly not be put in any kind of box.

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