Category: Video | Page 17 | TheUrbanMusicScene.com

Jonathan Butler | Grace and Mercy

Grace and Mercy
Jonathan Butler
(Rendezvous)
by Darnell Meyers-Johnson

Jonathan Butler signed his first recording contract at twelve years old. By the time he was fifteen, he was already an established recording artist in his native South Africa. By his own admission, he was also a drug addict whose soul was seeking salvation. Guidance would come through a friendship with a fan who introduced him to the Christian faith. That fan would later become his brother in law.

Mint Condition | Music @ The Speed Of Life

Mint Condition
Music @ the Speed of Life
(Shanachie Ent.)
By Peggy Oliver

Longevity is a rare commodity in the world of show business, especially for the sake of musical ensembles. Many bands remain for a long time but their personnel moves are a constant for whatever the reason. Thankfully there are high quality bands who are able to maintain their core members; persevering through the long course of recording, touring and other media commitments. Mint Condition has weathered this relentless course since its inception, losing only keyboard player Keri Lewis in 2005.

Randy Crawford & Joe Sample | Live

Randy Crawford & Joe Sample
Live
(PRA)
By A. Scott Galloway

This concert CD by the venerable duo of old friends, singer Randy Crawford and pianist Joe Sample, really should have been billed as “Randy Crawford with The Joe Sample Trio.” Sample’s presence throughout the disc can best be summed up as understated. He truly defers focus to Crawford who is always a delight as her style is so distinctive no matter what she sings.

Pete Belasco | Lights On

Pete Belasco
Lights On
(Eaak Music)
By Brent Faulkner

On Pete Belasco’s third studio album Lights On, which arrives seven years after his last, the singer/songwriter/keyboardist/saxophonist covers smooth jazz, R&B, and soul styles. According to his bio (www.petebelasco.com), Belasco’s music career began as a pianist, though he eventually focused on the saxophone, playing in various bands during high school and studying it in college.

Leela James | Loving You More…In the Spirit of Etta James

Leela James
Loving You More…In the Spirit of Etta James
(Shanachie)
By Peggy Oliver

When a potential artist navigates the journey to professional music glory, their friends and family probably told them at one point that they were born to be a star. Then there are others who hint that the aspiring talent reminds them of a specific music superstar. As Leela James was preparing to aim her sights towards greater musical heights, she already had an advantage over some of her counterparts. Her rich, blues-enriched voice drew comparisons since childhood to Etta James, an influential vocalist who garnered a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award and an induction to the Rock and Roll of Fame in 1993.

Wil Key | But A Woman

Wil Key
But A Woman
(Larimar)

Record Review by A. Scott Galloway

When was the last time you purchased a CD – with 15 songs/no interludes no less – and dug it enough to let it play through without skipping one tune? L.A. based singer/songwriter Wil Key has delivered such a worthy disc thanks to the thoughtful, sensitive and sensual nature of his lyrics, the quality and sheen of the independent production, and a striking balance between live instrumentation (rhythm, horns and support vocals) and tastefully synthesized tracks.

Teri Tobin | So Good To Me

Teri Tobin
So Good to Me
(Sol to Kep Ent.)
By Peggy Oliver

Despite one’s musical training throughout childhood and college, one earmark of a credible artist is digging into their lifelong experiences and translating those special stories to effectively communicate with their audiences. Those persistent and driven talents refuse to be weighed down by musical trends or record sales in dictating their artistry and achievements. This certainly works in favor of independent artists who are simply doing it for the love of their craft.

Kenny G & Rahul Sharma | Namaste India

Kenny G & Rahul Sharma
Namaste India
(Concord)
By Peggy Oliver

Since the mid-eighties, Kenny G’s distinct aesthetic soprano saxophone has been a strong force in the smooth jazz community. G (which stands for his last name Gorelick) initially paid major dues with jazz fusion giant Jeff Lorber. Like many superstars in waiting, the Seattle, WA native’s solo triumph was not immediately realized when he released his debut in 1982. Album sales were more respectable on his second and third releases but the breakthrough arrived in 1986 with his fourth disc, Duotones, and the smash jazz/R&B single “Songbird,” which sealed Kenny G’s longevity in the industry.

Eric Benét | The One

Eric Benét
The One
(Warner Bros.)
by Brent Faulknerer

Eric Benét’s sixth studio album The One picks up where 2010’s Lost in Time left off – with Eric continuing to play into his role of soul-revivalist and soul-preserver. The One is filled with and characterized by lush productions comprised of strings, horns, swirling electric piano, organ and harmonized vocals. That said, The One does not bring anything ‘new’ to the table that one hasn’t heard form Benét. It does, however, add another sound effort to Benét’s underrated musical output. Face it – that falsetto is ‘killer.’

Gerald Albright & Norman Brown | 24/7

Gerald Albright & Norman Brown – 24/7
Concord Music Group
By Peggy Oliver

If one is seeking the perfect summer smooth jazz breeze, or better yet, a super sweet jazz treat for all seasons, there is one special project that is a must hear headlining two of the contemporary jazz’s most respected musicians. Multi-instrumentalist Gerald Albright, who has backed superstars from Phil Collins to The Temptations, and guitarist Norman Brown (compared frequently to George Benson) who began with Motown’s custom label Mo Jazz in 1992, finally connect for a retro jazz/R&B anchored ride entitled 24/7.

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28

Currently browsing category

Video, Page 17