Currently browsing category

Video, Page 24

Sharon Musgrave | Outflow

Sharon Musgrave - Outflow
 
Sharon Musgrave | Outflow
By Peggy Oliver
 
“Fascinating Rhythm,” not to be mistaken with the George Gershwin jazz standard from the twenties, was a funky diet of soul, jazz and reggae flavors provided by dance producer extraordinaire William Orbit. The voice who graced the U.K. top ten dance hit from 1990 was Sharon Musgrave. After touring to support the Orbit’s Bass-O-Matic project, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Bass and the hit single “Fascinating Rhythm,” the England born, Canadian native found another outlet to demonstrate her earthy vocal tones to the jazz world with Julian Joseph.

Ginuwine | Elgin

Ginuwine - Elgin
 
Ginuwine | Elgin
By Susan Mutharia
 
In the music industry we have had timeless classics and one hit wonders, legendary artists and the unremarkable, trendsetters and followers. Every decade has ushered innovative fashion statements, challenging dance moves and even a new meaning to certain words. 1996 was no different. It was in that year that Ginuwine unleashed the track Pony.

Gretchen Parlato | The Lost And Found

Gretchen Parlato - Lost and Found
 
Gretchen Parlato | The Lost And Found
by Brent Faulkner
 
Gretchen Parlato is an exceptional young jazz vocal talent. On her third effort, The Lost And Found, the theme of the album is experimentation. Throughout the cerebral, enjoyable effort Parlato uses her voice in a number of capacities, making The Lost and Found one of the more innovative vocal jazz efforts in sometime. Parlato not only serves as the album’s muse, but also composes a number of the tracks.

Ambrose Akinmusire | When The Heart Emerges Glistening

Ambrose Akinmusire - When The Heart Emerges Glistening
 
Ambrose Akinmusire | When The Heart Emerges Glistening
by Brent Faulkner
 
Free-jazz’s appearance in the 1960s went right alongside the ‘sentiment’ of the times historically; – the idea of liberation from conformity and the conservative tides of the 1950s was ‘what was in.’ Free-jazz never faded away dramatically like some earlier jazz styles (namely dixieland, swing, etc.), but it’s popularity certainly peaked in the 1960s.

Colie Williams | Light Up The Darkness

Collie Williams
 
Colie Williams – Light Up the Darkness
By Peggy Oliver
 
Neo-soul is one of those categories that sometimes is hard to figure out or dissect. But it is encouraging knowing there are many urban vocalists today who are embracing the past without sounding too outdated. From the veterans Jill Scott to the recent voices Colie Williams, old-fashioned smooth soul with a fierce attitude is more alive and well than ever.

Djib Stanford | Life And Music

DJIB Stanford - Life and Music
 
DJIB Stanford | Life and Music
By Susan Mutharia
 
If I could sum it up, Life and Music by Djib Stanford is about the roller coaster of life. There are several emotions when traveling through the tracks: ambition and determination while rising to the top, the struggle to forgive that’s a plunge to the spirit and sweet serenity while on treading on stable ground. The 14-track album is a fusion of hip-hop, soul, jazz and electronic music.

The Yellowjackets | Timeline

The Yellowjackets - Timeline
 
The Yellowjackets | Timeline
by Brent Faulkner
 
Veteran fusion jazz group Yellowjackets return with their newest effort, Timeline. On Timeline, Yellowjackets sound as if they have not missed a beat, adding yet another gem to their discography. A set of eleven cuts, there are no misses to mention, with each of the tracks exhibiting some special ‘magic.’ While Timeline may not be coined as being the group’s best effort – that would be their breakthrough and classic recordings – it certainly shows ‘the old guys’ still have their ‘mojo.’
Jazz enthusiasts shan’t be disappointed in the least by this effort.

Etana | Free Expressions

Etana - Free Expressions
 
Etana| Free Expressions
By Peggy Oliver
 
Her name is The Strong One in Swahili and she clearly lives up to her name. Etana shares all her thoughts in an old-school reggae style tossed with old-fashioned, unabashed soul that the urban music audience is dreadfully missing in the millennium. Though the artist whose birth name is Shauna McKenzie is receiving more press in the past few years, the road to fame was paved with many lessons learned personally and professionally.

Paul Hardcastle | Desire

Paul Hardcastle - Desire
 
Paul Hardcastle | Desire (Trippin ‘n’ Rhythm)
By Brian Soergel
 
Although British synth wiz Paul Hardcastle landed on worldwide music charts 25-plus years ago with “19” and with his Zero One alter ego, he of course has made a nice second career with smooth-as-silk smooth jazz songs. They really are his forte. Hardcastle has slipped just a bit with recent releases and, with ideas possibly thin, has lately offered a greatest hits collection, DVD set to old songs and even a relaxed, smoothed out version of “19.”

Christina Simos | All About Me

Christina Simos II
 
Christina Simos | It’s All About Me
by Brent Faulkner
 
Christina Simos can be defined as a crossover artist. Bridging styles encompassing R&B, funk, pop, rock, and singer-songwriter, Simos’s full length All About Me can be described as a ‘musical melting pot.’ Simos seems to be on a stylistic ‘road trip’ throughout, sometimes with smooth transitions while at other times questionable ones.

You cannot copy content of this page

Hide