Jennifer Hudson | I Remember Me
by Brent Faulkner
Jennifer Hudson was initially remembered for her premature departure from American Idol Season three. After her premature departure, her career only ‘looked up.’ Her first major role playing Effie White in the film adaptation of Dreamgirls won Hudson both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Marsha Ambrosius | Late Nights & Early Mornings
By Peggy Oliver
I can not exactly determine if coincidence played a role in The Floacist AKA Natalie Stewart and Marsha Ambrosius releasing their debut projects just a few months apart. But whatever the reason, the timing for these gifted ladies to make noise on the charts was a stroke of genius. Their fans that were familiar with these ladies when they teamed as Floetry were more than ready to experience their talent in a solo spotlight.
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
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
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.
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
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.
DW3 | On The Floor
by Brent Faulkner
DW3’s On the Floor represents a ‘rarity’ in the R&B world – a ‘soulful’ album as opposed to an effort filled with electronic gimmicks and a lack of substance. On this effort, the clear goal of the group is to celebrate and keep alive a tradition of R&B that is respectable and noteworthy.
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.
Corinne Bailey Rae | The Love EP
by Brent Faulkner
British singer/songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae exemplifies talent deserving wider recognition. Bailey Rae’s 2006 self-titled debut effort was critically acclaimed and a massive seller in the U.S., propelled by popular, Grammy-nominated singles “Put Your Records On” and “Just Like A Star.”
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