Vocally Yours ~ Maysa & Sade album Reviews

Being a child of the 80’s there was a time when I could turn on the radio and there would be countless female vocalists who had substance and could move one with their voice. These voices were recognizable in their unique phrasing of a single note. Those days are long gone and today’s top female so-called vocalist has created a “fierce “theatrical stage and video persona to make up for her lack of actual vocal capablity. Showing us just how much music has pseudo-progressed since the birth of video and hip-hop. Although they may not get much airplay there are those who can stay fully clothed and deliver an amazing vocal performance. There are two singers whom I discovered in the mid-80’s who still to this day who can sing a song and move an audience like no other and have clearly inspired much of today’s rising vocal talents such as Navasha Daya, Ledisi, Chrisette Michelle and Jennifer Hudson to name a few. These voices of greats are Sade and Maysa.


Maysa is that vocal talent that comes around once in a lifetime. Maysa is a singer who once was once a part of Stevie Wonder’s group Wonderlove to go on to become the best vocalist ever featured in the Acid Jazz musical collective known as Incognito. Maysa’s vocals paired with Incognito’s founder Bluey Munick’s musical genius is the reason why Incognito is one of the few bands to surpass the acid jazz genre and become a band with numerous hits and a longevity usually found in rock and roll bands. After several solo albums, Incognito albums and side projects, Maysa is back with a new solo album titled “A woman in Love” which is so far her best.

This album is a superb collection of handpicked jazz standards and original songs that make for a seamless groove of aural pleasure. Maysa’s dynamic vocals shapes and molds Jazz standards with interpretations in which she makes each her own and delivers with mesmerizing results. Maysa has an uncanny knack of picking just the right songs to cover for her voice, like Barbra Streisand’s “What are you doing for the rest of your life” Maysa will send chills down your spine as she sings this as if it was written just for her. Other standards include Nat King Cole’s “When I fall in Love”,“I put a Spell on you”, “Round Midnight and Willow Weep for me. There are also some great original tunes like the upbeat duet with Will Downing titled “Love Theory” and funky tracks like “Spend Some Time” and “Honey Bee”. The title track “A Woman in Love” is spoken word over a funky groove sure to please die hard Maysa fans and make fans out of first timers. The song “I Am Wrong for Loving You” has the signature scatting that all Maysa fans have heard and love. If ever you’re looking for a real vocal talent and don’t want to listen to stuff from the 80’s well GRAB THIS ALBUM! This is what good music is all about. Maysa is a talent that should be regarded as a national treasure. (Yeah she is really that good!)

Sade ~ Soldier of love

Sade has become an Iconic musical figure with her smoky vocals and music that fused R&B, soul, jazz and soft rock to create a sound that transcended musical genres. From her Grammy winning debut to my all time favorite album Love Deluxe, Sade created hit after hit. Sade’s Lovers rock had elements of her former sound and introduced a folk side of the Sade. Ten years would pass before Sade fans would hear new material.

The much anticipated Soldier of Love is something completely different. The signature Sade song structure is the same but musical production takes a drastic turn. Gone are the rock infused soul grooves and a dry folk sound takes center stage. Compared to her previous work this is a drier meditation of sound that can sound foreign and disjointed at times. The voice is still smoky and the delivery is what you would expect from someone who has been able to maintain such staying power, but this Soldier of love my not win the war for some.
Ayejay ~ Da Muzik Hunta


AyeJay Da Muzik Hunta'

Blaxploitation the sound

Blaxploitation the sound
Brotherman / Black Dynamite soundtrack review

In the 70’s on the heels of a largely successful independent film Sweetback’s Bad Ass Song and commercial success of Shaft a new genre of film was born. Blaxploitation a term coined by the NAACP & CORE started in 1969 and was destroyed by 1975 by Organizations such as NAACP, Southern Christian leadership Conference and The Urban league which formed the Coalition against Blaxploitation. Within this period of time over 200 films were released and musical masterpieces which are still revered today were created. These soundtracks provided funk and soul jazz songs unlike any that were already in heavy rotation on the radio at that time. Cutis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Isaac Hayes, Quincy Jones, and Willie Hutch to name a few created some of the most iconic of the soundtracks. There are two soundtracks you may or may not have heard that deserve to be acknowledged on this subject.

Brotherman
By Final Solution
The Numero Group 2008

Brotherman was a film that was never created but a soundtrack was produced and released. The group called Final Solution was a little known group, unrecorded group out of Chicago. The sound track has a groove that any blaxploitation fan would be familiar with, but Final Solution had funky sound that was all their own. Lyrically each song tells the story of the would-be scene so well written you can sit back close your eyes and see the movie for yourself in your mind. Final Solution took a truly righteous approach with the heavy rhythms on the bottom and funky bass intermixed with soulful harmonies. The front man whose falsetto brings to mind Philip Bailey (of Earth, Wind & Fire) is the perfect driving force for the soulful swing of funk of the Brotherman soundtrack. Whether you’re a fan of the genre, or just music this is a rare soul gem worth giving a listen.

Black Dynamite
By Adrian Younge
Wax Poetic Records 2009
Black Dynamite is a recent release that pokes fun and pays homage to the bygone film genre. Like such films this movie comes with a sound track that is brilliant in its humor and original soul. Adrian Younge created a masterpiece of soul. What are so important about the soundtracks of the blaxploitation era were the lyrics which gave the groove a story. Lyrics in those songs gave background and told a part of the movie that may not or not be seen on the screen. Younge does this and more with some of the grooviest jams since Donny Hathaway’s Little Ghetto boy.
Black Dynamite soundtrack takes a tongue-n-cheek approach to the homage it pays to the musical era of the time. Adrian called upon the grooves of Gene Page, Curtis, and Marvin for his original songs you would swear was recorded in the 70’s. Adrian recorded with vintage instruments and studio techniques for authenticity and in turn created a masterpiece. You are guaranteed to jam and long for the days when one musical artist did a whole soundtrack. Although this is classic in sound it is modern soul with elements that have long since gone with the genre called Blaxploitation.

Reviewed by AyeJay ‘da Muzik Hunta’

The Contemporary Soul songbook vol. 1

The Contemporary Soul songbook vol. 1

The Contemporary Soul Songbook is like a treasure chest of undiscovered soul gems. The artists featured on this compilation are extremely talented unsigned or unheard of soul singers. Among the unknown greatness are a couple of indie soul talents who are making a name for themselves such as LeNora Jaye, Antoinette and Tammie Harris. In this compilation there is some straight soul, some jazzy-soul and soul-funk songs make for this complete and varied compilation that never falls flat.

Great and original instrumentation with sultry soul vocals make it no need to skip any tracks on this one. All the tracks are great and groovy but a few standout tracks are Lisa Zure’s “Tongue Tide”, Eddie Sea feat Aaron Sledge’s “India” & Sophia Nelson’s “Over”. With a formula like this and a music industry where true talent is never signed or developed this unsigned soul series is something that will be needed to satisfy our real soul cravings. The Contemporary Soul Songbook vol.1 is ArtHaus approved.


AyeJay Da’ Muzik Hunta

Astral 22 Presents Imperial

Astral 22 Presents Imperial is a musical triumph, and beacon of light in a sometimes gimmicky and monotonous world of today’s soul music.

There are many soul compilations to chose from what usually makes a compilation worth a listen is not the featured artists, but actually it’s the producer. The flaw in so many soul compilations is that they tend to lack cohesion. Mis-matched grooves collide and tend to miss the mark in the goal of soul music which is to create a soul stirring grooves. Astral 22 Presents Imperial is a crowning achievement from start to finish.

Los Angeles based writer/producer Astral 22 brings some of the best of the soul scene in a showcase of collaborations & re-works. With a strong focus on the music, lyrical content in the signature of of Astral 22's stylistic blend of Classic/Nu Soul, Jazz, Blues and Funk; Imperial is collection of soulful jams that takes the listener to a time where grooves were not looped a featured artists that can actually sing. Imperial opens with a throwback/ cookout jam Fair Play featuring Mz Pat. LeNora Jaye posed the question 'Do you wanna' in a laid back jazzy jam. Rogiers Delivers a soul stirring jam titled 'The Reason'. Stephanie Renee delivered a poets lounge track to close out he tightly knit collection of progressive soul greatness. Perhaps the biggest triumph of all here is the consistency throughout; every artist attached brings their A-game but what else would you expect from this hand picked talents by tremendously talented Astral 22.

The music in this project is the dawning of the Independent label Trans Phatt Records who strives to showcase quality soul music worldwide. “Nu groove with classic Muse" is the mission statement with Trans Phatt Records and is true to form with this compilation. This progressive soul masterpiece is a must have.

Reviewed by
AyeJay Da’ Muzik Hunta’

Nhojj ~ Soul Comfort

Nhojj ~ Soul Comfort

By definition a tapestry is a heavy cloth woven with rich, often varicolored designs or scenes. Nhojj’s Soul Comfort is a heavy interwoven blend of Soul, Jazz and funk on which Nhojj’s voice floats and swims within creating a soul tapestry like one you have never heard. Nhojj’s sound breathes new life into a bygone soul sound of the Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, and Marvin Gaye era of soul music. Soul Comfort has many elements that come together to create something unique, beautiful and soulful.
Soul Comfort is the work of lyrical and instrumental genius making Nhojj peers with indie soul greats such as Rahsaan Patterson, Marlon Saunders and Steve Wallace. The musical arrangements are mind blowing in their complex simplicity, layers of rhythm and melodies come together like you have never heard. Nhojj’s voice is a soothing aural kiss that will rock and sooth you from the first to last track.
Soul Comfort has many moods; celebration can be found in tracks like Music and Doing m’ Thing. Soulful mediations are the core of grooves Dream and James Donovan. Dance floor / BBQ grooves are bouncy tracks The Light and Peace & Blessings. Grown and sexy passion can be found on tracks Love, Please Comeback and I Like That. The title track is self explanatory and delivers on its promise. Nhojj’s Soul Comfort has grooves for every kind of soul music lover. Soul Comfort comes highly recommended.

by AyeJay Da’ Muzik Hunta

N'Dambi ~ Pink Elephant

ArtHaus Review: N’Dambi Pink Elephant

Just like an actual pink elephant N’dambi’s new release will not be ignored. N’Dambi makes a triumphant return on her new album; there is an apparent evolution to her sound yet she still hold firm to her funky soul roots. N’Dambi sashays from different shades of funk and soul with a Diva’s swagger and a soulful determination. The grooves here are complex in their simplicity. This album produced my Leon Sylvers is a studio album with all the organic feel of a live set. Pink Elephant is a new sound that will bring back old fans and sure to make new ones. As to be expected the vocals are awesome that flow above serious instrumentation. Pink Elephant is right at home on the Legendary Stax label and N’Dambi fits right in as leader into the new era of funky soul. This album comes highly recommended.

by Ayejay Da’ Muzik Hunta

Steve Wallace ~ Urban Soul-The Album and The Movie

ArtHaus Review:
Steve Wallace ~ Urban Soul-The Album and The Movie

True artists always have a way of setting themselves apart from their peers; Steve Wallace has done just that with his soon to be released Urban Soul CD/DVD. Once again Steve Wallace has created an amazing piece of work while keeping true to the basics of soul music, Urban Soul is a collection of message songs that addresses the spectrum of urban dilemma from male vulnerability to gentrification. Urban Soul is like a heartfelt letter to the hood addressing concerns and providing hope. Steve has a sound that is a hip-hop flow over a soulful groove rich in soul tradition yet fresh and original.

Steve takes his project one step further by creating a movie that provides a stunning visual as a companion to this modern soul classic. All of the songs on Urban Soul were written, produced and arranged by Steve Wallace. There is a lot of apparent growth in his sound, from heartfelt to hard-biting lyrics; Steve gets his point across while keeping the listener in tune to the groove. Freestyle hip-hop and samples are accents to the modern soul sound that is Steve Wallace. Every song is a treat but one of the standout tracks is when Maya Azucena duets with Steve on the track titled Hip-Hop a soulful homage to the urban born art form. Urban Soul is a journey thru urban life by way of hip-hop funk and soul. ArtHaus highly recommends this album.

By AyeJay Da’ Muzik Hunta’

www.stevewallacemusic.com

www.myspace.com/stevewallacemusic

WELCOME BACK TO THE ARTHAUS

Welcome Back to the ArtHaus. I want to first thank my followers of Arthaus NYC website in the past and staying tuned in via myspace. ArtHaus is back and ready to be a voice for the indie-scene. ArtHaus is a labor of love for me sharing good music and good times. Be sure to stay tuned for music reviews, interviews and and more.

Soul Grateful

AyeJay Da' Muzik Hunta'

ArtHaus on Myspace