LA Times Feature On Jimmy Iovine

The LA Times did a piece on music industry executive Jimmy Iovine. Mr. Iovine is a founder of Interscope Records home to some of everyone’s favorite gangsta rappers. Death Row’s initial power boost from Iovine has a trajectory traceable to the careers of Eminem, 50 Cent and The Game. He also produced John Lennon’s Mind Games album.

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Sy Smith: Ambient Soul

Sy Smith’s ambient soul owes itself to the singer’s background of chorale study, avid listening of modern music and gigs supporting the likes of Whitney Houston, Brandy, Usher, Macy Gray, Eric Benet, Ginuwine and Meshell Ndegeocello. East Coast roots in New York and Washington D.C. exposed Ms. Smith to everything from go-go to rock in her family’s home and the melange of acts playing in the city. The Syberspace Social is the first album of her unfettered trippy funk to make it to print.

Natalie Cole Interview By Kelley Carter

On November 5th it will be the 50th anniversary of Nat King Cole’s television program that ended December 15th 1957 because no advertisers would pay for a show hosted by a Black man. Salt aside, Mr. Cole racked up a lot of pop hits without his innovative drummerless jazz trio. Bo Diddley even counts Cole as a major rock influence. Natalie Cole’s status as a performer is not overshadowed by her dad’s accomplishments as the many years worth of pop, soul and jazz recordings have shown. She has a new one now called “Leavin.” Kelley Carter of the Detroit Free Press had a candid talk with the singer that most people assume is a one-dimensional smooth jazz star. Cole makes clear her intentions to explore music first and a market secondary.
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Raheem Devaughn: Soul Singing Hippie Rock Star

Male soul singers in a post-Luther world have the added weight of his silver-like voice being elevated to ancestor status instead of the former one as living legend. His example of soul set the standard for all male singers after him and fans are careful to give anyone the same level of love given to Mr. Vandross. Raheem Devaughn is one male singer who observed Vandross’s subtle touch and tenderness beside hip-hop and classic soul from the ’60’s and ’70s. These artistic approaches which include a liking for rock has categorized singers like Devaughn as being “neo-soul.” Stevie Wonder’s individual soul ethic may be at the heart of Devaughn’s exploration but it’s Luther’s strong but delicate intonation steering Devaughn’s style and others like him in contrast to the Omarions and John Legends of the R and B spectrum.

Incognito: JazzFunk Fun

“People that make music feel transparent…”

Twenty-seven years ago Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick and friend Paul “Tubb” Williams changed their Light Of The World band into Incognito, a jazz funk group known as eminent players of London’s acid jazz scene. The music paid respect to the festive and funk elements of such masters as Earth, Wind, and Fire, Rufus and Herbie Hancock. Plush horns and rollicking rhythm arrangements could change into subtle grooves within the same song. After Maysa Leak’s sensuous delivery of “Still A Friend Of Mine” and “Deep Waters” the band attracted the reputation of being one of the best sources of the chill out. The Baltimore, Maryland singer’s deep unruffled tone and chemistry within the group draws comparisons to the classy melancholia of Sade. As much as the band articulates the awesomeness of cool pretention is never in the mix. It is the sum of cool, funk and soul that distinguishes them from as Bluey says “the smooth jazz crowd” as much as programmers want to throw them into that box. Dance music lovers constantly remix the Incognito catalog for deep house pleasure, a populist contrast to the wine-sipping crowd that is supposed to listen to their music.