Luther VandrossAlicia KeysUsherMissy "Misdemeanor" ElliottGorillazThe Isley BrothersSunshine Anderson
By Allison Stewart
CDNOW Senior Editor, Pop/R&B
Who: 20 year-old classical pianist turned R&B up-and-comer Alicia Keys. What: Her debut album, Songs in A Minor.
Why she might sound familiar: Her hit ballad "Fallin'" is already making a significant dent in radio and VH1 play lists. Oprah and Tonight Show appearances won't hurt, either.
You'll like her if: You like singer-songwriter-influenced R&B, liberally seeded with piano, hip-hop, and soul.
Her story so far: Keys grew up in the Hell's Kitchen area of New York and was signed briefly to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def label while still a teenager. She eventually moved to J Records, the label founded by famed impresario Clive Davis, though Keys didn't know who Davis was when she first met him. "I remember just walking into this big office with thousands and thousands of pictures on the wall. I've never seen so many pictures in all my life, of so many people that I've admired," Keys says. "Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, Bruce Springsteen, Janis Joplin. And, just in that moment, when I walked in, I realized exactly who he was. Prior to that, you know, I knew what the news said, and I knew [his protégé] Monica, but I knew that I didn't know how deep or far, and how serious it really was. And so that just gave me a whole deeper understanding of the whole situation. So, we talked, and he played my music, and he told me what he thought. He told me that he loved my individuality and encouraged that, and asked what I saw myself doing, and I mean it was completely a two-sided road in conversation, which sometimes is rare in the music thing. And that just gave me an even deeper respect [for the situation]. And that was where I started."
Usher Raymond
BORN: 1979, Atlanta, GA
After being spotted by a LaFace record executive at a talent show in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, it took no time for hip-hop crooner Usher Raymond's career to take off. The 14-year-old auditioned for LaFace Records co-founder L.A. Reid, who signed the gospel choir boy to a recording contract. Raymond was introduced to the world simply as "Usher," and released his debut album of the same name in 1994, which featured co-executive producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. The first single, "Think of You," gained Usher notoriety and reached gold status. From that initial exposure, Usher was approached to do other projects. In 1995, he recorded a national holiday jingle for Coca-Cola. He also joined several top male R&B vocalists to form Black Men United for the single "You Will Know," featured on the Jason's Lyric soundtrack. He also teamed with teen singing sensation Monica for a duet remake of Lattimore's "Let's Straighten It Out."After graduating from high school, Usher graduated as well to his sophomore release, My Way, in 1997. In an attempt to display his maturity and songwriting abilities, Usher co-wrote six of the nine songs and enlisted the help of producers Jermaine Dupri, Babyface, and, again, Sean "Puffy" Combs. The album's first single, "You Make Me Wanna," re-established Usher as one of R&B's hottest artists, and also made him a crossover sensation; it topped the R&B charts for 11 weeks, hit number two pop, and eventually went double platinum. Both of the follow-up singles, "Nice & Slow" and "My Way," also went platinum; the former stayed at number one on the R&B charts for eight weeks and became his first number one pop single. In the meantime, Usher launched an acting career, appearing in the 1998 horror spoof The Faculty and the 1999 urban high-school drama Light It Up. To tide fans over, he issued a concert recording titled simply Live in 1999. Usher returned with his third proper album, All About U, toward the end of 2000. ~
Lynda Lane, All Music Guide
On the smooth follow-up to his six-times-platinum 1997 album, My Way, twenty-two-year-old R&B heartthrob Usher shows the polish of a showbiz veteran. His velvety voice and sky-high tolerance for crooning about girls - girls up in the club, girls from the old neighborhood, non-English-speaking girls, girls he's better off without - are on full display, making 8701 likely to resonate with the same crowd his single "Nice and Slow" wooed three years ago. Amid all the playboy pouting and preening, Usher's vocals are impressively adaptable, lacing brash beats from the Neptunes and sophisticated ballads from hitmakers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis with equal dexterity. Hip-hop bounce merchant Jermaine Dupri's tracks inspire Usher's best moments, though: The freaky groove of "Good Ol' Ghetto" moves our man to flex some Bone Thugs-esque rap-singing, while the rough riffs of "I Can't Let U Go" spark a fresh, clipped chorus. If the album has a fault, it's that Usher never surrenders his meticulously groomed veneer - don't hold your breath for a genuine rawboned holler or hint of reckless spontaneity among these calculated compositions. Still, despite Usher's radio-safe reserve, 8701's wispy slow jams and booming club cuts strike a sweet nerve.
KATHRYN MCGUIRE
There's a point in a girl's life. That delicate time when she makes the transition from child to woman. When flirting goes from being a giggle fest to an art form. When crushes on boys become love affairs with men. When she moves out from the protective warmth of her parents' home and into the cold clear air of self reliance. When she starts to spread her wings and tentatively, cautiously, but ultimately triumphantly...soar.
On her eagerly awaited sophomore CD, Mya takes those steps, makes those moves, and soars with an album that exceeds all possibilities and fulfills all expectations. Sassy, sexy, soulful and wise, hip hop informed, and R&B flavored, laced with heartfelt singing and state of the art beats, FEAR OF FLYING is about growing up, learning lessons, taking chances, listening to others and minding your heart. Featuring production from Swizz Beatz, Robin Thicke & ProJay, Wyclef Jean and Jerry Duplessis, and songs by She'kspere & Kandi, Soulshock & Karlin and Mya herself, FEAR OF FLYING takes Mya into new uncharted territory and delivers an R&B/pop sound that signals maturity and a new outlook.
Ask Mya about FEAR OF FLYING and she answers, "I've personally grown a lot and I wanted the second album to reflect that. The past few years have given me time to think about what I want to do, the decisions I make in life and where I want to be. I'm becoming more and more of my own person and making those choices for myself, on my own."
TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM MYAMYA.COM
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In the '40s, a time-travel experiment allegedly occurred in a Philadelphia naval yard. This fantastic combo of Philly musicians--pianist/keyboardist Uri Caine, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the rap combo the Roots--takes its name from that fictional event, and combines fusion, mainstream jazz, and R&B styles from the '70s to today. Augmented by guitar-legend Pat Martino and trumpeter John Swana, Thompson lays down some tricky jungle beats on the title track, while the threesome venture into the avant-garde on "(Re)moved" and into Latin on "IIe Ife." The group reincarnates Sun Ra's "Call for All Demons" as a funky instrumental, and they brilliantly revisit Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man," while Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom" is redone as a classical-style McBride/Caine duet. The late saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. was Philly's patron jazz saint, as evidenced by Caine's reverent solo piano rendition of Washington's hit "Mr. Magic" and McBride's funky, overdubbed one-man electric bass version of "Just the Two of Us." This threesome reminds us that the City of Brotherly Love still swings. --Eugene Holley Jr.
Reviewer: A music fan from Arlington, Virginia
I am a lover of all types of music artists and I am so glad I found out about Johnathan Butler who is truly remarkable. You can feel his pain, passion and happiness through his gutiar and when he brings his voice in with his guitar you become one with him. I'm planning on seeing him live the next time he's in the DC area. I'm waiting for his next CD -- I want to hear more of this talented man!! Yes Johnthan, we love you!!
Reviewer: Cindy R. Harris (see more about me) from Oklahoma City, OK USA
If I had unlimited funds, I would purchase every copy of this CD I could get my hands on. I would then give a copy to everyone I came into contact with, as I am truly of the conviction that all persons, if they will open their hearts to it, will find love, peace and joy conveyed in this CD. As a person who has a deep passion for this universal language called "music", this CD is the best it can get.
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
On her debut album, Based on a True Story, Lil' Mo moves from behind the scenes into the spotlight. You'll probably recognize the soaring vocals on "Superwoman Pt. II" from her hook work for artists like Ja Rule and Missy Elliott. Taking almost all of the writing credits on her debut, Lil' Mo uses her imagination and her brilliant alto to let listeners know that she's more than just a pretty voice. Mo uses her evocative vocal abilities to transform the clichéd story of a little girl with big dreams on "My Story" into a moving piece of music that sends chills up the spine with every climb of her clear voice. Equally powerful is Mo's remake of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time," where she displays the full extent of her range. Likewise, songs like "Supa Star" and "Player Not the Game," featuring Carl Thomas, will send you on an ethereal ride through Lil' Mo's intricately woven world. Lil' Mo's in full command of her voice and material on Based on a True Story, and after one listen, you'll marvel at this new super-singer. --Felicia A. Wilks
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
She's back. After more drama than even this unshy Big Bad Mama might have wanted, it seems as if Foxy Brown has pulled back from the abyss. Of course, on her first album in three years (since the disappointing Chyna Doll), Foxy's rhyme skills haven't gotten any better or worse--she still exhibits the focused monotone that first got her noticed in 1995 on LL Cool J's "I Shot Ya." Broken Silence can't be called a revelation, but it does showcase a less ill, more introspective Na Na. Gratuitous battle rhymes are still very much in effect, but the effort she's made to explore her recent painful experiences has resulted in some pretty compelling material. Foxy explains her position, pointedly making thinly veiled references to the many industry beefs and relationship problems that have made her name prime fodder for the rumor mills. Many of the best tunes found here, including the ragga raw "Oh Yeah," are heavy on the reggae vibe, but, quiet as it's been kept, Foxy's been exploring her dancehall roots for a while now. Broken Silence may not be the best we'll ever hear from Ms. Brown, but you can definitely call it a comeback. --Rebecca Levine
Listening to McClurkin's newest release, it's hard not to think of Andraé Crouch's groundbreaking recordings with the Disciples. After meeting the legend at age 11, McClurkin began a life-long friendship with Crouch; echoes of Crouch's arranging style, mix of voices, propensity for passing the mic to others, and general exuberance can all be heard in McClurkin's work. But that doesn't diminish McClurkin's own gifts and talents, honed with the New York Restoration Choir more than a decade ago and further refined through solo work, a recording with the McClurkin Project, and a stellar contribution to the Prince of Egypt - Inspirational soundtrack.
When it comes to gospel, there's rarely a substitute for a good live recording, and McClurkin's London session starts at full boil and gets hotter by the minute. Where contemporaries like Fred Hammond and Kirk Franklin may take more gambles, McClurkin excels at mixing lush, traditional arrangements ("That's What I Believe" and "Who Would've Thought" featuring Marvin Winans) with funk-driven grooves like "Victory Chant (Hail Jesus)."
"Just for Me" and "Didn't You Know" display the gentler side of McClurkin's tremendous voice, while the stirring "We Fall Down" eclipses the passion of Bob Carlisle's original -- no mean feat. By the final choruses of the closing track, "I Do, I Do," McClurkin has staked his turf among the pantheon of new gospel giants.
Fred Hammond and Radical for Christ
Purpose by Design
(Verity)
Fred Hammond's bio makes reference to the artist being considered -- in some quarters -- as the Babyface of gospel music, an honorarium that seems more descriptive of his cherubic facial features than his multi-faceted talent. Hammond's gifts are indeed so all encompassing -- producer, writer, musician, vocalist, entrepreneur -- that anything less than a comparison to fellow upper-Midwesterner Prince seems faint praise.
Since the early 1990s, Hammond has produced more than 20 albums and become a major force in contemporary gospel music, firmly establishing praise and worship in the African-American church and, by extension, helping revitalize the worship content of both the black and white communities.
With Hammond's own Bootsy Collins-inspired bass-playing at the core of the arrangements on Purpose by Design, it's easy to imagine worshippers of every tribe and tongue responding as he admonishes them, "You might as well go ahead and get your dance on," at the outset of the Sam Cooke/Soul Stirrers re-make "Jesus, Be a Fence." Any of the baker's-dozen tracks could easily be dubbed "highlights," but the best of the best includes "You Are the Living Word," which finds Hammond building from a gentle opening delivery to his trademark, gruff-voiced climax; the relentlessly funky "I Know It Was the Blood"; and the bounce-inducing "Let Me Praise You Now."
To carry the Prince analogy a step further, though it's only a single disc, Purpose by Design might well be considered Hammond's 1999; or to invoke another pop legend, his Thriller. Words like "anointed" are often cast about too loosely in the worship community, but Hammond's music certainly qualifies for that description.
Bruce A. Brown
CDNOW Contributing Writer
