Macy Gray - Roller Coaster Soul Diva

@Macy Gray (born September 6, 1969 is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress, famed for her distinctive raspy voice, and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday and Betty Davis.

Gray has released six studio albums, and received five Grammy Award nominations, winning one. She has appeared in a number of films including Training Day, Spider-Man, Scary Movie 3, Lackawanna Blues, Idlewild and For Colored Girls. Gray is best known for her international hit single "Do Something," taken from her multi-platinum debut album On How Life Is.

Gray's initial success came as a surprise. While attending the University of Southern California, she agreed to write songs for a friend, and a demo session was scheduled for the songs to be recorded by another singer. When the vocalist failed to turn up, Gray recorded them herself. She then met writer/producer Joe Solo while working as a cashier in Beverly Hills. Together, they wrote a large collection of songs and recorded them in Solo's studio. 
  
The demo tape landed Gray the opportunity to sing at jazz cafés in Los Angeles, California. Despite Gray's dislike of her own voice, Atlantic Records signed her. In 1998, she landed a record deal with Epic Records. She was on one of the songs from The Black Eyed Peas' debut album, "Love Won't Wait".
Gray worked on her debut album in 1999, On How Life Is became a worldwide smash. & "I Try" was one of the biggest singles of 1999.

In 2001, she collaborated with Fatboy Slim, The Black Eyed Peas, and Slick Rick (on the song "The World Is Yours", from the Rush Hour 2 soundtrack), as well as acting for the first time in the thriller Training Day. In August 2001, Gray was booed off the field at the Pro Football Hall of Fame exhibition game after forgetting the lyrics to the American national anthem.

Gray's The Id featured appearances by John Frusciante and Erykah Badu on the single "Sweet Baby" (which was co-written with longtime collaborator Joe Solo). In 2002, she appeared in Spider-Man as herself and worked with Santana on the track "Amoré (Sexo)", for his album Shaman.

Also in 2002, she appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD in tribute to Nigerian afropop pioneer Fela Kuti, Red Hot and Riot. She appeared on a remake track of Kuti's classic, "Water No Get Enemy" alongside prominent hip-hop and R&B artists, D'Angelo, The Soultronics, Nile Rodgers, Roy Hargrove, and Kuti's son, Femi Kuti.

She recorded a duet with Zucchero called "Like The Sun (From Out Of Nowhere)", which featured Jeff Beck on guitar released in 2004 on Zu & Co., a duets collection. Her song "Time of My Life" was included in the soundtrack to 8 Mile. A cartoon based on Gray's childhood was being developed, but it never came to fruition.

In 2003, Gray released her third studio album, The Trouble with Being Myself, to rave reviews. The lead single, "When I See You", became a radio hit in the U.S. and a top forty hit in the UK. Nevertheless, it became Gray's third top twenty album in the UK. A greatest hits collection and a live album were subsequently released: The Very Best of Macy Gray (2004) and Live in Las Vegas (2005). Additionally, Gray was featured on Marcus Miller's 2005 album Silver Rain, on a cover of Prince's 1986 song "Girls & Boys". She also appeared on the soundtrack to the film Chicago with Queen Latifah and Lil' Kim on "Cell Block Tango/He Had it Comin'."

Gray began 2007 badly after being kicked off-stage at a concert in Barbados for profanity (which was part of the show), but she was not aware that it was against the law in that country. She gave a public apology that night to avoid arrest.

In March, Gray released her fourth studio album (sixth overall), entitled Big. Two singles, "Finally Made Me Happy" and "Shoo Be Doo", have been released from the album. "What I Gotta Do", another track from the album, is featured on the Shrek the Third soundtrack. It is considered Gray's comeback album, after a four-year hiatus since her last studio album. The album was critically acclaimed and seen by some as her best work to date. It featured collaborations with Natalie Cole, Fergie, Justin Timberlake, and will.i.am, who co-executive produced the album with Gray.

On July 7, 2007, Gray performed at the Brazilian leg of Live Earth at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gray and her band members wore clothes bearing political messages. Gray's dress carried the message "Darfur Red Alert".

In 2008, Macy launched a new campaign under the name Nemesis Jaxson, with upcoming single, "Slap a Bitch".
Macy was available again in another movie soundtrack (she is featured in more than 10 other soundtracks): Confessions of a Shopaholic, with the newest track "Don'Forget Me".

First single from Gray's fifth studio album The Sellout, "Beauty in the World," is used as the theme in multiple videos created by Microsoft.

In 2011, Gray signed a deal with 429 Records and started recording a series of covers for her next studio album Covered.  The album's first single is "Here Comes The Rain Again" (originally performed by Eurythmics).
                
                         
                 
Also in 2012, @Talking Book is the stars new album which sees Macy Gray revisiting one of Stevie Wonders most iconic releases as she pays homage to the music veteran by recording the entire album track for track.

Macy describes Talking Book as a love letter to Stevie Wonder rather than it being a tribute or concert style recording. What better way to pay homage to your idol than to record one if their biggest studio accomplishments and to do it so well as Macy has here. 

My Fav on this one: Tuesday Heartbreak, Superstition & You Are The Sunshine Of My Live. She is one of my all time favorites!

ELECTRO DELUXE - Soul & Funk Cocktail Party -

ELECTRO DELUXE consists of seven musicians among the most active of the French musical stage. Since 2001, the group mixed an unique & original electro music-jazz sound.
 
Like a Soul & Funk cocktail party! 

 
After ten years touring in France and all over the world (China, India, Canada, Mexico, Europe) in the most prestigious festivals (Montreal Jazz Festival, Jazz in Vienna, Cervantino, Solidays) the group brought out this year a double live album recorded with a BigBand. 
 
Real musical reservoir, Electro Deluxe is present in numerous current projects. We indeed find the musicians of the group playing with Ben l'Oncle Soul , Michel Jonasz, Hocus Pocus, Milk Coffee and Sugar or Sixun.

Three albums so far: Stardown in 2005, Hopeful in 2007 and Play in 2010, each having welcomed numerous guests among whom Christophe Panzani and Philippe Sellam (saxophones), Guillaume Poncelet, Flavio Boltro and Jean-François Baud, Didier Lockwood, Cynthia Saint-Ville, IMO, Crystal and HKB FiNN , Julien Birot, Ben l'Oncle Soul ...

 

In the center of the Soul revival  scene, on the border between Jazz and Hip-hop, Electro Deluxe takes root between inheritance and modernity, investigating the musical borders without caring about limits or labels. 

I'm gonna see them next summer ☼…YEAH ☺

Amp Fiddler - Waltz of a Ghetto Fly & Singles

Having studied jazz in school and with Harold McKinney while growing up in Detroit, Joseph "Amp" Fiddler is an American keyboardist, singer, songwriter and record producer. His musical styles include Funk, Soul, Dance and Electronic music. He is probably best known for his contributions to the band Enchantment, and as part of George Clinton’s Parliament and Funkadelic groups from 1985 until 1996. 

Fiddler has worked with Moodymann, Stephanie McKay, Jamiroquai, Prince, Was (Not Was), the Brand New Heavies, Fishbone, Corinne Bailey Rae and Nu Soul artist Maxwell. 

While he was working with his brother, Bubz (bass guitarist, producer and songwriter), he released the album With Respect in 1990 on Elektra, recording under the name Mr. Fiddler. Although the record didn't fare well commercially, it was a solid update of '70s funk with modern production sensibilities. 

In 2002, Amp issued a 12" called Basementality on the Genuine label. Featuring a remix from close associate Kenny Dixon, Jr. (aka Moodymann), the record was an even split between modern Soul and Funky club music with Fiddler's talents boldly displayed.

The Love and War single came out the following year, and the full-length Waltz of a Ghetto Fly saw release in 2004. "Trust me guys, this is essential listening"...On & On. His album, Afro Strut, was released in the U.K, in 2006.

Two years later, Fiddler and Sly & Robbie kicked off the Strut label's collaboration-oriented Inspiration Information series. 

               
Amp Fiddler is credited with introducing Hip-Hop producer J Dilla to the Akai MPC sampling drum machine and also to A Tribe Called Quest member Q-Tip, who introduced the young Dilla into the music industry world.

His warm, expansive, mellifluous music emerges as earthy, supremely relaxed, and rooted in the Funk and Soul that Amp feels most connected to. And, as he suggests, it is music for the head as much as food for the heart and soul.

Victor Davies - Hear the Sound

Victor Davies’ third album, Hear the Sound, has much to live up to. His 2001 self-titled debut was met with critical acclaim leading Q magazine to declare that “Davies' caressing tones could sell sunshine to an Australian". In 2003 his next album, Hoxton Popstars, delivered a number one single in Japan (‘Fire’ held the spot for two weeks). 

This last release, Hear the Sound, which includes a duet with Grammy-nominated Brazilian artist Bebel Gilberto, shows all the signs of continuing this upward trajectory.
Victor’s distinctive sound is realized through his captivating fusion of Latin, Soul, Funk, Jazz and acoustic aesthetics. 

While his music has proved popular around the world Hear the Sound will be somewhat of a homecoming for Victor as it is his first release on a U.K. label. Having established his talent overseas the recent musical shift towards authentic artists in Britain confirmed that the time is right for the Thai kickboxing East Londoner to pursue such achievements at home.

Hear the Sound continues the tradition of artists such as Terry Callier, Jon Lucien and Gilberto Gil while also seeing Victor give a nod to his soul roots with tunes that recall the Isley Brothers and Curtis Mayfield. The album is comprised of songs relating to the emotions and feelings associated with relationships – love, lust, and obsession – as well as addressing political and social issues.

As on previous albums, all songs are written and produced by Victor who also plays most of the instruments (everything except brass and strings). “I found this album easier to record than the others,” Victor says, “I wanted it to be easy to listen to so I approached the recording in a relaxed manner in order to create a warm, comfortable sound in production.”

For an artist who has always been proudly independent of other musicians, this album is noteworthy for including Victor’s first duet track. ‘Comigo (With Me)’ was recorded in Paris with Brazilian star Bebel Gilberto. 

Victor says, “The idea was to do a real traditional kind of duet. I loved Bebel’s two previous albums so when she said she was into the track and would like to sing on it that was really cool. Bebel is very sweet and wears her emotions on her sleeve which comes across really well on ‘Comigo’.”

 
                   

Bebel adds: “When I first heard Victor's song 'Comigo', I immediately connected to his sound. As soon as we decided to do the recording, we end up in Paris singing and having a good time. It was that delicious and easy. Victor is such a talent and I’m so happy to be part of this.”

The decision to call the album Hear the Sound is significant to Victor. “The title is about getting people to listen to the music: don’t get distracted by the hype or the image, just listen. It’s a real back to basics statement.”

Unique Mixture of Soul & Jazz - Molly Johnson - Another Day

Molly Johnson began as a child performer, receiving formal training from the National Ballet School and the Banff School of Fine Arts. Molly's career started in the mid-1960s when as a young grade schooler, she and her brother, Clark Johnson, actor and director (Homicide: Life on the Street, The Wire), were tapped by legendary Toronto producer Ed Mirvish to appear in Porgy and Bess at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. 

In time Porgy and Bess was followed by South Pacific, Finian's Rainbow and other musicals. The budding child star was soon enrolled by the National Ballet School as she desired to become a choreographer. 

By the age of seventeen, Molly was fronting a disco band named A Chocolate Affair. The group lasted just over a year.

Although she has performed as a Jazz singer throughout her career, she did not release a Jazz album until her self-titled solo debut in 2000.

She was lead vocalist for two rock bands, Alta Moda and Infidels in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as frequent contributor to Big Sugar, who also became a prominent Canadian band in the 1990s. 

Both of her bands had notable hits in Canada (Alta Moda's "Julian" and Infidels' "100 Watt Bulb" and "Celebrate"), but both bands broke up (for different reasons) after just one album each.

Also in the mid-to late-eighties, she performed with popular Toronto group Breeding Ground, most notably on their hits Happy Now I Know and Ceremony of Love, both of which received consistent college radio airplay, and even had rotation on MuchMusic. 

She also performed with them live whenever her commitments with Alta Moda weren't in conflict. 

 

In 1989 she performed the song "The Best We Both Can Be" for the film Babar: The Movie, and also provided voice work for Babar and the Adventures of Badou in 2010.

In the mid-1990s, Molly also organized an annual concert series, the Kumbaya Festival, as a benefit for Canadian charities working around HIV and AIDS.
 
Johnson went on to release Another Day in 2003.

This album was well received at home and went on to be successful in France, where she continues to tour. In 2006 she released her third solo album Messin' Around.

She made history at the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival, becoming the first Canadian female vocalist in the festival's 17-year-history to sell out a show on the mainstage. 

She has even regaled royalty during a private command performance aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia before the Prince and late Princess of Wales, as well as having performed for Nelson Mandela and Quincy Jones.

   

On November 11, 2008, Johnson released her fourth full-length album, a record of standards entitled Lucky, via Universal Music Canada and Universal Music France. In March 2009 Lucky took home the Juno Award for "Vocal Jazz Album of the Year".

Her latest release The Molly Johnson Songbook includes 14 studio recordings and 2 previously unreleased tracks – featuring the Daniel Lanois' song Still Water from his acclaimed album, Acadie.

The Molly Johnson Songbook also features a Cole Porter composition not included in the Juno Award Winning Lucky sessions. 
A truly distinctive voice – unique mixture of Soul and Jazz – Molly delivers luscious interpretations of Jazz standards & original repertoire such as “Lush Life”, “Ode to Billie Joe”, “Melody” & “Rain” on this beautiful collection of music. 
Also featured as an iTunes exclusive track is the Daniel Lanois composition, St. Ann’s Gold.

Powerful Jazzy/Funky Soul : Ledisi

 

Ledisi Anibade Young is an American recording 
artist, singer-songwriter, record producer, CEO and actress. Her first name means “to bring forth” or “to come here” in Yoruba (ethnic groups in West Africa). Ledisi is known for her jazz influenced vocals.




In 1995, Ledisi formed the group known as Anibade. After unsuccessfully trying to get the group signed to a major label, she formed LeSun Records with Sundra Manning. Along with her group Anibade, Ledisi released an album entitled Take Time. The album gained major airplay from local radio stations.

In 2000, Ledisi released her first album, Soulsinger: The Revival. Ledisi and her group toured in 2001, performing various shows. 

In 2002, Ledisi released her second album, Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue, which was also released independently. 

The album featured the singles "Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue", "Autumn Leaves" & "Sugar/Brown Sugar".

The album won her an award for "Outstanding Jazz Album" at the California
Music Awards. 
During her five year hiatus, Ledisi made appearances on soundtracks.

In 2007, she signed with Verve and released "Blues in the Night" which featured on the tribute album, We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song.

In 2007, Ledisi signed a major record deal with Verve Forecast and released her third album entitled Lost & Found, which sold almost 217,000 copies and earned her two Grammy nominations, including one for Best New Artist.

In 2009, Ledisi released her fourth album, Ledisi explained the album's title reflected its musical diversity: "The title 'Turn Me Loose' is basically me saying : 'I don't wanna be boxed in! Let me be myself as a performer and singer, because I do EVERYTHING! Not just one particular style!'.


Ledisi toured with R&B/soul singer Kem on his North American INTIMACY Tour.


Ledisi's sixth studio album,  Pieces of Me, was released on June 14, 2011. Ledisi has performed at the White House 3 times at the behest of President and First Lady Obama.





Special appearance on : Trombone Shorty – For True 

Delightful Soul Rarity : Sandra Nkaké - A New Shore - Mansaadi

 

The main reason for opening my iTunes account was...for her, Sandra Nkaké, impossible to find…You know in the other ways & couldn't wait. So that was my 1st purchase, 3 years ago…

Sandra Nkaké is stunning from the first notes, she gives you an uppercut :) You are breathless the first time you listen to her and see this young woman, specially thanks to her incredible voice and her fire temperament on stage.. From a French-Cameroonian culture, she's totally comfortable with both French and English & mix Jazz, Soul and R&B. Her diversity goes beyond language, she is also adroit in handling diverse styles.

One second, the Jazz or the Funk influences are evident, and then the Opera and European folk elements surface, and without hesitation, all of that may be chucked aside as Sandra Nkaké employs the sounds and languages of West Africa, with talent and incomparable imagination!

And you should have some to assure the 1st part of Al Jarreau's show, alone on stage, using a simple machine recording live the rhythmic and her melodies.

As an evidence, her resumption of Georges Brassens song ' La Mauvaise Réputation' on her 1st album MANSAADI (little mother) dedicate to her mother, who died before having seen her daughter on scene. Her mother used to listened to BB King while she was pregnant. Years later, when Sandra was carrying her own child, she heard BB King and inexplicably was emotionally overwhelmed and started crying.

Her debut at 35, in today's youth-oriented music industry, is a delightful rarity. What Sandra Nkaké has...is taste. She is gimmick-free, in that she doesn't rely too much on just one technique. Murmuring voice, throat deployed shouts, whisper words : her universe as a singer, performer and actress seems to be endless. Association of generosity, sensuality and talent, Sandra is a musical UFO!

Soul diva, of-the-wall rocker and song-writer : she slams, protests and invents a universe which she does not have cease to reinvent, to explore, as to recall us that 'the life is a gift'.

It's your turn to discover this prodigious artist, you can't compare her to anybody… Sandra is Unique!

An useful link: A Tribute To Gil Scott Heron - A Place For You

http://www.enmemetemps.com/aplaceforyou/

 

Funk, Jazz, Rock or Soul : Charles Pasi - Better With Butter - Uncaged

This dreamer observes as much the past as the present to better build and understand the future.          

Charles Pasi is a French-Italian and if he grew in Paris, he spent many of his summers across the Atlantic to listen to Miles Davis, Otis Redding, Ray Charles or Bob Dylan.

Down from his 27 years, he speaks to us about a time that some less than thirty years should better known. When he begins the music at the age of 17, Charles doesn't choose an electric guitar but a harmonica.

Against the advice of all, he follows his idea and takes singing & instrument lessons. Having joined a Gospel group, then having studied music in Italy, he picks up several springboards and prizes, skims the jam-sessions and, having ended finalist of International Memphis Blues Festival in 2006, begin an international tour ( United States, Canada, Russia, Hungary, Benelux, Italy, Spain) with his first album, Mainly Blue.

If his first opus was tinged with Blues, his successor Uncaged, is unclassifiable.

Charles often delivers dark texts on melodies with diverse colors. Passionate and enthusiastic, the arrangements are a mixture of influences Blues, Funk, Jazz, Rock or Soul, following the example of Wild it up, title frank as an uppercut in tones Red Hot Chili Peppers or Fume Against the Hatches...

A happy marriage to discover with Better With Butter, generosity in the rough which will make you sway hips as well as on a James Brown and will tempt you to see again all Bertolucci or Ferreri.

The singer distills with talent his wide influences and invites in the passage the legendary Archie Shepp's saxophone for two titles!

The phrasing clashing of the saxophone mixed with the captivating voice of Charles Pasi not betrays a second that half a century separates both men. Once upon a time Charles Pasi, delivers with Uncaged a poignant testimony of what can be the music of yesterday handed back with current tastes and skillfully mixed by a current passionate person. Charles Pasi is a young talent to followed closely.

Archie Shepp

- Pioneer of the free Jazz, the saxophonist evolved towards a music merging the constituents of the Jazz since his origins,Superstar of the saxophone Jazz,Archie Shepp (born in 1937) is, since his debuts, a free musician!

An Alive JAZZ legend ;)

Flawless Neo-Soul : Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott? / The Light of The Sun

Neo-Soul vocalist Jill Scott known as a spoken-word artist, does everything in her own way. Jazzyfatnastess move over because here she comes! You can add her to the growing list of this movement which blends old school R&B, Jazz and Hip-Hop into an infectious mix…This time, I will talk about 2 of my favorite albums.

1- Who Is Jill Scott?

This impressive debut album guarantees that no one will be asking "Who is Jill Scott?" for much longer. A classic mix of Jazz, Hip-Hop, spoken word, and bluesy melodies makes of this record, the best in its genre. 
On the whole is just a beautiful and emotional experience of love. Everything that is in this album is sung exotically from the heart. Crammed with love and desire, Scott expresses her deepest, inner-most feelings in remarkable honestly and astonishing professionalism. Jill, where have you been?

Comparisons to Erykah Badu and D'Angelo, while accurate, fail to convey the power of Scott's expressive voice which can sound sensual or deeply spiritual on one track and have an innocent childish quality on another.

This Philly native's sometimes poetic lyrics are refreshingly honest and unique. Although much of the album is concerned with love, she brings to the listener that urban female perspective that is just now receiving airplay again after a long hiatus.

The album opens with "Jilltro," which is a fantastic intro to open such an accomplished album. She introduces herself with haunting vocals and echoing beats, before moving into "Do You Remember?" which is a classy and seductive slow-jam ballad. 

This is a vivid and soothing song that sets the standard for the rest of the album, as Jill's thick vocals slide over the heavenly beats. "Exclusively" follows this up, and is a humorous insight into Jill's personality and how in love she is with her man.

The song only lasts for little over two minutes, but is an album highlight for sure. You don't hear many female artists singing with such honesty like this, so prepare to be stunned. & on & on… Just allow yourself to listen to the rest… Although I love every single song on this album, if I had to pick my favorite, I would choose 'He Loves Me'. It's simply amazing, and describes exactly how I'd like to be in a relationship ;)... I know I'm dreaming!

Artists like Scott are redefining soul music for a new generation and proving that one doesn't need a crew of backup dancers, a flashy image or vulgar lyrics to entertain.

2- The Light Of The Sun

With this one, it sounds like Jill Scott is having fun making music again. It's recalling an era when tempos were slower and voices less Auto-Tuney. It's a welcome flashback. She has divorced, been left by her subsequent partner and had a baby, all of which have left their mark on this pained but triumphant record. 

Having long preached resilience and self-empowerment, she's now practicing them, turning bruising experiences into uplifting sung-spoken pieces about being down but never out. Musically, she dips into Jazz, Hip-Hop, Funk and Soul, satisfyingly adapting each to her elegant vocals.

She and rapper Eve are fierce together on 'Shame'; contrastingly, a supple, 90-style R&B duet with Anthony Hamilton, 'So in Love' is simply sweet. Slipping and sliding around the fluttering beat on the sparing 'Quick', she vents her distress: "I thought you were special/I feel it in my stomach, I can't seem to move on." 

Sonically, the most adventurous thing here is the long, spaced-out 'Le Boom Vent Suite', but it's Scott's warm womanliness over the whole album that makes it a must-hear!

RULE!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS JILL!

For The Show... She's Great!

Same For the sound :) Special dedicate for Mum...

Funny British Soul: Lack of Afro - A Time For - This Time

Place to the British Soul and to the label Freestyle Records! To announce "This Time" album coming DJ / producer Adam Gibbons, also known as pseudo Lack of Afro, Alex Genn-Bash directed the video for "A Time For."

A tasty and delightful piece that involved the singer Wayne Gidden and that you can already buy in vinyl. The highly anticipated LP is itself expected to on September 26. So by then, it remains for us to salivate while listening to this first single in loop ...

Phenomenal Soulful Voice: Alice Russell - Living the Life of a Dreamer - Pot Of Gold

Alice's demand as a vocalist has gained an enviable reputation as one of the UK's hottest singers, recording with the likes of Massive Attack, The Roots, The Quantic Soul Orchestra, Mr Scruff, Roy Ayres, and De La Soul . 
Blessed with a lavishly soulful voice, Alice's sound is modern, but firmly rooted in the past. Although her style is predominantly bluesy and soul lament it also encompasses everything from funk to Gospel to Jazz and beyond.

Her 4th album "Pot of Gold" is produced once more by TM Duke which is a serious credit in itself, but many of the songs could've been crafted by the Motown legend Berry Gordy when heard. Alice Russell shows off an impressive array of vocal chops, conjuring up the wails of divas like Chaka Khan and Patti LaBelle. 

Russell isn’t afraid to use hints of her British accent as an asset and Russell’s band,from the horn section, to the bassist- Alex Cowen, to violinist- Mike Simmons truly feel what they are putting down on tape and have enough versatility to offer something more than your average Neo-Soul house band.

“Let Us Be Loving” grooves with an electronic beeping that recalls Grace Jones and is our first indicator that Pot of Gold strives to do more than rehash the mid-70s. One minute you’re wooed by the klezmer fiddle of “Lights Went Out,” and before you know it you’re bobbing your head to the Stevie-groove of “Hesitate” or sipping the Acid-Jazz juice of “Universe”. 

From there, she jumps to a bit of Afro-beat on "Living the Life of a Dreamer". The varied production keeps Pot of Gold fresh for its duration as Russell’s consistent yet still stylistically eclectic vocals ensure that the album never feels scattered.

Perhaps the highlight of Pot of Gold is what should be a head-scratching cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.” I mean really, isn’t covering a song as overplayed as “Crazy,” almost like covering the “Macarena”? 

But Russell’s performance turns the whole track on its head, slowing down the tempo even more than the original to crank out a gradually burning hurricane that’s barely recognizable as the “Crazy” we all overplayed a few years back.

Will this album have any staying power for years to come? Who knows? But for an alternate musical pill to the Joss Stones and Adele's of the world of British “Soul", Pot of Gold is mighty tasty for now. And damn can that girl sing ;) If you ever read this Miss Russell…Thank you and please don't stop !!!

One Long, Languid, Shimmering Groovy Nu-Soul : D'Angelo - Spanish Joint - Voodoo

Let's be drunk in a lazy epicurean way & celebrate the sweetness of home comfort, with the only remedy elixir potion-liquor, this Nu-Soul album of D'Angelo "Voodoo". A disc that works as an additional layer, and when it ends the whole house has stripped. The rumors that the artist left for pacifier, let him walk naked in his videos.

So what? you're never walk naked at home? D'Angelo has made this disc as a woman procreate, except that he took him five years and this explains the intimacy of sound. 
The music itself goes back slowly in the womb of mother notes or so. At the end of the song is a babbling and the bells ring out as the memories of our childhood.

Crowning the ease of production, some songs were recorded in the bathroom with two percussion in the bathtub and a friend who claps his hands to keep time ... good spirit...because he came on almost all pieces and this is the "leg" of D'Angelo, the clap a little damp and languid.

The artist looks pretty marabout, perhaps no coincidence that the Nu-Soul album is called "Voodoo".

In any case, it has taste since it uses the breath of Roy Hargrove, Charlie Hunter's finger and chat Redman and Method of tacky. Amazing, to name "Voodoo" album atmospheres if not muted or crazy trance rhythms soared. 

It is the mystic who wins, D'Angelo reminds us that today the sacred simply means to bring the attention thing, respect the tradition and take the time to do it.

And the message is wonderful because the music sounds like a testimony. Includes that of an artist whose world enchants us. So hurry up and eat your yogurt before it expired, the album D'Angelo himself has no use-by date and should be declared of public utility.