Recent posts: Interviews

Looking back at the highlights of 2024, one shining moment comes to mind. Reading the list of honorees for this year’s 12th annual She Rocks Awards, my excitement piqued as I read Debbie Gibson’s name, a woman who needs no introduction. For any little kid growing up in NY in the late 80’s, it was a given you’d hear one of her songs she’d written blasting out of backseat car speakers or see one of her unforgettable videos if you were lucky enough to have early MTV.

As I wrap up this musical year, I ponder my favorite moments of 2024, and one clear standout came during this year’s impressive annual NAMM Show. Perusing the list of performing acts, I knew I couldn’t miss Yamaha’s Grand Plaza Stage Night of Worship with Take 6. Hooked since I heard “Spread Love’ as a kid, the acapella legendary gospel and jazz sextet livened the crowd’s spirit and did not disappoint live.

Anyone who’s listened to Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” featuring newcomer chart topper Shaboozey or recently watched the Christmas halftime show featuring Compton Cowboys and the first black rodeo queen, knows black country music hit the mainstream cultural zeitgeist in a big way in 2024. One person who knew its potential and always understood its cultural roots and significance is Black Opry founder Holly G. After not seeing herself being represented within the country music scene, she’s broken-down racial barriers since 2021 for black country artists in Nashville, a place with a documented history of racism and a storied rep for not being welcoming to those in the genre with brown skin.

As the world watched the events of the U.S. election unfold last week, reactions from Kamala Harris supporters ran the gamut from outrage to sorrow to shock and disgust. Within tumult throughout the decades, artists have always found the perfect way to capture sentiments of what we’re feeling just at the perfect time. One such primed album reaching our ears when we needed it most is Charlie Castell’s impassioned latest effort ‘Beautiful Apocalypse’.

Throughout the 2010’s, nestled in North Carolina’s Bull City stood one of the premier jazz and R&B festivals. Assembling historic lineups with ease, where one could view legendary and rising talent favs at several venues across Durham, the Art of Cool Fest became a yearly highlight. During its second year, it drew bandleader, film and TV composer Kris Bowers. Connecting with him then in 2015, he spoke of working on Showtime’s Kobe Bryant ‘Muse’ documentary and the booked and busy musical road ahead of him.

As images of elaborate floats descend down historic New Orleans streets and mid-air bead tossing continue into the late night hours, one can’t help but get swept up in the mardi gras madness. An album that perfectly encapsulates this distinct time of year and its special festive atmosphere is Delfeayo Marsalis and The Uptown Jazz Orchestra’s “Uptown On Mardi Gras Day”. Whether it’s the “Mardi Gras Mambo” or the “Uptown Boogie”, this 2023 12-song offering takes the listener down to Bourbon St right quick.

Walking through the Grammy Museum a few months ago, I encountered a powerful musical industry agent of change who warmly greeted me while I was checking out the dynamic sights and sounds of the recent “Hip-Hop America” exhibit preview. Amid the valid vocal scrutiny and criticism from artists and fans in The Recording Academy’s past, Ryan Butler, VP of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), directly affects the Academy’s membership representation with the Black Music Collective and his partnerships with Color of Change and GLAAD. Although there’s more to do, the building impact can already be seen in last year’s nominations, changes to the voting process and in stage show content (Check out this year’s show broadcasting live on Sunday February 4th).

Walking through the Grammy Museum’s latest “Hip-Hop America- The Mixtape Exhibit”, flashes of fiery media clips, interactive pods and historic rare artifacts greet the visitor from the jump. Inspecting every display case during its preview a few weeks ago, it’s clear the expertise, care and thought that went into the exhibit’s creation. Wandering through the halls, I luckily connected with one of the exhibit’s co-curators, Felicia Angeja Viator, who brought her vast cultural knowledge and background to the table, ensuring West Coast hip-hop repped throughout.