Recent posts: Interviews

If you call yourself a true fan of soul and jazz, you’ve been checking for Derrick Hodge for a while. Producer, arranger, composer, musician, Derrick’s putting an exclamation point on an eventful year by releasing his sophomore solo album on esteemed label Blue Note Records, appropriately titled ‘The Second’ today. Throwing his hat into the impressive arena of August music releases, the album mixes late-night smoky club smooth vivid imagery with modern-day genre hybridization, reflecting growth and deservingly racks up rave reviews.

For anyone with eyes, compassion for humankind and a heart, it’s obvious 2016’s been a roller-coaster year for many. There’s been darkness and death mixed with happy moments along the way. These extreme moments naturally bring forth introspection and pondering the meaning of life, with Selah Sue’s sophomore album ‘Reason’ arriving at the perfect time.

When compiling a list of the best blues rock guitarists around, it’s not a coincidence one name pops up repeatedly. Eric Gales’ name often appears on these lists, the musician who’d garnered comparisons to other guitar royalty, showing prodigy level talent before most teens can drive, dropping his first album on a major label at the tender age of 16. Known for his unique style of playing a right-handed guitar the opposite way, anyone who’s seen him live would agree his skill is magnetic. At 17 years old, he was flown in a helicopter to Woodstock to play with Carlos Santana. Spending some time with him at the Winter NAMM Show this year, beyond the cosigns in publications from Dave Navarro and Joe Bonamassa, I witnessed many other prominent guitarists featured in other booths take time out of their busy schedules to see him play or stop him while walking on the exhibit floor to express their genuine admiration. He took it all in humble stride, not letting the attention faze him, which impressed me even more.

As the first third of the year quickly fades away and school end countdowns begin, that normally usually means one thing to a music fan- your fav bands are hitting the road and summer concert plans need to be locked down. One such group becoming road warriors again is LBC based Sunflower Dead. After the attention-grabbing album cover for their latest album ‘It’s Time To Get Weird’ caught my eye in one of my feeds, I needed to hear more. Produced by respected rock producers Dave Fortman and Channel Zero’s Mikey Doling with a feature from Korn’s Jonathan Davis, the album’s gotten rad reviews from death and nu metal fans alike.

As the first quarter of 2016 fades into the rear view and we begin to set vacation plans now that we can venture outside without risk of snow or frostbite, travel soundtracks must be selected. One such album virtually packed for such excursions is talented trio King’s recently released and much anticipated debut, ‘We Are King’. Whether you’re jumping in the car and rolling down the windows to feel the warm breeze or taking a plane to a far-off land, this album serves as the chill perfect partner. Getting co-signs from Questlove, Erykah Badu, Prince (being asked to open for him in LA) and collaborating with Robert Glasper on Grammy-winning ‘Black Radio’, the love for this threesome runs deep.

It’s no secret great music is timeless. Years might pass and you’d rock a great song in the same way you rocked it the day it dropped. Watching platinum selling R&B triad After 7 perform “Ready or Not” with Jazmine Sullivan during Babyface’s tribute at the last Soul Train Music Awards drew me back to their discography and I delightedly discovered they’d returned with a new single “I Want You”, with the promise of a new album in 2016. Combining original members brothers Kevon and Melvin Edmonds, Keith Mitchell and Melvin’s son Jason Edmonds along with the production prowess of Babyface and Daryl Simmons is bound to be another winning combination for recreating music magic.

Every time I hear someone lament that soul or funk is dead, I laugh. Blessed to be sent a lot of dope albums this year, one stand-out in this lively and danceable intersection, which pays homage to those soldiers who came before us, is Nigel Hall’s brilliant “Ladies & Gentlemen… Nigel Hall”. Reflecting expert band musicianship and retro respect for the craft that feels like smooth honey in your tea and as cozy as your favorite sweater on a cold day, Nigel assembled an all-star dope crew of Soulive and Lettuce brothers Ryan Zoidis, Adam Deitch, Eric Krasno , Ivan Neville and Questlove who guests on a key Isley Brothers cover.

Counting down the dopest projects of the year as we prepare to bid 2015 farewell, adios, deuces, I naturally gravitated back to my highest rotation records. The ones that made me cross international borders and created excitement within me as soon as they dropped. One such project getting the #CarlitasCut co-sign is K-os’ ‘Can’t Fly Without Gravity’. Ever since ‘Superstarr Pt. Zero’ entered my ear canals in 2003, he’s consistently been on my radar, dropping smart, thought-provoking and left of center genre-bending albums, simultaneously alienating and attracting fans with every turn. His sixth full-length is no different and I needed to connect with its creator.