http://www.blogtalkradio.com/x2thel/2013/05/16/wednesday-rewind-sam-cooke

Shelly Bhushan has been described as “sexy, beautiful, raw, and soulful.” But it’s hard to pigeonhole this songbird. Join the Q-Man and T-Mitch as they discuss with Shelly her new album “Something Out of Nothing” and be the first to hear some of the soulful tracks.

Call in to listen at 347-237-5212 or  log in and listen at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/x2thel/2013/05/09/the-neo-soul-show-welcomes-back-shelly-bhushan.

Learn more about Shelly Bhushan at http://www.shellybhushan.com/

As someone who frequently writes about jazz, World (especially Brazilian) and neo-soul music, I have always found certain similarities between contemporary soul and the music of Brazil. I was aware that James Brown, Sly Stone and Funkadelic (to name a three) had informed the careers of artists like Tim Maia and Jorge Benjor and that the bossa nova of Jobim and Gilberto had greatly influenced American jazz (after having borrowed from West Coast jazz in the first place).  However, it took a while for me to realize that the cross-pollination has gone farther than that – and that some of our favorite artists not only drank from the fountain but also collaborated with Brazilian artists over the years.

One of the earliest of these that I have encountered was a re-creation of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Water to Drink” by Incognito with São Paulo-born Ana Caram and British-singer Omar that appeared on the 1996 Red Hot  + Rio (Verve) AIDS awareness compilation.  That version differs sharply from the various earlier samba-based recordings of the song, and gives it more of a dance groove.

On the same album, neo-soul pioneer Maxwell appears on “Segurança” (Security), an original tune that features Rio de Janeiro-born Vinicius Cantuaria on guitar and percussion. Maxwell had toured Brazil the year before, and was certainly acquainted with the sounds of the land, and came up with a gem of a song that has been criminally overlooked.

While the first Red Hot + Rio celebrated classic bossa nova, the 2011 version (eOne) went further into the late 60s Tropicalia movement, which is considered Brazil’s response to the psychedelics of the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Among the featured artists  (Aloe Blacc, Bebel Gilberto) on this two-disc compilation is John Legend’s beautiful “Love I’ve Never Known,” a charming samba that somehow went under the radar.

Legend also worked with legendary pianist and arranger Sergio Mendes on the Wil.I.am-produced Timeless (Concord, 2006), on “Please Baby Don’t,” a downtempo samba about the end of a love affair. The song probably went unnoticed because the album had many strong moments, including a new take on “Mas Que Nada” featuring the Black Eyed Peas.

The 2011 movie Rio told the story of a Minnesota-based blue macaw (Jesse Eisenberg) that is taken to Brazil to save his species and then finds himself fighting bird smugglers while falling for a female macaw (voiced by Oscar winner Anne Hathaway) with the help of two party-loving birds voiced by Jamie Foxx and Will.I.Am.

Halfway through the film, Foxx’s character tries to create a mood for the two ‘lovebirds’ by singing “Fly Love,” a beautiful bossa written by percussionist Carlinhos Brown, who also co-wrote many of the tunes on the movie’s soundtrack alongside Mendes and Will.I.Am. Foxx and Will.I.Am also share vocals on the dance-inflected “I Wanna Party,” which combines elements of soul with samba and Rio’s ‘baile funk.

We close this collection – which was done entirely from memory -  with Ledisi’s contribution to Mendes’ 2008 disc Encanto (Verve, also co-produced by Will.I.Am) – a modern re-reading of Jobim’s “Waters of March” – a classic from Brazil that is given a new life with this fantastic arrangement.

Do you know of any other collaboration that I might have overlooked? If so, please add to the comments box below.

Between touring as a background singer and producing, arranging, and writing for other artists, Honey rarely had time to reflect and explore inward for the sound she was looking for; one that moved her and felt like home. Finally, after many twists and turns in her story, this Roberta Flack Protege discovered her very own warm yet edgy mash up of classic soul, R&B, hip-hop and reggae music. Honey found her “sound” on the Fun & Sexy Side of Soul Music. Butter Fly Soul Records Is pleased to announce the release of Honey Larochelle’s debut album, The Yes Feeling in stores February 2013.

The Yes Feeling is the X2theL CD of the month.  Learn more about the album and listen to the first single “Fight ForHim” here.

Angela Lester recently had the pleasure of talking with Larochelle as she travelled to an album release party:

Review by Angela Lester

“Every honeybee fills with jealousy, when they see you out with me. I don’t blame them goodness knows, my honeysuckle rose”

So the album from Honey Larochelle, The Yes Feeling, begins.  The album dives straight into the slightly ‘70’s flavored tune “Heaven.”  Larochelle, has a voice and style that sexy, sweet, and hip hop.  This is demonstrated on her next tune “Be Your Baby.”

The album is filled with gems like this.  In addition to the melodic flavor that is a mainstay of the CD, Larochelle also proves to be an excellent lyricist.  For instance, “Hey Love,” in addition to having an infectious refrain, contains the following lyric

“I am a mountain, I have been climbed….But in my big ole heart, which was bruised and scarred and is torn apart, but through all that there’s always room for you ‘cause I still believe…”

Other notable tunes on the album include “Canadian Girl” for the hip hop fans.  “Dear John” is a blues tune that I hope to hear performed live one day with me being a Memphis girl. “One 2 Three,” which features Sheldon Senior, is reggae tinged.  “Back of My Car” is a funky tune that has traces of the ‘70’s.

I could go on.  The whole album is one that deserves a place in your playlist.  I believe that you will find something new on each listen.  I certainly have. (Butter Fly Soul Records 2013)

Enjoy “Fight For Him” below.

Review by Ernest Barteldes

“Back in the 60s, we used to stand in the street and sing this song,” Phil Perry speaks as the album opens. “But that was then, and this is now,” as he updates Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me” into a contemporary soul format. It is a great version of the classic, and he brings many great songs to the fore on this album. He borrows from Aretha Franklin’s arrangement to Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” by bringing into more spiritual territory, and repackages The Beatles’ “The Long and Winding Road” to a modern neo-soul audience.

The surprises don’t stop there. He does a great job on the Carly Simon/Michael McDonald composition “You Belong To Me” with great harmonies from Najee. “Where Is The Love” (not to be confused with the Black Eyed Peas’ song of the same name) is a beautiful ballad about the end of a love affair with great vocals from Chanté Moore, and the title track is clearly destined to wedding ceremonies. This is now, for sure – but Perry still has a few things to say as performer.

(Shanachie)

Listen to “Where Is The Love”

Marvin Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr., was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Gaye helped to shape the sound of Motown Records in the 1960s with a string of hits including “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and duet recordings with Mary Wells and Tammi Terrell, later earning the titles, “Prince of Motown” and “Prince of Soul”. During the 1970s, Gaye recorded the concept albums What’s Going On and Let’s Get It On and became among the first artists in Motown to break away from the reins of its production company. Gaye’s later recordings influenced several R&B sub genres such as quiet storm and neo-soul. Following a period in Europe under a tax exile in the early 1980s, Gaye released the 1982 Grammy Award-winning hit, “Sexual Healing” and the Midnight Love album. Since his death in 1984, Gaye has been posthumously honored by many institutions including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Join in the conversation by listening to the show at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/x2thel. Don’t forget to join us in the chat room for loads of fun and giveaways.

New York, NY

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Review & photos by Ernest Barteldes

Appearing before a sold-out audience at the Times Square blues club, bandleader Bluey led his Incognito through a 30-song set that covered every significant moment from the band’s 30-plus career, kicking off with a couple of instrumentals that focused on the horn section’s tight chops. The tunes had a strong late 70s Jorge Ben-like Brazilian funk feel, especially during trombonist Trevor Mires’ solos. Following that, vocalist Vanessa Haynes made her entrance and led the group through “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.” She was later joined by co-lead vocalists Tony Momrelle and Natalie Williams, who all sang four-part harmonies along with Bluey, who was celebrating the release of his debut solo album Leap of Faith (Shanachie).

The bandleader then paused to introduce the singer he described as “my muse, my Aretha Franklin,” referring to Baltimore-born Maysa, who joined the ensemble for “Don’t Turn My Love Away” and “Step Into My Life,” the latter which she declared to be her ‘favorite Incognito song.’ The band sounded very strong with the union of the five voices on those songs. At one moment, the band members switched instruments and went through two numbers with Bluey on lead vocal. It was quite interesting to see the versatility of these musicians – bassist Francis Hylton moved to keyboards, percussionist Joao Caetano took over the bass, drummer Francesco Mendolia went to lead guitar while Haynes played percussion and Williams joined the horn section on trumpet.

Maysa rejoined the ensemble several times through the set, and that included a heartfelt duet with Momrelle on “Wild and Peaceful.” Among other highlights was a tribute to Motown that showcased a very personal rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Always” with Momrelle on lead vocals and a ripping rendition of Leon Ware’s “If I Ever Lose This Heaven” with Williams on lead, who hit every single high note without missing a beat. The band also looked back into their instrumental jazz band past with a performance of “Parisian Girl,” the first single ever recorded by Incognito.

It would be impossible to describe Incognito’s entire set, which went on for over two hours and a half, but it was a joyful set played with no interruptions – the audience was on their feet the entire time, moving to the group’s uptempo beats and their incessant energy.

On the debut release by this young neo-soul singer, the first impression we get is that we are hearing to a diamond in the rough:  he has great vocal delivery and his music has great quality. However, the production is lacking: Canty is backed mostly by electronic sounds (the drumming is clearly computer-generated), but it is clearly a greeting card for things to come.

Among the best moments are “Three Words,” an infectious ballad with a great hook that has live performances in mind. “Don’t Pass Me By” has a narrator trying to convince a girl he’s the right man for her. “In and Out” contains samples of African music that serve as a great backdrop for a song that was clearly influenced by Reggaeton, Puerto Rico’s response to hip-hop.

Canty is a talented artist that deserves a fully produced and arranged record – if audiences (and labels) give him the chance with this simple but accomplished showcase (Giant Step)

Listen to “Used by You” here:

http://www.marcuscantyofficial.com