 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
![[New Members]](/playback/images/newmembers.gif)
"Learning Karate was my first immediate exposure to an art form" says singer/songwriter and choreographer Morley Kamen. "Very clearly, I remember the sound of my body moving through space and one of the things I realized, was that it made its own music." After attending the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in her teens, Morley initially pursued the art of dance, as a dancer and later a choreographer with the Alvin Ailey Dance Center in New York City. She then integrated her love for music with dance when she co-founded the the Undercurrents Dance Theatre, a multi media company for which she acted as musical director. The experience culminated in a collaboration with Max Roach, Ossie Davis, Baba Olatunji and Cassandra Wilson for the 30th Anniversary of the protest album We Insist! It was also around this time that Morley began writing songs and discovering her unique "voice." Now, after hooking-up with producers Hod David (who has also penned songs for Maxwell) and ex-Fishbone's Chris Dowd, she has created her debut album, Sun Machine (Sony/Work), which is imbued throughout with her love for kindred artists such as Bob Marley, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Sweet Honey in the Rock and others.
|
Awash in pure passion and a starry-eyed love of music, Ask Anybody (Mercury) the debut album from Swirl 360 is an effervescent concoction of retro-pop with modern twists. Twin brothers Denny and Kenny Scott deliver a collection of hook-laden songs and golden harmonies in the great tradition of Badfinger and Cheap Trick. They got some expert help in crafting their perfect pop gems from such connoisseurs as Adam Schlesinger (Ivy, Fountains of Wayne), Ken Stringfellow (The Posies) and Eugene Kelly (Eugenius, The Vaselines). "Only good things come from collaborating with others, insists Denny. "So when the label asked who we'd want to write with, we choose people whose albums we really like." A hallmark of Swirl 360's songcraft is their positive outlook. Says Denny, "We like some of the music that's come out of the alternative scene, but we've always tried to stay away from depressing stuff." Is the world ready for angst-free pop again? One listen to "Hey Now Now," the album's first single, and you'll be convinced that happy days are here again. |
|
Under his photo in his high school yearbook were the words: "Listens to Merle Haggard and George Jones in his spare time." It seems Clint Daniels used his time wisely. The 24-year-old Florida native has just released his debut album for Arista/Nashville and proves that he learned a few things in his formative years. Singing his songs in a thoughtful baritone that combines the energy of a newcomer with the resonance of an old master, Daniels is bearing the torch for traditional country while being true to his own muse. Having written all but three songs on his debut album, Daniels impresses equally with upbeat confessionals and smoldering ballads. Two show-stopping finales, "Goin' Down Hard" and "If I Stay" even walk proudly through 60s pop-country territory. |
As a member of the Refugee All Stars, John Forté's resume already has some impressive highlights. He has written, performed and produced tracks on the Fugees' multiplatinum international smash The Score as well as Wyclef Jean's solo album, Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival featuring Refugee All Stars. He was also one of the top crowd pleasers at Fugees SRO concerts around the world. Now Forté is stepping out on his own with his Refugee Camp/RuffHouse /Columbia Records debut album, Poly Sci. A self-taught engineer and producer (he also plays classical violin) and natural hip hop performer, FortT has a background that is as eclectic as his music. Raised in the gritty Brownsville section of Brooklyn, he later attended the prestigious Philips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire.Upon graduation, John moved back to the city and set about integrating his two disparate worlds into one creative force. His message can now be found on his CD: "It's about finding common ground and being able to touch people regardless of socio-economic or geographical backgrounds," he says. "Because my life has given me the opportunity to experience things maybe a kid from Brownsville shouldn't have, I want to extend that opportunity to the world, through my music."
Spanning the soulful gap between R & B's historic past, prolific present and far-reaching future is Destiny's Child, the self-titled debut CD from Columbia Records exciting new female vocal quartet. Comprised of four talented Houston, Texas-based singers -- Beyonce, Kelly, LaTavia and LeToya -- Destiny's Child (both the group and the album) paints a mosaic of youthful exuberance and mature romantic awakenings. The lead single, "No, No, No," combining scintillating lyrics with powerful harmonies, is such a timeless soul gem that the album features two versions, one produced by Vincent Herbert and Rob Fusari (3 Boyz From Newark Entertainment) and the other produced by the Fugees' Wyclef Jean, who also appears on the track. Other star contributors on the album either producing and/or performing include Pras, Jermaine Dupri, Master P, Sylvia Bennett Smith, Tim & Bob (Boyz II Men) and Tony Toni Tone's Dwayne Wiggins.
|
With built-in charisma, ready-made showmanship and born-for-stardom appeal, the Dixie Chicks are (in industry-speak) "the real deal." All Texans, Natalie Maines and sisters Martie Seidel and Emily Erwin have been paying their dues as entertainers for 8 1/2 years and have won raves throughout the Lone Star State. In fact, The Dallas Observer has awarded them with "Best Country Band" for four years running. Their flawless three-part harmony combined with their mastery of the fiddle, dobro, mandolin, banjo and guitar are winning them legions of new fans wherever they play. They have opened for such superstars as Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Loretta Lynn and Emmylou Harris and with the launch of their major label debut, Wide Open Space (Sony), they seem poised for superstardom themselves. From the infectious groove of the first single, "I Can Love You Better," to the soaring ballad, "Once You've Loved Somebody," they are making their stand far beyond "Dixie" land. |
PlayBack
: October - November - December 1998
ASCAP PlayBack
