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Alright, I’m going out on a limb and say that I was one of the first to know about the upcoming project by Pyeng Threadgill. Pyeng, she of the critically acclaimed project “The Music of Robert Johnson” invited about 50 of her closest friends to take part of a live recording of her latest work: “Portholes To A Love And Other Short Stories”. This was also filmed by Annabel Wong of Wild Horse Productions. I spoke to Pyeng back in January and she sounded very excited about working on this project. Based on the performance, this forthcoming release will be a huge success for Ms Threadgill.

It’s an added benefit when the events you support take on a greater purpose that resonates far beyond the music. The Queens Daughters:  Celebrating Women Who Rock with a touch of soul: Honoring the musical legacy of Labelle. Thanks to the ladies of Ubiquita, we were able rock with three of the funkiest women on the scene today. Headlining the event was Atlanta based Joi (aka Tennessee Slim aka Star Kitty), Tamar Kali and Shelly Nichole’s Blakbushe turned out the Manhattan Center in NYC. The proceeds of this event went to NextAid, a non-profit organization committed to providing solutions for children orphaned by AIDS in Africa. A great show for an important cause made for a special night.

Though I had been a fan for years, this was my first time seeing Joi. My love for her music goes way back to the single “ The Sunshine And The Rain”, from her first cd “The Pendulum Vibe”. Last year I finally got my hands on “The Amoeba Cleansing Symdrome”, a great cd that was never released because the record execs didn’t know what to do with it. If you’re familiar with Joi you know that she’s not the traditional soul singer. She effortlessly weaves rock, funk and soul into a high energy rock n soul love affair. In tribute to Labelle, Joi performed her cover of “You Turn Me On”. Labelle would’ve been proud.

I have to say that I was familiar with Tamar Kali but I had never really listened to her until now. Wow! I had no idea that she puts it down like that. Tamar uses her powerful voice to sing her soulful blend of alternative rock. Ever since her performance, I’ve been rocking her ep “Geechee Goddess Hardcore Warrior Soul” in my ride with the volume cranked up.

This was also my first time seeing Shelly Nichole’s Blakbushe. Shelly calls her fusion of music Solaroc; blending soul, funk and rock together. If anyone embodies the spirit of Labelle, it’s Shelly and her band.

When you have events such as these, it’s just as important to have a quality DJ to entertain us between acts. Props to DJ Reborn and others for keeping us movin’ and groovin’.

About a year ago, I was bangin’ a soulful house track (my favorite kind of house) called “Rain”. At the time, I wasn’t aware that the artist was Manchildblack. I was already enjoying his show at Joe’s Pub in NYC but when he closed the show with that track, it was the exclamation point to an outstanding night. Of course, after the show I had to find out what else I’ve been sleeping on. Turns out that the brother has another ep called “Awake In a Dream” that features the gem “To The Sky”. This is one of those feel good jams that remind you why you love music in the first place. The cut displays Mandchildblack’s great vocals,  plus inspiring lyrics and a great chorus. Manchildblack played tracks from his brand new ep “My Minds I”.  Below is Manchildblack with Fiona Bloom and singer KiKi. In the meantime, check out his myspace to hear just how talented this man is and become a believer.

Man! I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoyed my first Black Lilly festival. In a short time, the festival that celebrates women in music and film has become a world wide event. If I had any doubts about whether or not I would attend, they were eliminated the moment I saw the lineup.  Many talented artists like Lizz Wright, Ladybug Mecca, Muhsinah, Philly's own Bahamadia and many more. The event was well organized with the artists from both genres consistently hitting the stage with no gaps in between. I had so much to report and so many pictures to show off that I decided to dedicate an entire page for the event.

I have two new friends to add to my inner circle. Their names are KiKi and Sun Singleton. We first met over a year ago when they were backing up Alice Smith. The list of artists these two have worked with is bananas. Sun has worked with Angelique Kidjo, D’Angelo and Julie Dexter just to name a few. KiKi has also worked with everyone. Her vocals are featured on the Q-tip single “Work It Out” that dropped in 2007. She is also going to be working with Shelly Nicole’s Blakbushe on May 10^th. On this night, these two ladies are performing on the Cutting Room stage with their own separate bands. Sun opened the night and sprinkled her brand of Rebel soul all over everyone. KiKi merely combined elements of soul, folk and rock and gave her audience a taste of her enormous talents. You know I’m all about showcasing the independent artists with tons of talent. These two ladies are examples of the musicians out there who are doin’ it real big.

Van Hunt loves to play with his eyes closed. However there were moments when he couldn’t resist looking out at the crowd that was reciting his songs word for word. With only two albums to credit, Van Hunt is one of the exciting new faces of soul music. If Blue Note doesn’t hurry up and release the forthcoming “Popular”, I’m going to lead the march to their headquarters seeking answers. In the meantime, go to itunes and download the ep until the album comes out. As for the show, now you know dude didn’t disappoint. Granted, I was looking forward to hearing his band but if anyone can rock a one man show, it’s Van Hunt.

Portland Oregon native and now Brooklyn resident Shae Fiol proved that she is more than opening act filler. Shae's style can be described as acoustic soul. India Arie comes to mind. Shae, if you’re reading this, I need a copy of that ep. If not, well I’ll have to wait like everyone for her debut to drop. Shae is a great songwriter and has a wonderful voice so watch out for her. In fact, check her out at Solomon’s Porch in Brooklyn on May 15^th.

Let me inform you right now on what is going to be one of the hottest releases of nusoul this year, Future Music by Daru & Reggie B. It won’t be long before Daru is sought for his unique production skills. Reggie B’s voice is as smooth as a tailored suit. It wouldn't be a bad idea to visit Daru's myspace page. The brother has a ton of projects available including a free mixtape download hosted by 4Hero's Marc Mac. Headlining an event hosted by DJ Barry King, Daru & Reggie B, along with Rena, Kissey Asplund and Taihisha rocked LES in NYC. The turnout wasn’t quite as large due to the fact that the Roots album release party was a few blocks away. Don’t sleep though, Daru & Reggie B will be back soon to provide you with more “Future Music”.

Another record to look for would be “Feel The Love” by Daru & Rena. Rena’s angelic voice combined with Daru’s beats make this release irresistible. What can I say? There’s so much good music out there that it’s hard to keep up sometimes. This record deserves to be in your rotation however and you can go to Rena’s myspace page to check it out for yourself. Taihisha is written for a handful of artists in the industry and we are waiting for her to put her record. She currently has a single out that you can check out via her myspace site.

I have always been a Rahsaan Patterson fan. I have enjoyed all four of his cd’s including his latest, “Wine & Spirits”. But his performance at Irving Plaza may have been the best show I’ve seen this year. The man rocked an energized crowd for a solid two hours. He eased his way through his catalogue by singing songs from his first disc like "Spend The Night"and working his way up to the present. If that wasn’t enough, dude just had to take it there and absolutely smoked the Sade classic “Stronger than Pride”. Those who were there know what I’m talking about. Especially towards the end when Rahsaan started sharing the mic with several up and coming artists in the crowd and one veteran soul diva, none other than Miki Howard. This wasn’t just a great show, this was a lovefest between the artist and the audience. You had to be there.

Sunday night at the Knitting Factory was a special night. First of all, huge thanks to Taylor McFerrin, the man who put this event together. Taylor, joined by TK Wonder performed tracks from an upcoming project that the two of them are working on together. It’s always cool to see the crowd’s reaction whenever Taylor hits the stage. Between his human beatbox skills and his keyboard wizardry, the crowd goes bananas. And when TK rocks the mic, you get the sense you’re witnessing the emergence of the next MC phenom.

Speaking of MC’s, this was my first time seeing the special guest of the night, South London’s own Ty. Ty and the BK crew Mobius Collective tore it down with their highly energized set. Not only does Ty possess the skills but he is a very cool dude. He has worked with a number of artists like 4Hero and graced the stage with Talib Kweli. He brings a tremendous amount of energy and knows how to keep the crowd hyped. In addition, he gave some shine time to Kissey Aspund, who I saw last week in Brooklyn. Kissey sung her track “So Good”, produced by Daru (more on him later). After that, it was back to Ty who picked up from where he left off. Once his set was over, everyone needed a few minutes to catch their breath. You had to be there to understand just how hot this night was. Oh, I can’t leave out DJ Misbehaviour, who was laying down a serious mix of soul and jazz during her set. She has a real cool style and her selections were on point.

And as a bonus, I got to meet a dude who is going to make a lot of noise this year. That man goes by the name of Daru. Daru is a dope producer and is real sick on the drums. I found out first hand when he performed during Ty’s set. This will be the first of many occasions you’ll will hear me spread the word on his new cd “Future Music”, which also features Reggie B on the vocals. I’m telling you right now  the future of soul is in good hands with projects like this.

Two very talented ladies who were also in the building, Kiki and Sun Singleton will be hosting a party at the Cutting Room in NYC on April 30^th. Check the news link for details. DJ Reborn will on hand to provide the music. This will be my first time hearing Sun live but I have heard Kiki live before. I heard Kiki when she worked with Alice Smith last year. Let me tell that she has a great voice so this will no doubt be a fun night.

It was several months ago when I first heard “WithYou”, the single from Kissey Asplund’s forthcoming debut “Plethora”. The sound, smooth, spaced out soul with a sweet voice to match. Kissey, a native of Sweden was already making noise in the UK and now has set her sights on the US. Produced entirely by the Papa Jazz crew, “Plethora” will no doubt be one of the hottest records in 2008. When I found out that Kissey was coming to New York, I was on a mission to find out where she was performing. My search led me to Williamsburg Brooklyn, where she was performing at Galapagos. Kissey brought loads of energy and several new tracks to the stage. “Plethora” is out now. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

I had no idea who Jesse Boykins was but I’m well aware of him now. Jesse and his band turned out! The boy is dope and his band was tight. He has a great voice and if he doesn’t blow up, I will conduct an investigation.

Another highlight for me was checking out Pursuit Grooves. The Maryland native and now Brooklyn resident stirred my interest with her instrumental cd, “Fun Like Passion”. An organic collection of hip hop flavored beats mixed with some jazzy overtones. Several tracks have that ambient, dreamy feel that takes you to a far away place. Once I knew that she was providing the grooves (no pun intended) I wasn’t going to miss it. I’m so glad I didn’t.

Tortured Soul has nailed the formula for house music with live instrumentation. Their debut, “Introducing” was soulful house music that resonated far beyond the house music community. Their first single, “I might Do Something Wrong” was a huge success. Another single, “How’s Your Life” was a winner as well. The creator behind Tortured Soul, Christian Urich is also the man founded the rnb group Cooly’s Hot Box. Tortured Soul performed those songs as well as some tracks from their long awaited second disc, “In Transit”, set for release later this year.

Is there a city producing more innovative music than Detroit? Not likely. Just look at the alumni, Carl Craig, the late Jay Dilla to name a few and of course, Amp Fiddler. Amp perfected his skills working George Clinton’s band, replacing Bernie Worrell. In 2004, he used his education from the P-Funk institute and released “Waltz of a Ghetto Fly”, to critical acclaim. Amp followed that up in 2006 with “Afro Strut”, solidifying his place as one of the funk pioneers on the scene today. “Afro Strut” was first released in the UK so last year Amp re-released it in the US, in the process remixing the hit “If I Don’t” this time including none other than Corine Bailey Rae. For those who missed Amp at the Highline Ballroom, let me tell you that you missed it. The man turned it out!

This was my first time seeing (or hearing for that matter) Mocean Worker. I was very impressed. Adam Dorn, the leader and his band did their thing. Their sound has a jazzy sound from the swing era funked up for the 21^st century. I will definitely have to check their catalogue. Some of you may be familiar with the track “Right Now” from their 2004 release “Enter The Mowo”. It’s in a popular commercial of which I can’t remember at the moment. If you’re new to their music, this disc would be a good place to start. Check out their myspace page to get familiar.

When Lizz Wright came on the scene in 2003 with “Salt”, everyone figured we had an extremely talented jazz singer. There was one problem with that assessment. When Lizz looked deep within her soul she saw the music that really inspired her. Producer Craig Street (Cassandra Wilson) deserves some credit for that too. Craig produced Lizz’s previous cd, “Dreaming Wide Awake”, and he has also produced her latest project. “The Orchard” is a great record and Lizz Wright is a rising star. Not to mention an absolute delight to see in person. I first saw Lizz perform five years ago and the difference between then and now is obvious. Here is Lizz delivering a wonderful performance at the Highline Ballroom.

Ever heard of Nouveau Riche? If you said yes then you are a true fan of underground music. Nouveau Riche effortlessly blends hip-hop and rock together and make it the perfect marriage. Nikki Jean, the lead vocalist pictured here wants everyone to know that you can go to their myspace page to obtain a FREE download of their ep. This is the appetizer while the full length disc is set to drop later this year. Definitely worth checking out!

How is it that a man whose last (and only) album came out ten years ago can still pack a venue? Well for starters, you got to have some serious talent and a strong fan base. Well Bilal has both. About two years ago, several of Bilal’s new music was leaked on the web. Therefore delaying that long awaited second disc. Well the man is back in the studio working on new material and the hope is that the new record will be released soon. That was hardly a concern to the many fans at the Highline Ballroom. They received more than their money’s worth as Bilal rocked the stage for a good two hours filled with songs old and new. Capping the night off everyone’s favorite “Soul Sista” assisted on the intro by Choklate no less.

Speaking of Choklate, the Seattle resident was one of soul music’s highlights of 2007. Her self titled debut is a very good record that belongs in everyone’s collection. Performing in a acoustic setting, Choklate ran through most of her songs from her debut. Choklate has a great voice and is very down to earth. We just need to get her out to the east coast more often.

 Jose’s set featured special guest, the legendary pianist Junior Mance. For those who don’t know, Junior has played with an assortment of legends like Dinah Washington and Cannonball Adderley just to name a few. To see him perform with Jose is just one indication that Jose is indeed the truth! Preceding Jose was Elan Mehler and his septet, who were great as well. DJ Moni did her thing between sets and Ge-ology was playing a bunch of hot tracks in the nightcap.

I’ve been waiting for almost a year for “The Young Lioness”. That would be the new album by Teedra Moses. I think it’s safe to say that it will be out this year. Well there is a mixtape out to hold us over in the meantime. Maybe you might decide to go back and play “Complex Simplicity”. With minor exposure this was one of the hottest releases of 2004. That’s why we’re salivating for the new joint. Especially after seeing her do her thing at SOB’s. If you weren’t convinced before the show, you are certainly a believer now.

Starting the night off was Brooklyn born, now Portland Oregon resident Ohmega Watts. Ohmega showcased some gems from his current release “Watt’s Happening”. One of the hottest hip-hop records out right now based on his combination of rhyming skills and raw funk sound. Go to the reviews page to find out for yourself.