Nuwamba Interview

Nuwamba Interview

Nuwamba released a solid modern soul album called Above The Water out last year on Bornsoulful/Chocolate Soul. “I’ve been working on this new project that will be released either the third or fourth quarter of 2007. I also have an EP that I want to get put out. It’s just an EP of the first album, of some remixes, and its house, down tempo and drum and bass music” Nuwamba continues, “Actually, there remixes by some different guys; Ron Trent, Earnie G, and other guy’s that don’t really have a name for themselves, yet. It should be real exciting, as far as this EP. Were doing it just because; its something fun before I put the next album out” Nuwamba’s name means November in the Nigerian language Hausa, Nuwamba is an innovative singer and songwrite, he speaks about how it was making the album Above The Water. “It was pretty hard, man, to be honest with you. The fact is if you haven’t ever really made an album be fore, you really don’t know what to do. If your trying to make a good album. You have a lot of mistakes to be made, which is basically what I did but we tried to create a different vibe and different idea’s. I think we did a great job. I don’t know if you got a chance to get the album?”

Pushing to maintain a professional music career, while being passionate about making original music, seems stressful. Nuwamba says, “Well, I’ve actually been producing professionally for about three years but I’ve been making music for about twelve years. I am currently involved in the music industry, working with T.V Commercials and MTV. Basically, that album pushed the envelope for me, you know what I’m saying? It kind of helped me get out on to other things. I’ve been doing music the whole of my life but professionally’ I’d say for about three years”

Nuwamba returns to his youth, “I played the French Horn from when I was in 8th grade all the way to musical theory. Other than that man, it was pretty much just natural. I began being in Church Choirs but it’s mostly natural, you know? Most people say they went to this or that University but I went to University; but I didn’t even study music there. All for the art, you know what I mean?” He also expresses his views on the music industry, “Yeah, it’s changed tromendously, like I say I I’m not trying to be like a John Legend or one of those big cats like that” In perspective Nuwamba is unknown to the mainstream music scene but even the independent music scene, he is still a growing and developing artist. But he remains confident, “(laughs), I’m like one of the underground scene artists that people should know about”

“Straight honest music man, and ever changing music” says Nuwamba as he describes his own music. “This latest album has had a really big change since what I did back in the day. Things are changing, I’d say from the first album I am more comfortable where I am now. I’ve gone through things but I am able to also challenge and express myself more. About things that were going on back then as well. So, it should be a good album, this next album” He says, “Yeah, the next album is going to be called, ‘The Naked Truth’” Nuwamba continues, “We haven’t got a record label for it yet but you know how we do on the underground (laughs). We do have our own company though called Chocolate Soul Entertainment and if I don’t get a label to distribute it, I’ll be distributing it like I did with the first album with Chocolate Soul. We’ll just distribute it again, because we got some pretty good love, all the way out there” If you’ve been aware of Nuwamba’s career/music, he has recently been featured on Soul Brotherl Records, ‘This Is Soul 2007. “Yeah, we’ve also been on some different compilations. An album that has Omar, Common and others on released 22nd Jan last year in Japan, through P. Vine Records. And Soul Brother Records compilation ‘This Is Soul 2006’”

“I’ve had a lot of people saying I have great stage presence. I haven’t had the challenge yet to really show case that. I’ve performed for some opening acts, and people are like ‘Wow I didn’t know you could perform like that!’ And I’m like yeah, well I can and I’m trying to get more shows (laughs). Once I get more shows I think my popularity will expand and I’ll get the chance to showcase my talent” confesses Nuwamba, who has by now opened up for Eric Roberson and others. Make sure you purchase Nuwamba’s debut album Above The Water, and check out his myspace page on http://www.myspace.com/nuwamba

Ben Westbeech Interview

Ben Westbeech Interview

“I basically gave a friend of mine my CD but she was like ‘Oh I’ve got a friend who I could play this to’, and I didn’t know who she was talking about. I was just like, ‘oh cool, she’s just given away a CD’. Then, about two months later I got a call saying Gilles had heard it, and he wanted to sign me to his label. I think they had some good sound systems!” says a slightly cocky but cool Ben Westbeech. Brighton soul boy confirms his skills with Brownswood Recordings debut album Welcome To The Best Years Of Your Life he says “It’s quite eclectic and it’s quite diverse, as far as the area I come from. It also represents me from the past, but I’ve already got it going out on vinyl, and everything. So, they are a good label, it’s out today actually”

Ben Westbeech is also working on some individual projects and collaborative projects, Ben Westbeech says “You might see a few bits or a couple of tracks from ‘Professor Green’ and do some producing probably, me and Digz, are going to be doing a hip-hop album, and I’m working on my second album as we speak”

He admits, “Yeah, well it’s going to be different” He continues, “We’ll see what happens. Were going to try and get some more live elements involved but you know? We’ll, see how it goes” Ben Westbeech offered us a varied musical album from drum and bass to dub, to electronic, nu-jazz and eclectic soulful sounds. “’Straight Outta Compton’ by NWA is a great record. LTJ Bukem, ‘Atlantis’, a lot of Rock ‘n’ Roll music, A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, D’Angelo, and old singers like Curtis Mayfield, Otis Redding, and Stevie Wonder” I get him to express his feelings towards the UK soul scene “I really like Omar, I think he’s a great Soul artist. He really did it for me back in the day, you know? When ‘There’s Nothing Like This’  came out, and his new record as well, actually”

Ben Westbeech proceeds, “Amy Winehouse is good because she’s kind of soul, I think she’s doing a really good thing” Signing to DJ Gilles Peterson’s record label, Brownswood Recordings was the best thing for this Bristol soul artist “Just the freedom of being able to create what I want to create, without being pressurized by major labels or companies. I think that’s the best thing about being an independent, I think” on being independent. However, I threw the major label offer question but in much surprise he says, “I’d probably stay with the underground, I don’t really want to go down that major route. I think it’s a bit of a worry when people go down that, they also get ruined, so I think I’ll stick with the independent”

Expect to see a Ben Westbeech with the help of his new label and Elastic Artists Agency LTD “Just a lot of live shows, trying to get out to a lot more fans. Places like South Port, Soul Weekender, Glastonbury and a few art clubs. Yeah, we’re just trying to promote the album and get people to see the live band; that’s what we’re doing right now”

Strange Fruit Project Interview

Strange Fruit Project Interview

Myone, Myth and Symbolyc One (S1), makes up The Strange Fruit Project. Three emcees from Waco, Texas joined Soulisms for a interview in conjunction with the groups latest musical offering, entitled The Healing. “We formed the group around the year of 2001. Me and S1 were in a group called Symbolic Elementz, while Myone was a solo artist we were working with on several collaborations” says Myth. He continues, “There was a female by the name of Lysoul who I went to high school with and we were also collaborating with her. Anyway, since we were all working together, we decided to join forces and put out something creative and soulful” S1 admits what they think separates them from the other independent artists, “I would have to say that we always try to just do us. Not saying that other independent artists don’t but whenever we do us, it’s a certain sound that we bring that separates us from others”

He speaks about his albums, “We basically just get in the studio and create. It may be an instance where I send the fella’s a track to write to or I may have a hook already laid on the beat. Or they may already have a concept and we build off that. In the studio there are no limitations. Just wherever we want to go is where we take it. (Smiles)” — S1. SFP member Myone explains how there collaboration with established rapper Ghostface Killah came about on the song ‘Milk’em’. He says, “Our management team hooked up that up for us based on their relationships in the industry and things turned out well. We are grateful and thankful to have been on a track with such a well-known and talented emcee as Ghost” Myth writes his influences list, “Too many artists to name, (laughs) Nah seriously, I would say artists like Prince, Stevie Wonder, Lenny Kravitz, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rakim, Redman, A Tribe Called Quest, Outkast and Dungeon Family, De La Soul, The Roots, Nas, Pharcyde, Hieroglyphics, Krs-One, Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth, Gangstarr, Boot Camp Click, Busta Rhymes, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and many jazz Greats! Really, I’m influenced by so many; I know I have left off quite a few”

Recently, on OM Hip-Hop Records, in 2006, Strange Fruit Project released an impressive soul fused hip-hop album, for fans of Sa-Ra or Platinum Pied Pipers. “We’ve worked with Erykah Badu, Little Brother, Darien Brockington, Yahzarah, Toby and Kay from Foundation, and our whole Aeonz crew. On production there’s Ninth wonder, Vitamin D, Jake One, Illmind, Foundation, and myself. It was a blessing to work with all these artist. When we began the project we started building with them and it was only right for us to start working together because we all loved respected each others work” I asked when was the last time they were happy or really p*ssed off “Just yesterday. I laughed just because, no particular reason. Happy to be alive, thankful for my SFP brothers and just blessed to work on my music” says Myone. On a more serious the group share there music industry views, “We don’t know where to start, cause so much has changed, but we will say their needs to be more of a balanced platform. It seems so one-sided in the mainstream, it’s kind of sick! Depressing, but hopefully we can have more people take risks and give more opportunities for new artists to breakthrough”

Group member Myth opens up about his child hood, “During my teenage years, I played sports and just normal teen stuff. Although, I noticed my tastes in music, and over all mentality was quite different from most of my peers. So I was kind of like an out kast in a sort of way, and I was real observant of my surroundings, but I was very proud of the music I listened to. Music became my art, my way of expressing my feelings and life in general”

Marcina Arnold Interview

Marcina Arnold Interview

Marcina Arnold is a secret of talent living in the heart of Central London, Stockwell. I went to meet her in her flat, but before hand she showed me the shrine of the recent shooting of Jean Charles Menez, of which she wrote a song about for her EP on Counterpoint Records called ‘Introducing…’. I was supposed to be writing an article about Marcina Arnold for one of the Straight No Chaser Magazine issues, the one with James Brown on the front cover but some how they decided it would be more fitting to put unknown Cinematic Orchestra front man Jason Swinscoe, didn’t make any sense to me? Then, it closed down so my piece is just for my blog. “The deal is in a process, as in a sense, I’m working with these guys, they liked the music and that’s the most important thing. That they are willing to invest money accordingly to help people hear the music, I think Jake had heard some of my music through a DJ friend of his called Nick The Record. Initially my first contact with Jake was when he invited me to do a gig in Hastings, which is where he’s based. I went up with a five piece and did some tracks from the album and played some new material that I’d written, he liked it and proposed a deal” said Marcina Arnold sitting by her black piano. Her front room, was filled with African instruments, and cultural objects. I could see her vast record collection of ‘Grace by Jeff Buckley’ to Hugh Masekela and so on. She continues, “The vinyl deal is very different from your standard deals. Jake believed in the music and frankly, the position that I was in, I was like, I need to get this music out, people need to hear it, so let me just go with this, ride the waves and see what other fish come up. The EP is more of a compilation, two tracks have been taken from the ‘Twisted Blue Folk’ album, which I recorded but Jake had heard that and the live things, so he put a proposal together for the EP”

“Eska Mtungwazi and Heidi Vogel got invited down to the studio but people where showing up at different times of the day. I intended to record four tunes, which is really quite a big deal, for the amount of time that we had. It’s very live, it’s not over mixed and it is what it is. It’s like a back in the day kind of recording” says Marcina Arnold. “That’s how ‘Forefathers’ came about, it was written about my first trip back to South Africa, which is where my fathers from, I met all my family out there, and realized I’d been having a bit of an identity crisis. Growing up in London, I’m surrounded by a lot of culture, and multi-racial people, but yet not really understanding where I sort of fit in but in the scheme of it all I realized it’s actually about who you are, and not where you’re from or the colour of your skin, but ultimately I’m from Britain. It was great to go back and meet my forefathers, or my four bears, and where they came from, what my forefathers background are like, and also, to discover why I’m here today” Marcina Arnold remembers when she first wanted to sing, “I knew I wanted to sing from the age of seven, it was always very clear to me but how I was going to do it, if it was going to happen, was a dream that I had as a child but somehow it manifested itself in the right way for me. I call it grace, the fact that I happened to be exposed to so much music at such a young age and to such a variety of music. Especially the folk music scene, growing up I went to Scotland a lot because that is where my mother is from, I was introduced to Chinese folk music and Japanese folk music”

And which artists influenced you while growing up? “I had been influenced by African artists like Miriam Makeba; also being exposed to African drumming and things like that, they all influenced me. I call it Gods grace, in his beneficial ways. I mean, why is it that I was born into a family of musicians? I could have been born into a family of tailors, or a family of scientists, or God help me a family of politicians (laughs)” Marcina Arnold is very much apart of the up coming London jazz scene, artists names include Jason Yarde, Heidi Vogel, Julie Dexter, and many many more. She reflects, “I’ve had the chance to work with some of them, were very much all the same, we hang out together, we grew up doing the same rounds. People like Jason Yarde, Wylee Kyat, Eric Appapoulay, and the whole thing. Going through that schooling, and then going on to doing our own things, we all have expressed in our writing the infliction of Quite Sane (our jamming band back in the day), which was musically directed by bass player Anthony Tidd, and how we’ve been influenced by jazz music. Also me coming out with the South African influences, I was into artists like Eugene Skeef, Hugh Masekela, and South African Gospel singers. For me music is like my big family, whichever genre that I happened to be exposed to, be it folk music, jazz music, soul music, or R&B music. My Aunties a traditional folk singer, she sings laments, I grew up being surrounded by a lot of Celtic music, so I’m into that as well. I think with that space in music, is probably why I took so much interest in Indian classical music but my thing for the CD player now is Femi Temowos album ‘Quiet Storm’”

For me, Marcina Arnold reminded me very much of Anita O’Day, she says, “Oh yeah! I know her music, one thing that I heard was the ‘Live In Newport’ album where she sings the song ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’, she’s got a lovely voice, I grew up listening to her but I wouldn’t say that she’s been my main influence. A lot of the time I get compared to many people such as Sade or Randy Crawford, but because of the schooling I had, I can use my voice like an instrument, I can do a lot of different things with it and create a lot of different sounds” Due to Marcina Arnolds education in music, and understanding of the voice, she often uses it as an instrument. She says, “I’m into scatting, I’ve always been really into that, the voice is malleable, it can mimic, it can do things and growing up I used to do all the R&B licks. After a while it became clear to me that it wasn’t about doing those things. It was about doing me. Doing my song, my voice, and how I’m going to phrase this lyric or can I keep doing me or am I going to have to go the American styles?”

Marcina Arnold gives advice to those who are interested in learning to sing or pick up an instrument. “When you’re young someone needs to show you everything; it’s the same in music. As we get older I think we can take for granted knowing that we have the capacity to be intelligent and to be creative. We start to feel that we own it but we don’t. The older we become the more we’ll forget, but we have to let it all go, we can’t take everything with us. Whatever I do, it’s coming through me and I just feel very grateful for the people that have influenced me. All the jazz greats like Billie Holiday, Nina Simon, Sarah Vaughan, and all those people. All the blues women, Bessie Smith, Memphis Minnie, then Dinah Washington, Aretha Franklin, all the great Jazz and R&B singers. I’m a musician so I’m going to like good music, and being introduced to all these genres such as South African music, jazz music, Asian music, you know, I love it. I’m born in the 20th Century so I can’t help but be exposed to all these genres, I’d be interested to see how Marshan music sounds, if any ones got any recordings from Mars, send them my way” How do you get through every day life — “I have a teacher that helps me get through life and its many twists and turns, he makes me aware of my breath and what a gift it is to be alive. To have a breath we couldn’t see, to have the breath we couldn’t hear, we couldn’t feel, we couldn’t work or play. I’ve actually written a song about that, which I’m going to record soon” And lastly — what is your biggest source of inspiration Marcina Arnold says, “The biggest source of inspiration for me is the infinite humility that you have to have for life. That I’m still learning, I’m still growing, I’m still a baby (as a singer) but put me in a room with one of the younger ones and I have to be a mamma. So for me, my inspiration is life itself, the ups and downs, and the journey of it”

Conya Doss Interview

Conya Doss Interview

“Somewhat I do, actually. I hear a lot of elements from the first record in ‘Love Rain Down’. I think that there has been a lot of growth musically” says this Cleveland, USA modern soul songstress about her musical growth since her debut album A Poem About Ms. Doss to Love Rain Down — released 2006 on Dome Records but independently in the USA. “I had the pleasure of working with Myron Davis and, Rodney Jones again. Additionally, musicians James Penn, Pete Tokar and, Tony Pulizzi were in on my set” Conya Doss goes on to explain how she got the record deal with Dome Records. “Moja Music, which consists of Josh Honigstock and Myron Davis, hooked the whole Dome situation up. They are great!”

The majority of songs Conya Doss writes is all about love, she admits, “I write about what I feel at that time. If I choose to focus on life matters, then I’ll write about it. I’m definitely aware of life matters. I can only share what’s through my lens” She continues, “I was always a musician. Growing up, I was surrounded by music and I remember continuously having family gatherings, where I would show case my voice” Conya Doss offers us an insight into her future collaborations or at least the ones she would like to collaborate with, “I’d like to work with DJ Jazzy Jeff, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Chico DeBarge, Frank McComb, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, and many more!”

“I enjoy the freedom of creating whatever I feel, and not being pigeonholed. I am accountable for what I do. Music and people inspire me. When listeners receive me, it inspires me” expresses this independent soul artist, who just so happens to be one of the leading members of the movement, plus she is female, Conya Doss is a rarity. Three albums in the making, and Conya Doss is still being talked about both in the US and the UK.

Conya Doss says, “I try to surround myself by positive people. I don’t like a lot of negativity. No set dates but were working on it” And she defines her personality in one word, “Humble” — Thank you Conya Doss for this interview, would be great to meet one day. “It would be nice to meet you as well” says Conya Doss.

Saidah Baba Talibah Interview

Saidah baba Talibah Interview

“I love Toronto for its multiculturalism. There’s nowhere, that I know of, where you can travel the world in one city. I know it made an impact on my music, what I hear and what I create” Says Saidah Baba Talibah, born to a Mother who is a CA jazz singer, Salome Bey, music runs in her family, and she has been doing arts for many year, she says, “I sing, dance, and play piano, act, and paint/create art”

“Alternative Soul was the closest thing that I could find on my space to describe what I feel I do. I mean, I feel soul in Rock, Country, Jazz and Classical music so I draw on the inspiration of the emotion that I’m trying to convey. I have a hard time putting a label on what I do because, what I do is about feeling and whatever comes out is what comes out, I can’t classify feeling”, admits Saidah Baba Talibah.

“I studied at Claude Watson School for the Arts (for grades 7 & 8 and then went onto high school at Earl Haig in the Claude Watson Program. At mini Claude, as we so endearingly call it, the students were immersed in all aspects of the arts. We had majors, but it really wasn’t until high school where it really became majors and minors. So I had art, mime, ballet, jazz, modern, band, theory, choir and drama classes at mini Claude. But when I went Haig, I majored in dance and my minors were always art and band (in which I played tuba). Why I studied the arts? Well, I am a product of the TV show FAME and I always wanted to go to a school where I could dance in the halls, sing, create, just create, so I got that opportunity”

Saidah Baba Talibah has also been recently featured on Robert Strauss , Mr. Feelings EP, she’s worked with several highly prolific musicians and producers, also. “Oh yes, a few! My mother (Salome Bey), her brother and sister (Andy Bey & Geraldine de Haas) had a group back in the day called Andy Bey & the Bey Sisters. My older sister, Tuku is a singer/songwriter. My Aunt Gerry have two kids (Aisha & Darius de Haas) who are accomplished singers on the New York Broadway scene. Darius has worked with Vanessa L. Williams and Aisha has worked with Oleta Adams. My cousin Ronnell Bey sings as well, and was working with the late spoken word artist, Sekou Sundiata. My cousin Denese Matthews is a dancer/singer. My cousin Cara Page is also a performance/spoken word artist and my cousin Marvin Jefferson is an actor. So creativity runs in my family”

“I have sung back-ups for Enrique Iglesias, Roger Hodgson(SUPERTRAMP), Dennis DeYoung(STYX), HERO (DarpMalone & E-Dot), Divine Brown, Maestro (Fresh- Wes), By Divine Right, Alannah Myles, Damhnait Doyle, Zaki Ibrahim, Syreeta Neal, Saukrates, Jully Black, Marc Jordan, Redman and Res” says SBT. “I’ve had the opportunity to sing back up for some of these people because I’m currently on Canadian Idol as a back-up singer, for my second season. And what I love about singing is not being stuck in one genre of music. But I’d have to say, singing with Roger Hodgson was a huge treat!”

“I am not yet touring with him” — regarding Robert Strauss. “I will be in October though. And I’m looking forward to it!” She gives us her her tour dates, “EUROPE Thu 18th Oct: Cargo, London Fri 19th Oct: Paard, The Hague, Holland Thu 25th Oct: Porgy & Bess, Vienna, Austria Weds 31st Oct: Sugar Club, Dublin, IRELAND Thu 1st Nov: Mint Lounge, Manchester, UK Fri 2nd Nov: Trouble.@ The Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, UK Sat 3rd Nov: Southport Weekender, UK (Leroy Burgess P.A only) Sun 4th Nov: Jazz Café, London, UK (Leroy Burgess Live Gig)” Saidah Baba Talibah confesses her musical inspirations, which vary quite a bit!”Lewis Taylor is a HUGE inspiration for me. I would love to meet and work with him. Rahsaan Patterson, Fiona Apple, Citizen Cope, Vinx, Jamie Lidell, there are more that are not coming to me. And Toronto? Alone, holds so much talent and inspiration” says Saidah Baba Talibah. “Well, I’m just finishing up my debut EP, tentatively called random notes and once that is done, onto the full-length album. The future holds more growth and with that growth, sharing. I’d like incorporating more movement into my live performances, more experimentation with instrumentation/sounds. More stories of love found, broken hearts, but all raw emotion”

Vikter Duplaix Interview

Vikter Duplaix Interview

“Oh well, that’s such a broad question” replies Vikter Duplaix, he continues. “In general? I mean; I was just inspired to make something that was soothing but fun, and also not too sleepy but still very relaxing. So, I just wanted to make a listening experience from beginning to end that was consistent and took you on a bit of a journey. But didn’t really make you too excited or make you too mellow. You know? Just finding a couple of different moods to play with was really the goal” And on music making, Vikter Duplaix admits, “It’s hard to say because I don’t really have a formula for creating. I just kind of go with the flow, some of them I did with other people and some of them I didn’t. They’re all personal, meaning that they’re all based on a thought or an idea of mine. It’s just expanded upon by either the musicians, what I’m doing or going through. It’s really difficult for me to go back in time to paint a picture of each record. Over all it was just a process of being honest at that moment”

“Well, I didn’t really set out to be a singer in my career” Vikter Duplaix confesses. “I was really a DJ/Producer/Songwriter, at first. As I was recording songs for people to sing, the other artists were like, ‘Yeah your kind of cool, you should develop it’. That type of thing, so actually I give the other artists props for recognizing that there was potential in what I was doing. I think the validation from a record I did with the Masters At Work, called ‘The Messengers’. Was the beginning of recognizing that people liked how I sounded and then I continued to explore after that”

Vikter Duplaix had collaborated with a lot of talented artists and musicians, to name just a few Jazzanova. “Yeah, they were all good because you always learn from something or someone. I’m the type of person anyway, who learns from every experience, from personal experiences like Earth, Wind and Fire to doing things with Jazzanova. At the time they hadn’t really worked with any artist, they were only programmers. I was the first actual artist they produced. So, it was definitely a learning experience for both of us because they were so used to being in front of laptops. I had never really been used to working with people who were exclusive to that. It was like a meaning of the mind, so to speak”

“Yeah, I did three songs with Jazzanova. I did, ‘Soon’, ‘Last Night’, and ‘Wasted Time’”, says Vikter Duplaix. “Oh, it was great. I like them as people, I got a chance to go to Berlin, it was a beautiful experience and they are a great bunch of guys. I really appreciate what they bring to world music culture”

“(Laughs) you mean, in terms of when I wake up in the morning?”, regarding how he gets through each day. “I look forward to every single breath until I take my last. That’s my objective in life; enjoy it as I go through it” And on his lifestyle? “Well, my lifestyle is very demanding but I do Capoeira, which is weight training and other stuff like that. That is what I do for my physical side. Mentally, I just like to hang out, be normal and go to movies. Not really think about too much or too hard all the time”

“I love London, minus the fact that the dollar doesn’t really work that well (Laughs)” expresses Vikter Duplaix. “But the music scene is great. It’s not even just the music scene, it’s the over all perspective of art, culture and how they work together. I think England in general is still very appreciative of soulful things” Vikter Duplaix also admits how he starts his day on a positive…”Well, I wake up, and I slap my face to see if I’m still there. And I sit there for a second and think about what I’m going to do next and then ask the question, what? Because there’s always something different everyday”

“No, never had that sensation”, regarding wanting to write some one else’s song. A question I soon after stopped asking artists! “Yeah, I wish there was a radio format or a mainstream radio format that was more exclusive of new things and took more chances. It’s very, very repetitive and that’s very boring and it makes the social culture very boring”

“I get inspired by good people and beautiful experiences. I’m just typically paying attention to everything that’s going on around me. I try to be somewhat of a reporter in my music, and I try to sing what I’ve experienced through sound” And on the best help or advice he has been given over the years in the industry? “Oh, I’ve had so many people help me through out the years. Kenny Gamble, King Britt, Jazzanova, 4 Hero, the West London crew, BBE guy’s, so many people. I’ve been very fortunate in lots of ways”

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you”, on surprises he has for us in 2007 and beyond. “Well, hopefully I’ll go over there in Spring when I get a lot more work, do a few remixes and keep the ball rolling forward”

Alison Crockett Interview

Alison Crockett Interview

Alison Crockett is getting us ready for her new album Bare, she says, “I grew up listening to a lot of music and studied a lot of different music. Things just come out and I just try to see if things work,” regarding her music listening choices and musical creativity. Her previous work has been compared by music listeners and critics as the next Jill Scott or Erykah Badu, she replies, “If anybody likes me enough to compare me to artists they think a lot of, great. I am flattered and appreciative” humbly and respectfully.

Alison Crockett, may not have mainstream status as yet but her independent history is admirable in itself, her King Britt collaborations and solo projects are all outstanding musical efforts. “I creatively try to explore the sounds I hear and write lyrics that speak to me. I do music because I am. Kind of corny, but true” She is also known to have an alter ego, Diva Blue, when performing” Alison Crockett goes on to say, “My shows are an experience; you don’t know who’s going to show up, ‘Diva Blue’, or me I just like to sing. The diva goes a little crazy; you just have to come to find out”

Since On Becoming A Woman, Alison Crockett expresses her feelings towards any musical growth “I hope I have. I have continued to study and work on all aspects of myself as an artist. Hopefully the public thinks I’ve done a good job. I have seen and worked with King. We just did a Sylk 130 re-union in Philly this past summer”

“I am a big gardener when I have time”, admits Alison Crockett. “I also am a sci-fi reader. I use TV to kind of zone out; I’m a Law and Order kind of gal.” Alison Crockett UR shares with us her personal favorite song of hers that she has recorded “I think it’s my perfect song, or as perfect as I can get”

Music didn’t come naturally to Alison Crockett, she had to take vocal lessons, she explains herself, “I always had a big voice, but I had no range and ability to control it. I was a pianist first and basically couldn’t blend it with anyone” She continues her story of how she became an artist: “Pure insanity. Musical vision is not always the way to easy success. I just had to, for real. I have something to say, I’ve never been one to keep my mouth shut”

Today, with the music industry becoming an ever more crowded place, “perseverance is the only way to make it in this business. Go after what you want and keep at it. There is no specific advice to give, as much as I wish I could. Go after your dreams and enjoy your life”

Ruby Turner Interview

Ruby Turner Interview

Ruby Turner has done a lot in her time as an independent artist. She has worked and recorded with many musician. Though, for Ruby Turner it all started in Jamaica, at age nine things would soon change as she moved with her family to Birmingham, “(laughs) It was such a long time ago my love”, she says on the matter. “Yes, it was a bit of a culture shock but in time, how can I say? It was an adventure, it really was just that. I was just as excited as I was afraid, you know. As time went by you sort of started to reminice about home, you know. So you have more of an understanding” She finishes by saying “But it was really quite an adventure for me”. Ruby Turner explains her early success, “When I got my recording contract to be honest. Other than that I was just out having a good time, getting some drinks and literally just enjoying the gift and the experience”, says Ruby Turner. “It was only until I had the contract that it became more serious, and more compitative. You realize your in a race of some sort you know what I mean?” This British soul artist has collaborated with legends means a lot, she says, ? “Creativity is what really drives me, I have no motions about fame or fortune, I was just absolutely enjoying the art really. I actually started out in acting, which inspires me and then from that my voice developed or came through. And on fame? “Not at all my dear, I have no intension’s about nothing, I was like a kid in a sweet shop and I was having the best time with it, you know”

After Ruby Turners experience with the pop band Culture Club, she finally released a record on a Zomba Group label called Jiva Records, Ruby Turner says, “Up until this point I worked five years on the road, I had my own band, doing session work and session work with Culture Club, which was fantastic. They were the biggest pop band going and I was apart of it, so it was quite an exciting time for someone starting out and I was having a hard time myself but then I wasn’t having a hard time it was just a question of getting a deal and that was kind of hard to come by. So the distraction was to work with somebody else, which is a great distraction”. She continues, “I got looked after well, which was fantastic. I got to play at Madison Square Gardens, and Wembley, so it was just fantastic. Then I came back home and the record deal happened and I was really happy about that because I was years on the road looking for a recording contract and it came about” says Ruby Turner. “Then my life changed again because I became an artist in my own right and then it all took off from there really”. Ruby Turner released a Motown Songbook album.

Ruby Turner explains, “The recording contract instigated the idea really, Jiva was the insight and foresight and had the concept of the album. Where by you team up with other people and focus on one style of music. The initial idea was my idea to work with the other Motown artists. I was a big fan of Motown and I didn’t want to touch these songs because you can’t better them”, she proceeds, “If you cover a song and can’t do it as well then you shouldn’t touch it. My thing was if they get some of the Motown artists to appear then I was able to pull it off, and they did, so it was great”

Ruby Turner would soon find herself a developing USA fan base, as she scored an R&B chart hit in the American R&B charts with It Will Be Alright. I wondered what her ingredients of breaking through the tough to please American market was? “Because it was a great song and it sounded relevant to the American market and the American people. I went over there and promoted the single for about three weeks. While I was there the song was getting heavy air play and doing well in the charts” she expresses. “What I wasn’t expecting was how positive the song was and how they could relate to it and it was just one of those things. It was a great song to that market” Did you have success in the UK charts? “Yes, When You Can Hold Me was a hit. I had a couple of hits, more recently Stay With Me Baby, was a top 40 hit, so yeah, I’ve had quite a few in this country” What makes a good song for you? “Sweet heart if I knew I’d be a million air! I’m a lyricist so that’s where I go. I can get off on a groove but its the lyrics that reach my ears first” A lot of the modern songs have no concentration on the lyrics, I pointed out, “It has no lyrics”, says Ruby, I think its also very visual, “It is visual and its a beat so there you have it, I must be one of my own then!” Your the rare professional, “Oh thank-you very much sir!”

With that said did this experienced soul voice have music industry views, “I have my views but they are quite irrelevent. Who wants to hear my views? And further more as a musician myself there is no weight, you know what I mean? So its kind of wrong for another artist to criticize another artist for what they do. I’m no pioneer, I came in this industry and there were people before me and there were people behind me. As long as you make your contribution to life, who’s to say your right or wrong?”, very true! She continues “Right now the industry is going through a stage because where now in this time but when we rap back to the 60s it was the industry of there time just like it was the music of there time” Removing her away from music for a minute, I wanted to know what was most important in her life “Oh good friends, good health, genuwin friendships, you know, they are hard to find” I couldn’t have agreed more! Lastly with the departure of Ruth Brown I wondered if she knew of it and what she felt about it? “Aah deeply saddened because I spent a lot of time listening to her records and she has been a great inspiration over the years”

Koop Interview

Koop Interview

Koop consist of Stockholm based musicians, Magnus Zingmark and Oscar Simonsson. They came to our attention with Waltz For Koop, however, in two thousand and six they return with a new album called Koop Islands, released through; !K7 Records. Koop Islands features vocalists Ane Brun, Yukimi Nagando, Earl Zinger and Mikael Sundin. Koop says, “We’re from Uppsala, North of Stockholm. We also made an album back in ninety-seven called Sons For Koop. We met at a students place. Magnus was DJ ing jazz and I w as playing jazz in a quintet. We decided to make a tune together, where we mixed Debussy with jazz” Koops sound is very unique and experimental, they explain. “Sweet jazz-tunes produced on a computer” Koop speaks of first musical influences, “Sometimes everything, sometimes nothing, but mostly jazz from 1917 to 1961 or the freshest beat on the dance floor”

Koop Islands to Waltz For Koop, both have front covers where Magnus Zingmark and Oscar Simonsson are dressed up, “It started out with a photo we did together with a photographer that later became the album cover for Waltz For Koop, and now we can’t stop doing it” They continue, “It’s irritating when artists try to be manly and good-looking on album covers. We’ve passed all that but it also reflects the music. It’s all a bit illusion”

Koop have been making music for a while, they say, “We’ve gone from creating experimental sampler-soundscapes to discovering a way to produce classic songs via samplers and are now focusing on song writing. We are grateful to all the singers and musicians that have blessed our albums with their talent, and life outside of Koop is nothing I want to talk about”

They haven’t always had positive experiences with the press, often pigeon-holing them as retro. Koop says, “Hyper modern. Music is always developing with the technical inventions. Our music couldn’t be made fifteen years ago” Koop had recently performed at London’s jazz café, “Yeah, previous dates have been great. Crowd’s use to be up for it and lots of friend’s in the back room!” However, they are not completely a live band, “The illusion worked! It’s maybe forty percent live, and the rest are samples! Our vision is to create the best environment for the vocals. Make them shine”

The interview with Koop was coming to an end, but they still had a few things to say. “It’s music from Koop Island’s. We try not to think too much and just grab what’s around us. Of course much of the eclecticism comes from the use of samples and on this album it was from the 40’s and 50’s. The use of Marimba is significant for the album as well” And on traveling, “After a while you become a very boring person that can only talk about Airports or Hotel standards. After a year on the road you’re hopefully just numb” Thank-you Koop for the time! “Cheers! Thanks for having us”