SWV: Come Back & Show Them How It’s Done

It could be said that the 1990s was the last golden age of modern R&B music. In fact, it is an idea that is often repeated throughout cyberspace as some lament the parlous state of the present scene. Nevertheless it is not just empty nostalgia that has earned that particular decade a place in the heart of soul lovers. This was a special time in urban music; the decade when Teddy Riley’s New Jack Swing took the airwaves by storm and launched a thousand careers. There was much in the way of variety – not just in front of the mic but also amongst those twiddling the knobs.
The 1990s saw the rise of the super-producer. Stateside you had such luminaries as Riley, R.Kelly, Dallas Austin, Babyface, Keith Sweat, Devante Swing, Timbaland, Jay Dilla, Puff Daddy (as he was then known), Trackmasters, Jermaine Dupris, Wyclef Jean and Swizz Beats making their name. Some international production stars emerged from the UK and Europe as well; Soulshock and Karlin, Linslee, Stargate and the Ignorants to name a few.

Perhaps the toast of 1990s R&B was the healthy proliferation of trios, quartets and quintets bringing back the tight Doo-Wop harmony sounds of 1940s and ’50s America. The fellows were represented by the likes of the mighty Boyz II Men, Intro, Shai, Blackstreet, Dru Hill, Hi-5 and Soul for Real. As far as the ladies were concerned we can look back on such titans of talent as En Vogue, Brownstone, Kut Klose, Jade, Xscape, the original line-up of Destiny’s Child and the UK’s Eternal.

Nevertheless no assessment of 1990s urban music would be complete without mentioning Tamara ‘Taj’ Johnson, Leanne ‘Lelee’ Lyons and Cheryl ‘Coko’ Gamble, the ‘original TLC’ or, as they are better known, SWV (Sisters With Voices).  Read more

Obenewa: Strong, Calm, Soul Therapy

“Strong & calm. That’s what Obenewa means,” says a composed west London beauty sitting across from me in a busy Starbucks in Hammersmith. Inner peace is often required when waiting in line to order a coffee but more importantly it’s a requirement for any up and coming singer trying to make a name for themselves in the thriving UK Soul scene. But in the short space of time, Obenewa has proven to have the fortitude, knowledge and most importantly, the gift to achieve such success.

Born of Jamaican and Ghanaian heritage, the west London vocalist is owner to not just a traditional Ghanaian name, but also a dreamy and sultry voice which has captivated her many followers, not to mention being an accomplished pianist and avid guitar player. Whilst the likes of Bob Marley, Raphael Saadiq and Stevie Wonder were influential in her musical upbringing, Obenewa also cites also some of the greatest classical composers in history as an influence. Read more

Notorious B.I.G – 13 Thoughts, 13 Years On

It’s been 13 years since Christopher Wallace was cut down in his prime. Those who know me know of my bizarre (yet valid) fascination/connection with the number thirteen and know where I’m going. But because I want to get back to my own musical Biggie tribute, I’m letting the readers off the hook from my long-windedness – but not without informing you that this could easily be a multiple page article in mere minutes. There are so many angles I can attack from, where do I begin? The fact that I can’t even express a fraction of what I’m feeling inside right now should give some indication as to how much of an impact the life of the Notorious B.I.G had on mine… Read more

Black Girl Still Rockin’: Interview with Res

The alchemy of a song can be a tedious process. Of course you have to find ways to get all the instruments to play in unison and make something happen, not to mention songwriting that at times have to come from certain parts of your soul and brain that the average person pride themselves in ignoring.

Making music is a sexy and addictive process for the people that love what they do. Despite record deals, award ceremonies or stages, there is that need to create. Singer/songwriter Res knows about this all too well: “I will always be doing music. At times I want to quit, but I’m fucking good at it. The only times I think about not doing it is based on financial reasons and nothing else. That’s nothing, doing music is what I’m supposed to do. It feels so obvious.”

Res came into the scene with her debut album How I Do in 2001 on the now defunct MCA records and had a string of singles that featured the Soul/Rock/Hip Hop flavor hybrid that maybe commonplace now, but it’s not a far stretch to say that Res was one of the first to do it – and do it pretty fucking well.

Res – They Say Vision

Armed with great production, strong writing and beauty for days, Res had a successful project moving around 300,000 units. Unfortunately, the recording industry began what has become a mirroring of the current economy and her follow-up album was shelved due to a label buy-out. Geffen took over MCA and all of their artists.

“There’s no other way I can say it other than it was just a case of bad luck. I worked on my follow-up album and it was finished and mixed but MCA got bought out. From that time on there were four other or more presidents that took over and they had the projects that they wanted to put out. I was doing well. They paid for everything and I had the freedom to do what I wanted to do. I got a way to look the way that I want and had the freedom to make the music I wanted. I left because my record wasn’t being put out. I’m not bitter, it’s just how it goes.”

In the meantime Res stayed busy by forming a group called Idle Warship with Talib Kweli and doing background vocals for Gnarls Barkley. She has also been in the studio working on new material including a six song ep titled Bare; an acoustic offering designed to show a different side of Res (and to facilitate going on the road).

Res’ sophomore record Black.Girls.Rock! [click for review] was for years the best album you never heard – until she recently decided to give it to the people for free via her website, the1res.com, creating a fresh new buzz for her solo material. “After I left the label, I was trying to take my second album with me somewhere else,” she says. “But they told me I couldn’t do it until I paid them back the $1.4 million it cost to make.”

Black.Girls.Rock! was slated to be released years ago – but regardless sounds as fresh as ever as she puts it out for free in cyberspace. Sonically the album explores realms of soul and rock with an unexplainable ease coupled with intimate songwriting.

On songs like “So What I Am (Sunday Nite Res),” she confesses: “I know this girl she’s famous / She seems so lost within herself / She never says she sorry / The blame just falls on someone else / She sees the walls and their falling / She used to being by herself / She thinks she’s got it figured out / And she don’t need no one else / So what am I supposed to do?”

Honesty is at the top of the list of her traits as Res unapologetically expresses herself throughout her albums and career. When asked about whether her ex-label was clueless as to how to promote her, she has her own definitive theory:

“When it came to my music, it had nothing to do about marketing. It came down to the fact that it was a major label and I’m a black girl from Philly. I look black, act black, got a black boyfriend and people weren’t use to seeing black girls have guitars and rocking. Bottom line. They had a whole marketing team and too much money to not know what to do. It came down to the fact that I had braids and can sing rock, and they didn’t want to show that to the masses because they didn’t think it was possible.”

Res would be an asset to any label indy or major, but until she signs with someone that can meet her needs, fuck a label. She’s not going to let it get in the way of what musicians do: Get the music to the people. Someway. Somehow. Now one of the world’s best kept free agents, Res continues working on new material; she is also working on a new project with a producer by the name of Doc, who helped her craft How I Do.

When asked if she will be reuniting with her writing collaborator Santigold, who was also involved in her debut album, Res leaves it open, “You know, we haven’t thought about it. I actually called last night to speak with her but as of now, she’s not on there. But we’ll see.”

2010 suggests great things for Res – not just as a musician, but exploring other facets of artistry. Don’t try and reach her on Tuesday nights around 7pm because she’s taking a photography class at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia (and you can see the outcomes of her snaps on her blog).

She also is putting together an acoustic tour in more intimate settings than previous tours with a full band opening for the likes of Maxwell and Musiq Soulchild (insert any other dope as soul artists, as she’s more than likely shared a stage with them).

“If I wasn’t doing music being married would be in the cards,” she reveals. “If I weren’t singing I would be married with someone’s kids with a regular job. I went to college for financing so it would probably be something like that.” But it appears that the future father-husband for Res will have to wait for the time being, because she has a lot more stages and speakers to rock. Aren’t we so lucky?

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the1res.com | @the1Res

Teena Marie: ‘They Don’t Sing R&B Like I Do’

“Well I can’t speak about Paloma Faith because I haven’t heard of her, but as far as comparisons to Amy Winehouse and Joss Stone are concerned… those artists are pop singers, not R&B singers; they don’t sing R&B like I do” says US soul legend Teena Marie, dismissing the UK’s two biggest white skinned soul exports of the last decade. Singers who like Ms. Marie have achieved record buying success with black American punters and UK authentic soul music fans, “crossing over” despite the colour of their skin (in Teena’s case pinkie white).

Had Teena (aka ‘Lady T’ aka ‘The Queen of Ivory Soul’) not blazed a trail, it’s arguable that the UK-led white soul invasion wouldn’t have occurred on the scale it has. It’s a debt not lost on Winehouse in particular, who thanked Teena Marie in the sleeve notes to her debut album Frank. Teena, who is sitting comfortably on a settee, situated in a penthouse suite of a swanky St. Paul’s based London Hotel, elaborates… Read more

Diggy Simmons: Making Independent Moves

Daniel “Diggy” Simmons has been on a mission. The son of one of Hip Hop’s legends, Rev Run, Diggy Simmons seems intent on making a name for himself – and with a new mixtape, clothing and shoe line coming out shortly, it’s hard to believe this young entrepreneur is still only 14 years old.

“I’ve been rapping since I was about six but I only really got back into it last year, just writing about the things I go through and my experiences,” he tells SoulCulture. Diggy continued writing and recording through to his teens and finally released his mixtape, The First Flight, on December  2nd last year. Read more

Interview: Mary Mary on Grammy wins & an Entrepreneurial 2010

Twelve years ago if you were to tell sisters Tina and Erica Campbell that they would be three time Grammy winners, have a platinum selling debut album and three Gold certified albums, they would have probably laughed in disbelief. Gospel music rarely crosses over into the mainstream charts and any artist – regardless of their genre – is extremely lucky to have a career that spans over ten years. “Sometimes I look around and I have to pinch myself to believe that this is really happening. Did I really achieve all this?” says a very humbled Erica, one half of acclaimed gospel duo Mary Mary.

She begins to reminisce, “Tina and I use to share a tiny apartment, so when I look back it amazes me how far we’ve come. I have to thank God for all he has done for us, he has really blessed us and for that I’m truly grateful.” With the guidance of producer Warryn Campbell, Tina and Erica were making a name for themselves in the late ’90s within the Gospel music scene. But it was 2000’s hit “Shackles (Praise You)” that put the duo on the map and broke them into the mainstream market. “I had no idea the single would be that huge” she says. Performing under the name Mary Mary, the single was a huge success on both sides of the Atlantic and their debut album Thankful – released later that year – went Platinum.

A decade later and five albums down the line the singers are still going strong and staying relevant in today’s music scene, with the last twelve months being one of their most successful years to date. Read more

Sade: Reflections On A Class Act

I have been told more than once that I have a freakishly good long term memory.  It is thus a bitter irony that, despite the numerous mental titbits I have retained from infanthood my one brief encounter with Helen Folasade Adu – or Sade as she is better known – has disappeared from the recesses of my brain.

As my mother tells it, we were waiting in Lagos airport for our plane back to the UK and Sade was also returning to Blighty from one of her frequent trips to Nigeria.  It was around 1984/85. I was three years old and Sade and her band had just started taking the world by storm with their unique kind of soulful pop on a smoothed-out jazz vibe.  Diamond Life, their debut, eventually scooped a Best Newcomer Grammy and Sade herself was one of the few recording artists ever to appear on the cover of America’s’ Time magazine. Read more

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