August 2003 Archives

With open arms
I receive you
Holding my heart in my hand
With open arms
I relieve you
From every day, in every way that I can
With open arms
With open arms"

My high school principal used to say that I would get hellbent about certain things. I would just like to consider it perseverance and determination. Now you know how when we go to a concert, we expect the artist to sing the song exactly as it was recorded on the album, if not better (yes, I know that is unfair to the artist!!!)

It was the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 1994 and we went to the Jazz Explosion concert with Gerald Albright, Jonathan Butler, Will Downing, Rachelle Ferrell, and Bobby Lyle at the Regal Theatre in Chicago. Each performer was outstanding but the anticipation of hearing Rachelle live for the first time was overwhelming. She was incredible. Her voice is angelically crafted for song. She performed songs from her self-entitled release which was still burning up the charts. One of the highlights of the evening was when her and Will Downing lovingly performed "Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This" but the song that stopped my heart was "With Open Arms" which escalated from a sensual love ballad to a song giving thanks and praise for all the blessings we all have received. Hold on, where was the note? Where was her signature note after she finished the second verse. Don't get me wrong, I was floating in the stratosphere already but I wanted to hear that exact note in the song. I thought to myself afterward, she was probably saving it for the late show after she had a chance to warm up. I understand that when you are a remarkable composer, musician, and have a vocal range of six octaves and some change, you have to take extra special care of your instrument. Well, the concert ended and as we were leaving, I told my friend Bridget that I should come back for the second show to hear her hit "my note." Of course, she thought I was crazy but I rushed her back my house so she could pickup her car and I came back for the second show. There were only minor changes in the show but guess what? Rachelle hit and surpassed that note in "With Open Arms" and I had a big smile on my face. I guess good things come to those who wait. I hope that you enjoy this story as much as I have enjoyed sharing it.

I remember first hearing Rachelle as the enchanting voice ad-libbing on George Duke's song "No Rhyme, No Reason" from his Snapshot album in 1992. Next, I would hear her on the radio singing "'Til You Come Back To Me" from her self-entitled release, Rachelle Ferrell. When I finally got the album, I played it constantly and loved every song for each was filled with a powerful message. Tracks included "I'm Special", "Welcome To My Love", "Waiting", "I Know You Love Me", "Sentimental", "With Open Arms" and "Peace on Earth." Her duet with Will Downing on "Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This" just made you want to go out and find someone to slow dance with. All of her albums are great but they do not compare to her live performances. You are definitely in for a treat. We can expect new music from Rachelle later this year and I will be going see here in Oakland this weekend. Stay tuned!!!

I dedicate this story to my favorite aunt who turns 88 years old today and also, to my friend, Bridget, who celebrates her birthday tomorrow. Have a happy and safe holiday weekend and as always, enjoy your music.

It has brought me great joy to take you back in time every Friday for the past 6 months. The Flashback Friday entries will be now be posted bi-weekly instead weekly which will give me some time to catch on all the great new music that is coming your way. Thanks for your continued support as we travel together on this musical journey.

Additional Rachelle Ferrell Recordings

First Instrument (1995)
Individuality (Can I Be Me?) (2000)
Live in Montreaux (2002)

Where did summer go? All of a sudden you look up and it's Labor Day weekend. Don't fret for there are many new music releases and summer concerts all around so get out and enjoy them!

AFRICAN FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS - Washington Park - Chicago

In addition to the phenomenal African marketplace, art, and food, there is some great music lined up for this year's African Festival of the Arts. Friday, 8/29, Donnie, Lizz Wright, Roy Hargrove and The RH Factor, and Kindred will be on stage. Saturday, 8/30, Pharoah Sanders, Dazz Band, Bar Kays, Con Funk Shun, and Lenny Williams. Sunday, 8/31, Les Nubians and Chaka Khan. Monday, 9/1, Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago and The Gap Band. The Chicago Reader has a complete listing of performers and showtimes.

OAKLAND ART AND SOUL FESTIVAL

Reggae singer Ziggy Marley headlines the Plaza Stage on Sunday, August 31, presented by KFOG 104.5 FM. R&B/Jazz vocalist Rachelle Ferrell will be performing on Monday, September 1 with special guest, her brother Russ Barnes. Check the Oakland Art & Soul Festival website for a complete listing of times and events.

Are you looking for the current and upcoming events in the Bay Area? Check out The Lineup and SF Station for comprehensive information on all the latest happenings.

NEW MUSIC RELEASES

As hard as I try, I just cannot keep up with all the good music that is out. As I was browsing the record stores last weekend, I found a few noteworthy titles in addition to what I have listed in the Upcoming Grooves section.

Narada Jazz recently released a new album from Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson entitled Simple Pleasures, a follow up to their pairing on last year's Meant to Be album. Urban Knights are back with a new release, Urban Knights V. Narada has also signed Incognito for their U.S. release of their Who Needs Love album on September 30.

Jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut has a brand new release on Warner Brothers Jazz entitled You Are My Sunshine. It is definitely my favorite of the week along with Kurt Elling's new release Man in the Air and Dianne Reeves' new release A Little Moonlight.

Pianist Danilo Pérez features vocalist Lizz Wright on two songs on his new Verve Release, ...Till Then. He provided the amazing piano work on "Afro Blue" on her Salt album.

Speaking of Lizz Wright, "Spike Lee To Direct New Lizz Wright Video"

The Greg Osby Four

Greg Osby - alto saxophone
Megumi Yonezawa - piano
Matt Brewer - bass
Eric McPherson - drums
Ambrose Akinmusire - special guest on trumpet

I first heard saxophonist Greg Osby last year on his Blue Note release, Inner Circle. I remember playing it as I was going to sleep but the intensity of his music kept me awake. I had to put on something a bit more mellow. Osby's intensity was definitely evident during his recent performance at Yoshi's. He is no nonsense horn player. He went straight into his music and sometimes you did not know where one piece ended and the next began. Each instrument had it is own assignment and when they came together, they formed a powerful class. In the dissidence of each sound, there was a certain cohesiveness. He has joined onstage by special guest trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, an Oakland native. Their pairing was dynamic and produced a wonderful sound which was reminiscent of Miles and Coltrane set yet definitely carving their own paths. Osby featured music from his Blue Note releases including his current release, St. Louis Shoes, a tribute to the music of his hometown.

"You can reach me by railway, you can reach me by trailway You can reach me on an airplane, you can reach me with your mind You can reach me by caravan, cross the desert like an Arab man I don't care how you get here, just - get here if you can"

The year was 1990 when singer/composer/musician Oleta Adams warmed our hearts like a roaring fire on a cold winter's night with her debut release, Circle of One. There was a new voice bringing forth a new song in a time when everything seemed so synthesized. Her resonance grabs you with its clarity. You hear her every note and word without studio enhancements. She tells wonderful stories in her music of love, hope, faith, family, and life. Her musicianship is superb as she mesmerizes you on piano, keyboards, or organ. "Get Here", written by Brenda Russell, became the unofficial anthem of Desert Storm. The soulful tracks "Circle of One" and "Rhythm of Life" were also popular. Her ballads "I've Got to Sing My Song" is a personal testimony and "You've Got to Give Me Room" tells poignantly of a love that can no longer grow. Her reading of "Everything Must Change" comes from a heart filled with emotion and the bonus track "Don't Look Too Closely" invites us to come look deep inside her soul.

Oleta's roots are in gospel which is evident in her soulfulness, brilliance, and control of a note. She also received classical training. She got her big break when the members of the band Tears For Fears saw her performing in Kansas City. She went on tour with them and recorded the songs "Woman in Chains" and "Badman's Song" on their Seeds of Love album ("Woman in Chains" can also be found on The Very Best of Oleta Adams.) This pairing lead to a record deal and the recording of her solo album, Circle of One, which Roland Orzabal of TFF produced. Her husband, drummer John Cushon, played on her first album and has been with her ever since.

I got to see her at an outdoor festival earlier this summer and I must say, she gives her all on record and in her live performances. A hush fell over the crowd as she sang "My Heart Won't Lie", "Get Here", and "I Just Had to Hear Your Voice" and we got up and danced on her mid and uptempo songs. She performed for over an hour and a half and she was magnificent. Her star definitely shines bright in my heart and I really hope that we can look forward to some new music from this amazing woman. Enjoy your music.

Oleta and the movies...

LaNita brought to my attention that Oleta sang "Love Never Forgets" in the movie How Stella Got Her Groove Back but it was not included on the movie soundtrack or on any of her albums. I ran out and got a copy of the movie to hear the song again and we will check to see if the song is currently available or will be available in the future. Stay tuned!!

Update: j-notes.com correspondent LaNita has learned that the song was an only an interlude for the funeral scene and not an entire song. This is why it was not included on the original movie soundtrack.

Oleta sang "Many Rivers to Cross" on the Jason's Lyric movie soundtrack and it also on The Very Best of Oleta Adams. She also teamed with Brenda Russell on the gospel flavored "We Will Find A Way" from the Corrina, Corrina movie soundtrack which also features Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, and Billie Holiday. Amazing how one question can lead you down so many different roads.

Additional Oleta Adams Albums

Evolution (1993)
Movin' On (1995)
Come Walk With Me (1997)
The Very Best of Oleta Adams (1998)
All the Love (2001)

This has been a very restful day after having a fairly busy weekend. I stopped by Blackberry Bistro for lunch and had a wonderful burger and fries. It opened about 3 months ago and I have been there several times for breakfast and have never been disappointed. Their menu is eclectic comfort food and you do not want to miss out on their biscuits. Chef/Co-Owner Robert Dorsey III prepares all the wonderful dishes while co-owner Sherrie Sparks handles the business end of the restaurant. Blackberry Bistro is located on a cozy corner at 4240 Park Boulevard in the Glenview district of Oakland and is open for breakfast and lunch, Tuesday thru Sunday. There is a great write-up on the restaurant in the Montclarion newspaper.

If you are wondering how this remotely relates to music, Robert had The Best of the Gap Band playing while I was there which made it even more relaxing. Hey, that could be a flashback one day. :)

It has been a busy week and I have been in class for the last three days. I tried to put together the Flashback last night but sleep got the best of me. Look for the Friday Flashback to return this weekend next Friday. It's going to be special. Have a good weekend!

In the meantime, checkout Stephanie Mills' new website, www.stephaniemillsmusic.com. She has a new single, "Born For This", and a new album which drops in November. Thanks LaNita!!

Also, if you are in Oakland this weekend, go checkout Roy Hargrove and RH Factor at Yoshi's. I got to see them last night and they definitely funked up the place.

On this date in 1950 in our music history, vocal diva Patti Austin was born. If you know me, you know that I am a devoted groupie. I have shared stories with you about how I blew 3 rolls of film trying to take a picture with her when I met her in 1988. I have been fortunate enough to have seen her in concert several times and every time, she has been outstanding. Today, I am enjoy the good weather and playing a couple of Patti Austin albums.

Happy Birthday Patti!

Later in the day, Patti Austin was given a wonderful surprise birthday party at the elegant Shanghai 1930 Restaurant in San Francisco. Among other distinguished guests, SF Mayor Willie Brown was present for the festivities. Patti was totally shocked and the tears of joy flowed. A highlight of the evening was Patti being serenaded with a song from the musical "Ragtime" by 17 year old protégé, Robert Houston. She has been a major force in his music development and it definitely shows. Patti told the crowd that she would not be singing as she had been performing in Europe for the past two months and is now on vacation. They managed to get her to sing a bit of a duet on "I Am Everyday People" before she returned to enjoying her guests. A great evening for a great lady.

Drinking music is in a class all of its own. We know it as the music that has helped us just to make it through a situation. It has soothed the pain of a broken heart or a failed romance. You put that record of your choice on and slide on down to bluesville with a side order of dark and dreary skies. I personally love this kind of music not for its mood altering affects but for its power. Never does a lyric have so much meaning as in the blues. There are no mixed messages in these songs. You know it is over, they have left you, and your heart will be broken for awhile. You are lying on the couch with a fifth of whatever (kool-aid, of course) and co-signing with the music when you hear phrases like "I'd rather drink muddy water and sleep out in a hollow log" or "Lawd, if I only had my way, the graveyard would be the place where my man would lay."

On Aretha Sings The Blues, Aretha sets the tone for whatever ails you. These classics were recorded between 1961 and 1965, during her seven years at Columbia Records. She is also featured on piano on some of the tracks. Aretha opens the album with my personal favorite, "Drinking Again", which paints the tale of a romance that has gone south and the song ends with the prophetic line, "I ain't got nothin' but a bottle of Seagram's and just a memory." The lights are low and the embers have lost their glow. Each title tells a life story such as "Maybe I'm A Fool", "Evil Gal Blues", "Trouble In Mind", "Nobody Know The Way I Feel This Morning", "This Bitter Earth", "Muddy Water", "Only The Lonely" and "Take A Look." She embraces this music with such soulfulness, conviction, and compassion and to imagine that she was only in her late teens and early 20's when she recorded these gems. That is an amazing talent wise beyond her years. If you are an early Aretha fan, this is definitely a must have. Enjoy your music.

Sample Tracks

1. Drinking Again
2. Today I Sing the Blues
3. What a Difference a Day Made
4. Without the One You Love
5. Trouble in Mind

Other Related Albums

The Great Aretha Franklin/Sweet Bitter Love/Aretha Sings The Blues [Box Set]
The Delta Meets Detroit: Aretha's Blues
Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington

The San Jose Jazz Festival begins today and runs through Sunday. Jazz Superstars Nnenna Freelon, Jimmy Heath, Cubanismo, Nester Torres, Yellowjackets, Greg Osby, Ledisi, and Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca are among the hundreds of fascinating local and national jazz musicians who will appear at the world’s largest free jazz festival.

The JVC Jazz Festival will be held on Saturday, August 16 at the Chronicle Pavilion. The lineup includes The Crusaders featuring Joe Sample, Wilton Felder, Ray Parker Jr. and special guest Randy Crawford, BWB featuring Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum, and Norman Brown. Also Larry Carlton, Stanley Clarke, and Joyce Cooling.

Legendary saxman Pharoah Sanders is at Yoshi's this week. Next week, saxophonist Greg Osby (8/11) and trumpeter Roy Hargrove (8/14-17) will be there.

Brenda Boykin and Folklorico 57 bring new traditions in jazz and blues to the Jazzschool stage this Friday at 8pm.

Jazz vocalist/pianist Diane Schuur has a new release on Concord Records entitled Midnight and it will be in stores on 08/12. It features special guests Karrin Allyson, Brian McKnight, and Barry Manilow. Also from Concord Records, Playboy Jazz presents Jazz After Dark, the ultimate 2-CD collection of late-night, mood-setting jazz featuring Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Patti Austin, Ella Fitzgerald, and many other greats.

Vocalist/songwriter/producer Marlon Saunders of Jazzhole has a new release entitled Enter My Mind. Vibe Magazine describes it as "...timeless music that can chill, ache and percolate yet never ever smell, feel, or sound neo".

Sometimes you see something so special, that all you can think of is the greatness of the moment. The birth of a child, falling in love, a perfect sunset, and of course, good music. I found this rare photo a while back and had been saving it for a special occasion and then I thought, what better time than now. I present to you the grand ladies of song....Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.

Best Of My Love

Doesn't take much to make me happy
And make me smile with glee
Never, never will I feel discouraged
Cause our love's no mystery

Demonstrating love and affection
That you give so openly yeah
I like the way ya make me about you baby
Want the whole wide world to see

Chorus

Whoa whoa, you got the best of my love
Whoa whoa, you got the best of my love
Whoa whoa, you got the best of my love
Whoa whoa, you've got the best of my love

Flowing in and out of changes
The kind that come around each day
My life has a better meaning
Love has kissed me in a beautiful way

And oh yea (my love, my love)
oh yea (my love, my love)

Chorus

Demonstrating sweet love and affection
That you give so openly yeah
The way I feel about ya baby can't explain it
Want the whole wide world to see

Ohhh but in my heart
You're all I need
You for me and me for you
ohhh, it's growin' every day
ooooh

Vamp

ohhh, oh oh oh oh oh
you've got the best of my love
ohhh, oh oh oh oh oh
you've got the best of my love
ohhh, givin' you the best of my love
my love ohh my love
ohhh, givin' you the best of my love
my love ohh oh yeah
ohhh, oh oh oh oh oh
you've got the best of my love

*fade out*

In 1977, you heard this song everywhere and it was infectious. You could not help but sing along but did you really know all the words? Even as I play this song tonight, I am still tripping over my words. I have posted the lyrics so you and I can finally sing this song correctly. Now don't feel bad because even the liner notes shows a verse that we do not hear in the song.

I love The Emotions and Wanda, Sheila, and Pamela ruled the airwaves in the late 70's. "Best of My Love" topped the charts and also garnered them a Grammy award. The album Rejoice produced several hits including the title track, "Rejoice", the anthem "Don't Ask My Neighbors" (later recorded by Nancy Wilson) , "A Feeling Is", "Key to My Heart", "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away" (written by Deniece Williams) and "Blessed." They made good music and part of the secret to their success was Maurice White who produced the album. You can hear the EWF touches in the arrangements and instrumentation but The Emotions' tight harmonies are very much credited to their early days of singing gospel music in Chicago with their father, Joe Hutchinson, Sr. Before they were The Emotions, they were Three Ribbons and a Bow, The Heavenly Sunbeams and The Hutchinson Sunbeams. Their first hit song "So I Can Love You" was released in 1969 and written by Sheila Hutchinson.

The Emotions have an outstanding website, theemotionsweb.com, that is definitely worth checking out.

Enjoy your music.