Lookout
for newcomer Andreus in 2003
With
2003 just under way, the new crop of talent is beckoning to burst
onto the music scene. Among the new breed is a newcomer by the name
of Andreus. The
Mississippi born, Chicago resident singer/songwriter who's given name
Deandrias Abdullah has gotten
a lot of praise on his debut set 'Street
Troubadour' which was largely overlooked by majors here
in the States. In stepped Peter Robinson
owner of Dome Records in the UK
who quickly signed the talented musician and the rest as they say
is history.
His beginning in
music has a familiar journey, his mother was a singer who traveled
from Mississippi to Chicago in pursuit of her musical career and his
father, was a local sax player there in Mississippi. Andreus began
singing and playing piano, guitar and drums in the church, performing
regularly at local talent shows and parties.
Now that he's horned his craft, the youngster has releasd a dandy
of an album. His influences include Marvin
Gaye, Stevie Wonder,
Jimi Hendrix, Sting
and
Roy Ayers and all are present in the songs on the
set.
Written and produced
by the man himself, the album has all genders represented in some
form or another. From hip hop (Ghetto Music)
to rock (Daddy's Home) to reggae
(Sweet Land) to soul (Bastard
Child) to Jazz Funk (Who am I?)
- there is not one bad track in the lot, truly an amazing debut which
makes me wonder why he's not getting any airplay here (limited mind
here if you catch my drift)
His two biggest
influences, the late legends Curtis Mayfield
and Bob Marley, he refers to
as his 'musical father figures' and only hopes to have as long a career
- "It's not that I want to sing or sound like either of them.
It's kind of like I'm taking the torch and keeping it moving. That's
why a lot of the songs I write are about real experiences. Street
stuff. The real gritty stuff that you don't necessarily hear or see
all the time in music." You can get his album on Dome's website
at www.domerecords.co.uk
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Midnight
Star returns with 1st album in more than a decade
In
the 80s Midnight Star was on
fire as they scored hit after hit like 'No
parking on the dance floor', 'Curious'
and 'Wet my Whistle'. In the
late 80s the band's founding members brothers Vincent
and Reggie Calloway branched
out on their own and the band was never the same. The 90s wasn't
as kind as teh 80s as they released a couple of albums that really
didn't live up to expection. -
- Now more than a decade later
Midnight Star returns with the
Calloway brothers on hand to drops their 1st album of all new material
called '15th Avenue'. The album
is filled with winners from start to finish tapping into their original
concept of 80s flavour and blending it with the new mellennium soul.
-
- Tracks like 'Love
to get to know you', 'I like
the way you dance' and the title track will make you
shake a leg while ballads like 'Caught
in the moment' and 'Hooked on
you' reminds us of how it was done back in the day. A
terrific return for the group - well worth your listening ear do
pick it up if you get the chance.
-
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Omar
makes an appearance on Soul24-7.com
-
The UK's prodigal son of soul Omar
returns (in sorts) to radio. The man will make an appearance this
coming Saturday on Soul24-7.com. I'm sure inquiring minds
wants to know what the talented musician/singer/songwiter has
been up to the last 3 years since he released his critically acclaimed
album 'Best by Far'.
-
-
-
You
can ask him this coming Saturday on Alan Jay's show between 6pm
to 8pm GMT - be sure to tune in and you can question the singer
about his whereabouts the last few years and be sure to ask him
about where is his official website while you're at it see why's
not listed with Oyster Music (his label or is it?).
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-
-
- Les
Nubians 1st single from sophomore set features Talib Kweli
Those
soulful French sisters Hèléne
and Célia Faussart aka
Les Nubians have inquired the
services of rapper Talib Kweli
on the song 'Temperature Rising,'
the new single from the hip-hop/soul duo. The song will be featured
on their sophomore set 'One Step Forward,'
which is due on record shelves come March 25 via Higher Octave.
The sisters are currently gearing
up a promotional tour to promote the forthcoming album which is the
follow-up to 1999's "Princesses Nubiennes,"
their highly acclaimed debut album that featured the monster hit Makeda
and the excellent cover of Sade's
Taboo. Been waiting
4 years for this one and can't wait to hear it. If it's anything remotely
close to their debut then it will be well worth the wait.
Source: billboard.com