TYDmusic.com: My Review-93

Sheree Brown - I'd rather be in love with you: (Brown Baby Ent.)

For us old school connoisseurs of the gender known as the Rare Groove, Sheree Brown is a name we know very well. She had one of the stable hits of the 80s with 'It's a Pleasure' taken from her debut album 'Straight Ahead' in 1981. Her sophomore set 'It's the Music' followed suit the next year giving us the late night 2 step groover hit 'Got to get away' and the ballad 'On my way Home'

Then all of a sudden - nothing. Following the Music album in '82 she basically stopped recording for close to 2 decades and it wasn't until 2001 that she resurfaced again although during those formative years she did not totally vanish from the music arena as she wrote songs for other performers. She co-wrote (with friend Patrice Rushen and Naughty By Nature) the 1994 top 20 hit, 'Groove Thang', recorded by Zhané and also performed a One-Woman USO Tour of Germany, Egypt, Israel and Italy, as well as performances at Hollywood's famed House of Blues, The Conga Room and Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. She also sung background vocals on albums by Patrice and Stevie Wonder's ex-wife and protege Syreeta Wright,

In 2001 she partnered up with my girl Patrice 'Baby Fingers' Rushen and together they did an album called SBPR (Sisters Being Positively Real) - Beautiful Women which went largely unnoticed here in the US but still no solo projects from her. Then in steps Soulwalking's Toby Walker. Sheree contacted Toby on the chance of seeing her artist page on his site one day. This led Toby to ask the question 'When are you going to put out another solo album?' That was in 2001 at the time of the SBPR album and so it begins.

The album called '83' (any significent to her last album being in 1982?) is now a reality and on review here today is the excellent track 'I'd rather be in love with you' a mid tempo 2 step modern day rare groove masterpiece that is just a delight to listen. A pulsating drum beat kicked it off accompanied by gentle piano keys and soothing guitar strings all brought together by Sheree's devine vocals - music at it's very best.

The album is out now and it's definitely one that requires your listening ear so do yourself a favour when you get a chance pick it up because it doesn't disappoint (really) - A TY-D Pick indeed.

Listen to Sheree Brown's - 'I'd rather be in love with you'

Sir TY

Armand - Time for Love: (CD-R)

Armand may be a brand new artist to most of us but his whole life is evolved in music. The Queens NY native now residing in LA began his musical journey at age 11 creating and recording his own material on an old reel to reel tape machine. Said Armand - “I always had the music in me, I still can’t read a lead sheet, but all day long, melodies and lyrics just pop into my head, and play in loops until I lay down the basic ideas ”. “Growing up It was classic R&B like Donny Hathaway, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye that moved me, and later on, Nile Rodgers, The Isley Brothers, Barry White, Eric B and Rakim, Sugar Hill Gang, Miles Davis and John Coltrane” Soothing melodies, smooth grooves, and a positive vibe in the message is how Armand defines his own style

During the late eighties, he traveled to Europe exploring in places like Brazil, Italy, the UK and Puerto Rico where he discovered various styles in music as well as their artists. On his return, feeling lost and in need of some soul searching he traveled to Miami and as he puts it "Thank God I ended up in Miami in the mid-nineties". He explains“The blue sky, the ocean and the international scene was so inspiring to me, it helped nourish my muse”. He found that muse and with the emergence of 'Neo-soul' in the mid-90s, his path was set and he knew what his goal would be. “I am songwriter because I feel it’s my destiny to give back creatively all the love and joy that I have experienced in my life through music”.

Pretty much in the same vain as Toby and Sheree above, Armand was a listener of my radio show 'The Menu' on Mixx96 and contacted me a couple of weeks ago after coming across my website telling me that he has an album he's like me to check out.

Upon receiving the album last week and giving it a listen, I was plesently surprised by what I heard. The 10 song CD is filled with steller tracks from the catchy 'You knock me out' to the mellow mood of 'This could be our moment'. The stand out for me is the throw back to the 80s groove 'Time for Love' An excellent mid tempo dance number that is reminisce of vintage Starpoint or Change from back in the day - great track that would rival to be on any urban radio playlist. It's kind of hard to pinpoint how to describe his music as a little bit of everything comes through from pop rock to jazz to soul but nevertheless it's a very nice album.

At the present time he's looking to get distribution and a label so any A&R or record execs out there you can reach Armand at azzurro@email.com. Another TY-D Pick for you to check out.

Listen to Armand's - 'Time for Love'

Sir TY