Twenty-six tracks from a singer who releases an album roughly once a decade and has never made a bad one. OneLove Maxwell Maxwell arrived in 1996 with Urban Hang Suite , a concept album about a single relationship, recorded with musicians from the seventies soul world including Leon Ware — who wrote much of Marvin Gaye's I Want You — and Stuart Matthewman of Sade's band. That combination is the whole story. His records sound like nothing else because they are made by people who understand seventies soul as a craft rather than as a reference, and because he sings in a falsetto that he uses architecturally rather than for display. He is also, famously, slow. There are long gaps between albums, and he has said plainly that he releases records when he has something to release. The catalogue is small and there is almost nothing weak in it. What to listen for "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" is the record that introduced him and still the be...

Thirty-four tracks from a Minneapolis singer who was nearly in Prince's band, and instead became the voice of the city's other great production team. OneLove Alexander O'Neal Alexander O'Neal is a fixture of the Minneapolis story from an unusual angle. He was the original lead singer of Flyte Tyme , the band that — after he left — became The Time under Prince's direction with Morris Day out front. What he did instead was reunite with the two Flyte Tyme members who became Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis , and make a run of albums for Tabu Records that are among the best productions either party ever managed. His voice is the distinguishing thing: a big, slightly hoarse baritone with real force behind it, which gave Jam and Lewis's meticulous, synthetic arrangements something rough to push against. He was also enormous in Britain, considerably more so than at home. What to listen for "If You Were Here Tonight" appears twice here and...

Twenty-five tracks from the group that invented new jack swing and changed how R&B records were built. OneLove Guy Guy were Teddy Riley , Aaron Hall and — after Timmy Gatling's departure — Damion Hall , and their 1988 debut is one of the genuine hinge points in Black American music. The innovation was Riley's. He took hip-hop's drum programming — hard, swung, sampled — and put R&B singing over it, which nobody had properly done. The result, christened new jack swing by the critic Barry Michael Cooper, dominated the following five years and is the direct ancestor of essentially all modern R&B production. Aaron Hall is the other half of the story. His singing — enormous, gospel-derived, unashamedly indebted to Charlie Wilson of The Gap Band — became the template for a generation of male R&B vocalists, Jodeci's K-Ci very much included. What to listen for "Groove Me" is the opening statement and the clear...

Sixteen tracks from a supergroup of three established solo singers who decided, against all industry logic, to form a vocal group in 2013. OneLove TGT TGT were Tyrese , Ginuwine and Tank — three men with separate, substantial careers who spent years talking about forming a group and eventually did it. The album, Three Kings , arrived in 2013 and went to number one on the R&B chart. The premise was explicitly nostalgic: a deliberate attempt to make the kind of male vocal group record that had essentially vanished from the market. Three leads, real harmony arrangements, ballads that take their time, and a complete indifference to what radio was playing. The voices are genuinely complementary. Tyrese has the biggest instrument, Tank the most technically agile, and Ginuwine the most distinctive tone — and none of them is trying to win. What to listen for "Sex Never Felt Better" is the single and the most immediate thing here. "Tear...

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Born and raised in Philadelphia, spoken word artist, poet and songstress Ursula Rucker graduated from Temple University’s journalism program and has been enchanting audiences with her talent since 1994. Rucker is recognized as one of the premiere spoken word artists in the recording industry today. She has collaborated with an array of artists and producers including King Britt, 4 Hero, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Josh Wink and most notably The Roots. The Grammy Award-winning band called on Rucker to craft “The Unlocking,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “Return To Innocence Lost.” She has performed alongside Gil Scott-Heron, Mos Def, Macy Gray and opened for the late Nina Simone. Hear her truth…and ascend. OneLove

. Linton Kwesi Johnson, aka LKJ, is the intellectual conscience of reggae music. Since the early 1970s he has forged a melding of true poetry with roots reggae rhythms, holding to a political perspective honed by long involvement with movements for better living conditions and rights for Black people in England, where he has lived since he was eleven years old. As a university student, writer, editor and musician, his voice and words have been unmistakable – unique within reggae, really. Arguably,LKJ invented dub – or reggae – poetry, and still does it best; he is thus both the premiere and premier exemplar of this singular genre of music. OneLove

One of my favorite Reggae Dub poets. Mutabaruka is the truth. His observations/critiques are powerful and prophetic and in this vast wasteland called Western ‘civilization’, voices like this need to heard & respected. OneLove

The influence of Frank Ocean, Drake & The Weekend are apparent, but Johnny Rain carries his own when it comes to the beats he uses. All of the instrumentals are produced & played by himself which is a rare feat in today’s industry. With such a load of talent, this rising artist is definitely going to make his mark & become a household name in the near future. OneLove

After years of being assaulted & numbed by inconsequential & vapid commercial rap music, we get a whiff of fresh air from an up & coming 19 year old rapper from the ATL – Raury. Yeah, he comes off sounding like Andre 3000 – the influence is quite obvious – but he is forgiven. His lyricism is what is needed at this moment in our polluted stream of consciousness. Give me his – I seen the news and seen the lies They kill our kind The system’s blind, the system’s blind yeah So peel your eyes, don’t close your mind Cause human kind must grow benign or slowly die, extinction There’s truth and lies in death and life The masses cry, but heaven smiles, always The trees they grow The leaves belong to mother nature Not to man to legalize it, yeah And take back Rick Ross’ whack-ass- Put Molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it Got a hundr...

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Brilliant soul…

I just need to know that I did the very best I could and that I was true to myself. ~Lenny Kravitz

Do not call her a R&B artist because Janelle Monáe cannot be categorized into one genre. She stirs a big ol’ pot of sound with influences from everywhere- from Prince to Fela Kuti to 2PAC. It’s almost impossible to categorize her as anything, really. Even her look is edgy. I like this as we humans are so quick to put people in our comfy lil boxes. May her eclecticism catch fire and burn these lame ass, unoriginal artists on our airwaves in desperate need of imagination & awareness. OneLove

This brother is goes deep… .real deep. Take a song like his smash hit, “Down Here In Hell (With You)” where he says- I love the battle lines The battle lines we draw when crossin’ the mud Ooh, I love it when we fight Standin’ on the verge of breakin’ up or makin’ love What would I do if we were perfect? Where would I go for disappointment? Love without pain would leave me Wonderin’ why I stay? This puts love in its proper dimension, meaning it gets complicated & it aint all about romantic evenings & hot sex. He stands out in our current field of Great Pretenders. Or take a song like “Old Hat” from his current album, “The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets” which is subconsciously inspired by how “modern technology has taken away some of the things that we should probably hold dear. Things that have lasted for thousands of years like integrity, patience, intuition, instinc...

In honor of the incredible body of work by legendary R&B producers Jimmy Jam /Terry Lewis, I made this playlist featuring my favorite cuts they wrote/produced for various artists. These maestros crafted #1 hits for damn near everybody stretching from the early 80’s to the present and have created some of the best R&B/Pop music of our time.

OneLove

Classic lady, classic sound…Timeless! OneLove

Play that funky music white boy!

For a Child Love is the answer to a child Just as hope is the answer to us all But it’s there at the beginning That we learn to hope at all And God help us if we don’t Tell me where is this place From which there’s no return What can we know of another road From the one that we made With our anger and our rage We dare not go where there is no hope Not even for a child If dreams fly over the rainbow Truth lies waiting for us all If siren’s voices cloud our reason Can we still resist their call ’cause God help us if we don’t For so many people livin’ their whole lives Waiting to be saved For so many children taking that short trip From the cradle to the grave….. ….so powerful…. OneLove From the cradle to the grave…..

TLC! Nuff said–these ladies were the shit back in the day! Their music will never grow old to me. We miss you Left Eye! OneLove

British soul singer Daley sings like an old-school playa…He has that Marvin Gaye / Ronnie Dyson sound that really impresses me as there are not too many white boys that can sing with this kind of soul & conviction. His debut CD, Days & Nights, is really chilled and has a good feel to it. And yes, the opening track “Look Up” was produced by super-producer, Pharrell (his sound is instantly recognizable). That duet with Marsha Ambrosius, “Alone Together”, is Quiet Storm material that is definitely Grammy-worthy. I added a few more songs from his impressive EP, Alone Together.  OneLove

When I first heard this lady;s voice, my first thought was “Billie Holliday reincarnated!” Her voice haunts you much like Lady Day’s, & those eyes….them there eyes!….will cast a spell on ya! OneLove

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5gqWWJQbaSsCgBABlJuKOk?si=38180ce38da24ae4 When I first heard Youssou N’Dour’s voice on the song, “Bamako”. many years ago, I was hooked and it ignited an interest in the mystifying world of Wolof culture in particular and mysticism in general. That song, with its hypnotic conga drums and Youssou’s soaring, distinctive tenor dancing along in syncopation, had me longing for a continent I had yet to visit…and it also had me longing for a deeper, more embodied spiritual life. I think I may have stumbled upon Sufism through reading Youssou’s background in this album’s (The Lion) liner notes, and to this day, I still enjoy the timeless wisdom the Sufi mystics have blessed Mankind with. Here are some of my favorite Youssou jams for your appreciation. OneLove

“Earth…. Wind….. & Fire”…..When I was a teenager, just saying those words gave me chills as I mocked being a DJ announcing the entrance of Earth, Wind & Fire to a craving audience awaiting a funked-up lift-off from their mundane reality. This group stands alone–very few bands compare to the magical blend of jazz, funk, soul, African polyrhythms, rock, disco, big band and gospel that they stirred up with such style, energy, imagination and mastery. One of the qualities of timeless music is the freshness of the sound regardless of time and space.  The selections on this playlist are classics that will stand the test of time ’til our Maker has had enough of us and calls us all Home. “We live in a negative society. Most people can’t see beauty and love. I see our music as medicine.”~ Maurice White RIP to founder Maurice White whose shining star will never be forgotten OneLove

Eric Roberson, anyone ever heard of him? No? Yeah, that’s typical. I could run down a whole list of artists who are just bad-ass & chances are, not many will know them either. Artists like Eric Roberson are indeed known by other artists, but outside of close-knit artistic circles & a small cult following, he is unknown. Listening to this playlist, you have to scratch your head and wonder “Why didn’t this song..and this song…..not make it on to radio?” To answer that question, one has to delve into the sordid details of payola laws which have not stopped people from paying or compensating others for playing their music ( good artticle in Forbes about this). In any case, check out some of my favorite cuts by this remarkable artist. Not included is one of my faves called “Dealing” with the great Lalah Hathaway…. OneLove

This brother is a time-traveler. He entered the 21st century straight out of 1950 in some type of Time Machine and draws us all into that period. Even his video for “Lisa Sawyer” is  in black & white! Color TV did not come around until the 50s which makes his throwback vibe more convincing.The fact that his Coming Home  debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop charts & has sold out shows all over the place signifies to me that people are yearning for something different. Too much Chris Brown & Justin Bieber leaves people wanting escape & Leon Bridges seems to be filling that void. It’s going to be quite interesting to see how long he can sustain this retro vibe & how he reinvents himself when the novelty fades away. With his talent, I am sure he’ll be fine.   OneLove

  There are some CDs you can play over & over and never get tired of like ALL of Bob Marley’s work, Earth Wind & Fire’s “I Am” & “All ‘n’ All”, The Commodores Greatest Hits, The Bee Gees Greatest Hits, Branford Marsalis’ “I Heard You Twice The First Time”, Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue” and Steel Pulse’s ” True Democracy”,  to name a few of my favorites which I will probably play until Jah calls me home. Add to this list Taj Weekes & Adowa’s roots reggae classic, “Deidem”. Being a big fan of roots reggae in the vein of The Abyssinians,  I-Wayne & Luciano, the sound of Taj Weekes & Adowa  easily secures itself into the deep & rich legacy of conscious reggae’s uplifting vibration. Adowa’s deft musicianship coupled with Taj’s haunting, poetically poi...

This woman’s voice can turn a calloused soul to quivering gel. I always felt that she has not been given the limelight she so richly deserves. How a Taylor Swift can get so much attention while voices like Joss’s get pushed to the sidelines is just pure, unadulterated bullshit. This woman can sang ! And for the soul/R&B purists out there, don’t get it twisted – Joss Stone being white says nothing about her depth & fire – she delivers !! Her soulful, husky voice is both eloquent and vulnerable which is downright spell-binding. No wonder some folks in the press have called her the ‘ white Aretha Franklin’ of soul ‘. I put togther my favorite cuts to include a few from her latest release, “Water For Your Soul”.  OneLove

When I read about Janet’s comeback, I had some doubts about the impact it would have on the pop landscape. After all, she is now 49 years old and her last two albums received  lukewarm responses. Not being a vocal powerhouse, I wondered if her charisma, mystery and performance could weather the Beyonces, Ciaras & Tinashes of the current era. Let me just say, Janet pretty much buried her competition with this release. She comes back as beautiful as ever. Though her message is less take-control-of-your-destiny-ladies as it was in Control & Rhythm Nation, and more a cool & reflective sojourner, the effect remains equally persuasive & aurally ecstatic. No, Janet cannot blow like Jennifer Hudson, but she doesn’t have to—her scintillating soul is revealed regardless.Sometimes soul is a gift, and sometimes it’s earned. Janet Jackson has earned hers. Yeah, she’s pushing 50 & the market orients toward youth culture, but...

When it comes to smooth, soulful, lyrically-rich melodies, very few bands could compare to The Commodores. Their distinctive sound (pre-1985) still stands the test of time & truth be told, they sound better than most of the bands on radio today. As the best-selling male act at Motown (1975-1985), they set the bar quite high & it’s a shame that the era of the “Supergroup” is over (or was it overtaken by modern technology which can program any instrument & enhance any weak vocals via sound editing?) Thank goodness for bands like Mint Condition & The Roots  that continue to make real, live music rooted in the Golden Era of soul/funk. I read some time ago that Lionel Richie expressed an interest in reuniting The Commodores as he feared that within the next ten years no one will care or remember their impressive body of work. This fear is all too real as exemplified by a contestant on American Idol who nonchalantly admitted that he never...

OneLove

Her voice..her beauty..her spirit…my goodness!