Conya Doss :: Blu Transition

Conya Doss has been busy burning the midnight oil composing and arranging music for this dazzling, well-crafted 2010 album that sets the tone for what lies ahead. Her unabashedly emotional fifth studio album Blu Transition, with Blu being the name of her newborn son, is not only a collection of words set to music, it is a gift; an energy exchange that reflects the duality of love and pain. It’s an anointed story. It’s one of endurance, but more importantly it is about life being full of unexpected moments with both tragedies (death) and triumphs (birth).

With a refreshingly crisp and remarkable vocal range, as well as sparse yet beautiful instrumentation, Conya Doss has found success in simplicity. Blu Transition continues in Doss’ brilliant delivery of sweet, supple and heartfelt lyrics but she plunges deep into a bluesy-jazz vibe with spiritual undertones reminiscent of a 70’s sound in both harmony and mood. The music carries a laid-back, earthy quality that features various moments; from truly moving and haunting to a rootsy reflection of where the singer has come from with messages steeped in love, risk-taking, rejection and heartbreak. Composing yet another intricately crafted and cohesive body of work that illuminates her unequaled musicianship.

Blu Transition stretches Doss once again to express herself to the bare bones, this time around in impressive varieties of vocal styles. On the single “Best Thing” we find the songbird flying high in a falsetto tone while dipping low into baritone territory on “Wi Fi.” Doss is most poignant on the records that expose her soul, acknowledging what her life has been like since her last album. “All In You”, “Celebrate” and “Never Be The Same” are sure to overwhelmingly echo the sentiment of fans, newcomers and singers alike that will qualify them as classics. Each note she parts her lips to sing, Doss sets free a pure tone that moves you through lifetimes, which is like a light bulb turning on in one’s head; a gentle reminder that there are other people to consider in life besides oneself.

John Legend & The Roots :: Wake Up

Musical powerhouses John Legend & The Roots' fiery new offering, Wake Up!, features soulful music from the 60's and 70's all with an underlying theme of awareness, engagement and consciousness — effectively telling listeners to Wake Up!

Inspired by the recent historical Presidential election campaign of 2008, Legend and The Roots felt a need to enter the action. What started as plans for a single quickly developed into a passionate album representing change, hope and activism — not only referencing one particular moment in time, but on a larger scale, holding true no matter what the political climate may be.

The resulting album features eleven profoundly evocative songs infused with sounds of gospel, rock and reggae inflections with hip hop influences. The album is highlighted by familiar tracks like "Wholly Holy" by Marvin Gaye and "Little Ghetto Boy" by Donny Hathaway mixed with the more obscure selections of Baby Huey and the Babysitters' "Hard Times," and "Hang on in There" by Mike James Kirkland.

"These songs sound so relevant now," Legend says. "On most of them, you wouldn't change a lyric. "Wake Up Everybody" (the album's first single, featuring contributions from Melanie Fiona and Common) has four verses—the first one is a general statement, the second is about education, third is about health care, and the fourth is about making a better environment. No editing needed."

The album features one original composition, Legend's song "Shine," which is featured in Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim's upcoming documentary film Waiting for Superman. The song, a "Stevie-Wonder-meets-gospel" stunner, clearly demonstrates the strengths of this specific group of musicians. Wake Up! blends Legend's expressive, thoughtful vocal interpretations with an element of funk that only The Roots can provide.

Bilal :: Airtight's Revenge

Grammy-nominated musical artist Bilal (Philadelphia, PA) returns with his third studio album, Airtight's
Revenge, which will be released September 14th through Plug Research Music and distributed through The Orchard. A provocative genre-bending album that dissects love, politics and relationships, Airtight's Revenge demonstrates the Philly-bred singer's growth as an artist. 'It's a mix of jazz, hip-hop, soul, blues, and experimental free music,' says Bilal. The differences in economical social classes inspired the track 'Robots,' which scrutinizes societal and governmental effects on people. After watching the 2007 documentary, 'Zeitgeist: The Movie,' Bilal wrote 'Who Are You.' 'Of all religions, I drive to be human,' says Bilal. At the end of the day, we are all one. We need to connect with the spiritual side of ourselves; we don't need to inflict that on others. It's OK to have free thought. 'Little Ones,' a smooth track with a soulful sound is
dedicated to his sons. 'My youngest son has Sickle Cell and my oldest son has Autism. This song is for them,' stated Bilal. Steve McKie (Jill Scott, Estelle, Kindred, Vivian Green) co-produced the album with Bilal, recorded in Philadelphia, Virginia and Los Angeles. The album also features production by Nottz (Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Drake), 88 Keys (Mos Def, Macy Gray, Musiq Soulchild), Shafiq Husayn of Sa-Ra and Tone Whitefield.

What a frequency What a voice.. I love Bilal.. I couldn't imagine a music world without his voice. --Erykah Badu

I have a very conected history with Bilal.. I heard his demo years ago.. I heard all of the magic
instantly.. He's a master at interpretation of song. --Q-Tip

Bilal is hands down one of the greatest specimens of voice in post-modern hip-hop culture. --Questlove

Esperanza Spalding :: Chamber Music Society

Bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding opened her 2008 Heads Up debut, Esperanza, with a Milton Nascimento cover (“Ponta de Areia”) and she hasn’t looked back. On August 17, Spalding returns with Chamber Music Society. Backed by drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and pianist Leo Genovese – and inspired by the classical training of her younger years – Esperanza creates a modern chamber music group that combines the spontaneity and intrigue of improvisation with sweet and angular string trio arrangements. The result is a sound that weaves the innovative elements of jazz, folk and world music into the enduring foundations of classical music.

“So much of my early musical experience was spent playing chamber music on the violin, and it’s a form of music that I’ve always loved,” says Esperanza. “I was very inspired by a lot of classical music, and chamber music in particular. I’m intrigued by the concept of intimate works that can be played and experienced among friends in an intimate setting. So I decided to create my version of contemporary chamber music, and add one more voice to that rich history.”

Co-produced by Esperanza and Gil Goldstein, Chamber Music Society surrounds Esperanza with a diverse assembly of musicians. At the core are pianist Leo Genovese, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and percussionist Quintino Cinalli. The string trio is comprised of violinist Entcho Todorov, violist Lois Martin, cellist David Eggar and Gretchen Parlato on voice. The great Milton Nascimento also makes a guest appearance on one track.

Chamber Music Society is the first of two current Esperanza projects. Radio Music Society, set for release in the spring of 2011, features an exciting new repertoire of funk, hip-hop, and rock elements fused into songs that are free from genre.

Zo! :: Sunstorm

SunStorm is the latest album from Detroit-area born, DC-area based producer/multi-instrumentalist Zo!
Best known for his 2008 collaboration with Phonte on the cult classic "Zo and Tigallo Love the 80's" as well as his work on The Foreign Exchange's Grammy-nominated LP, "Leave It All Behind," 'SunStorm" is an extensive 12-track set that shows the ever-expanding range and depth of Zo! and the entire Foreign Exchange Music family.

Indie soul siren and American Idol vocalist Sy Smith serves up a slice of 70's soul on the breezy "Greatest Weapon Of All Time," and Lady Alma, a Philly veteran and stalwart of the UK house scene, takes it to the dance floor on the frenetic "Free Your Mind." The album's lead single, "This Could Be The Night," features Darien Brockington, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Eric Roberson, and Rapper Big Pooh of Little Brother over a thumping two-step groove specifically intended for the 'steppers' of Zo's native Detroit. Another highlight is the Phonte-assisted "Flight Of The Blackbyrd," Zo's heartfelt homage to the 70's jazz/funk fusion of The Mizell Bros. and George Duke.

The Roots :: How I Got Over

To call it "long-awaited" or "eagerly anticipated" would be the understatement of the year - as hip-hop's most daring pioneers The Roots release their 9th studio album (and third for Def Jam Recordings) on June 22nd, HOW I GOT OVER. The album, which takes its name from Clara Ward's gospel classic (made popular by Mahalia Jackson), is the Roots' first new release since joining Late Night with Jimmy Fallon for a full time gig as the show's house band.

Grammy Award winners the Roots characterize the songs on HOW I GOT OVER as "depicting the everyman's search for hope in this dispiriting post-hope zeitgeist". The lead single from the Roots new set will be "Dear God 2.0." The track re-imagines the Monsters Of Folk song "Dear God" and features MOF members Yim Yames from My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes and M. Ward.
HOW I GOT OVER also includes two appearances from Grammy-winning soul man John Legend: "Doin' It Again" a re-working of his track "Again," and "The Fire," an original song written for the Roots' 2010 Olympic concert performance.
Other guests on HIGO include Joanna Newsom on "Right On," Phonte Coleman (Little Brother, The Foreign Exchange), Blu (Blu & Exile), Peedi Peedi , Mercedes Martinez, Icelandic alt-pop singer Patty Crash, newcomer Sugar Tongue Slim as well as long time Roots' Crew members Dice Raw, Truck North and P.O.R.N.

Yahzarah :: The Ballad Of Purple St. James

Critically acclaimed R&B vocalist YahZarah returns with her long-awaited album The Ballad of Purple Saint James, dropping May 4 on The Foreign Exchange Music. The 13-track set, overseen by Grammy-nominated production duo Nicolay and Phonte of The Foreign Exchange, represents her brightest, most complete work to date.
"It feels good to put our combined talents, efforts, and resources behind an artist that so deserves to be heard," says Nicolay. "I couldn't be more proud of The Ballad..."

YahZarah, a singer-songwriter who first made her mark as a background singer for Erykah Badu, has spent the past few years touring in support of her albums "Hear Me" (2001), "Blackstar" (2003), and 2008's "The Prelude." She worked on "The Ballad..." independently for a number of years before reaching out to Phonte (a longtime friend and fellow NC Central music student), and finally selecting +FE Music as her label home.

"YahZarah is the best singer I personally know, and for years it's been my dream to produce her, " says Phonte. "My goal was to take her vast repertoire of melodic influences, and combine it with material that allowed her voice to really shine."

Clocking in at under an hour, "The Ballad..." showcases YahZarah's rich soprano in a variety of musical settings. The new wave bounce of the first single "Why Dontcha Call Me No More" evokes Pat Benatar, while the throwback synth funk of "Change Your Mind" suggests Solar Records in its heyday. Highlighting YahZarah's classical jazz training is "Shadow," a stunning Zo!-produced piece that features her backed solely by piano and a haunting orchestral arrangement.

In addition to production by The Foreign Exchange, "The Ballad..." also includes contributions from TheRealFocus...(Marsha Ambrosius, Raphael Saddiq), Nate Smith (Michael Jackson), Steve McKie (Jill Scott, Bilal), and guest appearances from Jaspects, drummer Lil' John Roberts, and singer Darien Brockington.

"Completing 'The Ballad...' with Phonte and Nicolay allowed me an opportunity to return back to the joy of making music and to create a project that is sexy, fearless, beautiful and sincere," says YahZarah. "This work is a true reflection of me."