Scion’s Installation 5 Art Tour will arrive in Minneapolis, MN on April 3rd on the heels of a successful tour stop in Phoenix, AZ. The Phoenix stop, a brand new market for the tour, exposed Installation to more than 12 000 art lovers during the First Friday art walk. Now Installation 5 moves on to Minneapolis for the second year running due to the exceptional response it received last year. The opening reception will take place April 3rd from 7pm – 11pm at Rogue Buddha Gallery, 357 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413. Artists J.Shea, Codak and Eye One will be in attendance and DJs Jonathan Ackerman and Millions Billions will provide the music. Rogue Buddha is owned by Nicholas Harper who is one of Installation’s featured artists and Scion is teaming up with MPLSART.com as the local media sponsor.

The fifth installment of Scion’s Installation Art Tour was launched in October 2008. The program is designed to give exposure to both established and emerging artists. Installation 5: Self Portraits highlights a diverse array of artists from around the world and will visit nine cities in total including Miami, New York, Portland, Minneapolis, San Jose, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.  The tour features new markets – Detroit, where the show kicked off, and the most recent stop – Phoenix.

For Installation 5 each artist was asked to create his or her literal, or non-literal interpretation of the theme ‘Self-Portraits’.  Video art will be included for the first time in the tour’s five-year history, alongside painting and photography. Artists on the tour will include: AJ Fosik  (3-D painting), Alex Hornest (painting), Andrew Schoultz (painting), Andy Howell (painting), Angela Boatwright (photography), Asylm (painting), Blek le Rat (painting), Christina M. Felice (photography), Codak (painting),  David Choe (video art),  Edwin Ushiro (painting), El Yem (video art), Eriberto Oriol  (photography), Eye One  (photography), Francesco LoCastro  (painting), French (painting), Geoff Oki  (video art), Ian Lynam (video art), J. Shea  (painting), Jamel Shabazz  (photography), Jeff Soto  (painting), Kelsey Brookes  (painting), Kofie  (painting), Lisa Alisa  (painting), Logan Hicks (photography), Mark Mothersbaugh  (rug), Nicholas Harper  (painting), Patrick Martinez  (painting), Peter Beste  (photography), RETNA  (painting), Rick Rodney  (photography), Rob Abeyta Jr.  (painting), Ron English  (painting), Saber  (photography), Sage Vaughn (painting), Skypage  (painting), Stormie Mills (painting), Tessar Lo  (painting), Too Tall Jahmal  (photography), Usugrow  (painting), Will Barras  (painting), Yoskay Yamamoto  (painting) and more.  As
the tour travels, more artists will be added to the roster.

The final tour stop will be at Scion’s own 4,200 square foot Installation L.A. gallery space where all artwork will be auctioned off to the public, and 100 percent of the proceeds will go toward art-related charities and non-profits.  Last year’s Installation 4 tour raised over $50,000 on behalf of Art From Scrap, an organization encouraging creative expression in the arts and promoting a greater understanding of environmental issues.  Over the last four years Scion’s Installation tour has raised more than $190,000 for art-related non-profit organizations.

Launched in 2003, Scion Installation is a revolutionary art tour affirming the brand’s ongoing commitment to support independent artistic expression and featuring work from an unprecedented collective of contemporary artists, designers and photographers.  Previous participants include: Andre from Paris, Gary Baseman,  Freddi C, Mr. Cartoon, Crash, David Ellis, Daze, Blaine Fontana, Sam Flores, Futura,  Mike Giant, James Jean, Caia Koopman, Krush, Mel Kadel, Mear One, Travis Millard,  Andy Mueller, Andrew Pommier, Ricky Powell, Rammellzee, Rostarr, Kenny Scharf,  Wearesupervision, Chris Yormick and many others.

For more information on the tour, the artists, the artwork and details from past tours  please visit: http://www.scion.com/installation

Scion Installation Five: Self-Portraits Minneapolis Preview from Scion ART on Vimeo.

About Scion:
Scion, from Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., was developed with a new generation of youthful buyers in mind.  Scion’s mission is to provide distinctive products, the opportunity to personalize, and an innovative, consumer-driven process at the retail level.  The Scion brand features three ground-breaking models with a wide array of standard features: the xD urban subcompact five-door, the iconic xB urban utility vehicle, and the tC sports coupe.  The brand often applies new practices in all aspects of its business and pushes the creativity envelope with non-traditional advertising and marketing to engage young consumers. Scion also supports originality through its programs in the artistic community.  For more information, visit www.scion.com.

Leela James Celebrates the Enduring Power of Soul Music on Shanachie Debut “Let’s Do It Again”

When Leela James decided to call her new album LET’S DO IT AGAIN, it wasn’t necessarily because she happened to record a profoundly soulful version of that Staples Singers classic. There was a deeper meaning involved for her as one of the most acclaimed soul singers of the new generation. It was all about pursuing her vision of music, the kind she sang about on the song simply titled “Music” on her best-selling debut CD, on which she name-checked Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan and wondered “where’s the music gone?” For LET’S DO IT AGAIN, Leela was determined to make music the old-school way, just like they used to do at Stax, Motown and Muscle Shoals, recording live in the studio to capture the spontaneous magic and raw emotion that can only come by recording an in-the-moment performance where the singer feeds off the energy of the musicians. It was a courageous move but Leela was up for the challenge as she translates classic soul into her own contemporary style with unique interpretations of a wide-ranging set of songs. The results leap out of the speakers, making LET’S DO IT AGAIN an irresistible experience of joyous, organic, funky, soul music that is all too rare these days. Slated for March 24th on Shanachie Entertainment, LET’S DO IT AGAIN, is a triumphant sophomore effort from one of the most electrifying singers on the scene today.

“I love real music,” Leela explains, “meaning I love instruments, I love real musicians playing. I most enjoy performing with my band because I get energy from the crowd and the instruments; it really does something for me. So the opportunity to go into the studio and combine that live energy with the studio was just a blessing.”

The spontaneous nature of the music-making on LET’S DO IT AGAIN, which Leela produced, can be heard on the session multi-tracks. When Leela and the band kick into a funk version of The Rolling Stones classic “Miss You”, a song she has been performing at concerts for some time, the groove initially is tight but not exciting enough for her taste. “I want you to slow it down, make it FONKY, more dirty,” Leela instructed her musicians. They hit it again and you can hear Leela singing to the engineer, Marc Fuselli: “Marc I want you to hit the record button and let it roll…let it roll…let it roll…we tryin’ to figure it out right now…but let it roll.” She continued some wordless wails and then began singing the familiar verses as the groove got deeper. It evolved into a tour-de-force performance. On her version of Betty Wright’s “Clean Up Woman,” as the familiar opening lick is played by her guitar player, Leela sings the “oh, oh, yeah” intro to another classic song, “Mr. Big Stuff.” It acts like a sample except of course she was creating it live spontaneously. She had told the  band on this one to speed the groove up, make it more “hip hop.” Those alterations transform the song into something fresh. Leela’s version of Womack & Womack’s obscure gem “Baby I’m Scared Of You,” the “steppers” groove had folks dancing in the studio as background singer Andrea Martin spontaneously dropped a Jamaican-style dance-hall rap into the tag. None of these things were planned.

Leela hand-picked all the songs on the album, choosing ones that had particular meaning for her. She decided to do “Nobody Knows you When You’re Down And Out” in the style of Bobby Womack’s recording because her father had a particular love for his version of the song. Her take on Bootsy Collins’ “I’d Rather Be With You,” on the other hand, had been getting great reaction at her shows. But many of the songs were selected because of Leela’s desire to pay tribute to the artists who originally did them—Al Green, Betty Wright, Phyllis Hyman, Angela Bofill, The Staples Singers and James Brown among others.

“We were blessed to open up for James Brown on tour in Europe,” Leela relates. “I was elated after a show to go meet him backstage and talk with him. He pulled me into an interview on camera and said ‘this is a great singer’. This was the King, the Godfather talking about little ‘ol me! He said I should carry on the tradition. He gave me a lot of advice. I feel a personal connection with him and an obligation to keep the funk tradition going.”

Many of Leela’s fans may be surprised that she chose to do songs previously recorded by Phyllis Hyman and Angela Bofill, singers known for a more jazz-inflected delivery than Leela’s.

“Phyllis Hyman was an amazing, incredible singer, “Leela gushes. “She had an incredible voice and an amazing range but she wasn’t the biggest artist that she could or should have been. I wanted to do SOMETHING by her. I decided to do “You Know How  To Love Me” because it was her breakout record and it’s uptempo, with funk in it, so it’s right up my alley. It’s my way of paying tribute to an incredible artist who never truly got the acclaim she deserved. Angela Bofill is still around (though recovering from two recent strokes). Her tone is very distinctive. I can relate to that. People when I was young would say certain things I did reminded them of her. I didn’t hear her much because I was on the West Coast. I was just taken by the beauty of her voice. She’s another person I wanted to pay homage to. Some singers aren’t as known as they should be and as a young singer I wanted to pay respect.”

Leela James’ deep connection with soul music tradition comes naturally.  Born in Los Angeles, gospel music was a natural part of her church-going childhood as was the blues, funk and R & B that she heard in her home, thanks to her father’s vast record collection. Her performances on the indie live circuit as well as her appearance on hip hop legend Pete Rock’s SOUL SURVIVOR II album and stints as opening act on national tours by The Black Eyed Peas and Macy Gray generated a tremendous grassroots buzz. So while her critically-acclaimed debut album A CHANGE IS GONNA COME seemed to come out of nowhere, to those in the know, it was one of the most anticipated albums of the year. With production by Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, Wyclef Jean, James Poyser and Chucky Thompson, and Executive Produced by Commissioner Gordon, A CHANGE IS GONNA COME, boasted a striking slate of original songs co-written by Leela as well as impressive interpretations of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” and No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak” and bits of acoustic blues. Dubbing the raw, soulful sound of her music “back porch soul,” Leela was immediately compared to such luminaries as Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Mahalia Jackson. “Music,” the first single from the album, hit the adult urban contemporary charts. VH-1 embraced Leela as their first “You Oughta Know” artist and played her videos in heavy rotation.

The tremendous momentum that followed the release of A CHANGE IS GONNA COME, afforded Leela James the opportunity to tour relentlessly for three consecutive years, playing virtually every prestigious festival on the international circuit. She even appeared at the Montreux Jazz Festival twice and on one of those occasions, was handpicked to open for BB King during his “Farewell Tour.” The legendary bluesman even invited the young chanteuse onstage to perform alongside him!

Over the years, critics, fans and musicians alike have recognized Leela James extraordinary gifts as a vocalist, storyteller and keeper of the great soul tradition.  Leela had the distinction of being selected to duet with Ray Charles on a version of Les McCann’s “Compared To What” on the posthumously-released Ray Charles album GENIUS AND FRIENDS and was a guest vocalist on Robert Randolph And The Family Band’s 2006 album COLORBLIND, proving that Leela’s talent ranges across many musical genres. Leela James also toured Japan and was invited to perform with singer/songwriter John Legend in South Africa.

LET’S DO IT AGAIN is at once a celebration of the enduring power of soul music and assertion of its contemporary relevance for a new generation. It reveals new aspects of Leela James’ artistry and range as a singer.

“I don’t know what I fit a current mode of category,” Leela muses. “I try to just do me. I’m a soul singer but there’s a lot of music in me, a lot of variety. I love all kinds of music and people may not know that about me. I can’t really be pigeonholed. I’m a singer. I just happen to be soulful. I don’t limit myself because whatever I do is going to be me. It could be a pop song but once I get through with it there’s gonna be some “stank” on
it!”

Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and injustice. Together with individuals and local groups in more than 120 countries, Oxfam saves lives, helps people overcome poverty, and fights for social justice.

Please help support their amazing work by considering Oxfam Unwrapped this holiday season – especially for those ‘hard to buy for’ folks we all know!
www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com

Bloggers/Webmasters please also consider donating a portion of your ad space to Oxfam by posting up one of the banners you can find here:
http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whatyoucando/act_now/banners

And of course if you can post the below info on Oxfam Unwrapped, that would be much appreciated.

Artists, if you would like to help support Oxfam and become an ally, feel free to contact me to discuss ideas.

This Season’s Hottest Gifts – Unexpected items that do good for under $50

BOSTON, MA – December 1, 2008 – Sheep, trees, books for kids, and other gifts that keep on giving are best-selling holiday gifts as Oxfam America Unwrapped goes into its third season. OxfamAmericaUnwrapped.com offers unexpected and economical gifts that make a difference. Proceeds from these symbolic gifts go to fund Oxfam America’s efforts to create lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and injustice in more than 120 countries.

At prices that won’t break the bank, these top selling items under $50 are just what Santa ordered:
•    Sheep ($45): Raising these fleecy critters allows women to create their own income and to make local textiles.
•    Plant 50 trees ($30): Trees produce life-sustaining crops like avocados and bananas, and they also prevent soil erosion—a key to economic growth and a greener world.
•    Books for kids ($18): Your gift will provide children with books on a wide range of topics from agriculture to peace-building. By helping someone open a book, you can open a mind, too.
•    Water jugs ($18): Benefit not one but three families by providing each with a stout water jug. For a family lacking a safe water container, one of these sturdy jugs provides the means to store and transport clean drinking water safely.

“These gifts reflect Oxfam America’s work around the world to promote ways to make a living, provide emergency relief, and improve nutrition,” said Stephanie Kurzina, vice president of fundraising for Oxfam America. “It’s easy to do good even on a budget.”

It’s quite simple: shoppers choose the gift and personalize a card online, their friend or loved one receives a card in the mail, and the gift goes to those who need it most. All gift contributions are general donations to Oxfam America and are fully tax deductible.

Forget braving the malls or fighting the mid-winter chill. Oxfam America Unwrapped lets you shop from the convenience of your couch through its online alternative gift catalog: OxfamAmericaUnwrapped.com. Relax with a cup of warm cocoa and pick from the hottest gifts this season. Click, click, done, and you can feel good about helping those who need it most.

Go to OxfamAmericaUnwrapped.com to view all 57 items in the catalog.

Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and injustice. Oxfam saves lives, helps people overcome poverty, and fights for social justice. To learn more, go to www.oxfamamerica.org.

BONUS TRACK “Sexyness” ft. YAW – Free Download:
http://wdl7.streamhoster.com/elemental/bstc-sexyness.mp3

THE MUSIC
BSTC is soul. BSTC is disco. BSTC is hip-hop. BSTC is jazz. BSTC is…you decide. BSTC is all of this and so much more because, like music, BSTC is living and growing. Short for BlackStone Theatre Collective, the name pays homage to Chicago’s historic performing art theatre.
Showcasing a wide musical range the BSTC pull from a variety of influences including: Quincy Jones, Tom Creed, Marvin Gaye, Jay Dilla, Phil Cohran, Norman Connors, Roy Ayers, Anita Baker, Gladys Knight, and Lauryn Hill to name a few.
BSTC breathes. From the first horn stabs on “40 Days” until the final piano keys on self titled track “B.S.T.C.” BSTC is perpetual movement, effortlessly traversing the musical terrain from disco to soul to jazz…never standing still, the music takes you on an international flight from the south side of Chicago across the Atlantic to the dimly lit clubs of Lagos and due west to the thriving Sáo Paulo scene. Never an unwelcomed guest or an out of place intruder, BSTC builds a home in each musical milieu and allows listeners to drop by for visit.
BSTC is freedom. Free of the would-be constraints of definitions and music genres, BSTC does what feels right and what sounds right. This free flow of music was not conceived in a corporate boardroom as part of some dollar-driven marketing plan.  BSTC’s music is authentic and true to the deep roots of the genres it envelopes, but it is never confined or caged in to a particular era, feel or aspect of this truly universal language. BSTC’s movement through musical worlds is as natural as the movement of people…always growing, but never forgetting from where we came.
BSTC lives. If music is meant to touch us, to take us places and to teach us, then BSTC fulfills its promise. Songs such as “Jazz In Outer Space” and BSTC’s standard “Agua De Beber” use sound to paint picturesque landscapes, leaving us enriched and better for the experience.
On November 4th the BSTC will move you, soothe you…and most of all, groove you with their debut album Music For A Saturday Evening.

THE COLLECTIVE
BSTC is the love-child of Chicago’s acclaimed producer, Andy C. Having produced for a who’s who of music artists, including Janet Jackson (“Thinkin bout My Ex”), Mary J. Blige (“Willing and Waiting” and “When We”), Raekwon (“Clientelle Kidds”) and The Temptations (“Hurt So Bad”), Andy C. is now taking the reins on a full album and showing the world his full spectrum of his musical interests and abilities. Raised in the south suburbs of Chicago during the hey day of house music, Andy was influenced by diverse musical interests including soul, hip-hop disco and house. In addition to the above production credits, Andy has worked with artists such as Patrice Rushen, Vince Lawrence, Ramsey Lewis and Babyface.
With the BSTC he moves from the background to centerstage, and pulls with him some of Chicago’s most accomplished, yet little known talents including Keanna Johnson, Tunji, Yaw, and Zzaje.
With a voice like heaven, Keanna H. Johnson aka Kee Kee Rose has sang back-up for music’s hottest stars including R. Kelly, Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e, Carl Thomas, Common, Dead Prez, Monica and Keith Sweat, but now the Chicago native is stepping into her very own spotlight on with the BSTC. Keanna’s first solos were delivered to enthralled Black Church congregations on the South Side of Chicago when she was still a child.. Meanwhile, at home Keanna was surrounded with soulful R&B music from the likes of Anita Baker. That nurturing and musically rich environment shaped Keanna’s deep desire to take her God-given gifts to the international stage.
After graduating cum laude from Florida A&M University’s prestigious School of Business and Industry (SBI), Keanna moved to New York to pursue her dream of music.  A mild-mannered corporate assistant by day, and a stand-out vocalist at NY’s open mics and nightclubs by night, Keanna’s dedication paid off when R&B songstress Kelly Price, former background singer for Sean “Puffy” Combs, offered Keanna her first major singing opportunity. Price, who was looking for someone to replace her as she planned to begin her solo career, handpicked Keanna to travel with the Puff Daddy and The Family World Tour.  This experience opened the door for Keanna to tour with other major artists, including pop sensation Britney Spears.
Coming a long way from the grind of corporate America, Keanna has graced the stages of countless award shows as a background vocalist including The Grammy Awards, The American Music Awards and The Soul Train Music Awards, and her picture perfect face has appeared in the pages of Ebony and Jet magazines as a print model for Fashion Fair Cosmetics.
Keanna is the total package of looks, brains, talent and work ethic, all perfectly balanced on a strong foundation. The BSTC finally thrusts her and her undeniable gifts into the spotlight.
Multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer, Tunji, began his formal study of music on the guitar at the age of 10. By the age of 13 he added saxophone, flute and piccolo to his studies, later teaching himself how to play bassoon. During high school, beyond his formal studies of classical and jazz music, he was devoted disciple of soul music, 80′s rock and house music. After earning a Bachelor of Art in classical guitar performance, Tunji returned to his roots and produced soul-inspired tracks for Chicago hip-hop and alternative artists. His artistry and skill ultimately opened doors for him to deliver performances as lead guitarist for the United Kingdom’s undeniable god-father of neo-soul, Omar, as well as for the vibrant vocalist/songwriter, Julie Dexter. Never far from his Chicago roots, Tunji continues to collaborate with the city’s premier DJ’s on remixes and original music releases, frequently engineering while playing much of the instrumentation.

Download the song here

Key Points

• Dionyza is the daughter Motown singer/songwriters Michael and Brenda Sutton
• “I Told Myself” features a sample taken from one of her parents songs “Sunrise”, recorded by the Originals in the 70s and later sampled by Kanye West on Scarface & Jay-Z’s “Guess Who’s Back”
• Currently working on her album with Antonio “Rico” Spence (P Diddy, Nelly, Jermaine Dupri) and Timothy Bloom (wrote Say It on Neyos “Because of You”)
• Featured on sondtracks of High School Musical 1 +2
• I Told Myself co-wrote with Robbie Nevile
• EP currently available on iTunes, full album to follow shortly
• Video also in the works

R&B/ POP DIVA DIONYZA TO KICK OFF SINGLE WITH NATIONAL RADIO CAMPAIGN
“I TOLD MYSELF” FEATURES A KANYE WEST FLIP
DIONYZA IS CURRENTLY IN THE STUDIO WITH USHER’S FIRST COUSIN ANTONIO “RICO” SPENCE

Dionyza (Dee-on-cha) is the daughter of Motown singer/songwriters Michael  and Brenda Sutton. She sang on the best-selling soundtracks of the Disney TV movie High School Musical 1 and High School Musical 2. She also provides the singing voice  of the characters “Sasha” and “Jade” on the Saturday morning cartoon The Bratz. Recently,  Dionyza was in the studio wrapping up vocals for the voice of “Gita” on The Cheetah Girls Movie – One World as well as finalizing vocals for the theme song on this Fall’s hit TV talk show “The George Lopez Show.” In addition,  a national radio campaign was launched with MixMatters Promotions for the single. Dionyza has also just finished filming her video of “I Told Myself” with final editing touches in the works.

She’s currently working on her album with Antonio “Rico” Spence. Rico has worked with P. Diddy, Nelly, Jermaine Dupri and more. She’s now in the studio with renowned producer  Timothy “Keys” Bloom. He wrote the track “Say It” on Ne-Yo’s Grammy award winning record Because of You.

Dionyza says, “What makes ‘I Told Myself’ even more special is the music track. Back in the `70s, Motown vocal quartet The Originals recorded one of Michael & Brenda Sutton’s songs titled ‘Sunrise’. That song was sampled by Kanye West for rappers Scarface & Jay-Z’s “Guess Who’s Back” in 2002 and was a Multi-Platinum hit.

Dionyza has chosen to sample Kanye’s flip of the track for her original song “I Told Myself.” The single is available digitally on Little Dizzy Records. She’s also collaborated with hit-makers such as: Rashod Holiday & Sauce (Ne-Yo), Jared Gosslin (Macy Gray) and Nate Butler (3LW).

She stays busy behind the scenes singing background vocals for top-flight songwriter/producers such as Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Robbie Nevil and the team of Soulshock & Karlin. Her extensive credits include singing on Christina Aguilera’s, “My Kind of Christmas” album and accompanying singer Jon B on his Cool Relax tour.

Dionyza has chosen to collaborate with several different writers. Her provocative writing approach is evident on her debut single “I Told Myself,” which she co-wrote with Robbie Nevil.

www.myspace.com/dionyzamusic
www.littledizzyrecords.com

www.myspace.com/MLeak

SOUL/JAZZ POWERHOUSE MAYSA FOLLOWS ACCLAIMED CLASSICS ALBUMS WITH AN ALL-ORIGINAL METAMORPHOSIS!

“One of the most identifiable and consistently enjoyable singers on the scene today!” –CONTEMPO

“Maysa’s voice is as smooth and as rich as chocolate…its pure, perfect tone is gorgeous and caresses with a languorous sensuality.”–BLUES & SOUL MAGAZINE

“Maysa is one of the best singers in underground soul.”–THE BALTIMORE SUN

It is a rare pleasure these days to hear a singer with a completely original sound, an immediately recognizable voice and style that mesmerizes with sheer tonal beauty. Such an artist is Maysa, who, like Anita Baker (to whom she is sometimes compared) occupies a completely unique niche in the musical cosmos, at the intersection of jazz and soul. But Maysa has ranged far more widely, into the realms of Acid Jazz, as a featured vocalist with Incognito, and dance music. Her multi-faceted artistry is part of what makes her special but it may also be a reason why she has not been more widely known, despite the fervor of her fans, in a world that depends far too much on easy categorization. The release of her seventh album, METAMORPHOSIS, an impressive set of all-original material that follows up on her two acclaimed albums of classic soul, may well be the album that takes her to the next level of appreciation as one of the foremost contemporary vocalists on the scene today.

“My vision for this album,” Maysa notes, “was to change the music a little bit to be in line with the way I feel spiritually and emotionally. On a couple of my previous albums I was playing it a little too safe. I’m not afraid to express myself now!”

METAMORPHOSIS is the result of a creative process that involved Maysa’s collaborations with a number of producers and writers, among them producers/songwriters/ Rex Rideout (Ledisi, Will Downing), Chris “Big Dog” Davis (George Clinton, Phil Perry) and underground soul fave Angela Johnson. Sometimes Maysa was inspired to write by a rhythm track that was developed for her and at other times the inspiration came more or less out of the blue.

“I like being an A & R person, calling people and finding songs.” Maysa confides. “Sometimes Rex or Chris gave me tracks to listen to and I picked ones out that I liked and wrote with them.

But on “Grateful,” I was late to Rex’s studio one day and when I came in I heard the idea they were working on and the song just came out of me….it was kind of magical! As for “Happy Feelings,” Angela Johnson had this song that she said she had given to me before and she thought that I hadn’t liked it so she re-worked it. When I heard it, I said, ‘I didn’t hear that before…it’s great!’”

Sometimes life itself provided inspiration as on the Ronnie Garrett/Herman Johnson production “Walk Away,” which was written by producer Lorenzo Johnson and Ledisi. “Ledisi came to one of my concerts,” Maysa relates, “and I had just broken up with my boyfriend at the time. I was telling the story and she thought a song he was writing would be perfect for me.

“I Need A Man”, may be one of her most controversial songs to date, but Maysa wants to assure her audience that it is not a song about being desperate for a man, but about rebuilding the family structure, much like the message that Presidential Candidate Barack Obama spoke of in one of his most eloquent speeches he has made during his campaign. “I grew up with a strong father and I want and pray for and am waiting for a man who will be that kind of man for me.

“I believe that if we rebuild the family structure, we can raise children with high self-steem which will in turn bless the world with stronger, more thoughtful human beings which will definitely change the world.”

METAMORPHOSIS offers many high points that underscore Maysa’s impressive ability to project her soul into different musical contexts. Songs such as “Simpatico” deliver the kind funky Brazilian-inflected jazz that Maysa has been noted for with Incognito, as well as on own her albums. “Never Really Ever” is slinky neo-soul while “I Need A Man” is a straightforward R & B ballad wherein Maysa delivers a “let’s get real” message for her sisters. “Let’s Figure It Out (A Song for Bluey)” offers a twist as it begins with a long contemporary jazz jam that suddenly morphs into a flat-out dance track. And “Conversation With The Universe” finds Maysa scatting over an edgy track created for her by Global Noize (Jason Miles & DJ Logic). “I wasn’t sure if that one was going to be too ‘out’ for my listeners,” Maysa laughs, “but I played it for some friends and they loved it!”

METAMORPHOSIS also features some impressive guest performers; saxophonist/flautist Najee and guitarist Nick Colionne and drummer/producer Michael White.

Maysa Leak was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and knew by the time she was six that she would be a musician. “It was when my parents took me to see the musical Purlie,” she recalls. “The moment Melba Moore took the stage and opened her mouth, I made my decision that music would be my fate.” She graduated from Morgan State University with a degree in classical performance, meeting Stevie Wonder while a student. Upon graduating, she moved to North Hollywood to join Stevie Wonder’s “Wonderlove”, with whom she performed for a year, performing on the Jungle Fever soundtrack and such television shows as Oprah and The Tonight Show. During this time she also met one of her main influences, Chaka Khan, “Stevie took us out to see one of Chaka’s shows,” she remembers,” and during her concert she invited fans to come onstage and sing with her. Most of these singers were trying to out-sing Chaka. So she would heckle them. Stevie asked me to go on stage and sing with her. At first I said ‘no’ but once I decided to get up I knew I had to do something different. So I scatted. When I did that, Chaka said ‘Go ‘head girl! The whole audience went crazy. Chaka Khan will forever be an influence. Her power and tone have inspired me to develop my own voice and be unique, sweet and powerful, all at the same time.”

In the early Nineties, Maysa auditioned over the phone to become the new lead singer of the acclaimed British jazz/funk/R & B band Incognito, moving to London for four and a half years. She has appeared on over nine Incognito recordings and continues to appear as a featured vocalist with them from time to time.

Maysa then recorded her self-titled debut album for GRP in 1995, following it up with ALL MY LIFE in 1999, and OUT OF THE BLUE in 2002, SMOOTH SAILING in 2004. She then made an impact with her interpretations of classic soul music on two acclaimed albums for Shanachie, SWEET CLASSIC SOUL (2005) and FEEL THE FIRE (2007), on which she showed her ability to put her own unique stamp on familiar songs from the 1970′s era.

While some may advise Maysa to concentrate on one musical direction, she refuses to limit herself because the many directions she explores are all a part of her soul. “Being a female Will Downing, or Luther Vandross, a balladeer, is part of my niche,” she says,” but a lot of jazz and funk will always be in me too. My hero is Sarah Vaughn, so I have always said I’m on the road to Straight Ahead (Jazz)! I just had that conversation with Bluey (of Incognito). It’s all in me!!

METAMORPHOSIS in stores October 14, 2008

Harmony4Kidz is proud to present its second annual New York City  “Artists Who Care” benefit concert featuring R&B superstar Ray J and DJ Whutevva from Power 105.1 FM on Sept. 21st at the Highline Ballroom. All proceeds from ticket sales will help a child find shelter immediately.

Harmony4Kidz is committed to transforming the lives of homeless children by providing shelters, educational and developmental programs.  The organization specializes in creating musical events to benefit children focusing on giving, peace and sharing through a message of hope.  Harmony4Kidz is partnering with others in the music industry to develop creative, fund raising events that will help get homeless children off the streets.  The event will be hosted by Power 105.1 FM’s DJ Whutevva and will feature a performance from superstar actor, entertainer and top celebrity, Ray J in addition to an international lineup of upcoming acts: Irena and Bermuda Road, Badi, Bellringer, Raye 6 and Shakti.

The founder of Harmony4Kidz is Irena Makarchuk who is also a singer, songwriter and composer.  She will perform her song, “Save The World” which was her inspiration for creating the Harmony4Kidz organization.  Irena’s passion for music and her commitment to helping others is a huge part of her life.  She came up with the idea for Harmony4Kidz when she was planning another musical event in New York City. She encountered a group of children eager to help her promote the concert and she was shocked to discover that over 200 of the kids were actually homeless.  Irena was amazed that in spite of all their problems the kids still had great attitudes and they wanted to be involved with the event and set up booths to sell their artwork.  Irena was moved by their strength and courage and the next morning she wrote her song, “Save The World”.

The “Artists Who Care” Benefit will take place on Sept.21st, 2008 7:00 PM at the Highline Ballroom, tickets are available for $25.00 online and $28.00 at the door.  During the evening auditions will also be held for the Harmony4Kidz reality TV show.  People will also have a chance to submit their artwork, poetry, and music to be considered for publication in the Harmony4Kidz upcoming book and Mix CD.    Submissions for any Harmony4Kidz projects will only be accepted at the event.
For more information on Harmony4Kidz visit:
www.harmony4kidz.com/benefit-concert.php
Visit The Harmony4Kidz Facebook Page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwi0SvQsO4Y

Promotional download of “Change 4 A Dolla”
http://www.mobileunderground.com/blog/replife-change4adolla.mp3

Videos:
http://www.mobileunderground.com/blog/replife-music-videos/

Purchase link:
http://www.mobileunderground.com/artist/replife/

Images:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mobileunderground/tags/replife/

REPLIFE – THE UNCLOSED MIND (FUTURISTICA)

gilles peterson – “an amazing debut … replife is one of the freshest rappers out there.”
rich medina – “a brilliant debut.”
mark de clive lowe – “the first time i ever heard replife, i knew he was the truth.”
groovedis – “‘the unclosed mind’ will set a new standard for the nu-jazz, downtempo scene.”
the east bay express – “a strong contender for rap record of the year.”
jay scarlett - “a future classic.”

Replife is an artist like no other.

Based in Cleveland, he began riming at the age of 12 and enjoyed early success gaining national recognition both as a poet and rapper. However, in 2001 he decided to hang up his microphone believing that his days as a performance artist had passed him by and settled into another successful career as an award-winning journalist, columnist, editor and educator. Luckily in 2004 he was finally persuaded by the young producer aLIVE (of the Cleveland based Muamin Collective) to drop by the studio and pick up the mic again. This prolific collaboration helped to define a new Cleveland sound that fuses musical genres and yet manages to remain rooted to the essence of their home city – the realities of living in which have become the source of inspiration for Rep’s solo offering “The Unclosed Mind”

Much more than ‘just another hip hop album’, the Replife sound is often described as a fusion of hip hop, nu-jazz, future soul and broken beat – although even this description fails to capture the freshness and innovation behind the music and artist! And with this album Replife shows himself not only as a gifted rapper, poet, singer and writer, but as a master of ceremonies, pulling together talent from across the globe to complete one sonorous musical thought.

“The Unclosed Mind” is enriched and deepened by collaborations with a who’s who of talented contemporary musicians, producers, and vocalists. Dego of 4Hero fame and Bugz in the Attic’s Kaidi Tatham combine to produce the spaced-out J Dilla tribute “Spirit”, Mark de Clive-Lowe drops the heavyweight “Emerald City”, Atjazz produces the infectiously bouncy “Put It Down”, featuring rising Swedish vocalist Kissey Asplund, then there are the warm, intricate duets with vocalist Deborah Jordan (Silhouette Brown and Robert Mitchell’s Panacea), “Elevation” and “Pangea” to name but a few. It is these collaborations and more that make “The Unclosed Mind” appealing to more than just traditional rap music listeners – but to those who simply love good, soulful music. As Rep himself says “At a fundamental level, all of the producers contributing to the album are manipulating break beats, so the album is hip-hop based, but really this album isn’t about making good hip-hop. It’s about making good music.”

“The Unclosed Mind” is a journey through the thought-provoking, the abstract, the inspirational, the danceable, and the musical. With lyrics both challenging and inspiring Rep affirms his place as an original and unique emcee through the trials and tribulations of urban life and creates a musical soundscape that inevitably captures the ear and mind of the listener.

So let your mind too be unclosed.

http://www.myspace.com/danielgraykontarisreplife