Interviews

Our Conversation with Mint Condition! | May 2011

2011-10-21T04:41:57Z

Mint Condition

Lead Singer/Drummer Stokley Williams, keyboardist Rick Kinchen and bassist Jeff Allen of the Minneapolis-based soul quintet Mint Condition chopped it up with T.U.M.S. publisher Terrill J. Hanna about their new album, 7..., a project that continues their rich tradition of live instrumentation and contemporary studio invention.

TERRILL: Ladies and gentlemen, back on the scene, in the house and a long time coming, we’ve got five brothers – the group with the name that reminds you of pure untouched vinyl! We are talking about Mint Condition folks. What’s happening, fellas?

MINT CONDITION: What’s up?! (applause)

TERRILL: Did you guys hear that applause?

MINT CONDITION: Aww yeah, man!

TERRILL: Alright now! You guys chillin’ out there in Minneapolis?

STOKLEY: Yes, sir! It’s getting a little warmer, though.

TERRILL: So it’s not the chill factor anymore?

STOKLEY: Why do you have to say chill and rub it in?

TERRILL: (laughter) Well, either way, you guys know how to do it no matter what temperature it is. So… welcome aboard. Talk to us man about Mint Condition’s new Caged Bird/Shanachie recording, 7 - the 7th release of your discography with eleven new tracks. The lead single, “Caught My Eye,” is already out there making noise.

STOKLEY: Beautiful, man. We have been performing it since last year and that’s one of the reasons why we put it on the album. It got such a great response which is kind of a tradition for us. Take a song like “Breaking My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes).” That’s an old song we used to play before it was even recorded. The response to “Caught My Eye” is pretty much the same. It just continued the whole trend and is getting a really great reaction. We have a live performance video coming. Hopefully after that we will have a second single/video, determined by what the crowd says.

TERRILL: “Caught My Eye” does carry over the vibe of “Pretty Brown Eyes” and a lot of other slow jams in your collection. Is this something your audience identifies with or is it just what you guys love to do?

STOKLEY: Number one it’s accessible. We like songs that are not only accessible, they’re real. That way we tap into a lot of people’s spirit. It’s either about what you go through, what you have gone through or you want to go through. And sometimes we like to ask questions – tap into what people are thinking. How many times have you seen somebody and they bring you to a pause, like, “Wow?” Plus, it’s got some cute things in the words that are real endearing to the ladies. Simplicity speaks volumes.

TERRILL: Yes.

RICK KINCHEN: …and if you got a woman, then you just keep on walking!

TERRILL: Right on. The music you guys put together transcends over time. “Caught My Eye” has lyrics that are easy to catch onto, but that’s true of your material in general. Every track on all your CDs carries quality lyrics.

MINT CONDITION: Yeah, we like to think so. Thank you.

TERRILL: I mean, let’s get straight to it. Today’s R&B kind of misses that…and I think I’m being “kind of” friendly when I say kind of!

MINT CONDITION: Right, right!

TERRILL: It could be a slow jam, a mid-tempo groove or all-out rock joint - your lyrics shine: always high quality. How do you guys put that all together?

RICK: It can happen a lot of different ways. We might create a track in rehearsal or in the studio. For “Can’t Get Away” I came over to Stoke’s crib – I had a bass line and a beat – “clack, clack, clack” - then Stoke came with the keyboard part (sings the line) and I added a melody. “All my friends keep telling me…” It just built from there. When you’re up on these tracks, it’s like magic, man. Every time we get together, the music just goes to a whole other level.

TERRILL: Sounds like you guys are not only doing this because it puts dollars in the bank, you guys are having a lot of fun.

MINT CONDITION: Absolutely.

TERRILL: I’ve seen you guys live in concert - don’t even let me get started on that – and there’s a lot of energy that comes through in your music. But here’s one thing that I am going to throw at you. You brought Kelly Price aboard on this CD for the duet with Stokely, “Not My Daddy”. How did that endeavor come across?

MINT CONDITION: First of all, a little back story. We met in `95 in Buffalo, New York. She was doing a song called “Hookin’ Me Up” with a cat called All Star. This cat was rapping and producing, and Kelly did the lyrics. She was a big fan of the group and was already singing background for other R&B artists and doing all this writing for people when she was young. Fast forward to now, the industry is really small. You work with a lot of different people on tours, in different cities and in the studio. “I want to work with you” and they want to work with you - that kind of feeling was being exchanged. So, now, here it is, she’s got a label with Warryn Campbell, a producer for a lot of big name artists. They hit a Mint Condition chord…pretty much just sent us some piano chords and a vocal. I was like, “Wow, this is pretty incredible. It feels like us.” I emailed it to everybody and we laid it out - just did what we do - and now it’s doing what it’s doing. It’s, like, at #9 right now.

TERRILL: And it’s going to continue to climb, no doubt. We’re getting a lot of comments on The Urban Music Scene site about “Caught My Eye.” It’s refreshing to have two incredible singers like you, Stokley, and Kelly Price coming together.

STOKLEY: Kelly is incredible, one of my favorites. She’s got a lot of power - enough said. I’m definitely honored to be next to her singing like that.

TERRILL: We pray that song goes all the way to #1, Billboard makes some noise and the people make even more noise. I’m going to switch up the angle a bit now. You have a track called “Bossalude” that you did, based on fans requesting you guys do an instrumental.

JEFF: No real story behind that. Earlier on we did quite a few interludes. We’re always approached by people saying they wish those could have been longer or whole songs. So we have a history of doing instrumentals. This is no different other than it’s just a little longer than usual.

TERRILL: That’s cool. It just goes to show that your fans pay attention. In fact, I pay close attention myself, which leads to my personal question. Have you guys thought about doing an all-out jazz album?

MINT CONDITION: We’ve talked about albums of all-out EVERYTHING! (laughter) We’ve got so much in us. This is not the first time we’ve been asked that either. We’ve contemplated a rock album, a jazz album, an all-instrumental album, or taking all of our interludes and putting them on one project. There are so many different avenues we could take and, at some point, we probably will.

TERRILL: I’m sure it’s going to be more amplified than what you guys play on the back end of the TV-One show “Way Black When.”

MINT CONDITION: A lot more amplified! That’s what it’s all about – really keep yourmusic out there…exploiting yourself to a point where the masses know you.

TERRILL: We don’t have any more R&B bands out there. You guys actually are the only guys left.

MINT CONDITION: That’s sad, you know. It really is. Hopefully that will turn around. We are trying to keep the flame lit and do our part to inspire people. Younger musicians who want to play instruments, be in this industry and know how it is – a long fight, a hard fight. It’s not a sprint, it’s definitely a marathon. We’re trying to move this success in many different areas. This didn’t come with financial gain. Some people need to know that it is what you put into it; it’s a challenge but life is a challenge. So keep on moving you know. Get to the next level.

TERRILL: You would think that after all this time - and reality TV shows like “Dancing with the Stars” and “American Idol” – someone would come up with the genius idea to start a reality show to find “The Next GREAT R&B Band.”

STOKLEY: They’ve tried haven’t done it right yet. And when they do, will it be honest or driven by money and that kind of thing. Our thing is driven by Music. Until you get somebody who really understands that, then it’s going to be the same old thing...

TERRILL: Have you been approached with that idea by any chance? You guys should be the ambassadors of that!

STOKLEY: I have been talking to some people about creating some kind of thing – more of an educational thing but still a reality thing, too. I am trying to get the right slant, but we have been talking about it for the last year with some folks - trying to figure out what angle we could use where people would actually want to watch. What would keep people’s attention but at the same time have some really cool musical elements. We have to think of the business side of it.

TERRILL: Yeah, I could already see the slant – the advertising and marketing behind all of that - and I can see you guys all over that as judges and producers! I hope it comes to pass. You guys are still on “Way Black When” right?

MINT CONDITION: We filmed that last year and it just ran for the month of February. It’s over right now, but they’re talking about bringing it back for a full season.

TERRILL: Folks make sure you tune into “Way Black When” on TV-One and check out Stokely back there getting down on the drums! You’re going to be touring soon to promote this 7 album?

MINT CONDITION: “MC 7!!” We’ve been out already. The way people tour now man unless you get a really big tour being financed or underwritten, we pretty much do weekends - every weekend. We just got done doing a tour with Prince - all over, every state, trying to get into every country.

TERRILL: I just might have to get my people and my sponsors together to bring
you guys to the Inland Empire.

MINT CONDITION: Boom, let’s go!

TERRILL: You all have truly had a remarkable career. I truly believe its God’s Blessing that you guys are still together and humble about yourselves.

MINT CONDITION: No doubt, man. He’s definitely got his hand on it.

TERRILL: Thank you so much for your time today. Is there anything you Stokely, Jeff or Rick want to tell our fans here on the Urban Music Scene?

MINT CONDITION: Keep listening!

Take a minute folks and log-on to Mint Conditon's new website @ www.mintconditionmusic.com/

While you are there, please sign up for the Mint Condition newsletter, and please feel free to send them your ideas about what you would like to see on the site in the coming months. Check back often, as they will be adding new music, photos, videos and special Mint Condition merchandise over the next few weeks!

The Urban Music Scene.com

Our Conversation with Sax Legend Ronnie Laws! | June 2011

2011-10-20T21:42:00Z

This weekend at the 33rd Annual Playboy Jazz Festival comes the arrival of a very special jazz legend - the one and only Ronnie Laws! Ronnie will be in good company at the festival with known artists Stanley Jordan and Walter Beasley, as they perform together as a new group called, "Harmony 3"! Mr. Laws speaks out about the new venture, new projects to come and much more with our very own Terrill J. Hanna!

TERRILL:   Terrill back at you with The Urban Music Scene.com. Today we bring you one of the baddest veteran saxophone players in jazz, Mr. Ronnie Laws. What’s happening Ronnie?

RONNIE:   Very, very well. Like my dad used to always say, “Any day that you’re above ground is a good day.” (laugh)

TERRILL:   (Laugh). I’m going to have to remember that one and tuck that in. You’ve got a lot of good things coming up for you in the next couple of months and, hopefully, until the end of the year and moving forward. You’re collaborating with two well-known jazz artists - saxophonist Walter Beasley and guitarist Stanley Jordan - for Harmony 3.

RONNIE:   That’s correct. I came up with that package concept because of the nature of things in the industry as we know it now. Reflecting on some of the artists that I worked with back in the day, Stanley is one that I have always had enormous respect for. He is not only a prolific guitarist but his whole aura as a musician is absolutely genius. Walter is one of the younger guys that in his own right is a very well accomplished artist - a music professor at Berkeley School of Music. I decided to call out to them and consequently the realization of putting this together has come to fruition. We’re looking forward to our first concert together at the Playboy Jazz Festival. It should be a great evening.

TERRILL:   Following your debut at this year’s Playboy Jazz Festival, will Harmony 3 be releasing a CD project?

RONNIE:   Well, that’s the objective. We’re using this date at Playboy as a springboard to launch that kind of a project together. A few months back, I participated on Stanley Jordan’s upcoming CD, Friends. I was featured on one of his cuts and it was really incredible! It had a Brazilian kind of drive to it - very special.

TERRILL:   That’s downtown! Considering your discography is already a long-tenured one since your 1975 Blue Note debut, Pressure Sensitive, you’ve been in the game a long time. This is yet another addition to your history with jazz. I believe the fans at the Playboy Jazz Festival are going to go crazy to see all three of you on stage gettin’ down!

RONNIE:   It’s going to be a real treat, man. As a package it’s very refreshing and I’m very excited about it. It is going to be a great evening.

TERRILL:   You’re going to be in fine company with a lot of popular acts on that stage, so it’s going to be a beautiful day. Moving right along, your previous CD, Voices in the Water, came out in 2009. How well did that CD do for you?

RONNIE:   That one was targeted more toward the internet and did relatively well. It’s just a continuation of the repertoire. Interestingly, I’ve gotten a lot of comments from my earlier works like Flame on that my projects were a little bit ahead of themselves, musically speaking. Years later, people establish a deeper appreciation for the music. I get that kind of feedback all the time on my Facebook responses and it’s very complimentary. When people can appreciate your overall work over an extended period of time, it’s really gratifying.

TERRILL:   Are you going to concentrate on doing another solo piece?

RONNIE:   I’m actually in the studio starting on a new project I’m excited about.

TERRILL:   Cool! Any sneak peek on who you are going to have involved in the project?

RONNIE:   Well, you never know. (laugh).

TERRILL:   You are a legend, so I would assume that just about every smooth jazz cat and contemporary jazz cat – especially the young lions - might say, “Mr. Laws, do you mind if I play somewhere – anywhere - on the back end of the bandstand with you?

RONNIE:   I just had a conversation with an old friend of mine, a percussionist from Brazil. He actually uttered those words. He was basically speaking of some of the earlier patriarchs of jazz like Coltrane and Miles. How they impacted the scene during that time and a lot of prototypes that were impacted by those kinds of artists. He sort of made me blush when he said, “Ronnie, you have the same impact, man!” That’s a great compliment.

TERRILL:   Let’s talk about that impact for a second. Okay we got Harmony 3 coming up at the Playboy Jazz Festival. There’s a history of releases that Stanley Jordan himself has put out, and Walter Beasley has a string of CDs too. But, man, when you get up on that stage, the consummate jazz fans are going to expect to hear your hit “Always There.” Is there any chance of that seeping out?

RONNIE:   Man, that’s a staple. You know, I very seldom do this, but I just took it upon myself to go online and Google “Always There.” Not my name, just the song “Always There.” And, man, I was just impressed with the amount of groups that have covered that. It’s like an anthem…something to look back on with pride in your career. It’s very complimentary when the music has that kind of an impact. So, I am very thankful for having been a part of that experience – of having that kind of an influence.

TERRILL:   I am willing to make a gentleman’s dollar bet that someone is going to scream out “Always There.”

RONNIE:   What’s really interesting is that smooth jazz stations are really flourishing across the country with the exception of the East Coast. Here on the West Coast on “The Wave” (KTWV-FM), they played my tribute to Eddie Harris, “Listen Here”. However, I’ve yet to hear my original version of “Always There,” but they will play other artists’ renditions. I think it’s good to establish the original rendition of any musical work, but that’s not the way it is today.

TERRILL:   Yeah, but the good thing is that when people look back on your career and what it has done for smooth jazz/contemporary jazz, original tracks always stick. Everything else is water under the bridge.

RONNIE:   That is definitely it! And that’s what I always refer people back to.

TERRILL:   I’m trying to be nice about it. It just flows. Yours is like a framed masterpiece hanging on the wall that someone cannot take down. You know like someone come into your house, sees it up there and try to reach up for it, and you say, “Hey, get your finger off that!”

RONNIE:   (laugh). I’m going to have to remember that one. That is an extremely high compliment.

TERRILL:   And I look forward to seeing you at the Playboy. I’ll be there, I’ll be walking back stage giving you a shout out and ...

RONNIE:   Beautiful, I look forward to it man. Really it’s going to be great.

TERRILL:   God bless you. Talk to you soon.

RONNIE:   You, too

Our Conversation with Kelly Price! | 2011

2011-02-03T23:37:00Z

Kelly Price

The entire staff & readers welcome one of the most soulful new generational R&B vocalists on the planet - Ms. Kelly Price! With a major nomination at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Tired", Kelly plans to not just stop there. In our conversation, feat. our very own Terrill Hanna, Kelly speaks about her upcoming new project, big plans for 2011, the future of music and much more! Pull up a chair and check this out! You are on TheUrbanMusicScene.com!

TERRILL: Theurbanmusicscene.com has someone sitting right next to us on the couch ladies and gentleman, and believe it or not, we have one of the biggest R&B starlets right here on the phone with us. I have with us, Mrs. Kelly Price - she is in the house! What's up Kelly?

KELLY: Good afternoon, morning, evening…do we even know what time it is right now. How you doing?

TERRILL: Not much girl, how are you doing?

KELLY: I am excited, and glad, and overwhelmed, and I'm talking to you about it right now!

TERRILL: That’s right, we’re going to talk about that blessing, I got a feeling I know what it is. It has to be about that big Grammy nomination for that new single of yours, So 'Tired'. I mean that…

KELLY: Amazing. Amazing, amazing, amazing! It literally feels like the first time. This is so crazy! It’s not the first Grammy nomination, but it feels like the first time.

TERRILL: Well I tell you what Kelly, I mean for all the music you’ve blessed us with over the years, your career, your discography, I mean it’s to me more like an icing on a cake, what do you think?

KELLY: I guess, you know when you look at it, it is, but I'm not mad that this feels like a first time feeling. Because I think a lot of times when you’ve been somewhere over and over again or if you’ve done something repeatedly that sometimes it can get old. I’m really appreciative for the freshness and the newness that I'm feeling with everything right now. I think that in of itself is incredible.

TERRILL: You know and the timing is perfect, too you know. We’re in a month now, December, where there's a lot of R&B releases so it’s pretty much kind of opening up the field a little bit for listeners and the variety’s out there and I think just the idea that you're back, and it’s not like you're coming back or anything like that, but…

KELLY: Yeah.

TERRILL: …it’s almost like a refresher if you will.

KELLY: I agree.

TERRILL: You know coming from your last previous albums and this maybe five years later, maybe four to five years later and I mean you do tend to get missed Kelly. You have a very beautiful voice baby.

KELLY: Thank you. Thank you. You know what the industry goes round and round in circles and um, we ride this train of madness literally and there were times when we’d take breaks because we’d have to do life. And then there are times when we have to kind of sit back because the industry shifts it’s focus and it seems almost kind of like at the time when I was shifting my own focus to do other things that were more family involved, as well as extending in other areas. I wrote a book and I self published and released it and I started doing a lot of self motivational speaking, but also during the time where I really kind of needed to focus more on raising my children, they were in those mid-teen years where they kind of needed mommy. You know they go through that time where they're like oh no we don’t need a babysitter, we don’t, this, that and the other, and when your kids start telling you that, that's when you really need to watch them. That’s what I think.

TERRILL: Oh no, I totally agree. The family values have to come first somehow, some way.

KELLY: Absolutely. So it was a blessing to be able to write the book and even record the gospel album because of my scheduling, I was able to kind of put a handle on it and control it a little more. And so my children traveled with me more during that time, and I kind of spread things out so that I could be home when I needed to be home. And so it passed, the amount of time that passed was about five or six years and so whereas people didn’t see me on the scene in times that they didn’t see me with two or three new videos out every year. I was still traveling, I was still doing shows. I did a couple of stage plays, I released a book, I started doing inspirational speaking around the country…

TERRILL: Beautiful!

KELLY: …to children’s groups and women’s groups and even church groups because of the gospel album. So talking about my experiences being raised a preachers kid, but having a career in R&B music, that was always a topic of very, of great interest to a lot of people and how I kind of, you know juggled that and how that worked out for me in terms of my career being non-traditional, you know when we talk about being a preachers kid. But it’s been an interesting ride. The business goes around, music changed.

TERRILL: Right. Sure has.

KELLY: It changed. And for me looking at it, I think someone asked me the question recently, what is the difference between what has been labeled R&B in recent years and what you know as R&B. And I think that where the shift came in is that R&B music became something that didn’t make you feel.

TERRILL: Right.

KELLY: And that it just became something that made you move. And to me there's a difference between something that makes you move and something that makes you feel.

TERRILL: Well you know there's comments, and I totally agree. First and foremost I totally agree with your assessment. There's also comments we’ve received from our readers and even from many of the artists in the game that I met with and we have interviewed over the years and that is, you know the content has changed. You know it became more gimmicky in a sense.

KELLY: Right.

TERRILL: One thing I will have to state Kelly is from day one, and I will say this for the record, I would hopefully, I would know that all the listeners and readers on the Urban Music Scene would agree, but since day one Kelly, ever since you dropped your first album, all of your music has been about business.

KELLY: Yes.

TERRILL: You know and the quality of your content. Going into the song Tired, I mean that’s quality content and again, congratulations for receiving a nomination for a Grammy for the best female R&B vocal performance, but I mean it’s more than a performance. You're sending a message, are you not?

KELLY: Yes, I really am. I think that from the very beginning and I appreciate you making that statement. It never has been about preaching to people. I've always written and then in turn sung about what mattered.

TERRILL: Right.

KELLY: First of all what mattered to me, what mattered to the people around me who were closest to me and the reality of it is, is that if we look in our own life circumstances, look at the people who are around us, look at our family members, we’re all going through the same thing. So to sing about what I'm living and to sing about what my sisters and cousins, and aunts, and uncles, and family members and closest friends and neighbors are living, I am singing the condition of the world. And so without having to create something without having to come up with a gimmick, without having to do something that is contrive just by sticking to what know, which is what's in front of me, which is what I live everyday. I have an opportunity to touch the world with the messages that are in my music and that's what I've always strived to do. And in a lot of cases it required me becoming very transparent.

TERRILL: Okay.

KELLY: Releasing things about myself that I otherwise may not talk about, but through the music there was freedom in letting it go, and I think down through the years I found more liberty with each release to do that. When people hear Kelly, they will hear transparency at its greatest from me.

TERRILL: And you know what, I am living proof because I have received nothing but more than a blessing the evening at the 20th Annual Divas Simply Singing with my wife,... and my girl and I sat there and looked at you on stage and I'm telling you - you blew open every single door, windows, other curtains moved, everything! Your performance is just...whew. You are really blessed and Kelly I really believe God’s got his hand on you and you're really going to go much further than ever. The new album that’s going to come out, do you have a slated dated for that?

KELLY: We’re looking in March.

TERRILL: March 2011.

KELLY: We are looking at March 2011 and now if you ask me personally what I think, I don’t think we’ll end up pushing the album back any further. The album is coming in March, but I think that what may happen, and I don’t know I might get in trouble for saying this, is that we may end up having to stick through Tired a little longer. We’ve already been in the process of preparing the next single which we’re going to continue to do that.

TERRILL: Okay.

KELLY: The song called 'Not My Daddy', which is a duet between Stokley Williams and myself and …

TERRILL: Wow.

KELLY: Yes.

TERRILL: Oh man.

KELLY: So I'm really excited about that.

TERRILL: Me, too.

KELLY: With the Grammy nomination, I'm thinking that what may happen is, is that the release of the second single may end up coming a little bit closer to the release of the album at this point.

TERRILL: Okay.

KELLY: Cause you know what? Its that I need to keep going out there and singing 'Tired' before I start telling people you're 'Not My Daddy'.

TERRILL: 'Not My Daddy' is the name of the new single ladies and gentleman, remember that. Write it down.

KELLY: Yes. Absolutely.

TERRILL: Write it down, Not My Daddy, we can’t promise you the date yet, but Kelly’s lettin’ you know it’s coming.

KELLY: People listen. Couples need to listen to this song. This is directly related, this is sent directly to couples. The song is 'Not My Daddy' and lyrically it deals with finding their self in that moment when you find yourself dealing with each other more like ma and pa than my boo and my baby.

TERRILL: Right on. Right on. And I can’t wait to hear it. I can’t wait to hear it and you know another interesting question, how would you classify or put in perspective what the whole entire album is about in terms of the message, the music, I mean is it a mix of gospel and R&B? What would be the storyline of the new album?

KELLY: It’s raw Kelly.

TERRILL: It’s raw Kelly...

KELLY: It’s raw Kelly. From 'Tired' to 'Not My Daddy', I have a song on the album called I'm Sorry, which is so powerful. It literally, it’s, the subtitle if I had one would be called My Apology and it’s not an apology to anybody else and it’s an apology to one self.

TERRILL: Okay.

KELLY: Think about everything it is that you’ve done that you regret, but not to beat yourself up about it. It’s almost like Tired, it’s a laundry list of things that you are sorry for, but you're apologizing to yourself and then accepting the apology and then forgiving yourself and saying okay, I did that, been there, it’s done, now I got to move forward. Because I think from little kids we’re taught that if we do something to someone, say I'm sorry.

TERRILL: Right.

KELLY: You know, but we’re very often not taught to do that for ourselves. So with this particular song it was as simple as saying okay if I can tell somebody else I'm sorry and mean it, and that I've been taught whether it was by a life coach or by the pastor in the pulpit that forgiveness is more for me than it is to the other person and I had to learn to do that for me, too or I can’t move forward.

TERRILL: I hear you.

KELLY: So that's what I'm Sorry is about. So again it’s message laden and it’s not that it’s gospel or any of that, it is the truth.

TERRILL: Right.

KELLY: And it doesn’t matter even if you believe what I believe, that’s a human factor.

TERRILL: That’s something we all can relate to.

KELLY: Yes.

TERRILL: In a nutshell and it is, you know it comes with a very good melody.

KELLY: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

TERRILL: Aside from Mint Condition, which is already jamming up a little bit, I mean wow, who else in terms of the producers or song writers who you're collaborating with on the album?

KELLY: Yes, I have - I've written this entire album. I did collaborate with Warren Campbell, his sister Joy Campbell, Jazz Nixon, and Shep Crawford who is the producer of 'Tired', he produced I'm Sorry. Warren Campbell is the producer of The Rain, which is another powerful song actually that I wrote for the movie Precious that they took a little bit took long to make a decision on and Warren said you know what, they don’t need it. We’ll keep it for you.

TERRILL: That's right.

KELLY: And when you hear The Rain, you will understand. It’s an amazing song. I have a great song called And You Don’t Stop. It is a dance record that is going to literally take you back to (unintelligible)

TERRILL: Oh you need to stop.

KELLY: Yes. I had to go there. I had to…

TERRILL: No, you got to stop girl.

KELLY: I had to go back to the East Coast block party on that one. I literally can see my daddy’s family sitting down on the steps with forties and the grill going.

TERRILL: You might as well stop cause that’s how we got down back home in Charleston!!

KELLY: ...Ate the neighbors potato salad.

TERRILL: That's right. Drinkin’ up all the Kool-Aid. So…

KELLY: Hey that's what I'm sayin’. Literally, And 'You Don’t Stop' takes you there.

TERRILL: Wow.

KELLY: I am in on my family on Thanksgiving Day. I just said okay well I'm going to run this by ya'll: the entire album. So I played the album on Thanksgiving Day after we all ate with some of my cousins and literally I watched as the Soul Train line formed in my den.

TERRILL: Wow!

KELLY: And a Kool-Aid smile on my face…

TERRILL: Kook-Aid baby.

KELLY: It's when you hear that record! So I'm excited!

TERRILL: That's right. That’s what I'm, I'm excited, too! I mean because when you're talking about taking it back there, I mean you know what, that's just all, that's all season baby. That's all season. You’ve got good sounds,... it sounds like you got everything coming together. We can’t wait to hear it. We can’t wait to see it and we wish it was a whole lot sooner, but we, that’s the blessing of the interview and it’s for us to wait, we have to wait. The best things in the world you got to wait for.

KELLY: Yes. Yes. It’ll be here before you know it.

TERRILL: That’s right.

KELLY: It’ll be here before you know it. We just have to make sure, you know we are going to do a couple of listening events on East Coast so we have to make sure you know about it and hopefully you’ll be able to make one.

TERRILL: Okay. And we’re going to plan tours, you're going to travel and come up with this album, right?

KELLY: Yes, yes. And we’re taking it back to the way it’s done. Listen, what I do appreciate about the fact that you have records coming out now from artists like Safe Heaves and El Debarge and that kind of thing, the opportunity for going and touring now has returned. To be able to go out with other artists that sing and bring musicians out with them in every song from the first song to the last song is one that makes you want to throw your hand up, is a good thing. Cause I'm as much a fan as I am a musician and I want to listen to the concert, as well as sing in it.

TERRILL: You know it’s so funny because I was just sharing that with your publicist. I mean your timing is perfect. Where we have, like you said, I am in total agreement, there's a lot of R&B new music, especially for the month of December. Unfortunately Michael Jackson’s not with us, but he had that big release.

KELLY: Yes.

TERRILL: Okay. You know Ronald Isley has a new one out.

KELLY: Whew.

TERRILL: He's got a new one out. I mean think about this, remember a guy named Lilo Thomas?

KELLY: Ah, man.

TERRILL: Lilo Thomas has a new album out, he just came out. It’s perfect, it’s perfect. Because like you said, these guys and the ladies and the gentlemen, they have to get out there and they got to, we got to travel together and keep that music spinning. And hopefully entice more artists who are sitting down, get them thinking about coming back out. Get them motivated to get back out there and re-vibe the energy of R&B the way it should be.

KELLY: Absolutely. And that’s what excites me the most.

TERRILL: Right on. Well I, you know what, again congratulations on more than just one platform. Congratulations on the new single.

KELLY: Thank you.

TERRILL: Congratulations on the new album.

KELLY: Thank you.

TERRILL: And congratulations on the Grammy nomination.

KELLY: Thank you so much. And it was a pleasure meeting you and your wife. I am so glad we ran into each other.

TERRILL: Absolutely.

KELLY: It’s all straightened out so we can speak to each other, and I look forward to meeting you at one of our listening events again so that you can hear everything that I described to you today.

TERRILL: And make sure you have seats for two, cause you know my wife, she ain’t going to let me go by myself. So…

KELLY: No. I know better than that. I've been married too long. (laughter)

TERRILL: She wants to be in the house. So we need to do another interview.

KELLY: Yes sir.

TERRILL: Okay. So lets go ahead and get this one wrapped up and lets plan part two right around the time your album is launched.

KELLY: Absolutely. I agree.

TERRILL: Okay. Lets get that together. Thank you so much for your time today. May God bless you and is there anything you’d like to share with our readers today?

KELLY: Um, thank you so much for all of your support. Thank you for being excited.

TERRILL: Yes.

KELLY: For this project, I am too excited and just tell them to follow me at, on my social networking pages. It’s me, I get up there and ramble and talk, and holler back and follow back and do all of that, that’s really me. So follow me on Twitter, I'm Kelly Price For Real, come check me out on Facebook , my fan page . I update it myself and communicate with the fans. That’s just me, I talk too much, it gives me a way to chat with them and connect with them.

TERRILL: Naw, you don’t talk too much, you're just keepin’ it real. That’s how it should be done. So well I thank you so much for your time. You have a wonderful day and I’ll talk to you soon.

KELLY: Thank you sir.

TERRILL: Thank you Kelly. See you in a little bit.

KELLY: Bye-bye.

TERRILL: Bye-bye.

Our Conversation with Natalie "The Floacist" Stewart About "Floetic Soul"!

2011-01-05T06:36:00Z

Natalie "The Floacist" Stewart

In just a matter of time, former vocalist of hit R&B group, Floetry, Natalie "The Floacist" Stewart" breathes life once again into a rather attractive debut solo project, "Floetic Soul". Terrill shared some quality time with The Floacist and discuss details into the making of the record, a genuine conversation about other topics, can 'Floetry' return together again down the road and much more!!

TERRILL: Theurbanmusicscene.com is welcoming Mrs. Natalie (the Floacist) to the website today. We’re elated to have her in the house, what's happening, the Floacist, what's up girl?

NATALIE: I feel perfect and wonderful, thank you for having me.

TERRILL: Oh, absolutely. It’s actually a long time coming because we always wanted to have you and of course your counterpart from Floetry in the house, Marcia Ambrosius and it looks like both of you had gone on and working on separate projects. Yours of course with the Floetic Soul album that just was released yesterday. How do you feel about the album and how’s it going for you right now?

NATALIE: Well we....yesterday Floetic Soul charted at number two on the R&B charts on iTunes.

TERRILL: Sweet.

NATALIE: Behind Quincy Jones.

TERRILL: Wow.

NATALIE: I’ll take that (laughter).

TERRILL: Exactly.

NATALIE: I feel magical right now and it’s been twelve years that I've been progressing in this study of combining poetry in the music form and to hold the integrity of both and bring them together in a peaceful union and I'm over the moon right now. I've been doing this now for the past twelve years and I feel so blessed to continue to do it. The part where I walk my life works, you know to do this. So I feel great.

TERRILL: The creation of many of the tracks on the album, it seems that each track has a lot of personal relation. A lot of emotional, a lot of experience, would you agree in the storyline for a lot of your thoughts?

NATALIE: I agree - Yes. You know when I make music I read in my journal pages of this, you know.

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: In a sense. Obviously embellished. I like to offer solutions, I don’t like to just offer problems. I like to offer ways out and I like to deal especially in my maturity now being able to create as a thirty year old artist rather, I was twenty one when I was with Floetry. It’s a lot of responsibility and that was a lot of growth and ability to grow and heal through responsibility. It is much a very personal record that has been molded a very transforming time in my life. These past four years has been identifying.

TERRILL: You can tell just through the music itself and through the lyrics. A lot of this is coming directly from you and this is not no, you know paper cutting stuff here, this is the real deal.

NATALIE: (laughter) Yes, indeed. Real experiences, real enlightenments. Defintely...

TERRILL: Well, In taking, for example, one of the tracks you have on the album that exploded out there, not so much the track, but also the video that came with it, your duet with Musiq Soulchild called, "Forever" I mean, what was the feeling and experience working with Musiq in the studio & the making for the video?

NATALIE: You know... Musiq has been a friend for ten years now. One of the first people I met coming to America. I've been an absolute friend just from beginning and he's a lovely, lovely man. And having to work in the studio together recording this song, I actually recorded the song out in LA with JR. Upon taking it home I just wanted to find in that also in this offering of unification and companionship I decided we had to get Musiq. I gave him a call and he was just down. He actually recorded his part in Atlanta…

TERRILL: Yes.

NATALIE: …and few weeks later, but I suppose we both have enough love in our lives in actuality that we were able to do what needed to be done from where we are. Now the video was another thing and we all came together with Inga Martin and we just had such a lovely day. I mean the energy, this family thing that you can fall into. Habits that you excuse yourself for in this business. Whether it be just the thought that everything’s going to run over time, everything’s going to go the way it’s scheduled or you know this kind of lax space that we get into, that’s just how it is. You know what, we had a beautiful day. We got everything done completely on time. The energy of the day was just beautiful and I think that really comes through in the music video.

TERRILL: Yes, definitely. You can feel the vibe in that whole video. And you know there's one thing about the power of video, is to be able to project everything, especially in this music video, you get to project the true meaning of a song or the intention of the direction of the song and I tell you, I mean I know I'm not the only one who looks at that video and says wow.

NATALIE: Yes.

TERRILL: I mean you definitely glow!

NATALIE: I wish I would have made that song three years ago, I would have walked down the isle to it myself. It’s such a union, a companionship song. The song’s all about the love that I've been so blessed.

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: 'When everything change' is the first line & 'I had you and the you that I have as my husband'. We started off as poets at the age of nineteen trying to figure out how to get this music poetry thing going and he has been dedicated to me and my walk and my prowess. When Floetry ended, people that I had linked myself to and offered myself to in such a way, changed and did different things. The constant in my life was my husband. So this song is about the support and the strength that love can give. There's a lot of songs that are about the stress.

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: There are challenges, but this is about, I mean this is about that growing stuff, you know…

TERRILL: That's right.

NATALIE: …when two heads do better than one, you can take on everything. We can move together and you're not as vulnerable because you have your reflection and you're not seeking validation in the world - you have it, you know.

TERRILL: Oh yes, definitely. You touch on a very important statement of what it takes to create a very positive, very endearing love song. I mean we need more of that. It’s almost like a reinforcement, if you will, of music. We talked about 'Forever', now of course the duet you had with Raheem Devauhn, another cool brother in the R&B scene, with the track called 'Keep it Going'...,

NATALIE: Oh fabulous. Yes, 'keep it going' and you know I think there's such a growth that can come when we become brave enough and mature enough to do what needs to be done in order to be companionable.

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: In order to do that, and I'm not talking about making the wrong decisions with the wrong people, I'm talking about making the right decisions with the right people.

TERRILL: That’s right.

NATALIE: Getting out of the way of yourself. Looking at you, not just what someone else needs to do in order for everything to be cool. What do you need to do? Why is your selfishness get in the way, where could you be more selfless and these type of things. And keep it going. Maybe the reason why the music is making statements like this is because everybody’s young and maybe not even as young in age, maybe young in experience.

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: I have epic love in my life and I've chosen that. I've chosen that. I've chosen to walk and grow as one would have to and align oneself and be humbled by it.

TERRILL: Right. Well the one beautiful thing about everyone going through journey’s, music’s been such an influence in helping people make decisions and choosing the right directions. I would have to go out on a limb and say that the majority of your music, if not all of your music on your debut album here, with Floetic Soul, touches on influence and it’s a very good positive, again reinforcement that you're providing for listeners, as well as beautiful melodies, the harmonies, catchy, catchy lyrics. I mean very soft provoking elements of sound that I think the reader will enjoy for quite a long time.

NATALIE: Oh Thank You!

TERRILL: You also have Lalah Hathaway on the album as well. Lalah being a staple of R&B. How was it working with Lalah on the track?

NATALIE: Whew!! Listen, we’re starting to get into...

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: We’re talking about with Lalah - She's a...her voice is a legacy voice.

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: Her mood - Her Fathers'. She's not out here just trying to sing all over the place, which is kind of proof point for everything, you know what I mean? This is, we’re talking about Lalah, we’re talking about a perfectionist and that's exactly what Lalah Hathaway is. I mean you listen to her placement on this song. You listen to how she paints and decorates these moments. It’s a suggestion. she's such an amazing, amazing songstress that when she, it’s not just what she sings, it’s when she doesn’t sing, too.

TERRILL: Yes, exactly. I concur...

NATALIE: That she can even... you can experience her silence. And there aren’t many vocalists that can do that, you know. I remember learning that in theater, can you be silent on the stage.

TERRILL: Um hum.

NATALIE: You know can you play a lesser part well, you know. Or, or can you, does everything have to be you talking all the time, can you bring it in.

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: And that’s what's so amazing about this phenomenon Lalah Hathaway. Once again we weren’t actually in the same studio, but with all this technology, I think Lela had just come back from South Africa, hours in London, she just flown into LA. You know she gave me her down time, it was really her couple of days off between South Africa and going out to Japan I think and you know we got on the phone and just kind of went back and forth. I mean I just wanted her to do whatever she could hear.

TERRILL: Oh wow.

NATALIE: And that's what she did, she did what she could hear and I was just, you know such a grown up song.

TERRILL: Yeah.

NATALIE: It’s so…

TERRILL: Very mature.

NATALIE: …grown. Yeah, mature and sensual. That magnitude of the attraction, that define feminine fluncuality can give or promote, I love that song.

TERRILL: Oh that's cool. And again that’s like the touching, it’s almost like saying it’s the icing on the cake when you have…

NATALIE: Yeah.

TERRILL: …you know Lalah and you have Raheem and…

NATALIE: Yeah....

TERRILL: …Musiq Soulchild on the album, it’s a fitting collection, a nice collection. Again, we say cheers and a toast to a very beautiful release. Much of what Im getting ready to ask next - coming from our readers, I have to hurry up and get this question in on you Natalie…

NATALIE: Alright!!

TERRILL: …everyone wants to know after Marsha releases her album, she's coming out with one very soon, correct? Your counterpart from Floetry?

NATALIE: Well as far as I understand, Marsha and I aren't in communication unfortunately but as far as I understand, she has an album coming out at the end of January.

TERRILL: That's what I believe, yes. So then the question would be, is there any chance in the future ever, that Floetry would ever come back?

NATALIE: That's an interesting one you know. I've been asked that and I understand why I'm asked that. For me, Floetry is something that was created outside of myself. It’s my baby. Therefore I have a kind of behind the scenes experience and I will say this: Floetry has no reason to end. It didn’t have to end. It was beautiful.

TERRILL: Um hum.

NATALIE: Therefore the only reason it ended is because someone didn’t want to do it anymore.

TERRILL: Oh.

NATALIE: Marsha didn’t want to do it anymore and she wanted to make a different sound and wanted to become mainstream and management wanted Floetry to quote, you know we need to double down a bit, we need to push it over. To me, it doesn’t get more cross over and Floetry I think for Marsha was also a stepping stone to get where she wanted to be. After March she released the album called "Neo Soul Is Dead - The Mixtape Release" and I think that really was very much her statement on to the world and I think she felt real and true to herself there. And myself, Floetry is all I've ever wanted to do and it’s my musical expression and so much later I still operate in a 'Floetic' now.

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: And still create the Floetic music. So I say this with the utmost respect and understanding how important Floetry is for everybody and I also say this: I will continue to collaborate and I will continue to make music. Floetry will always, the doors for Floetry will always remain open to Marsha. To My Sister - they never closed.

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: The sound...We, we could see that now. If you listen to Marsha basically its not the same.....

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: ....As, as what we were doing before. And I think that quite a few of us will know that .....through Floetry and that's why she's had to go where she has to say what it is that I suppose she wants to say. So we’d have to be doing the same thing. I am committed to my message. I wont come outside of giving people positive information and embellishment - it would have to be Floetic.

TERRILL: I hear you. And I appreciate your thoughts about that and I'm sure your fans will appreciate that and we’ll just see how this goes down the line. For now, 'Floetic Soul’s where it’s at. We look forward to seeing more good stuff coming from them and hopefully another video, too.

NATALIE: Okay.

TERRILL: And are you anticipating going on tour? Do you have any plans for a tour?

NATALIE: Actually I am a performing artist. So me putting a album out is more so an invitation, you know.

TERRILL: Right.

NATALIE: It’s the blend of lyrics, feel it and then come out and lets get on the road next year. I think towards the end of January, I will be doing an extensive US tour. I am also going to be coming to London for the rest of the year and I was going to Japan and Europe and then down to Africa. So it’s going to be a full year next year. And so the way to know what I’m doing is to get on Facebook, search THE Floacist or on my Twitter which is _floacist. That’s how you’ll know the dates, but I'm definitely going to be out, definitely.

TERRILL: Sweet. Sweet. Definitely. And I look forward to seeing you, too. So when you come to Southern Cal, I’ll make sure and let you know I’ll be in the house, okay.

NATALIE: Oh, absolutely, please.

TERRILL: I will be in the house. But I'm going to go ahead and say, first and foremost, we say thank you for spending the time with theurbanmusicscene.com and congratulations on your debut album. And again, it’s one of the finest soul albums for 2010. So we know it’s going to be a finishing touch for you and well, not finishing, but I'm sure there's going to be a lot more coming.

NATALIE: Well I appreciate it. Thank you. It’s been wonderful talking with you. You know we kind of had a conversation and I really do prefer that and appreciate it.

TERRILL: Oh, absolutely. You're genuine and God bless you and your whole staff. Hopefully they will take care of you on your travel. And before we go, I would like to ask you if there's anything you’d like to share with our readers from the urbanmusicscene?

NATALIE: Um, I would like to say to the readers, to my audience: I love you, miss you and this album was created for you by me. I feel like I know everybody by name. I don’t, but I can feel the connection.

TERRILL: Feel the connection...

NATALIE: I started Floetry. It was genuine. I want it to go on and do that and share, so that’s what I'm doing. And it’s being done in such a offering and I felt my audience because through this journey, I have grown. And that’s where my thanks lie and that's on this record.

TERRILL: Awesome. Awesome. Well lets look forward to doing interview number two down the line, shall we?

NATALIE: Yes. Absolutely, absolutely.

TERRILL: Right On! Have a beautiful day and thank you so much for your time and God bless girl.

NATALIE: God bless you also and we’ll speak again.

TERRILL: We’ll speak again. Talk to you soon. Bye-bye.

The Urban Music Scene

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El DeBarge Talks About HIs New Album, "Second Chance" | 2010

2010-11-23T19:55:00Z

El DeBarge

One of the most anticipated releases for all of music is finally HERE! And Terrill spends some quality time with none other than soulful crooner, Mr. El DeBarge!! El drops by to talk about his new album slated for release Nov. 30th, 2010 titled, "Second Chance". He also speaks out about the creation of the project, what to look out for down the road and much more! We welcome El DeBarge to The Urban Music Scene!

TERRILL: The urbanmusicscene.com is more than elated, in fact excited for this rhythm crooner we have on the line right now folks. It’s amazing to know that after all these years, after all this time for rhythm and blues, we have one of the finest lead vocalists from the hit making group, DeBarge back on the scene. Mr. El DeBarge is in the house. What's up El?

EL DEBARGE: Hey, what's happening? Good to be back.

TERRILL: Yes man, how are you feeling today? How's your day going?

EL DEBARGE: I feel great. I feel great. My day is going well man, I'm talking to you on the phone, so we can talk to these people out here and let them know that I'm here and I'm glad that they still love me. I feel great.

TERRILL: Hey man, we still love you and you know all that good music from over the years, all those hit singles. I mean I tell you man if there's anybody who really expressed the word love for the quiet storm, it would definitely have to be you and your family man. So we welcome your return with open arms.

EL DEBARGE: Thank you.

TERRILL: First and foremost man, we want to talk to you about your new release, Second Chance, that’s scheduled to be released here soon (Nov. 30th, 2010). Please talk to us a little bit about the making of the album and some of the experiences that you shared in the creation of this project...

EL DEBARGE: Well, like you said, the name of the album is Second Chance. It will be released November 30th, 2010 and I'm looking forward to it. On this album I worked with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with Baby Face, with Mike C, Mike Angelo, I did a jam with Faith Evans, I did a colab with 50 Cent, I did another colab with Fabulous and the tones are feel good music & love ballads. It’s the everybody sound…

El Debarge with Babyface

TERRILL: Right.

EL DEBARGE: …that you come to know.

TERRILL: Oh good, good. We have some of those new singles playing right now on the website. It’s getting a lot of responses. One of the biggest comments was, 'when is the album going to drop'?

EL DEBARGE: Right. And the album’s dropping November 30th.

TERRILL: Okay.

EL DEBARGE: For real.

TERRILL: For real? Alright man, no more hold ups, right?

EL DEBARGE: You can hold me to that.

TERRILL: Right on man. So we’ve got one of the music videos out now for Second Chance. We have some more stuff brewing - are you working on some other stuff?

El DeBarge / Second Chance Music Video

EL DEBARGE: Yes. We have a video that we just finished doing with Faith Evans and myself, which is my next single called, 'Lay With You' and we just finished the video so you should see it like within a week.

TERRILL: Okay. We’ll look out for it and be sure it’s published on the magazine man. For real, no doubt. But lets go back a little bit before the making of the album. We know that you’ve gone through some trials and tribulations over some period of your life - before the making of the album. How refreshed do you feel coming from, you know what you’ve done and what you’ve gone through, to such an excitement of this album? What are the experiences you’ve gone through to get you to this point of releasing a new album?

EL DEBARGE: Oh man, I've been sober for two years this month, in October, two years. And I'm as you know, very, very grateful that God gave me a second chance. That He was so patient with me waiting for me to make that step towards Him. Everyday is a struggle. I'm facing the struggle with a sober mind, that’s what's so rich about it this time.

TERRILL: And then to see you get back into the music - it just feels so good to know that your blessings, your vocal gift, none of that has ever left you.

EL DEBARGE: That's right. God’s so good to me, I’m here by the greatness of God, and I have my chance because of the greatness of God and my mommas prayers.

TERRILL: God Bless You Brother. And then now, you know you're working with some of the biggest producers and some current producers, Baby Face, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis - what was your experience like going into the studio with those three gifted producers?

EL DEBARGE: Well, to go in the studio with just Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis was very much like going in the studio with Baby Face. We’re talking about three geniuses right here. You could just feel the music in the air even when nothing’s playing. Just things coming out of there. If you could just feel everybody’s thoughts in the air. You ever just been around someone and you just felt power in the air?

TERRILL: Sure do.

EL DEBARGE: It’s like I could tell right there that God was channeling information and power through Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Baby Face, and even with Ron Fair, when we were all just sitting down in the room, I knew something powerful was going to happen.

TERRILL: And that's what those guys do, they bring the passion of soul to a lot of their music, which is the primary reason for a lot of their successes. And then of course with Interscope Records chairman Ron Fair. You and Ron have basically worked together to really put something together on this project, huh?

EL DEBARGE: Exactly. Ron put his whole heart into my project as if it was his project. You know, the amount of work and diligence that he put into bringing this album home, you would have thought that it was a Ron Fair deal, you know what I mean? I was like 'that’s great, that's great'.

TERRILL: Right.

EL DEBARGE: Great for him for that.

TERRILL: That's awesome. That's good. You know we can’t wait to hear it. The people can’t wait to hear the album. Are we going to get tickled again with some of the slow ballads you used to put out back then in the late 70’s and the early 80’s? Do you have some of that vibe on the Second Chance album?

EL DEBARGE: Oh yes. Oh most definitely. Yep.

TERRILL: Alright, alright. Because the high falsetto voice will never go away bro.

EL DEBARGE: Oh thank you!

TERRILL: You know that’s…

El DeBarge & Faith Evans / Lay With You Music Video

EL DEBARGE: People want to hear that when I'm on stage and they want to know if I can still sing that high. I'm like wow, you guys really want me to do that.

TERRILL: You know that's another thing, too, your stage prowess, it looks like it has never left, too. You were outstanding this year at the BET awards.

EL DEBARGE: Oh, thank you so much. Thank you so much.

TERRILL: I mean you brought that house down and I'm hearing through a lot of reviews that you're still bringing the house down with Mary J. Blige and the tour that you're currently on right now. Talk to us a little bit about your experiences with Mary J...

EL DEBARGE: Mary J. Blige is such a special soul. I mean no hype, this is really from my heart. Mary J. Blige is such a special soul. And a very gentle spirit. She just, everyday that I'm on this road with her, she's so endearing, she's so welcoming. I always feel welcome. She gives me so much encouragement. You know, I let her know everyday, Mary, I'm so glad that you allowed me to share the stage with you. I'm so happy that she did that for me.

TERRILL: And that is cool. I mean you're still currently on tour right now as we speak, huh?

EL DEBARGE: Yes I am, uh huh.

TERRILL: Yes, you have a couple more dates up and then of course the release on November the 30th. And of course you're all over the place El! (LOL) On behalf of the entire family here at theurbanmusicscene.com, we’re not only elated about your return to music - I mean you're making a big statement El for being an artist, being in the game for a long time, had gone through a lot of struggles in your life and you have put that in the background and you moved forward. That is definitely a big plus man. We commend you for that.

EL DEBARGE: Thank you so much.

TERRILL: We hope 'Second Chance' will be a very successful return to the music world for you, for Interscope Records, for all the people that have supported you. You have a great background/support of people in your corner, and we just hope this is not the last recording for you, you know.

EL DEBARGE: It’s not. We’ll do many more.

TERRILL: I hope so. Before I go, I want to say, out of the music that you're listening to, other than singing of course, and other than rhythm and blues, is there anyone today - of course you’ve been around the game now for a long time - who in today’s music are you listening to or is there anyone out there now that you're diggin’? That you're plugged into, that you're listening to other than Mary J. Blige.

EL DEBARGE: I'm listening to Keyshia Cole. I like Alicia Keys. Love her writing and singing style. And Beyonce is just, she's so powerful. She's so unique. I like Drake, I like Drake a lot.

TERRILL: You like Drake too huh...

EL DEBARGE: Yes I really do. I like his style. I like the way he writes and the way he delivers his message. It’s just a real technique behind it. I think he's a brilliant, young man. I love Keri Hilson’s voice. There's a lot of new artists out there that are doing their thing. Up and coming. But the people I mentioned, I think would be at the top of my list.

TERRILL: Oh okay. And that's interesting to hear. Because again, you’ve been around the block to know. You know what turns the corner and what's really hot, so I’m sure when they see the interview themselves, they will appreciate your comments.

EL DEBARGE: Thank you. I think in terms of style and class, I think Fabulous is just like a class act. I love his voice. I like the way he chooses to say what he wants to say. It’s always like really a debonair way.

TERRILL: You're talking about the hip-hop artist Fabulous?

EL DEBARGE: Yes, he's pretty, he's kind of like, I think he's got an old soul.

TERRILL: Yes. He does have a flavor. And that’s what makes him appealing.

EL DEBARGE: Yes I like that, yes.

TERRILL: Let me ask you this, you’ve worked with Faith Evans on your single that you’ve got coming out, "Lay With Me", did an encore with Mary J. Blige (on tour), who else would you like to work with down the line?

EL DEBARGE: Um…

TERRILL: Is there anyone that you’d like to collaborate with that you’ve thought about doing?

EL DEBARGE: That's, yes, I would love to do something with Alicia Keys. I would love to sit down and sing with her while she plays the piano and we both just sing.

TERRILL: Oh my goodness, man that would be a blow out.

EL DEBARGE: It would be the song.

TERRILL: Yep, that would be a blow out man. Hopefully somebody’s going to be looking at this interview will take note and.... maybe they will take care of the accommodation down the line. But hey listen I'm not going to take too much of your time man. Once again El, knock them dead brotha! Keep doing what you're doing!

EL DEBARGE: Thank you. I appreciate your time, thank you so much!

TERRILL: And is there anything you’d like to share with our readers out there? Anything you want to tell those folks on the way out?

EL DEBARGE: I just want to tell you thank you so much for embracing me again and I did this album with you in mind, Second Chance, November 30th, go out and get it. It’s for you.

TERRILL: We appreciate your time El! Lets do another interview down the line...

EL DEBARGE: Lets do it.

TERRILL: Lets hook it up man, get some feedback and we’ll share it with you and the whole nine. So have a beautiful day man, we’ll talk to you soon.

EL DEBARGE: Thank you, you, too.

TERRILL: God bless.

EL DEBARGE: Take Care...

Watch for the new release, "Second Chance" - coming soon in 2010. Visit El's Website, Twitter and Facebook sites:

http://ElDeBargeMusic.com
http://twitter.com/eldebarge
http://www.facebook.com/ElDeBarge

George Duke Talks About His New Project, "Déjà Vu"!

2010-08-27T02:32:00Z

George Duke

A master of his art - a legend in ALL of music. From the keyboards to the songwriting & production dept., Mr. Duke's name is stapled all across the spectrum of Jazz. Terrill took some time away recently with George to talk about his brand new release from Concord Music, "Déjà Vu"! He candidly speaks about the arrangements, participants, plans for the future & much more! Sit back & chill to this!!

TERRILL: You're back on theurbanmusicscene.com and I have before me one of the greatest contemporary jazz pianist, producers, I mean an awesome player in the game and yes, right before your eyes, right before your ears shall we say, we have Mr. George Duke in the house!! What's up Mr. Duke?

GEORGE: I'm here. I'm in the house!!

TERRILL: That's right. That’s right you are in the HOUSE! How are you doing today, what's going on?

GEORGE: I'm doing great man. I'm just trying to take care of some touring information, talking to band members, making sure people can make the gigs and working on an album actually for a Russian artist right now...finishing UP some mixes.

TERRILL: Oh cool. But the main mix is pretty much complete. The album Déjà Vu...

GEORGE: Yes. Absolutely, that is complete. Yes. I finished it just before I went on a tour of Europe and I was running, trying to get through it before I left, but I wouldn’t have made the release date. I'm really happy with it.

TERRILL: Well now you took a different sense of direction with this piece, considering the 2008 release of Dukey Treats. In that one, you were a bit funky. You wanted to remind folks that you still maintain the funk.

GEORGE: Right.

TERRILL: You took a twist and a turned into another direction for Déjà Vu. What's going on?

GEORGE: Well, you know the Dukey Treats record was designed to be basically an old school style record with the technology of today, but I wanted to concentrate on various aspects of funk. I didn’t really carry it to the left side so to speak. I mean, I stayed pretty much on the traditional side.

TERRILL: Okay.

GEORGE: But with this album in terms of the funk things, it’s a little more on the left. It’s a little jazzier, it’s a little more explorative than it was, I think, on Dukey Treats.

TERRILL: So when you're talking more on the left, we’re talking more of the traditional jazz funk side, right?

GEORGE: Yes, yes. A little more of the jazz funk side, especially things for example like "Ripple Time", which is a tribute to Miles Davis where you can do some strange cords and stuff over a funk beat, but it allows a lot of freedom in terms of playing. So there's a lot of jazz and spontaneity in this album. Probably more so than Dukey Treats.

TERRILL: Well yeah I noticed that one of the participating guests, Nicholas Payton came to play.

GEORGE: Oh yeah.

TERRILL: And Nicholas has a little sense of funk in his music, he's more of a traditional player, but what did Nicholas bring to the table for Déjà Vu?

GEORGE: Well, Nicholas and those guys basically only played on one song.

TERRILL: Okay.

GEORGE: But it was an important tune because it’s very much in tradition of what we used to do back in the day where everybody in the band played a solo, it’s almost like a head arrangement you know and by that I mean you know something that guys play as a vehicle for solo really.

TERRILL: Um hum.

GEORGE: And so it’s got a little melody in it and everybody gets a chance to play, you know. So Nicholas I think in terms of what he brings is a youthful spontaneity and the guys very interesting plays in terms his choice of notes. You know he's not a traditional player. I mean he can play the normal scale and all that, but he tends to find those notes outside the scale.

TERRILL: Ok.

GEORGE: And I love that, you know. And that’s what I'm talking about. The funk that’s on this record is a little more on the left side and a little more explorative. Even in terms of sound, cause I use a lot of synthesis, a lot of synthesizers on this record, old instruments.

TERRILL: And it sounds like to me you capitalized on the term, “improvisation.”

GEORGE: Improvisation, yes.

TERRILL: Improvisation man.

GEORGE: Yeah, there's a lot of that in this, you know and so I loved that. I've always loved the fact that you can take a funk groove, but then you can do what you want with it to your will.

TERRILL: Hey, hey, hey. That’s all you got to say, okay. (laughter) But you know with your history of music, you always seem to explore a lot. Which also accounts for the minutes per tracks, you know. You do a lot for it man and don’t think for a second, we pay close attention to those areas of exploration.

GEORGE: Yeah, yeah. Well that’s important for me, you know I try to do that live as well. I mean obviously when I do live performances I’m going to do Sleep Baby and Reach For It and the Dukey Stick: Those songs I know certain fans will want to hear. But at the same time I want to give them something that they might not hear on the radio or they might not been exposed to. So I’ll hit them with something that’s going to make them think or make them say 'oh my God, I never heard nothing like that'. They may even say, ''I never want to hear it again'.

TERRILL: Right.

GEORGE: But I'm going to expose it to them.

TERRILL: Well, I know they're going to take interest in this track you have with Everett Harp. It looks like you went back there and started messing around with the drums.

GEORGE: Yeah man, well that's actually computer drums.

TERRILL: Computer drums, right. Computer drum program.

GEORGE: Yeah, but I made it sound like a real drummer.

TERRILL: Okay.

GEORGE: That was the whole idea, and that's why I put on there that I played the drums. Like a real drummer up in here.

TERRILL: That’s right. The title of that track, What Goes Around Comes Around, folks - look out for it on the Déjà Vu track album by the way, feat. George playing the drums.

GEORGE: Well that song was actually written for Everett’s album.

TERRILL: Ok.

GEORGE: I produced his last album and this was actually a track that wound up not going on his record. He had too many tunes and so it kind of got stuck in the closet and when I began to work on my album, I said you know what, I kind of like this, I'm going to work on it and develop it for me, but I'm going to leave Everett in there.

TERRILL: And Everett knows what to do.

GEORGE: Yes. Absolutely.

TERRILL: He knows exactly what to do. But I tell you, one of my most favorite tracks on this album coming out and I had the time to go ahead and replay and preview the album, which I think again is a stellar project by the way.

GEORGE: Thank you!

TERRILL: ...is that 6 O'Clock Revisited!

GEORGE: Oh yes.

TERRILL: Man, that was a masterpiece, you know! I would put it in my Top Ten Contemporary Jazz Classics of all time.

GEORGE: Oh my goodness. Well I got a chance to do a little singing and of course in the first one, it was basically an instrumental with some vocals in the chorus.

TERRILL: Right.

GEORGE: It’s still instrumental, but I do a heck of a lot more singing than I did in the verse, so it was a fun track to do and it gave me a chance to work with my son a little bit, too.

TERRILL: Yes, Rasheed. Absolutely. I mean that was a classic, but what brought upon the decision to add this to your album?

GEORGE: Well I felt that it needed something like that. I mean there was a lot of stuff that wasn’t even of a commercial nature, and this was the only track on the record that really had computer sounding drums. Everything else was a real drummer.

TERRILL: Right On.

GEORGE: Or either, like on What Goes Around Comes Around was kind of like my playing, computer drums were playing like a real drummer. So this was a real like old school kind of drum set and I just wanted to convey a feeling. I had a different idea for this. Cause I've been playing this tune live for a long time.

TERRILL: Yes.

GEORGE: And we’ve never done it like this. And so now we’re going to revisit it live as well.

TERRILL: That’s going to be sweet man. Because the nature of the whole album itself, the whole entire vibe of the album, the track just cracks open, like Breaking Out At Dawn. 6'Oclock Revisted, a contemporary jazz feel, adds an icing on the cake.

GEORGE: Well you know the interesting thing is the sound of the record is basically analog synthesizers. I mean I used that in combination with the new digital synthesizer, but that old stuff is what gives it that other kind of flavor and it’s something you can’t do with new instruments. At least a lot of people don’t use it that way. But you can only play one note at a time.

TERRILL: Right.

GEORGE: It’s like you got to go back and play it again and play it again, and play it again, but it gives you another flavor by doing that, but takes more time.

TERRILL: I again appreciate the adventure. What you are doing here is stretching out the term jazz to the greatest limit man and I can’t help but to say thank you for all those great albums and the beautiful masterpiece you've got going on here. Just the whole team here at T.U.M.S wish that "Deja Vu" will take it all the way to the next level.

GEORGE: Well that would be wonderful, but I did what I love and hopefully people will enjoy it. That's the main thing.

TERRILL: Well let me ask you something, and this is aside from the Déjà Vu album, and that is basically where the industry is in jazz, where are we today with jazz, are we progressing? What is your outlook on the jazz industry?

GEORGE: That’s interesting. Well you know what, I never thought that in this stage of my career that the record business would have changed as much as it has or even what's happened to the jazz or music in general.

TERRILL: Right.

GEORGE: You know things have changed and that’s the one thing you can be sure of is that things are going to change. I just never thought it would change as drastically as it did or in the way it did. But in terms of jazz, I think there's a lot of exciting artists out there that are playing. I just wish they had more of a vehicle, more of a chance to expose what they do. Which is one reason why, I try to always work with young players. So you got to support the younger musicians that are really doing it and have their eye on the ball and focus on trying to move the music forward.

TERRILL: You're talking about younger musicians and there's two questions I'm going to draw out of that: the first one being of the younger musicians, is there one in particular that’s moving you, that’s grabbing your attention?

GEORGE: Well I mean I think that the drummer on this album, Ronald Bruner, Jr. is an amazing cat man. I mean he's young, he's brash...

TERRILL: Ok.

GEORGE: When we were young, cause we were kind of brash-brash too and didn’t really care what people thought, we just did what we do.

TERRILL: Do what you do, that’s right.

GEORGE: And the new guy’s kind of the same way. We’re trying to mold him and let him be who he is, but give him the ropes and give him the tools to get by. Ron is somebody you wouldn’t know because he hasn’t made a record yet. He is actually working on an album now, but you will hear about him soon. He's an amazing cat.

TERRILL: We’re going to research, we’re going to find Ron.

GEORGE: And he's funky.

TERRILL: That’s real funky. That’s deep.

GEORGE: He's all of that, you know.

TERRILL: The second question I have for you is again, you said something about a vehicle, and that is the vehicle of getting your music heard, getting it promoted, and you know all of us obviously know - it’s no longer a major news headliner that the majority of smooth jazz or contemporary jazz radio stations throughout the United States have pretty much fell off the map.

GEORGE: Right.

TERRILL: So what other ways can an artist in your opinion get their voices heard?

GEORGE: Well there's two that I know of right now, and that’s obviously the internet is the equalizer and that's a great way to get directly to your audience.

TERRILL: Um hum.

GEORGE: But you got to let them know it’s there.

TERRILL: Right.

GEORGE: For me, I think an artist nowadays that can’t play live or haven't developed an audience or begin to develop an audience and a following, they're going to be in trouble. CD’s and pretty downloading have all become kind of like the icing on the cake now where they used to be the old cake, now there's the icing.

TERRILL: Right.

GEORGE: This is a promotion.

TERRILL: Right.

GEORGE: Of what you do live, so you got to be able to produce that way I think. But the internet is a great way to get your music out there, but for me it’s playing live. I tell you almost more than anything else.

TERRILL: And talking about live and yes, numerous times I've seen you live. You're right, I totally agree. Playing live and having the audience there before you, tasting the flavors that you have to offer...it’s another good way to push your music out to them right after the show is over.

GEORGE: That’s right. And that's the best way to move your music I think. So you got to take it to the table, because otherwise they won’t know it’s there. And that’s the hardest part. I mean if you're lucky enough to be able to hire a publicist or a promotion guy, you know and obviously I have my own label which is BPM, which is distributed by Heads Up, which I have a great situation cause I can make the music I want and then have them take care of it.

TERRILL: Um hum.

GEORGE: But when I started out you know ten years ago with this company, I was the promotion guy, a publicist and somebody to run the company and that’s what we, it was like four or five of us.

TERRILL: OK.

GEORGE: Kind of an interesting thing.

TERRILL: Yes.

GEORGE: But it actually worked, but it cost me a lot of money.

TERRILL: But you had to do what you had to do to get your sound heard.

GEORGE: Yes. So it’s very tough. I think you got to start developing a local audience first, where ever they are. If you can get a band, get something happening, start developing a following and that buzz will take care of yourself if you're doing the right thing.

TERRILL: Hold on George! Let me interrupt by telling our readers,

"Hey ladies & gents: listen, listen, listen…Mr. Duke is giving you all the blueprint. If you're an up and coming independent artist(s), listen to what Mr. Duke is saying,"

...carry on sir...

GEORGE: Most important is to be doing your thing. I mean, I think for most artists that are just starting out, they got to know what they're doing in terms of where they're going. Develop your art to the point where you're deeper than an ocean.

TERRILL: Right.

GEORGE: You're always going to be scared and say well am I good enough or how do I, cause that’s always the case... you're always going to be judged. You know, so I mean look, I can always go into a place and say hey my name carries a certain amount of weight because of all the work I've done in the past, but I still got to produce. If I'm putting on a sad concert, they're going to be cutting by me like I was yesterdays news.

TERRILL: So right about that, you got to stay consistent.

GEORGE: You know? So yes, there's a certain. You got to develop consistency and build your musical house on a rock.

TERRILL: Right.

GEORGE: So find out what makes the music work, that's all I got to say.

TERRILL: Well, I know with Déjà Vu and some of your previous albums were something special man, but the one that really stuck out to me was Face The Music. It was almost political in a sense. You were making a statement, what…

GEORGE: Yeah I was.

TERRILL: …what was, tell us again what that statement was.

GEORGE: Well you know to me there was a lot of music back in 2000/2001 that had become very kind of non-aggressive.

TERRILL: Right.

GEORGE: The music was very soft and very sweet, which is nice. I love that, you know I love that kind of music.

TERRILL: Right.

GEORGE: But at the same time I think there has to be some angstrom music, something else going on and I would encourage people to face it. You know face the music, turn around, come on now. And it’s trying to get in. Just turn around and take a look at it.

TERRILL: Um hum.

GEORGE: So with this record I had some great musicians that were very strong in their instruments and we just let it out. I mean there was no attempt to be commercial on that record…

TERRILL: Um hum.

GEORGE: …we just played.

TERRILL: Right. And I concur by saying that, I mean I look at the track time and improvisation, the way the compositions was designed, it was just outstanding. It’s just another sign of a genius. Of music as yourself Mr. Duke. And so again it’s another job well done. Any big tour dates coming up? Are you going to be in concert to promote this Déjà Vu any time soon?

GEORGE: Well yes. I'm actually kind of doing dates in and around some things with Al Jarreau, we’re doing some trio dates with Al Jarreau and George Latrell.

TERRILL: Sweet.

GEORGE: So in and around those dates, I’ll be doing some dates of my own with my band and we will be doing some tracks for sure.

TERRILL: Right on. I look forward to seeing you. When are you going to be in LA?

GEORGE: Well I’m going with Al Jarreau in August at the Long Beach Jazz Festival.

TERRILL: Okay.

GEORGE: So I'm doing that. It’s just a trio date, but I'm doing that and I’m also doing some phonic jazz orchestra date at Roy Hall. In September, but that’s a whole different thing, but people like some orchestra in their jazz, they might dig that.

TERRILL: I want to just stop by saying thank you so much for the time you spent with us here.

GEORGE: My pleasure.

TERRILL: You are a tremendous asset, not only to the jazz community, but I mean indirectly to the entire music industry because your resume is so huge, I mean I don’t think there's enough sheets of paper to sustain those credits and you're such a great blessing. Again, we’re really humble to have you with us today.

GEORGE: Well I appreciate it and I appreciate you taking the time to listen.

TERRILL: Hey man, I’ll be here again if you need me.

GEORGE: Alright.

TERRILL: Is there anything you would like to share with our readers out there - thousands strong?

GEORGE: Well you know just stay strong and keep it real.

TERRILL: Thank you sir. I look forward to seeing you soon.

GEORGE: Alright. Take care man.

You can visit Mr. Duke & purchase the release of "Deja Vu" directly from his website by clicking here! The review was completed & covered by our very own Randy Holmes! Check it out by clicking here!

Gerald Albright Talks About "Pushing The Envelope" | 2010

2010-06-02T22:00:00Z

Gerald Albright

Year In - Year Out, Mr. Albright has sizzled his audiences from the bandstand to the music flowing out of their iPods. Recently, Terrill from T.U.M.S. sat down with Gerald to discuss the making of his new album on Heads Up International entitled, "Pushing The Envelope", to be released June 15th, 2010...The featured artists slated to appear on the project, his perspective on smooth jazz music & much more!

TERRILL: He's back on the scene again folks with a new LP about to break here in June, "Pushing the Envelope", we welcome back Mr. Gerald Albright! What's up Gerald?

GERALD: I'm good Terrill. How are you doing?

TERRILL: I'm feeling good man. To tell the truth about Pushing the Envelope, it’s an extraordinary release personally because I played it back myself and you got a little more hip, little more old school on this man - what's happening?

GERALD: Yeah, well my thing is I've never been a smooth jazz artist. You know I was around before the smooth jazz term was even around you know and I was more of the quiet storm/contemporary jazz guy back in the mid 80’s. So I come from a bit more R&B, urban background. This new record reflects that. And it’s basically a 'no holds bar' on this record. I wanted it to be something that I didn’t have to think about limiting for smooth jazz. Some type of smooth jazz. You know, a program director said okay well that's too flaunty, or it’s too notey, or it’s too harsh. You got to kind of fit things in a box of smooth jazz. I just took the approach from this particular project that I wasn’t going to limit anything in terms of the production, the feel of the tune, the way I did my improvisation. I just came straight from the soul and the heart and gave 200% of genuine Gerald, and that’s what this project’s all about.

TERRILL: I really appreciate those comments. I was actually going to say at a later part of the interview with you that the state of this thing called smooth jazz and your music, in my personal opinion, doesn’t really fit that box. You’ve always been a much more edgier approach to urban R&B jazz and you had released a tremendous amount of great singles and sold a great amount of units. And 'Pushing the Envelope', you went back to a little more funkier edge as you stated. And speaking of which... Fred Wesley, you know you got some stuff on there with Earl Klugh and George Duke.

GERALD: Yes. Absolutely. And I had the pleasure of writing and producing pretty much all the whole record - I had only two cover tunes. One with Michael Jackson, the Off the Wall project and did 'Get on the Floor' which is a tune, it wasn’t a single on that particular project, but it was one of my favorites on that project and of course Louis Johnson who was one of my main mentors on bass. A lot of people don’t know that I play bass guitar also.

TERRILL: Hum.

GERALD: He's one of my main mentors. He was like the first guy who inspired me to learn how to play and he played on that particular track. In fact, he was one of the writers on that track, along with Michael Jackson. So I decided to do my own arrangement of that and we also went with a cover tune from the Carpenters called 'Close to You', which is a another whole arrangement from the original. We just kind of took those two and made them our own. Then we have the balance of the project being all original material that I had the pleasure writing and producing.

TERRILL: That's refreshing man! I tell you, there's nothing better in the world than hearing some nice, original, and also some covers done by you Mr. Albright. Because your track record have always done some sweet covers man. The way you’ve changed those arrangements from over the years. I mean you're coming and busting out. And again we are talking 200% here. You’ve come a long way through with this.

GERALD: I appreciate that man. Thank you for saying that.

TERRILL: No, I’m really serious about that man. I mean people need to know that. Because we’re talking about the days when You, George Howard, Najee....you guys came and really kicked down the door at a time for Contemporary Jazz. I really think that this is the time to reflect. This is the year and more years ahead that your music should stand for what it is. I mean some real strong, contemporary jazz. Some really laid back, kick back urban R&B jazz tunes. It's really refreshing to hear that you're coming back out and you're standing up and saying, 'Hey, This is Gerald Albright'.

GERALD: Well thank you. You know, as they say - we’re on a mission and this is my passion. I've been doing this for a long, long time. And I just really feel confident about the direction that I’d like to go in. I've been so blessed over the years to have wonderful fans who had kind of swayed with me with the directions that I've gone, both traditional jazz and contemporary jazz. I just want to thank all the folks who had supported me for those many, many years - that I've been out there blowing my horn man.

TERRILL: And Concord, Heads Up - you guys got this all tightened up with the tour schedules and stuff? Are you getting ready to go around the world with this?

GERALD: Yeah, actually I'm very happy about the tour I'm going to start in the middle of next month. We are going to start out in Sacramento, California. It’s called "Guitars and Saxes". It’s a tour that I've been doing for about four or five years now. There were different members and different artists in different years. This year it’s going to be myself, Kurt Whalum, Peter White and Jeff Golub. So we’re hoping to do at least, you know thirty to thirty-five cities across the country and hopefully take it abroad and maybe go to Japan or Europe if we can, you know.

TERRILL: Okay. Alright. Any music videos about to pop out on this CD? I remember those music videos man.

GERALD: Well, because jazz has taken such a turn, I mean there's not too many jazz artists doing videos unfortunately these days. I mean, again back in the day when I was deemed to being more urban and quiet storm, I was being played on the R&B charts back then. So yes we did many videos back then. But these days the budgets aren’t as fruitful as they used to be. Record companies are kind of holding back, obviously because of the economy and other reasons. And so it forces us as artists to be more inventive and to figure out other ways to get our music out there. Those are discussions I'm having with my current record company right now. As to how we can just kind of get out there in a very unique way via the internet and getting on as many talk shows and news shows or whatever that we can get on to make the presence of this record what it needs to be.

TERRILL: It's big marketing man, but I miss those days of your previous music videos and the impact of those videos had on listeners. How it can relate to jazz as well as R&B and what not. There's lots of visual associated to music as opposed to listening to everything by ear. Otherwise, Are you going to play any of these tracks off your new album at the Playboy Jazz Festival this year? (2010)

GERALD: Yes definitely! Playboy...., we’ll probably do one or two cuts off of the new project and then on the 'Guitar & Saxes', anything more because we have four artists on the stage. The only drawback of those kind of tunes is that you don’t get a chance to have as much time on stage as you would like to because if all the artists played all the songs they wanted to play, it would be a five or six hour concert. In most markets obviously we can’t do that length of a show. But we’re just going to take the cream of the crop of all of our tunes that people love to hear and we’re going to have a big party man. Have a good time.

TERRILL: Oh that's what I'm talking about man. I look forward to seeing you, as always. You know we’re always out there supporting you man. Now back to the album - You have Fred Wesley on the project. A trombone player. I mean that’s an talented brother man…

GERALD: Yes.

TERRILL: …please tell me about your experience with Fred Wesley in the studio for the project.

GERALD: Well, let me just say, we go way back. Fred and I have known each other for years. And I've had the pleasure of doing American Idol with him and doing some live shows. Basically, I put this tune together for the new record called, 'What Would James Do', and of course James is James Brown - who is one of my main influences on my production and song writing. And of course Macio Parker was another influence of mine. So that whole James Brown experience is heavy in my heart man. And Fred Wesley of course was with James for many, many years and is the principal trombone voice that you heard on all those live records.

TERRILL: Right On!

GERALD: A lot of people don’t know Fred Wesley did all those horn arrangements for James throughout all those years and all those hits, you know.

TERRILL: OK...

GERALD: And so working with Fred, it’s just the biggest compliment. When I wrote this song, 'What Would James Do' for the new project, um it was just calling for his sound. I called him up and said, 'Fred man, you got to play on this record'. He was just very amenable to it man and he did a great job. I'm just so happy that he's a part of this record. This is the first time that he has recorded on one of my personal solo records and so we kind of broke the ice on that and I'm so appreciative.

TERRILL: That’s so cool brother. And then, the return of guitarist Earl Klugh and your collaboration with him. Talk to us a little bit about that...

GERALD: Well, Earl of course, when we’re talking about everybody I used as far as featured artists on this project, they have a 'niche' print sound. I mean you can listen to Earl Klugh’s guitar, hear two notes and you know it’s Earl.

TERRILL: That's right!

GERALD: With the guys.

TERRILL: That’s right.

GERALD: And that’s a special thing to have with the plethora of guitar players that are out there. To have your own sound like that and again in the studio putting a tune together. It was just haunting for this acoustic guitar. I've always wanted to record with Earl and we had done jazz festivals together from over the years. We’ve been, of course, friends throughout the years, but we had never recorded together. I saw him in January on the Flute Jazz Cruise. He was also a special guest artist on that cruise and we just got to talking man. I mentioned to him, I said 'hey I'm getting ready to do my record man, I have this tune that's just calling your name'. And he said, 'I’d love to do it' and that's when it all came together.

TERRILL: That's great man! And last but not least, you know I'm going to bring up the big man, Mr. Dukey Stick - George Duke to the plate. Man, what was it like for you guys to come together and knock out that African vibing piece, 'The Road to Peace'. When you two came together, I mean your two beautiful musical, jazz worlds came together, it’s always going to come up with something blossoming. Something fruitful.

GERALD: Oh and it was fruitful for me man, it was musically nutritious for me if I can say that.

TERRILL: Alright.

GERALD: George has recorded with me on a couple of other projects and I call him Papa G because, you know we just kick it all the time and it just amazes me how much of a genius he really is. I've seen him work in different scenarios in the music business and he, along with guys like Quincy Jones, I mean you can name him in the same sentence. I mean he has just done so much for music. It’s a thing where he knows that he can call me on any project that he's doing and I can call him. He's like, 'yeah man I got your back'. And it was just a real easy thing like that. And what came out was 'Road to Peace' - which is a original tune that I dedicated to the people of Haiti. Obviously with the devastation that they went through a few months ago. It was just the right touch, the right element of piano that was needed for the production and George did a stellar job on that.

TERRILL: I tell you what, that CD going to be a knock out man! I'm going to talk like I'm on Live TV...."Ladies & Gentlemen, Please look out for Pushing the Envelope, June 15th, 2010".

Mr. Albright, Man I appreciate so much of your time today. Gerald, your music has stretched all different boundaries of jazz. And since we’re in a musical society where people like to label a particular artist, there's no label (genre) associated to you is there?

GERALD: Yeah, and I've been trying to prevent that for many, many years. You know you make a good point. People try to pigeon hole you because jazz is infinite. I think our approach to it should be infinite and I've just kind of limited myself when it came to my productions. I think the people who go to buy my records, they want to hear, what we talked about earlier, they want to hear Gerald do 200% of whatever he's feeling at the time and it should be genuine. People are very, very smart. They're very intuitive when it comes to music. Again, they know when somebody’s half stepping and they know somebody’s trying to just bring it.

TERRILL: That's right.

GERALD: But I've never…

TERRILL: That’s right!!

GERALD: …I've never just taken the intelligence of the audience and listening ear for granted. So I've just tried to bring it as best I could man with God’s help. So what you're hearing on this new project it’s just that. I’m doing the best I can with what I have.

TERRILL: That's what I’m talking about man! Cheers to you and the CD brother & thank you for stopping by the urbanmusicscene.com. Is there any words you would like to share to our readers or your listening fans out there?

GERALD: Well once again - many, many thanks for all support during the years. I got my calculator out the other day and just kind of figured out how many years I've been playing this horn and it was pretty impressive. I've been doing it....you're talking about some, twenty-five, thirty years! As a professional doing this and it was my audience that allowed me to sustain what I'm doing. There's a small percentage of people who have the ability to do what they love to do in life and make a living at it and I just want to thank my audience and all my supporters from day one for allowing me to do that.

TERRILL: And let me think back on a day for one minute - the music video that was rotated heavily on BET, when you came out and jammed the cover of Luther Vandross…

GERALD: "So Amazing"?

TERRILL: That's it. That's still your music today my brother! Thank you so much for your time Gerald. I’ll see you at the Playboy.

GERALD: I’ll see you there Terrill. All the best, thank you man.

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