‘This Is Soul 2006’ is the fifth compilation in the Organic Soul series, highlighting another 16 vibrant new independent soul artists, who are carrying the torch for soul music, in a world where commercial R&B dominates the mainstream. Many of the artists featured in earlier volumes have become the acknowledged leaders of their field (Ledisi, N’Dambi, Julie Dexter, Karen Bernod etc), I am sure that many of the artists included in this compilation will go on to achieve that status in years to come, as more people turn their backs on over produced and over commercialised music and search for the real deal.

These tracks are mostly taken from independently produced albums for their own labels, without the injection of large amounts of corporate money, and therefore without the pressure to make a commercial record. These are crafted songs written and sung by dedicated independent artists, real music by real artists.

Enjoy, spread the word – Keep the faith

Laurence Prangell

ARTISTS PROFILES

CHAVOUS

With a poignant and conscience style all her own, Dawn Chavous has burst onto the underground scene in Philly blending a unique cross-section of soulful tones and esoteric rhythms along with the elements of gospel, jazz, R&B, and classical music into a distinctive style that challenges the listener to take a moment for self-reflection and acknowledgment of the power within.

With songs that speak of positive self-image, happiness, freedom, love, joy and self-empowerment, Chavous is carving a niche for herself as the fully conscious voice of the neo-soul movement.

Her voice is light and airy one moment, deep and broad the next. Angelic in its range and soothing in its promise, it threatens to usher in a new standard in the American music industry. Having just released her first CD ‘Life Without limit’, she is a fresh, new eclectic voice known quite simply as: CHAVOUS (pronounced SHA– VOO).

INOBE

Atlanta-based artist Inobe (pronounced eye-no-bee) has been causing a stir with her unique blend of funk and soul. Her style has been called “Billie Holiday-meets-funk-jazz”. Inobe’s albums and supporting live performances have firmly established the soul stress in the burgeoning genre of neo-soul.

Inobe has completed four USO tours of Afghanistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Djibouti, Greenland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Korea, Okinawa, Guam and Kwajalein. In mid-summer 2004 Inobe was a featured performer at the National Blacks Arts Festival and the Atlantis Music Conference with Tony Rich and Debra Killings., Inobe has shared stages with India Arie, Ashanti, Vivian Green, Donnie, Kindred and Roy Hargrove and she has been featured as an opening act for Musiq Soulchild and Donell Jones.

“I write about things God has brought me through, but I also write to others’ pain and situations,” says Inobe. “People like your music if they can stretch to identify with it, but they don’t fully understand or appreciate it unless your music stretches to identify with them.” . Her second album ‘Spiritual Soul’ from where ‘Do What You Do’ is taken is sure to further expand her international fan base.
LASONYA GUNTER
La Sonya‘s passion for music was really launched when Singing in the church choir. She joined a local gospel quintet “The Spirits of Truth” when 16, singing for four years throughout the greater Detroit area.
Whilst at college La Sonya took the role of “Michelle” in an off Broadway production of “Dream Girls”. After college, she performed with the likes of Demi Moore, Brandi, Brian McKnight, Herbie Hancock and Bruce Willis. At one of the performances, Bruce Willis approached La Sonya and said “You do a beautiful thing with your voice, you should never stop singing.” Bruce’s words inspired La Sonya to write and record her first CD “BlakGerl” in 2001 on her own Blak Dol label.
La Sonya Gunter is not only a singer, but an exceptional song writer. She won an award from the John Lennon songwriting contest for the song “As the Days Go by”. La Sonya’s voice has a distinct flavor which contributes to her well rounded tones of a natural alto and contralto voice. It is understandable why this young lady has such uniqueness to her talent as a melodious singer. Her musical influences range from listening to Johnny Cash, Roy Ayers, Teddy Pendergrass Bach, Hamilton Bohannon, Donny Hathaway, Sam Cooke and Sarah Vaughn .‘UmmmHmmm’ is taken from her forthcoming second album ‘Crazy? Beautiful, due later in 2006.
CRYSTAL NIGHT

This is a determined, elegant, instinctive woman who was born to make music. Coming from an African American soul background, Crystal Night grew up in a musical universe composed of several different styles. A military child who spent most of her years in Atlanta, GA, Crystal feasted on 80’s pop, jazz, soul, and gospel music.

Influenced by family melodies as well as Stevie Wonder and Ella Fitzgerald, A graduate of Spelman College, Crystal was offered a position as an analyst on Wall Street, but on a leap of faith, she packed up and moved to Paris to try her hand at what she did best – singing. Having lived in Martinique, London, Germany, and several cities in France, Crystal is travelled and worldly, yet also possesses a girl next door quality that appeals to all.

Strong and fragile at the same time, Crystal greatest strength is her voice…pure and sparkling, just like crystal. Crystal masters her technique perfectly: A level of musical maturity that expresses power, precision and sensitivity. Crystal’s songs deal with both simple and complex issues, rooted in the gospel tradition.

The authenticity and freshness of her repertoire take you on a relaxing and invigorating journey, all while confronting poignant themes such as human relations. Her voice connects easily with her audience. Her first album, “Sweet Melodies”, from where ‘Vin Rouge’ is taken, was written and produced by Crystal Night and Fred Laso.

AMAR KHALIL
Oakland, California native Amar Khalil has come into his own in 2006 debuting a new album and musical artistry – a neo-soul, inspirational style that blends classic R&B and a little gospel, a touch of funk and a whole lot of silky smooth soul. An accomplished singer who can handle lead and background vocals and improvisation equally well, Amar is an all-around talent as a songwriter, musician, dancer and actor. His rich vocal blends generally favour a very lyrical and introspective rhythm and blues, soulful approach reminiscent of his childhood favourites Donny Hathaway, the Jackson 5 and Stevie Wonder.

Amar’s debut album, ‘Where There’s A Will There’s A Way’ produced by Jamie Hawkins, from where ‘Sunny Day ‘ is taken is wrought with the smooth style, robust beats and finger poppin’, head boppin’ rhythms that make him a Bay Area favourite. His work celebrates fine song writing and boasts a tantalizing sound that engages listeners with every riff and chorus. Amar’s vocal magic and distinctive musical approach has continued to evolve and his tight harmonies and tasteful repertoire are winning over fans across the world

He has collaborated with background vocals, choreography and touring with Michael Cooper, En Vogue, jazz saxophonist J. Spencer, Dwayne Wiggins of Tony Toni Toné, Raphael Saadiq, amongst others.

Amar has played clubs, concerts and festivals and has toured extensively throughout the US, Canada, and Japan. He recently completed an 18-month tour as lead vocalist of the platinum-plus group, Tony Toni Toné, receiving rave reviews in Japan and the USA.

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DARIEN
Darien, an independent singer, songwriter and producer, has evoked the brilliance of original soul music of decades past. The incredibly gifted musician captures a breadth of emotions by telling honest and complete stories. Darien's tales are so rich and soulful you can envision every verse. The Mount Vernon native has performed all over New York City to audiences who are awestruck by his ability to match emotions to authentic lyrics.

Independent artists are often compared to big name singers to give context for their sound. Darien's music stands on its own. The tone and thickness of his voice, his phenomenal range, and his unique poetic ability are more comparable to the era of old soul than any one vocalist. He is an exceptional wordsmith whose music has hypnotized audiences from New York to DC to Europe.

Darien has been a humble student of music, with broad influences that range from A Tribe Called Quest to Hall and Oates to Donny Hathaway; the roots of Darien's music are grounded in quality.
The seductive and soothing melodies of his music linger well after the song is over. His love songs, infused with all the optimism a singer could fit into a five-minute composition, leave you feeling high. It's an overdose of romance filled with hope.
He has been featured on the soundtrack for 25 Strong, a documentary about a Brooklyn basketball tournament and his first album from which 'Where It’s at' is taken will be released later this year on Righteous Music Records.

PJ MORTON

PJ Morton, a native New Orleans, most often describes his music as "feel good music that lyrically tells stories about life and love...music that makes your heart think." This 24-year old musical prodigy is indubitably a "true" seasoned musician who has garnered a reputation for writing and producing warm, heart-felt, and infectious songs that engage the heart.

Coming from a musical family and being the son of industry veteran Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr., PJ got his start singing in the church. He began to play the piano at the age of eight years old and by the age of 14; he was already writing and producing. PJ has written songs for gospel artists including his father, Men of Standard, Ted & Sheri, and Darwin Hobbs, and India Arie, and toured with Erykah Badu.

PJ attributes artists as diverse as Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Sting, Prince, James Taylor, Al Green, and D'Angelo as stirring his soul and motivating him to find his voice in the music arena. Because of the uniqueness of PJ's music, one cannot place him in one specific category. He says it best by stating... "...Whatever genre you can stick Stevie Wonder or Sting in ....I'll take that!”

‘No Ordinary love’ was one of THE tracks of 2005 and comes from his debut album ‘Emotions’,
One of the best albums of the year.

NUWAMBA
Nuwamba, whose name means “November” in the Nigerian language Hausa, is an extraordinarily innovative singer and songwriter of great depth and passion. His heart-crafted songs touch on a multiplicity of issues often overlooked by the modern music world and offers listeners an acoustic picture of life, love and the prospects of liberation from life’s challenges.
An irresistible, soul-filled artist brings a serious culture and feel-good vibe, Nuwamba composes music to enrich the souls of mankind. His parlayed and southern style is inviting and enigmatic. His music is an eclectic combination of soul, funk, reggae and a host of other underground sounds. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Nuwamba exhibited an affinity with a wide range of music from an early age, which is palpable on his debut album ‘Above the Water’. “The album is a reflection of my life. It’s about my struggles, my mistakes, my drama, trying to make my dreams happen and keeping it real. As a young brother in today’s society, I’ve had to go through a lot of adversity to maintain and stay afloat. In order to survive, you’ve got to keep your head above water.

In Addition to lacing several tracks with his production skills, Nuwamba also displays his prolific song writing skills on his debut project. ‘Forever’ is taken from his excellent album ‘Above The Water’ which was one of the second biggest selling new soul album in Soul Brother Records store in 2005.

JAZZHOLE

The Jazzhole are a highly acclaimed NY group best so far. consisting of a nucleus of three founder members, Warren Rosenstein (keyboards), John Pondel (guitar) and Marlon Saunders (vocals/Keyboards). The bands sound has evolved since their acid jazz 1994 debut which was described as “The Coolest thing since US3 and Brand New Heavies”, into a sophisticated blend of organic soul and cool jazz grooves with thoughtful lyrics.

Singer songwriter Marlon Saunders is to the fore of most tracks with his so soulful vocals. His debut solo album ‘Enter My Mind’ also released on Soul Brother records in 2003 was critically acclaimed. Marlon was raised in Maryland and began singing in church at an early age. He has sung with Bobby McFerrin, Michael Jackson and Sting among others and has developed into one of the best independent soul vocalists in recent years, his live performances being particularly special.

John Pondel’s emotive guitar playing draws on his many live and recorded performances with many artists including Gerald Wilson, Dianne Schurr and Carmen McRae. His playing is especially evocative on the Harmonic duet ‘It Could Have Been Enough’.

Band leader Warren Rosenstein plays keyboards and Organ on the album and handles production and engineering. Warren played on seminal acid jazz tracks Hot Music (Soho) and Jazz It Up (CFM band) in the early 90’s., and is the driving force behind the bands constant evolution.

‘All The Ways’ is taken from their fifth and best album ‘Poets Walk’ recently released on Soul Brother Records to critical acclaim, and recognized as one of the best albums of the year.

JEFF ROBINSON
Vocalist Jeff Robinson’s music is a hypnotic blend of Jazz and Soul, evoking memories of Marvin Gaye, Al Green and Sam Cooke - all wrapped in a haunting jazz package. His first album ‘Any Shade Of Blue’ was one of the best of its year.

His new CD, "Eyewitness" produced by Rodney Lee, is a deep reaching, moody, but often uplifting testament to the human condition, a soul searching expedition - one which many listeners will identify with. Sometimes bright and hopeful, but also melancholy and subdued, Jeff speaks to his audience, weaving tales of everyday life, love, despair and hope.

Originally from New York, Jeff now resides in Los Angeles. He is a household name in many Jazz circles, having performed at the Playboy Jazz Festival, and in many of the best Jazz venues on the west coast. ‘Waiting for the tables to turn’ is just one of the many great tracks on the latest album of this great underground artist.

BROWNS BAG
Brown’s Bag from Chicago, IL are brothers Ward Brown (Vocals, Guitar, Drums and Percussion) and
Sherrod Brown (Vocals, Keyboards, Bass Synth and Sax). They use other Session players during recording sessions and a Bass Player, Drummer, Guitarist, Keyboardist and 3-background vocalist complete the line up during live performances.

Together for 10 years, the Soul duo released their first CD ‘Labor of Love’ in late 2005 to critical acclaim from where this two stepper ‘No More Love’ comes from. They are now completing their sophomore effort of which will be released mid-summer 2006. So-dubbed Defenders of Soul, Brown’s Bag aim is to write, produce and perform classic soul music to address what your soul craves now and for years to come.

MARTHA REDBONE
Martha Redbone is a woman of inimitable style. Her mother is Native American – Shawnee/Choctaw with a little Blackfeet thrown in. Her father was African American, with Native American ancestry as well. You can hear it in her music, heritage, roots that go back for centuries. She took her name from this heritage. "Redbone is a southern term for being black and Indian Martha Redbone grew up both in New York and rural Kentucky. You can hear in her flow: the staccato melodies of the city, mixed with the easy, wide-open song of a country choir.

She lived in London for a while as an artist, where met her song writing partner and producer Aaron Whitby. Martha was a protégé of Walter 'Junie' Morrison, legendary original member of the Ohio Players and later, Parliament Funkadelic. Now a sister to the funk, she sang background vocals on the Mothership reunion album with George Clinton. After a period as a songwriter signed to Warner Chappell Music she returned home to New York and in 2002 released her debut album “Home of the Brave”. It went on to win Best Debut at the prestigious Native American Music Awards and to receive widespread critical acclaim.

A mesmerizing live performer, Redbone took her show playing shows all over the US, building a fan base and also taking the opportunity to become more involved in social activism. At the same time she has become an acknowledged leader of the new wave of soul music pouring out of the underground. Martha is highly conscious of her mission – “to bring back real soul music, music made by musicians not music made by computers manned by businessmen. I feel these days there’s a lack of making music with meaning. I want to make records that people will play for years to come”. ‘Children Of love’ (abridged for this compilation) is taken from her second album ‘Skin Talk’ another of 2005 best albums.

BROWN BABY GIRL
Brown Baby Girl is the inspired collaboration of (composer) Jamie Finegan and (singer/songwriter) Lorenda Robinson. The amalgamation of his masterful musicianship and instrumentation in conjunction with her enticing vocals and poetic lyricism provides the listener with music that feels refreshingly new yet soothingly familiar. ‘Feels Like Love’ is taken from their recently released debut album ‘Brown Baby Girl’, which is set to be one of THE albums of 2006.

GABBIE McGEE
Born and raised in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Gabbie McGee is a singer by design. With a voice that can rage like an angry storm, or flow as soft as a mellow stream; Gabbie uses a creative concoction of blues, jazz, and soul to draw listeners into her world of sunshine and colors. As an accomplished writer, vocalist, and pianist she’s no stranger to the intricate creative process of developing good music.
The former Miss Black Atlanta has honed her craft for years showcasing her amazing stage presence during Miss America Preliminary Pageants, Off-Broadway musicals, The Showtime at the Apollo Summer Tour 2001 and numerous charitable functions. Inspired by the richness of southern culture, Gabbie's song is a song of hope, faith and triumph. It’s absolutely, obvious that Miss McGee has taken a few classes from the “old school”. To watch her interact with an audience takes you back to those unrehearsed interpersonal jam sessions made famous by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone. With her debut independent release “Certified Soul”, Gabbie brings to the table an impressive musical collection that is certified, stamped, and approved “quality music”. It includes “Somethin’ So” featuring memorable melodies overflowing with warm jazz tones and textures that speak directly to the soul.

Embodied with a giving spirit and a burning desire to bring back the beauty of music, she prides herself in creating music that captivates listeners with motivating messages that tap into the very essence of life and human emotion.

IMAN WILLIAMS
Iman Williams, was born in Montgomery, Alabama, would like to call herself one of the most eclectic underground singers never heard at the age of 25. Iman started out at the age of 6, playing the piano, writing songs, and singing. Growing up, Iman also appreciated her musical family members James Brown trumpet player, Leroy Flemming and blind bluesman Clarence Carter for creating the music that moved their souls. Iman got a taste of Biz Markie, A Tribe Called Quest, and Leaders of a New School, Kid N Play, and Mc Lyte, which are all Hip-Hop trendsetters. Then later, she was introduced to Ray Charles, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, Teddy Pendergrass, Roy Ayers, Patti Labelle, Babyface, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong, Omar, Common Sense, Jaydee(Jdilla), Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, D' Angelo. As a well-rounded artist with no commercial image to back up, Iman is willing to give you real stories and real situations from a real down-to-earth human being who is not afraid to express who she is. Her music comprises of beautiful, melodic, soulful, hip-hop oriented, jazzy, bluesy sounds with food for thought lyrics. ‘I Wanna Be With You’ is one of the first of her songs to gain greater exposure through this compilation.
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NATURAL SELECTION

Natural Selection, the brainchild of Alesia Dessau, has been in its current incarnation since 2002. As their name suggests, the Philadelphia-based ensemble's current style of music is the result of “evolution.” The group originally formed as a straight-ahead jazz combo, but has since transformed to an original soul sound that includes inflections of funk, R&B, jazz, rock & hip-hop. The current members of the collective are experienced in virtually all styles of western music, and the resulting creations of these talented musicians have a wide appeal.

Where Natural Selection truly excels, though, is in live performance. The onstage chemistry that exists between all of the band members is infectious, and the adventurous, improvised nature of the music moves any audience. The powerful vocals and the foundation of solid rhythmic communication that define Natural Selection’s sound are magnified by the energy of their live shows. It’s not surprising that Natural Selection has regular gigs at many of Philadelphia’s top original music venues, and enjoys the presence of a large and loyal following consisting of fans of all styles of music. ‘Get Through’ is taken from their debut album ‘Come On Over’, one of the most innovative and interesting albums to be released so far in 2006.

Compiled by Laurence Prangell