Orange Soul Sheet. Tipping to the Nu Music Movement Volume 2 issue (West Coast office)

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Sara Leonard
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1 Orange Soul Sheet Tipping to the Nu Music Movement Volume 2 issue orangesoul@earthlink.net (West Coast office) May, 2008 Kevin Harewood (Publisher) Bruce Jones (advertising sales) ===================== A Town Hall Meeting!!! Unless you have been on Mars for the last year you are aware that we are in the midst of one of the most important political periods in our lifetime. A key part of the political campaigns is the so called Town Hall Meeting. At Town Hall meetings a candidate, their supporters and/or some pundits come into a meeting place populated by audience members who have an interest in the topic of the day. The guests give statements and then the audience members can either ask questions or make statements of their own. This is as long as their comments are related to what is being discussed on the stage. Those of us who are in the music industry must realize we also are in a period of prime importance. There is a definite paradigm shift in how business is conducted. Major labels are trying to figure out how to stay in control of their piece of the pie. More independent labels and artists are emerging everyday. Brick and mortar retail outlets (both independent and chain) are making moves trying to stay relevant (or just stay open). Several commercial radio stations have flipped formats in the last few months. Many folks I talk to have a variety of ideas on what exactly is going on. Our Town Hall Meeting is now open. If you are reading this you probably are interested in high quality music. You probably have a myriad of ideas on what you would like to hear and what you would like to see happen in the music world. The microphone is on and the floor is now yours. You don t have to have a big title, you don t have to be a so called expert. We want to hear and share what you think. Write us at orangesoul@earthlink.net or call us at Again the floor is yours. We will share some of the responses in a forthcoming issue. Kevin Harewood is the publisher of The Orange Soul Sheet and the author of the newly released book Make Your Move A Guide to Releasing Music Independently

2 Industry Spotlight Purpose Records In the year 2001 George Littlejohn and Russell Johnson evolved from their 914 Management company base to start a new entity called Purpose Records. There are not to many music companies around where the mission statement can almost entirely and accurately be summarized in one word of the name. According to its website the initial purpose of the label was to provide a vehicle for quality adult soul music. In the years that have passed since its beginning the quality has remained constant but Littlejohn and Johnson s company has totally stretched the boundaries on what can be considered soul music. In fact if you look at their catalog only Angela Johnson s first two solo albums shows to be close to what most would consider conventional soul R&B based music. Artists on the label include the aforementioned Angela Johnson who recently has produced and released a landmark almost unheard of collection where she has a woman produced tracks by a diversity of other prominent artists. Her A Woman s Touch Volume 1 featured guest spots by Claude McKnight of Take Six, Eric Roberson, Maysa, Frank McCombs, Gordon Chambers and others. Monet s Essence, Maya Azucena s Junkyard Jewel, Cooly s Hot Box Take It and The Soundtrack Album to the basketball documentary 25 Strong (Orange Soul publisher Kevin Harewood is co director and producer of the film) are among the other titles that Purpose has released since its inception.

3 Orange News Purpose Records has signed a digital distribution and marketing deal with New York based In Grooves. The Purpose deal was signed right before Universal Music made a deal with the same outfit. Liv Warfield s 2006 release Embrace Me is finally getting some national mainstream attention. Nationally syndicated radio host Michael Baisden has recently given the project some radio attention and a few other commercial radio outlets have joined in kind. Baisden also has been a major champion of Conya Doss s new project Still propelling it to a top forty position on the national radio charts. Atlanta resident April Hill has also begun to get some looks at commercial radio in several key markets. The I Got Soul conference will be in Dallas on June th. This is a great place to meet and greet in order to further the soul nation. Saxman Jackiem Joyner has a full compliment of summer concert dates on his plate. Included are the Newport Beach Jazz festival and The Jazz Trax Fest at Big Bear. Atlanta based singer Rhonda Thomas has a live DVD that is worth searching for. Thomas also continues to tour with Isaac Hayes. Speaking of touring Vivian Sessoms of the New York area s group Albright will be hitting the road this summer as part of The Legendary Joe Cockers touring aggregation. Sessoms and her partner Chris Parks will continue to do shows as Albright through the spring.

4 Jimmy Sommers Sunset Collective is Soulful Jimmy Sommers Sunset Collective is Jazzy Jimmy Sommers Sunset Collective is Sexy Forthcoming appearances at The Capital Jazz Festival, The Detroit Jazz Festival and The Dauphin County Jazz Fest

5 Town Hall Dialogue Form: Name: City State Phone number address How are You Involved with Music Question or Statement about what you see in music today Fax to or Artist Spotlight: Heston A few years ago I was told about the Atlanta based artist Heston when his EP was bubbling around the underground soul scene in his new hometown and in New York. I had heard from reliable folks that he was one to watch. Unfortunately he played a New York show at Joe s Pub and I was late. I missed what many said was an exceptional showcase. I met Heston in 2006 at The International Soul Summit. He seemed focused as an artist and seemed like someone who had something important to say. He has just finished his new album Storyteller His haunting song Good Morning America is as powerful a song statement as I have heard in a long time. He does indeed have a lot to say.

7 Orange Soul Top 25 April 1, 2008 compiled from a survey of key independent retailers and radio programs. 1) Ledisi- Lost and Found 2) Angela Johnson-A Woman s Touch Vol 1 3) Conya Doss-Still 4) Rahsaan Patterson-Wine and Spirits 5) Will Downing-After Tonight 6) Algebra-Purpose 7) Angie Stone-The Art of Love and War 8) Liv Warfield-Embrace Me 9) Sy Smith-Conflict 10) Rick Braun/Richard Elliott-RNR 11) Eric Robeson-Left 12) Josie James-Dreamer 13) Najee- Rising Son 14) Marcus Miller-Marcus 15) Plunky-Cold Heat 16) Liz Fields-Pleasureville 17) Betty Lavette- The Scene of The Crime 18) Tamia-Between Friends 19) Cheryl Pepsi Riley- Let It Be Me 20) April Hill-Love ) Amp Fiddler-Afro Strut 22) Matt Marshak-On the Rocks 23) Bob Baldwin- NewUrbanjazz.com 24) Chris Standring-Love and Paragraphs 25) Jimmy Sommers-Sunset Collective Ledisi remains number one but Angela Johnson, Conya Doss, Live Warfield, Rahsaan Patterson and Sy Smith all show rising strength.

Billboard Magazine called April Hill s Love 360 A Hidden Gem!!! Soul Tracks.com nominated April Hill as one of the Best New Artists of 2007.

8 Billboard Magazine called April Hill s Love 360 A Hidden Gem!!! Soul Tracks.com nominated April Hill as one of the Best New Artists of After much success in Europe Love 360 is finally getting a wide United States release. I Wanna Be Free impacting at UAC radio April 22. Produced by Marlon Saunders and Shawn Lucas. ww.aprilhill.com

Regional Centers for R&B/Soul

Regional Centers for R&B/Soul Stax in Memphis, and Memphis sound generally Motown in Detroit: pop crossover Chicago sound: Curtis Mayfield Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama Atlantic Records, NYC: