Janet Jackson Opens Hollywood Bowl Season

 

By Darlene Donloe 

Janet Jackson still got it! 

The legendary pop star opened the Hollywood Bowl season on June 10 with her Together Again 34-city, nationwide tour, proving after 37 years in the business, she still has skin in the music game. 

DJ Infamous Talk2Me had the place in full party mode kicking off the night with classic Old Skool hits from Aretha Franklin to The Jackson Five, The Spinners, and Prince. 

Ludacris

Rap icon Ludacris opened the show with a high-energy performance that set the mood and kept the sold-out crowd on its feet.  

The personable rapper, who recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, led the audience on a journey through his hits dating back to 2000 with his first album, “Incognegro.” 

Ludacris told the audience, “I go by the name of Ludacris and I just want to say, humbly speaking, I was born to be on this stage.” 

He also wondered openly, on several occasions if the crowd was really full of “day one Luda fans.”  Turns out, it was!

He then went on to prove it with songs like What’s Your Fantasy, Pimpin’ All Over the World, and Stand Up. For Stand Up he donned some gigantic white sneakers – to which he said, “Don’t act like y’all didn’t see these big-ass shoes.”

His 45-minute set, accompanied by DJ Infamous Talk 2 Me, also included hits like Southern Fried Intro, Welcome to ATL, Act A Fool, Southern Hospitality, Area Codes, Glamorous, All I Do Is Win and Get Back.  

Ludacris, who told the crowd several times that he appreciated their support, was so entertaining, he left them wanting more. 

When he first took the stage, Luda, whose real name is Chris Bridges, told the crowd he was going to “give you the show of a lifetime celebrating 23 years of platinum hits.” He delivered!

Just before Jackson arrived on stage, large monitors showed a montage of her career, which includes five Grammy Awards, 11 Billboard Music Awards, and nine MTV Video Music Awards. It was remarkable to see just how far she has come.  

courtesy photo

Jackson, 57, hit the stage a little after 9 p.m. and stood center stage striking one of her classic confident poses in a full hooded purple cloak. After perusing the crowd for a couple of minutes, Jackson shed the purple cloak to reveal gold knee-high boots and a gold jumpsuit – accented with a large, purple bow around the waist. 

She then started her two-hour performance with “Damita Jo,” the title track to her 2004 CD. 

Flanked by four male dancers, Jackson went on to mesmerize and hypnotize the audience with her every move and every one of the 40-song set.

She doesn’t do as much dance choreography as she used to in her concerts, but there was plenty for the crowd to scream and holla about – as Jackson proved she still has her patented moves. Let’s face it, people love to see Jackson dance. She did that! 

Jackson’s show is a reminder of just how good her music is and how loyal her fans are – evidenced by them standing throughout most of the concert – and singing every song – word for word! 

During the first part of the concert, Jackson’s set included songs from her 2008 CD, “Discipline.” Songs included Feedback, So Much Betta, If, No Sleep, Got ‘til It’s Gone, That’s the Way Love Goes, and Enjoy.

For the second part of the concert, which was full of “Control,” Jackson made a costume change swapping the jumpsuit for a black and white sweater and black pants.

Jackson launched into her 80’s repertoire with What Have You Done For Me Lately, When I Think of You, and Nasty. She took a seat to sing the slow and sexy ballad, Let’s Wait Awhile.

About 16 members of the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA), conducted by Thomas Wilkins, entertained the crowd with an impressive rendition of Jackson’s hit, “Again,” as she sang along. YOLA is the LA Philharmonic’s music education program currently serving about 1,700 musicians across five sites.

During the second act, the musicians, who had been unseen, upstage in the dark, were finally revealed. Some fans surmised it was to prove Jackson was not singing to a prerecorded track throughout the show.

courtesy photo

After asking What Have You Done For Me Lately, things got Nasty to the delight of her fans. She didn’t disappoint with The Pleasure Principle, When I Think of You, The Best Things In Life Are Free, Control, Together Again.  She slowed it down with Again, Any Time-Any Place. 

Jackson got emotional singing Again from the movie, Poetic Justice. She turned the mic to the audience to have them help her sing the sentimental ballad.

For years during her shows – one of Jackson’s highlights has been putting a man from the audience in a chair and teasing him sexually. This time around, on the song, I Get Lonely, she used one of four shirtless male dancers. Although she didn’t climb all over the male specimen as she did in past tours, it was still incredibly sexy – leading the audience to squeal. 

After everyone calmed down, Jackson, who confidently strutted around the stage smiling at fans, continued to go deep in her archives to pull out fan favorites. 

For the crowd-pleasing third act, she kept the party going with dance music like Doesn’t Really Matter, All For You, Come On Get Up, Girlfriend/Boyfriend, Do It 2 Me and So Excited.

For the last act of the roof-raising show, which was a bonafide blast, Jackson donned a Rhythm Nation t-shirt and jeans. She then let it rip with The Knowledge, Miss You Much, Love Will Never Do (Without You), the infectious Alright, and Escapade.

A touching moment came when the 1995 video Scream, starring Jackson and her brother Michael Jackson, hit the big screens. It was a fabulous way to pay homage to her brother, who died on June 25, 2009.

There was no way Jackson could have made it out of the Bowl if she hadn’t sung 1989’s Rhythm Nation. It was a huge crowd-pleaser.

Her fireworks encore, of course, was Together Again, a song about unity. It was the third time the song had been heard throughout the night.

Janet Jackson is one of music’s biggest stars and a fan favorite because she gives the audience what they want. 

She gave them that and more during opening night at the Bowl.

 

 

 

 

 

A Review: Alonzo King Lines Ballet: Deep River

Alonzo King LINES Ballet performed Deep River by company co-founder, artistic director, and visionary choreographer Alonzo King (orange pants) on June 9 and 10, 2023, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. The full-length work was set to a score by jazz pianist, composer, and MacArthur Fellow Jason Moran and featured Grammy Award-winning vocalist Lisa Fischer (black dress), who performed live for the engagement. Photo by Elaina Francis

By Darlene Donloe

Alonzo King is a highly-respected artistic director with a celebrated contemporary ballet company, who has been called a visionary choreographer.

Jason Moran has been called “a risk-taker, a trendsetter, and the most provocative thinker in current jazz.”

Lisa Fischer’s voice is out of this world. It’s like butter. She’s been called “addictive.”

When you combine their triple-threat talents, you’re in for an extraordinary soulful, and elegant evening of theater.

The three joined forces for The Wallis’s presentation of ‘Alonzo King LINES Ballet: Deep River’ held June 9-10, in the Bram Goldsmith Theater at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. 

As the curtain rises and the show begins, it reveals the perfectly toned bodies of 12 remarkable dancers who make quick work of mesmerizing the audience. 

A barefoot Lisa Fischer (the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary Twenty Feet from Stardom) slowly emerges in a flowing black frock, downstage right with a mic in both hands. She opens her mouth and heavenly sounds drift out. 

Deep River is a full-length work set to a score by jazz pianist, composer, and MacArthur Fellow Jason Moran whose music sets the mood. 

This was King’s second collaboration with Fischer and his ninth collaboration with Moran, which he created as a part of LINES Ballet’s recent 40th anniversary season.

Fischer and Babatunji brought down the house as he danced and she sang the Negro National Anthem ‘Lift Every Voice’. It was a tour-de-force performance that commanded rousing and appreciative applause from the audience.

Adji Cissoko
photo by Elaina Francis

The company includes Babatunji, Adji Cissoko, Madeline DeVries, Theo Duff-Grant, Lorris Eichinger, Shuaib Elhassan, Joshua Francique, James Gowan, Ilaria Guerra, Maya Harr, Marusya Madubuko, Michael Montgomery and Tatum Quinonez. 

A gorgeous show, ‘Deep River’ mixes dance with Black spirituals and invites audiences to look at human beings as the pinnacle of creation.

Bending the lines between classical and contemporary ballet, King draws on the strengths of his extraordinary dancers altering the way people look at ballet.

Hailed for its evocative work and unique artistic vision, LINES Ballet, based in San Francisco, adheres to the classical form—the linear, mathematical, and geometrical principles deeply rooted in the East-West continuum.   

Deep River is a call to keep hope and to look at each other as a family of souls. The moving work melds dance with Black spirituals and invite audiences to look at human beings as the pinnacle of creation.

King said that on the highest level, the work is a reminder that “love is the ocean that we rose from, swim in, and will one day return to — and that love can set us free.”

“As we look back on 40 years of work in the community, in ourselves, the programs, classes, and performances, both live and on film, we recognize that it is the same vision and belief that have carried us to this moment and will continue to carry this organization into the future,” said King. “We have strived to make obvious that art is the inheritance of every individual, that art activates evolutionary growth, is an intellectual virtue, and the fostering principle for all that is made, done, or known.” 

Forty years of outstanding, multi-disciplinary collaborations for the stage place the LINES Ballet company at the forefront of artistic innovation in ballet. LINES Ballet investigates deeply rooted affinities between Western and Eastern classical forms, elemental materials, the natural world, and the human spirit with each collaboration. 

At LINES Ballet, the artistic investigation is infinite and essential for it leads to what unites us as human beings: empathy, joy, and the ability to transcend.

LINES Ballet’s spring and fall home seasons and global tours share this vision of transformative, revelatory dance with 50,000+ audience members worldwide annually.

“The term LINES alludes to all that is visible in the phenomenal world,” said King. “There is nothing that is made or formed without a line. Lines are in our fingerprints, the shapes of our bodies, constellations, and geometry. It implies genealogical connection, progeny, and spoken word. It addresses direction, communication, and design. A line of thought. A boundary or eternity. A melodic line. From vibration or dot to dot it is the visible organization of what we see.” 

On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likable), O (oh, yeah) and E (excellent) “Alonzo King LINES Ballet: ‘Deep River’” gets an E (excellent).

 

 

 

 

A Review: 'A Heated Discussion - Revisited'

By Darlene Donloe 

Imagine a Think Tank filled with Black intelligentsia coming together to talk about world events, specifically issues that directly affect the Black community. 

Imagine, again, that the participants are historical icons of the past who have assembled at the request of angels, not to solve the world’s problems, but to offer their opinions on how to move forward. 

It’s all part of award-winning playwright Levy Lee Simon’s ‘A Heated Discussion - Revisited,’ a drama based on an idea by Ben Guillory, the show’s director, cast member, and the co-founder of the Robey Theatre Company.

‘A Heated Discussion’ was originally commissioned in 2019 after two years of development. Spearheaded by Guillory, it reflected the work of more than 45 participants. The original show was produced in 2022 and it was updated by Simon to reflect recent world events. Both ‘A Heated Discussion’ and ‘A Heated Discussion – Revisited,’ were written by Simon and produced and directed by Guillory.  

The show, now playing at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, opens with dramatic videos of police brutality against Blacks including the killings of Oscar Grant and George Floyd.

 (l-r) Ayonna Michele (Oya), Anderlyn Smith (Yemaya), and
Charyse Monet (Oshun)
photo by Ian Foxx

Then, three Yoruba African Orishas (angels) who are having a rather rambunctious discussion about the issues affecting the Black race, call forth several angelic Black leaders “for a divine purpose.” 

The purpose is to talk about what’s happening in the world today compared to what was happening when they walked the earth. Some of the greatest orators and public figures come back to discuss their personal philosophies as it relates to the issues of the day. The revelations that come forth are no less than amazing, spiritual, and poignant. 

Leaders brought back to talk about what’s going on in today’s Black America include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, James Baldwin, Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, Ida B. Wells, Tupac Shakur, Maya Angelou, Bob Marley, Richard Pryor, Lorraine Hansberry, Nina Simone, and Zora Neale Hurston. A mysterious powerful figure also makes an appearance. 

It’s an exceptional mix of personalities and learned comrades who don’t always see eye to eye when it comes to elevating the Black race. 

Rosie Lee Hooks as Dr. Frances Cress Welsing
and Julio Hanson as James Baldwin
photo by Ian Foxx

James Baldwin (Julio Hanson) offers that it’s “racism” that holds back Black people.

Malcolm X (Marcus Clark-Oliver) insists that Black people “don’t ask for freedom – take it.” 

The show, meshing principles from 16 different characters, also begs the $64,000 questions, ‘Why isn’t everybody screaming and shouting?’ about the continued killings of Black men and women and ‘Why Black Lives Are Not Valued?’

“A Heated Discussion,” easily a Black history lesson on stage, takes a deep dive into issues ranging from the continued police brutality in the Black community to politics, religion, COVID, racial disparity, and even sexual orientation.

It’s an interesting premise that prompts the audience to consider different perspectives, with the understanding that not everything is a black-and-white issue.  

Lorenz Arnell as Tupac
photo by Ian Foxx

Tupac (Lorenz Arnell) believes, “It's different when white and Black people do things.” 

What bolsters the show, are the diverse Black leaders who have gathered, some of whom were controversial in their own rite before gaining their divine wings.

Imagine being a fly on the wall as Dr. Martin Luther King (Damon Rutledge) and Malcolm X wax lyrical about the Bible and the Quran and the principles of violence vs. non-violence. Listen to playwright Lorraine Hansberry (Christina Childress) and writer Zora Neale Hurston (Swisyzinna) hash out their differences when it comes to artistic integrity – stemming from whether or not one of them was less than truthful about a particular intellectual property. It's painful to hear Tupac Shakur lament on never imagining that he’d be killed by someone who looks like him. Dr. Frances Cress Welsing’s take on the age for sex, the origin of Black male homosexuality, how no one should have a baby before the age of 30, and the prowess of the Black male penis. That alone is worth the price of admission. Maya Angelou (Kimberly Bailey) and Ida B. Wells (Monte Escalante) are the voices of reason. 

Everyone is in agreement that the Black community continues to experience troubled times. Simon’s brilliance shines through when he doesn’t offer up one, clear-cut solution. There is no one-size-fits-all conclusion.  The only constant is to recognize that Black oppression, in all its forms, must end.  

What goes forth in ‘A Heated Discussion – Revisited,’ is a provocative, smoldering urgent discussion!

 Kudos to Simon for his thought-provoking prose and to Guillory for his masterful direction. The video clips move the story forward and the music adds an emotional element. 

Simon through his prose and Guillory through his creative direction, manage to give each character their due through stage placement and various topics that scarcely fit within a three-hour format.  

The first-rate cast is exceptional. They effortlessly and skillfully move about the stage delivering emotional, controversial, hilarious, and sometimes uncomfortable dialogue. Extra kudos to the three Orishas (Ayonna Michele, who played Oya, Charyse Monet, who played Oshun, and Anderlyn Smith, who played Yemaya), who were in constant ethereal motion throughout the show – even when they stayed in one position. 

‘A Heated Discussion - Revisited’ is something to talk about.”  

It’s a must-see!

‘A Heated Discussion - Revisited,’ written by Levy Lee Simon and directed by Ben Guillory, stars Kimberly Bailey (Maya Angelou), Marcus Clark-Oliver (Malcolm X), Monte Escalante (Ida B. Wells), Julio Hanson (James Baldwin), Damon Rutledge (Dr. Martin Luther King), Rosie Lee Hooks (Dr. Frances Cress Welsing), Philip Bell (Richard Pryor), Christina Childress (Lorraine Hansberry), Swisyzinna (Zora Neale Hurston), Alex W.S.T (Bob Marley), Lorenz Arnell (Tupac Shakur), LaShada Jackson (Nina Simone), Ayonna Michele (Oya), Charyse Monet (Oshun), Anderlyn Smith (Yemaya), and Ben Guillory (Shango). Dmetrius Conley-Williams is the Richard Pryor understudy.

On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likable), O (oh, yeah) and E (excellent), ‘A Heated Discussion – Revisited’ gets an O (oh, yeah).

Los Angeles Theatre Center, Robey Theatre Company, Theatre Four, 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles; 8 p.m., Thurs.-Sat.; 3 p.m., Sun.; Saturday matinee on June 17 at 2 p.m.; closes 3 p.m., Sunday, June 18; $40. Students, seniors, and veterans with ID, $25; www.therobeytheatrecompany.org; 213 489-7402.

 

Pan African Film Festival Announces 2024 Dates

 

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF), today announced that the 32nd edition of the festival will take place from February 6-19, 2024, in Los Angeles. For three decades, PAFF has presented and showcased a broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help to destroy negative stereotypes of Africans and African-Americans.  Since 1992, PAFF has remained dedicated to the promotion of Black stories and images through the exhibition of film, visual art, and other creative expression. Today, PAFF is the largest and most prestigious Black film festival in the U.S. and attracts local, national, and international audiences. In addition, it is an Oscar-qualifying festival for animation and live-action short films, and one of the largest Black History Month events in America.

Submissions for the 2024 Festival open June 1. The early submission period closes on June 30, 2023, and the official submission closing date is September 1, 2023.  The extended deadline to submit for shorts and web series is October 1, 2023, featurettes on October 5, 2023, and features on October 15, 2023.    Additional information about deadlines, submission rules, regulations, and eligibility is available on filmfreeway.com/thepanafricanfilmfestival. 

PAFF 2023, which took place February 9-20, featured over 170 films from 40 countries, in 19 languages, including 50 World and 22 North American premieres. Of the films selected for the Festival, 39% were helmed by female, queer, or non-binary filmmakers.

For more updates on the 2024 Pan African Film & Arts Festival, follow @PAFFNow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube, or visit paff.org and sign up for the PAFF newsletter.

About The Pan African Film and Arts Festival

For three decades, PAFF has presented and showcased a broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images and help to destroy negative stereotypes of Africans and African-Americans.  Since 1992, PAFF has remained dedicated to the promotion of Black stories and images through the exhibition of film, visual art, and other creative expression. Today, PAFF is one of the largest and most prestigious Black film festivals in the U.S. and attracts local, national, and international audiences. In addition, it is an Oscar-qualifying festival for animation and live-action films, and one of the largest Black History Month events in America.

For more information, please visit paff.org.

Raiford Wants To 'Leave The Door Open'

 

 

Grammy winner Derek “DOA” Allen produced the newly released single from the forthcoming “The Next Step.”

 

SACRAMENTO (31 May 2023): At its essence, the four-time Grammy-winning hit “Leave the Door Open” is a song about opportunity and R&B-jazz saxophonist Shawn Raiford is keeping himself open to the opportunities that music presents to him “at this stage in my life.” Teaming with Grammy-winning producer Derek “DOA” Allen (Lionel Richie, Janet Jackson, Tyrese), Raiford pours his soulful intentions into an instrumental version of the throwback-styled classic, which was released as a single and began collecting playlist adds on Monday. It’s the second track issued from Raiford’s sophomore album, “The Next Step,” slated to drop early next year and is being produced by Allen.   

You’ve got to go big if you take on a song destined to become a standard and Raiford delivers on his sax-powered version of “Leave the Door Open.” The Sacramento-based musician is an all-in kind of man hence he brings everything he’s got to reimagining the Silk Sonic smash about being open to possibilities. Having dropped his 2020 debut album, “Man With A Horn,” in his fifties, Raiford interprets the song from his perspective, bringing heart and emotion to his horn playing.

 

“At this stage in my life, I need to leave the door open for a lot of things. To me, it’s for my musical journey. I’m leaving the door open for music - the possibilities it may create, and the opportunities music may present for me to touch, uplift and inspire people. I’m so grateful to be doing what I’m doing with my music career at my age. It’s a young person’s game, but it’s never too late. That’s part of my message. You’re never too old;  it’s never too late to start. I bring my life experiences to my music and performances. That’s what makes it authentic,” said Raiford, who released the single that will soon be accompanied by a vintage video capturing the fun and spirit of Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak’s Silk Sonic collaboration.

   

An award-winning entertainer with The Shawn Raiford Experience, Raiford invited his core band members into the recording studio to track “Leave the Door Open.” Keyboardist Javance Butler, guitarist Vincent Cole Dutcher, bassist Michael “Tiny” Lindsey, and drummer Jonathan Frazier set the foundation to which keyboardist Ivan Johnson and saxophonist Andre Delano provide additional melodic fills.

 

“I decided to do ‘Leave the Door Open’ because I really fell in love with the song. It’s just one of those catchy songs that’s going to be around for a long time. It really had the world, including myself, playing it over and over and over again. I figured that a lot of people would love to hear that song,” said Raiford, who calls himself a huge Bruno Mars fan and was impressed by Anderson.Paak’s performance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts.

 

Another tune close to Raiford’s heart is a love song to his Northern California hometown, “Vallejo.” He plans to drop a single in the fall named for the village.

 

“I love that village (Vallejo) and I still surround myself with that village as my team and my producer, Derek “DOA” Allen, are from that village,” said Raiford, who has been opening shows this year for R&B singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Chuckii Booker and has opened for or performed with Teddy Riley, Yolanda Adams, Freddie Jackson, Pete Escovedo, Eric Darius, and Jeff Ryan. 

 

Earlier this year, Raiford released the first glimpse of “The Next Step,” a sensual single titled “Forever.”

 

For more information, please visit https://shawnraifordsax.com. 

 

Brooke Alford Music Is 'Heaven on Earth'

 

Luminously striking a power pose on the cover of her “Heaven on Earth” album, urban-jazz violinist Brooke Alford’s five-year process in writing and recording her second full-length collection has been an honest, emotional, and raw journey through traumatic loss and unexpected difficulties. When pushing through is the only option, the album is about overcoming no matter the circumstances thus the music on the nine-song set that dropped last Friday is an empowering and invigorating listen reflecting “The Artist of the Violin’s” enlightenment, growth, and personal development through her lived experiences.

 

Although she released her debut album, “Expressions,” in 2007 followed by “The Viosocalist” EP in 2012, the Atlanta-based Alford had never gone after radio airplay until she teamed with seminal urban-jazz keyboardist Bob Baldwin to produce the single “Closer” in 2018. At the time, she didn’t know the sensual R&B groove with reggae percussion inflections on which she and Baldwin sing the chorus would be the inception of an album project. The single fulfilled her objective of getting radio spins, earning a spot in the top fifty. A remixed version appears on the album that opens with another Baldwin collaboration – the optimistic single, “Heaven on Earth,” illumined by Alford’s exquisite violin play – to bookend the album.

 

The next year, Alford’s father was diagnosed with cancer, shifting her focus from music to family. Then the pandemic hit, further stifling her artistic output. Her father did succumb to the disease in 2020, leaving the family devastated. Through prayer and reflection, Alford had a realization. Instead of mourning, she decided to shine, determined to honor her father by creating a legacy of hope, inspiration, and upliftment.

 

“2020 by far was the toughest year of my life, yet the most rewarding. I saw a very dark side of life when my father perished from the illness. While the transition is very sad and hurtful, I found this experience with my dad to be bittersweet. It takes ‘loss’ in order to ‘gain.’ It is a difficult life lesson. My dad inspired me to just ‘go for it’ and shine bright like a diamond in my music career and life. His legacy will continue to evolve and live through me and my future lineage,” said Alford who will remember her father during an album release concert on Father’s Day (June 18) at City Winery in Atlanta.

 

Taking her father’s cue, Alford wrote “SHINE” with George Freeman. The funky mid-tempo single dropped in 2021.       

 

Moving on with her life as the world emerged from the pandemic last spring, Alford and Freeman wrote and released the festive “New Day” featuring the keyboardist’s elegant solo buttressed by impassioned violin play.

 

“Last year was a significant one. A newness had occurred. With the world recovering from the pandemic, it was time to celebrate coming into a fresh season, a ‘new day.’ Writing the melody felt so natural and the creation flowed like water through my fingers. I sent the melody to George (Freeman), and he perfectly matched the energy in the production. The organ that he added to the song gave such a soulful rock and classic feel, just like a fresh Sunday sunrise,” described Alford.

 

Last August, the rousing “On The Move” became the third Alford and Freeman creation to release as a single. It’s a slick and soulful contemporary jazz energizer. Alford said the song is about the certainty found in life’s constant forward motion. 

 

“Coming off of ‘New Day,’ I wanted to create an upbeat, celebratory tune with lots of strings on the track and several other high-energy musical elements. George sent me his take and he hit the nail on the head on the first go ‘round. As the song began to develop with the verses and bridge, viola parts and arrangements and more percussive instruments were added to fill out the track. It was definitely a fun tune to make,” said Alford who has opened for The Whispers, Mint Condition, Peabo Bryson, Najee, Will Downing, Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor, Marcus Johnson, India.Arie and Tony! Toni! Toné!, and shared the stage with Julian Vaughn, Alex Bugnon, Chubb Rock, and reggae superstar Beres Hammond.

 

At that point, Alford knew she had an album taking shape, one that derived inspiration from the discomfort she had endured and captured her positivity and enthusiastic spirit. As she planned the recording sessions and plotted the release with her team, more unanticipated setbacks forced her to shelve the project for a time.

 

After regaining her footing yet again, the resilient Alford resumed work on “Heaven on Earth,” which consists of eight of her originals and a completely reimagined version of Michael Jackson’s “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.” The cover tune has roots dating back to a 2017 recording date with friends Justin C. Gilbert and Anthony Parrish. Alford experimented by placing her classical violin amidst hip-hop beats, cuts and scratches, and a rap.      

 

“It was pure synergy. Although the energy was right in the studio, the recording process came to a halt because of life happenings and changes. Last fall, Justin and I said simultaneously that we should finish working on the track. The song transformed from simply Rhodes keyboards, percussion, and violin to what is heard on the track today. I invited two of my favorite artists in hip-hop, James ‘DJ Jsmoove’ Hayes and emcee Mully Man, to take the production to even greater heights,” said Alford.

 

On “Feeling Love,” a sophisticated and seductive R&B jazz dalliance, Alford teamed with crooner Kelley Andre to co-write and produce the song. His rich baritone voice provides the male counterpart to Alford’s feminine energy presented in the form of lush strings and expressive violin.

 

Alford tapped Grammy nominee Reggie Hines to co-write and produce a pair of tunes with her. On the ambient “Wanting More,” she records for the first time playing an electric violin, creating a yearning and desirous sound as the track’s tempo and intensity build to a crescendo. Alford says her performance pays homage to one of her primary influences, the late violinist Noel Pointer. The second collaboration, “Cascade to the Congo,” is an eclectic amalgam of sounds, styles, and textures driven by a throbbing Euro house beat and Hines’ saxophone wails.  

     

“After we laid down ‘the’ take for ‘Wanting More,’ I was ready for us to create a contrasting tune that was upbeat, had natural sounding percussive instruments, a dance groove, and a violin-saxophone duet. We had to navigate our way to the synergy of this track since there are so many approaches to take based on the elements I wanted in the track. Once we found our groove, we FOUND it,” Alford emphasized.

 

“Life is a beautiful dance, and ‘Cascade to the Congo’ transcends all age groups, ethnicities, backgrounds, and so much more. The song captures the ethos of the entire album. It is all about getting up, dancing, and celebrating self-love and those special moments with loved ones. This track reminds me that this is such an amazing time to be alive, that one can genuinely experience ‘Heaven on Earth.’”

 

“Heaven on Earth” contains the following songs:

 

“Heaven on Earth”

“New Day” featuring George Freeman

“On the Move”

“SHINE”

“Feeling Love” featuring Kelley Andre

“Wanting More”

“Cascade to the Congo”

“I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”

Bonus Track: “Closer (Quiet Storm Radio Edit featuring Bob Baldwin)

 

 

For more information, please visit https://www.brookealfordviolin.com.

 

For Keyboardist Vahagn Stepanyan It's "A New Chapter"

A ten-year-old boy in war-torn Armenia confidently told his piano teacher that one day he would play with jazz and gospel luminaries. She instantly shot down his ambitions, but the boy remained steadfast and undeterred, responding defiantly “Mark this day on your calendar because one day it will happen for me.” Flash forward to the present day, a year-and-a-half after moving his family to Los Angeles to realize his dream, keyboardist Vahagn Stepanyan surrounded himself with Grammy-winning and world-class musicians, producers, and engineers to record his second album, the aptly titled “A New Chapter.” Stepanyan composed and arranged eight songs for the jazz fusion collection releasing May 19.

 

Stepanyan produced “A New Chapter” with Kitt Wakeley, who earlier this year won the Grammy for Best Classical Compendium for “An Adaption Story” to which Stepanyan contributed to engineering and playing keyboards.              

 

In the intervening years between those early piano lessons and recording “A New Chapter,” featuring performances by eleven-time Grammy-winning trumpeter Philip Lassiter (Prince, Ariana Grande), Grammy-nominated guitarists Greg Howe and Mark Lettieri (Snarky Puppy); platinum-selling saxophonist Dave Koz, bassist Ida Nielsen (Prince) and powerhouse drummer Eric Moore amongst other accomplished players, Stepanyan was classically trained in composition and learned the art of production. He began selling songs to Armenian artists and started playing in jazz clubs in his native land but learned hard-earned music business lessons by getting paid only four dollars if he was paid at all.

   

Stepanyan was gifted with a saxophone that he promptly sold to buy a computer so he could learn how to arrange songs. During a 2009 visit to the US, he was encouraged by the reaction to his masterful keyboard capabilities. Four years later, difficult circumstances left him without a keyboard to practice.

 

Undaunted, Stepanyan continued to believe and worked tenaciously, step by step, never losing sight of his goals. Today, he is an award-winning music producer, arranger, songwriter, film and television composer, and keyboardist who crafted an album destined to elevate him to elite status in contemporary jazz.

 

The first single released from “A New Chapter” is “Synergy,” which dropped last month and is accompanied by a teaser video that premiered in Times Square on April 25. The track is constructed of a complex rhythm, Moore’s aggressive and astute drumming, Lettieri’s piercing electric guitar, and rich layers of opulent horns that feature Koz playing soprano sax in a completely different context from which he is best known. Stepanyan adds melodic vocalization to the rocket ship ride that is “Without Limits,” granting the ensemble the autonomy to create free from restrictions. Anthony Crawford’s stratospheric bass solo leaps to the fore on an exploration featuring Lettieri’s fretwork.

 

Nielsen’s dexterous bass is given star status on “Motion,” which packs powerful horn section blasts, a scorching and gauzy electric rock guitar solo by Roy Ziv, and Stepanyan’s otherworldly synthesizer expositions. Howe and Lassiter topline “Gravity,” floating above the intricate swatches of multiple guitars and horns. Throughout “A New Chapter,” Moore’s knockout drumming dominates in impressive fashion, but he’s officially featured on “So Good,” which is illumined by Stepanyan’s imaginative keyboards and a screaming guitar solo by Feodor Dosumov and Melvin Lee Davis’s (Chaka Kahn, Lee Ritenour, George Benson, Gerald Albright) elastic basslines. Brazilian drummer Cleverson Silva and Venezuelan bassist Isai Romero add Latin flavor to the playful “Toy.” Silva remains to play on the explosive “Revolution,” this time in the company of Dosumov’s shredding guitar and Wojtek Pilichowski’s frenetic bass. Closing with a solo piece that was recorded in one take, Stepanyan exquisitely conveys the emotions of the challenges he’s faced in recent years on “Hold My Hand,” a contemplative, poetic, and cinematic beauty.

 

Stepanyan began writing “A New Chapter” while traveling through Arizona and into Utah where he visited Hanksville, a place described as “Mars on Earth,” the baren, mountainous backdrop that appears on the album cover.  

 

“It symbolizes the transition from one period of my life to another – a new chapter where you have to create, filling in the colors of life through your own imagination. This is a new chapter for me, and I don’t know where it will take me as an artist. But I do believe that in this new chapter, the best is yet to come,” said Stepanyan, who recently won two awards from the Akademia Music Awards for Best Jazz Songs for “Synergy” and “Motion.” “Motion” also won a Global Music Awards silver medal and garnered a nomination from the Hollywood Independent Music Awards in the Jazz (Fusion/Bebop) category.

 

Knowing that the process of recording “A New Chapter” would be transformational, Stepanyan documented the sessions in a five-part video series along with a teaser video that encapsulates the short documentary series. Each episode takes viewers into the recording studio and captures the musicians talking about crafting the album. As much as Stepanyan oozes respect and reverence for the virtuoso musicians highlighted on the project, they reflect back just as much admiration and accolades upon the keyboardist-pianist’s prodigious skills.

 

Although Stepanyan’s early training was in classical music, his muse has been jazz and gospel while incorporating world beat and global music nuances. He produced and collaborated on three volumes of the multicultural “The Ethnos Project” that were released in 2013, 2015, and 2018, truly international compilations that include up to fourteen languages. As a solo artist, Stepanyan debuted in 2015 with “Moonlight,” an offering of jazz, R&B, and funk that he produced. Amongst the talents from the US, Armenia, Brazil, Thailand, Israel, and Germany that performed on the album were Billboard chart-topping guitarist Adam Hawley, six-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist Eric Marienthal, bassists Crawford and Davis, and drummer Silva. In 2020, Stepanyan collaborated with Grammy-winning gospel singer Percy Bady.

 

Stepanyan has overcome towering obstacles to get to where he is and he’s done it on his own, trading on his extraordinary talents and unconquerable belief in himself. Stepanyan’s “A New Chapter” is a remarkable achievement in production, arranging, songwriting and musicianship as he sets out to create a new life. Its roots sprouted from the soil of belief that a determined ten-year-old had long before anyone else recognized his exceptional skills.       

“I still have goals to reach. Mostly, I want people to recognize me not only as a jazz musician but as someone who writes and produces pop, R&B, soul, lo-fi, funk, and gospel music as well as film soundtracks. If you have a dream, set your goals and go for it without any excuses. Never give up. Believe in yourself. Keep focused on your passion, work hard, and invest in your future.” 

For more information, please visit https://vahagnstepanyan.com.