I can’t stand Christmas music. In order for me to like anything resembling the holiday season, it has to be unrecognizable from all that corny music we get accustomed to hearing. And you have to find yourself wanting to hear it well past that long cavernous span of time between Thanksgiving the debauchery of December 31. The only songs that I like with Christmas themes are Joni Mitchell’s River (and you need to hear Corrine Bailey Rae’s interpretationfrom Herbie Hancock’s tribute album to Mitchell, River: The Joni Letters.) and the man who has lost his last greatest fan Prince’s Another Lonely Christmas.
Well Rahsaan Patterson, one of the best R&B musicians recording now, has given us The Ultimate Gift. A Christmas album that is well written, well produced, and will be well worth the listen if you’re not a Christian, or just get annoyed with all the fakery involved in this holiday. The best track co-written by another great Soul/Rock hottie Van Hunt, Christmas In My House, is the funkiest Christmas song i’ve ever heard, and is begging for a Masters at Work remix for the househeads! His version of Little Drummer Boy is also nothin to play with-it actually brought a little, tiny, dew drop of wetness to my eyes. Get it! Or get it for a Christmas lover in your life! Here’s Christmas in My House:
Today should be declared official National Neo-soul day! Why? Because all the kids are releasing records today-Chaka Khan, Meshell Ndegeocello, Rahsaan Patterson, & Jill Scott. I haven’t heard any of them in their entirety, but as soon as all my consulting gigs that owe me money pay up, I’ll be able to hit the record stores, and pay some bills too! But in the meantime, I thought I’d hip you to some of the latest music out today by 5 of my favorite artists…
Chaka Khan, FUNK THIS. I think this is going to be interesting. Chaka signed to the new Sony label Burgundy Records for older artists who aren’t gonna compete with the Rihanna’s of the world. But the album is straight funk.
“The album may remind people of my early Rufus albums because I’m in a similar ’soul space.’ I’ve been on a little journey in the last few years, finding Yvette again.” (Referring to her birth name) “I went through a period of being insecure. I’m walking a different path now. I’ve changed. This album is different from any other album I’ve recorded because it reflects what I’m about, who I am now. The album is called, ‘Funk This!’ because it’s funky!”
The collection includes fresh renditions of Prince’s “Sign ‘O’ the Times”; a duet with Michael McDonald on “You Belong To Me,” a song he co-wrote with Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell’s “Ladies’ Man,” Jimi Hendrix’s “Castle Made Of Sand,” the soul classic “Foolish Fool” and Rufus medley of “Pack’d My Bags,” and “You Got The Love.”
FUNK THIS original’s include “Disrespectful,” the tour-de-force duet with powerhouse Mary J. Blige, a poignant poetic ballad, “Angel,” the acoustic “One For All Time” penned by Chaka and Terry Lewis, the deeply beautiful and soulful “Will You Love Me?” and self affirming “Super Life” among others.
I think this CD is gonna be great from the four singles on the Chaka Myspace page, so I suggest you pick it up!
Meshell Ndegeocello, The World Has Made Me the Man Of My Dreams. You gotta love this one for the title. It’s my new theme as of late. The album is Meshell’s first vocal record since 2003’s Comfort Woman, and it has that type of feel to it (from the track sample’s I’ve heard), with some more punk rock influences. It sounds like a typical Me’shell, boundary-breaking, luscious, sad, music to get nasty to.
Meshell Ndegeocello’s “The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams” sounds like the soundtrack to a dream, a poem with a punk aesthetic, coated with thick as honey sensuality and dripping with religious, social and political imagery.
She harnesses her magic like a master, gently coaxing the listener to trip out as she pulls you deeper inside her mind. The power is in both what she says, and how she makes you feel as she says it.
Rahsaan Patterson, Wines & Spirits. Listening to the sample tracks on Amazon, I am certain this to be my favorite Rahsaan Patterson album. It’s his fourth studio recording (though he has another project with Australian musicians called Sugar Rush Beat Company) and it is his most inspired, most interesting on the porduction tip, and takes his brand of soul (I consider him a male Chaka Khan vocally) to a whole new level. This one is a keeper.
Easily his most eclectic and diverse album to date, only a pioneering talent like Rahsaan could pull off a CD that’s all over the map both musically and vocally. “Wines & Spirits” begins with “Cloud 9,” a super funky tune with uncharacteristically minimal vocals, and ends with a brilliant, masterful cover of the Janis Ian classic “Stars.”
In between, there are a couple futuristic dance tracks (”Delirium (Comes and Goes)” and “Deliver Me”), a Prince-esque, ultramodern rock cut called “Pitch Black,” a hip-hop track complete with emcee, the retro-gospel song “Oh Lord (Take Me Back),” and a few “vintage Rahsaan” midtempo grooves (”Feels Good,” “Higher Love,” “Stop Breakin’ My Heart,” and “No Danger”) included for good measure.
Jill Scott,The Real Thing, Vol. 3. The newly divorced Jill Scott is coming full force on her new record, which she calls her most honest. I love the first single “Hate On Me” and the new single “My Love.” So far, I think I am also gonna dig the new one. I am having trouble locating a review of it yet, so I can’t really give you more. Lucky for you, Jill has video about the making of this album on You Tube that’s definitely worth every minute.
