Menu



error This forum is not active, and new posts may not be made in it.
Promote
RE: JazLive Free Game site
4/26/2016 7:07:52 AM
Elated I discovered free game site, for in the latter month, a sister site is now launched and players can share comments in various social media. WOW!

I am so glad, I am established as a daily player, before 'social media' addition.

also glad I chose $$$ JazLive $$$ as my game ID; can hardly wait for



Veterans healthcare to close on a couple pending healthcare issues; am ready to get on to the next thing on my "would like to do list" ~~~ LOL

Quote:
Three months ago, I discovered a FREE Social Game site, visit BLOG ~ JazLive for more info and my profile link.


+0
JazLive ~ R&B Soul ~ Maxwell Biography
5/1/2016 7:19:56 PM


A biography of the talented neo soul artist

Gerald Maxwell Rivera, known by his stage name Maxwell, was born on May 23, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York. He is of Puerto Rican and Haitian descent. His father died in a plane crash when Maxwell was 3 years old. The incident unquestionably affected him and he became deeply religious as a result.

As a child he sang in his Baptist church's choir, but he didn't become serious about music until he was about 17. He started writing his own songs using a cheap Casio keyboard he received from a friend and was inspired by '80s R&B acts like Patrice Rushen, The S.O.S. Band and Rose Boyce.

Early Career:

By 1991 Maxwell was performing on the New York City club circuit. He waited tables and saved up enough money to record a demo. Over the next few years he wrote and recorded more than 300 songs and continued playing at venues around the city. He had created enough of a buzz that he was signed by Columbia Records in 1994 and immediately began working on his debut.

He adopted the stage name Maxwell, his middle name, out of concern for his family's privacy. He has since been known to keep his identity a closely-guarded secret.

After a year-long delay thanks to management issues at Columbia, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was finally released in 1996. The concept album follows a romance from first encounter to last, and it debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Interest gradually built up over time and it peaked at No. 8. It also peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for a whopping 78 weeks. Time, Rolling Stone and USA Today ranked it one of the year's best albums, and it also earned Maxwell a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album.

Unplugged:

With one very successful album under his belt, Maxwell was asked to tape a concert for an episode of "MTV Unplugged," something that was usually reserved for established musicians. The show was recorded in June 1997. Maxwell performed his own songs, as well as covers of the Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" and Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work." A seven song EP was issued.

Hiatus:

Maxwell issued his sophomore effort, Embrya, in 1998. The album was heavily criticized, but showed that Maxwell was not afraid of experimenting with his sound and producing a more challenging work. It also furthered the R&B subgenre "neo soul." Still, it sold more than 1 million copies. He followed up with Now in 2001, which became his first No. 1 album. Reviews were generally positive.

After the release of Now, Maxwell embarked on a nearly seven year hiatus during which he spent no time making music.

Return:

After seven years off the grid, Maxwell made a surprise reappearance when he performed at the 2008 BET Awards, singing "Simply Beautiful" as a tribute to soul legend Al Green. The singer's signature dreadlocks and sideburns were gone, and he had adopted a more mature look.

Maxwell released BLACKsummers'night in 2009. The album was lauded by critics and it was a commercial success, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It was bolstered by the singles "Pretty Wings" and "Bad Habits." BLACKsummers'night earned Maxwell his first Grammy Awards: one for Best R&B Album and one for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Pretty Wings."

He later revealed that BLACKsummers'night would evolve into a trilogy. In 2014 he announced he had already begun working on the trilogy's second installment and the finished product was expected to be released in late 2015.

Neo Soul:

Maxwell has been credited with helping to spearhead the "neo soul" movement with fellow soul artists Erykah Badu and D'Angelo. The artist's first release, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, is a prime example of neo soul that introduced listeners to the genre and garnered commercial appeal.

Personal Life:

For years rumors have circulated about Maxwell's sexuality and whether he is gay or bisexual. He's neither confirmed or denied the rumors, but was last known to be dating Lithuanian model Deimante Guobyte in 2014.



Popular Songs:
•"This Woman's Work"
•"Pretty Wings"
•"Lifetime"
•"Bad Habits"
•"Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder"

Discography:
• Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (1996)
• MTV Unplugged (1997)
• Embrya (1998)
• Now (2001)
• BLACKsummers'night (2009)

article link

Video in Community Talk
+0
JazLive ~ Simply Red Biography
5/1/2016 8:25:48 PM
Artist Biography by

Led by the vocalist Mick Hucknall, the English blue-eyed soul band Simply Red became international stars with their debut album, Picture Book. On the hit ballad "Holding Back the Years," Hucknall proved that he could sing soulfully without affectation, while their cover of the Valentine Brothers' "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)" proved that they could do light funk capably. With each album, their fan base expanded, especially in the U.K.

The band was formed in 1984 by singer Mick "Red" Hucknall (born Michael James Hucknall, June 8, 1960, Manchester, England) with three ex-members of Durutti Column -- bassist Tony Bowers (born October 31, 1952), drummer Chris Joyce (born October 11, 1957, Manchester, England), and keyboardist/brass player Tim Kellett (born July 23, 1964, Knaresborough, England) -- plus guitarist Sylvan Richardson and keyboardist Fritz McIntyre (born September 2, 1956, Birmingham, England).

The group signed to Elektra Records and released Picture Book (October 1985), which featured "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)," a Top 40 cover of a 1982 R&B chart single by the Valentine Brothers, and "Holding Back the Years," a Hucknall original that topped the U.S. charts. The single caused the album to go platinum, and made the group one of the major successes of 1986. Men and Women (March 1987), which featured two collaborations between Hucknall and soul songwriter Lamont Dozier, was less popular, though it generated the Top 40 hit "The Right Thing." (In the U.K., "Infidelity" and a cover of Cole Porter's "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" also made the Top 40.) Richardson left in 1987 and was replaced by guitarist Aziz Ibrahim, who was replaced by Heitor T.P. (born in Brazil). The third album, A New Flame (February 1989), went gold due to the cover of the 1972 Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes hit "If You Don't Know Me by Now" that hit number one and became a gold single. (In the U.K., "It's Only Love" and "A New Flame" also made the Top 40.)

By the time of the fourth album, Stars (September 1991), Bowers and Joyce had left, with Shaun Ward joining on bass and Gota on drums, and saxophonist Ian Kirkham had become a permanent member. Stars was a relative commercial disappointment in the U.S. (though it spawned Top 40 hits in "Something Got Me Started" and "Stars" and eventually went gold), but it became a major success elsewhere, especially in the U.K., where it was the best-selling album of 1991, topped the charts for 19 weeks, and spawned the Top Ten hits "Stars" and "For Your Babies" and the Top 40 hits "Something Got Me Started," "Thrill Me," and "Your Mirror." Worldwide, it had sold eight and a half million copies by the second quarter of 1993.

Ward and Gota were gone by the release of Simply Red's fifth album, Life (October 1995), leaving a lineup of Hucknall, McIntyre, Heitor T.P., Kirkham, and backup singer Dee Johnson. The album again proved more of a success at home than in America, topping charts all over Europe, as did its leadoff single, "Fairground," while spending only three months in the U.S. charts. Blue followed in May 1998. It topped the British charts and spawned Top Ten hits in "Say You Love Me" and a cover of the Hollies' "The Air That I Breathe" at home, but was a negligible seller in the U.S. In November 1999, Simply Red issued Love and the Russian Winter, which reached the U.K. Top Ten, with the single "Ain't That a Lot of Love" (a cover of a Sam & Dave song) hitting the Top 20.

After establishing the simplyred.com label, the band released Home in April 2003. It reached number two in the U.K., with the singles "Sunrise" and a cover of the Stylistics' "You Make Me Feel Brand New" becoming Top Ten hits. Two years later came Simplified, a collection of old and new songs that hit number three in Britain and number two in the Eurochart. Another two-year absence followed before the notable Stay in April 2007. It hit number four in the U.K. and number two in the Eurochart. By the time of its release, the lineup of Simply Red consisted of Hucknall, Kirkham, Sarah Brown (background vocals), David Clayton (keyboards), Peter Lewinson (drums), Steve Lewinson (bass), Kevin Robinson (trumpet), and Kenji Suzuki (guitar). Hucknall then decided to retire Simply Red but he revived the band in 2015, making a splash with the new album Big Love.

article link

Video in Community Talk


+0
JazLive ~ MINT CONDITION Biography
5/1/2016 9:10:03 PM

Once upon a time there were great funk/R&B bands like Earth Wind & Fire, The Meters, War, Kool & The Gang, Slave, and numerous others who constantly broke down musical barriers. The musicality of these units was superior – they could rock or funk out as easily as they could move the crowd with a tenor soulful ballad. The rise of electronic music gradually undermined self-contained bands but in the 90s a dynamic young new band emerged—Mint Condition, now the greatest self-contained R&B band of our time. Anointed early on by superstar producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (formerly of the band The Time), Mint Condition does it all—delivering hard-bitten funk with a hip hop edge, rocking out with screaming lead guitar, and crooning lush, "baby-making" soul ballads. The much sought after band, who mark their 20th Anniversary this year, has amassed a string of hits and performs hundreds of live shows each year. In the Fall of 2010 when Prince took the podium at the legendary Apollo to announce his "Welcome To America," and his plans to feature his favorite artists, it was no shock to many that Mint Condition was among them. The only band on his list that day? Mint Condition. During the month of February, TV One tapped Mint Condition as the house band seen and heard every night on the show "Way Black When," which celebrated the biggest African American stars throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s. With not one but two current hit singles on board—the sumptuous "Caught My Eye" and lead singer Stokley's duet with Kelly Price, "Not My Daddy," Mint Condition marks the 20th anniversary of its first chart hit with the release of 7… (Mint Condition’s seventh studio album) due out on Shanachie Entertainment/Caged Bird April 5, 2011.

"This time around we decided to not let ourselves become bogged down with strict thematic or musical boundaries," notes keyboard player Larry El. "We wanted, instead, to do a project that would be expressive of life's multi-facets. For the first time in our career, we looked back into our own musical catalogue for inspiration and resources. Without being a direct throwback, 7… weaves threads of nostalgia into the musical mix. It's kind of an ode to Minneapolis, Mint Condition style." 7… sounds unlike anything else in the R&B world -or any other world—today, once again demonstrating that Mint Condition is one of those rare artists on the scene with their own unique sound. Along with Mint Condition's bedrock funk and R&B balladry, elements of jazz, rock, and hip hop come into the mix. They have always delivered these elements live but here they are a part of their studio work. Nothing is formulaic or routine with Mint Condition, starting with the opening tracks "Can't Get Away" and "I Want It," which are seamlessly linked to play straight through, to "Twenty Years Later," an off-the-wall narrative depicting a 47 year-old addict wondering what happened to the last twenty years of his life, which opens with acoustic guitar and climaxes with an ironic jaunty Vegas-style vamp. It is the kind of organic creativity that only Mint Condition could achieve, an extra ingredient that years of playing together make it possible for them to deliver. In an era dominated by singles, 7… is truly an album, designed to be heard as a whole.

"Each member of the band is equally invested in both the music and the group itself," Larry El explains

"So when performing we can more readily live on the edge, musically speaking, where its most interesting, and still not lose t he original spirit and intent of the songs. Any given member can readily play what any other member is thinking or feeling." It is this kind of organic, edgy creativity that has made Mint Condition one of Prince's favorite artists. "In many ways, he (Prince) continues to be a mentor for us," says guitarist O'Dell. "He's a musical genius yet is never condescending. He has a way of making you feel he's your biggest fan—we certainly are his! He's the best. Watching him perform always sends you back to the shed; you know you still have work to do."

An unusual fact for a funk/R&B band that can also rock out, is that some of Mint Condition's biggest hits have been ballads and 7… delivers several more great ballads that are destined to be classics including the inspirational "Unsung," "Not My Daddy," the duet with Kelly Price and Stokley, with its unique lyric take on male/female relationships and, of course, the first hit single from the album, "Caught My Eye," with subtle lyrics that stand head and shoulders above the "sex you up" love ballads dominating the scene today. "The lyrics (of "Caught My Eye") tell it all," relates Stokley, who wrote the tune with Larry El. "It's a literal translation. But, at the heart of it all, is vulnerability. We have all felt those `first encounter' butterflies before. The band knew everybody would be able to relate to that."

The members of Mint Condition met as teenagers growing up in the Twin Cities—Minneapolis-St. Paul amidst a thriving music scene energized by Prince, The Time, Jam & Lewis, The Replacements, Soul Asylum and many other artists. Keyboardists Lawrence El and Keri Lewis, guitarist O'Dell, keyboardist/saxophonist Jef, drummer/vocalist Stokley, and bass player Ricky came together in the performing arts program at Central High School. Playing together in different combinations led to them forming Mint Condition; a gig at the famed First Avenue club in 1989 caught the attention of super-producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, formerly of The Time, and they were signed to Jam & Lewis' Perspective Records. MEANT TO BE MINT, their debut album, was released in 1991. Their first single, a New Jack Swing-styled number, had only modest success but it was a ballad, "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)," which has become one of the classic R&B ballads of our time, that was their breakthrough, hitting #3 on the R&B charts and #6 on the Pop charts, with the follow-up "Forever In Your Eyes" hitting #7 on R&B charts. Mint Condition was established as a gold-selling act. Further hit singles and albums followed, with "U Send Me Swingin’," "Someone To Love" and "So Fine" all hitting from the FROM THE MINT FACTORY album, "What Kind Of Man Would I Be" (another acknowledged classic) and "You Don't Have To Hurt No More" from DEFINITION OF A BAND.

Meanwhile the band earned its spurs as a live act, touring relentlessly and, unlike so many artists, delivering not only a performance equal to their studio work but one which often surpassed it. As a result, their legions of fans would turn out for a Mint Condition show whether they had a current hit out or not. After Perspective Records folded, Mint Condition signed with Elektra, delivering more hits with "If You Love Me" and "Is This Pain Our Pleasure" from the LIFE'S AQUARIUM album. In the early 2000s the group took a break from their relentless recording and touring schedule. They resumed as a quintet with only keyboard player Keri Lewis absent (though he sometimes re-joined them for specific shows releasing a new album LIVING THE LUXURY BROWN on their own Caged Bird label in 2005, hitting again with "I'm Ready." Their high-energy live performance was captured with the release of LIVE AT THE 9:30 CLUB and then 2008's E-LIFE yielded another hit with "Nothing Left To Say.

Two decades on, Mint Condition stands along with The Roots as the only high-profile examples of a self-contained, hit-making Black music band, and with Mint's emphasis on songs and great singing, the sole band carrying on the great tradition of R&B funk bands such as Earth, Wind & Fire, The Meters, War, The Commodores, Lakeside, Slave and many more that were an important, progressive element of the black music scene in the Seventies and Eighties. "We're fortunate that people have come to expect us to march to our own drum, musically speaking," says bassist Ricky. And even though we have carved out our own unique creative path, we've always been well embraced."

article link

YouTube Video: Healing Season


+0
JazLive ~ Rise Up
5/6/2016 8:49:15 PM

Rise Up

By Andra Day

You're broken down and tired
Of living life on a merry go round
And you can't find the fighter
But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out
And move mountains
We gonna walk it out
And move mountains

And I'll rise up
I'll rise like the day
I'll rise up
I'll rise unafraid
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousand times again
And I'll rise up
High like the waves
I'll rise up
In spite of the ache
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousands times again
For you
For you
For you
For you

When the silence isn't quiet
And it feels like it's getting hard to breathe
And I know you feel like dying
But I promise we'll take the world to its feet
And move mountains
We'll take it to its feet
And move mountains

And I'll rise up
I'll rise like the day
I'll rise up
I'll rise unafraid
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousand times again
For you
For you
For you
For you

All we need, all we need is hope
And for that we have each other
And for that we have each other
We will rise
We will rise
We'll rise, oh oh
We'll rise

I'll rise up
Rise like the day
I'll rise up
In spite of the ache
I will rise a thousands times again
And we'll rise up
Rise like the waves
We'll rise up
In spite of the ache
We'll rise up
And we'll do it a thousands times again
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you

Songwriters: CASSANDRA MONIQUE BATIE, JENNIFER DECILVEO
BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC



+1


facebook
Like us on Facebook!