BOBBI HUMPHREY

She has been named “First Lady of the Flute” by the critics and listeners alike and, from the accomplishments in her musical career, deservedly so. For three decades now, Bobbi Humphrey has been playing her special brand of music to audiences around the world. Her professional career began in 1971 when she was the first female signed to Blue Note Records.

Certainly a lady playing a flute must have seemed something of a novelty then. Humphrey proved, however, she was not just a “first” or novelty, but a talent to be reckoned with. For in 1973, her LP, Blues and Blues was not only a huge commercial success, but established a strong crossover market for her. Also, in 1973, she was invited to the prestigious Montreux International Music Festival in Switzerland where Leonard Feather, noted critic of the Los Angeles Times, acclaimed her “the surprise hit of the festival”. Since then Humphrey has continuously proved her sustaining power, for today she is the only successful female urban-pop flutist on the scene. Further proof is the fact that she was acclaimed “Best Female Instrumentalist” (1976 and 1978 to both Billboard and Record World, and “Best Female Vocalist” in Cashbox. This is certainly a milestone for any instrumentalist.

Born in Marlin, Texas and raised in Dallas, Humphrey’s training on flute began in high school and continued through her years at Texas Southern University and Southern Methodist University. It was there that Dizzy Gillespie spotted her when he served as a judge in a school-wide competition . With Gillespie encouraging her to pursue a career in New York City, Humphrey wrote a letter to New York’s famed Apollo Theatre and received a telegram soon afterwards telling her, “We have reserved a spot for you on Amateur Night”. She didn’t take further convincing , nor did she have trouble finding her “spot” in the music industry.

The title of one of her Epic LPs The Good Life, best describes her career. Humphrey has played with the best, ranging from Duke Ellington (her third day in New York) to Lee Morgan to Stevie Wonder (featured on Songs In The Key of Life LP in 1977). Between 1971 and 1976, Bobbi recorded six albums for Blue Note Records. In 1974, she recorded the successful Satin Doll LP.

1977 was another big year for Humphrey. For the third consecutive year she was voted “Best Flutist” in Ebony Magazine Reader’s Poll. She was signed to Epic Records. She was invited back to the Montreux Music Festival., and honored with the Key to New Orleans. It was not only a year of musical growth but of commercial expansion as well, because in 1977 Humphrey formed Bobbi Humphrey Music Company to publish her compositions as well as composers. She also formed Innovative Artist Management to handle her business affairs.

Humphrey has also gone to gather numerous awards and citations for her music. These awards have included the keys to cities for the United States and a Congressional Appointment to the Community Advisory Committee. Also, the business world has recognized Bobbi’s talents in that arena. She has received various awards for her business accomplishments and high ethics from the City of New York, “Dollars and Sense” magazine, and was featured in financial section of Billbaord Magazine. However, Humphrey’s longevity on the charts has been her greatest award. Her LP Freestyle was one of the hottest LPs during the summer of ‘78. And with her LP The Good Life, the summer of ‘79 was not only good, but hot! The eighties were a period of rapid creative and business expansion, and community activism.

Whether it is from the stage of Carnegie Hall or an intimate jazz room in Europe or Atlanta live performing remains her first love. However, she enjoys composing and producing musical jingles for several major corporations, such as Halston and Anheuser Busch and doing solo work for the television on such shows as the “Cosby Show”. Though she is petite, one can see that she has the talent and heart as big as the State of Texas. Former New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins says it best, “Bobbi Humphrey’s dedication to artistic excellence is matched only by her social activism and concern for those in need”. This includes her working on various political campaigns, performing at senior citizens homes, fundraising concerts for the United Negro College Fund, and speaking before the General Assembly of the United Nations about the Ethiopian famine in the eighties.

Ever growing and seeking new challenges Bobbi produced one of her most exciting and personal LPs entitled “City Beat” in 1989. “City Beat” remained on the Billboard Magazine Black Charts for sixteen weeks. She served as producer, wrote many of the songs and gathered some of her musical friends to share in the treat.

As the beat went on, the nineties’ held the promise of some of Bobbi’s greatest musical and commercial expansion. In 1990 her company Bobbi Humphrey Music, Inc., signed a production agreement with Warner Bros. Records, in which she brought new artists to the label and produced new material. Her agreement with Warner Bros. followed her discovering, and bringing to the attention of Warner Bros. A&R executives, R & B vocalist Tevin Campbell.

Following the success of Bobbi Humphrey Music selling in excess of five million units of the Campbell records, Ms. Humphrey boldly launched her label, Paradise Sounds Records, in 1994. She recorded her first release “Passion Flute”, which was recently re-released and continues to be one of her fans’ all-time favorite recording. The album’s concept is to showcase Bobbi Humphrey with a cool jazz setting; mostly at mid-tempo: although there is a surprising uptempo version of his huge hit, “Harlem River Drive. There are also two original ballads in which Bobbi features the smooth singing of D’wayne Whitehead. Another song features two great artists and friends of Bobbi, Gwen Guthrie on vocal and Ralph MacDonald on percussion. From the first track, “Steppin’ Out” which features Bobbi’s flute on a hauntingly smooth, yet strong hook, to the last track, “Rainbows”, a soaring ballad, her passionate and pure flute playing is ever present. In“Passion Flute”, her fans old and new will surely have a greater passion for Bobbi Humphrey.

Dee Lucas - Saxophonist

National recording artist and smooth jazz soprano saxophonist Dee Lucas has been considered one the country’s best well-kept secrets and is steadily expanding his fan base since the release of his well-received 2004 debut solo CD Remembrance, a tribute to legendary saxophonist George Howard. With Something To Ride 2, his sophomore release on Mo Better Recordings, Dee Lucas further develops his own distinctive style by bringing a more urban funk sound to his smooth tunes that is more than just pleasing to the ear.

Dee Lucas is a ‘true’ self-taught musician. The 42-year old Atlanta-based artist did not pick up the sax until the age of 28. However, with self-reliance, determination, and discipline, Dee has reached a level of professional musicianship in a ‘fast-track’ manner that would command the respect from both listeners and musical peers. The results from playing ‘from the heart’ has also developed his own unique style which is a career challenge for any artist.

Born October 29, 1966 in a small but warm community of Tanner, Alabama, Dee is the youngest of four children. Surprisingly, no one in his family even knew he had a musical interest during his adolescent days because of his commitment to sports, particularly basketball. “I always had dreamed of being a musician. But due to the nature of my environment such as peer pressure and financial constraints, decisions had to be made, and athletics was the choice of activity”, said Lucas.

Graduating from the University of North Alabama in 1988 with a Marketing/Computer Information Systems background, Dee moved to Atlanta the following year. After a couple of dormant years while working the ‘9-to-5’, he decided to pickup the sax for the first time and relied on his ears from years of just listening to music from his personal collection. Also, Dee would go to the local jazz clubs to get a feel of the musical pulse. “Listening to some of the talented sax players around the city was education enough to build a thirst and go home and mimic what they did” smiled Dee. “With the combination of listening to a plethora music on CD while going to see local cats like Darien Emory, Antonio Allen, Sam Skelton, Jimmy Brown (Brick), and trumpeter Melvin Miller, that was truly enough to develop a personal vote of confidence”.

In 1997, Dee joined a local band called Between 9&7. “This was my first band where I actually got the chance to perform in front of both a live audience and in studio”. The band recorded a CD which was a moderate regional hit. Although getting a chance to get perform both rhythm and solos, Dee felt it was time to develop his own ensemble to demand more challenges within himself as both a musician and entrepreneur. So, on New Year’s Eve of 1999, Dee Lucas formed his own band called Xpressions. Xpressions was comprised of a contemporary jazz trio. They produced and recorded a CD titled ‘Footprints’ which gained notoriety in some regional markets. The record contained the classic hit ‘People Make the World Go Round’. All of the compositions were produced and arranged by keyboardist Karey Davis and assisted by the saxman himself.

Not to be complacent, Dee conjured another challenge which would be his ultimate goal: solo artist. “I recalled going to my keyboard player Karey Davis to discuss my interest as a solo artist, and I wanted him to produce my debut record which would be a tribute to one of my musical influences which was George Howard. He approved with no problem. It really worked out, because his ultimate goal is to focus on production. So, in a sense, we were both happy about the idea and now have future musical commitments toward each other”.

The debut solo CD ‘Remembrance’ was released in 2004 under Dee’s newly-formed record label, Mo Better Recordings, and nationally distributed in 2005. It has received airplay from over 115 radio stations, and the list is growing. As an independent release, it has received stunning reviews. Smoothjazz.com’s Scott O’Brien said, “Dee Lucas has done a marvelous job of re-creating the instantly recognizable style and legacy of George Howard, while at the same time putting his own unique signature on each fresh, new performance….”

Adding consistency to his young but surprising start, Lucas released his second solo recording in 2007 titled ‘Something to Ride 2’ which truly met expectations and then some. “I am pleased with ‘Something To Ride 2,’ said Lucas. “I wanted a CD that people could groove to and have fun listening to and ‘Something To Ride 2” fits the bill. It’s somehwhat of a departure from what I did on my first CD, ‘Remembrance.’ With this record I wanted to further develop my own distinctive sound as a solo artist. My style, from a horn perspective, is different from that of many traditional smooth jazz artists in terms of melodic phrasing. I like taking off on an uncharted path in music and ‘Something To Ride 2’ is a representation of the journey that I take each time I pick up the sax. All in all, the concept of this recording was to create groove-oriented music that EVERYONE could enjoy, and I think did that."

JAFAAR

Alabama singer, songwriter, trumpeter, Jaafar has arrived with the release of his 2009 album, Travel Light. Little do you know, this signals the beginning of your love affair with Jaafar. He is a musician who has made it his mission to fill the void left in soul music as everything around him turns to pop. Travel Light is a journey through the gamut of contemporary African American music; Jazz (Can You Make Time), R&B (How I Feel) to Hip Hop (Everytime). There’s literally a track for any and all music tastes but the sum of the tracks on the album is even better as they are a musical gumbo with soul as the base. Topics on the album range from making time for loved ones, leaving a relationship (Hard to Say Goodbye which contains a dope breakdown) to material love.

Lovers of the soul singer Bilal, will be especially happy as Bilal’s absence is another void that Jaafar fills. He doesn’t copy Bilal’s style but you can see the influence in his approach to songs at times and his range is just as comparable (yes he even hits the high notes). The production on the album is equally as great as it is permeated with live instrumentation which is always a plus in any music appreciator’s book. Increase your load with a purchase of Travel Light, which is available in physical or digital form at WWW.Jaafarsoul.Com

Found via http://bamalovesoul.blogspot.com Posted by DJ Rahdu