Angela Johnson

Angela Johnson [New York]

[31 January 2008]

PopMatters | Angela Johnson [New York

by Christian John Wikane

Part-time house diva and full time soul music icon, Angela Johnson has already achieved acclaim as a performer, but now she's ready to challenge the gender assumptions about R&B producers with a collaborative album that might be one of the year's early bests.


The Trans-Continental Soul of Angela
Johnson When Angela Johnson performs at the Blue Note, the world famous jazz haunt in the heart of Greenwich Village, she transforms
the club into a den of first-class funk and sizzling soul. Perched behind her keyboard, Johnson directs her band with a raised arm and open fist, her foot tapping in time to one of the tightest rhythm sections in New York
City. That Johnson is considered a definitive voice of contemporary soul by audiences everywhere from Atlanta to Australia is no surprise; her first two albums on Purpose Records, They Don’t Know (2002) and Got to Let It Go (2005), earned rave reviews by soul music aficionados the world over. Now, in the tradition of Quincy Jones’s classic multi-artist productions, Johnson assembles a roster of top-notch talent including Rahsaan Patterson, Maysa Leak, and Claude McKnight on her first “producer� project, the aptly titled A Woman’s Touch.

Origins

After spending a delightful afternoon in conversation with Angela Johnson,
discussing everything from the first gig she ever performed in New York
City to the purity of her young daughter’s observations about music, it’s apparent that A Woman’s Touch is the album Angela Johnson was born to record. A child prodigy who composed original melodies on the piano at three years old, Johnson grew up on a healthy diet of gospel and funk in the suburbs of Utica, New York. In grade school, she added violin to her repertoire while honing her musical talent at St. Paul’s Baptist church in Corn Hill, just outside Utica.

Johnson recalls, “I lived in a predominantly white neighborhood. I went to schools where a lot of the black kids were bussed, but many of them were my friends because they all went to church with me. I really had a very regular life. As a teenager I got into cheerleading very heavily. At one time I thought that I was going to do it professionally, but once I realized I was not going to get money from it…that only lasted for five minutes!� she laughs. With nary a pom-pom in sight, Johnson auditioned for SUNY Purchase and
was accepted for both voice and violin, bringing her closer to that Mecca of performing arts: New York City. During her studies at SUNY Purchase, she met fellow music major and future founder of Tortured Soul, John-Christian Ulrich. Both students performed in the university’s gospel choir and developed a mutual admiration for each other’s considerable talent.
“He heard my voice and said, ‘Listen, I got some songs that I have written
and I would love to hear your voice on them,’� recalls Johnson. The pair’s musical simpatico evolved into Cooly’s Hot Box, a full-fledged
acid jazz/funk band formed with other music majors at SUNY Purchase. Local gigs in Westchester, New York, eventually gave way to remix productions by Basement Jaxx, Armand Van Helden, and Roger Sanchez, one of the premier producers in house music. Anyone who spent just a little bit of time on the strobe-lit dance floors of New York and London clubs during 2000-2001 may fondly recognize the deep bass lines and soaring vocals on intoxicating tracks like “Smile� and “Make Me Happy�. Johnson, however, is quick to make an important distinction, “People
always thought Cooly’s Hot Box was a house band, and that was never the
case. The thing was our music was always remixed. People never actually
heard the originals and (they) would refer to our music from the house
mixes.� An album of the remixed tracks, Make Me Happy (2001), was
released through the Scotland-based Sole Music label, while the original,
more funk-infused tracks were released on Take It (2002), which was, for all intents and purposes the debut of Cooly’s Hot Box. Shortsighted comparisons to the Family Stand and the Brand New Heavies belied the band’s very unique sound, typified by Johnson’s “Happy Feelings� and Urich’s wrenching ballad “I’m in Love With You�. As Cooly’s Hot Box
brought their feast of funk to clubs throughout the US in promotion of Take It, Johnson was also wrapping up a project that had been incubating for years. With producers Russell Johnson and George Littlejohn, the nerve center
behind Purpose Records, Johnson asserted her very own music identity on They Don’t Know, her solo debut released just months after Cooly’s Take It hit the streets. �They Don’t Know definitely was just me experimenting and really getting to know myself as a producer, singer, songwriter, and musician,� Johnson says. “I really hadn’t heard myself. I was always singing Christian’s lyrics. I was always singing his melodies. I would add my little two bits to make it my own, but it really wasn’t me. They Don’t Know was just a way for me to express my thoughts and feelings and how I would actually sing a note and how I would deliver it.� Indeed, tracks like “No Better Love�, “Rescue Me�, and “Some Kind of Wonderful� were rousing numbers that referenced Johnson’s roots in the church as much as early-’70s Pointer Sisters ("Yes We Can Can� is a staple in her current set list). They Don’t Know was a bona fide hit across the international spectrum of soul music. Through the UK-based Dome Records and Columbia Records in Japan, Johnson cultivated a worldwide following with both her solo and Cooly’s Hot Box projects. So reverent is Johnson’s audience in East Asia that she regularly performs five-day, ten-show engagements in cities like Yokohama. Though US audiences are no less appreciative, Johnson’s fan base in Japan is especially supportive. “In Japan, they follow you from day one,� she says with a tinge of wonderment in her voice. “The day you step foot with your name out there and they get to know your background, they will do their homework and actually know your history. I’m just amazed at that. I always express to them how much I appreciate that, because people really are trying to get to know me and they are very interested in what I do and what I have done in the past.�

Collaboration

Around the time of Got to Let It Go (2005), the critically acclaimed follow
up to They Don’ t Know, Johnson was presented with the idea of a
producer project. The concept appealed to her, yet she was hesitant to collaborate with other artists whose creative processes might not have congealed with her own. “All these things that were running through my head were senseless,� she laughs. “I was just very nervous about getting with other artists, because I usually work by myself. It’s not that I don’t want to give out my secret—there is no secret—it’s just the way that I work might seem quirky to someone else.� Her concerns were allayed once phone calls and studio dates were set with artists who already appreciated her work as much as she did theirs.

The first artist she collaborated with for the project was the inimitable
Rahsaan Patterson, an established producer and songwriter in his own
right, who was the consummate creative partner for Johnson. She
remembers, “I was mad nervous because I’m a huge fan of his. Usually, if I do work with another artist, I like to give them a track and let them write to it, but Rahsaan wanted to get together and actually work from scratch. Everything went down professionally and he was just a kind-hearted person. I thought, ‘Wow, if the rest of the project works out like this, then I’ll have such an amazing time.’� Citing her work with another esteemed writer, Gordon Chambers, she adds, “I love the fact with this album that I’m just learning different ways of how people approach their music, how they write. I take on all of this like a sponge. It’s just good for me to evolve not only as a producer, but as an artist, and just learn different ways of approaching things.�

“Approach� is the key word when Angela discusses Lisala Beatty and Tricia Angus, two names that fans will recognize from Johnson’s concerts. Those voices, which effortlessly blend with Johnson onstage, are quite unique
unto themselves. Each vocalist was given their own spotlight on A
Woman’s Touch. The producer explains, “Lisala’s approach definitely is more aggressive. She’s actually dropping a lot of science in how she
approaches vocals. Her melodic structure and her harmonies are very keen—there’s no in between. [Tricia] has quite a bit of range, but her sound is a little bit earthier. There’s just more bottom on her voice. She has a huge jazz background, and when you hear her doing her ad-libs or scatting, that’s where it all really comes out. They’re just amazing people to work with, and I just appreciate that they’ve always been giving me 110%. I didn’t want anyone else to work with them before me!� she adds wryly. An enthusiastic audience at S.O.B.’s in Tribeca sounded their approval for Beaty and Angus’s tracks when Johnson previewed some of the new material back in November 2007.

A Woman’s Touch is also emblematic of the tight-knit independent soul
music community in New York, where the camaraderie between musicians creates a wealth of opportunities. “Nobody’s trying to be at the top and leave everybody else back,� notes Johnson, whose relationship with Marlon Saunders is certainly a meeting of like minds (for one, both were vocalists in acid jazz-based bands before venturing solo). The two connected at a Raul Midón concert at Joe’s Pub in New York, though they’d met briefly on occasions beforehand. The musical adoration between the two was instantaneous. Johnson shares, “I love the grittiness in his voice and how he delivers. When he was here recording with me, his eyes were closed most of the time. He was so into it. His body would move all different sorts of ways just to get that line delivered. He’s just so theatrical. I was crazy about that, but his voice just topped it off.�

The virtual community of MySpace also facilitated the participation of
artists on A Woman’s Touch, including Maysa Leak and Claude McKnight. George Littlejohn, an executive at Purpose, introduced McKnight to Johnson’s music and arranged a phone call with the producer. Recalls Johnson, “I came up with a great song and he gave me a subject to write about. He sent me some MP3s of melodies that he had in mind. Basically I just went with what he had given me and came up with a song called ‘Here I Stand’. Lyrically, I think that’s probably one of my strongest songs when it comes to personal matters of strength and just dealing with everyday issues.�

Maysa Leak, who previously recorded Johnson’s “All Day Long� on her
Smooth Sailing (2004) album, instantly fell in love with “More Than You Know�, which Johnson wrote especially for A Woman’s Touch. “Everybody’s been wonderful and has made it really easy for me to work with them. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a Libra,� she laughs, “or that everybody’s just really cool and they have a lot of respect for me as I do them. It just all came together beautifully.�

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

A Woman’s Touch is in part fueled by the dearth of recognized female
producers in the R&B community. While the work of Kanye, Timbaland,
and Akon crowd the airwaves, their female counterparts remain under the
radar. It’s a dynamic that Johnson, understandably, ruminates about
heavily as A Woman’s Touch is readied for release. “There are so many producers out there that are getting a lot of success and being known for their sound, and the fact is that they’re all men! There are no women, and if you do find a woman associated with a producer, people are automatically going to think, ‘Oh yeah, the guy did most of the music. The woman probably just did the writing.’ I have been dealing with that most of my producer life,� Johnson confides. “I’m not really trying to make another statement, stating that ‘Women—we can do it too!’ It’s just that I think women have something else to say. It can’t be one-sided. It can’t be all about the hardness in a track, even though I’m attracted to that. My drums have to be hard enough for me to really get into it, and the bass line has to really thump. When I do listen to my music, it does sound different than some of my male counterparts that are out there doing the same thing. I just have a different sensibility.�

That sensibility translates to one of the best soul music albums anyone will hear in 2008. Johnson anticipates that the reaction will be positive, though some might be shocked by the arrival of a female Quincy Jones. “People are going say, ‘Wow. A woman was able to actually put this all together,’ [but] I want to be respected as just another producer. I want to be respected equally as the rest of the guys. So far, it looks like I’ve collaborated with more male than female artists,� Johnson chuckles, “but it just happened that way.�

Ironically, one of the key challenges Johnson faces with her own producer
project is releasing A Woman’s Touch in a marketplace driven by the sound
of producers rather than artists. About her major label contemporaries in R&B, Johnson observes, “It’s not who the artist is, it’s who the producer is behind the artist that made them sound that way. If you name any of the artists out here, they have not been able to do anything without those producers. I think it’s because of the superstardom of the producers that
(artists) are able to put out records. Record labels want the same kind of
stuff, and that doesn’t leave us room for any other kind of music that other
people want to hear.� Though Johnson has a signature sound, it
complements rather than obscures the artists she works with on A
Woman’s Touch. The sum total of talent is nourishment for underfed lovers of rhythm and melody.

Angela Johnson is casting a wide net with A Woman’s Touch with
appearances set in Atlanta and New York for its February 5 release in the
US, not to mention dates abroad in the UK and Japan. “I must let you
know that this will be the first of many to come,� Johnson says about
additional producer projects on the horizon. “I just want people to know hat I’m just being me. This is all I know. I love music. I eat, sleep, dream music. I can’t speak any other language. This is who I am. I just hope that people appreciate that.�

We certainly do, Ms. Johnson! - Pop Matters

There is only a hand full of female producers in the music industry, and Angela Johnson has proved she can put it down with the likes of Patrice Rushen, Pebbles (Perri Reid), Chaka Khan, and a few others who have all, at one time, produced their own music.

This is the hottest independent Soul, R&B, Gospel, Jazz infused cd out. Angela composed all the music and co-wrote the melodies and played a variety of instruments. She also stepped aside to let other vocalists sing on her project, including two tracks she sang herself. The first track starts off with a introduction, which is funky within itself, then R&B vocalist Rashaan Patterson takes it from there.

There are also performances from Frank McComb who just blazed on the the track “Play�, Gordon Chambers lends is voice, my wife Maysa laced a track, Julie Dexter and members from Fertile Ground make appearances, Claude McKnight, Eric Roberson, Monet’, Tricia Angus and Lisala, Marlon Saunders, and all these artist's have cd’s out themselves. What it amazed me was the way that Angela brings all these different talents together in a really solidified sound. Knowing Angela is from the old school, this project has it all: Old school flavor, Nu-school sound, & definitely Classic soul.

If Angela decides to do a Vol. 2, I’m hoping she’ll go get Patrice Rushen, Teena Marie, Chaka Khan, Lenny Williams, James Ingram, Debra Bond, and many more to the table and create another great classic soul album!

Check out Angela featuring Tricia Angus and Lisala singing Crying Over You� live http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK04ZC0xI74

Marvin Dickey
The Urban Music Scene.com - The Urban Music Scene

An incredible album from Angela Johnson -- a set that's way more than the simpler soul of her roots -- and which has Johnson emerging as a tremendous new force in contemporary soul! The album's something of a "producer" set -- as Angela wrote most of the tracks, and directs the production -- but also mostly steps aside on vocals, to allow for contributions from a superstar lineup that includes Rahsaan Patterson, Julie Dexter, Eric Roberson, Gordon Chambers, Marlon Saunders, Monet, Lisala, Maysa Leak, and Frank McComb! The real genius of the set, though, is in the way that Johnson brings all these different talents together in a really unified sound -- a way that makes for a record that still holds onto its own sense of soul, even amidst these heavy-hitters -- and which marks Angela as a really classic producer from the old school, one with an undeniable mark on her music. There's a warmth and depth here we never would have expected in Johnson's music a few short years ago -- even though that was still already plenty great -- and the album features titles that include "More Than You Know", "Not The One", "Get Away", "Wait On A Maybe", "Cryin Over U", "Play", "Let Me Know", "Here I Stand", "Dream Flight", "That's Just The Way", and "Walkin". - Dusty Groove

One of my biggest gripes with R&B/soul music--heck, even hip-hop for that matter, is the lack of a female presence in the production arena. Over the course of the past 30 years, we've seen a handful of brilliant female singer/songwriters who have dared to take the reins of their production: Patrice Rushen, Teena Marie, Angela Winbush, Cheryl Lynn and Bernadette Cooper. They paved the way for artists like Mariah Carey, Beyonce and Missy Elliot to take creative control, but in the big picture, we would find it challenging to make a list of more than 20 names.

And along comes Angela Johnson. We've known her as a part of Cooly's Hot Box and an accomplished solo artist in her own right, but she has stepped out in a bold effort to create an album that has never been made before. A Woman's Touch Volume 1 is a collection of songs written and produced by Ms. Johnson for other artists.

Featuring some of the most accomplished and vital artists in the burgeoning soul scene, Johnson does what great producers do, pushing these artists to showcase more of their own range and versatility.

In an interesting twist of irony, it is the tracks produced for the male artists that shine brightest. She draws two of my favorite performances of their entire careers from Frank McComb and Eric Roberson, respectively, which is a huge statement considering the brilliance of their already staggering bodies of work. Rahsaan Patterson's "Dream Flight" is a delightful slice of classic soul, with it's sassy horn arrangement and delicious harmonies.

And the female artists deliver as well. Maysa Leak's performance of "More Than You Know" is the highlight for me, with it's Aretha-esque arrangement and jazz-influenced instrumentation, Johnson produces a shining moment for this artist, displaying a unique show of intimacy and stillness. Julie Dexter and Monet deliver stellar performances as well, focusing on mid-tempo tracks that create an unshakable ambiance. Johnson herself shines on the groove-oriented "Should've Been There", which is reminiscent of something from Chaka Khan's early solo career.


A Woman's Touch's mere existence is a piece of music industry history, but beyond that, Johnson delivers the goods. Here's to hoping that this album opens the door for this remarkable talent to produce other established artists within the mainstream...and inspires other women to take the steps to own their creative process. We are looking forward to Volume 2... - Out The Box

… It`s spring 2005, and New York singer/songwriter/producer/instrumentalist Angela Johnson is expressing to “B&S� her frustrations at ongoing traditional perceptions of women in the music industry...

… Come March 2008, meanwhile, and former State University of New York student Angela is most definitely practising what she preaches, via the release of the groundbreaking `A Woman`s Touch Vol. 1` - her first-ever all-star “producer� LP. Boasting an impressive line-up of today`s independent soul vocalists (including Eric Roberson; Rahsaan Patterson; Maysa Leak; Frank McComb; and Julie Dexter), said album unquestionably elevates the classically-trained Ms. Johnson`s studio prowess to a whole new level. In particular building on the vocal, songwriting and musicianship talent displayed on her first two solo albums (2002`s `They Don`t Know` and 2005`s `Got To Let It Go`), to additionally showcase her expanding skills as both multi-artist producer and string and horn arranger.

“We came up with the idea of using the title `A Woman`s Touch`, basically because it`s stating exactly what this album represents - a different perspective of music through a woman`s point of view�, begins an ever-articulate Angela from her New Jersey base: “Generally speaking, there`s no representation for women in the music business today other than being a vocalist or a dancer. And, because I felt that women definitely have a different approach when it comes to arranging and producing music, we went into this album with the idea of creating a Quincy Jones-type project. You know, he basically arranges music for other vocalists to sing on top of his production - and this album is really a female perspective on that. And I hope that, by doing my own producer album, I will be setting a trend. Because the fact is - particularly within the independent, underground sector - women still have a long way to go in terms of being respected on an equal par with the guys. By just doing my own thing, I`m hoping to encourage other women to feel good about taking control of their project too. By proving I do have other talent besides my voice, I can hopefully give heart to other females to do the same.�

Meanwhile, Angela has nothing but praise for all the vocalists she was able to involve in the project: “Many of the artists I`d already met from shows that we`d done in the past. And, in terms of us connecting for the album, the medium of MySpace really did prove very important. It really is crazy that people, who years ago I`d never be able to get in touch with, I`m now - with just the click of a button and the type of a few words - able to communicate with easily! And overall I think their contribution to the project was largely down to the mutual respect we all share for each other, along with the fact that a female producer putting a compilation together involving many different vocalists is not something that happens too frequently! You know, I think the fact that this album - in that way - was something monumental that they all wanted to be a part of, was a major factor in attracting them. And, as well as top-notch artists like Claude McKnight of Take 6 and popular women like Julie Dexter and Maysa Leak, I was also very happy to be putting lesser-known artists like Tricia Angus and Lisala - who do backgrounds with me on live shows – centre-stage too. Because they too are amazing vocalists.�

Having initially come to prominence as female vocalist in popular New York funk/dance combo Cooly`s Hot Box - which she first joined in 1992 - Angela (who is prestigiously signed to Sony/Columbia in Japan) feels her latter-day all-round musicality reflects her early upbringing: “I grew up in an all-white neighbourhood in Upstate New York. But, with me also going to a black church and having many relatives who were into interracial relationships, I was exposed to a lot of different styles. Because though, back in the late Seventies/early Eighties, the music played on the radio up there was mostly classic rock and soft rock, my aunts and uncles - who were only a few years older than me - at the same time exposed me to a lotta the R&B that was big back then. Plus of course at home my parents brought me up on a lotta gospel, as well as funk and classic soul artists like Aretha Franklin and The Pointer Sisters. Which is why this latest album has elements of everything I grew up with as a young girl - from gospel, to soul, to rock.�

Predictably, Angela is overjoyed at the ever-increasing exposure given to today`s thriving independent soul scene: “Yes, I am so, SO happy to hear that we indie artists are shaking up some things in the music industry these days! Because, while the major companies and radio stations are still working together to keep that certain type of mainstream music on the airwaves, we are definitely now - largely thanks to the internet - getting our voices heard more and more. To the point where not too long ago many of the major labels were actually knocking on my door - mainly because they are very interested in seeing how we get our name out there and finding out what we`re able to achieve by ourselves. So yes, the fact that things are now changing - that the major labels are having less power because of all the greatness that`s happening in the indie world - to me is great. Because it`s now making everything a lot more fair.�

The album `Angela Johnson presents A Woman`s Touch Vol. 1` is out now through Dome - Blues & Soul

What do you get when one of the most talented and brilliant writer/ composer/musician collaborates with the top vocalists of modern soul music? Exactly ... fireworks! And that's the least we can say about Angela Johnson's highly anticipated new release A woman's Touch Vol. 1. After the welcome/thank you intro, this 15 track treasure 'takes off' with Dreamflight. A 'damn' funky soul joint accompanied by a breezy guitar riff, fabulous horn breaks and the heavenly vocals of Rashaan Patterson. It immediately shows the class of this artist, daring to open an album with a composition that's so complete in every single way. Here I Stand invites Take 6's Claude McKnight to the frontstage, who delivers a sensitive contribution to this midtempo masterpiece. That's just the Way features frequent Johnson guest Monet on lead vocals, driving the song into a surprising, funky chorus break. On a couple of cuts on the album, Angela Johnson directs, her live band backing vocalists, into the main spotlight. Lisala brings a heart - warming Walkin', Tricia Angus lifts Not the One to higher grounds, on a track I would like to describe as the perfect marriage between Steely Dan (great key chords there by Angela) and Earth, Wind & Fire ... and as an extra present the trio blows us away with the beautiful, gospel inspired Crying over U. No doubt, live, the Angela Johnson band must be overwhelming. Each and every track on A woman's Touch is a true diamond. On More than you Know, the hoarse timbre of Maysa made me wipe away a tear, Eric Roberson got me in a dancing mood with Let me Know and it's intelligent, surprising chorus. A funky, deeper shade of soul on Play featuring Frank McComb, the hidden reggae vibes on get away and the sunshine of Amal. Piece by piece ... sublime works of art. For me, Angela Johnson is today's modern soul artist number one. An incredible amount of talent and an intelligent approach on all aspects of the industry. Your collection can't be complete without A woman's Touch Vol. 1. Can't wait to hear Vol. 2, 3, 4, ... Go and get it now ! - Jazz & Soul EU

Newark's Johnson is the artists' musician

by Reva McEachern
Thursday November 13, 2008, 9:38 AM

I love hip-hop, but growing up in a Christian household in South Jersey, it was gospel or bust.

Kirk Franklin was a big favorite of my mother's, as well as Donnie McClurkin and Yolanda Adams. My dad dug gospel too, but want he was really big on was jazz. He could sneak in a group like The Staple Singers, but in general even he had to comply with the "gospel-only" rule at our house.

I remember in 2001, when my father took me to see The Yellow Jackets at The Keswick Theater in Glenside, Pa. It was the first concert I had ever attended that wasn't a high school musical, or a gospel festival. And even after seeing performers like Newark's own Naughty by Nature and dozens of other underground bands, I can honestly say that one night at the Keswick left me enthralled in a way that no pop, rock, electronica, R&B or hip-hop performance has since.

Listening to Angela Johnson's music this week took me back to that feeling: the feeling of music for music's sake.

Angela Johnson was raised in the tough industrial town of Utica, NY. Growing up in a musical family, she heard everything from gospel, soul, and funk to reggae.

She was a musical child prodigy who played piano by age 4 and violin by age 9. A teenage choir director and organist in her Baptist church, she later studied as a violin major at the State University of New York (SUNY) in Purchase, N.Y.

When you listen to Johnson's music you hear homage to the past and glimpses of the future. With so many artists today approaching music as a hustle to other things, it's refreshing to listen to someone who sees music itself as a destination, rather than a vehicle.

"I can understand that to some degree how some artists may view the music business as a hustle. At times, it can be a fast-paced and short-lived type of business," said Johnson.

But knowing that your career might be short-lived just means that you have to have a plan for when the bubble finally bursts, she said.

"You can have a hot product today and be considered old news the next. So, get all you can get out of it while business is good. When it's over, move on to the next thing," Johnson explained.

Johnson is a career artist, so she focuses on making music that can stand the test of time. She's been a successful singer/songwriter for 10 years and by her own admission, music is all she knows.

"I eat, sleep, and breathe music. I have music playing in my head at all times of the day. Sometimes, it drives me crazy, but I truly believe God has put me on this path. My inspiration comes from him," she said.

While as SUNY Johnson met her future Cooly's Hot Box band mates. Cooly's Hot Box produced three dance hits ("What A Surprise," "Make Me Happy," and "We Don't Have To Be Alone"), and a label deal with Virgin Records.

"Having a record deal with a major label can be a long and drawn-out process. If you're not on a label's priority list, you run the risk of your record being 'shelved'. You may have to wait a long time to get your product out," Johnson said.

Johnson said that there's also a lot of politics and too many executives getting involved in an artist's creative process, making it difficult to stay true to yourself and your music. For her, going independent was the right choice to advance her career.

"At this point in my career, if I were approached by a major label, I'm not sure that I'd be willing to abandon the artistic and economic freedom that I've enjoyed as an independent artist," she said.

"There's definitely a certain level of prestige that goes along with having a major deal. I know several artists that prefer the prestige; I personally prefer to be able to feed my family," she continued.

Johnson has resided in Newark since 2005 and has enjoyed getting to know the Newark music scene.

"I've had some wonderful opportunities to play right here in my own backyard. I've performed at both the Key Club and Sounds of the City at NJPAC on more than one occasion. I've also had the opportunity to perform at local festivals in Orange, Roselle and Elizabeth," she said.

More than an artists' musician, Johnson is a successful producer and talented songwriter with a 2001gold selling song, "Angel," for Japanese R&B singer Double.

On her latest offering, A Woman's Touch Vol. 1, Johnson showcases her talent as a producer with the help of such artists as Rahsaan Patterson, Claude McKnight of Take 6, Gordon Chambers, Maysa Leak, Eric Roberson, Frank McComb, Tricia Angus, Lisala, Monet and Ernesto Abreau.

Check out samples from A Woman's Touch Vol. 1 at rebelcitymusic.com/angelajohnson.

Reva McEachern resides in Jersey City and promotes her music under the alias Reva Cheri. She is the founder of independent music and video sharing website rebelcitymusic.com - Rebel City Music

Angela Johnson

Angela is a female given name. It is derived from the Greek word ángelos (a??e???), meaning "messenger", or "nice person".

That is an apt description; Angela Johnson is one of my favorite performers and she's an even nicer person. She will go down in the history of Soul-Patrol as being the very first female artist to have multiple albums featured on the site in the same year. However I need to stop before I start writing a profile. I'll do that at some point in the future, but I just wanted to give yall an idea about just how strongly I feel about her, not only as a performer, but as a person.

New York City is a tough place. The Blue Note, located in the heart of Greenwich Village in the shadows of the not so long gone twin towers, is one of the most famous nightclubs in the world. It's a place that I used to stand outside of when I was a teenager, unable to afford the cover charge, simply to catch a few seconds of Nancy Wilson, Billy Eckstein, Carmen McCrae and others performing when the bouncer would open the door for people who actually had enough money to go inside.

Watching Angela Johnson last night, in complete command of her artistry, her audience and her self made me think about all of the legendary artists who had performed on that very same stage. Angela played the keyboard, sang and interacted with the audience effortlessly. The crowd composed mostly of Blue Note regulars was clearly entertained and to me that is the ultimate compliment from a tough NYC crowd to Angela Johnson. In all she performed a 17 song set of both covers and original songs from her two solo albums as well as from her Cooly's Hot Box project. At various points during the show both Marlon Saunders and Gordon Chambers joined Angela on stage for duets

The last time I saw Angela Johnson perform live it was on a bill with Marlon Saunders, together they did what was possibly the best show that I saw in 2005. Last night at the Blue Note in NYC I witnessed a powerful musical force contained within a person who carries superstar talent who carries it all in perfect balance. As strong as her performance was in 2005, this show at the Blue Note on a cold November evening, in the wee hours of the morning was even better.

Back in the day we used to have female performers who could do it all. Sing, dance and give you a total performance that spoke volumes about them as people. In fact we were so comfortable in watching artists like Marilyn McCoo, Dionne Warwick and others perform on TV that we actually thought of them as friends.

Angela Johnson has grown into such a performer. This is something that you can't see, hear or feel from any of her excellent albums. It can only be witnessed live and I feel fortunate indeed to have been able to experience for my self. Clear evidence of this growth was obvious to me from the moment Angela Johnson hit the stage with a cover version of the Prince classic "I Wanna Be Your Lover". It's a song we all know so well that Angela was able to immediately win the crowd over. The mood of the crowd changed from tense to comfortable as Angela eased into the song with the comfort of last year's mittens.

For me the highlights of the show were: Angela's vocal/keyboard improvisations alone and with Marlon & Gordon and of course her stank nasty cover version of the Pointer Sisters "Yes We Can Can". In short Angela Johnson is da bomb.

As I walked back to my car after show amid the eerily silent Greenwich Village streets, interrupted only by the sounds of passing newspaper and milk delivery trucks I kept thinking to myself…

What we really need is an "old school battle of the bands" between Angela Johnson and Alicia Keys, so Angela Johnson could kick Alicia Keyes ass...

Bob Davis - Soul Patrol

Here we have an album that comes with a striking front cover and twelve touching tracks. These tracks all represent beautiful melodies and honest lyrics. The album doesn't just have Soul in it; it's got a mixture of Funk and good R&B. Vocally, Angela has a voice that show's true emotion and it has ability to range in many types of pitches, it is a special gift. She plays a lot of piano in this record. Her inspiration musically is Aretha Franklin and one thing these two artists have in common is Soul. The tracks maybe produced in a modern way but the quality of the album is timeless. My favourite song from 'Got To Let It Go' is 'Let's Get Together', as I feel this sounds like my type of Soul, mellow and funky. As soon as she begins the song is has a promising sound and the vibe through out keeps running. 'Early Bird' is a fantastic track, with bongos and fender Rhodes, making it an up-tempo track. A flute comes in which is a surprise but it adds an impressive new edge to Soul. 'Tell Me' is probably the best deep, Soul ballad on the album. Overall Angela Johnson is one of UK's most talented singers and I'm pleased that she found home in New York because she deserves all the success. This album shows much more maturity and growth since her debut, which means this artist is one to watch, as she will get better on every record. Her mesmerising ways of lyrically captivating songs is rare in an industry swamped with commercialized and artificial music. She has some really good songs and it is an impressive album, I think she co-produces it with another producer, which also shows that she isn't just an artists, she has creativity in her bones. I'm sure her performing is amazing and full of groove and soul; Angela Johnson is a talent not to be missed.

Matthew Daniel - Just Soul

By L. Michael Gipson

I can stretch a greenback dollar bill from here to kingdom come!
I can play the numbers pay the bills and still end up with some!
I got a twenty-dollar gold piece says there ain't nothing I can't do
I can make a dress out of a feed bag and I can make a man out of you
'Cause I'm a woman! W-O-M-A-N!

angelaPeggy Lee's retro-feminist lyrics are a metaphor for the hectic life and awe inspiring output of an artist who's successfully managed being a devoted wife and committed mother, while being a staple of the international music scene for more than a decade. With a critically acclaimed career spanning six albums, countless songwriting and production credits, and a huge overseas following, Angela Johnson has proven that an indie soul sister can have it all. But as you'll soon hear, juggling the demands of the road and her young family hasn't been easy for Angela. An artist still hungry to be heard, still striving to create that perfect project, Angela's continuing to make enormous sacrifices to be true to herself, her art and her obligations.

In fulfilling her many musical ambitions while maintaining a strong role in family, Angela's carving out a path for other questioning female indie artists trying to balance music and family to follow. No longer satisfied with just being a touring singer/songwriter, the recent release of her producer album, A Woman's Touch (click on title to listen or purchase), marks Angela's public declaration as an artists' producer. With SoulTracks Award-winning artists like Maysa, Rahsaan Patterson, and Eric Roberson on the project, Angela's declaration is more than mere ego. It is a demonstrative expansion of the industry's short list of respected and successful women producers in a male-dominated scene.

The February 2008 release of A Woman's Touch has got Angela back on her grind, out on the road performing and promoting the project around the world -- far away from her Newark, New Jersey home. Graciously, Angela took an early morning studio break from recording her next project to give SoulTracks readers an intimate, in-depth view into her incredible journey as both artist and woman.

How has your Utica, New York upbringing contributed to your music?

It contributed a lot. I grew up in a Baptist church, listening to The Hawkins Family, James Cleveland, Aretha Franklin, and Al Green-a house full of gospel. My Dad brought into our house James Brown and Bob Marley from my parents' many trips to Jamaica. There were so many Saturday nights listening to Suga Bear Williams on the radio playing the more popular stuff on the weekends. I listen to a lot of rap back in the day. Classic rock-my Utica upbringing was a music melting pot.

Do you still listen to a lot of other people's music?

I love to listen to music. I'm still a fan and will always be. I still listen to a lot of the old material from back in the 70's and 80's and of course the 60s Motown, one of my favorite styles of music, and then I listen to the radio and stay current with what's going on today. I listen to the new productions that's out today, but I still have to go back to the music that brought me to this place right now, my elders and those who came before me.

What is it about Motown production that speaks to you?

Wow. The simplicity of it, I love the simplicity of Motown music. The music is straight forward. There's no in-between stuff you're trying to get. I love it when music and even lyrics are just simple. It's something I gravitate to emotionally as an artist and a musician. I guess I'm biased on Motown, because this was the music my parents played in the house.

No one is around but you and your violin and your keyboard, what do you play to bring you comfort?

It has to be the keys because that's my first love. Playing the strings? I've definitely been out of practice for a while. I have been keeping it in the closet for quite some time until I need it to put some strings on the album. The violin brings me back to moments when I was in school. Back then, I wasn't able to create; I always had to play and interpret other people's music. But with the piano, I'm creating my music from scratch. I love that about being able to play by myself on the piano.

Do you play your own material for comfort as well?

I do play my own material. I love playing songs for my daughter. She likes to sing the songs from A Woman's Touch. I like to sing and play with her children's tunes. Sometimes, I just like to play and not even sing, just play. I'll try to learn some new chords and chord progressions; that kind of eases my mind.

You have modeled at least part of your career (and perhaps a little of your sound) after artist/producer/songwriter and university professor, Patrice Rushen. What does she mean to you?

She's one of the few female artists who laid down a path for me. Patrice Rushen, Angela Winbush, Aretha Franklin. Women who sat behind a keyboard, had their own sound rather than being in a controlled situation and made their own music. These are the people I look up to. I would hope that in the near future I would be able to work with them; that would be the ultimate for me. Just to be able to connect with them as a female artist as well as a producer.

While you do all three adeptly, which brings you the most joy performing, producing, or arranging?

I don't prefer one over the other. It's really a balance for me. Being able to expose myself and finding that balance. Performing live is instant gratification. You're constantly in touch with the audience and get to see their reaction immediately. You know how to work off of that right away. Recording? I didn't like it at first. Having people tell me how to sing and create. I loved being in a room by myself, being able to create, and coming up with ideas on my own. There, I can still perfect my craft. If I don't get it right once or twice, I can still try to perfect as much as I can. I love that I get to do that in the recording studio.

Is that the reason why you broke off from Cooly's Hot Box?

We all really decided to just do our own thing. I know I kind of felt that way. I felt like I needed to step up my game as a producer. I wanted people to know me other than the lead singer for Cooly's Hot Box. I did get to produce a couple of cuts off the first album and then off the second album I was able to produce like maybe half of the record. I needed to showcase my talents as a producer and this was the only way it was going to get done. I put out They Don't Know and was able to have a lot of control. I was able to take my time with it and really produce myself and be on top of that. I didn't have that much [production] experience with Cooly's Hot Box. So, I had to really learn and do what I needed to do to put out a record on my own. I had to prove to everyone I was able to do it.

How was it being the only woman in an otherwise all-boy band?

I just felt like I was one of the guys. I didn't really see any differences between myself and the rest of the guys. We were just all trying to make great music and were all on the same page as far as what kind of music we all wanted to make. There did come a time when we were on the road. Thank God I was married and had my husband along to keep some of the grimy stuff that comes from being on the road with a bunch of guys and only one or two other women. There was the sharing of hotel rooms and trying to figure out sleeping arrangements - that kind of thing - kind of set us far apart. It's good that I got to have the experience. I got to become really close with the guys. But, it still really was tough.

Do you feel like you were respected as an equal and as a musician with the guys?

Oh, definitely. They had a lot of respect for me. We all came up in the same school. So, we kind of knew about each other and saw each other's capabilities in school. We had some of the same classes and same choirs. You know, we were friends. We really felt like we could make beautiful music. We had such a tight friendship that it was inevitable that we were going to come together as a band. I didn't mind the idea of someone else being in control. It was the idea of Christian from Tortured Soul for us to be a writing team. We really hooked up and worked really well together. It was his idea to put the band together and the group put him in the lead. I didn't mind that at all. During that time, I was able to come up with my own ideas and roll them along in the band.

You turn on the TV and hear your music being played on shows like Roswell, Kevin Hill, and The Shield. Describe that experience.

It's crazy. My parents give more of a reaction than I do. When I get phone calls from people uptown, my relatives, I'm able to bug out just because they were able to hear it for themselves and it was unannounced, you know. That kind of feeling is irreplaceable. I love it when that happens.

You once talked about having rushed the album Got To Let It Go before it was ready and later going back to include those missing elements on subsequent versions, how important is quality control to you and how do you know when the baking is done?

(She laughs). As an artist and as a - I don't really want to call myself a perfectionist but I'm close to it - you feel like your work still isn't done. That's even long after you put it out there. You're surprised at the things you're able to come up with. I'm satisfied with what I've put out there, but I always feel like I could have done something else. That's those personal ties to the work. Sometimes I have to step out of that studio box or room and really listen to the music for what it is and really appreciate the effort that I have put into these records. I feel especially with Got To Let It Go that I really stepped up from the first production of They Don't Know. The first album was really about me taking chances and having people get to see me as a songwriter and more as a producer. The second album was about more producing and arrangement. Got To Let It Go was less risky in terms of the type of material; it's more R&B than jazz or soul. This record, A Woman's Touch, really exposes everything that I've done in the past and what I want to achieve later on as a producer and a musician. I'm really proud that I got to achieve that on this new album. I just hope people see between and within my records that I've definitely been stepping up my game.

Okay, give us the scoop, what did you "Got To Let Go" on that second project?

Stress! I had to go through a lot personally. My mother had passed away in 2004, the same year my daughter was born. I was trying to finish Got To Let It Go and I was also working on a Cooly's record at the same time. On top of that, I was dabbling into recording songs for A Woman's Touch at the same time. So, I was juggling a lot of projects at the same time. My personal life was non-existent. I had to deal with my mother's death and a new baby, but for me personally as a human being, there was no time for that. It was very frustrating for me that I didn't have time to digest what was going on; I just had to deal with it. And that song came about for me out of frustration, just having to let go of things that I cannot control. Listen to those lyrics and it's definitely me expressing myself. I had never been able to express myself in that way before. It was me talking to myself, it was medicine. I'm still learning how to let go of some of those things. It was a perfect name for the album, because it was expressing a time in my life that I was trying to get through. But it was definitely about the stress and I'm sure many people can identify with that.

There is an earnestness I hear on A Woman's Touch that I've not necessarily heard from you before. You bring out some of the best performances of Maysa and Eric Roberson's career. Did you have a point to prove because you are a female producer or because people already have a narrow idea of who they think you are?

Thank you for saying that. I really wanted these people to be seen in a different light. I pretty much put them in my realm and produced them the way I produce myself. I guess that was a way for me to get them to be seen in a different light. I hope that I achieved that, that people will be able to recognize that as well. In my mind I wanted to collaborate with many of these artists that are out there in the soul scene. A lot of these artists didn't know about me as a producer. They only knew about me from Cooly's Hot Box and my first two records. My management team, Russell Johnson and George Littlejohn, came up with this idea to search for artists we hadn't heard from in awhile. We started to come up with some artists that are a little closer to me and in the same scene. The first artist we came to was Rahsaan Patterson, and he was gracious enough to say yes - because he didn't know anything about me. I was just amazed that he gave me a call back and said he was definitely interested. I think what got his interest was that it was a female producer. So, I guess I did use that to my advantage. This is really something special for me to be a part of, because you don't really see too many female producers out there. What female producers do you see out there putting together a Quincy Jones like project? Overall, this was something that was probably going to make a big move in the industry. I'm just glad to get good people on this record who were able to receive my ideas, be on the same path, and wanted to be a part of this experience.

Monet, Lisala, Tricia Angus, Ernesto Abreu, most of the musicians on your second project Got To Let It Go receive the solo treatment on A Woman's Touch. Why was it important for you that it be these artists?

I couldn't see doing this project without them. They have definitely brought a lot to my latest projects. And they are artists in their own right. This was also another way for me to get artists that you haven't seen or aren't as popular to get their names out there. Monet, Lisala, and Tricia, these girls have supported me from day one and I just wanted them to get their voices heard. Lisala has put out a record before, it's called Get It. And Tricia Angus we are getting ready to produce her album for possible release later on this year. Monet, my label mate, we've been working together for quite some time. And it was wonderful to work with her, she was just so open to me producing her vocals and getting her to come out of her shell a little more. To be seen in a different light than I've ever her before. We were definitely able to do that with her song.

If I add up the 10 years with Cooly's Hot Box with your five or so years as a solo artist, you've been at this a long time, eh? Now that you have a family and are successfully moving into more production work, how tempting has it been to hang up your hat as a performer?

You must be reading my mind! I've had a few conversations with my managers and my husband. But I've put so much into this that I can't embrace that idea at this point. We've been really working so hard just to get me out there as an artist. I have to say that it has been difficult with my family life. It's definitely something I have to be careful of because family is more important to me than being a recording artist. I have to constantly take our daughter on the road with us. It's kind of difficult to be in the right mind before I go on stage, because I would have just changed some Pampers minutes before I go onstage. It's crazy, but it's a part of my life and I accept that. But it is tempting at times, because you get very frustrated if you have to pull everything together, especially if you're also the Musical Director for your own band. You have to pull rehearsal together, get the people together who can play that night. You're juggling a whole heck of a lot of things and the going gets tough. At the same time it's rewarding because the ultimate reason that you're doing this is because you want your voice to be heard and you want to be seen. Touring is the only way I can reach this many people outside of internet and satellite radio.

Have you made an album yet that you've felt like was your What's Going On or your Songs in the Key Of Life?

Wow. I feel like I'm getting close. I'm still learning in the studio. I'm still learning myself as a musician. I feel it's coming soon because I still have a lot to say. Musically and lyrically, I'm getting there but I don't feel that that has come yet.

There have been reports of fan crying and carrying-on at your London and Japan shows, how does the overseas love and notoriety affect you? Is it the same as getting hometown love in the US?

It's definitely different in Japan and the UK, especially in Japan. In Japan, it is just a whole ‘nother level. They don't care what they look like or sound like. When they are expressing themselves to you, expressing how much they like you or love you. They put all of there feelings right out there, wearing it on their sleeve. I really do appreciate that. The people in Japan know you from way back when you first started, when you were a baby in this business and the things I may have forgotten, they'll bring up. I can't figure out how they know this stuff. They're so appreciative of R&B music and a lot of music outside of Japan. I respect that they have an appreciation for music all over the world. I do feel, especially when I'm performing there live, that they're open to different styles of music. I don't necessarily get that here. Maybe it's because we're so spread out here, I can't always connect all the time. Trying to break into new markets it is just a lot easier in the UK because it's geographically closer together. I see that from my point of view. I can connect a little bit more there than I can with people here in the US.

How would you feel if the pinnacle of your success was achieved overseas?

I would probably be okay with that, but I would always want just a little bit more. It would be nice to be appreciated where you live. I can travel to certain places, certain markets and people do recognize me and do know my background. I'm very happy with the success I've had already, especially in Japan, and I still see it growing. It's cool, but it's definitely growing a lot more rapidly over there than it is here.

What do you think it'll take to get us to return to loving R&B and soul in the US?

Hmm. If we get our music more on the radio, that would be a step. I don't know what it will take to get our music heard on popular radio stations, but I feel our music is just as good if not better than what you hear on commercial radio stations. It's just unfortunate that we have to wait on satellite radio or internet radio to play our music and get our voices heard. It's great that those avenues are there because a lot more people have access to internet and satellite radio than before. It still would just be nice to be driving and hear your song getting played on the radio. It has happened for me, especially in DC, where they give me so much love and I appreciate it. And a few places here and there, though not so much in NYC, but we're working on it. It's going to be a slow pace, but there's just a huge amount of people searching for something different. How long can it be where they're going to continue playing songs over and over again the same ten popular songs? People are gonna get real tired of that, if they haven't already. It's going to happen soon. People want to hear the truth. They want to hear something heartfelt, soulful. Record sales are proving that. People are really tried of hearing the same thing. They're tired of having a couple of singles out there and not the whole album. Hot singles that you already heard, but you don't want to buy the album because nothing else is as good as the single. People want to hear from top to bottom an album, and that's what I try to give. I hope that's what I was able to do with A Woman's Touch. It's definitely something people have to listen to from top to bottom. There are very different voices on this album and very different styles of music. People really just need to get back to that. It's going to take getting people to request some different artists and music we can get into.



. - Soul Tracks