La Shaun phoenix Moore
Detroit, Michigan, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
Artist: LaShaun Phoenix Moore
Album: The Space Between the Rain
Style: R & B, Jazz
This artist could tour with: Anita Baker, Kem, Maysa, Cassandra Wilson
Greetings beautiful people
I am of the firm belief that most things in the world should be viewed with a liberal, democratic, and an open minded sensibility. We should go beyond tolerance, to understanding and then acceptance. We as people should never discriminate against anyone or anything because of our own narrow minded ideologies……except for art.
It is here, that I believe the few elite (such as myself) should judge and discriminate against that which is good and that which is abysmal!
Today as a member of the poor elite I examine the debut musical work of La Shaun Phoenix Moore “The Space Between the Rain”. Set to be released 10/22/2011 on Sound Thought Recordings. The LP is a collection of 10 superbly articulated love songs richly drenched in a soulful musical pool of R & B, Jazz, and British Soul.
What I enjoy about this album is that it breaks the monotony of young black soul singers all creating their own diet version of neo soul. I mean, if I hear one more bad Erykah Badu / Jill Scott wannabe try to evoke some spirit within me, I’m gonna put a gun to head and pull the trigger!
…but I digress…………Here, Ms. Moore gives us solid soul (no neo necessary). On “Bathe in My Love” La Shaun eloquently yet soulfully moves from the confusion of loves’ turmoil to taking a stand as a woman who loves her man.
The albums overall musicality is some of the best I’ve heard in years. The rim shots, baselines, and dramatic chord progressions, take me there! The opening guitar on “Night Cap” just makes you scrunch your face, because it’s so funky, as Phoenix’s vocals follow suite, letting some lucky guy know, he ain’t got nothing to do tomorrow and that he should come up for a “night cap”……swag on a million!
The albums’ most glorious moment is the song is “Sunshine Funny Face”. Here we have a new jazz standard in the vain of “My Funny Valentine”, “Windmills”, or “Summertime”. Melodically it is classic and vocally extraordinary. It is a period piece crafted and cemented in beauty. I’ve listened to it to like 100 times already.
Other gems that stand out are “Afterglow”, which has a disturbingly dope vocal arrangement.
“Can’t Stop It” borrows it’s melody from Michael Jackson, but holds it’s on without being an obvious cover, but rather a clever interpolation, and love letter to the art of poetry.
The albums title track “The Space Between the Rain”, I believe unconsciously does something Ms. Moore didn’t realize. It fuses together every mood and range of music, on the album, into one simple yet brilliant ballet.
The rest the album grooves and floats at just the right place in that soulful musical pool I spoke of earlier. This is an album for grown folks (not adults)….there is a difference. This is the type of album that requires some kind stiff drink that came covered in a purple velvet bag. Brown liquor music if you will.
As a high ranking member of the poor elite I will say honestly this isn’t typically the kind of music I ordinarily go for, but the album is so well sung, written, produced and arranged, I can’t stop it. This is fine art, and I look forward to hearing more, and so will you. Mr. Sawyer endorses this album.
Until next time
Yo brotha
Ty - Ty Sawyer
Discography
Space Between The Rain, LP, Released 2011
Photos
Bio
LaShaun phoenix Moore was born in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit. Where life is raw and hard and culturally beautiful all at once. In Detroit, if youre the conscious kind, all those elements meld into one and give you purpose. And phoenix is the conscious kind. One who lives her life between two creative worlds: music and poetry. Through both, she fully expresses herself. Through both, she experiences a sense of purity and gives back through her singing. Her debut CD, Space Between the Rain will be released in summer 2011.
For Space Between the Rain, phoenix collaborated with Sound Thought Recordings (Detroit, Michigan) to bring out her soulful, smoky voice and rich R & B sound. This project divinely brings her two worlds music and poetry together in one home. As singer/songwriter, she expresses sweet, sexy and playful romantic love, love of her people and love of the written word. The CD is filled with ballads, and a sprinkling of mid-tempo, danceable grooves.
At Sound Thought Recordings, phoenix partnered with producer/singer/songwriter/programmer/engineer Inohs Sivad and a team of topnotch songwriters and musicians which include Damon Warmack, who also plays bass on several tracks; Walter Howard and Jeff Campbell who both play keys on the project; Keith Bubby Webb; and Adrian Jefferson. Other musicians include Christopher Donaldson on drums; Randal Wilson on guitar; Dse Christian on guitar, Gene Wilson on bass and David Alan on keys. Moore did her own background vocals along with Inohs Sivad, and Kesha Campbell, who is no stranger to Sound Thought Recordings sessions and live performances.
The projects 12 tracks are a collection of ballads like Bathe in My Love, Afterglow, the title-track Space Between the Rain, and others. With a slight step away from ballads, phoenix offers a couple of ballroom dance tracks, Groove Tonight, and the sassy, sexy Anything Goes. On Brown, she celebrates the various skin-tones of her people.
Moore has been lead or background vocalist in some of the nations hottest music venues, and has worked with key national and local performers since 1995, which include bassist Damon Warmack, LRenee, Marcus Holmes and the Koiona Community Singers, Versiz, and she opened for the Monica Blaire and Anthony Hamilton concert in Detroit, Michigan. She also co-wrote Inohs Sivads 2007 CD Changes, recorded the background vocals on the project and regularly performed as Sivads background vocalist for live shows.
Links
