Monique DeBose
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Monique DeBose

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Music

The best kept secret in music

Press


"You'll be purring with pleasure."

Neo-addicts will find a deal to interest them on [this album]. It isn't all strictly on the soulful side- track one, Recognize, for example tries to do what Erykah did on Mama's Gun and scare the shit outta ya with a volley of rock guitar chords- but by track three, the striding, brassy Walk Away, you'll be purring with pleasure as the LA-based, former jazz vocalist eases through her paces. The title cut is a strong song too, especially in its alternative version tagged on at the end, which has echoes of Steve Harvey's early work with Brigette McWilliams. Best for me, though, is Captivity, where a bouncy Jill Scott vibe dominates and Monique sounds at her most relaxed. Maybe it gets a bit MOR in places later on, but it's easy to see why this artist is building a profile in California right now. - Chris Wells, Echoes Magazine [May 2005]


"Monique has a lovely vocal delivery"

I found [the album] very interesting. [the album] highlights the struggles that artists are facing up to regarding the state of music today. Firstly I must say, beautifully designed CD cover. I wish I was as photogenic! I put the CD on and the woman scared the life out of me with the first track 'Recognise'! LOL. I thought I was going to be in for a heavy metal session! Monique says herself on track 2 that, that song will have 'woken the listener up'! Provokative woman isn't she? LOL Well, once I was out of my pyjama's, this is a very nice affair. Monique has a lovely vocal delivery, highlighted by the excellent 'Walk Away', which many folks would describe as 'New Organic Soul'. Musical terms are just that. There is either good or bad music...and this is good. I really liked 'Ready For Love', 'Captivity', 'On Your Way' and the alternative take on 'Ready For Love' on this CD. Couple did pass me by, but that got me thinking regarding where music is headed right now. There are some 'very bold' steps taken here. Reminded me of the musical situation at the start of the Seventies. Folks experimented with music. Music should be for everyone. It makes us what we are. Human. An expression of ourselves. Folks will yearn for these albums in years to come (still go buy [her] album right now though). Monique [is] just doing [her] stuff. As far as 'Recognise' is concerned, well, 'Walk Away' woke up this old fool! Looking forward to your next album Sista! - Toby Walker, www.soulwalking.co.uk


"[She's] classy and can easily play in the Jill Scott League."

TRANSLATED from German
Vocalist Monique Debose approaches her musical work with a great free spririted soul. Volume 1 is a trip to various styles, whose common demoninator lies in the smart basic views of this young woman. Right from the start she causes confusion with 'Recognize'. Monique brings us her version of Avril Lavigne and blows cranking guitar riffs into the ears of surpised listeners, before giving us some words to clear this up in the following 'Now that I have your Attention'. With the same consequence the lady takes the turn to the Nu- Soul- scenery with the trio 'Walk Away', 'Ready For Love' and 'Captivity' and walks through this territory with relaxed security, just as if she never wanted to do anything else. She also knows how to add the right amount of jazz to her songs, how to keep the rhythm base in bouncing- grooving motion and to set a series of nice hooklines on top. That's classy and can easily play in the Jill- Scott- League. But Debose wants more. Most of all freedom, and she takes it by roaming through the fields of piano- accompanied and often heavy guitar- framed Pop- Rock. So between college- Singer- Songwriter and happy singing ('On Your Way'), but always influenced by her own personality and therefore always Monique Debose. And next time she may change her mind again. It doesn't matter as long as she enjoys it so much and the joy gets to me.

(Mit großmütiger Freidenker-Seele geht die dem Jazz entsprungene Vokalistin Monique Debose mit Frische ans musikalische Werk – Volume 1 ist eine Quer-Tour in und durch diverse Stil- und sonstige Richtungen, deren gemeinsamer Nenner in der schlauen Grundhaltung dieser jungen Frau liegt. Mit „Recognize“ entzündet sie gleich am Anfang die erste Verwirrung – Monique gibt ihre Version des Kajal-Trotzköpfchens Avril Lavigne und haut dem erstaunten Hörer ein paar krachende Gitarrenriffs in die Gehörgänge, bevor sie im daran anschließenden „Cheating On Myself“ einige klarstellende Worte dazu zum besten gibt. Mit gleicher Konsequenz vollzieht die Dame mit dem Trio „Walk Away“, „Ready For Love“ und „Captivity“ den Schwenk in die Nu-Soul-Szenerie und bewegt sich in diesem Umfeld mit überaus entspannter Sicherheit – ganz so, also ob sie niemals etwas anderes zu Gehör bringen wollte – zudem versteht sie ihren Songs die nötige Prise Jazz beizumengen, die Rhythmusbasis in federnd-groovender Bewegung zu halten und obenauf noch eine Serie netter Hooklines zu setzen – da hat Klasse und kann locker in der Jill-Scott-Liga mitspielen. Aber die Debose will mehr – vor allem mehr Freiheit, und diese nimmt sie sich in dem sie sich fortan in von piano-begleiteten und von oft schweren Gitarren umrahmten Pop-Rock-Gefilden umhertreibt – so zwischen College-Singer-Songwriter und fröhlichem Sing-Sang („On Your Way“), aber immer von ihrer ganz eigenen Personality geprägt und damit immer ganz Monique Debose. Und beim nächsten Mal überlegt sie es sich vielleicht wieder anders….egal, so lange sie mit Freude bei der Sache ist und diese dann auch bei mir ankommt. ) - http://www.soulsite.de


Discography

Choose the Experience, vol. 1: Ready for Love [CD]

RADIO AIRPLAY: on 102.2 JAZZ FM [London] and www.solarradio.com

Walk Away
Captivity

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

A native of Los Angeles, CA, award-winning singer/songwriter, Monique DeBose, has been performing all her life. After years of playing with bands as a musician, it wasn't until a brief stint with Merck Pharmaceuticals that she knew her life's passion was to express herself through writing and performing her own music. Influenced by Duke Ellington, John Coltrane and Ella Fitzgerald, Monique found her voice through the world of jazz.

She began singing seriously while at UC Berkeley with vocal ensemble, "Blacker the Berry", before soloing with Joey Blake, a member of Bobby McFerrin's world
famous Voicestra acapella group. Upon returning to Los Angeles, she produced and performed in the sold-out show "Sooner or Later" at the world famous Gardenia Club in Hollywood. She studied with vocal coaches Stephanie Spruill, Dena Murray, and Roger Love to get her voice to where it is today.

"Monique DeBose's music is honest, full with emotions, written from the soul. The style is a mix of various influences which gives it a special, but universal
character… with her voice she takes you on a special journey," Glenn S.F. Westphal, Perfect Solutions, Amsterdam.

Taking her solo career to another level, Monique DeBose performed around Los Angeles, CA at the South Bay Jazz Festival and TarFest - Festival of Film, Music & Art, and other venues before traveling internationally to sing before sold-out houses in Amsterdam. She performed with famous jazz drummer Duffy Jackson in the Latin Quarter while in France. She’s recently returned from traveling and performing in India.

A winner of the Simply Songwriting Music Festival in 2004, Monique will M.C. this year's festival. She is currently on the musician’s roster of the Los Angeles
County Arts Commission for 2005-06.

Choose The Experience: Vol. 1, Ready For Love, is Monique's debut album.

CONTACT: 213.944.0271 monique@moniquedebose.com
www.moniquedebose.com