Tamela Mann has finally released a video for her truth telling, Grammy-nominated anthem, “Take Me To The King” The video features Tamela’s powerhouse live performance of “Take Me To The King,” which moved the audience to worship along with Tamela on the 2013 Stellar Gospel Music Awards. And, she looks stunning, to boot. Enjoy.

Check out “Make Love To Me” from GFM fave Luke James. The bassline, keyboard chords and finger snaps–hugely reminiscent of Al B. Sure’s “Ooh This Love is So”– drive the melody of the song and make it instantly likable; at least for me anyway. Luke James’ vocal delivery is strong, but not forced. And even though the title of the song is straightforward and the lyrics are suggestive, this song is not vulgar. It rests comfortably at “sexy”. Just as “Grown Folks Music” should. But, the icing on the cake is that the video puts Ernie Barnes’ “Sugar Shack” painting (the painting featured on the ’70s TV show Good Times into motion and it’s wonderful to watch.

By Garry Moran, Guest GFM Contributor

Detroit native Laura Jane may look like an ingénue, with her luminous complexion and mass of coiled hair piled high on her head, but she truly is a woman of the world, having traversed the globe from South America to Japan, both as a soloist and backing singer, working with such luminaries as Taylor Dayne, Jeffrey Osborne, Joss Stone and the late Teena Marie.

Possessing a syrupy yet prevailing voice, reminiscent of eighties songbird Jill Jones, the multi-faceted Jane has created an amalgamation of sound and rhythm making it impossible to pin her down. She seems to effortlessly sashay from one genre to the next. Artistic expression it maybe, but it’s also somewhat disconcerting as Jane possesses, at times, a rich and soulful voice with gospel overtones that is much needed in today’s modern R&B amphitheatre, but only hinted at in her recordings.

Adopted into a family of free expression no doubt shaped the artist she is today, as Jane began singing from the age of five, impressing her parents with her operatic crooning. This talent prompted them to enrol her in vocal lessons and the community choir. Studying piano and dance, Jane made inroads into the children’s choir of the OPERA GRAND RAPIDS, performing in productions of Carmen and Tosca, before studying at The Boston Conservatory of Music earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts.

On the release of her critically acclaimed debut album, To My Planet Boo, in 2005, Jane received international exposure due to the album’s interesting incorporation of everything from world music to drum ‘n’ bass, especially with the jazzy-imbued “Summertime In the City.” But she has been far from quiescent in the last six years, having contributed her voice to the soundtrack of the 2010 film, Letters to Julia, accompanying singer Enrique Iglesias on several world tours as a featured vocalist in his live shows, performing duets recorded by the likes of Whitney Houston, and furthermore releasing last year’s EP, Have You Met Miss Jones.

Everything Changes, her latest offering, in which she had a hand in writing and producing, continues her liberal approach to music that one can’t help applaud, even if she only dips her voice into the soulful on occasion.

Read the full review here

The Bar-Kays are back, and y’all know this track is right up our alley. The title says it all. Enjoy the video for “Grown Folks” by The Bar-Kays. Produced by Jazze Pha.

Download “Grown Folks” at  iTunes

GFM had the immense pleasure of speaking with Mr. Kenny Lattimore. During the beginning of the interview Mr. Lattimore discusses his new music label “Sincere Soul” and his recent duets with both Lalah Hathaway and Kelly Price. During our conversation Mr. Lattimore also provides amazing insight regarding the inner workings of the music business, and it is apparent that he is passionate about both his music and his “Kenny Lattimore Foundation”. GFM appreciates Mr. Lattimore’s transparency about the realities of the music business, and this interview is suggested listening for anyone seriously considering a career in the music industry.

For more on Kenny, check out his website or his Facebook page, or you can follow Kenny on Twitter.

Also check out Kenny’s youth arts enrichment foundation.

The full length cd “Back to Cool” will be out this Fall, and the single “Find A Way” is available for download via ITunes.

When we talked to Kenny, only a snippet video for “Find a Way” was available, but now you can check out the full length visual treatment for “Find A Way”:

The Soulbabies’ Chronicles Mixtape Series serve a dual purpose. One purpose is, of course, is to entertain. As a DJ, DAN C.E. strings songs together in a way that tells a musical story and is a pleasure to listen to.

The second purpose of The Soulbabies’ Chronicles is also it’s mission: To bring Soul Music to those who believe it to be a lost style of music. For and by the children of Soul Music, The Soulbabies’ Chronicles represents the many styles of Soul Music. The goal is to share this mixtape series with the lovers of Soul and re-introduce them to the music that they adore.

Each volume of The Soulbabies Chronicles will pair DJ DAN C.E. with a different Soul Artist (Volume 1 features Soul Tracks Readers Choice Awards’ 2012 New Artist Of The Year Nominee, Amma Whatt!). Each artist will tell their story as a keeper of the Soul and their music will be featured side by side with other underground, independent, emerging and established Soul artists.

Keep Soul Music alive! Support these artists:

1) “Intro/Maybe” – Amma Whatt
(www.AmmaWhattmusic.com – @AmmaWhatt)

2) “Love Hangover” – Arin Maya
(www.ArinMaya.com – @ArinMaya)

3) “J Birly” – Miles Bonny X & The Ins
(www.MilesBonny.com – @MilesBonny)

4) “Mary Go Round” – Musiq Soulchild
(www.MusiqSoulchild.com – @MusiqSoulchild)

5) “Wrong Again” – Chidi
(www.ChidiSings.co.uk – @ChidiSings)

6) “Lord Have Mercy” – Nakia Henry
(www.NakiaHenry.com – @NakiaSaid)

7) “Passion/Amma Whatt Interlude” – Nightmares On Wax
(www.NightmaresOnWax.com – @NightmaresOnWax)

8) “Sweetest Taboo” – Erik Rico
(www.LifeNotesMusic.net – @ErikRicoMusic)

9) “Is It Time” – Amma Whatt

10) “Superheroes” – Esthero
(www.EverythingIsExpensive.com – @TheRealEsthero)

11) “New Day” – Nicholas Ryan Gant ft. Amma Whatt
(www.GhettoFalsetto.Bandcamp.com – @Ghetto_Falsetto)

12) “Ven” (Instrumental)/Amma Whatt Interlude – Gensu Dean
(www.MelloMusicGroup.com/Pages/Gensu-Dean – @GensuDean)

13) “I Want You” (DAN C.E. Vs. Sam Champ Blend) – Erykah Badu
(www.Erykah-Badu.com – @FatBellyBella)

14) “Perception” (Sam Champ Remix) – Electric Wire Hustle
(www.ElectricWireHustle.com – @E_W_H)
(www.SamChamp.Bandcamp.com – @SamChamp_BKNY)

15) “Lose Ya Mind” – Urban & Animate
(www.AnimateInventions.com/UrbanAnimate – @UrbanProjex)

16) “He Don’t Want It” – Ayah & DJ Jazzy Jeff
(www.AyahMusic.com – @AyahMusic)
(www.DJJazzyJeff.com – @DJJazzyJeff215)

17) “Take My Time” – 4Hero ft. Jack Davey
(www.4Hero.WordPress.com – @4Hero)
(www.MissJackDavey.Blogspot.com – @JckDvy

18) “Tumbling” – JazzyFatNastees
(www.Myspce.com/JazzyFatNastees)

19) “La La” (DAN C.E. Pause Tape Mix) – Amma Whatt

20) BONUS TRACK: “La La” (Coach Roebuck Sweet Dreams Mix) – Amma Whatt
(www.coachroebuck.com – @CoachRoebuck)

By Garry Moran, Guest GFM Contributor

Brian Owens has been called the next great voice of American soul and, although he’s quick to point out he’s simply upholding the traditions of other great soul singers from years gone by, Owens clearly relishes the honors bestowed on him, assuming his mantle with utmost seriousness.

Born in St. Louis, Owens was raised in a musical household of gospel, blues and country music and spent his youth singing in the church choir and soaking up the music of Bill Withers, Lou Rawls and Sam and Dave. But it was the voice of Nat King Cole that resonated with the teen, setting him on an auspicious musical path. Along the way, Owens attended University before dropping out to join the Air force, where he spent the next three years as lead vocalist for the Military band SideWinder. During his time with SideWinder, Owens performed on a number of television shows including Entertainment Tonight, and sang for First Lady Michelle Obama, while becoming something of a YouTube sensation with over 2.5 million viewers .

With his own solo music, Owens has attracted a comparatively mature concert audience that clearly savours his brand of grown up soul music that has critics all aglow. That same audience has been left out in the cold in recent times with some radio programmers, who seem hell bent on clogging up the airwaves with generic R&B. So its small wonder then that Owens, like Ryan Shaw, has received such notice, and he appears takes his “America’s newest soul sensation” tag to heart.

Owens’ debut CD, Moods and Messages, coalesces the musical styles of Otis Redding, Al Green and Curtis Mayfield with the retro soul/pop sensibilities of a modern day soul man. And while Owens has been compared to the likes of Sam Cooke, it is Marvin Gaye who is his most notable influence.

To read the full review, click here

A Christmas /New Years Gift From ‘Santai Entertainment’ & ‘Soptimus Prime’!