Instant Replay
First of all I hope you already pressed play? You did right? Ok, now I hope you hang for a bit for a few words. I won’t be long because if you’re anything like me at this point you’re probably ready to press play again. Louis York (Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony) is taking a holistic approach to music by creating with the acknowledgement that most of us(and by most of us I mean people)are not just narrowly defined tight payola playlist listeners of music. In reading Louis York’s bio I was immediately struck by the simpatico with GFM. As we are here, Louis York’s creative mission is to bring GREAT music into the world.
Receipts for Days
Both as a collective and individually Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony have crafted songs for the likes of Ne-Yo, Toni Braxton, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Janet Jackson, John Legend, Rihanna, Kelly Rowland, Anthony Hamilton, Johnny Gill, Keyshia Cole, Keri Hilson, K’naan, Bono, Corinne Bailey Rae, Whitney Houston, R. Kelly, Miley Cyrus, Olly Murs, Jessie J, Britney Spears, Leona Lewis, John Legend, Faith Evans, Joe Jonas, Jason Derulo, Backstreet Boys, Adam Lambert, Martina McBride, Christina Aguilera, One Direction, The Wanted, and the K-pop girl group Wonder Girls. So as you can see this is not their first rodeo, not by a longshot.
Invitational
So look I know you want to get back to listening and all that good stuff, but can I just say, can we just agree that “I Enjoy You” is simply beautiful. #Growns this is songwriting. This is craftsmanship. One of the biggest complaints that I have about music these days is that I often feel that so much focus is placed on the production that lyrics and melodies become just another part of the accompaniment when in my opinion the melody and lyric should be your lead actors and the arrangement and orchestration the supporting cast then you’ll have a production. Before I take my seat and proceed to close I would be remiss if I did not mention Chuck Harmony’s piano work on this composition: elegant, forwarding moving and colorful. What a delight to hear this type of playing in this context. It just goes to show the beauty of what can happen when you tear down walls and allow the greatness to unfold in a most musical way.
“I Enjoy You”
From Louis York’s Masterpiece Theater – Act III – EP
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Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
