80’s Albums That Changed My Life (Part 1)

Posted on February 28, 2013 by BuddahDesmond611

There’s something about the music of my childhood that continues to influence, shape, and inspire me. As a child who grew up during the 80s and 90s, I have to admit that the music touched me in ways much deeper than a lot today’s music. Artists seemed to be more motivated by making music that moved them and that meant something. They weren’t so much moved by formulas and record sales. The motivation was their love of music and using their art in innovative ways to share their universal experiences with the world.

For the next few months, I’d like to share some of the albums that changed my life. The first series of posts will focus on albums from the 80s. Maybe some of these albums will be favorites of yours too.

Cherrelle – High Priority (1985)

Cherrelle teamed up again with the legendary producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on High Priority, the follow-up to her successful debut album Fragile (1984). Their undeniable chemistry, just like with the SOS Band, Janet Jackson, New Edition, Mariah Carey, and Yolanda Adams (to name a few), would generate another bona fide smash in High Priority. Cherrelle gets down on funky tunes like “You Look Good To Me” (#26 R&B) and “Oh No It’s U Again” (#5 Dance), the sexy mid-tempo groove “Will You Satisfy?,” and the infectious, pulsating “Artificial Heart” (#18 R&B/#5 Dance). Other notable tunes include the old-school ballad “Where Do I Run To?” (which Cherrelle co-wrote) and the mega-hit, classic duet with Alexander O’Neal “Saturday Love” (#2 R&B/#26 Pop/#13 Dance). High Priority is memorable not only for its catchy tunes, top-notch production, and Minneapolis-inspired sound, but also because of Cherrelle’s spirited, distinctive performance. Her sassy yet sweet musical persona is one that fans simply couldn’t resist. High Priority is easily one of the best R&B albums of the 80s.

Vesta Williams – Vesta 4 U (1988)

If you didn’t know it when you heard her debut album Vesta (1986), then you knew with Vesta 4 U that Vesta could SANG! Vesta 4 U showcased a powerhouse singer-songwriter who could tackle anything, bluesy numbers like “Best I Ever Had,” funky uptempo tracks like “Here Say” and “How You Feel,” sensual slow jams like “Hunger,” and power ballads like “Running Into Memories” and “Make It With You.” She had the type of voice that made you feel everything she was singing. That’s one of many reasons why she resonated so well with fans, especially on her classic, signature ballads like “Congratulations” and “Sweet Sweet Love.” With its endearing vignettes and interludes, Vesta 4 U also highlighted Vesta’s commendable dramatic and comedic acting chops. She was an all-around entertainer. Vesta 4 U would prove to be one of her most successful albums, with 4 R&B hits “Sweet Sweet Love” (#4 R&B), “Congratulations” (#5 R&B/#55 Pop), “4U” (#9 R&B), and “How You Feel” (#70 R&B). Vesta 4 U is arguably one of the best R&B albums of the 80s and one the best albums of Vesta’s career.

Janet Jackson – Control (1986)

Singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and producer Janet Jackson stepped completely out of her family’s shadow and became one of the most influential (and successful) entertainers in music history with her third studio album Control. A breakthrough personally, musically, and artistically, Control served as a testament of Ms. Jackson’s independence, perseverance amidst personal struggles, pride, and self-actualization. With its ingenious mix of R&B/Soul, funk, hip-hop, pop, and dance music and its innovative use of digital instrumentation, Jackson, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis ushered in “the sound” of contemporary R&B music in the 80s and laid the groundwork for what would become New Jack Swing (and later Hip Hop Soul). A major crossover success, Control went on to sell over five million copies in the States and over 14 million copies worldwide. The album produced several enduring hits, “What Have You Done For Me Lately” (#1 R&B/#4 Pop/#2 Dance), “Nasty” (#1 R&B/#3 Pop/#2 Dance), “When I Think Of You” (#3 R&B/#1 Pop/#1 Dance), “Control” (#1 R&B/#5 Pop/#1 Dance), “Let’s Wait Awhile” (#1 R&B/#2 Pop) and “The Pleasure Principle” (#1 R&B/#14 Pop), and made Jackson the first female artist to chart six top 40 hits from one album on the Billboard 100. Control has been regarded as one of the best albums of all-time.

Michael Jackson – Bad (1987)

Fans and critics alike were waiting anxiously to see how Michael Jackson would follow-up such a monster, game-changing, mega-selling album like Thriller (1982). Well, Jackson didn’t disappoint with Bad, his seventh studio album. Coming with a harder edge in sound, style, and image, Bad was another artistic triumph. Teaming again with the iconic Quincy Jones, Jackson delivered an innovative set of tunes which, like Thriller, effortlessly blended R&B/Soul, rock, funk, and pop. Jackson took even more creative control over the direction of his music, writing nine of the album’s 11 tunes and serving as the album’s co-producer. Sonically and visually, Jackson solidified himself as one of the most extraordinary, creative, and visionary forces in the entertainment industry. Bad produced several hit singles, “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” w/ Siedah Garrett (#1 R&B/#1 Pop) “Bad”(#1 R&B/ #1 Pop/#1 Dance), “The Way You Make Me Feel” (#1 R&B/#1 Pop/#1 Dance), “Dirty Diana” (#8 R&B/#1 Pop), “Man In The Mirror” (#1 Pop), “Another Part Of Me” (#1 R&B/#11 Pop), and “Smooth Criminal” (#2 R&B/#7 Pop/#10 Dance). Jackson became the first artist to garner five No. 1 singles from one album on the Billboard 100. Going on to sell over eight million copies in the States and over 30 millions copies worldwide, Bad has been cast on numerous lists as one of the best albums ever released.

Phyllis Hyman – Living All Alone (1986)

It would be three years between the release of Goddess of Love (1983), Phyllis Hyman’s sixth studio album (and final album for Arista Records), and her seventh studio album Living All Alone (her first release on Philadelphia International Records–PIR). Hyman joined forces with legendary Philly Soul producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff for what many consider one of her finest albums. Full of soulful contemporary R&B and jazz-oriented torch songs, Hyman provides a passionate soundtrack to love, loss, hope, faith, and resilience. While somewhat melancholy and somber in tone, Living All Alone–like much of her music–paints a realistic, relatable picture of life, love, and relationships. You couldn’t turn on urban adult contemporary radio between 1986-1987 without hearing “You Just Don’t Know,” “Ain’t You Had Enough Love” (#29 R&B), and her signature tunes “Old Friend” (#14 R&B), and “Living All Alone” (#12 R&B). Hyman’s vocal performances are stellar and serve as further proof of her status as one of the most revered vocalists and performers of all-time. After 27 years, Living All Alone remains a contemporary R&B/soul mainstay.

Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston (1985)

Whitney Houston’s self-titled debut album was a monumental, global crossover success. It was a success I’m sure, even in 1985-1986, that was uncommon for a black female artist–especially in the early stages of her career. Houston broke barriers and paved the way for many singers, like Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton, Deborah Cox, Brandy, Monica, and Melanie Fiona. Whitney Houston was the world’s introduction to “The Voice.” Houston’s voice was rich, sensual, angelic, soulful, melismatic, and powerful. An instrument of such effortless control, wonder, and emotive, interpretive skills, her voice put her in a class all her own. She delighted on uptempo dance tracks like “How Will I Know (#1 R&B/#1 Pop/#3 Dance)” and “Thinking About You” (#10 R&B) sexy, soulful grooves like “You Give Good Love” (#1 R&B/#3 Pop), inspirational tunes like “Greatest Love Of All” (#2 R&B/#1 Pop) and spine-tingling ballads like “All At Once,” and “Saving All My Love For You” (#1 R&B/#1 Pop). Whitney Houston went on to become one of the most successful debut albums by a female artist in history. Spending 14 weeks at No. 1 (Billboard 200) and spawning three consecutive No. 1 singles (Billboard Hot 100) — “Saving All My Love For You,” “How Will I Know,” and “Greatest Love Of All,” Whitney Houston was the first debut album and first album by a female artist to accomplish such a feat. Selling over 13 million copies in the States and over 25 million copies worldwide, Whitney Houston is regarded as one of the best albums of all-time.

Jody Watley – Larger Than Life (1989)

Jody Watley has always been a trendsetter, whether it be in fashion, dance, music, or videos. Never one to rest on her laurels, Watley continuously challenges herself and strives to take her artistic vision and expression to new heights. Larger Than Life, the follow-up to her solo debut album Jody Watley (1987), proved to be no exception. Reuniting with producer Andre Cymone, Watley co-wrote and produced 11 of the album’s 12 tunes. Larger Than Life incorporates a hypnotic blend of R&B/Soul, dance, funk, Latin, pop, and hip-hop music. Watley serves up her A-game with sassy, funky, aggressive (almost industrial-sounding) tracks like “Once You Leave,” “What ‘Cha Gonna Do For Me,” “L.O.V.E.R.” and “Real Love” (#1 R&B/#2 Pop/#1 Dance), New Jack Swing tracks like “Friends” Featuring Eric B. & Rakim (#3 R&B/#9 Pop/#7 Dance), and passionate, sparse ballads like “Everything” (#3 R&B/#4 Pop/#11 AC), “Only You,” and the beautiful, Latin-tinged “Precious Love” (#51 R&B/#87 Pop). Watley’s influential single “Friends” is most notable for being the “first multi-format crossover hit to introduce and pair the custom and specialized 16 bar verse with a rapper and singer in Pop music in 1989” (Jody Watley’s Bio). And Watley’s video for “Real Love,” directed by David Fincher, received seven MTV Music Video Award nominations, making it then one of the most nominated videos in history. Larger Than Life went gold in the States and sold over four million copies worldwide. Larger Than Life is one of Watley’s top albums and is one of the best albums from the late 80s.

Celebrate Love Every Day (A Valentine’s Day Post)

Posted on February 14, 2013 by BuddahDesmond611

Love is everlasting. Love endures. It doesn’t come with conditions. Has no qualms. Love is free. Love is freeing. Love is freedom.

Love is welcoming. It doesn’t discriminate. Bears no hatred. With it, everyone has a chance because equality is love’s best friend.

Love is beautiful. Comes in all colors, shapes, and sizes. Its range is limitless. Its impact is eternal. Love is boundless.

Love is confidence. Love is faith. Love is the feeling that everything will be okay even when things go wrong. Love is harmonious.

Love is universal. No one needs qualifications or requirements. There’s no battery of tests, obstacle or endurance courses necessary. With love, everyone makes the grade.

Love is not a fad, trend, or seasonal occurrence. It’s not something that should be celebrated only one day out of the year. When it’s real it’s an everyday thing. Love is a yearlong, lifelong celebration. If we love ourselves—celebrate it every day. If we love others—celebrate it every day. If we have people in our lives that love us—celebrate it every day. If we give love—celebrate it every day. If we receive love—celebrate it every day. If we make love—celebrate it every day.

Love. Every day. Love every day. Celebrate love every day!

BuddahDesmond Featured in MOOV Magazine

Posted on February 7, 2013 by BuddahDesmond611

I’m happy to announce that I’m featured in the Winter 2013 issue of MOOV Magazine. MOOV Magazine, based out of Toronto, Canada, is not just a magazine but a movement geared to helping creative entrepreneurs in Canada and abroad market, network, and inspire. MOOV provides “a platform on which entrepreneurs can further market themselves and network with each other. The fields we cover allow entrepreneurs from different fields to meet and benefit from one another. At the same time providing inspiration for youth who may be interested in the fields we cover” (learn more About MOOV).

For direct links to my features, go to: Words MOOV – BuddahDesmond Interview | Words MOOV – Poetry: Prevail. Check it out and feel free to comment!

Mad props and thanks to Mercedes Olivos and the entire MOOV Family! Glad to be part of the MOOV Movement!

Follow MOOV on: Facebook | Twitter

Until next time… Peace, Love, and Many Blessings!

~ BuddahDesmond

Nikki Giovanni – Quilting The Black Eyed Pea

Posted on February 3, 2013 by BuddahDesmond611

Image courtesy of the Jackson State University News Room site.

The trip to Mars can only be understood through the history of black Americans. Because Mars is Middle Passage. And we’re going to have to study Middle Passage if we want a future on Earth. If we want to move forward we have to study it. ~ Nikki Giovanni, “Meet The Poet,” Learn Out Loud

Nikki Giovanni has been a favorite writer of mine since I was a teenager. I’ve always found her writing to be honest, witty, and soulful. It exudes the feelings and elements of soul, blues, jazz, gospel, and folk music. Giovanni’s social and political commentary is searing, at times jolting, but usually on point.

Her eloquent poetry reflects not only the African American experience, but the human experience. And even if you don‘t agree with her perspectives, your eyes, ears, heart, and mind will be open in ways that they might not have been before. I believe Giovanni’s poem “Quilting the Black Eyed Pea (We’re Going to Mars)” is a great example of this.

Happy Black History Month!

Influences: Billie Holiday “Lady Day”

Posted on January 27, 2013 by BuddahDesmond611

I had to be about 11 or 12 when I discovered the the Original Decca Masters Billie Holiday compilation album. My mother and I were at my grandmother’s house for the weekend. I was on the search for some good music. For this, I could always depend on my grandmother’s collection of cassette tapes, LPs and CDs. She had music from the 1930s up to present day. Around this time I was really digging jazz. Much to my delight, I came across this Billie Holiday album. I remember my mouth was agape upon seeing the album cover. I was floored by Billie Holiday’s beauty. She had to be one of the most stunning women I’d ever seen. Couldn’t say I’d heard (or remembered hearing) much of her music at the time. So you know I was dying to put the CD in for a spin. I don’t think anything could’ve prepared me for the experience.

Image courtesy of MTV’s website.

The Original Decca Masters album changed my life. After one listening, my whole perspective about music had changed. My appreciation and love for music grew exponentially. As a music fanatic, singer, and lyricist (even then), it widened my interests and expanded my knowledge. After hearing Billie Holiday’s voice I knew why she was considered one of the best vocalists ever. The timbre of her voice, the way she’d bend notes and sing behind the beat, her sense of rhythm, swing, timing and phrasing–she had it all (and then some). In her voice I could hear the influences of her favorite singers, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong and Bessie Smith. Yet her style was extraordinarily distinct. From her (and a few other vocalists), I learned how to truly get inside of a song and make it believable. With Billie Holiday, there was no doubt that she knew what she was singing about. She felt it. And you, as a listener, couldn’t help but feel it too.

Image courtesy of the More Than Just Wine blog.

In remembering Billie Holiday and her voice, singer Annie Ross said, “There’s a whole life in that voice.” Listen to songs like “Solitude,” “You’re My Thrill,” “Good Bless The Child,” “Keeps On Rainin’,” “Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do,” “Lover Man (Where Can He Be),” and “Good Morning Heartache” and that life unveils itself. In fact, you’ll be able to glean something new and different each time you listen to her music. This is why Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan (amongst others) remain the blueprint for song (of any genre), period.

Image courtesy of A Liberal’s Libretto site.

After hearing the Original Decca Masters album, I devoured as much as I could about Billie Holiday. Books, documentaries, videos, music, you name it. She was one of the best and I committed myself to learning as much about her as I could. I thought it sad her passing so early. But the richness of the legacy she left behind is eternal. Her influence is limitless, boundless. Billie Holiday will forever be one of my favorite vocalists.

Jody Watley is Still a Thrill

Posted on January 14, 2013 by BuddahDesmond611

Image courtesy of the Lucy Who site.

I have always been reinventing myself…I like to challenge myself and keep it interesting. I like evolution. It is part of my journey as an artist. ~ Jody Watley, 2012, More Magazine

I cannot recall when I first heard Jody Watley’s music. But I know that I’ve been a fan nearly all my life. There’s something about Watley that’s always moved and fascinated me. She’s a multi-talented, intelligent, knockout beauty who’s always been at the top of her game. Whether it was dancing on Soul Train, being an original member of Shalamar, or being a solo artist, Watley has always stood out from the rest as a trailblazing, trendsetting phenom in music, video, style, fashion, and dance.

Image courtesy of Jody Watley’s Official Website.

Watley was never one to follow the pack. She charted a path that has consistently set her apart from her peers and the musical trends of the day. You can play each of Watley’s albums in succession and be astounded by the freshness, uniqueness, passion, and most importantly, the artistic growth. She gets better with each project. Easily fusing and moving between the lines of pop, r&b/soul, funk, jazz, dance, and electronica, she continues to defy categorization.

Image courtesy of Jody Watley’s Tumblr.

Watley’s art has been fueled by substance, innovation, and evolution, not by record sales. She’s also been involved in every aspect of her career. I remember being even more inspired by Watley after discovering her fifth studio album Affection (and subsequent albums Saturday Night Experience, Midnight Lounge, and The Makeover) was released on her own label Avitone Recordings (in 1995). Leaving the major record label system behind, Watley had even greater control over the direction of her career. Ever the pioneer, Watley was one of the first artists to (successfully) cross-market music and fashion (via celebrity campaign ads and appearances in several high-profile fashion magazines), the first African American woman (and musician) to release a million-selling video (1990’s Dance To Fitness), and the first African American to play Rizzo in the musical Grease on Broadway (in 1995).

The cover of Jody Watley’s 1987 self-titled debut solo album.

I’m not a trained dancer, singer nor writer – I do them all from my soul with my own distinct feel and style much like an improvisational jazz musician. There is a joy in dancing no matter the style. I’ve always loved it and always will – watching and doing. ~ Jody Watley, 2012, JodyWatley.net

There’s no denying how dynamic Watley is as a performer. All of the elements—music, style, fashion, and dance—come together in a way that is extraordinarily effortless. Even from her days on Soul Train—from her fashion sense to her dancing—she just had it. Speaking of her dancing, I have a running joke with friend and author Trent Jackson that Watley’s been voguing since 1978 (see Watley doing a waacking freestyle dance). This joke grew out of my frustration that she (and other artists) didn’t (always) seem to get credit for pushing the creative boundaries of music, video, dance, and fashion (as the praise always seemed to go to other artists of the day). Judging from recent accolades, appearances, and media features, the praise is coming back around.

Image courtesy of the Living Legends Music site.

With her recent collaboration on French Horn Rebellion’s single “Cold Enough,” the forthcoming release of “Nightlife” (featuring Gerald Brown, formerly lead singer of Shalamar), the first single from her tenth studio album Paradise, and appearances on the Soul Train Cruise and the Essence Music Festival, 2013 is destined to be a major year for Jody Watley. And it should be. So here’s to Jody Watley…still a thrill after all these years!

Jody Watley Albums: Jody Watley (1987), Larger Than Life (1989), Affairs Of The Heart (1991), Intimacy (1993), Affection (1995), Flower (1998), Saturday Night Experience, Vol. 1 (1999), Midnight Lounge (2001), and The Makeover (2006).

RIP Jayne Cortez, The Avant-Garde Jazz Poet

Posted on January 10, 2013 by BuddahDesmond611

Image courtesy of the Jazz Beyond Jazz website.

Jazz isn’t just one type of music, it’s an umbrella that covers the history of black people from African drumming to field hollers and the blues… In the sense that I also try to reflect the fullness of the black experience, I’m very much a jazz poet. ~ Jayne Cortez, 1997, The Weekly Journal

On December 28, 2012, the world lost Jayne Cortez, a masterful, fiery poet, performer, and activist. Ms. Cortez, who’s often referred to as an Avant-Garde or Jazz poet, came to prominence during the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Her work is visceral, varied and rich, pulling from jazz, blues, the written tradition, the African/African-American oral tradition, jazz, blues, and the colloquy of social and political protest. “Meant for the ear even more than for the eye, her words combine a hurtling immediacy with an incantatory orality,” Margalit Fox of The New York Times said when describing her work.

Collectively, she produced nearly two dozen volumes of poetry and recordings, many of which were recorded with her band the Firespitters. Some of her volumes of poetry include: Scarifications (1973), Firespitter (1982), Poetic Magnetic: Poems from Everywhere Drums & Maintain Control (1991), and The Beautiful Book (2007); some of her recordings include: Unsubmissive Blues (1979), There It Is (1982), Taking the Blues Back Home (1994) and Find Your Own Voice: Poetry and Music, 1982-2003 (2004). She founded the Watts Repertory Theater Company, Bola Press, and co-founded the Organization of Women Writers of Africa (OWWA). Ms. Cortez was the recipient of the American Book Award, Langston Hughes Award, and International African Festival Award (amongst others).

Though Jayne Cortez is no longer with us, her authentic style and voice will continue to incite, inspire, teach, and uplift for many generations to come.

To learn more about Jayne Cortez, please go to her official website and check out her passionate, intense performance from the “Artists On The Cutting Edge” Series in the video below. (Warning: The beginning of the video contains flashing elements.)

From "Audrey Hepburn" to "Better," Chrisette Michele is Unstoppable

Posted on December 30, 2012 by BuddahDesmond611

Image courtesy of the Curly Nikki website.

Chrisette Michele never ceases to bewilder, beguile or amaze. In a post about three years, I said she was one of this generation’s best vocalists. She continues to lives us to this year after year. Always channeling the best of her soul and her emotions into music with the versatility that pleasingly boggles the mind and pushes boundaries. Her most recent mixtape, Audrey Hepburn: An Audiovisual Presentation, carries on in this tradition.

Image courtesy of the Hello Beautiful site.

Audrey Hepburn: An Audiovisual Presentation is “a dedication to the artistic vision inspired by Audrey Hepburn and the #RichHipster movement.” The nine-track mixtape features Robert Glasper, Kenneth Whalum, 2 Chainz, Nello Luchi, Wale, Dunson, Bilal, Guitar Slayer, Lem Payne, and Fogo. Audrey Hepburn is both classic and modern in terms of sound and style and has a laidback groove that makes for pleasing, easy listening. It’s soulful cool. Hip-Hop cool. Jazzy cool. Funky cool. Classy cool. Sassy cool. Sultry cool. It’s everything we’ve come to love about about Michele (and maybe more).

While the mixtape is enjoyable in its entirety, personal favorites include “Can The Cool Be Loved” featuring Bilal and Dunson, “Charades” featuring 2 Chainz, “Pray Me Well” featuring Robert Glasper, “Rich Hipster” featuring Wale, and “My Fair Lady” featuring Guitar Slayer. Audrey Hepburn is an excellent treat to tie us fans over until the release of her next studio album.

And speaking of her next studio album, I, like many fans, was so happy to come across another unexpected treat online a few weeks ago in “Better,” the title track from Michele’s next album. Featured on the recent Motown Music Sampler Vol. 1, Michele continues to dazzle us vocally, lyrically, and musically on “Better.” On this soul-stirring, mid-tempo R&B tune, Michele sings about the search for love and how “love’s gotta make me feel better” because “getting to love’s got me losing my mind.” It’s honest music that many will be able to relate to. “Better” is powerful enough to resonate with fans the same way “Blame It On Me,” “Epiphany,” “Love Is You,” “Goodbye Game,” and “If I Had My Way” did.

What I love (or one of the things I love) most about Chrisette Michele is that she’s a risk taker. She’s not afraid to do what moves her and to share what she’s going through. She enjoys breaking outside of the box. Boxes and categorization can limit our growth and progress. They also can hinder our ability to see ourselves (and others) in totality (seeing, appreciating, celebrating, and respecting all we bring to the table). We’ve got to be free, especially when we wish to be our most creative, authentic selves. That’s the plane Michele is on. And as revealed in her recent Singersroom interview, you can see, feel, and hear a deeper faith, strength, and confidence in Michele both personally and musically. From Audrey Hepburn to Better and beyond, there’s no stopping the force that is Chrisette Michele.

Download Chrisette Michele’s mixtape Audrey Hepburn: An Audiovisual Presentation from the Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes site.

Influences: Maya Angelou and Her Poetry in "Poetic Justice"

Posted on December 13, 2012 by BuddahDesmond611

Image courtesy of Maya Angelou’s Offic ial Website.

Maya Angelou’s poetry didn’t hit me immediately when my mother and I went to see John Singleton’s Poetic Justice during the summer of 1993. It would be one year later (after seeing the film several times on cable) when Angelou’s poetry moved me in ways that were like revelations. I was 12 then. At that point, I was writing song lyrics mostly. Hadn’t given much thought to writing poetry. But there was something about Angelou’s poetry (in particular the poems featured in Poetic Justice — “Alone,” “Phenomenal Woman,” and “In A Time” to name a few) that spoke to me and gave me an even deeper appreciation for the world of arts and letters. Shortly thereafter, I used my allowance to get a paperback copy of Maya Angelou’s Poems. I committed myself to reading it (and occasionally reciting and memorizing selected poems from it) everyday for months.

Angleou’s poetry speaks about the human condition in a language that is universal. Her work often has a consciousness that is (always) socially, politically, culturally, and historically relevant. The sincerity and candor of her words continue to draw me in. The lighthearted, comedic tone of poems like “Seven Women’s Blessed Assurance” (from I Shall Not Be Moved) consumed me with laughter and delight. With poems like “Still I Rise,” “Amazing Peace,” “On The Pulse of Morning,” “Human Family,” “Mother – A Cradle To Hold Me,” and “Our Grandmothers,” Angelou has left me with a hefty sense of pride and a better understanding, love, and respect for the human race and our shared experiences.

To say that Maya Angelou’s work has been a source of inspiration and influence would be an understatement. Angelou’s writing (along with a few others) fueled my fascination with the human condition and my desire to write about it in a unique yet relatable (and at times, unconventional) way. While it was never my desire to write like or copy Angelou, if my writing can (one day) have the slightest feeling, impact, and influence of her writing—that would truly be amazing.

Check out the following snippets from Poetic Justice featuring Angelou’s “Alone” and “Phenomenal Woman” (as voiced by the character Justice, played by Janet Jackson).

Mary Wells – Something New

Posted on November 29, 2012 by BuddahDesmond611

Greetings! My apologies for the lack of posts this week. I got sick the day after Thanksgiving and have been resting as much as possible. Much to my surprise while resting and browsing on Amazon, I discovered a forthcoming 2-CD compilation from the iconic Mary Wells entitled, Something New: Motown Lost & Found. The official release date is 12.04.12 (just in time for the holidays). Something New is the perfect gift for Motown music lovers, Mary Wells fans, or simply connoisseurs of classic music.

Image courtesy of Longshot’s Blog.

Something New features stereo mixes (for the first time) of 47 rare tunes written and produced by Smokey Robinson, Holland Dozier Holland, Berry Gordy, Mickey Stevenson, and Sylvester Potts (of The Contours) to name a few. 23 of the collection’s tunes went unheard until now. Included in these gems are duets with Marvin Gaye; sides Wells recorded for an unfinished standards album; superb tunes Motown was gearing towards the AC (adult contemporary) market, some of which featuring The Four Tops on background vocals; “Your Loss, My Gain,” a b-side to Wells’ single “You Lost The Sweetest Boy” and the track which inspired the collection’s title “This Is Something New.”

The remaining are 24 tunes Motown released on a variety of collections after Wells’ departure from the label in 1964. Some of which were included on the 1966 Vintage Stock album, 1993’s Looking Back, Marvin Gaye’s first boxed set, and several other rarities albums. I don’t know about you, but I’m sold!

Image courtesy of the Soul Walking site.

In the last two years, I’ve fallen head-over-heels in love with Mary Wells. My lovefest with The Queen of Motown was spearheaded after learning more about her life and career through TVOne’s Unsung series. Like many, I swept away by her sweet, seductive, soulful, and emotive contralto. No one can sell a song like Mary Wells. Each song—a performance like no other—illustrated a different glimpse into her unique artistry.

Between 1961 (beginning with the self-penned “Bye Bye Baby”) and 1982 (“Gigolo,” her final hit), Wells scored nearly 20 top 50 hit singles between the R&B, Pop, and Disco/Dance charts. While most of her music is infectious, it was the Smokey Robinson-penned tunes that are most affecting and brought out Wells finest performances. These songs include “Two Lovers,” “You Beat Me To The Punch,” “The One Who Really Loves You,” “What’s Easy For Two Is So Hard For One,” and one of my all-time favorites,”When I’m Gone” (featured on Something New).

Wells’ music was moderately successful in the period following her departure from Motown. She recorded for a number of labels, but none of theme seemed to be well-suited in giving her music the attention and promotion it deserved. A resurgence in the 1980s led to Wells becoming an immensely popular touring artist. In 1989, Wells was recognized for her musical legacy as one of the first Pioneer Awards’ recipients from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.

Image courtesy of the WikiMusicGuide site.

Wells career was cut short in 1990 after being diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. Without proceeds from record sales or touring, cancer treatment took a tremendous toll on her finances. Fortunately she was able to maintain treatment and stay afloat through financial support from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and fellow artists like Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Bonnie Raitt, and Bruce Springsteen (to name a few). Wells also received an undisclosed six-figure settlement from a lawsuit against Motown for lost and unpaid royalties from her recordings. After a brief remission, her cancer returned in the summer of 1991. Sadly, Wells died on July 26, 1992.

Wells was fighter till the end. Her spirit, no matter how great the setbacks in her life were, never seemed to diminish. Wells—like Florence Ballard and Tammi Terrell—was a beautiful and remarkably talented and gifted singer who life ended too soon. But thankfully, her artistry and soul will forever transcend space and time in the musical legacy she left behind.

To learn more about Mary Wells, check out the full episode of TVOne’s Unsung on the SoulTracks site. Also check out the latest biography by Peter Bejaminson entitled Mary Wells: The Tumultuous Life of Motown’s First Superstar. Benjaminson is also the author of The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard.

Buddah Desmond

Author of Prevail: Poems on Life, Love, and Politics

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