Ella Clayton’s “Could It Be You?” Blends Folk, Soul, and Rock Into a Stirring Modern Folk Statement
LOS ANGELES, CA- Ella Clayton’s Could It Be You? is her second studio album. She moves comfortably between folk, soul, and rock, never forcing the genre shifts across the tracklist. Her voice is the anchor, warm and assured, capable of handling intimacy and grit…
Durand Bernarr’s “Am I Okay?!” Is the R&B Wake-Up Call I Didn’t Know I Needed
LOS ANGELES, CA- There are artists whose names feel familiar long before you can actually place where you know them from. Durand Bernarr was one of those for me. His name always rang a bell, but in that frustrating way where you know you’ve…
The Balloon Animals Redefine Soul and Rhythm with Unpredictable Performances
TOKYO, JP- When London-born vocalist Max Milner and Ecuadorian percussionist Pablo Vicencio met in Bali, the Island of Gods and a crossroads for artists in search of a new creative pulse. The collaboration that emerged was anything but ordinary. What started as informal jam sessions…
Johnny Gill’s “One Night” Proves the Grown & Sexy Still Reigns
LOS ANGELES, CA- I can still remember the moment I first stumbled onto Johnny Gill. Back when Bell Biv DeVoe dropped Poison, I was curious enough to start digging into where they came from, tracing the lineage back to New Edition. That search led me…
Earth, Wind & Fire Bring Fireworks, Funk, and Full-Circle Moments to the Hollywood Bowl
LOS ANGELES, CA- There are moments when the past, present, and future seem to converge in one place. For the days leading up to and including the Fourth of July at the Hollywood Bowl, Earth, Wind & Fire delivered those moments. Technically, this was not…
Curtis Harding’s “Time” Is a Soul Revival With a Message of Hope and Resilience
LOS ANGELES, CA- It’s been years since I photographed Curtis Harding’s show at The El Rey, but the memory hasn’t faded. I remember him stepping onto the stage in a cardigan and sunglasses, channeling a kind of laid-back cool that felt more inherited than…
Alex Isley Stuns With Soulful NPR Tiny Desk Concert, Echoing Her Musical Legacy
LOS ANGELES, CA- Some voices don’t just sing… they seep into your bones. Alex Isley’s recent Tiny Desk Concertisn’t just a performance. It’s a declaration, a gentle-yet-powerful affirmation of her rightful place in contemporary soul’s upper echelon. From the moment she opened her set with…
Leon Bridges & Charley Crockett Deliver Soulful Storytelling Under the Stars at the Hollywood Bowl
LOS ANGELES, CA- Isn’t it funny how some memories fade while others fossilize? For me, it’s usually the small moments that crystallize and anchor themselves into my memory—like the red bracelet my best friend wore at our high school graduation, peeking out from under her gown…
The BellRays Set Columbus Ablaze with Maximum Rock and Soul
CLICK HERE TO HEAD BACK TO THE MAIN ARTICLE! COLUMBUS, OH- “…It’s not often that I get to cover my friends now that I’ve moved to the east side of the country, but my hometown heroes, The Mighty Bellrays, opened the show with an electrifying…
Maria Isabel Has First Los Angeles Performance At Moroccan Lounge
LOS ANGELES, CA- Can you remember the first song you heard of an artist that you like? It’s gotta be a song that makes you do a double-take, right? I remember the first time I heard “Stuck In The Sky”. As soon as those…
