Review: Bruno Mars''24K Magic': EW review
"Put your phone down, let's get it, forget your Instagram and your Twitter," Bruno Mars howls on "Perm," an irresistible James Brown-style throwback from his new album. He's long been pop's...
View ArticleSharon Jones was an old soul in a changing world
The endurance of an old-fashioned style as music changed around it. The endurance of ambition despite the record industry's neglect.
View ArticleBWW Review: Get on Up James Brown Celebration at Njpac
Bassist and bandleader Christian McBride , whose early sideman days were spent with Bobby Watson , Freddie Hubbard, Joshua Redman and Bennie Green, assembled a band o F Brown alumni who,...
View ArticleSoul singer Sharon Jones dies of cancer at 60
Sharon Jones, the stout powerhouse who shepherded a soul revival despite not finding stardom until middle age, has died at the age of 60. Singer Sharon Jones arrives at the 2010 Apollo Theater Spring...
View ArticleSoul singer Sharon Jones dies of cancer aged 60
Sharon Jones, the stout powerhouse who shepherded a soul revival despite not finding stardom until middle age, has died at the age of 60. Jones's representative, Judy Miller Silverman, said the singer...
View ArticleDonald Trump's modest proposals: His campaign sounded like a...
If Giorgio Vasari is the godfather of art history, James Brown is the godfather of soul, and Marlon Brando is the godfather, then Jonathan Swift is surely the godfather of satire. That is not to say...
View ArticleBruno Mars' Fever Dream Made the Funkiest Album of 2016
Last Friday, Hawaii's greatest export not named Barack Obama released his new album.
View ArticleFor Orlandez Lewis, 2016 Brought a Promotion at Vintage Vinyl and a Show on KDHX
An eight-year veteran of Vintage Vinyl at the ripe old age of 26, Orlandez Lewis has scored a couple of nice wins as a sour 2016 is passing: securing a role as promotions and marketing manager of the...
View ArticleSoul man: Lee Fields & the Expressions
By 1969, Lee Fields was the tour vocalist with a band that went by many names before they settled on one: Kool and the Gang. A hit with the younger crowd - this, after four decades of pounding the road...
View ArticleReview: Mars channels '90s R&B grooves on - 24K Magic'
Bruno Mars pays homage to his musical influences with a groovy, R&B-inspired collection that sounds straight outta the '90s. "24K Magic" is a party album that recalls Michael Jackson, James Brown,...
View ArticleNew paperbacks: Rainn Wilson, Mitch Albom and more
New paperbacks: Rainn Wilson, Mitch Albom and more Fiction, memoirs and a history of the feud between Burr and Hamilton. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: http://usat.ly/2gPQSuO McBride's portrait...
View ArticleEverything Is on the One: The First Guide of Funk' Hits Virtual Bookshelf
Packed full of album reviews, artist stories, concert tales, historical insights, fun lists and more, one-of-a-kind book does justice to a neglected genre. "Many niches like jazz, R&B, heavy metal...
View ArticleBruno Mars channels R&B grooves on a 24K Magica
The Observer-Reporter is excited to announce new digital offerings, including our new e-Edition apps, available for download in the iTunes & Google Play stores.
View ArticleSharon Jones's Soul Revival
Sharon Jones burst onto the music scene about 10 years ago - she was backed by The Dap-Kings, a straight-out-of-the-1960s funk band with a fantastic horn section. And at just 5 feet tall, Sharon had...
View ArticleR&B Gold: James Brown - The Godfather of Everything
James Brown. Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the past 50-plus years, you have been touched by this man's genius.
View ArticleReview: Bruno Mars channels a 90s R&B grooves on a 24K Magica
This cover image released by Atlantic Records shows, '24K Magic,' the latest release by Bruno Mars.
View ArticleFat Joe, SWV, James Brown & More Slated for New 'Unsung' Season: Exclusive
Newly minted Grammy nominee Fat Joe , '90s girl group SWV and soul/funk pioneer James Brown are among the artists comprising the new lineup for TV One's longest-running show, Unsung . The acclaimed...
View ArticleDC-Area Marching Bands Opt to Sit Out Inaugural Parade
A D.C. schools spokeswoman said she was not aware of any band in the district that had applied to participate in Trump's inaugural parade. A company that organizes band trips for schools across the...
View ArticleR&B Gold: James Brown - Building a Bridge to Funk
Before I jump into this month's column, I need to issue some corrections from last month. I mistakenly credited Bernard Odum as playing on "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" when in fact it was Sam Thomas on...
View ArticleFilms to Quench Your 60's Music Nostalgia
Nostalgic fans of a certain age who like to pontificate about how great music was in the '60s can cite a couple of new home video releases to back up their argument. Directed by Ron Howard, documentary...
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