Marsha Ambroisius is everything I love and want to see more of in music today. Gorgeous and unique and talented beyond words. She’s an incredible songwriter and her singing can give me chills, it’s so beautifully melodious. Her album Late Nights, Early Mornings will be released on February 22, and the second single she’s released…
Jams
Happy New Year from Afrobella!
2010 was quite a rollercoaster, and I can’t say I’m sad to see it end. But it’s crazy to think that this isn’t just the end of a year, it’s the end of a decade. Wow! This past decade has been so extremely eventful. I’ve changed and grown SO much! Here’s to a bright new…
RIP, Teena Marie
They called her the “Vanilla Child,” the Ivory Queen of Soul, Lady T – she was the fire that stoked Rick James’ desire. But the world knew her best as Teena Marie – and just last night fans around the world were shocked to learn that she passed away over the holiday weekend. Details are…
5 Absolutely Essential Christmas Songs
Bellas! Fellas! I wish you all a very merry Christmas! It’s Christmas Day, and I hope you’re spending it with family and friends, enjoying great food, good times, and the music we’ve all grown to love over the years. I understand that naming this list 5 Absolutely Essential Christmas Songs is going to open things…
RIP, Gregory Isaacs – The Cool Ruler
What’s the hallmark of being an icon in your musical field? If your voice is instantly recognizable, if you’ve got at least three hit songs that just about anyone who hears your name will know immediately, if your name is mentioned in another song by other musicians in different genres to add credibility to…
Even MORE Reasons to LOVE Sesame Street!
I am seriously looking forward to having kids – just so I can share the magic of the Muppets with them. I think Jim Henson was a genius. I grew up loving The Muppet Show and Sesame Street to the point of obsession, so seeing that the Children’s Television Workshop is still continuing the great,…
9 Years Later, Still Missing Aaliyah
Undeniably beautiful. Ridiculously talented. Her style, her voice, and her music will forever be an inspiration. 9 years ago the world lost Aaliyah. And still to this day, the loss aches to those of us who loved her music and grew up watching her share her talents with the world. We still miss you, babygirl….
Review: Erykah Badu at Lollapalooza 2010 (with video!)
Erykah Badu – AKA Analog Girl in a Digital World, AKA Medulla Oblongata, AKA Sarah Bellum, AKA Fat Belly Bella – is a polarizing figure at Casa Afrobella. I love her and I tend to err on the side of Erykah-can-do-no-wrong. My husband has never been a big fan of her music, and having been…
Corinne Bailey Rae, in Concert
I knew Corinne Bailey Rae was coming to Chicago, but I had no plans to go see her. From what I’d heard, the show was sold out. But because I had blogged about her album, the PR was able to work a last minute miracle. The day before the show, I got a pair of…
Happy Birthday, Ella
If she were still alive, Sunday would have been jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald’s 93rd birthday. The First Lady of Song passed on in 1996, but her music will never ever die. I’ve always been attracted to her humble spirit and gentle personality, and of course her amazing capabilities as a singer. Nobody could scat sing…