Album Review
Leela James:
Let's Do It Again
For adult contemporary R&B fans, it was disheartening that a vocalist as talented as Leela James went almost four years before releasing a follow-up to her flawed but promising debut. Coming into her second album with the knowledge that it is part of the Shanachie label's extensive series of all-covers sets, predominantly the province of artists twice James' age who are on album number ten or 20 instead of two, gauging the level of expectations is tricky.
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Soulandjazzandfunk.com
Leela James:
Let's Do It Again
Over the past few years the Shanachie label has carved out as respectable little niche for itself by having some great soul singers work on albums that consist of (chiefly) covers of well-known soul songs. Leela James (remember her wonderful 'A Change Is Gonna Come' album?) is the latest artist to be offered the opportunity and she turns in a remarkable performance. What makes this album so darn good is Ms. James' gritty, aggressively soulful delivery.
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Album Reviews
Leela James:
Let's Do It Again
By L. Michael Gipson
With thin-voiced divas dominating R&B charts last year, one wondered if there was any room for American belters of Southern soul. J. Hud and Jazmine Sullivan are promising, but both chose more mainstream directions, leaving soul's door wide open to an army of U.K. blue-eyed songstresses.
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BEATS
By Forrest Green III
Singer Leela James returns with an inspired bunch of songs having a strong retro flavor. There are even a number of cover songs on the album, including the Rolling Stones' "Miss You."
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TheUrbanMusicScene.com
March 2009 Edition, Vol.23
Leela James: Let's Do It Again
The last time I heard the voice of Ms. Leela James in "A Change is Gonna Come" (1st album), I heard an overshadow of some of the most fancy, vocally artistic footworks from our last predecessors of Female soul music songbirds in history. A fine literature or poetry of undeniable captivation which would mark the plenthoric history of some of the greatest female singers to ever touch face upon the scene.
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Startime
By A. Scott Galloway
I still have fond memories of this lady performing at an Urban Network conference as a fresh faced kid several years before her Warner Bros. debut. I saw her then as a fiery lil' baby Chaka Khan – and you know you don't invoke that name unless you mean it. Now on her first album for Shanachie, L.A. native Leela produces herself paying homage to the artists that helped her hone her mighty vocal instrument.
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| Date |
City |
Event |
| June 26th |
Houston, Texas |
House of Blues |
| June 28th |
Dallas, Texas |
KRNB Radio Concert
Nokia Theatre |
| July 9th |
New York, NY |
BB Kings |
| July 10th |
Philadelphia, PA |
Keswick Theatre |
| July 13 & 14 |
London, England |
Jazz Café |
| July 16th |
Ghent, Belgium |
Jazz Festival |
| July 17th |
Copenhagen |
Vega Jnr |
| July 18th |
Stockholm, Sweden |
Jazz Festival |
| July 19th |
Oslo, Norway |
Victoria Theatre |
» View More
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