R&B Motor City Soul Experience
- Get Tickets
- Details
- Comments
CHANNELING VINTAGE SOUL AND R&B:
DETROIT'S LAURA RAIN AND THE CAESARS UNLEASH FIFTH ALBUM "RISE AGAIN" DUE 4-8-22
The last two years has been quite a flurry of activity for songwriting team Laura Rain and George Friend. Their smashing Motor City soul band Laura Rain and the Caesars released a non-stop carousel of singles, signed a UK record deal, collaborated on a successful sample collection, took home three Detroit Music Awards, and recorded their fifth full length album "Rise Again", to be released April 8, 2022.
The pair navigated the pandemic working from home non-stop; writing, recording, and collaborating with other artists and producers. Landing a vinyl record deal with LRK Records, and a sample placement with producer Jermaine Dupri's artist, LaTheGoat on "You Wouldn't Believe Me", proved to the songwriters they were getting somewhere.
"Rise Again" is a showcase of their recent inspiration. Channeling the spirit of her native Detroit, Laura Rain delivers her music with a fearless sense of emotion and range, offering up a signature blend of contemporary soul and vintage r&b. From the stomping Motown flavored northern soul opener "I Am" to the synth driven retro dance music of "I'm Yours", Rain uses the power and
finesse of her own voice to deliver the group's unique blend.
The title track "Rise Again" is a focal point for the production, resulting from a collaboration with Seattle based beat maker/producer UNKWN. "We were fortunate to meet, and write a bunch of material together" says Friend of "Garnet", a sample collection which was released early 2021. The track is composed around a sample from the release, and arranged with the addition of the live band in the recording. Rain sings a message of triumph and hope, climaxing with an inspirational note of unity and equality. "The world is clearly out of sorts with itself" says Rain, "the song embodies an idea of what I wish us all to feel as humans, and to know we're not alone...we're all here together to comfort and take care of each other, and to lift each other up".
From the heartfelt and romantic slow jam grooves of "Take My Hand" and "Bring
it on Back", to the hard-driving southern soul strut of "Diamond in the Rough", Rain sings with pure passion, with an effortless command of melody and dynamics. "I Can Fly" and "Runnin' in Circles" demonstrate her melismatic vocal mastery over old school r&b backbeats. The music is diverse, and the group demonstrates a versatility few can ignore.
Producer and songwriter George Friend says "Since our very first album, we've always stayed true to ourselves and remained authentic. We mix genres in interesting ways, and have performed our mix of soul, blues, retro r&b/dance music from the start...there's a lot of variation in style. We try not to worry about the categories imposed on our music...it's all very natural to us ". Laura adds "We don't imitate, we originate. When we're live, I really want to keep our audience engaged and excited. It's tougher to do that in the studio, but we've written our music with the live show in mind".
"Rise Again" is slated for release April 8th, 2022 on LRK RECORDS on LP, CD, and digital. PRESS INQUIRIES/INTERVIEWS AND PLAYLIST/REPORTS: CONTACT lrcentertainmentlc@gmail.com
Ghalia Volt
One Woman BandnReleased 2021 on Ruf RecordsnNever underestimate the power of a woman with her back to the wall. In March 2020, as Covid blew across the planet, the shutters came down on live venues and recordingstudios, and the music scenefellsuddenly silent,Ghalia Volt faced the same dilemma as every otherartist. What now?nThe answer was One Woman Band.nFor Volt, the rebirth as a solo performer wasn’t a decision made lightly. Since the early days, she’s been amusician who thrives on the buzz of the hook-up, surrounding herself with the best players and soaking uptheir vibe. Back in 2017, it was the Belgium-born songwriter’s taste forcollaboration that led her to New Orleans, for the meeting with local blues legends Mama’s Boys that became her smash-hit debut album, Let The Demons Out.nTwo years later, it was that samespirit that luredVolt to the fabledhill country of Coldwater, Mississippi, to hold her own at second-albumsessions with greats likeCody Dickinson, Cedric Burnside, Lightnin’ Malcolmand Watermelon Slim.nWith the breakout success of 2019’s Mississippi Blend – a record that broke into the Top 3 of the Billboard Blues Chart on three separate occasions – it seemed the world was Volt’s for the taking,her seven-year transformation from Brussels busker to the adopted daughter of American rootsgathering pace. Now, with One Woman Band, the journey takes a thrilling left-turn. Ifher apprenticeship on the mean streets taught Volt anything, it’s thatshe alreadyhadeverything she needed to make magic – and in March, she reconnected with that one-woman philosophy. “I started playing on a real drum set,” she recalls.“Playing a kick, snare and hi-hat plus a tambourine with my two feet, while playing slide/guitar and singing at the same time.”n
- Twitter: @BoiseEgyptian
- Instagram: @BoiseEgyptian
Follow the event with #EgyptianTheatreBoise