Latoya London

Keziah Jones

Singer songwriter Keziah Jones says, “I am Yoruba from the South West of Nigeria, from a city called Abeokuta, which was founded after the break up of the Yoruba Empire in the 15th Century. I was brought up in what can be called a Bourgeois/Traditional family but also pretty liberal for a Yoruba set up”

Independently released on PEAK Records in the USA, this incredible vocalist LaToya London put out her debut album Love & Life, she says, “Yeah, it’s going really good. We’ve definitely been promoting the album out here in the States, by doing different appearances” She continues, “A lot of doors have been opened to me. I still have to audition but it’s been a great journey. Its taken me to a point where I can get appointments with these auditions and be heard. I’m not exactly where I want to be, but I feel a lot more focused towards it”

Ivan Conti

Femi Temowo

“It was a long one!” says Femi Temowo. He continues, “I wouldn’t necessarily say it was easy because I released it on my own label, under my own production team. It was a long process, purely because it didn’t have the huge financial issues attached to it, compared to people who are signed to more established labels"

“The Ipanemas is one idea of FarOut Records (Joe Davis) and he invited me to produce new arrangements for the project” says European drummer Ivan Conti. He has worked with many established artists and other musicians in his time, though is known mostly for his Azymuth group and Afro-Cuban group, The Ipanemas.

Wunmi

Glenn Lewis

A few years back, Glenn Lewis released his debut album World Outside My Window, he reflects, “We were just really having fun. Working with Andre and Vidal, they were real easy. It was just a lot of jokes and we played a lot of pranks in the studio. Trying to create a really light atmosphere and basically referred back to personal experiences, different thing’s, and making it into a song"

“It all started back in 1985 to 1986 when I went to see Roy Ayers perform at Hammersmith in London part of an event called NYC Jazz Explosion (Lonny Linston Smith, Jean Carr etc)”, says Wunmi. “I had become a regular in the underground dance scene in London, the music then was called rare groove! And Roy Ayers music was the king! I like most hungry club dancers, I followed through word of mouth DJs and sound systems"

Ben Westbeech

Algebra

“I basically gave a friend of mine my CD but she was like ‘Oh I’ve got a friend who I could play this to’, and I didn’t know who she was talking about. I was just like, ‘oh cool, she’s just given away a CD’. Then, about two months later I got a call saying Gilles had heard it, and he wanted to sign me to his label. I think they had some good sound systems!”

“Motown Records tried to sign me for about a year but the A&R wouldn’t let me sign unless I spoke to the president of the company, that was Kedar. Finally I signed to Motown, then I left Motown, but me and Kedar have been working together ever since” admits Algebra. Real name, Algebra Felicia Blessett, born in US soul town, Atlanta, Georgia, is getting us ready for her first recording Purpose.

Soulisms 2008