It may take a while, but everybody needs to “get on this train” and see Jermaine Dolly as the uber-talented musician and singer that he is. His musical gift is often overshadowed by his comedy in the witty videos seen across social media but “The Dolly Express” rides the wave of musical genius emanating from the city’s rich musical history! The album is solid but the most surprising track is “I Don’t Wanna Be Moses”, a sentiment undoubtedly shared by most believers with knowledge of Moses’ late years.
“From the success of “You” people wanted to know how I got to where I am, today. I tell ‘em Jesus Christ did that. I come to find out that a lot of people are intrigued by the thought of Jesus Christ. So I’m like now you’ve gotta find a church home to learn more about Jesus Christ. So I’m just inviting people to church and putting a positive light on the church and Jesus Christ”
Encapsulated in the 12-track album is Dolly’s genius to date! Fun tracks like radio singles “You” and “Come and Knock On Our Door” (inspired by the “Three’s Company” theme song) are bookended by his multi-voiced, hilarious skits. Following the last skit, the album takes a more focused turn, one away from the “fun” songs that have characterized Jermaine Dolly since making the leap to become a solo artist. The caboose pulling the tail end of “The Dolly Express” is a four song tour de force featuring some of Dolly’s best singing and exposes his heart!
The Philly heart of the album is exposed in each of the four ballads that end the album. “Waiting” is an incredible ode to patience in the face of today’s challenging times. The bouncing vamp is reprised on the next track and the album closes out with Dolly recounting his journey that began with the words of his grandmother. Dolly’s roots shine through as a lover of both gospel and soul music. This ride is a nod to all the great music from the city of brotherly love. From the musical arrangements to the vocal harmonies, it’s a Philly project through and through! The most lovable feature of the album is getting to know the full depth and range of an artist like Dolly. He’s cracking you up on social media, but he’s a beast of a singer, writer and musician and the Dolly Express perfectly sums it all up!
**This is NOT a worship conference. This is for artists who want to use their music ministry gifts beyond their local church!**
The Incubator Creative Group presents the Ministry Entrepreneur Explosion Conference using Christian music as a tool of evangelism, encouragement and ministry beyond the conventional possibilities of Sunday church services. The Explosion is not another worship conference. It has a decided emphasis on the performance aspects of music verses the use of music in a worship setting. The Explosion also illuminates a perspective for making a music ministry work as a sustainable small business enterprise or self-supporting hobby.
You want information? We’ve got information, click here!
The Explosion is more than a conference. It is an experience. It includes not only the live event itself but also seven hours of pre-conference online training and interaction. This in-advance experience provides a unique vehicle to facilitate the development of a relationship between you as an artist and Incubator (the sponsor of the Explosion). The Explosion utilizes a proven system for growth deployed by Incubator over its 30-year history… Active Relational Training (ART). The result of ART is the establishment and deepening of a relationship between each artist and Incubator, which correspondingly creates a high level of energy and positive atmosphere among the registrants gathered for the live event. The Explosion may feel more like a family reunion than an educational event!
The Ministry Explosion will come to Dallas on Friday and Saturday July 27th and 28th. It’s a can’t miss weekend (Friday night and and all day Saturday) conference igniting Christian artists to take their music and message beyond Sundays! For more information and to start your conference track, today, click here!
Sum Of My Music Showcases The Empire Star As An Independent Singer/Songwriter/Producer
(PRNewsfoto/Music Of Sound)
Today, singer/songwriter/actor/director/producer/activist Jussie Smollett announces the release of his debut full-length studio album, Sum Of My Music.An offering from his own Music Of Sound company, it also marks his debut as an independent artist and executive producer.
Steeped in soulful R&B, pop and hip-hop, and seasoned beautifully with Jussie’s soaring vocals, Sum Of My Music represents a body of work he has been preparing for his entire life.
Known around the world as one of the stars of the television cultural phenomenon, Empire, for his role as the tortured son, Jamal Lyon, a singer muddled in and by his family’s drama surrounding their music empire, Jussie Smollett quite literally took every moment away from the set and his many acting roles to concentrate on his first love; music.
He explains that no matter what he was doing, he was drawn to make music and to make it his way and on his terms.
“Music has always been my heart. Something I can always and will always create,” he says. “When I was working day jobs in offices, as a waiter, in retail or even as a clown at children’s parties, music was the thing that I could always do at night, on weekends, in the morning time; I could create music around anything I was doing. There’s never an excuse to not create.”
Fans have been privy to what Jussie can do musically when the Empire soundtrack, for which Smollett was both a writer and vocalist, went to number one on the Billboard charts, was nominated for a Grammy, Billboard and American Music Award.
He combined musicality with activism on March 17, 2017 with the release of “F.U.W.” (F** Up World), a smoldering song and visual that took a hard stand against the current administration’s policies by highlighting injustices around racial prejudice and the fight for religious, human and LGBTQ rights.
Fans and critics were moved by the song and the video’s honest depiction of a society gone awry, and dutifully impressed with his role as director, which he has now taken to the set of Empire. It was a glance into what was to come musically from Jussie Smollett; to make music that stir, provoke and move audiences. It was time to get to work in earnest on Sum Of My Music.
The first music from the upcoming album was released this January, the song “Freedom.” The accompanying video is a beautiful visual that is an unapologetic celebration of love. Jussie explains, “I wanted to show love in its most honest and pure form. A couple doing what every couple does…just living their lives. It’s a song about complete bliss, not the fantasy or some false sense of security, but love in its most honest and pure form. Whether it’s love for your partner, your family, your people or yourself, when Love is true, there’s a feeling that you can literally fly. That’s what I want for myself and every creature on this planet. To me that’s true Freedom.” The video stars award winning actress Tika Sumpter (Southside With You, Ride Along) and Tony and Grammy award winner, Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple).
Most recently, Jussie released “Catch Your Eye” featuring Swizz Beatz. Fader Magazine declared the music video for “Catch Your Eye,” as “mesmerizing.” In the neon-lit backdrop, covered in paintings from artists all over the world, including Nigerian visual artist Laolu Senbanjo and acclaimed Opera singer, Lauren Michelle, Jussie makes an impassioned appeal in this head bop tune.
“To have one of the true Kings of Hip Hop like Swizz leading this with me is just bananas,” says Jussie. With the visual, I wanted to take it even further. I was inspired by Hype Williams’ film BELLY and really just Hype in general. But I also wouldn’t be me if there wasn’t some stream of consciousness in there.”
In mid-March the third single and visual, “Hurt People,” will be released. Filmed entirely on location in South Africa, the video pays homage to all that is beautiful and historic about Mama Africa. Inspired by the late Nelson Mandela, the video was filmed with an all-black South African labor force, including cast, crew and fashion designers, to live the reality of Africa Rising.
For Jussie Smollett it is matching his heart with his music to produce a body of work that is unmistakably him.
“I’m releasing just a piece of who I am with this project and I just want people to hear it, feel it and vibe with it. All I want them to feel is the love put into this. Anything else is just gravy,” he states.
Genius. Virtuoso. Savant. Whichever word you choose to describe the dexterity of Quennel Gaskin, he’ll surely answer. He is one of the world’s most gifted musicians, mastering the organ, piano, drums and vocals. His cunning on the instruments is of biblical proportion and has set him in high regard with both listeners and his musical colleagues. He is humble and you would have to pry to discover the depths of his musical gift, having played with and recorded alongside some of the world’s greatest singers, musicians and ministers.
Next weekend, Gaskin and friends will showcase new music at the Steinway Hall in Fort Worth in what he describes as “a night of great music and entertainment that will touch your hearts and ears.” He has never met a genre he didn’t like and flows seamlessly through gospel, jazz, classical and any other genre that makes up the amalgam of his sound.
Gaskin has released recordings and is poised to make the leap from obscurity to national and even worldwide renown. His effortless stride is reminiscent of the greats like Art Tatum and the incomparable Oscar Peterson. His voicings, syncopations, percussive phrasing, and overall command of the universal language of music has captivates musicians, music lovers and the general public wherever he plays. In a word, it’s enthralling.
You can hear the latest from Gaskin and friends Saturday March 9th at the Steinway Hall in Fort Worth at 7pm. For Gaskin, intimate settings and limited seating arrangements are advantageous as he regularly engages the audience as they bask in his limitless display of musical prowess.
You can purchase Gaskin’s previously released music on iTunes. To date, he has released a solo worship piano album, two worship singles and an album of praise break compositions…the only way to describe it is “Weather Report meets Gospel”. Gaskin will share some new music as well as some favorites, at the piano hall. Get there and treat yourself. Remember, seating is limited so get your tickets now!
It may take a while, but everybody needs to “get on this train” and see Jermaine Dolly as the uber-talented musician and singer that he is. His musical gift is often overshadowed by his comedy in the witty videos seen across social media but “The Dolly Express” rides the wave of musical genius emanating from the city’s rich musical history! The album is solid but the most surprising track is “I Don’t Wanna Be Moses”, a sentiment undoubtedly shared by most believers with knowledge of Moses’ late years.
