Blackgypsy
Blackgypsy, Vol. 1
Release Date: January 20th, 2010
Label: Blackgypsy Music
Genre(s): Pop, Soul, R&B

Blackgypsy is a collaborative effort between five world-class musicians, each with years of experience in the music industry. The names may not be familiar (yet), Shelby J. (vocals/lyricist), Jon Solo (keyboards/composer), Carter McLean (drums), David “Deej” DiGiantomasso (percussion/electronics), and Derek Layes (bass), but most fans of soul and R&B are familiar with some of their work. I was introduced to Shelby J. by her work with Prince, whom she has been touring with since 2006. When I saw Prince last fall Shelby J. was one of his background vocalists, and he offered her the spotlight on more than one occasion. I was blown away by her vocal performance that night, and when I heard that she had a new project coming out I was more than ready to hear what she had to offer.

I thought that the vocals were going to be the only “fantastic” part of the project and that perhaps it would just be studio musicians backing her up, but Blackgypsy is most definitely a band. Each member brings a significant skill set to the table, creating a solid debut.

The EP starts off with a basic acapella track meant as a teaser of what one could expect to hear on the rest of the tracks. It’s short and soon segues into the first track, “Change the Whole World.” It’s smooth, sultry and easy to listen to, reminiscent of Ledisi’s fantastic release from last year. You can tell that each member has a lot to offer, but they all play off of each other; no one tries to take the spotlight and it really pays off. Shelby’s vocals glide over the keyboard and percussion sounds and the bass is simple yet moving.

“Our Love” is up next, continuing the flow of the first track but changing the arrangement into more of a pop song. The keyboards and bass really play with each other in the track and create a truly fantastic, albeit simple melody. Shelby’s vocals (both lead and background) sound great, with phenomenal tone and something so many soul singers lack; restraint. She knows that she is a good vocalist but doesn’t go out of her way to prove it, pushing out raw emotion instead of simply singing louder.

“Trying 2 Shut Us Down” continues the same vibe which unfortunately starts to become a weak point of the EP. The tracks start blending together and while the instrumental and vocal work is strong; there isn’t much variety. The music simply doesn’t do much to give the group an identity. The group’s skill is undeniable, but this release sounds very reminiscent of a significant portion of music that one could listen to on VH1 Soul (or an equivalent channel/station).

When “Y Come,” featuring Anthony Hamilton starts, things get funky really fast but it becomes almost more like an Anthony Hamilton song than anything else. Shelby and Anthony sound great together, but again it is still hard to hear anything truly original. “Y Come” quickly changes into “Jesus In Us All,” a slower track where percussionist David DiGiantomasso really gets to highlight his technique. The track is interesting and is completely driven by the percussion, but by the end of the song it is still hard to hear anything truly unique in the music.

I want to suggest this EP, I really do. Each member is very talented and have created some true soul music, yet somehow have failed to identify a unique sound. This simply sounds too similiar to a lot of the “underground” soul music coming out these days. While I don’t want to discredit the band, this is a tough sell. If you are a fan of independent soul music, performed by real musicians, this is definitely a project worth checking out. But if you are wanting something completely new, completely fresh, this may not be the best place to start.

Rating: 7/10

Check Out: “Y Come,” “Our Love”