BLACKNOTES: Insights

BlackNotes

Insights

© 2005 BlackNotes, LLC (825346697925)

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"SWARM" Music (Spoken Word * African Rhythms * Melodies): A unique blend of soulful vocals with positive lyrics; insightful, Afrocentric spoken word/poetry/rap; and full musical instrumentation that covers the spectrum from peaceful to funky.

notes

BlackNotes is a musical ensemble based in Washington, DC that features soulful singing, progressive poetry/spoken word/rap, sweet keyboarding, hot horn playing, funky basslines, and spicy African drumming, blended harmoniously to produce what BlackNotes calls SWARM [Spoken Word * African Rhythms * Melodies] music. BlackNotes' original SWARM music uses skillful wordplay and beautiful singing to deliver positive, insightful and uplifting messages emanating from the African-American experience and African heritage, creatively combined with dynamic musical instrumentation to provide unique, high-level entertainment.

BlackNotes' new CD, "Insights", is a groundbreaking project that represents high-level development of the unique artform that BlackNotes has pioneered--SWARM music. In the words of music critic and acclaimed poet Kenneth Carroll, "Insights" is a "great production inside and out!" Each track on the CD has a distinctly different sound, a different flavor, and all of them are dynamic original compositions that feature a balanced blend of the various elements of SWARM music, allowing each aspect to flourish and touch the listener somewhere deep inside. "Insights" offers the listener a collaborative artform unlike any other.

"Insights" delivers music and lyrics that are sincere and full of meaning, a very spirited presentation of art and culture; it offers messages that uplift, inspire and educate; it offers soulful singing with beautifully rich harmonies and scintillating lead vocals; it offers spicy West African drumming--both traditional and contemporary rhythms--drumming that moves and rocks people in a place that is fundamental to the rhythm of life; it offers horn playing that combines the beauty, creativity and cutting edge nature of the African-American jazz tradition with the spirit of liberation pouring from Pan-Africanist music innovator Fela Kuti's horns; it offers piano/keyboarding striking chords and melodies with fingers on the pulse of the sweetness of well-composed R&B ballads; it offers bass lines that ground the music with funky foundational vibrations; and it offers spoken word with insightful and powerful messages--messages that cover a lot of ground, from the need for balance and a positive perspective in one's life to African-American and African history, culture and spiritual concepts to contemporary social, political, economic and cultural issues to the importance of family and healthy living to respecting and appreciating the Black woman and more--all delivered with exquisitely crafty wordplay, utilizing a variety of poetic and spoken word techniques, including positive message hip-hop. "Insights" brings you the powerfully progressive SWARM Music, BlackNotes' beautiful, unique, dynamic artform, a treat like none you've ever experienced!

"Insights" features BlackNotes' founder and director Lasana on spoken word, piano/keyboard and percussion; Maimuna and Tilishia on vocals; Udoh Opiotennione, Abeeku Lorenz Wheatley and Antonio Parker on horns; and Kweku Akoto, Kofi Akoto and Yerodin Sanders on drums. Several tracks on the CD also feature James McKinney on piano/keyboard, Kayaswonna Shaw on background vocals and Kalonji Mack on spoken word.

Check it out!!! After you hear the CD and fall in love with it, you'll thank yourself for making the purchase!!

reviews

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  • Blacknotes Insight
    author: Janis Benson El

    I love the CD, the music and the message is Great! So inspiring and uplifting. Keep up the wonderful work Blacknotes. I recommend this CD to everyone.

  • great great great
    author: oludare nelson

    this cd is wonderful now people all over can hear beautiful music and that is great

  • Soulful, spiritual, and uplifting experience!
    author: Iya Omo Olofina

    This CD is fabulous! It is truly a soulful, spiritual, and uplifting experience. Honestly, I have never heard anything like this! I really love Peace Inside. I listen to it throughout the day. The message, the music and the singing just take you somewhere else. BLACKNOTES keep representing our culture with all the love, pride, dignity, and strength that comes through on this CD. Peace

  • Love my CD
    author: Kandi

    I love the CD, beautiful music and totally a breath of fresh air, the energy on this CD is fabulous. I play it throughout the day and it soothes the environment. Keep up the great work, I am so glad my friend refered this CD to me. I wish your group much success.

  • It's a full bodied listening experience into history, culture and art,
    author: C. C.

    It offers listener a full bodied listening experience and venture into history, culture, art, (and some science) as well as into the spirit, possibly influencing healing and consciousness on every level.

  • GREAT GREAT GREAT! I love this cd!
    author: sarah-elizabeth

    This cd was fabulous and so powerful! The lyrics were soothing and very meaningful. The beats were tight. The voices were beautiful. I was really inspired and motivated by this CD. Several of my friends heard it and wanted a copy...where do I buy them? I have been waiting for some great, deep and REAL music like this.

  • Uplifting, motivating, meaningful lyrics and beautiful voices
    author: Sarah-Elizabeth Langford

    Wow! This CD is fabulous. I have been waiting for some REAL, MEANINGFUL music which highlights all positive aspects from spoken word to great beats! The combination of the spoken word, meaningful lyrics, fantastic beats and beautiful voices just blew me away. Thank you!

  • The Spirit being evoked by the drum is good.
    author: Lanre Banjo

    I listen to the CD every morning. Each time, I am always taken to a high level of astral plane with remembrance of Yoruba culture and cultural festivities/appeasement in which drums are being beaten the way they are beaten in this CD. Only our forefathers and a few of their descents who are proficient in African drums can only explain the genre of spirits being evoked by the drums. I can only tell you it is good. So my brothers and sisters, keep it up. The spirit shall continue to guide you. Lanre Banjo, former gubernatorial candidate, Ogun State, Nigeria. The State of Fela Anikulapokuti

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