11/9/15 O&A NYC Song Of The Day: Leon Bridges – Coming Home

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Coming Home is the debut studio album by soul singer and Fort Worth, Texas native Leon Bridges. Bridges has returned to the style that brought soul music to the forefront of world music in 1960’s. Released on June 23, 2015, under Columbia Records, the album was written by Todd Bridges, Austin Michael Jenkins, Joshua Block, Chris Vivion and produced by Niles City Sound. Coming Home released as the lead single from the album on February 2015. Continue reading

11/8/15 O&A NYC Gospel Sunday: Anita Wilson – You Love Me (Best Of My Love)

GOSPEL SUNDAY

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Anita M. Wilson began her career as a backup singer for contemporary gospel acts such as Hezekiah Walker, Marvin Sapp, DeWayne Woods, Donald Lawrence and Vanessa Bell Armstrong. Wilson recorded her first solo album, Worship Soul in 2012. Her new single You Love Me (Best of My Love) is featured on the  album  Vintage Worship. Continue reading

11/7/15 O&A NYC Song Of The Day: Willow Smith- Why Don’t You Cry

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Willow Smith inhabits a world fuelled by an imagination and inquisitiveness that extend far beyond her 14 years on Planet Earth. The “Indigo Child” herself developed the concept and visuals for the brand new track Why Don’t You Cry .   Continue reading

1/13/22 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: Michael Jackson – Earth Song

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Earth Song is the third single from Michael Jackson’s album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The ballad incorporates elements of blues, gospel and opera. Jackson had a long-standing history of releasing socially conscious material such as We Are the World, Man in the Mirror and Heal the World. However, Earth Song was the first that overtly dealt with the environment and animal welfare.   Continue reading

11/2/15 O&A Hollywood Monday: Harry Belafonte

Hollywood Mondays

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Harold George “Harry” Belafonte, Jr. (born March 1, 1927) is a singer, songwriter, actor, social activist, and Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Governors Awards honoree. One of the most successful Caribbean American pop stars in history, he was dubbed the King of Calypso for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s. His breakthrough album Calypso (1956) is the first million selling album by a single artist. Continue reading

1/1/15 O&A NYC Gospel Sunday: Tim Bowman, Jr. – I’m Good

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Tim Bowman, Jr. has voice reminiscent of and capable of the acrobatics of Stevie  Wonder. A contemporary gospel singer and songwriter this Detroit, Michigan native grew up in a musical family. His father, Tim Bowman, is a Billboard-charting jazz/gospel musician, and his paternal aunt is popular gospel singer Vickie Winans. He grew up singing in church choirs, and as a teenager was featured on his aunt’s single How I Got Over. Continue reading

10/31/15 O&A NYC Song Of The Day: Michael Jackson’s Thriller

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Michael Jackson’s Thriller is a 13-minute music video for the song of the same name released on December 2, 1983. It was directed by John Landis, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Jackson. It was MTV’s first world premiere video. Continue reading

10/27/15 O&A NYC Music: The Staten Island Jazz Festival

By Walter Rutledge

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The 28th Annual Staten Island Jazz Festival presented by the Universal Temple of the Arts (UTA) is becoming one of the city’s “don’t miss” events. The festival took place on Saturday, October 17th in the Music Hall at Snug Harbor. Over the years the festival has built a loyal Staten Island base, but this year it attracted an enthusiastic diverse Tri-State audience of both jazz aficionados and newcomers. Continue reading

10/27/15 O&A NYC Song Of The Day: Drake- Hotline Bling

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At this point, there’s no denying Drake’s charmingly goofy, yet luxurious and minimalist dance moves in his new “Hotline Bling” music video. The clip dropped only days ago, but at this point, it’s pretty much legendary (or at least Internet-legendary), judging by the sheer volume of new memes we get out of it daily — and not to mention its influence on the fashion world. Continue reading

10/25/15 O&A NYC Gospel Sunday: James Cleveland

GOSPEL SUNDAY

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The Reverend Dr. James Edward Cleveland was a gospel singer, musician, and composer. Known as the King of Gospel music, Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by incorporating traditional black gospel, modern, soul, pop and jazz in arrangements for mass choirs. Throughout his career, Cleveland appeared on hundreds of recordings, won 4 Grammy Awards, and received a star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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