Maiysha - This Much Is True:

First off family....

Apologies to Maiysha and my girl Shante Gordon for the delay in this blog. I have had Maiyisha's new CD "this much is true:" for a few months now and I listened to it immediately but I felt like I couldn't honestly write what I felt....until I actually felt something.

And after listening a few more times....I am happy to announce that now I have something to say:

I like it!

I had a plethora of things go wrong when I was trying to listen to this CD; I lost my a copy of the single that I initially received, then I couldn't (for whatever reason) load it into my Ipod and then weirdly enough right before I began writing this blog - I inserted it (the CD) into my Macbook and it refused to play!

I have listened to it uniterrupted many times now, sometimes with a glass of wine and sometimes without and I definitely have my favorite cuts now!

Maiysha's This Much Is True, the first release on the UFO/RYKO-distributed Eusonia label, marks the arrival of a striking new figure in the presently up-for-grabs realm of contemporary soul music. The debut album from the Brooklyn-based writer/artist is elegant and intelligent, hook-laden and envelope-pushing; no wonder Maiysha and producer/co-writer/Eusonia founder Scott Jacoby prefer to describe their joint creation as progressive soul. The album's dozen original songs, plus a radical reimagining of Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer," reveal an artist blessed with a seductive voice, rarefied technical skill and acute emotional authenticity, as Maiysha examines the dualities of striving and setbacks, strength and vulnerability, languor and urgency, sensuality and spirituality. The settings recall soul's golden age-for the most part the arrangements are composed of real instruments played by skilled and knowing humans, starting with Jacoby himself on keyboards and drums-while also capturing the zeitgeist of contemporary existence. In a sense, this album could serve as the soundtrack to Man Gone Down, Michael Thomas' celebrated 2007 novel describing the challenges facing a young African-American intellectual in today's complex world. It's that deep and provocative.

I met Maiysha back in the day when we were both modeling and we were both just beginning to spread our wings as vocalists. She went on to become a very well known name and face in the plus modeling industry. I was already aware of who she was the day that I offered to share my taxi with her on a cold winter's morning; when we were both appearing on ABC's The View. We also shared a cab back across town after the taping and we talked of our plans and dreams. I'm glad that she has held fast to her dream it's now coming to fruition!

The songs that are my personal favorites on the 13 track CD are "Chase" which has a definite "Aretha-like" feel to it (and you know you can't go wrong with me if I'm getting Aretha from your music), "Orbit", "Over My Head" and "U.S.H." (which has a "Lulu" sort of vibe that I absolutely love).

The more I listen to "this much is true" the more I like it (I'm already strutting around my apartment singing the choruses to "Chase" & "Gods")...

The funk tinged "Celebrity" with Bahamadia is about to grow on me in a minute too!

You GO Miss Maiysha! Continued Success and I can't wait to check your live set now so I can write all about it here!

Maiysha's official website is http://www.maiyisha.com/ - make sure you go out and support our curvy girls making their dreams come true!

"I think it's an honor to be a role model to one person or maybe more than that. If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person's life in a positive light, and that's what I want to do. That's what it's all about."