Calvin Richardson is back with 'The Soul of Bobby Womack' on the Shanachie label
By Eunice Moseley

"I really wanted to stay as close to the original as possible," Soul singer/songwriter Calvin Richardson said about his new project, "Facts of Life: The Soul of Bobby Womack" to be released this month on Shanachie Entertainment. "I went into the Bobby Womack mode...I had a week to prepare ...never had a chance to rehearsal (with the live band)."

Calvin admitted this is the first album he recorded with a live band, a band that happens to belong to Inspirational singer Ann Nesby. Ann is featured on the "Love has finally come" selection on the CD. That particular Bobby Womack cover was originally sung with Patti LaBelle, but Ann Nesby was the perfect one to attempt it. Not many can compare to Patti, but the incredible vocals of Nesby did it with no sweat. That was one of my favorite songs on the album, not only because of Ann's soulful contribution and Calvin's unbelievable passion to the song, but it has a Jazz feel to it thanks to the horn playing of Michael Burton.

Richardson is a native North Carolinian, the eldest of nine children. His musical influence as a child came from his mother who sang in a Gospel group (The Willing Wonders). He was allowed to listen to secular music and thus was influenced further by Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Donny Hathaway and Bobby Womack. Those influences are noticeable in his style and delivery, but the Calvin Richardson difference is his Urban Contemporary twist.

Encouraged by his friends K-Ci and JoJo, Calvin formed a group Undacover whose first single "Love Slave" (Tommy Boy Records) was featured on the 1995 soundtrack of the "New Jersey Drive" movie. The group folded but Richardson kept going by releasing a solo project, "Country Boy," on Uptown/Universal Records in 1999, which featured vocal help from Chico Debarge, Monifah and K-Ci.

His song "More Than a Woman" was recorded by Angie Stone who had him as a featured vocalist (later it was released with the featured vocals from Joe) on her "Mahogany Soul" CD. His "There goes my baby," which he co-wrote, was recorded by Charlie Wilson. In 2003 he released his sophomore album on Hollywood Records, "2:35pm." In 2008 his third CD, "When love comes," was released on Shanachie Entertainment.

"I wanted to put an (original) album out every year...Shanachie asked me to do a dedication to Bobby Womack," Calvin pointed out.
Richardson said he jumped at the chance because of Bobby's influence on him. He was also the one who chose the Womack songs to go on the album and some of them, he said, he hadn't even heard before, but in a week he was ready. One of the things Bobby Womack use to do that Calvin included in this album was talking before and during his songs.

"He did start talking like that," Calvin laughs. "It's to set you up."

Richardson did a masterful job on the "Facts of Life: The Soul of Bobby Womack" CD. I could listen to it over and over again, and this is not because I am a Calvin Richardson fan, but because of the quality of his vocals. I love good vocalists. His unbelievable soulful sound and his delivery makes it seem as though he does it all effortlessly.

Aside from "Love has finally come," other favorites of mine on the CD include "Across 110th Street," a lover's plea; "Your welcome, stop on by," a finger snapping get-you-going song; the sad "Harry Hippie," "American dream," a master-piece of Soul mixed with Urban/R&B and Calvin, hauntingly, sounding so much like Womack; "Daylight," has a bit of a Jazz influence, and "Facts of Life," has that Bobby Womack signature style having a smooth transitions from talking to singing.

For more on Calvin Richardson or to heard from his "Facts of Life: The Soul of Bobby Womack" CD log onto www.IamCalvinRichardson.com or www.myspace.com/CalvinRichardson. 

Tyreika Renee', the next female Urban R&B singing/songwriting sensation, to release debut national release
Tyreika Renee' started right after high school with a dream to be a singer/songwriter. While working on her songwriting skills she enrolled into a modeling school, Barbizon, who later hired her for various modeling projects. As a singer/songwriter her career took a turn for the best, thanks to her father, when she attended a Russell Simmons event.

"At 18 I knew, watching music videos, I could do it," said 21 year-old Tyreika Renee' about her passion for singing and songwriting. "My father took me to a music business seminar at Morgan (State University) with Russell Simmons on the panel. A man passed by me and gave me his business card. I called him and found out that he lived up the street from me. With him (a producer) I recorded my first song 'I gotta have you'."

"When I started writing my mother got involved and I started doing shows. A girl asked me to sing on a song of hers at the Five Seasons Hotel. This guy was there and asked me to come perform at a Hip-Hop club and I ended up performing there every Monday night."

Requests for performances by Tyreika Renee' started flowing in. She was featured in the line-up of her home town of Baltimore's Stop the Violence Tour, where she met a promoter from DC who immediately booked her for performances in nearby Washington (and surrounding areas).

Last year Tyreika Renee', now managed by Starr Management, locally released "This is Me," which garnered her two hot local club singles "Radio" and "Parking lot pimpin'." Often compared to another Baltimore native Lil' Mo, Tyreika Renee' won the Blammy Hip-Hop Award as the Best Female R&B Artist of the Year in 2007. The CD was well received, so much so, that she has recently signed with "indie" label Major Movement Records (MMR) for her national debut self-titled CD, slated for a Fall, 2009 release.

"I'd like to work with producers Brian Cox, Rodney Jerkins and Timberland and maybe have Joe, Jadakiss and Lil' Wayne featured on my CD," Tyreika Renee' pointed out, giggling a little at the possibilities, when asked who are her dream producers or featured singers she's love to have on one of her albums.

The self-titled CD will include remakes of her two local hits "Radio" and "Parking lot pimpin'." Tyreika Renee' will be promoting the album release in late Fall during her "Urban 'Radio' Tour," presented by Starr Management and MMR, to start first at local schools in her own town and go on to include Hip-Hop and Urban clubs and schools across the country. The tour will host an Urban Fashion show, other local artists and an open audition for those interested in touring with her as backup singers and band members.

For more on Tyreika Renee' log onto www.myspace.com/tyreikarenee  and www.starrmanagement.vpweb.com.