W^)^ CF)arIotte ^ogt
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1996
B^ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Perfect blend of vocals merit a contract
I*
X
PERFECT BLEND (left to right): Hobbs, Reid, Dave “Jam” Hall, Dube and Camp PHOTO/James Brown.
By Winfred B. Cross
THE CHARLOTTE POST
T WO years ago
Perfect Blend was
a fledgling vocal
group hoping to
make it big.
It’s on its way.
The quartet -
Reggie Dube,
Carey Reid,
Robert Camp and
Dana Hobbs - have signed a deal
with gifted producer Dave “Jam”
Hall and Epic records.
“It’s hard to believe,” Dube said.
“I still have to dig out the paper
work and make sure it’s real.”
The group signed the contract
Jan. 26. Michael Pantaleoni, a
New York entertainment
attorney representing the
group, couldn’t give specifics,
but said “it’s a very good con
tract for a new (group).
“It’s the standard Sony (par
ent company to Epic) contract
- one album with the option to
pick up seven more,”
Pantaleoni said. TheYve not
only signed to a major label,
but to a producer that has had
extraordinary success in the
last few years.”
Hall has worked with such
dotible-platinum selling artists
as Brownstone, hip-hop queen
Mary J. Blige and pop princess
Mariah Carey.
“His staff has most of the
say-so,” Dube said. “We’ve got
freedom to write and submit
stuff. But I think he’s going to
do a good bit of it.”
Perfect Blend caught Hall’s
attention at a birthday party
in his honor.
_ “We did a special a capella
Iversion of ‘Happy Birthday’
and a few other songs,” Dube
said. “The crowd loved it and
that really got his attention.
We’d talked to him a couple of
times before.”
The group formed in 1990
while all the members were
still in high school. The mem
bers have performed at dozens
of local events, honing their
Our live show will set us apart. We will
try to perfect our singing live. We have
tight harmony like Boyz II Men, but we
can get funky like Jodeci 99
between New York and
Charlotte for the next few
weeks, eventually staying in
New York to record an album.
A single is planned for March
with the album following in
May.
Dube
“Right now we’re going to
feel it. Whatever happens,
happens,” Dube said, “We’re
going to keep our faith in God
and know that he’s going to do
it for us.”
immense vocal skills. All are
original members, but the
group has had a few other
members.
For a time only Dube and
Camp remained members.
“Everyone had gone their
separate ways,” Dube said.
“We got everybody back
together and went into the stu
dio.”
Dube promises the group will
he more than a clone of its con
temporaries.
“Our live show will set us
apart. We will try to perfect
our singing live. We have tight
harmony like Boyz II Men, but
we can get funky like Jodeci.”
The group will shuttle
Speech is deep, but will buyers hear?
By Winfred B. Cross
Speech
Speech
Produced by Speech
EMI/Chrysalis
Records
☆ ☆ ☆
Speech proved himself as a
fine writer and produc
er as head of the
avant garde ensemble
Arrested Development.
That is no
\
total
more, so Speech has decided to
continue as a solo act.
He makba.a fine debut. Those
looking for something com
pletely different from his work
with AD will be disappointed.
Speech continues on as a mes
senger for positive vibes - a
hippie for the ‘90s if you will.
There’s plenty to like on this
debut. Speech knows how to
craft a groove as well as a
thoughtful message. “Can
You Hear Me” and “Why U
Gotta Be Feelin’ Like Dat”
are little more than excuses
to party. 'That’s OK, because
they do lighten the some
what somber mood. They are
both good for head bobbing.
But Speech is at his best
when he’s tackling social
issues. “Ask Someone Who
Ain’t (If U Think The|
System Is Working)” and
“Like Marvin Said,
(What’s Going On)” fill
the social conciseness bill.
But Speech’s efforts will
probably go largely unno
ticed. As good as this work
is, it has problems. His
sound was once viewed as
fresh, but now many rap
buyers find it stale. Speech’s
biggest problem is he concen
trates more on profound
thought than profane lan
guage, Gangsta rap is what’s
selling and this ain’t it.
I commend Speech for
sticking to the positive tip. I
just hope someone out there
is listening.
Total
Total
Sean “Pu^” Combs,
executive producer
Bad Boy/Arista
Records
☆ 1/2
Total caused quite a stir
last year with The Notorious
B.I.G. on'“Can’t You See,” a
No.l hit’“ from the “New
Jersey Drive” soundtrack.
Hip-hop lovers have been
clamoring for a complete
work from this trio ever
since.
They may be disappoint
ed.
Yes, there are other catchy
beats — most notably “No
One Else” with Da Brat
(who actually isn’t bad
when she bridles her foul
tongue). And Raphael
Saadiq’s “Kissin’ You” is
pleasant enough. But the
group’s self-titled CD points
out some glaring limitations,
namely the group’s vocal abili
ty
To compensate for lack of tal
ent, the project turns kinky as
group member Keisha Spivey
and producer Sean “Puffy”
Combs pretend to engage in
kinky sex while the other
members - JaKima and Pam
Long - watch. Desperate times
call for desperate measures.
Even Combs’ generally bril
liant production ability can’t
salvage this product. There’s
nothing here to separate Total
from dozens of other female
trios. Well, maybe there is one
thing: Some of those other
trios can sing.
See SOUNDS Page 2B
SPEECH