About—
This Tuesday night we celebrate the life and music of D’Angelo. The groundbreaking R&B artist who helped define the neo-soul movement. We will explore listening to his albums, singles and collaborations with: J Dilla, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, Questlove, Lauryn Hill and many more. The Virginia-born singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer only sporadically released music, but each of his three studio albums reshaped the R&B landscape. His 1995 solo debut, Brown Sugar, pushed neo-soul into the broader consciousness when he was just 21 years old. Its organic sound and jazzy harmonic structures were juxtaposed with the slick R&B sound of the ’90s.
But it was 2000’s Voodoo that made people start using the word “genius” when they mentioned D’Angelo. The album took soul and gospel cues from his first record and extended them into languorous jams. The instrumentation was recorded live with very few overdubs, using vintage equipment to add to the warmth of D’angelo's inimitable vocal style. He tip-toed across songs, adding tight three-part harmonies to his runs, a born showman retreating into the deepness of the music he was making.