Atlanta, Ga. Emphasis Records Announces The Soulful Retro Cd Release By Stevie Hawkins, "High Time"
Stevie Hawkins, "High Time" is a cross-genre mix of retro Soul, Blues, Rock and R&B.
Lovers of Soul, Blues and Rock music of the late 60s and early 70s now has something new in 2006 in those styles to enjoy. The blue-eyed southern soul man Stevie Hawkins, brings it all back. Hawkins is a well known and respected drummer and vocalist among blues and soul artists. He has shared the stage with legends Rufus Thomas, Albert King, Percy Sledge, Brook Benton, John Lee Hooker, Clifford Curry, Dee Clark, Chuck Berry and many more.
The journey began as Hawkins' spontaneous desire to record an acoustic blues record with Detroit guitarist Drew Stawin that took a 180 degree spin. From the onset of the recording sessions, the songs gave birth to a life of their own. The lyric content came effortlessly, the music and melodies happened in the same manner. Most of the songs were individually written and recorded (first takes) over a one or two day period (per song). The recording process was also kept simple in an effort to achieve a more authentic or raw sound with very little processing utilized.
The result is an album delivered from the heart, allowing true human emotional elements and/or feels to be captured and retained throughout the track list. Songs that relate to life and times, love and relationships, dancing and simply having fun. The "musicians having fun" aspect is apparent in several of the tracks as in "Crack Me A Cold One". A true story written about and dedicated to a fraternity at the University of Georgia. Stevie performed at the fraternity house while on the 2005 tour of colleges with the Dean Dollar Band.
High Time combines the artistic interpretations of African-American, Hispanic and Caucasian musicians. Hawkins believes this approach to a unity effort was much a part of the magic and success of Stax, Motown, Gamble and Huff, and the Atlantic Records sessions. From that light of thought, Hawkins chose musicians from the 60s/70s era of those labels to perform and contribute to the High Time sessions. Hawkins says; "Musical and melodic simplicity fused with lyric content that relates to the everyday person are the keys to moving people emotionally. Whether it be a sappy love song, a tear jerker, a rocker or a dance tune, simplicity and feel relates and works".
Via Hawkins vocal and drum stylings reminiscent of his days performing with Stax artists Rufus Thomas and Albert King, the soulful guitar work of Drew Stawin, and Johnny "Guitar" Brown, the acoustic slide guitar of Spencer Kirkpatrick, expressive tenor sax of Wally Tarado, the pocket bass of Terrell "Cool" Robinson and other supporting musicians, High Time takes us on a tour of the sounds, moods, grooves and good time music of the late 1960s and early to mid 1970s. From Philly to Chicago, Memphis to Muscle Shoals, Mississippi to L.A., "High Time" visits them all.
For more info and a preview of song samples from the new release "High Time", please visit the Atlanta Music Group website.
http://www.atlantamusicgroup.com/HighTime.html
Discuss this article in our
Music Forum.
