Juliana Jai's searing, sultry voice soars
on her first solo blues and soul collection.
With this forthcoming recording, she and renowned guitarist Carl Burnett, her co-writer
and co-producer, have carved a significant
place for this singer-songwriter among the
finest modern blues and organic soul
artists of our hip hop generation.
Her fans who know Juliana from the Dakah
Symphonic Hip Hop Orchestra and from rock
foursome The Degenerators know That Voice most anywhere -- the singer who rocks a killer
flow. But not even they've heard Juliana
quite like this. [Player top right]
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Juliana Jai's searing, sultry voice soars on her first, forthcoming solo collection, cementing the singer-songwriter's place among the best modern blues and organic soul singers of the hip hop generation.
Fans who know her from the Dakah Symphonic Hip Hop Orchestra and from the Degenerators know That Voice most anywhere - that vocalist who happens to pack a killer flow. But not even they've heard Juliana quite like this.
One day she mentioned to producer-guitarist Carl Burnett (Guitar Shorty, Bill Withers) that she'd immersed herself in blues and jazz, and looked forward to creating her own blues-soul collection someday. Something rootsy and true to classic form on one hand, and laced with fresh, 21st century edge and beats on the other.
Carl immediately "got it," he says, because "Juliana has the voice and genuine vibe to really, really do this." She'd been jamming with LA blues fave Johnny Moezzi and more for quite some time - earning respect in the blues community, a whole other audience apart from the hip hop, soul and rock circles of Dakah and the Degenerators.
"Most every form of popular American music finds its roots in the Blues to some degree - Rock, Hip Hop, Soul, Punk, all go back to Blues musically," Jai shared. "I wanted to take that journey, to learn, to feel, connect deeper with the spirit of this musical legacy. To share some of that journey with you, in my own voice, is a blessing."
She's a California native who grew up on hip hop, rock, soul and reggae like a lot of left-coast folks, she said. Yet, Juliana grew up singing blues and gospel with her Creole grandmother, who still shares great stories of dancing her blues away in Louisiana juke joints back in 'her day.' She spoke to that on the Degenerators first record [Malice in Wonderland ep Vol. I] on the blues-meets-hip hop joint Cherry Pie.
Jai's wrapping up this promising blues-centric work (peppered with jazz, organic hip hop and raw soul), written and produced with Burnett and some of her Degenerators bros, for 2011 release, EP/album title TBA.
She wrote every tune with the exception of her heart-stirring take on classic Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'. She hits the roots so right on with fun, playfully sexy Betcha Bet on Me and seamlessly flows into jazz-blues flavored soul territory on another original A Love for Seasons - a tune all new/neo-soul heads will check for in droves.
Release date, retail links and show schedule slated Spring 2011.
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