Sonja Marie-Black Album Vol 1

[Edie Antoinette]

Click here to play!
Out of the darkness, comes the void…
the promise of something untouched and uncharted.
The beginning of a life you
might fearfully welcome with an, “ok, give it to me” smile;
The contents of the Black album personifies this… A collection of
feelings I almost forgot to tell you, as it opens me up to…create a
new! I have more to share but, I had to get this out to you
first.

You wanna know about me?
I’ve been writing poetry since I was 10 years old
(I have 37 journals to prove it).
I’m from Yonkers, NY. (YO, baby ☺)
Went to Hampton University and received a BA in Theatre Arts.
There I met the love of my life,
Neil Daniels, although I didn’t know it at the time.
My most public claim to fame has been the Grammy nominated soundtrack,
“Waiting To Exhale”
with the song “And I Gave My Love To You”.

I wrote the lyrics and performed that song with Chante Moore…what a
blast, a blessing and a lesson. I had a supporting role in the
powerful docu-drama, “Gang Tapes”. WHAT! You haven’t seen it? The
most realistic rendition of gang drama in Los Angeles I’ve seen to
date. And I’m not saying that because I was in it. Adam Ripp, the
director, did an outstanding job.

In the meantime and in between time, I performed on a number of
projects with numerous producers and artists…Teena Marie, Cody
ChesnuTT, Whitney Houston, the late Oji Pierce who produced Montel
Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It”…….you know what, there’s a list of
people…can’t write them all. I really found my home on stage with a
CRAZY 7 piece that blew my wig. We rocked all over LA: The Temple
Bar, The Gig, The House of Blues, The Knitting Factory…all
over.

We turn the party out! In 2003, me & my HU sweetie finally
hooked up and had a beautiful baby boy and I slllooooooowwed down.
Way down…but I’m back! Incorporating my poetry with dance troops
such as The Marshall Dance Company and Winifred R. Harris’ Between
Lines. This collaboration is simply magical…dance, music, poetry,
theatrics…it makes me bubble over with passion. Come see a
performance when I post it…you’ll see. I’m currently signed with
Arlene Thornton & Associates as a voiceover artist.

A wonderful company run by a brilliant Cancerian I secretively
admire and respect. I’m on the Hollywood grind auditioning for
spots from Disney to American Idol CD Rom…it’s soooo much fun. Now,
I’m looking for a team of honest professionals that can catapult my
career beyond the stars; A SWEET indie deal and more magical
artistic moments I can be proud of.

God continues to whisper in my ear. What’s to come is so beyond…I
swear I have nothing to do with it. I’m being led and I really hope
you can witness the ride.

THERE!!! I did it! Bios always bug me out. I feel like I’m giving
too much credit to me and not enough to the sheer reason…the only
inspiration…The Light of GOD! THANK YOU, BEYOND MEASURE.

Reviews * A breath of fresh air.... Jen M.
Just what the industry needs...just what we all need to hear! I
appreciate and respect the realness of this album. I am deeply
touched that Sonja Marie has given us all the opportunity to share
her pain, growth, revelations, love...in essence, LIFE. We all need
to have the kind of music that we not only can groove to, but can
learn from and relate to. Sonja Marie definitely accomplishes this.
I hope everyone recognizes the gift. Thank you for sharing your
God-given talent. I can't wait to see what's next.

* Smooth...Soulful...Relaxing....Romantic Veronica: This CD
is going to receive quite a bit of play in my house. Sonja has such
a beautiful and soothing voice. Each song is great, no need to skip
around. They lyrics are so poetic and meaningful, just beautiful.
The music itself is lovely. This album absolutely sets a mood for
the listener and I find myself looking forward to hearing it
again.

* Sasha Perera It was whilst trawling through the internet
that I stumbled over this brand new album by the somewhat-elusive
talent Sonja Marie, whom I first came across in 1994 with her
intoxicating contribution to the mainstream-soul bonanza “Waiting
To Exhale”. In amongst the slick, Babyface-laced, ballad-soundscape
emerged a breath of fresh air in the form of Sonja Marie’s “And I
Gave My Love To You” – a spoken word tune, shimmering with melody
and intriguingly served up with a poetic delivery that stood out
from the polished, slightly-generic soul on offer.

However since then – and sidetracked by whatever else stole my
interest – news of Sonja Marie and her music unfortunately slipped
by without a trace. However with the boom of independent music on
Myspace, it was a pleasant surprise that I once again rediscovered
this beguiling musician, and in line with CDbaby.com, eagerly got
my hands on this new album – her first.

It’s an easy, off-hand comparison to make to file Sonja Marie
alongside some other artists, but at the same time it’s hard to not
feel the earthy warmth that exudes from the highlight songs “Life”
and the sensual “How Love Really Loves” which possess a spirit
which can also be found on classics like Me’Shell NdegeOcello’s
brilliant 1993-debut “Plantation Lullabies”, and more recently
albums from Jill Scott and Floetry (although it should be noted
that Sonja Marie is by no means a follower of styles, having
embraced this approach to her music since, presumably the early
90’s at least).

In very simple form, the music on offer is urban poetry; in more
depth, these are soulful tales that are gently and assertively
whispered in your ear, transported by a rhythmic caress. Music from
the soul, but which has more electricity to it than say
India.Arie’s Oprah-styled soul, less of the overt-sassiness of Dana
Bryant, and more polish to it than other independent soul artists
like Laurnea. Buoyed in the flow, each word drops heavy – resonant
and cleverly threaded to the body of the songs on offer.

Dim the lights, pour yourself a glass of wine, and grind to the
addictive groove of “Alone, Dancing”, as Sonja Marie puts herself
first ahead of the vapid commercial music industry – it’s a
standout magical moment, and is followed by the bass-heavy wind and
grind of “Eucalyptus Lips”, which comes off like a light bite,
following a slow kiss.

Also worthy of breathing in is the sultry “Mon Dieu” and the
bossanova beats of “Morning Clear” with its meandering sax-line,
but it really is the previously mentioned songs that set this album
off. At times there is a sense that the nine-track collection can
begin to lose momentum without a focused concentration from
listeners, but nevertheless “Black Album Vol. 1” is an impressive
collection of songs that deserves uncovering and investigation.

She may have taken her time to get to the point of releasing her
first album, but all the promise that she first showed last decade,
is equally, if not more intense now.