East Side Jakes believe in a higher purpose and it shows most of the time, but what shines brighter is their immense talent. “Send Me Your Love” is a marathon of a song that showcases very well performed, soulful vocals. With “Choices” you get that same idea but a life lesson with some hip hop tossed in the mix. Then things slow down with “All Nations” as a piano welcomes you to a mid-tempo beat. The pace picks up but remains elegant while doing so. As far as the vocals are concerned, you can’t touch the soul coming from them. Things go into Gospel “ESJ Jingle.” Overall I didn’t really get the sense that East Side Jakes was a Gospel outlet until I really got into the thick of things and then heard “Trust In God.” That one makes their belief pretty apparent and obvious. What is best about this music is that it can cross lines and just be an uplifting experience for everyone, no matter what they believe. If you like Gospel or just like soul music, check out East Side Jakes today. (https://eastsidejakes.org/)

Ty Ford – Watermelon Time

Artist/Jared McCloud

Album/ To Live and Die in Your Arms

Krispin Studer’s “Devil’s Eyes” is an EP chalked full of gems for anyone who is a fan of folky pop that has some light rock elements tossed in the rough. “It’s Gone” has this light and airy feel that definitely screams folky singer songwriter from the rooftops. It’s a great welcome mat for the whole record. It has heart to it that is realistic. Then you roll into “Devil’s Eyes.” At first this one seems like a downer and then it picks up to suddenly brush those thoughts away. However, it takes awhile for the lyrics to kick in. I was convinced it was an instrumental piece for like a minute. There’s a strain in the delivery with “Back Home” but I think it makes it sound more like a live track because of the imperfections. I feel like “Never the Same” sounds like something you’d hear on a mixtape alongside Ryan Adams and Mellencamp. It just has this Americana, yet rock feel to it. Plus, the guitar lick is killer. Anyways, rounding out “Devil’s Eyes” is “Paranoid Feelings.” This one is good, but I think “Never the Same” would’ve been a better ending since it went so well with “It’s Gone,” it would’ve made the album come full circle. Nevertheless, the record is well made and constructed from raw skill and if you’re an Adams fan, check out “Devil’s Eyes,” out now by Krispin Studer. (https://www.krispinstuder.com/devilseyes/)

Band/Artist: Jacob Hungsberg - Trade Winds

Dee Hamilton stays classy with her latest single. “Time Will Show” doesn’t waste any time getting down to business. Dee’s voice comes in naturally at the start, sounding very angelic and soulful. As for the song, the vocals are sweet while the music has more of a kick to it. They don’t contrast too much but make for an interesting listen. If you had to compare Dee to someone, you’d have to look back in time to the ’70s when soul and R&B had a purity to it. Think of someone like Dionne Warwick, that’d be along the same lines as “Time Will Show.” If that’s something that sparks your interest, make sure to give Dee Hamilton and her single a listen before you do anything else today. (https://www.jango.com/music/Dee+Hamilton?l=0)

William Odell Hughes is a R&B artist who makes you move, think and feel. “Everytime It Rains” is a mid-tempo R&B jam. You can’t help but add a little bounce to your step as you’re moving and grooving to this one. Moving on to “Is This How You Like It” we step up the beat a bit, while the vocals remain to have that classic R&B soul to them with a punch of funk overall in the track, but low key. Then comes the booty…I’m not sure what I was expecting with titles like “Big Booty” and “Butt Rattle” but somehow my expectations were still met. When you listen it’s like booty anthems for the mature crowd out there, not so much the Nicki Minaj, and JLo listeners. In all seriousness though, after the booties come and go, you have a man who can write a real heartfelt and striking song. “Drive By Shooting” is a hard one to get through because of the compassion in the story and you feel every note. The same goes for “Statutory Rape” as well. It’s clear that Hughes is all over the board with his music, but all the while remains classy and cool. If you’re into the standards when it comes to R&B, check out William Odell Hughes. (https://soundcloud.com/leaffairemusic)

Mark A Williams has a collection of artists under his guidance to deliver a cascade of well done Christian music. “Tomorrow” isn’t sung by Mark, but it’s got him behind it I’m sure. The belief is strong with this one and the artist behind it has a very delicate voice that is soft to the audible touch. The same can be said about “Jesus Stand By Me.” Only this time the woman behind it is a bit older. You can tell the difference between the two, she has a sense of maturity in her delivery. We get into the male portion of Mark A Williams’ artists with “Soul Train to Glory.” It blends the love of the Lord with the honesty of Country music and the end result is a wonderfully sung piece that touches the soul. That Country fusion continues with “Father How Long,” but again you can hear the generation gap in the vocals - or the artist behind this one just has one of those true Country voices; deep and very masculine like George Strait. If you’re a fan of Christian music and want a buffet of it, check out Mark A Williams’s page now for all the goods. (https://www.jango.com/music/Mark+A+Williams?l=0)