There’s Something Different Here
If there was ever a time for a new sound for music, the right time is now. Jai Black is not your typical artist that’d you hear on your radio Saturday morning, but he will awaken your spirits just the same. With a sound so unique it can hardly be described, the best description that can be given is Coldplay meets John Legend.
With a mix of his native state Arkansas and current city Atlanta, his music incorporates a cinematic and eclectic sound that no one has successfully been able to produce. Originally, Jai was the lead R&B singer of a band very popular in Europe, called Metropolis. They toured with Blackstreet and were voted the best new independent artist in 2005 from Blues and Soul Magazine. After touring Europe and being exposed to different cultures and life experiences, he returned to the U.S., went solo and his music evolved into another genre. “The music changed along with its meaning and the music industry in the U.S. wasn’t ready for my style until John Legend came along. But my music shows a side of me I don’t normally show.”
Growing up as a preacher’s kid, Jai sang in the choir and wasn’t allowed to listen to secular music. Jai would listen to secular music over a friend’s house where he listened to influences such as Donnie Hathaway, Al Green and Prince that eventually led the path for which his niche developed. “Mom was the big supporter. Before losing my mother to cancer in 2008, her last words were, ‘don’t give up on your music, baby,’ Jai chuckles a little. “Her spirit resonates in my spirit.”
Jai’s persona is very laid back as we sit in the studio with his hair braided straight back, wearing a red Bob Marley shirt and blue sport shorts and sneakers. The contrast between his music and his image are obvious. “I hear that a lot. But most real artists don’t give a [crap] about image. Record labels brand artists to make money. I performed in a bar with an all white audience and the owner asked me if I was the help. My other band member, Kalen Nash advised him I was the lead singer. Once I started performing, you could hear a pen drop.” It’s clear that Jai is not the pretty boy lover or the thugged out gangster. He’s just an artist that wants to make music that represents him. He’s original, complex, artsy, and ready for the world. But is the world ready for him? You can download his mixed CD Alter Ego on www.blacktreemusic.com. Look out for the new album, Love Is to be released February 23, 2010.
Merita Berry is a free-lance writer from Atlanta, GA
