Stax sla upp portarna! (Angie, N'Dambi, Leon Ware m.fl.)
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
INSIDE TRACK
February 03, 2007
STAX GETS ITS GROOVE BACK
Concord Music Group's revitalization of Stax Records is jumping into full swing. In addition to signing Angie Stone and its earlier mainstay Isaac "Shaft" Hayes, Stax has added two more singers to its roster: Leon Ware and N'Dambi. Ware is best-known for his writing and production work on Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" album. He's also collaborated with Quincy Jones, Minnie Riperton and the Isley Brothers. N'Dambi, well-known in R&B's indie scene, is a former backing vocalist for Erykah Badu. Look for her and Stone's albums in late summer; Ware's is slated for spring/early summer.
In signing artists, Stax VP of A&R Collin Stanback says the new Stax is looking for heartfelt music and real musicianship. "We need to give people more of a variety in black music to listen to," he says. "What we see in today's music is an approach that is pretty much way too common. When you look at the '70s to early '90s, everyone was in their own lane and nothing sounded alike. We at Stax would like to get back to that."
As reported earlier on billboard.biz, the venerable Memphis label formally begins celebrating its 50th anniversary March 13, with the release of a deluxe two-CD set featuring tracks from a who's who of soul that includes Hayes, the Dramatics, Staple Singers and Mabel John. Two weeks later, Earth, Wind & Fire's "Interpretations" CD arrives (see story, page 40). Wrapped around all this: a yearlong salute to Stax's 50 years via concerts and exhibits presented by the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau along with nonprofit Soulsville USA.
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