The return of the blog...We're back with info on the wiggins family

Raphael Saadiq:new album info

Slowly but surely more news is coming in about Saadiqs new album-project..It will be titled " The Way I see it" and features some legendary Motown cats to make his 60's concept even more authentic. Not only some session musicians but also arranger Paul Riser who did strings for Diana Rosss will contribute. Even more spectacular is a collabo with Stevie Wonder playing his harmonica. "The Way I see it" will hit the stores this summer

Session Files: Benjamin Wright

Benjamin Wright arranged and conducted strings on most of Instant Vintage and As Ray Ray. He also worked on earlier TTT stuff
but did you know this gentleman is the same guy who did the strings arrangements for Boogie wonderland and Off the Wall!!!l. Benjamin Wright has an extraordinary curriculum. He worked with everybody from Quincy Jones to Earth Wind & Fire and more recently with Justin Timberlake , Jamiroquai , Outkast ,Joss Stone and many others.

When will they release it?? The new Tony Toni Tone

Six months ago Dwayne Wiggins announced in VIBE magazine a new TTT album has been recorded featuring songs with Beyonce, Slick Rick and Oakland native Keyshia Cole. Originally planned to be released in early 2007 but a year later it 's still nowhere to be found..The album doesn' t feature Raphael Saadiq but his replacement Ahmar Khalil. Of course he's not as great as Saadiq but I guess he is what Leroy Hutson used to be compared to Curtis Mayfield, when he replaced the singer in the Impressions. A great vocalist on an almost impossible job replacing a legendary artist. I even think Amar went the same direction as Hutson who left the Impressions after one album..Khalil's myspace is showing a recent flyer that says amar khalil"formerly of tony toni tone". If the new TTT will ever be released remains a question. There's no specific info about release dates or any record label associated with the group

S.O.S. Archive/ Kenya Gruv-Top of the world

Kenya Gruv is one of the guitarists associated with a lot of projets of Raphael and D'wayne. He also recorded this track for the Menace II Society soundtrack in 1993. It's produced by D'wayne Wiggins. a nice song with that signature Dwayne Wiggins sound..Kenya Gruv was also part of the Lucy Pearl backing band and is currently the guitarist with Joss Stone

New raphael saadiq productions will appear on Noel Gourdin album

Noel Gourdin is another new artist who worked with Raphael saadiq on his soon to be released debut

a quote from his bio:

“I know a lot of people say this, but I think he’s just a breath of fresh air [right now],” explains Kay Gee. “I think the fact that we haven’t heard singers like him in a while, mixed with the sound of his falsetto, lets us know that there’s something missing in the music industry right now. I think there’s a lane open for his sound.” Raphael Saadiq wholeheartedly agrees, adding, “Noel’s a young soul who can sing in all kinds of different areas

http://www.noelmusic.net/

well, another item to look out for in 2008!!!!

A lil' bit of "Bass" again: Legendary EW&F Bassist about R.Saadiq (nov.2005)

What was it like working with Raphael Saadiq?

Wonderful! If EWF was starting today, he’d be in it. He really gets it; in fact, he’s even more Old School than we are, but he completely understood how to balance who we were with who we are today. And his two bass tracks are great; he had me try his P-Bass, and he turned me on to La Bella black nylon strings. I played on his third tune, “Pass Me By,” because it reminded me of a song on our second album, called “I Think About Lovin’ You,” and Sly & the Family Stone’s “Everybody Is a Star.” It was just myself on my Yamaha TRB4—which is the only bass I used on the album—and Raphael on guitar, recording to the drum track.