Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo
Singer-songwriter Alice Smith says that she now finds herself in a powerful place in life, hence the title of her sophomore album She. Smith’s current positive outlook is hard earned after opening to critical acclaim with her debut album, For Lovers, Dreamers & Me, which was shelved by Epic Records. This forced to her to start her career over again six years later.
With her new release, Smith effortlessly creates harmony out of a multitude of genres. The approach is borne out of her re-affirmed creative freedom, which she says is inspired by her upbringing. “I come from a big family and my grandmother was kinda free and that trickled down to everybody,” she says. “People are allowed to be themselves in my family and not pressured to be or do anything.”
While Smith is living out her current dreams as a recording artist and mother. She knows that soon her free spirit may take her in another career direction. “My dream now is that some other part of my life grows into something else and that a new adventure comes to me that I love.” What that new journey is remains a mystery but for now Smith is happy to be free to discover.
Music legend Nile Rodgers is already engaged in the next chapter of his career with the We Are Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization that creates and supports various projects designed to mentor youth and create future leaders. At the inaugural We Are Family HONORS held at Manhattan Center’s Grand Ballroom Rodgers honored Sting and Trudie Styler with the Humanitarian Award. One of the event highlights was a rousing concert featuring performances by Sting, Rodgers & CHIC, Sam Moore and Russell Peters. Before his performance Moore revealed that he is working on a follow-up to his 2006 album Overnight Sensational. “I am gonna re-do the last album I did with Randy Jackson,” he says. “Queen Latifah and Justin Timberlake want to do some stuff. If I do it, it may be live. So we will see.”
Knox Gallery, Art in Flux Harlem and wine sponsor Simone International/Papi Wines are currently paying tribute to legendary jazzman and activist Fred Ho with the exhibition, Mirrors of the Soul.
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