Music's Most Revolutionary Female Trio Hits Studio With Rock Icon Lenny
Kravitz and R&B Giants Gamble & Huff Producing
NEW YORK, May 27 -- There are reunions and then there are
reunions ...
Embodying one of music's most enduring one-word brand names, and
boasting a genre-defying legacy that has successfully spanned three
generations, our era's most influential female powerhouse is about to show
a stifled music industry how to really turn it out. Labelle is back!
Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash, R&B's most original and
formidable trio are reuniting via Verve Records to deliver their first
full-length studio album in more than 33 years. The new recording, to be
completed in June and on course for a global unveiling in the fall of 2008,
is being produced by a trio of icons equally up to the task: cutting edge
funk rocker Lenny Kravitz and longtime Labelle collaborators and 2008 Rock
and Roll Hall Of Fame inductees, Gamble & Huff.
Transforming themselves from the classic-style 1960s girl group The
Bluebelles into what one writer coined as 'the genre-bending rock
supernova' of the 1970s, the innovative trio deftly combined glam rock,
soul, funk, pop and gospel into a brash amalgam of breakthrough recordings
such as "I Believe I've Finally Made It Home" from their pivotal second
album Moonshadow (1972), and the groundbreaking "Lady Marmalade" from
Nightbirds (1974)." Labelle redefined the creative arc of the girl group,
celebrating their three distinct personalities by donning outrageous
costumes and addressing controversial issues in song and demeanor, shunning
the cookie-cutter stereotypes that plagued most female singers of the era.
The group (which included Elton John on piano in its earliest incarnation)
continually pushed gender boundaries in music of black origin, opening up
for rock icons such as The Who and the Rolling Stones as they
revolutionized the roles women played in R&B, rock'n'roll, and even
fashion.
Often cited as a key influence for a new generation of female
trailblazers such as Erykah Badu and Christina Aguilera, (the 2001 Missy
Elliott-produced remake of "Lady Marmalade" featuring Aguilera, Mya, Pink
and Lil' Kim snagged MTV's Video Of the Year, among other awards) the new
songs crafted by Labelle also reflect the growth, wisdom and healing that
exemplifies their individual storied paths after going their separate ways
more than 32 years ago (though there have been several special events and
live reunions since).
Braced, as always, by their trademark vocal firepower, the 2008 version
of the supergroup still relies on their expansive range, show-stopping
sense of theatricality, and as Nona puts it, their innate ability to "pull
together as sisters and 'Labelle-ize' the music and the vibe and the
spiritual side of what we do like nobody else on the planet."
Concocting an energized blend of uptempo songs and heart-wrenching
ballads, the new recording includes the mesmerizing "Candlelight," the
driving "System," the scorching "Superlover," and the old school/Gamble &
Huff-helmed "Living Without You," resulting in an edgy but fan-pleasing
album that once again finds Labelle embarking on a riveting musical
narrative.
"The thread that always runs through is that we're sisters and we'll
always be sisters," declares Patti. A connection between the three that may
have frayed now and then over the years, but always remained unbreakable
"The timing for us getting together was perfect," says Nona. "About a year
and a half ago we met in the studio to record a tribute to civil rights
icon Rosa Parks (the song "Dear Rosa" has yet to be released) and we just
felt in our bones it was time to do this." It was Nona who tapped eclectic
rocker Lenny Kravitz for initial production duty on the new disc. "We're
friends and admirers of each other's work. We talked to him about the idea
of us getting together and invited him to a session. He showed up that day
at 5:00 and we haven't stopped working since."
Where Kravitz represents the next-generation appeal of the Labelle
magic, legendary songwriters/producers Gamble & Huff were part of the
Philadelphia/New Jersey nexus that helped launch the careers of the famous
trio and give birth to the most popular soul sounds of the 1970s (O'Jays,
Teddy Pendergrass, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and others). In fact,
Kenny Gamble and Patti Labelle grew up on the same street in Philadelphia,
and Gamble was instrumental in helping to launch Labelle's career.
Such foundational strengths anchor the new album, eliciting the same
kind of confidence that enabled Labelle to break the mold back in the 70s,
with each member eventually taking flight in inspired solo careers that
accentuated their respective gifts. Patti went on to sign with Gamble &
Huff's Philadelphia International Records in the early '80s, releasing the
seminal album I'm In Love Again that cemented her long and acclaimed solo
career. Her subsequent duet with Michael McDonald, "On My Own," soared to
#1 on the charts, with scores of hits and an impeccable live reputation
rounding out more than two decades of acclaimed releases, television and
film appearances, sold-out shows across the globe, and multiple awards,
including her April 2008 Humanitarian Award presented in New York by the We
Are Family Foundation chaired by Nile Rodgers.
Nona and Sarah (both hailing from Trenton, NJ) have also sustained
compelling and highly successful individual careers. Sarah Dash has
collaborated with such notable artists as Nile Rodgers and the Rolling
Stones, (she even sang back-up on the Steel Wheels tour). Sarah also drew
raves as a celebrated fixture of Keith Richards' solo outfit The Expensive
Winos. She too, has written for the stage and is currently penning her
autobiography, as well as staying involved in local Trenton community
endeavors. Her recent appearance in San Francisco's hit interactive theatre
presentation, Teatro Zinzanni, seamlessly blended her commanding performing
style with European cirque, opera, and musical theatre.
Nona's songwriting and production ventures have led her to work with
everyone from Dusty Springfield to the Talking Heads to Keith Richards,
among dozens of other stars. A renowned tastemaker of both the rock and R&B
worlds, she's contributed to the Showtime series Sleeper Cell soundtrack,
working with Paul Haslinger, produced and written plays, and even launched
her own label, Rhythm Bank, enjoying "sitting on the other side of the
table for a change."
Labelle's long-awaited return to the studio signifies yet another
chapter in the historic legacy of the group. But all three members are
quick to assert it's not the final one. There will be a tour. After all,
the live component of Labelle has often been cited as their most
unforgettable dynamic. "We're going to bring to the fans everything they've
been asking for. We haven't lost our edge," assures Nona. "I feel we're
better because of everything we've gone through," seconds Sarah. For a
group whose roots indeed go all the way back to opening up for icons such
as James Brown and Otis Redding, leave it to Patti to wrap it up -- true
Labelle style. "I think all you gotta say is 'we're here.' We're like that
caged bird. If you love it, you open the door and let it fly because you
know it's going to come back stronger. Well, we're back, baby. Anyone that
knows Labelle knows we don't know how to hold anything back."
http://www.vervemusicgroup.com
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