Re-Visit My 2nd CD Never In My Life Released 07.14.21

Mood: Reflective
Muzak: The Brother AJ Never In My Life CD Song "You're In My System."

It took me a WHOLE NOTHA year to write my next journal entry & it’s a year to the day of my last one. I wish it was under the same circumstances because I had dropped my 1^st solo CD in that prior year’s entry. This time, I have already dropped my 2^nd solo CD in June of this current year, making me clearly behind the times. The least I can do is slip in through the backdoor & BREAK IT DOWN!!!

My 2^nd solo CD is called “Never In My Life.” I chose that title because I thought it was fitting of “Who Wudda Ever Thunk I’d Be Releasing My Own Original Muzak @ This Six Decade Point In My Life???” I don’t think I truly did, so I think it’s the perfect match.

On my 1^st project it was a full on one-man show as I was on my Prince vybe of doing everything myself. I wrote the lyrics, composed the music, played the instruments, recorded the songs, mixxxed them, & released it. If you’ve never had an experience like that it is clearly cathartic as it allows you to go deeply inside yourself to purge all those inner demons. I mean, if you have any, LMAO!!!

This 2^nd time around I was much more collaborative as I have songs that were co-written lyrically & musically by others along with me as well as bringing in a few people to perform with me. That was a kewl interesting vybe compared to the 1^st tyme around as you have to figure out how to share that creative space & still achieve your overall goals in a way you feel still represents you.

Track #1 AJ’s Kiss is an instrumental groove that my old co-worker Jimmy Wilson fleshed out & I supersized it into a cohesive jam. It was strictly an instrumental originally called 1^st Kiss, but then I had an epiphany & decided to re-name it after self & add vocal chants by Tasha & Regine aka Da Flippettes. It was a great call as it adds another layer of intrigue to Da Mixxx.

Track #2 I Want 2 Show U is an AJ & Dr. KBJ collaboration that we’ve done in various formats. It was duet, a female lead, & finally a male lead song where I think the resonance of my deep voice truly brings an edge & energy to it allowing it to sparkle & shine. In addition to Dr. KBJ’s background vocals I again had Da Flippettes add some vocal shine. They even added a couple of different things that weren’t originally in the track that I loved.

Track #3 You’re In My System is a AJ & Dr. KBJ collabo Show Stopper. It’s an uptempo burner that comes out the gate just a gunning with this lethal opening descending tom fill. It’s a four verse song that alternates the lyrics between male & female but with both singing the chorus. Dr. KBJ handles the females lead vocal since she wrote them words & digs into them with gusto. Lyrically it just seeps into your psyche & the chorus lifts you up as you join in the sing along. With a hint of that Eastern Indian musical refrain we all know from childhood it starts from a place of familiarity. Da Flippettes make another guest appearance to help thicken out the chorus for an almost stereo flanger FX unit type vybe.

Track #4 Let UR Guard Down has me back on my one man grind as I deliver a mid-tempo ballad of yearning love. The instrumentation has that forward momentum that keeps you leaning in to follow along. The sounds I used especially the string lines are sublime. I also like the way my vocals sit in the mixxx as my voice is crystal clear allowing you to hear each & every lyric. The pleading & yearning in my voice should help you feel the urgency of my love.

Track #5 Never In My Life is what I believe is the best song in the entire The Brother AJ catalog. Jimmy Wilson makes another appearance as his keyboard textures were integral to the song. Dr. KBJ’s lyrics fit the song as though they were meant to be there, however they were not a part of the original session. I found them & added them in later. My vocal delivery on this song (which I worked just a little bit on) hopefully draws you into the story as this man is clearly in love. Dr. KBJ & Da Flippettes provide background vocals & we hit a homerun delivering what fits into a smooth jazz or R&B bucket with ease. Yes I LOVE this track!!! ITZ AMAZING!!!

Track #6 Online Love is an old song I’ve had for years that I attribute to a young lady from Baton Rouge, LA who taught me the internet when I 1^st got my online wings. She was beginning to work in a music studio, so we were mutually beneficial to each other as I taught her how to work how way around that arena. It was an excellent transfer of knowledge. I then proceeded to weave this tale around our extended story from a macro view to make a cohesive music track featuring all those wonderful sound elements from the original AOL library. Back when I 1^st did it…, it was amazing. Now with sampling & DAW programs it’s like old hat, but back then I was sweating bullets to make it happen. It’s a perfect marriage of music, technology, a great story, with great execution.

Track #7 I Wanna Be UR Fantasy is a deep low end funk jam that takes me back 2 my P-Funk days. The bass is soopa heavy, the drums syncopated, & a tambourine adds sizzle during the breakdowns. Itz all about that low end tryin' to make that head knock. I think this has a sultry slow burning feel to it as the story unfolds for a sensual encounter. I break up the vocals with a spoken word cadence in the middle of the song & then a blistering echo-tinged rap in the end. A surprise was finding out through one of my artist resources I believe from Spotify that this tune hit 10 all time plays in the middle of this month. Somebody feels what I was cookin' up on this joint & can appreciate the funk thusly.

Track #8 QX5 Funk is my obligatory instrumental jam. By following the previous track you're already in that uptempo space so it's not a full on shock to the system. It’s also not as frantic & hectic as the last instrumental jam on my 1^st project, but it delivers that same synth work soundscape allowing you space where you can lose yourself inside of it. I try to give you just enuff ear candy to find something inside that groove that you can latch on to as you take the journey with me. It has those soaring string, some brass hits, the deep low end bottom, & a synth lead line that you'll hum to yourself. Oh AJ don't forget that classic Rhodes sound underneath stitching it all together. Nice way to close it out.

Overall I am very happy with this project as it is that perfect bridge. My 1^st project let me go within myself to truly express me to the world & this 2^nd project allowed me to bring a few friends onboard to share that same ride with me. So stay tuned in 2022 when I drop my 3^rd project. I am currently in the studio cooking that sucka up & I’m thinking a 1^st quarter release would be just about right 2 send it out into the universe. No telling where my mind is at & what direction I’m going to go in. But you already know one thing Fo’ Shee-Zayyy…, HELLA YEAH ITZ GONNA BE FONKY!!!

You Can Find This Project On All Your Fave Digital Platforms As Well As Hear Preview Of The CD By Clicking This Link!!! Peace, Love, & Blessings Unto You All!!!

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/thebrotheraj/never-in-my-life [distrokid.com]

The Bro J!!!

My COVID-19 Triple Play

 

Mood: Cautiously Optimistic
Music: Earth, Wind, & Fire Keep Your Head To The Sky

I feel as though I’ve had the COVID-19 TRIPLE PLAY. I’ve had three significant experiences during this pandemic each presenting their own unique challenges.

The 1^st experience was my in-laws who live in Charlotte, NC passed away in July of 2020. My 86 year old mother-in-law passed away July 1^st & then 17 days later my 90 year old father-in-law passed away on July 18^th. I flew my wife down when her mother went on life support & she made it down in time to spend three days with her mom before she passed away. I then drove the rest of the family down so we could attend the funeral, cause we didn’t want to fly during this time.

Upon returning home we had to go into the 14 day quarantine protocol. Just as we were coming out of that was when my father-in-law passed away. On top of failing health I believe he passed away from a broken heart as he COULD NOT fathom being without his bride of 66 years & mother to his twelve children by his side.

Nine of the twelve children live in North Carolina, the other three live in NJ. The hard decision was made for the Jersey family to attend his funeral via Zoom as my father-in-law was a military vet who fought in the Korean War & DID NOT want any pomp & circumstance just a simple closed-casket military styled funeral.

The 2^nd experience had my daughter after pushing her wedding date back several times deciding the weekend before Labor Day 2020 was the day. We went up to Mountain Creek in Vernon (the old Action Park) & had the COVID-19 wedding experience. The resort staff was awesome as they had this thing all figured out. It was an outdoor wedding on top of the mountain on the most perfect day imaginable.

We had VIP access to the lift; we had our own private space on top of the mountain with spectacular views where NJ, NY, & PA come together for the ceremony. After the ceremony we returned back down below to the reception in a huge outdoor tent behind the resort.

This MAY NOT have been the ideal wedding my daughter envisioned, but the pandemic forced some hard decisions. It’s already difficult to put together a wedding guest list & now with pandemic capacity restrictions the ticket to this event was like winning the Powerball Lottery. On a side note, as the father of the bride I was slightly happy as that meant the costs were significantly less than a traditional wedding, so I floated them extra Las Vegas honeymoon money!!! PHEWWW!!!

The 3^rd experience was this year March 24^th, 2021 my daughter gave birth to my 2^nd grandchild. As human beings we go crazy over events like this. However with the pandemic still not fully under control, I was trying to wait for my vaccination on March 31^st before making plans to see her. My stubborn, head-strong, (feeling some type of way) daughter was not having it & brought my granddaughter Naomi to the house Monday March 29^th to meet her Pop-Pop face-to-face!!!

We had to mask up, sanitize the hands, & open our hearts up to this newest bundle of joy in our lives. These three events happening during this COVID-19 pandemic gave me three take-a-ways of how you continue to live life in spite of difficult challenges you face.

#1 My in-laws DID NOT pass away from COVID-19 so we take comfort in knowing they lived a fruitful & blessed life, so why can’t we do the same during this time?

#2 None of the seven people in my continual orbit have contracted COVID-19 since it started March of 2020 so we must be doing something right as we practice all the safety protocols of mask wearing, hygiene, & social distancing even as we’ve continued to work & socialize under restrictions.

#3 The most important thing this pandemic makes you realize is what is truly important in your life. That is those who you love, those who love you, gainful employment, the ability to sustain yourself against all odds, being healthy, & trying to maintain your sanity in spite of what seems like a world gone KRAZY!!!

Warm weather is arriving, the vaccine is here, as are solutions for eradicating the most disruptive thing we’ve seen in our lifetime. In the meantime stay focused on what you can control & don’t be afraid to safely step outside to live just a little bit more each & every day, YOU ARE SO WORTH IT!!!  

If Only America Would Allow All Of Us "A Promised Land"!!!

 

Music: Reverend Barry & The Funk
CD: A Thousand Lives We've Lived
Song: LoveShine
Mood: Hopeful In Spite Of Economic, Political, Racial, & Pandemic Stress

I recently completed reading President Barack Obama's latest book "A Promised Land" & I found it fascinating. I posted this review on my Good Reads page & decided I would like to share it here too.

Whether you cared for his politics or not, there is no disputing that former President Barack Obama is a highly intelligent & motivated man. When you frame his presidency with the weight of expectation of being the first Black American to ascend to the highest office of the land it's almost to outrageous to conceive it.

Add in the fact that he had members of the opposing party who made it their singular mission to disrupt or derail anything that he tried to accomplish during a time when the country was on the precipice of economic collapse made the challenges insurmountable.

To hear President Barack explain in his own words his thought process, his decision making, & the people he surrounded himself with as he navigated one of the quickest rises from an unknown Illinois Senator to the President of the United States is revolutionary.

You DO NOT have to like the man, but you do have to respect his journey and what he accomplished in the face of blatant disrespect amidst global turmoil for the highest ideals of American democracy.

He's an oratory gift as the words leap of the pages placing you squarely in the room with him. It's a long 700 page read, so you must get comfortable & commit yourself to absorbing quite a lot. It ends with a proverbial bang, so you must hang on all the way through.

I've gained a new found respect for this man, his family, those who supported him, his enemies (American & foreign), & the grace/class/skill he utilized to navigate these murky waters. He will go down in history as a first, but he needs to also go down in history as a intelligent man who beat the odds under incredible duress.

The Bro J!!!

My Vaccination Experience @ NJIT Newark 03.31.21

Music: Herbie Hancock

Song: A Tribute To Someone
CD: My Point Of View

I Had The "Privilege/Mis-Fortune" Of Getting My 1st Vaccination Yesterday.

 

In my heart of hearts I wanted the Johnson & Johnson one & done…, but when you see 500,000 people have succumbed to the pandemic I took the first available slot which happened to be the Pfizer two shots.

 

I say “PRIVILEGED” because I am grateful to be in a position to get the shot as many others didn’t have the chance.  My safety coordinator put me on the PSE&G list last week & they actually called me Monday to add me to the RW Johnson schedule. However the original list I signed up for on my own with NJ Health came through first for yesterday’s appointment.

 

I say “MISFORTUNE” because unbeknownst to me I was scheduled to get my shot at the state’s brand new largest vaccination facility.  I didn’t know this prior to my arrival because I had an appointment at 1:45PM figuring I would walk in, get my shot, & walk out. Being proactive I arrived at 1:20PM thinking they might take me earlier if they were ahead of schedule.

 

As I rolled down Central Ave, Newark I was surprised to see my normal roads blocked off due to a heavy police presence. I was like, “What Is Going on Here???” I’m thinking there was an accident or something???  HA-HA-HA…, I WISH!!!  Since I know the area well I maneuvered on back roads & found a parking spot as I headed to the building. When  I came up to the top of the hill, this was the first time I saw the crowd.

 

That line snaked back & forth like you were waiting to get on ride at Six Flags Great Adventures. I had a conversation with two co-workers awhile back in Springfield saying I would NEVER stand on some long line to get the vaccination. I would wait until it became readily available where you could walk right in & get it like you do the flu shot. Well…, the birth of my granddaughter last week changed that mantra as I want to protect myself for her, so I got on line & waited it out.

 

Although waiting on line was the bad part, once I got inside the building (almost two hours later) things moved rapidly. This is a FEMA site where the National Guard has jurisdiction. I checked in at Table 23 where they verified me, then I was sent to Booth 7 for my vaccination where they verified me once again.

 

Sidebar: YES I HATE ALL THINGS MEDICAL…, INCLUDING SHOTS!!!

 

However all those attentive young faces of these wonderful National Guard soldiers made the experience dare I say…, PLEASUREABLE!!!  They were all so frigging nice, excited, helpful, & just amazing to interact with. There is hope America, we can do this if we simply come together for the greater good of ALL mankind.

 

P.S. Think About Getting Your Vaccination To Protect Yourself, Those You Love, & Your Co-Workers!!!

 

The Brother AJ