Hallo Familie!
After my tour ended at the end of May I had a bit of down time on my hands. So I decided to go back on the road for a few weeks in Europe with my brothas Eastern Standard Time, a ska-jazz fusion band based in Washington, D.C. It may surprise you, but I didn't sing on the tour. I was in charge of their merch sales and lent an occasional hand as an interpreter. (The emphasis of my graduate degree was in Translation & Interpretation, so I put it to good use!) I had a great time, met lots of really cool people, ate lots of great cuisine and, best of all, I got to listen to them play every night for free! Check out their video for their song "Call Me Crazy" to get a feel for their music.
It has been no secret that R&B and soul music have all but vanished from major TV networks and radio over the last 5-10 years. However, recently, more and more artists are speaking out publicly about it, such as Monica and Tyrese. When well-established artists are feeling the weight of this shift, imagine how fewer opportunities now exist for the emerging artists hoping to one day become established? Well, that's why I write for SoulBounce. Although I'm not famous, I wanted to use this space to lift up the art of my colleagues, the future soul stars of the world and shine a light on their gifts. Take a look at what I've been grooving to over the last few weeks.
Funkfully yours,
Bro. Kenny Wesley, the Soulful Nerd
