Rahsaan Patterson

BiographyHe epitomizes artistry.His remarkable vocal instrument weaves a tapestry of musical colors and textures. It is incomparable and distinctive. If one were to survey the last decade of quality soul music, and attempt to measure the impact it has had on the current musical landscape, it would be impossible not to consider the role played by Rahsaan Patterson.Rahsaan Patterson is an artist. He is blessed with the ability to effortlessly blend gospel, blues, jazz and soul, often all within the same song. As a singer/songwriter/producer, Rahsaan consistently redefines himself and his music by reaching beyond the boundaries of soul music and by embracing his musical passions to arrive at a sound that is uniquely his own. A lyrical poet of the first order and leader in the Neo Soul movement, Rahsaan Patterson doesn’t take a commercial approach to creating his work, and as a result, Rahsaan is known for making music that is not only soulful, but enduring.It is apparent on his most recent body of work, AFTER HOURS, that Rahsaan is a forward-thinking musician, and determined to not repeat what he’s already accomplished. Like artists in the early days of the Modern Art Movement in Europe, the foundation of Rahsaan’s latest offering is about creating a new ‘aural’ language and a new way of listening to music.Destined to be the breakout smash his other slow-burn recordings only hinted at, AFTER HOURS can be described as a seamless flow of soul-packed perfection complete with hip-swaying grooves (“Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”) and tender treasures (“Don’t Run So Fast”). Rahsaan’s skill as a writer is as much on display on the album as his amazing voice or strong production work.On the brilliantly profound and beautifully crafted ballad “Don’t Run So Fast,” Rahsaan easily and immediately evokes a ‘sense-memory’ and a reflection that many of us hold dear in ourown lives as he sings (“I remember Grandma’s blue robe/And some of the stories she told/Words she once spoke/There was a lullaby I treasured the most and it said/Don’t run so fast/You might fall on glass/Don’t run so fast/you won’t be the last/Don’t run so fast.”)Featuring collaborations with regular studio partners Jamey Jaz and Van Hunt in addition to contributions from Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley, Jack King III & Devory Pugh, John Smith, Derrick Walker & Booker T. Jones III, Devel ‘Bo’ McKenzie, and Mike City, AFTER HOURS presents a tougher, funkier side of Patterson’s multi-faceted persona than before. And there are a couple of reasons for this, as Rahsaan himself relates:“This time around I wanted to take people deeper into the Rahsaan Patterson - I wanted people to see me in a party area. I was always doing the kind of party songs that the urban artists were doing, but my music has always been somewhat sophisticated, so with that came a perception that I must be very ‘Adult Contemporary.’ The truth is, I like to have a good time, and I like to get out there. And I don’t ever want to do what people expect of me.”“Secondly, with the death of my father in 2000 - just after I began work on this album - coupled to the frustrations and delays I was encountering professionally, I was in a more aggressive place generally. I wasn’t feeling sensitive at all… and my songs are always written in the emotional moment in the studio at the time. The result is, I think, an album that shows people another dimension of me as an artist, one that they have previously only had glimpses of.”It hasn’t, of course, taken Rahsaan the entire four years to record AFTER HOURS. As his eagle-eyed fans will have noted, several of his side projects have surfaced during this period, including superb vocal and composer contributions to Jonathan Butler’s ‘Story Of Life’ album, Jimmy Sommers’ ‘Lovelife’ [featuring the brilliant cult track ‘What Am I Gonna Do’] and Brian Culbertson’s ‘Come On Up’ [‘Fly High’].Rahsaan has also seen his music continue to be selected for soundtracks to movies like ‘Love & Basketball’ [‘I’ll Go’], ‘Dr. Doolittle’ [‘Lovin’ You So’], ‘So Hot’ [‘Two Can Play That Game’], ‘Hoodlum’ [‘Street Life’], ‘Brown Sugar’ [‘You Make Life So Good’] and more, plus the Steve Harvey compilation ‘Sign Of Things To Come’ [‘The One For Me’].“It has been very encouraging for me to see people’s reaction to some of those things,” reveals Rahsaan. “Because if ever I was feeling discouraged, I would do a gig and discover that the local radio station had made ‘You Make Life So Good’ into a single and people in the audience were calling out for it, and songs like ‘What Am I Gonna Do.’It all began in 1997 when the world was introduced to the musical artistry of Rahsaan Patterson with the release of his self-titled debut, Rahsaan Patterson. With rave reviews from journalists and critics across the world, Rahsaan Patterson included tracks like the funky “Stop By,” the smooth and hypnotic ballad “Spend The Night,” and his signature tune “Where You Are” were embraced by a music loving public hungry for a slice of soul. But perhaps the album’s musical and lyrical highlight is “Joy,” a modern-day spiritual embellished with a sole chorus of voices that gives “Joy” a slender beauty without ever going over the top.Rahsaan ended 1999 with the release of Love in Stereo, a stunning collection of twelve meticulously crafted songs. Love in Stereo is such a thoughtfully-conceived and well-executed album that it may have just raised the standards for other artists to aim for. Tracks such as “Sure Boy,” give an autobiographical glimpse into the thinking and determination behind this artistic visionary. The positive side of love is displayed on “Do You Feel The Way I Do?” and the shimmering orchestral ballad “It’s Alright Now.”Who exactly is the man behind the music? Named after legendary jazz saxophonist Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and a native of Harlem, New York, Rahsaan Patterson was literally raised as a child of music. More often than not, the strains of Stevie Wonder, Frankie Beverly & Maze, Rufus, Earth, Wind & Fire, Miles Davis, and Michael Jackson, and other prominent soul artists of the day could be heard within the Patterson home on a daily basis. And, as one may suspect of such a soulful artist as Patterson, the church also played a powerful role in shaping his infectiously emotional style. By the age of 6, he was a key figure in the local Pentecostal choir.Rahsaan later moved to California, honed his songwriting skills and began writing. As a behind-the-scenes force, he wrote hit songs for Tevin Campbell, Chico DeBarge, Christopher Williams, and Jody Watley. He collaborated with producer Keith Crouch to write the triple-platinum selling “Baby,” which reached ..1 on the national charts, and became the flashpoint of Brandy’s multi-media career.AFTER HOURS exudes that soulful signature voice, expressing boundless amounts of freedom and ecstasy, Rahsaan is a vocal trapeze artist who easily makes breathtaking octaval leaps and acrobatic twists and turns. With AFTER HOURS, there’s something for almost every musical taste and mood whether it be relaxing to smooth jazz on a lazy Sunday afternoon (“You Make Life So Good”) or getting hyped up for a hot Saturday night of club-hopping to the break of dawn (“I Always Find Myself” or “Separate”) or a night of passion with your beloved (“Forever Yours”). Rahsaan’s gift for creating organic soul is undeniable and his music possesses a heartfelt sultriness and full-bodied sensuality that’s been missing from R&B since the 70’s. With this new release, Rahsaan touches on all the joys and hardships that love and relationships often bring and he’s returning to the music arena with an album that’s sure to please his established legion of fans as well as capture the ears and hearts of new ones.“Most people don’t treat musical artists the same way as they do, say painters,” says Rahsaan. “We don’t have their freedom. A painter can paint anything they want; a musical artist often has to fit inside genre boxes. But my music has always been very layered. It’s almost like cubism – if you stand far away, and squint, you get it.”