Road to Freedom (album)
Encyclopedia
Road to Freedom is the debut album of soul
and jazz
band Young Disciples
, the only album the band ever released. Issued in 1991 on the Talkin' Loud
label in the UK and on Polygram in the US, the critically well-received album was influential in the music genre
s of acid jazz
and neo soul
. Containing two charting singles, "Get Yourself Together" and "Apparently Nothin'", the album itself reached a chart position of number 21. It was reissued in 1993 in limited edition with a bonus remix EP of the song "Apparently Nothin'".
to join them. The trio released two singles, each of which charted separately twice: "Get Yourself Together" at number 68 (1990-10-13) and number 65 (1991-10-05) and "Apparently Nothin'" at number 46 (1991-02-23) and number 13 (1991-08-03). A 1992 eponymous EP also charted, reaching number 48 (1992-09-02).
The Independent described "Apparently Nothin'" as "era-defining", indicating that singer Anderson "became on of the most recognisable voices of the soul, jazz-funk movement" of the time and that the emergence of the band along with acts Soul II Soul
, Omar, Incognito
, D'Influence and Galliano
"was as groundbreaking an era as black British music has ever known." But in spite of the success of the singles and the album, which charted at number 21, it was the only album the trio ever produced. According to Anderson, the album was a "fluke", as Nelson "never felt comfortable or wanted the role of being an artist".
. It was later released in the United States on Polygram Records with some changes in the track list. On the British edition, the songs "All I Have" and "Step Right On" are instrumentals, but vocals by Anderson were mixed in for the US release. The album was re-released as a limited edition in 1993 with an additional disc, a remix EP of "Apparently Nothing."
The album was critically well-received. Trouser Press
described it as "a masterpiece of understated soul, a seamless blend of samplers and studio musicians and a blueprint for the nascent acid jazz and trip-hop movements." The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel listed it as among the ten best albums of 1991, with reviewer Robert Tanzilo noting that "[t]he cream of London's jazz/soul posse get the formula right...." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
stated that "[w]ith each track on "Road to Freedom," the road gets a little easier to travel." Billboard
magazine wrote favorably of the album, stating that it "easily stands the test of time, thanks to clever, well-crafted tunes that are steeped in retro-funk and R&B sensibilities." In 2004, the album was featured at number 84 in an Observer
poll of 100 music industry professionals of "The 100 Greatest British Albums". In its review at the time, The Observer indicated that the album did not reach the sales it deserved as "a record that revels in understated soul and sample-savvy jazz, rare groove and hip hop."
disc jockey
Trevor Nelson
featured the album as "album of the week", noting that due to the album's combination of influences—"muscular" funk, jazz
, R&B and British Hip Hop
—with "clever, unpredictable productions" and Anderson's "low, smoky vocals", the album "is still deemed to be one of the most important albums to emerge from the acid jazz scene." 2006's A Change is Gonna Come also cites the album as important in neo soul, including it along with R. Kelly
's R.
, D'Angelo
's Voodoo, Maxwell
's Urban Hang Suite
, Aaliyah
's self-titled final release
and Faith Evans
' Keep the Faith
as among "the starter kit" for the genre.
Bonus tracks
1993 limited edition bonus disc. All tracks by Carleen Anderson and Marc Nelson.
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
band Young Disciples
Young Disciples
Young Disciples was a British / American acid jazz band, formed in London in 1990 by Carleen Anderson , Marc Nelson plus Femi Williams ....
, the only album the band ever released. Issued in 1991 on the Talkin' Loud
Talkin' Loud
Talkin' Loud is a record label started by Gilles Peterson at Phonogram in 1990 after he left Acid Jazz Records. The label name is based on Peterson's club night "Talkin' Loud And Sayin' Something", itself a reference to James Brown and Bobby Byrd's "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing".The first...
label in the UK and on Polygram in the US, the critically well-received album was influential in the music genre
Music genre
A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music...
s of acid jazz
Acid jazz
Acid jazz is a musical genre that combines elements of jazz, funk and hip-hop, particularly looped beats. It developed in the UK over the 1980s and 1990s and could be seen as tacking the sound of jazz-funk onto electronic dance: jazz-funk musicians such as Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd and Grant Green are...
and neo soul
Neo soul
The term neo soul was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s as a marketing category following the commercial breakthroughs of artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell...
. Containing two charting singles, "Get Yourself Together" and "Apparently Nothin'", the album itself reached a chart position of number 21. It was reissued in 1993 in limited edition with a bonus remix EP of the song "Apparently Nothin'".
Background
The Young Disciples were formed when British duo Femi Williams and Marco Nelson invited American vocalist Carleen AndersonCarleen Anderson
Carleen Anderson is an American soul singer, who has had success in the United Kingdom. She is the daughter of the singer Vicki Anderson and stepdaughter of Bobby Byrd, and is most well known as the lead singer in the Young Disciples as well as for her own solo career.-Early career:Anderson was...
to join them. The trio released two singles, each of which charted separately twice: "Get Yourself Together" at number 68 (1990-10-13) and number 65 (1991-10-05) and "Apparently Nothin'" at number 46 (1991-02-23) and number 13 (1991-08-03). A 1992 eponymous EP also charted, reaching number 48 (1992-09-02).
The Independent described "Apparently Nothin'" as "era-defining", indicating that singer Anderson "became on of the most recognisable voices of the soul, jazz-funk movement" of the time and that the emergence of the band along with acts Soul II Soul
Soul II Soul
Soul II Soul are a British group that was created in London in 1988. They are best known for their 1989 UK chart-topper and U.S. Top 5 hit, "Back to Life ".-Career:...
, Omar, Incognito
Incognito (band)
Incognito is a British band, as well as one of the members of the United Kingdom's acid jazz movement. Their debut album, Jazz Funk, was released in 1981, with thirteen more albums following, the last of which, Transatlantic RPM, was released in 2010....
, D'Influence and Galliano
Galliano (band)
Galliano were a London-based acid jazz group, which started in 1988. The group was the first signing to Eddie Piller and Gilles Peterson's Talkin' Loud label. The original members were Rob Gallagher , Constantine Weir , Michael Snaith , and Crispin Robinson...
"was as groundbreaking an era as black British music has ever known." But in spite of the success of the singles and the album, which charted at number 21, it was the only album the trio ever produced. According to Anderson, the album was a "fluke", as Nelson "never felt comfortable or wanted the role of being an artist".
Release and reception
The album was first released in the UK in 1991 on the label Talkin' LoudTalkin' Loud
Talkin' Loud is a record label started by Gilles Peterson at Phonogram in 1990 after he left Acid Jazz Records. The label name is based on Peterson's club night "Talkin' Loud And Sayin' Something", itself a reference to James Brown and Bobby Byrd's "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing".The first...
. It was later released in the United States on Polygram Records with some changes in the track list. On the British edition, the songs "All I Have" and "Step Right On" are instrumentals, but vocals by Anderson were mixed in for the US release. The album was re-released as a limited edition in 1993 with an additional disc, a remix EP of "Apparently Nothing."
The album was critically well-received. Trouser Press
Trouser Press
Trouser Press was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow Who fan Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" ...
described it as "a masterpiece of understated soul, a seamless blend of samplers and studio musicians and a blueprint for the nascent acid jazz and trip-hop movements." The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel listed it as among the ten best albums of 1991, with reviewer Robert Tanzilo noting that "[t]he cream of London's jazz/soul posse get the formula right...." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the only major daily newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and its suburbs. The AJC, as it is called, is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the result of the merger between The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta...
stated that "[w]ith each track on "Road to Freedom," the road gets a little easier to travel." Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine wrote favorably of the album, stating that it "easily stands the test of time, thanks to clever, well-crafted tunes that are steeped in retro-funk and R&B sensibilities." In 2004, the album was featured at number 84 in an Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
poll of 100 music industry professionals of "The 100 Greatest British Albums". In its review at the time, The Observer indicated that the album did not reach the sales it deserved as "a record that revels in understated soul and sample-savvy jazz, rare groove and hip hop."
Influence
In spite of underselling, it became a highly influential album in two genres. 2002's The Techno Primer indicates it was "very influential" in acid jazz, as the band "set the tone for this movement." In the latter half of the 2000s, BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Trevor Nelson
Trevor Nelson
Trevor Nelson MBE is an English DJ and presenter.Born in Hackney to a family of St Lucian heritage, he attended Central Foundation Boys' Grammar School in Cowper St, Islington, London EC2 and Westminster Kingsway College...
featured the album as "album of the week", noting that due to the album's combination of influences—"muscular" funk, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, R&B and British Hip Hop
British hip hop
British hip hop is a genre of music, and a culture that covers a variety of styles of hip hop music made in the United Kingdom. It is generally classified as one of a number of styles of urban music...
—with "clever, unpredictable productions" and Anderson's "low, smoky vocals", the album "is still deemed to be one of the most important albums to emerge from the acid jazz scene." 2006's A Change is Gonna Come also cites the album as important in neo soul, including it along with R. Kelly
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
's R.
R. (album)
-Commercial performance:R. debuted at #2 on the Billboard top 100 with 1st weeks sales of 741,000 coppies in the 1st week.in the second week the album fell to #3 with 567,000 coppies.the album was eventually rewarded a 8x plantium award with more than 8 million copies sold in the United States to...
, D'Angelo
D'Angelo
Michael Eugene Archer , better known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American R&B and neo soul singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is known for his production and songwriting talents as much as for his vocal abilities, and often draws comparisons to his influences,...
's Voodoo, Maxwell
Maxwell (musician)
Maxwell , is an American R&B, funk and neo soul musician. He played an important role in the development of the soul sub-genre, neo-soul.-Early life:...
's Urban Hang Suite
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite is the debut album of American recording artist Maxwell, released April 2, 1996 on Columbia Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place during 1994 to 1995 at Electric Lady Studios, RPM, Sorcerer, and Chung King Studios in New York City and...
, Aaliyah
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...
's self-titled final release
Aaliyah (album)
Aaliyah is the self-titled third and final studio album by American R&B singer Aaliyah, released by Blackground and Virgin Records on July 17, 2001, in the United States...
and Faith Evans
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
' Keep the Faith
Keep the Faith (Faith Evans album)
Keep the Faith is the second album by American singer Faith Evans. It was released on Bad Boy Records and peaked at number 6 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album has been certified Platinum by the RIAA....
as among "the starter kit" for the genre.
Track listing
- "Get Yourself Together" (Carleen AndersonCarleen AndersonCarleen Anderson is an American soul singer, who has had success in the United Kingdom. She is the daughter of the singer Vicki Anderson and stepdaughter of Bobby Byrd, and is most well known as the lead singer in the Young Disciples as well as for her own solo career.-Early career:Anderson was...
, Marc Nelson, Femi Williams) – 6:13 - "Apparently Nothin'" (Anderson, Nelson) – 5:22
- "Funky Yeh Funki (Mek It)" (Nelson) – :40
- "Talkin' What I Feel" (Masta AceMasta AceDuval Clear , known better by his stage name Masta Ace, is a rapper from Brownsville, Brooklyn. He appeared on the classic 1988 Juice Crew posse cut "The Symphony"...
, Nelson) – 4:08 - "All I Have (In Dub)" (Anderson, Demus, Nelson) – 5:22
- "Move On" (Anderson, Nelson) – 3:29
- "As We Come (To Be)" (Anderson) – 4:35
- "Step Right On (Dub)" (I. Bellow, Nelson, Williams) – 3:56
- "Freedom Suite: (I) Freedom/ (II) Wanting / (III) To Be Free" (Anderson, IG Culture, Demus, Michael Talbot) – 15:58
- "Young Disciples Theme" (MC Mell'O'MC Mell'O'MC Mell'O comes from Battersea in south London, and was originally known for his bodypopping skills rather than his rapping, going under the tag Moomin...
, Nelson, Williams) – 1:58
Bonus tracks
1993 limited edition bonus disc. All tracks by Carleen Anderson and Marc Nelson.
- "Apparently Nothin' (Edit)" – 3:57
- "Apparently Nothin' (Soul River Edit)" – 3:53
- "Apparently Nothin' (The Re-Rub Edit)" – 3:37
- "Apparently Nothin' (Large Professor Rap Mix)" – 4:07
Personnel
- Carleen AndersonCarleen AndersonCarleen Anderson is an American soul singer, who has had success in the United Kingdom. She is the daughter of the singer Vicki Anderson and stepdaughter of Bobby Byrd, and is most well known as the lead singer in the Young Disciples as well as for her own solo career.-Early career:Anderson was...
– keyboards, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, hornHorn (instrument)The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
s - Maxton G. Beesley, Jr. – drums
- M.C. Bellow – rapRappingRapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
- Chris Clunn – photography
- Demus – arranger, record producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, audio mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, beats - Pee Wee EllisPee Wee EllisAlfred "Pee Wee" Ellis is an American saxophonist, composer and arranger. He was an important member of James Brown's band in the 1960s and appeared on many of Brown's most notable recordings...
– tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - Phil Hudson – guitar
- K-GeeK-GeeK-Gee is the alias for Karl Gordon, a British DJ, producer and songwriter and former member of the Outlaw Posse.Gordon was brought up listening to reggae by his father and was inspired to become a DJ after listening to Grandmaster Flash's "The Message" and other early hip-hop tracks.K-Gee and his...
– scratchingScratchingScratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used...
, rap - Masta AceMasta AceDuval Clear , known better by his stage name Masta Ace, is a rapper from Brownsville, Brooklyn. He appeared on the classic 1988 Juice Crew posse cut "The Symphony"...
– rap - MC Mell'O'MC Mell'O'MC Mell'O comes from Battersea in south London, and was originally known for his bodypopping skills rather than his rapping, going under the tag Moomin...
– rap
- Marc Nelson – organ, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitar, scratching, melodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
, beats - Maceo ParkerMaceo ParkerMaceo Parker is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones...
– alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions... - Spry – percussion
- Swifty – design, typography
- Michael Talbot – pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboards, clavinetClavinetA Clavinet is an electrically amplified keyboard instrument manufactured by the Hohner company. It is essentially an electronically amplified clavichord, analogous to an electric guitar. Its distinctive bright staccato sound has appeared particularly in funk, disco, rock, and reggae songs.Various...
, Moog synthesizerMoog synthesizerMoog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled... - Fred WesleyFred WesleyFred Wesley is an American jazz and funk trombonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:...
– tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... - Steve White – drums
- Femi Williams – percussion, drum programmingDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
- Young DisciplesYoung DisciplesYoung Disciples was a British / American acid jazz band, formed in London in 1990 by Carleen Anderson , Marc Nelson plus Femi Williams ....
– arranger, producer, mixing, concept
External links
- Road to Freedom at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Accolades: Road to Freedom at Acclaimed Music