GS:NEW MUSIC
Najee – Poetry In Motion
12 September 2017FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: New York, NY (August 17, 2017) – On Friday, August 25, 2017, Grammy Nominated and award-winning international saxophonist and flautist, Najee, will release his highly anticipated new album “Poetry In Motion”, on Shanachie Entertainment. Najee’s musical journey as a multi-platinum instrumentalist is what has catapulted him for being one of the most sought after musicians in both genres of Jazz and R&B. His new album, produced by Barry Eastmond (Anita Baker, Whitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin), features Incognito, Will Downing, Eric Roberson, Maysa, Bobby Lyle, and Blake Aaron. It has been almost 30 years since Eastmond and Najee worked together. This reunion and new album are what Najee considers “a labor of love…and a pleasure to work with the legendary producer.” Eastmond’s creative energy, focus, and experience are what brought all these different facets together.
“Poetry In Motion” is Najee’s 17th studio-album and fourth release on Shanachie Entertainment label. As he states, “What makes this album special to me is the ability to work with my friends and create a project that has so many different elements but yet makes sense musically speaking.” The meaning behind the title “Poetry In Motion” is a phrase that describes the flow of the music as well as the contributions by the artists involved. Najee was inspired by the title from a friend and renowned singer Will Downing, who he gives credit to. Downing used the phrase while recording Najee’s tribute song to Prince and Al Jarreau “We’ll Be Missing You”. Najee has toured and recorded with both Prince and Al Jarreau for many years. This song is an ode and appreciation to both artist’s impact and influence on Najee himself and within the industry. Downing’s vocal depth for this song adds a warmth to an elevated melodic climax complimented by Najee on soprano saxophone.
Najee’s new offering is fused with his signature smooth R&B sound, along with sultry nuances and exchanges provided by the featured guest artists. When reflecting on working with Eastmond, and guest artists Downing, Incognito, Maysa, Bobby Lyle, and Blake Aaron, Najee states, “The beautiful thing about this particular project is that I get to work with friends that I love and respect in the music industry…and their contributions and gifts to bring home a project that I think my fans will enjoy.” One of the artists that Najee worked with for the first time, is singer and songwriter, Eric Roberson. Najee considers this collaboration, long overdue as both artists have known each other for many years. The R&B track, “Is It The Way”, encompasses Roberson’s soulful vocal harmony, merged with Najee’s technical phrasing on soprano saxophone, and Eastmond’s melodic chord arrangements. “Eric Roberson is a special talent that I’m honored to have on this album. A superstar in the R&B and Soul sector of our industry, he brought a different element with this record,” states Najee. The lead single from the album “Let’s Take It Back”, is an uptempo collaboration with the international and award-winning band, Incognito. According to Soultracks.com, the new single is “…a cool Summer jam that is getting us moving in our seats, and gets us excited to hear the full album.”
“Poetry In Motion” is currently available for pre-order via iTunes and Amazon Music. It will be released worldwide on August 25th. For more information about the album and Najee’s upcoming tour dates, please visit www.najeeofficial.com or @najeeofficial (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).