*“It was two years in the making. Well, not quite two,” said Grammy-winning Jazz saxophonist Marion Meadows about his new album “Just Doing Me” (Shanachie Entertainment). “It’s just a continuation of what I do.”
What he does on “Just Doing Me” is so fresh. He has his own sound like all the iconic sax players before him. The “Just Doing Me” project is Marion’s 17th album. This album is supported by some heavy hitters in the Jazz genre, which include Grammy Award-winning Paul Brown (guitar), pianist Rahni Song (Nelly, Melba Moore, Stevie Wonder), Grammy Award-winning bass and keyboardist Wirlie Morris (SOS Band, Keith Sweat) and Grammy-nominated keyboardist Chris “Big Dog” Davis (Brian McKnight, Maysa) – to name a few.
“He (Big Dog) has been on my last three albums,” Meadows said when I asked about having such a well-sought-after keyboardist and producer as Chris Davis on his new project. “There’s also Paul Brown and Wirlie Morris from the SOS Band.”
Marion Meadows is Dr. Marion Meadows and every time I interview him, I throw “Dr. Marion Meadows” out there for him, because it is such a huge honor. He earned degrees from Berklee College of Music in arrangement and composition, SUNY Purchase School for the Arts in music, and a doctorate from Wilberforce University in music.
“At some point, you come up with a formula for what you do,” Marion said when talking about his sax-playing style. “Sometimes you throw the formula out because you see a vision. There are no rules anymore…in art.”
Meadows started his career in music collaborating with The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, George Benson, and Eartha Kitt. Emmy-winning television composer Jay Chattaway of Star Trek opened a door for him that kick-started his career. Jay heard Marion playing his sax in Grand Central Station and as a result, introduced him to Bob James with whom he recorded several singles.
“The music community stays true to what we do. There’s a lot of love and support,” he said about the community of artists as we ended our interview. “It takes less energy to love.”
Love is what Dr. Marion Meadows’ sax brings to the 11-track “Just Doing Me” project – pure love. www.MarionMeadows.com
SYNDICATED COLUMN: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Business Management/Public Relations Strategist and Consultant at Freelance Associates and is Promotions Director (at-large) for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com. EVENTS: “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference (ULMII), founded by Eunice in 1999, is in its 25th year. The next events are coming to Baltimore via Zoom on Saturday, April 20, 2024, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and Los Angeles via Zoom on Saturday, November 9, 2024. The ULMII event is a free entertainment conference offering a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase, and a National Talent Competition (vocal, songwriting, dance, and acting) where aspiring artists have a chance to receive over $19,000 valued in prizes/product/services. Log onto www.UpliftingMinds2.com and RSVP for Zoom Access at EventBrite.com or email [email protected].
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