By: Monet Anais

Soul-infused beats, a capacitor of swing, and the redolent echoes of jazz imbibe the latest auditory tapestry woven by Cliff Beach. A mirror of complete dedication to authentic music-making, “You Showed Me The Way,” is his newest contribution, provoking listeners to chart the depths of musical luminary’s endless creativity.

Washington, D.C.-born Beach is no stranger to the profound enchantment of harmonies. Rooted in a devout household, Beach embarked on his journey with music through church choirs and acapella groups. Devouring rudimentary lessons of piano at a tender age, the starlet honed his skills through countless recitals, ensuring his voice and the piano became instruments in seamless symphony.

An alumnus of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, this spectacular musician combines grit, imagination, and an unwavering commitment to his craft. Decamping to Los Angeles in 2003, Beach embarked on his professional odyssey, surmounting initial struggles to then sway audiences with magnetic performances, backed by his 7-piece ensemble and background vocalists.

For Beach, the semantics of genre is secondary, with every musical conception rooted in American culture. The vocalist’s prime concern is the potency of his message, ensuring his music appeals diverse audiences.

His music catalog is an eclectic blend fashioned over a decade, matching the flavor of each year and the vagaries of his musical inspiration. Debuting in 2013 with “Who the Funk is Cliff Beach?” he made an explosive entry on the scene, garnering nominations for several L.A. Music Awards, including Record of the Year, Jazz Artist of the Year, and Urban Music Artist of the Year. Renowned publication Alpha Magazine once lauded Beach’s distinctive style, praising his soulful music and superior musical abilities.

Beach’s expansive arsenal boasts an enviable podcast, sterling performances on radio and television, and a thriving record label – a true testament to his versatile talent. His melodic concoctions broadly traversed in the realms of jazz, soul, R&B, funk, and neo-soul, with his tracks amassing over 1,000,000 streams on Spotify. This musical maestro also boasts an array of awards, including the coveted John Lennon songwriting contest Grand Prize.

Photo Courtesy: Sheldon Bolter Photography

“You Showed Me The Way” is his melodic tribute to jazz; the entire compilation devised from Ella Fitzgerald’s monumental songbook. Each track invokes nostalgia for a different era of the illustrious queen of jazz. This album diverges from his previous offerings, focusing on renditions rather than original compositions.

In a riveting departure, Beach did not take to the piano for this album. Instead, he entrusted the task to television and film composer Munenori “Moon” Kishi. His cadre of musicians includes the talented Evan Mackey, Rubén Salinas, Sam Williams, Luis Cárdena-Casillas, Satoshi Kirisawa, Andy Moresi, Leah Concialdi, and Joe Ferruzzo.

From the seductive tones of “That Old Black Magic” to the illustrious notes of “Round Midnight” and “How Long Has This Been Going On,” every song is an homage to jazz’s transformative power. His allegiance to the art form remains unwavering, even in his original piece, “The Gift of the Blues,” which aptly closes the rendezvous with yesteryears.

Reflecting on Ella Fitzgerald’s influence, Beach muses, “I’ve been so inspired by her not only because she was an amazing improviser, but she also delved into different types of music later in her career. She did songs by the Beatles, Ray Charles, Jobim, and others.”

Commanding and emotive, Beach’s voice transforms these standards, breathing a contemporary ethos into snippets of jazz history. The album stands as a testament to his respect for the past and the possibilities of the new.

Catch a glimpse of Cliff Beach’s unyielding pursuit for musical mastery by following him on Instagram @cliffbeachmusic. Hear the new album here.

Published By: Aize Perez

By: Maria Williams

In music — as with other industries — the real kingmakers work behind the scenes. For decades, Harlem’s Afla Blvck has been one such kingmaker in the vibrant world of New York music. But now, he’s eager to claim his place in the spotlight in the Harlem music world and beyond.

You might be familiar with Alfa Blvck by way of the Lite Feet movement, a dance style that started in Harlem in 2006 and quickly spread around the world. 

Alfa Blvck was one of the main artists behind that movement. “And I was one of the proprietors of that music before I was old enough to drink,” he says. “Before I was old enough to be called a legal adult in America.”

Though Alfa Blvck was an incredible creative force behind the Lite Feet movement, he wasn’t one of the people loudly promoting it. Lite Feet got its first boosts of popularity from many in the Harlem rap community — and some outside of it. 

“St. Catharine, Cathedral, all-girls schools — they played my stuff throughout the city a lot,” he says. It caught on, and soon, people worldwide were making their own Lite Feet videos and posting them online. “So that was my Lite Feet legacy. That’s how it got started,” he says.

Alfa Blvck’s versatility as an artist and producer is a major part of why he’s been an influential part of the New York music scene for so many years. He credits that versatility to the creative freedom he enjoyed in childhood. 

“I was 11 when I started Acid Pro 3.0,” he says. “I can use any interface now. Nobody was managing me. I was a kid from the projects, just making music. So nobody was like you should focus on beats first or rap first.”

Until now, Alfa Blvck has primarily focused that talent and versatility on developing other artists, organizing shows, and otherwise infusing new life into the Harlem music scene. With years of writing, producing, and performing behind him, he’s more than ready to build his own brand.

Given his background, you might expect Alfa Blvck to describe himself as a rap or hip-hop artist. He doesn’t. 

“I’m definitely omnidirectional with my genres,” he says. “I’ve been able to experiment a lot over the last 20 years. I’ve done rock songs. I’ve written full-on songs for women and girl groups. I don’t see any genre. But as a musician, if I hear it and I feel it, I can put it down.”

So what does Alfa Blvck’s personal renaissance sound like so far? “BREAD,” his latest single, combines elements of old-school and modern hip-hop. The emoji-inspired “Peaches & Eggplants” shows off both his impressive vocal timbre and his ability to deliver rapid-fire verse after verse.

These two singles are just the beginning, and there’s no telling what we’ll see from Alfa Blvck next. But given his genre-bending abilities and independent spirit, his new releases will be memorable. “I’m doing things myself,” he says. “I want to be an individual.”

Published by: Nelly Chavez