Wednesday, March 28, 2007

White & Luttrell

Here are two Mormon artists—Brooke White and Jacob Luttrell—that really deserve their own posts, but I'm going to lump them together for conservation. (I've actually been intending to cover them for a while but haven't found the time or energy.) Plus I think of them, in some regards, in the same vein.

What makes these artists similar isn't necessarily style or genre, though I would contend there is something similar there. But these two are more definitively similar in regards to an era of music that, in many respects, culminated in the early 1970s. Singer/songwriters had a strong showing at this time, as did various Motown artists. I sometimes like to think that Carole King and Marvin Gaye both epitomize these two early 1970s movements, respectively. I also like to think that Carole King and Marvin Gaye epitomize the essence of White and Luttrell, respectively, though they are arguably contemporary and unique in their sound. Certainly they both draw on these influences, and at least in the case of Brooke White, Carole King is a direct interest and influence.

In some essence, as a songwriter, Brooke White is still getting off the ground and defining her style. But this is all happening rather rapidly for her, perhaps—but not quite—like the still-relatively-underground Ray LaMontagne, who woke up one day, "decided to quit his job at a shoe factory and pursue a career in music," and "quietly sold over 250,000 copies" on his debut album. Granted, White hasn't experienced this kind of underground swell yet, but I suspect her day is coming, and she has certainly evolved quickly as a musician who wrote her first song, if memory serves me correctly, not too long ago.

White performs somewhat regularly at the famous Roxy on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. She carries a distinctive and sultry crack in her voice, though you wouldn't know it from every song, as she can lull so smooth when wanted. White might also be vaguely compared to Joss Stone. Her first album, Songs From the Attic, is significant in its originality and composition, and even includes a very nice cover, which I like more than the original, of Aerosmith's 1973 hit, "Dream On."

White will be touring around the Southwest soon, and is working on new material. She will also be performing again at the Roxy on April 4th. Her website can be visited here, and her myspace page here, where some of her music can be sampled.

Jacob Luttrell, as I said, really does deserve a post of his own, but, well, here we are. I first discovered Luttrell through a friend about two years ago on my birthday at a Los Angeles club on Pico, The Mint. It was perhaps the best birthday surprise I ever received. I admittedly hadn't much expectation, but almost from the second he opened his mouth, I was ecstatic. He is, in a word, electrifying, and while his music stands superbly on its own, he is even better in person.

Luttrell's band is tight. That is to say that he works with real musicians, with an obvious ear for not mere soul, but jazz and gospel too. And like White, he writes his own material. Luttrell has also been around the block, as he toured backup with Clay Aiken in his early post-American Idol days.

There is, perhaps, too much to say about Luttrell in a short post like this. He's frequently compared to Stevie Wonder, which seems clear enough when you hear his unbelievable voice, but I think the Marvin Gaye comparison is actually more apt. Even so, he doesn't fit in a box. He's like all the greats in many ways: Gaye, Wonder, Cooke, Redding, Jackson, Richie, and maybe even a sprinkle of Barry White. But in his throwback, as evidenced on his premiere self-starter album, Old School, he is more like a reincarnation of something new, kind of like John Legend or Maxwell who nevertheless don't seem to have as much soul to show for all their clout.

Luttrell joined the Church not too long ago, and has since married with a child on the way. He has also moved to Utah to follow some opportunities, where he is making the rounds among the locals. Needless to say, wherever he goes, he seems to make waves. Check out some of his music, plus some video samples, over here at his myspace page.

One surprise, in both of these artist's cases, is while their music is a throwback, it's surprisingly fresh. Real music. No synth or drum machines, but just good ol' classic sound. Which is where I think they are most similar: they are classic. I expect to see big things from these prodigies.

Also, as a footnote, it might be noted White & Luttrell are linked as friends on myspace.com. :)

Labels: music

posted by Rhapsidiomite @ 8:56 PM
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