As I mentioned, after the election, I took a brief trip South that started out well and ended badly. Another longterm friendship is likely kaput but this one is a bit more complicated than the situation earlier this year. At some point I may blog about it. Suffice to say, I came back feeling very out of sorts. I definitely needed to take off the blues and leave some shit behind. Good thing I had two spectacular concerts lined up to make it all better.

You already know how Maxwell left me in a state of pure bliss. I was just as excited to see Foreign Exchange the next evening. I am a huge fan of Nicolay’s production and you already know how I feel about Phonte and and Yahzarah.

Leave It All Behind has been on constant rotation in the pod and is sure to make my top albums of the year list. I could not wait to see Phonte and Nicolay bring the album alive on stage. Then to hear that Yahzarah, Muhsinah and Zo (of Zo & Tigallo Love The 80s) would perform with them was music to my ears.

I’m sure you are still as worn out from reading the Maxwell review as I am from writing it. So I’m going to keep this one brief and let the music speak for itself!

I’ll just say that this was one of the best shows I’ve been to this year. The multi-talented (rapper, singer, and comedian) Phonte and underrated female soul singers Yazarah (longtime Foreign Exchange collaborator) and Muhsinah didn’t just sing over Nicolay’s beats. They performed and entertained almost all of the songs from the album.  I’ll just highlight my favorites here. The rest you can view over on my You Tube channel.

In between songs from Leave It All Behind and the first album, Connected, Phonte interacted with the crowd as only he can. He broke down for us the key to a successful relationship (which made me crush on him even harder – if possible) and shared the story of the day he met Stevie Wonder *swoon* and Stevie actually knew who he was! Can you imagine what that’s like for a real artist who is grinding his ass off and is not on the radio fourteen times an hour? Good stuff indeed!

So for those of you not yet subscribed to my channel, here is some video of my favorites.

House of Cards (Check out Phonte looking real dapper in his fedora. Too clean. Too pretty.)

Sweeter Than You (Yahzarah sounds so beautiful on this one)

I Wanna Know (Phonte’s relationship seminar is in session at the end of this one)

Nic’s Groove (from Connected)

Take Off The Blues (yes, I did!)

Daykeeper

Okay, obviously like Lays, I can’t have just one. The entire album is really a must-own for any lover of real music. They are just beginning to tour to promote the album with stops planned in North Carolina and Atlanta so far. This is one not to be missed when they come to a city near you. Don’t get left behind!