Pagebu Says Au Revoir!!!

Well folks, I said it once, but now it is official. Pagebu on Music is coming to an end. I have discovered that there are more important things to write about other than music, and some things I want to share in another form, perhaps poetry and prose. So I will make this short and sweet and simply say, it's been fun. It's been real. Au Revoir!!!

"Lost in Time" is Right on Time

I saw that whack-ass review by Melanie Sims of ABC News and had to write something in favor of Eric Benet's new CD "Lost in Time." Eric baby, you did your thang! Unlike Chrisette Michele and El DeBarge, who I was eagerly anticipating, you delivered a beautiful, soulful project that is fluid in hits from beginning to end. I'm shocked that the song Chrisette does with you,"Take It," is more soulful than all the tracks on "Let Freedom Reign" combined.

"Lost in Time" is Eric Benet's best effort to date. I've always been a fan of his debut project, "True to Myself," and have enjoyed selections he's recorded since then, like the gem "Sweet Dreams" on Wayman Tisdale's "Way Up" CD. In the same vein, I'm glad Eric kept it real and isn't selling out like the rest of the so-called R&B artists that have gone mainstream. (The list is too long to mention names here!) So thank you for the soul, Eric. Thank you for the soul.

And as for you Melanie Sims, who told you you knew good soul music? Clearly, you don't know the genre and need to resign.

20 of the Best Holiday Recordings Ever!!!

So I've given you a list of some of my favorite holiday CDs, but in case you want to make a CD of your own and buy individual tracks from your favorite digital outlet, here are 25 of the best holiday recordings, in my opinion of course! I put the CD where you can find them in parantheses. Enjoy!

1. "This Christmas" - Donny Hathaway (A Donny Hathaway Collection)

2. "Santa Baby" - Eartha Kitt (What a Wonderful Christmas, Louis Armstrong & Friends)

3. "The Christmas Song" - Nat King Cole (The Christmas Song)

4. "Back Door Santa" - Clarence Carter (The Original Soul Christmas)

5. "Merry Christmas All" - The Salsoul Orchestra Feat. Denise Montana

(Christmas Jollies, The Salsoul Orchestra)

6. "Santa, Please..." - Toni Braxton (Snowflakes)

7. "Carol of the Bells/What Child is This?"- Yolanda Adams
(Christmas With Yolanda Adams)

8. "Christmas Fantasy" - Anita Baker ("Christmas Fantasy")

9. "Sleigh Ride"- Ella Fitzgerald (Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas)

10. "My Favorite Things" - Diana Ross & The Supremes
(Merry Christmas by Diana Ross & The Supremes)

11. "White Christmas" - Will Downing (Christmas, Love and You)

12. "Christmas Only Once a Year" - Chaka Khan
(Jermaine Dupri Presents 12 Soulful Nights of Christmas)

13. "What Child is This?" - Poncho Sanchez
(Playboy's Latin Jazz Christmas, A Not So Silent Night)

14. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" - Toni Braxton
(40 Years: A Charlie Brown Christmas)

15. "Ave Maria" - Kelly Price (One Family)

16. "Joy to the World" - Mariah Carey (Merry Christmas by Mariah Carey)

17. "Carol of the Bells" - Donald Lawrence Featuring The Tri-City Singers
(Hello Christmas)

18. "Hey Santa" - Ashanti (Ashanti's Christmas)

19. "Born in a Manger- Patti Labelle (This Christmas by Patti Labelle)

20. "Give Love on Christmas Day" - The Jackson 5 (Jackson 5 Christmas Album)

21. "Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive" - Howard Hewitt
(Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration)

22. "No Room at the Inn" - Mahalia Jackson (Silent Night, Holy Night)

23. "Carol of the Bells" - Mary Mary (A Mary Mary Christmas)

24. "Christmas Time is Here" - Brian McKnight
(40 Years: A Charlie Brown Christmas)

25. "O Come, O Come Emmanuel/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - Daryl Coley & Beloved
(Christmas is Here)

12 Holiday CDs for Your Collection

Happy holidays to you all. I thought I'd give you some CD recommendations if you're kind of stumped or may not know exactly what's out there to choose from. I'm a soul music and jazz fan, so my selections will be coming primarily from those genres and range from contemporary artists to some of the legends who recorded fine product in my opinion. Here's a list of 12 of the best that I think will keep you satisfied from beginning to end, in no particular order, but the first two are definitely tops on my list.

1. "Snowflakes" - Toni Braxton (Gets my vote for the sexiest Christmas CD ever!)

2. "Merry Christmas" - Mariah Carey (This is gospel, pop, and everything in between!)

3. "Christmas, Love and You" - Will Downing (Another sensual take for the holidays)

4. "Christmas Fantasy" - Anita Baker (Anita's jazzy vocals go well with these tunes)

5. "One Family" - Kelly Price (Kelly brings the soul to Christmas)

6. "Christmas" - Kirk Franklin and the Family (If you need some contemporary gospel)

7. "Playboy's Latin Jazz Christmas: A Not So Silent Night" - Various Artists
(Contemporary latin rhythmic takes on classic holiday songs - Divine!)

8. "Jackson 5 Christmas Album" - The Jackson 5 (Classic!)

9. "A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector" - Various Artists
(Doo-Wop at its best)

10. "The Original Soul Christmas" - Various Artists (Soul music at its best)

11. "A Charlie Brown Christmas"- Vince Guaraldi Trio (Another classic!)

12. "Christmas Jollies" - The Salsoul Orchestra (A disco classic!)

Floetry is Dead. "Floetic Soul" Lives!!!

Gone are the locks. ( I will miss them!) Gone is Marsha. We devoted fans have the memories of "Floetic," "Floacism," and "Flo'Ology." Now it's time for "Floetic Soul."

This is grown folks' music. I'm very happy The Floacist, aka Natalie Stewart, released a seductive and uplifting collection of tunes that reminds you of the Floetry days yet unveils her own flavor and lets you know Floetry is a thing of the past.

Now I'm not gonna lie, I'm putting money on The Floacist succeeding and hope she outsells Marsha because in my opinion, she's the one with stage presence, sensuality, and artistry. I know some of you will disagree, but listen to "Floetic Soul" and leave me a comment and tell me if you differ.

My favorite tracks on this project are: "Breathe," "Need You," "You," "Alright Then" and of course, "Forever." "Floetic Soul" is pure sensuality and positivity, a refreshing musical retreat from a diminished music scene where the lyrics are all the same and bore me.

The Floacist proves that she is an artist in her own solo right. Good luck to you girl! Represent the lyricists, the evolutionists, and the woman who is not afraid to go bald and represent her femininity.

Ciara, What the Hell?!!!

Okay, I gave you some positivity with my independent soul artists, but now I've got to break it down a tad and talk about Ciara's "Ride" video. Now I may be a little late, but I just have to say, Ciara, what the hell?!!!

Just when I thought Beyonce's thick shaking ass was the ass the to see swirling around in a video, Ciara's teasing the viewer with her crotch, swirling and twirling her slim frame, and not leaving much to the imagination in that bathing suit thinly covered by the fur coat. Now here was a chick that I thought was the next Aaliyah. I was the loving the half-girly, half-tomboy image associated with the pretty face. Now as if it wasn't bad enough that "Fantasy Ride" was a a pop fiasco, it is clear that the "powers that be" in that silly corporate record industry have decided that Ciara needs to become the new freak toy of the industry. I mean, come on! Can the chick just dance and take us to the place where Janet left us?

Ciara, you don't need to grind so hard, baby! Some of us enjoy your smokin' choreography and like to leave something to the imagination. We already know you're a beautiful woman, but that grind was just plain ugly.

The Wait Was Worth It

Adriana Evans is a vocalist I have adored since her self-titled debut featuring the single "Seeing is Believing." So I was pleasantly surprised when I did an iTunes search and discovered she put out a new CD called "Walking With the Night." Adriana, I have been waiting for a follow-up CD to "El Camino," and this CD can be summed up in five words -- The Wait Was Worth It.

My favorite tracks? "Surrender" is the ultimate dance jam. Love the hook.

"Astral Projection." What can I say? I just love to hear her riff it throughout a song.

"El Sol." Loved the original ("In the Sun") on her first CD, but this one takes it up a notch and gives it a new flavor.

"Suddenly." Hmmm. Deep. A new take on the affair song?

Now only if you would tour the East Coast, in particular New York City, Ms. Evans, and I'd be straight.

Preview Adriana Evans' CDs on iTunes