Customer Reviews

Seasons Change

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been following these cats for a minute and they have grown and matured from a magnificent debut independent album to a second and now third album taking you back to the roots of Africana culture. I just saw them live @ SOBs in NYC for the first time, copped the album at the show, and then lamped in the crib that night and still had to listen to the CD the next day. To say that these cats are deep is an understatement. Evident upon first listening to any track is that they put a lot of thought and care into every song. They value and respect positivity and the creative forces that have taken music of the African Diaspora to where it is today. Get it today!

I bought this album last summer and my aunt heard it and ended up snagging it from me. I drove all over Atlanta until I found a record store that had this album. Luckily, this same record store had copies of their first album(which I had been looking for since 99'). With each album, this band outdoes itself and this album is no different. IMO, this album is by far, the best Fertile Ground album yet.I think that there is more of a variety of sounds on this album than on their last two, but they don't deter from what they are known for: making brilliant music. My favorites are Seasons Change, Cultural Bandits, Higher, Dance and Illumination. If you haven't had the honor of hearing this band's music, you are truly missing out some masterpieces. I recommend this album highly in addition to their previous works, Field Songs and Spiritual War.

This CD is very special to me, because my girlfriend and I were scheduled to perform a cover of their song "Star People" this month. Unfortunately, she is no longer around, so our performance had to be cancelled. However, I am purchasing my own copy of this album, if only to keep her memory alive.

She fell in love with this group after she saw them perform here in Baltimore (I believe this is their home town), and I fell in love with them because I fell in love with her.

Peace...

I decided to try Fertile Ground's album based on a few recommendations on this site that piqued my interest. Fertile Ground's style is acid-jazz like Brand New Heavies, Monday Michiru, Jamiroquai and others.

While Brand New Heavies "acid-jazz" style is more funk-rooted, Fertile Ground's aesthetic leans more toward jazz. They do draw/incorporate many different influences in their musical arrangments from reggae, salsa, and funk. Like, Jamiroquai, Michiru, and the Brand New Heavies - Fertile Ground's lyrics aim at increasing listeners' self-esteem, spiritual, and introspective process. Their lyrics also are nicely politically conscious.

Although there are a number of highlights on this album, I have a few favorites. The title song, "Seasons Change" is a magnificent jazzy number - rooted deeply in the Acid-Jazz tradition.
"Dance" is another favorite of mine on this album. It starts off with a jazz vibe - the lead singer scatting throughout it, but then the musical arrangments saunter into AfroCuban salsa vibe. "Culture Bandits," another nice one, veers into reggae/dancehall - I especially love the bassy downbeat on this "Bandits..." "One Mo Gin" is another favorite. "More to Life" is another jazzy introspective piece. There are few filler songs on this album, which was very nice.

This album is nice to listen on chilly, rainy days...or any day you feel like the weight of the world is getting you down. This is an album to pick you up. I'm sure this album is not for everyone, so check out samples of this album, and even the lyrics if you can find them. But, if you do like this album, I'd also recommend Brand New Heavies' "Brothers and Sisters" or Jamiroquai's "Travelling without Moving" or Monday Michiru's "Delicious Poison."

Each CD is better than the one before it. Daya's voice continues to get only richer and richer. And what, music with a message? This is for people capable of independent thought. Thank you, thank you!!

I find Fertile Ground to be a wealth of water in the midst of a drought. Keep keepin' it real y'all.

I'm a long time supporter of the assiduous efforts of James Collins and his beautiful creation: "Fertile Ground". This is thier third release following the beautiful works of: "Field Songs" and "Spritual War". The band built up a strong word-of-mouth following in the Late '90s by touring the east coast constantly, concentrating on small venues and night clubs. Wowing an ever-growing audience with boundless musical dexterity and an unparalleled vibe-building panache. In addition to amassing a sizable following, their self-released album, Field Songs, I think sold well for an independent release; soon, they were attracting the attention of soul heads world wide after Spirtual War. Paying homage to the jazz and soul groups who helped to influence and form their musical character, Fertile Ground has mustered up a soul master piece with "Season Change". This CD blends a mix of soulful grooves and eclectic percussive rhythms to create a majestic portrait of musical art they can claim as their own sound.

Like my Julie Dexter "Dexterity" CD and a few others, I grabbed this one 2 weeks before it was released, by seeing them perform on thier promotional tour in Atlanta in May. This is the best CD I own from any band in any era. This CD contains 16 beautiful tracks of soulful ear candy. Any soul head, any jazz head, and real music lover would fall in love with this gem. I haven't heard one person say anything bad or negative about this band. Navasha (lead singer),Marcus Asante and James Collins and the other cat(sorry can't remember his name/horn player) have giving the music industry a blueprint of tasteful music....... listen and learn.

oNe

track listing:
01. Rise
02. Freedom
03. Season Change
04. The Moment
05. Like Poetry
06. Dance
07. Culture Bandits
08. Illuminations
09. One Mo Gin'
10. 6/8
11. More To Life
12. Drive
13. Take Me Higher
14. Come 2 Me
15. I Remember You
16. Star People

... i had a few extra bucks (no fareal such a thang tho, is it??) in my pocket and wasnt really expeckin to buy anything... just nosing around the local underground-music-record-store.
fumbled thru some r&b...
bumbled thru some hiphop...
mumbled over some reggae... then
stumbled across these cats.
(they was mixed in with 'house' & 'drum & bass' section... i 'ont know why... these folks is definitely NOT anything like house or dnb; not with this album anyway!)

anyway... i got to sample this before i purchased it... and i was (insert a word you caint say around yo mama anem) blown away!
not 'heavy and loud' blown away... but as blown away as downtempo, my-mellow-my-man-jazzfunk can blow a big brotha like me away... ...soft and focused.

yeah, very jazzy... jazz, um, ish... too much groove to be smoove-jazz... too underground-lounge to be some neosoul wannabe.

if you was gonna take the love of your life out to some late night coffee house for the friday open mic, then, these are the folks who'd be warmin the stage up when all the spitkickers got done reciting they flows, feal me?

some real nice laid backness....

I highly reccommend all of Fertile Ground's CDs. The newest one, "Seasons Change" is on some smoothed-out grown-ups music vibe. Right there in the vein of Sade, Rachelle Ferrell, and Anita Baker. Complete with real instruments and horns plus AMAZING VOCAL WORK from Navasha Daya this disc will grab you from the opening bars of Rise/Freedom. If you love authentic neo-soul, without any hint of pretentiousness don't walk run out and get Seasons Change!!!

This album is filled with incredible funk-flavored jazz pieces that the "neo-soul" crowd SHOULD be listening to! Songs like 'The Moment', 'Like Poetry' & 'Culture Bandits', to name just a few, are just right on point! I also love the lead singing of Navasha Daya interspersed on one song('Like Poetry') with a FRESH NEW poet on the scene, OLU Butterfly woods..but the real strength in this group is with the writing done, mainly, by the bass/keyboard player James Collins. If you want to listen to some REAL reflective music done by REAL artists, then this CD is a CAN'T MISS! Get it now!

If I could rate this album 10 stars,I would. I have been a fan since they used to play @ Morgan homecomings 1999 and eyond. As fellow Morgan University Graduates, I must give that home grown flavor much love!! With Maysa trading vocals with the ever so soulful and beautiful N'Vasha - superb. This will only get airplay on a quiet storm on a college radio station -like WEAA 88.9 Morgan State University radio--or even WHUR in DC (Howard University). They are the epitome of 'underground' and grew from word of mouth. I love the track titled - Culture Bandits--it perfectly describes the way the industry violates the music of today, but Fertile Ground, as well as other artists in the 'neo-soul' movement (I really HATE that term) make music for the love of music, not the fanfare, not the fame, or notoriety. I love them for that...and to see them live is a spiritual and soul-stirring experience. I wish other artist would take a lesson from them--be real--to yourself, and not be SELLOUTS!!!


Peace and Blessings,

Tina