West African Instrumentals & Soulful Vocals Abound On Rachel Brown's EP 'The Band' (Out June 16)

Native New Yorker Rachel Brown's distinct sound blends elements of her roots (Ethiopian, Bermudian, and Southern) with a childhood spent listening to soul greats like Sam Cooke and Smokey Robinson, as well as other R&B, hip hop, and 90's pop. On her new EP 'The Band' out June 16, Rachel teamed up with GRAMMY-Award winning producer Scott Jacoby (Vampire Weekend, Pink, John Legend) to meld these influences into a six-song collection of multidimensional tracks, backed by an international eight piece band playing saxophone, trumpet, percussion and the 21-stringed West African kora.

Kicking off the album, "You Got Me" is a lilting ear-worm supporting Rachel's vocals with a charismatic horn-led groove that leads into "Parallel Universe", Rachel's attempt at finding solace in imagining failed relationships that find happier endings in an alternate reality. "Last Call" most prominently features the kora amid a wistful arrangement. "Speechless" a breezy, reggae-influenced tune, channels The Wailers. "Not Over You" intensifies the album's energy with a powerful kiss off to a past lover complete with a two-person female choir, and the EP closes with "I Wanna Dance With Somebody", a soulful new take on the Whitney Houston classic.
Watch the in-studio video for "You Got Me" -- a "breezy, intricate melody" spotlighting Rachel's "delicate vocals" -- on Idolator.

The self-taught singer-songwriter has earned accolades from both esteemed institutions (Songwriter's Hall of Fame, ASCAP Foundation) and notable musicians. In 2011, Rachel was awarded the prestigious Songwriter's Hall of Fame Abe Olman Award for Excellence in Songwriting, an award with alumni including John Legend and Kat Edmonson. Rachel is also a recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Robert Allen Award, established in memory of classic composer Robert Allen ("Home for the Holidays", "Chances Are") and awarded to songwriters for outstanding pop and jazz songs. Wyclef Jean has performed and collaborated with Rachel and dubbed her music "the future."

'The Band' will be available June 16 and has been Mastered for iTunes in a high-quality, 24-bit mastered release. Hear Rachel talk about 'The Band' here: https://vimeo.com/124984715
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