Month: February 2017

Her journey started on the burgeoning music scene in Atlanta, GA after falling in love with the bass guitar while studying Journalism at UC Berkeley. Her career as a bass-player skyrocketed after attending a bass camp led by the legendary Victor Wooten where she was invited to tour with him merely three months after the bass camp.

With limited funds, a heart full of passion and an energy that exudes resilience, she auditioned for Beyoncé and was selected as a band member and assistant Musical Director. While touring and working with the super-star for over 5 years, Divinity appeared on countless television shows including: The Grammy’s, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Saturday Night Live, Good Morning America with personal highlights including a special performance at The White House for President Barack Obama.

Divinity also acted as the Musical Director for K-Pop sensation, 2NE1 and joined them on their first worldwide New Evolution Tour in 2012. She played The Arsenio Hall Show, 106 and Parkand The Queen Latifah Show with rapper B.o.B. and has backed legends like Patti Labelle, Kelly Rowland, Erykah Badu and Gladys Knight on BET’s Black Girl’s Rock television show.

Despite these appearances with so many legendary and iconic figures, it is in her solo performance Divinity shines the brightest. Her ability to simultaneously play bass guitar while fronting her own band captivates audiences around the world. Her 2012 ‘Roxx Boxx Experience’ received critical acclaim as the ultimate funk mash-up of hip-hop and rock, featuring appearances by Grammy award winning artists and musicians Bootsy Collins and Killa Mike.

2016 has been the year of evolution as Divinity released her highly anticipated album, ‘ImPossible.’ From jazzy riffs to dub bass lines, hip-hop and rock, to straight r&b sensibilities, the resilience, bold and honest approach to the music sets this up to be Divinity’s breakout project. We truly get a sense of the artist she has evolved into and the purpose of her art. The first single, ‘We Are’, was released in 2015, produced by the great Keith Harris and inspired by the late June Jordan, her most influential professor while studying at UC Berkeley.

“We Are is more than a song, it’s the message I want to give to the world. We are the only ones who can positively effect the change we want to see in this world”. -divinity

Rob Smith is a professional bassist, teacher, and clinician. He has taught over 25,000 lessons and has been an instructor at Gerald Veasley’s Bass BootCamp for the past eight years. He won the WMMR Building the Band contest and was previously named Philadelphia’s best rock bassist by Origivation magazine. Rob is currently performing and recording with Dave Weiner, Rob Balducci, and Matthew Landis. He proudly endorses Skjold Basses.

Bass Guitar Impresario, Al Turner, affectionately called “The Burner” returns with his latest record “This Is”, his fifth solo recording! Self-produced, “THIS Is” features upbeat, joyful and melodic tunes and like all of Al’s recordings, the groove is the central theme throughout. Stellar musicians including, Marlon McClain, Tom Braxton, Ron Otis, Dana Davis, Darryl Wakefield, Calvin Rodgers, Jeff Canady, Monty Q. Pollard, Mark Mitchell, Jordache Grant, Darryl Dixon, Rick Watford, Melvin Jones, Mike Burton, Shedly Abraham, Gino Castillo and Eric Willis lend their talent and skill to help tell the musical story of each track.

“Earl Klugh, Bob James and James Jamerson are three of my musical heroes. I have learned so much about melody, production and the groove from these legendary musicians” Al says as he reflects upon some of the influences that helped shape this exciting new recording. As a tribute to his longtime friend and bandmate Earl Klugh, Al does his rendition of the classic “Living Inside Your Love”, which features the beautiful vocal stylings of L’Renee. Al is very excited to share his new music with the world.

Turner is certainly no stranger to the industry and many artists. A bassist since age 12, Turner has played with some of the brightest luminaries in the business. Al is currently the Musical Director for Kem as well as Jazz great, Earl Klugh, and has performed with some of the top names in the music industry. You can hear his cleverly and meticulous bass lines on recordings by Kem, Aretha Franklin, Oleta Adams, Anita Baker, Nancy Wilson, Randy Crawford, Gladys Knight, Bob James, Earl Klugh, Ron Isley, Will Downing and Patti LaBelle to name a few. In addition, Al has written and produced songs for recording artists Earl Klugh, Bob James, Kem, Tim Bowman, Edgar Wallace, Jr., Guy Ensley & Ron Otis. Always in demand, Al has toured the world with Earl Klugh, Kem, Bob James, Cheryl Lynn, Oleta Adams, David Benoit and Everette Harp. Television performances include, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, The View, The Steve Harvey Show, Good Morning America, The Jimmy Kimmel Show, The Arsenio Hall Show, The Mo’Nique Show, as well as several performances at the White House. Al’s artistry exceeds category and has been featured on many television and radio commercials.Driven by artistic mastery, Al Turner “The Burner” is an A-List side man and has performed hundreds of live shows nationally and internationally and continues to amaze and thrill audiences who will undoubtedly find themselves grooving to “This Is”.