Feature

Rahsaan Patterson 2.0

This month heralds the release of consummate US soul/neo-soul/r&b singer/songwriter/producer Rahsaan Patterson’s house album, “Heroes & Gods”. Hey! Hold on a minute, I hear you say, that album was released back in 2019! And what’s worse, you’ve got the genre wrong too because it was one of the best soul-r&b albums released that year. Well, you are right on both counts but then again, so am I! 2019’s long-player “Heroes & Gods” garnered plaudits from critics, connoisseurs and music lovers everywhere and featured a rich mix of opulent soul with killer vocals care of Rahsaan Patterson. But, now it’s been given a fresh lick of remixed house paint from none other than in-demand New York based producer/remixer/DJ, Quentin Harris. And boy, it’s good!

All 13-tracks have been remixed and house-infused by Harris, with some tunes virtually unrecognisable when compared to their originals. The new album moniker “Heroes & Gods 2.0 (Reimagined)” pretty much does what it says on the label with Harris out doing himself creatively on this project and I’ll be shocked if when we are allowed to freely frequent nightclubs etc again, this album’s dance bangers, and there are many, aren’t dropped to full effect on dancefloors everywhere.

I was lucky enough to catch up with the man himself recently, our old friend the COVID-19 pandemic is still putting pay to face to face interviews at the moment but a breezy phone call was all I needed with this upbeat/chatty artist and I couldn’t wait to get the lowdown on the 47-year old New Yorker’s latest project. Firstly, I ask about the inception of the “2.0” album and how remix wizz Harris became involved?

“I met Quentin in the 2000s and we had never worked together… I have always been a fan of his work, when my album was completed I came to New York City and met with the label who released it, Shanachie. That was probably at the end of 2018 and it was at that time that I had the idea to have a ‘reimagining’, ’remix’ of an entire album with one producer/DJ, with one artist and one album, an entire body of work being approached that way.

You can read more from B&S Editor Lee Tyler's interview with soul/r&b hero Rahsaan Patterson, including the lowdown on new housed up album “Heroes & Gods 2.0 (Reimagined)” and producer/remixer/DJ Quentin Harris' input on the project. All in the latest issue of Blues & Soul magazine - click the 'BUY NOW' link below to order straight from the B&S shop or read on for high street retailer details...

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ESSENTIAL LINKS:

TWITTER: mynameis2long

INSTAGRAM rahsaanpatterson

FACEBOOK facebook/rahsaanpattersonmusic>

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Words LEE TYLER