Alicia Keys Songs In A Minor CD

Alicia Keys won the 2002 Grammy Award for Best New Artist. SONGS IN A MINOR won the 2002 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. "Fallin'" won the 2002 Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and for Best R&B Song.

Picture Roberta Flack with hip-hop trimmings or D'Angelo coming at the world from a female perspective and you get an idea of the immense talent welling up from musical prodigy Alicia Keys. Blessed with a soulful voice, mature-beyond-her-years songwriting, and a classically trained command of piano, it's no wonder music mogul Clive Davis brought the 20-year old performer over from Arista as one of the flagship artists for his new label J Records. Keys displays impressive range on this primarily self-penned debut that finds her taking part in arranging and/or production on every cut, once again redeeming Davis's instincts.

Besides the well-earned buzz for the gripping love-and-loathe single "Fallin'," Keys earns high marks for fusing rap beats and vintage Aretha on a confidently delivered cover of Prince's "How Come You Don't Call Me." Elsewhere, the native New Yorker's flow finds her traversing the same ground as early-'70s Stevie Wonder on the thought-provoking "The Life," while "Goodbye" proves to be the quintessential Quiet Storm kiss-off. Keys wraps up SONGS with a sanctified mix of stride piano, lush strings, and gospel-flavored back-up singers on "Lovin' U."

Like Erykah Badu and other retro-soul artists who have followed her, Alicia Keys is trying to redefine modern R&B by injecting it with jazz and blues. In Songs in A Minor, Keys accomplishes her goal with poise and skill. The highlight of the album is "Fallin'," the debut single that features a haunting piano-and-strings arrangement reminiscent of James Brown's classic "It's a Man's Man's Man's World." Keys' piano work on "Butterflyz" and "Goodbye" is equally impressive, as is her flair for up-tempo numbers such as "Jane Doe." [The Japanese edition has two unlisted bonus tracks, both of which have lyrics printed inside the cover: "Lovin' U" and "Rear View Mirror."] ~ Jon Azpiri

Japanese edition of the urban artist's debut album which garnered her 5 Grammy's in 2002 now includes 3 bonus tracks 'Rear View Mirror' which was previously available on the soundtrack to 'Dr. Doolittle 2', 'Fallin' (Extended Remix Featuring Busta Rhymes & Rampage) & 'A Woman's Worth (Remix Radio Edit)'. 19 tracks in all including the hit singles, 'Fallin' & 'A Woman's Worth'. Also included in this Japanese pressing is the US/International bonus track, 'Lovin' U'. Includes lyrics to all tracks. 2002.

CD contains 3 bonus tracks.

Personnel: Alicia Keys (vocals, piano, keyboards, background vocals); Arty White, Cato (guitar); Isaac Hayes (Fender Rhodes piano); John Peters (organ); Brian Cox (keyboards); Richie Goods (acoustic bass, electric bass); Norman Hedman (percussion); Kerry Brothers, Anthony Nance (drum programming); Cindy Mizelle, Kandi Burruss, Paul Green, Andricka Hall (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Manny Marroquin; Gerry "The Gov" Brown; Phil Tan; Russell Elevado; Tony Maserati.

Recording information: Backroom Studios, Glendale, CA; Battery Sounds, New York, NY; Doppler Studio, Atlanta, GA; Hit Factory, New York, NY; KrucialKeys Studios, New York, NY; SouthSide Studios, Atlanta, GA; Unique Recording Studios, New York, NY.

Photographer: Tony Duran.

Arrangers: Kandi Burruss; Alicia Keys.

Personnel: Alicia Keys (vocals, various instruments, piano, keyboards); Jimmy Cozier (vocals): Gerald "G" Flowers, Arty White (guitar); Miri (violin); Isaac Hayes (Fender Rhodes piano); Brian Cox (keyboards); Richie Good (upright bass); Tim Shider, Vic Flowers, Rufus Jackson (electric bass); Norman Hedman (percussion); Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Anthony Nance (programming); Cindy Mizelle, Tammy Saunders, Andricka Hall, Paul L. Green, Kandi B (background vocals).

Producers: Jermaine Dupri, Brian McKnight, Alicia Keys, Kerry "Krucial" Brothers.

Rolling Stone (1/03/02, p.118) - Ranked #2 in Rolling Stone's "Top 10 2001".
Rolling Stone (7/19/01, p.53) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Keys shows a maturity beyond her years...suggesting down-home R&B contemporaries like Jill Scott as well as yesteryear's soul sophisticates..."
Entertainment Weekly (6/29-7/6/01, p.144) - "...A debut full of promise..." - Rating: B
Q (1/03, p.56) - Included in Q Magazine's "100 Greatest Albums Ever"
Q (9/01, p.110) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...A prime candidate to head up the nu-soul revolution...with a voice that challenges Mary J. Blige's....Key's R&B trips to a fundamentally more old-skool set of values....Her sincerity is another plus..."
Uncut (11/01, p.112) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Frequently stunning....Keys soars like a young Aretha Franklin..."
CMJ (4/30/01, p.21) - "...The singer showcases her classical piano training atop slow and somber percussion...her deep soulful voice and heartfelt delivery carry the songs..."
Mojo (Publisher) (1/02, p.71) - Ranked #27 in Mojo's "Best [40] Albums of 2001".