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."

2002 limited edition of 2001 album comes with a bonus disc featuring remixes & live material. Bonus CD tracklisting, 'Girlfriend' (Remix), 'Gangsta Lovin' W/ Eve, 'Fallin' (Remix W/ Busta Rhymes), 'A Woman's Worth' (Remix), 'Butterflyz' (Remix), 'How Come You Don't Call Me' (Neptune's Remix), 'Troubles' (Remix), 'Fallin' (Ali Soundtrack Version), 'Live Segment' (Intro) (I) Moonlight Sonata (Ii) New Alicia Classical Piece (Iii) Ain't Misbehavin'', 'Goodbye' (Live), 'Never Felt This Way' (Live), 'Butterflyz' (Live), 'Caged Bird' (Live), 'I Got A Little Something For You' (Live) & 'Someday We'll Be Free' (From America A Tribute To Heroes). BMG.

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".