Better late than never!

I first heard Leela James on The Michael Baisden show talking about her love for music and I was immediately interested in the songstress so I picked up her album and was excited to hear someone with such a rich (like chocolate) voice.   The Los Angeles native is doing her thing one more than one genre of music, blending Jazz, Funk, Soul, R&B and even Gospel into a sweet mix on her second LP.

For those who were in the dark (as I was) Ms. James LP, A Change Is Gonna Come features production by Raphael Saadiq, Commissioner Gordon, Kanye West, James Poyser, Vikter Duplaix, Bobby Ross Avila, Aaron Harris, Iz, Wyclef Jean, Jerry Duplessis and Govmatic.

Songs to look out for include "Music", a demand to return to the pastime of good music and less porn on tape, "Soul Food" that talks about love and food in the same breath (who wouldn't love that), "When You Love Somebody", a slow 1960's sounding track talking about what love constitutes, "Prayer", a funky track talking about the higher power and his effect on her life, "Mistreating Me", a track about not putting anyone above yourself and the up-tempo "Didn't I", a song talking about giving all you got with no reciprocation. James also does great covers of Sam Cooke's classic "A Change Is Gonna Come" and No Doubt's "Don't Speak".

Overall I'm glad I got a chance to listen to the LP and I won't miss her next project. She gives you different sounds to listen to that instrument we call a voice! She's like Allen Iverson in that you know you'll get all she has on the track like he does on the court!

I'll give the LP 4.5 Globes.

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