Abby Dobson

No matter how good your Memorial Day weekend plans may be, Abby Dobson probably has you beat.

"I get to open for Common and Robin Thicke in Aruba . . . How incredible is that!" says the Freeport-based singer, who landed the opening slot at the Soul Beach Music Festival by winning a contest on BlackPlanet.com. "I'm gonna walk away with wonderful experiences."

Dobson was chosen by online voters for the festival, which also includes Jamie Foxx and Estelle, for her sultry R&B song "Born 2 Love U," from the upcoming solo album that she is wrapping up.

With appearances on John Legend and Talib Kweli albums, Dobson is also part of the Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber ensemble led by Greg Tate.

"Would you believe I dreamed of winning?" Dobson said. "And I actually did win! Here's to making the world you dream."

- Newsday.com

Abby Dobson made a big splash on the soul music scene a few years ago, with her soulful voice, expansive vocal range, and a reputation for being an "artist's artist". Over time, the Jamaican born Dobson has collaberated with a number of artists in both the soul and hip-hop world, including Kanye West, Talib Kweli, John Legend, Leela James and Chrisette Michele among others. Dobson gained notoriety and a strong reputation for her live shows, particularly in New York and Philadelphia. All that was missing from her resume was an album that reflected the poise and passion of the New York City resident.

Now firmly entrenched in the soul music world, Abby Dobson springs forth with her debut album, "Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On - Volumood One", has been drawing rave reviews for its eclectic sounds and as well as some of the most heartfelt vocals you'll find in soul music today. The album title is a concept based somewhat on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale as is most everything Dobson writes. It's her deep love of the literary giants that propells Dobson in a different direction of her peers, with such influences as Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, and James Baldwin, among others, leading the way. But the album speaks to more than just a mere fairy tale. "Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On - Volumood One" encourages you to listen to yourself and make the world as you dream it to be. The album, according to Dobson, is broken up into five moods, and they're all conveyed by her passionate vocals.


"I wanted the album to sound warm and intimate like a soulful conversation," Dobson says. "The album was recorded and mixed entirely in analog in order to encourage a warm sonic landscape." Dobson began recording "Sleeping Beauty..." in 2007. It would be two years later when she would complete the mixing of the album, and another year before the mastering was finalized.


Musically, Dobson brings a variety of styles and genres to "Sleeping Beauty..." The album brings a bit of soul, folk and jazz stylings, with hints of reggae/Caribbean and a liberal spritzing of country music. And it works perfectly. "Sleeping Beauty..." never leans too heavily one way or the other musically. The genres are all blended to create a sound that Abby Dobson could hold onto for years to come. And the analog recording certainly doesn't hurt. Just as the music touches on all genres, the lyrics also speak to multiple subjects. Dobson just doesn't lay lyrics down, she makes literary gems that she relays in a heartfelt fashion.


"In the most general sense, I hope to reach good music lovers and listeners who listen with their hearts," Dobson says. "In particular, "Sleeping Beauty..." is a woman's record. The songs are written from a woman's point of view. Having said that, I think the themes of "Sleeping Beauty.. " will also resonate deeply with men who are seekers, thinkers, feelers, dreamers and a little bit restless as well."


Overall, there's not one bad song on "Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On - Volumood One". Whether it's an acoustic feel, or a jazzy vibe, or soulful song with country music stylings, "Sleeping Beauty..." brings you something you can feel. Standout songs include "Cool Rain", "No More Happily Everafter" and "(In the) Castle of My Skin".

- Soulinterviews.com

01. Soul Discoveries – What helped you discover and manifest your talents in singing, songwriting, producing etc?

. Abby Dobson - I discovered my passion for singing, songwriting and producing in very different ways. I was born to sing and am a singer first and foremost. My passion for singing helped me to discover my passion for songs, songwriting and producing. I was born in Kingston, Jamaica and lived there until I was about 7 years old. One day the grownups in my family were eating dinner and I was in the living room listening to the radio and singing along. I didn’t think it was much of a big deal, but I remember that my aunt told everyone to quiet down and listen to me. It was then that I first discovered that what I loved to do around the house (singing) was and could be a very special thing. I’m especially thankful that my mom is an incredibly creative person and helped develop my passion for music. She took me to piano lessons and singing lesions as a kid and always encouraged me to be creative. She is a poet and a visual artist at her core and never had the opportunity to develop those gifts herself. My mom has been fiercely supportive of me as an artist. My cousin Colin was also a major inspiration and influence musically; he introduced me to Prince, Sarah Vaughn, Aretha Franklin and Sweet Honey in the Rock and many other artists that I love. He also helped me discover my passion and talent for singing. He was my first vocal coach and arranger! Although I’ve always loved songs, I didn’t initially desire to write them. I started writing songs out of necessity really … being unable to find songs that spoke to me. My songwriting voice has become special to me. It allows me to express my point of view and helps me to make sense of the world. Production I came to later and this too also came out of necessity. I’ve always loved listening to records and the way they are constructed from the drums to the strings etc. I started producing when I started performing around NY and leading my own band. I produced live shows that I did from a musical stand point. It is because of this experience that I knew I could produce my record. I wanted a producer to produce my record but knew that no one would care for my vision they way I did. Producing is like building a home you want to live in for years to come. It was hard work and I had a blast.

02. Soul Discoveries – Have you got a musical family that encouraged you to create a career?

. Abby Dobson - Although my Mom cannot sing to save her beautiful life, she is a creative Gemini with an awesome artistic spirit. She continues to be a great influence on me as a woman in general and on my career as an artist musician in particular. I get my love for the written and spoken word from her. And, she always encouraged me to speak my mind and to develop my talents as a writer and singer. My singing voice I actually got from my father. His voice was like Nat King Cole and rumor has it that he courted my mom singing Nat’s songs to her on the front porch. My brother Robert has a beautiful voice and is a wonderful percussionist who loves music of all kinds. He played with me once at the South Street Seaport when I opened for Kindred. He is also a co-writer on one of the songs (“I’m Drownin”) on my upcoming album, “Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On”. My cousin Colin is also incredibly musical. He taught himself how to play the piano as a kid and was my Clive Davis growing up. He introduced me to so much incredible music, from Prince to Leontyne Price to Sweet Honey in the Rock to Karen Carpenter to Anita Baker. I would not be the artist I am today without his influence. We had so many amazing conversations and listening sessions about music. I think he was my first musical soul mate.

03. Soul Discoveries - What was it like performing through out New York at S.O.B’s, The Knitting Factory, Joe’s Pub, and Blue Note?

. Abby Dobson - I love performing at all the venues you’ve just mentioned. I especially enjoy performing in intimate venues where you can really see and feel the energy of the fans who come out to support and hear your music. Performing at these venues, especially S.O.B’s and the Blue Note, has been wonderful. I love performing in my home town (NYC) and these two venues have been particularly good to me. Performing at S.O.B.s is like singing in my living room; it holds a very special place in my heart. The staff and management have been so incredibly supportive to me in my career thus far. S.O.B.’s has also been unmatched in NYC as a continuous supporter of Soul Music, whether from independent or Major Label artists. I think it has been a pioneer in this regard. I also love performing at The Blue Note. The first time I took the stage there I was overwhelmed by all the history. A lover of jazz, I consider myself incredibly lucky to have graced the Blue Note stage. It’s incredible to walk through the area by the bar or upstairs near the dressing rooms and see the picture of Anita Baker laughing with Sarah Vaghn knowing that I have also performed on the same stage and walked some of the same halls. These two artists have been great influences on me as a singer and songwriter and I dream of walking in their shoes.

04. Soul Discoveries - You express in your biography that you “Want to touch people/You want to make people feel”. What do you mean by this?

. Abby Dobson -Life can be hard and unforgiving sometimes. Early on, and to varying degrees, I think most of us are asked to keep our true feelings and desires in check and to ourselves. For example, most times when somebody asks another body how she is doing, s/he doesn’t really want to know the actual answer to the knee jerk question (how are you doing?) and often does not wait for a complete response. We are asked to deny parts of ourselves all the time. Moreover, the unforgiving and difficult aspects of life can make some of us want not to feel pain or the heart ache of an experience or situation or anything at all. I think people walk around virtual shells of themselves… not really feeling… or trying like mad not to in order to cope and just get by. A feeling person is a thinking person and more likely to be a person of action. I want to make people feel things they are afraid to feel. I want to move people, to touch their hearts, to inspire people to go make the life they desire….to go make the world they dream.

05. Soul Discoveries – Jazz, blues gospel, pop, country, folk, classic R&B, Rock and soul have musically inspired you. How much?

. Abby Dobson - They’ve all influenced me a whole lot. My sound is a mixture of all these beautiful musical soundscapes. It’s hard to apportion a percentage to each in terms of the amount of influence on me sonically. I love these styles for different reasons. I just love good music filled full with Heart & Soul. I listen to so many different types of music that I love that I knew that my own sound had to be a mixture of them all. If I were in a hotel room listening to my music on my Ipod and someone was trying to figure out my tastes or what kind of person I am, they would have a hard time categorizing me. I go from Pat Benatar to Patty Griffin to Sheryl Crow to Yolonda Adams to Sarah Vaughn to Anita Baker to Tracy Chapman to Whitney to Barbara to Donny Hathaway to Martina McBride to Barbara Hendricks to Mindy Smith to Mary J Blige to Scarface to Hall & Oates to Queen to The Carpenters to Bob Marley to Aretha Franklin to Sade to Renee Fleming….and this is just a taste of what I love to listen to.

06. Soul Discoveries – Lets discuss your new project. What is it titled and how long have you been working on it? What do you think of your own project?

. Abby Dobson - I could go on for days about this one! My album is entitled: “Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On”. And, it seems like I’ve been working on this record (I call her my babygurl) for my whole life. Actually, I have been working on it for the last three years! My inclination is always to move slowly rather than quickly with most things and this project has been no different. It is a concept record loosely based on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale. I was inspired by the idea of someone waking from a deep sleep. I think that most of us are asleep in our own lives, at work, at school, in our homes, our relationships and in our communities. It is a wakeup call to get up and go make the world you dream. The point is that rather than waiting for a prince to kiss you and wake you, rather than waiting for a principality to create opportunities for you, rather than waiting for someone else to give you what you want and need, know that you are the one you have been waiting on. Whatever you think you don’t have or can’t do, yes you do and yes you can. This kiss, however, must come from you…should first come from you. The record is a song cycle told in five moods: Bliss, Lady Blue In the Season of Her Disenchantment, Mean Sleep, In The Castle of My Skin and The Awakening. I love this project. I worked with incredible musicians, singing musicians, and engineers on this record. It was recorded and mixed by Pete DeBoer, an awesome engineer. The artists that shared their amazing gifts with me on this record are too many to name here, but the backing band included Shelton Garner (guitar/co-writer), Nate Jones (on Bass), Skoota Warner (Drums) and Robert Glasper (piano/ Rhodes/co-writer). Backing vocals were largely done by myself, Queen Aaminah, Kendra Ross, Lisala Beatty, Ra Re Valverde, Darius Booker, Mary Wormworth and William Taylor Jr. Also, Raymond Angry (Organ), Christian Ver Halen (Guitar/Co-writer), Gerald Menke (Pedal Steel) and Wes Mingus (Guitar/Co-writer are also on the record. And, a few songs were mixed by Grammy award winners, James Caruso and Russ Elevado. I have a more complete list of the musicians on the record on my web page at www.reverbnation.com/abbydobson. The project was also recorded and mixed to analog tape. Pete and I (as well as my brother and a couple of my dear friends) lugged a lot of analog tape over the course of three years! It was a great experience and I can’t wait to share it with the soul community and the world. My album is full of heart. When I set out to make” Sleeping Beauty”, my main objective was to create a body of work that would speak for me even if it was the only musical statement I ever made on this earth during my lifetime. I wanted to create music that would touch hearts (With every step, I crafted it from my heart for your heart), inspire people to follow their hearts and help people reflect, cope and dream. I wanted to create music that is timeless. I’m excited to share the music after three years. It’s been quite a process. A lot has changed in these three years, the economy tanked, we elected the first Black U.S. president, everything moves so quickly, mystery is no longer cherished, reality is no longer real…but good music still has the potential to inspire, soothe, strengthen, heal… to be relevant to everyday lives. What do I think about my music? It’s damn good music.

07. Soul Discoveries - You have sung back up vocals for Talib Kweli, John Legend and Urban Mystic. How did those experiences help you find your own voice?

. Abby Dobson - They were wonderful learning experiences that solidified my desire to follow my passion and my own dreams, by any means necessary.

08. Soul Discoveries – What do you think of Soul Discoveries?

. Abby Dobson - I think Soul Discoveries is awesome. First off, I love the name. I’m a lover of soul and not just when it comes to music. I love soulful people, places, laughs, expressions etc. I’m thankful for Soul Discoveries because you give everyday people an opportunity to experience artists who create from their souls and who by shining their light, despite the odds, provide moving testimony to the power of pursuing your purpose in this world, regardless. I love that you’ve featured friends of mine and members of my musical family. It is a reminder of the importance of community to any movement worth anything at all. I was reading a piece earlier today called “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House by Audre Lorde in her collection of essays: “Sister Outsider.” She says:”without community there is no liberation…”. I think there is a lot of truth in that statement. I think Soul Discoveries helps build community among lovers of soulful music. This is a beautiful thing. We need each other as artists and as soulful people.

09. Soul Discoveries - What message do you have for your fans and/or Soul Discoveries readers?

. Abby Dobson - I can’t thank my fans enough for their support. Every person who has ever paid me a compliment, sent me an e-mail, sent me a text, written me a poem, recommended me to a friend, brought someone to my show, listened to my music, voted for me to help me win a competition, told me how much my music means to you, or encouraged me to complete “Sleeping Beauty”, I thank you. I thank you with my whole heart. To the Soul Discoveries readers out there, I thank you for supporting soul artists and good music. We need you.

10. Soul Discoveries – Thanks for this interview and good luck with your new album.

. Abby Dobson - Thanks Matthew! Continued success to you and Soul Discoveries!

www.reverbnation.com/abbydobson
- Soul Discoveries

New York City’s IT soul-singer Abby Dobson has been keeping industry suits on the edge of their seats for sometime. While gracing the stages of S.O.B’s, The Knitting Factory and the Blue Note with rave reviews she was also a finalist in the John Lennon Song Writing Competition (R&B category) and as worked as a backup singer with mainstay artists John Legend and Talib Kweli. All the while, Dobson has been meticulously crafting her debut album (wait for it)….. Sleeping Beauty – You Are What You Have Been Waiting For: Volumood 1. Whew, is R&B turning Emo or what?

Despite what you may have heard, Dobson fits perfectly with the R&B genre, although she does tackle it from many different angles; jazz, reggae, soul, gospel and even country make their way on the record but every track is burning slow into the night with light grooves that are not in any way new or wild. That doesn’t mean that Sleeping Beauty is a bore, in fact it is quite the opposite. Over 13 songs, Dobson’s concept record looks at the stages of a relationship gone sour and is “a call for people to wake up and make their dreams come true. Don’t depend on others to define or color what the dream is for you”.

“Cool Rain (A Prelude For Horns)” sets the tone for the record offering up the warm touch of a new relationship before getting love-sick in the tender reggae beat “I’m Drownin’”. These two tracks really sum up the vibe of third track “Didn’t You Know You’d Be The One” where a relationship is wrapped up in six-minutes with an ingenious blend of steel pedal, soft funk and hip-hop grooves. The brutal aftermath of this relationship is found on “Still Alive” where Dobson recalls, “She was abandoned/Ship broken down by the weight of her past/Too many holes in her soul/So empty inside, too damaged to love”. By the bridge, our dear character gets her Waiting To Exhale moment when the dark veil is lifted and met with a squealing Rhodes and a heavenly choir heralds, “I’M ALIVE/STILL ALIVE!”. This is all in the first 4 songs! My personal favourites include, “No More Happily Ever After”, “Be Free” and “Not This Girl” which really show off Dobson’s astounding vocal ferocity and range. Beautiful stuff.

What I love about Abby Dobson’s debut is her absolute commitment to delivering an album for the ladies who believe that they are lost in life without a relationship; even though it may alienate male listeners. Her self-confidence is an inspiration to all and her bold presentation is timeless (keep in mind that Sleeping Beauty is not a singles record). Let’s hope that Volumood 2 will carry on these desperately needed qualities in our entertainment.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

- Stagedoormusic

I was sitting in my mama’s living room in post-Thanksgiving satiety flipping through the Washington Post when I came across a listing about Abby Dobson’s performance at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage the very next day. Since we’d met through her college chum, writer Nicole Moore, time had never permitted me to check her live (including her release party at the Blue Note in November.) Bet. Another chance.

Abby’s got some pipes; her resounding voice a compass directing me to the venue as I arrived just after she, bathed in purple light, began her set. Including songs from her independently released Sleeping Beauty: you are the one you have been waiting on, as well as a couple of covers (her rendition of Prince’s How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore scorched) she both glided on gossamer wings and plunged deep into a place of earthy excavation. At set’s end I went to say hello and the floodgates opened to a stream of grateful listeners, stupefied by her vocal prowess, who queued up to commend her. Abby and I quickly agreed to meet for coffee while we were both in town and I left as she greeted her fans.

View the performance on the Kennedy Center website.

We met up the next day at her hotel, the quirky Hotel Helix (count on Kimpton Hotels for modern rooms with personality) “My mom loves it, she feels like a rock star,” Abby laughed as she gathered her things. We strolled to nearby Mid City Caffè for delicious coffee, tea and pastries and settled in for a chat about her gumption-finding journey from childhood timidity (hiding behind the refrigerator to sing) to securing some of the best musicians in the business to record her music and belting it out before large audiences.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Abby’s first inkling of her gift was at “5 or 6 years old, singing to the radio in the living room, when my aunt shushed the adults at the dining table to listen to me.” When she was seven, her family emigrated to the US, landing in Brooklyn. “Migration is an interesting thing,” she says. “I think it can change your personality. I became quiet, shy and very observant.” Growing up amid a mix of Jewish, Italian and African-American residents she learned to not to speak Patois. Her folks “knew how to turn the accent on and off,” where necessary. She has become one not easily “placed” by how she speaks. “I feel very Jamaican, but I’ve never really spoken Patois– maybe when I’m angry or with just family.”

She attended Plymouth Congregational and “the voices I heard in that church really influenced me. The Jamaican churches preferred classical singing,” a by-product of “Anglican colonization, which was very different from the bluesy Baptist singing” of African American churches. Another influence was her “visionary” elder cousin Colin who introduced her to Sarah Vaughan, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Leontyne Price, Jessye Norman. Though she listened to “a lot of Bob Marley,” she became indoctrinated in the music of Black America and developed a love for Anita Baker, Tracy Chapman, Whitney Houston and Prince.

Her mother, Theda was “an incredible influence. She has always supported my brother’s and my creative pursuits…She was a closet artist,” providing her daughter with voice and piano lessons early on. In high school Abby received private voice lessons from her Chorus teacher who invited her to sing in the Salon Series he held in his home in Bayside, Queens. All nerves and “scared shitless,” Abby traveled with her mom to perform, the only child amid a gathering of adults. “It was cool, I was in the tenth grade.”

She went on to study History and Political Science at Williams College, singing all the while. “I directed a gospel choir there.” Though she knew she wanted to sing, she was “afraid of failing and being unable to sustain myself. When you come to America from an immigrant family, you are expected to succeed in a profession.” So she entered Georgetown Law School intending to establish a career in law or public policy, whilst performing cover tunes at every “open mic” she could. She graduated but declined to take the bar exam knowing that she really did not want to become an attorney. She would commit to building a music career while sustaining herself as a paralegal. Realizing that the best route to landing a record deal is not in performing covers, she began writing her own songs, which was a revelation, opening her to all she had to say. “I grew up in a very female centered household with my mother, grandmother, aunt, my aunt’s kids and my brother. I was an avid reader of feminist and womanist literature which really shaped my point of view.”

Her debut as a singer/songwriter at Nuyorican Poets Café led to appearances at S.O.B’s, The Knitting Factory, The Cutting Room, Joe’s Pub and the Blue Note. Her song, Deeply, a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, was featured on TV shows, “The Shield,” “Jack & Jill” and “Any Day Now.” She has provided backing vocals for artists from John Legend to Talib Kweli; opened concerts for Rahsaan Patterson, Ledisi, Dwele, Chrisette Michele, Floetry, Kindred, Leela James and Robin Thicke and performs with Burnt Sugar: The Arkestra Chamber, the interdisciplinary, improvisatory ensemble led by Greg Tate.

The genesis of her current release was in a realization that she’d been trying for a long time to get notice from a major label. That she’d been waiting to be “spotted across the room by Clive Davis and signed as his pet project.” This notion of a sleeping beauty awaiting awakening by an external source resonated with her. She’d fallen “asleep” in her romantic life, waiting for fulfillment. “As much as it is about not expecting someone else to make me who I’m supposed to be in my personal life,” she explains, “it’s also about not waiting on a record company or music producer to deem me worthy of making music I was ready to share.”

There was a long planning process before she actually began to record in early 2007. She continued her paralegal work. “My 9-5 was part of my story, I needed it. I made good money,” which allowed her to self-fund her record. ”If I could afford to do something, I did it. No compromises.” Like recording and mixing in analog. “People thought I was crazy,” but she wanted her release to have the old-school authenticity of her musical influences. When she got to the mixing stage, she cashed out on a sou-sou, calling on that ‘financial touchstone’ of her Caribbean heritage.


The release is available for download on Amazon & iTunes, but if you enjoy the tactile experience of poring over liner notes, order the disc from CDBaby. Abby put her heart into the packaging and you can peep Greg Tate’s glowing review. Photo by Piper Carter.

Drawing on her literary shero Alice Walker’s “We Are the One’s We Have Been Waiting For: Inner Light in a Time of Darkness,” she weaves the musical tale of Sleeping Beauty’s awakening, not to the kiss of a Prince but to her own inner light. With heralding horns that call to mind the Adagio from Concierto de Aranjuez, the disc begins with Cool Rain giving way to a heritage nod, the reggae-tinged I’m Drownin (witten with her percussion-playing, ethnomusicologist brother, Robert.) Sleeping Beauty continues her 13-track journey on the strains of Robert Glasper’s piano, Lonnie Plaxico’s bass, Marvin Sewell’s guitar and Teo Avery’s sax among others. Rounding out the mélange of genres, Abby completes the song cycle with bluegrass-inflected anthem of reclamation and affirmation, Sleeping Beauty: go make the world you dream.

And she is doing just that. She’s now interested in a distribution deal, not signing to a label. “People are coming back to entrepreneurship. Motown, A&M, that’s how they started.” She shares the story of her moving visit to Detroit’s Motown Museum. “I was in tears. The beauty that was created from a small loan from family is nothing short of miraculous–that they were able to do that in those times.” She admires the forward-thinking vision to protect the brand. “No matter where they were licensed in the world– Japan, for instance– it remained ‘Motown’ not the native language translation.” She plans to uphold her musical integrity through her company, LadyBraveBird Music.

The songbird shares her ten favorites with The Trove:

1. The Color Purple. “Although I love Alice Walker’s book of the same, one of my favorite things is the color purple. It is regal and warm at the same time. It lifts my spirits. It puts a smile on my face. My luggage is purple. My winter and spring scarves are purple. I just adore the color purple. And, wearing purple makes me feel special.”




The color associated with royalty, mysticism, creativity and feminism.



2. Herbal Teas. “I love drinking it because it’s soothing. There is nothing like hot herbal tea, the aroma, the steam on my face as I sip, the taste…it immediately relaxes me.”



She particularly enjoys African Redbush tea from TAZO (as well as their chamomile blend, Calm.) Photo by xlungex.



3. Books and Reading. “I love the experience of browsing a bookstore…libraries too,” she gushes. Books, newspapers (New York Times,) magazines (O and Success), love them…I just love reading!”


Her all-time favorites, The Third Life of Grange Copeland and Beloved.






4. Spices. “I enjoy savoring food with alot of flavor. My favorites are thyme, cinnamon and nutmeg.”





Botanical print via the wonderful blog Honest Fare.



5. Sexy boots. “I have a thing for boots. Whether thigh high or booties, I enjoy wearing them with everything. What more can a girl ask for?”



Abby’s got winter covered, so she can look forward to the sizzling boots coming as the weather warms. Here, Sessilee Lopez’s great gams and open-toe booties in BG Magazine’s selects for Resort. Photo by Will Davidson.



6. Massages. “I love giving and receiving massages. I give them to my family and friends all the time. I enjoy making people I care about feel better. If I’m stressed and need to relax, I’ll get a 20 minute at a nail salon to relax, relate and release.”



“Touch is very powerful. It soothes and comforts,” she says.



7. Great Music and Musicians. Natch. Though inspired by all forms of art she loves “great music and artists who create for the love of their craft and passion as opposed to money. Sarah Vaughan, Leonard Bernstein, Barbara Streisand, Rachelle Ferrell to name a few.”


Leonard Bernstein’s Overture for West Side Story (Presented by the Sederbergh School)



8. Good Wine. “I enjoy German Rieslings and Argentinian Malbecs.”


Scharzhofberger Spätlese Riesling and Renacer’s Punto Final Classico Malbec.



9. Family and Friend Gatherings. “I love getting together with my family and friends for gatherings to celebrate each other and special events and holidays… the experience of breaking bread, our conversations, and our laughter.”



And laugh she does.



10. Solitude. Although she enjoys the communal experience, she also enjoys her “own company” and is “often inspired by moments of solitude…thinking, walking, dreaming.”



“Solitude – La Dame des Sables.” Photo by Tiquetonne.

- Pendulum

The long-awaited debut by NYC soulful songstress Abby Dobson is what is euphemistically referred to as "grown folks music." Accordingly, it exemplifies the best and worst of the subgenre. Sultry live jazz musicians, exquisite singing, and plenty of material about love, heartbreak and female self-realization (notice how men almost never self-actualize in soul?). Dobson has a full-bodied, emotional instrument that deserves an audience. That said, in choosing to self-pen and produce so much of her blues-heavy material, Dobson maintains an ennui-inducing sameness with acoustic-driven jam sessions, a lack of hooky melodies, and a pervasive melancholia that would be fine if every song didn't clock in at five minutes or more. Still, cuts like "Deeply," "Sleeping Beauty..." and "Born 2 Luv U" reveal the singer's promise. (3 out of 5 stars)

- Creative Loafing

Today may be the first day of fall, but you wouldn't know it from the warm temperatures still blanketing much of the United States. Since it feels like the tropics where I am right now, it's only fitting that I put on some reggae music and imagine that I'm somewhere on a white sand beach getting tipsy from one too many Miami Vices. While I'm getting lost in my fantasy, this new song from Abby Dobson is right on time as she taps into her Jamaican roots on the cut "I'm Drownin." When listening to Abby, you may hear shades of Toni Braxton but without that lower register that sometimes works to Toni's detriment. Dobson purrs to her lover over a rock steady beat that she is drowning in his love. To say that this song is sexy is an understatement. "I'm Drownin" is but one track from Abby Dobson's new album, Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On, Volumood One, which will be available for purchase on November 9th. Until that time, you can enjoy a free download of this song and check out an album sampler on her Bandcamp page. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get my to my imaginary cocktails and working on my tan as I listen to this jam one more time.

- Soulbounce

*Some singers need to be surrounded by a variety of equipment to move people, but this powerful artist simply needs an audience.

Abby Dobson is one of those rare songbirds that effortlessly stimulate sensual, soulful and raw emotions using just her vocal instrument, a voice that you don’t just hear…you feel.

Abby’s sound is the alchemy of soul, folk, jazz, gospel, R&B, country, rock and pop, forging a gem that erases musical boundaries in its making. In a word, Abby Dobson’s music is mesmerizing. Abby has performed throughout New York City to rave reviews at well-known venues like S.O.B’s and the legendary Blue Note. Abby and her Band have also opened for Kindred, Leela James, Ledisi, Dwele, Rahsaan Patterson, Chrisette Michele and Robin Thicke.

Abby won BlackPlanet.com’s Soul Beach Music Festival’s First Annual Competition in 2009 and was featured in GIANT Magazine’s September 2009 issue as an artist to watch. Dobson has also sung backgrounds for several recording artists, including Talib Kweli and John Legend. Abby’s debut independent project, entitled “Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On,” is a concept record loosely based on a fairytale.

01. EURweb.com- You performed in Aruba for the Soulbeach Music Festival. How did that come about?

Abby Dobson - I won a competition sponsored by BlackPlanet.com and the Soulbeach Music Festival year before last. I opened for Robin Thicke and Common in Aruba at the festival as a result. It was one of the best experiences of my life.

02. EURweb.com – You have sung background vocals for Talib Kweli, John Legend and Urban Mystic. How did those experiences help you find your own voice?

Abby Dobson – They were wonderful learning experiences that solidified my desire to follow my passion and my own dreams, by any means necessary. I am thankful that I continue to work with Talib Kweli. I am singing the hook and adlibs on his recent single “Cold Rain” from his new album “Gutter Rainbows” scheduled to be released digitally here in the U.S. on January 25, 2011.

03. EURweb.com – Abby, let’s discuss your new project, “Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On.” Tell us about it. How long did you work on it? Who is on the album? And, what do you think of your own project?

Abby Dobson – I could go on for days about this one! My album: “Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting” is like my baby. I worked on it for over three years! It is a concept record loosely based on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale. I was inspired by the idea of someone waking from a deep sleep. I think that most of us are asleep in our own lives, at work, at school, in our homes, our relationships and in our communities. It is a wakeup call to get up and go make the world you dream. The point is that rather than waiting for a prince to kiss you and wake you, rather than waiting for a principality to create opportunities for you, rather than waiting for someone else to give you what you want and need, know that you are the one you have been waiting on. Whatever you think you don’t have or can’t do, yes you can have and yes you can do. The kiss, however, should first come from you.

The record is a song cycle told in five moods: Bliss, Lady Blue: In the Season of Her Disenchantment, Mean Sleep, In the Castle of My Skin and The Awakening. I just love this project. The project was also recorded and mixed to analog tape. It features some of the most incredible musicians in the country, including Shelton Garner, Nate Jones, Robert Glasper, Skoota Warner, Christian Ver Halen, Raymond Angry, Marvin Sewell, Lonnie Plaxico, Mary Wooten, Daniel Sadownick, Wes Mingus, Queen Aaminah, Darius Booker, Teodross Avery, Maurice Brown, Kendra Ross, Lisala Beatty, Ra-Re Valverde and Gerald Menke, to name a few. These fabulous musicians have worked with a Who’s Who list of well known and well-respected artists and legends in the music business, including Santana, Nicholas Payton, Lizz Wright, Amel Laurieux, Cassandra Wilson, Lizz Wright, Bilal, Jill Scott, Sheryl Crow, and Maxwell, to name just a few. I worked with a wonderful recording and mixing engineer, Pete DeBoer, a protégé of the noted producer, Ron St. Germaine. I also had the pleasure of working with the incredible Grammy award winning mixing engineer, James “Bonzai” Caruso (Damien Marley, Alicia Keys). My album is full of heart. When I set out to make” Sleeping Beauty”, my main objective was to create a body of work that would speak for me even if it was the only musical statement I ever made on this earth during my lifetime. I wanted to create music that would touch hearts, inspire people to follow their hearts and help people reflect, cope and dream. With every step, I crafted “Sleeping Beauty…” from my heart for your heart. I wanted to create music that is timeless. I’m excited to share the music after three plus years. It’s been a process. A lot has changed in these last three plus years, the economy tanked, we elected the first Black President of the United States, everything moves more quickly, mystery is no longer cherished, reality is no longer real…but good music still has the potential to inspire, soothe, strengthen, heal… to be relevant to everyday people living everyday lives. What do I think about my music? I love it and hope your readers will too.

04. EURweb.com – Jazz, blues, gospel, pop, country, folk, classic R&B, Rock and soul have all seemed to inspire you musically. Talk to us about that. Also, which artists have most inspired you?

Abby Dobson – My sound is a mixture of all these beautiful musical soundscapes. It’s hard to give a percentage to each in terms of the amount of influence on me sonically. I love these styles of music for different reasons. I just love good music filled full with Heart & Soul. In fact, if I had to choose a term for my sound I’d choose “Heart Music”. I make music from my heart for yours. I listen to so many different types of music that I love that I knew that my own sound had to be a mixture of them all. If I were in a hotel room listening to my music on my Ipod and someone was trying to figure out my tastes or what kind of person I am, they would have a hard time categorizing me. So “Heart Music” fits best. At its core, it’s soul with a touch of everything I love from Jazz to folk. I can go from listening to Prince to Pat Benatar to Patty Griffin to Sheryl Crow to Yolonda Adams to Sarah Vaughn to Anita Baker to Tracy Chapman to Whitney Houston to Barbara Streisand to Donny Hathaway to Martina McBride to Barbara Hendricks to Mindy Smith to Mary J Blige to Scarface to Hall & Oates to Queen to OutKast to The Carpenters to Bob Marley to Aretha Franklin to Sade to Renee Fleming….and this is just a taste of what I love to listen to. Anita Baker, Whitney Houston, Sarah Vaughan, Donny Hathaway, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley, Tracy Chapman and Dolly Parton have been my strongest influences. I would not be the artist I am today without their influence on me collectively. You could say that they all helped raise me up.

05. EURweb.com- What helped you discover and manifest your talents in singing, songwriting and producing?

Abby Dobson – I was born to sing and am a singer first and foremost. My passion for singing helped me to discover my passion for songs, songwriting and producing. One day, when I was about five years old, the grownups in my family were eating dinner and I was in the living room listening to the radio and singing along. I didn’t think it was much of a big deal, but I remember that my aunt told everyone to quiet down and listen to me. It was then that I first discovered that what I loved to do around the house (singing) was and could be a very special thing. I’m especially thankful that my mom is an incredibly creative person and helped develop my passion for music. She took me to piano lessons and singing lesions as a kid and always encouraged me to be creative. She is a poet and a visual artist at her core and never had the opportunity to develop those gifts herself. My mom has been fiercely supportive of me as an artist. Although I’ve always loved songs, I didn’t initially desire to write them. I started writing songs out of necessity really … being unable to find songs that spoke to me. My songwriting voice has become very special to me. It allows me to express my point of view and helps me to make sense of the world. Production I came to later and this too also came out of necessity. I’ve always loved listening to records and the way they are constructed from the drums to the strings, from the bass to the guitar and so on and so on. I started producing when I started performing around New York leading my own band. I produced the live shows that I did from a musical stand point. It is because of this experience that I knew I could produce my record. I wanted a producer to produce my record but knew that no one would care for my vision the way I did. Producing is like building a home you want to live in for years to come. It was hard work but I had a blast.

06. EURweb.com – There is oftentimes a big difference between recording and performing artists. Which one are you?

Abby Dobson – I love recording with live instrumentation and musicians in the same room. Looking across at the studio at the piano player, the guitarist, the bass player and the drummer, being aware of their breathing, creating sound in the same space at the same time…it’s all magical. I however especially love doing all of the above (performing) in front of an open hearted audience who want to be moved just as much (if not more) than they are entertained. I especially enjoy performing in intimate venues where you can really see and feel the energy of the beautiful music loving people who come out to support and hear your music. Performing at these venues, especially S.O.B’s and the Blue Note, has been wonderful. I love performing in my home town (NYC) and these two venues have been particularly good to me. Performing at S.O.B.s is like singing in my living room; it holds a very special place in my heart. The staff and management have been so incredibly supportive to me in my career thus far. S.O.B.’s has also been unmatched in NYC as a continuous supporter of Soul Music, whether from independent or Major Label artists. I think it has been a pioneer in this regard. I also love performing at The Blue Note. The first time I took the stage there I was overwhelmed by all the history. A lover of jazz, I consider myself incredibly lucky to have graced the Blue Note stage. It’s incredible to walk through the area by the bar or upstairs near the dressing rooms and see the picture of Anita Baker laughing with Sarah Vaughan knowing that I have also performed on the same stage and walked some of the same halls. These two artists have been great influences on me as a singer and songwriter and I dream of walking in their shoes. I just love to perform. Recently I performed at the Kennedy Center Millenium Stage in Washington, DC, which is also a special highlight for me.

07. EURweb.com – Speaking of performing, where can we see you perform next?

Abby Dobson – I will be opening up for the incredible singer songwriter, Rahsaan Patterson, at BB Kings in New York City on Saturday, February 12th. I am excited and I just can’t hide it!! (Yes I loved the Pointer Sisters too!) I think Rahsaan Patterson is one of the best voices I have ever heard. I’m looking forward to it.

08. EURweb.com – Thanks for this interview and good luck with your new album, “Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On.”

Abby Dobson – Thank YOU Mr. Lee Bailey! Continued success to you and EURweb.com
- Eurweb.com

I first met Abby Dobson at the 2007 Soultracks Readers' Choice Awards ceremony. I had come to Detroit to cover the event for my newspaper, The South Bend Tribune. Dobson wasn't up for an award that year. Instead, she was one of many aspiring artists working the room, handing out press materials and/or music samples. Dobson had a demo that included three songs - two of which can be heard on her album, Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On.

I remember Dobson because she stood out stylistically from the other artists. She was nice, but that's not what made her stand out. Every artist I met that night was down to earth, friendly and accessible. All of these talented people belied the stereotype of music people as aloof and high maintenance. Dobson stood out because she was the one artist who didn't look the part of a rock star. She wore a pair of slacks, a nice blouse and had on some glasses. She looked serious and earnest. I took her demo CD and listened to it when I got home, and I have to say that I was impressed. Her quiet demeanor gave no clue to the kind of passion Dobson possessed. That passion was especially apparent on the song "Born 2 Luv U," a six minute long tour de force that is an ode to unbridled love.

So three nearly three years after that Detroit evening, the singer's new CD has arrived, and like the woman I met that November night in Detroit, Sleeping Beauty is a serious, passionate and earnest work. The work may be too intense for some people. Most of the songs are long - six to seven minutes - and that might be too much for the casual listener. However, Dobson's great vocals, lyrics and powerful delivery keeps the listener riveted more often than not.

That is definitely the case on the aforementioned, "Born 2 Luv U." That is also true for the powerful "Not This Girl." That track tells the story of a woman who has decided to stop being her lover's doormat. Dobson sings this song with so much intensity that she seems to be working through the stages of grief (stopping at anger). "Not This Girl" weighs in at 7:48, and I was with Dobson every step of the way. In fact, I repeated the song three times.

Dobson tries her hand at hip-hop soul on the excellent "Didn't Know You'd Be the One," a song on which she sings about being slowly reeled in by a lover who lets her down at the end. Songs like "Not This Girl" and "Didn't Know You'd Be the One" show that Dobson is an excellent musical storyteller.

Sleeping Beauty is not for the faint of heart. Abby Dobson hits hard and with a quiet intensity that serves as rebut to anyone who believes passion has to be loud. The understated woman I met in Detroit in 2007 is able to communicate so much more in her own way, and that makes her recording debut that much more interesting. Recommended.

By Howard Dukes



Read more: Abby Dobson | Review - Sleeping Beauty: You Are the One You Have Been Waiting On | SoulTracks - Soul Music Biographies, News and Reviews - SoulTracks

Abby Dobson : Sleeping Beauty: You Are The One You Have Been Waiting On - Volumood One

The sleeping beauty has finally awakened. Like I, many of you may never have heard of her until now. Judging from her new album Sleeping Beauty: You Are The One You Have Been Waiting On – Volumood One, the singing beauty Abby Dobson will be resonating in our homes for a long time. She has an astounding voice, great lyrics and enough talent to guarantee that she will not be a one hit wonder.

The songs in this album do not fit the glove of one musical genre. Instead, like a pot of stew, Abby has stirred in some reggae, jazz, country, folk, blues and soul. This shows her free spirit, allowing Abby to fly without nesting to one definition. The rather interesting concept of this album is drawn from the faiytale Sleeping Beauty and the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Alice Walker’s We Are the One’s We Have Been Waiting For: Inner Light in a Time of Darkness.


Cool Rain (A Prelude For Horns) sets the atmosphere of the album. The first song I’m Drowning is the beginning of the roller-coaster ride of a woman so deeply in-love that she can not define herself; she can only define the ‘we’ and not the ‘I’. My personal favorites so far are Unconditional (where Abby is joined by successful Grammy nominated pianist Robert Glasper) and Born 2 Luv U which I will possibly serenade the love of my life to should meeting him be written somewhere in my stars (Maxwell, I have a dream!)


In the final song of the album Sleeping Beauty: Go Make The World You Dream, Abby urges to leave the hurt from the past behind, stop second guessing, holding back or waiting for someone else to give what you are looking for. Go make the world you dream. Now that song fits the glove of a country music song doesn’t it?

This is definitely an album to buy and an artist to keep in your radar. There is a thought and story in every song. The only way that was achieved was through years of crafting and assembling of lessons learned along the journey of life and love.

Susan Mutharia
The Urban Music Scene


- The Urban Music Scene