RAWLS AND MIDDLE, the collaboration album between J RAWLS and MIDDLE CHILD, dropping 6/10/08 on Polar Entertainment/GrooveAttack
A hook brought them near, but soul singing sealed the deal.
Several years ago, producer J Rawls was working in the recording studio when he realized that he needed a singer for the hook of a song. Middle Child’s manager, Bobby Ferguson, happened to be in the studio that day, and suggested they give her a call. They did, and her soulful sounds blew Rawls away. Yearning to put her vocals on vinyl, Rawls invited Middle Child back to the recording studio, where they ended up recording two songs! It was at that moment when Rawls realized that he wanted to record an album with her.
The J. Rawls and Middle Child sound can be summed up into two words: soulful and fun. Determined to make music that they enjoy, the only requirement they had when hunkering down in the studio was to have fun doing it. In doing so, the duo hopes that the listener will bask in their excitement and relish the fun-loving vibe that their music exudes.
Having performed more than 20 shows together, Middle Child was also featured on the 2005 POLAR Entertainment’s release of The Essence of Soul by J Rawls. It was after her appearance on The Essence of Soul that they began discussing the structure and format of an album. They began recording every Friday night for about three months. Some nights they would hold full-fledged jam sessions, which resulted in completing two or three songs. And other nights they wouldn’t record at all, instead they would listen to music and just chat about the album. Thus, the sound that they created is not hurried or slathered on, but rather marinated and meditative, so that the listener is invited to delve into their feelings and thought process in making this music.
Discovering her love of music at ten years old, Middle Child is a native of Youngstown, Ohio, who went on to become the first lady of Riot West Records, an independent hip-hop label, where she stayed for three years. She went on to create her own production company called Barefeet Productions with her brother in 2001. She has toured all over the country and shared the stage with entertainers like Angie Stone, Dwele, Jay-Z, Nancy Wilson and many others.
An internationally recognized producer, J Rawls creates music that blends hip hop, soul, nu-soul and jazz sounds. He hails from Columbus, Ohio, and has a resume worth drooling over. Rawls has worked with many artists including Eric Roberson, Mos Def and Talib Kweli. He has three solo albums to his credit and is one half of the duo The Lone Catalysts along with emcee J. Sands. Rawls also released his first solo project The Essence of… in 2001 under German label Grooveattack.
