THIS IS A PHENOMENAL CD BUT NOT ONE PERSON HAS PURCHASED IT FROM MY HOMETOWN OF OAKLAND AND LIKE THE MUSIC WRITER FROM EUROPE SAID” Most records he has ever heard that a hundred percent of the money goes into a fund to help struggling ARTISTS is usually the most raggedy record you could ever find. Then he turned and stated in his article “The Higher Power Project is a collectors item”.
Some have called Higher Power the national anthem of recovery. Higher Power was recently named the inspirational song and video of the year by a national contest sponsored by Tyler Perry, B.E.T, Lions Gate Films and Pastor Marvin Winan’s. Pastor Winan’s proclaimed that Higher Power “was the winner by far”. The video was produced by BAJAZZS founder/drummer Paul Tillman Smith, Braxton Brothers bassist Nelson Braxton and longtime Prince sideman guitarist/Bassist Levi Seacer Jr.
Donnie inspired my production team including my friend Norman Connors to do this record when Donnie got kicked off of the American Idol TV program because he made the mistake of informing the program that he got stopped by the police the night he celebrated with friends, making the final 32 and got a DUI while driving up Highway 580 in Livermore on the way to his home. He was on the same year as Fantazia and Jennifer Hudson. The singer they bought in to take his place George Huff came in sixth. Donnie should have won. Norman Connors is featuring three of Donnie’s new songs on his forthcoming record entitled “ROYALTY”. Donnie’s song Magazine Girl will be first on Normans new record, lol. Donnie finally won 1st. OOPPSS! I forgot, Donnie’s sister Terrill Carter Williams to me has the best song on the record called “Please Don’t Run Over Me”. Every certain type of woman in America is gonna want a copy of this song. It’s a domestic violence song. Me , late vocalist Freddie Hughe’s and pianist Robert Collier wrote it. Lastly, world famous vocalist Nora Jones told Norman she loves four of the songs from the Higher Power Project and that she could maybe see doing them herself. That would a blessing if she even chooses to do one.
One hundred percent of the profits from the BAJAZZS Higher Power project CD and Video minus publishing and productions royalties, will go into a special non-profit BAJAZZS 501-c-3 fund to help musicians and artists who are in recovery from afflictions of all types especially those musicians that are up in years.
Our mission is to provide a helping hand to lifelong professional musicians who have dedicated their lives to making people happy through music yet who have no retirement or pension for their later years and who need help with housing, food and health care, and especially if they are unable to maintain an active work schedule. Also, there is very little work for musicians these days.
The BAJAZZS CD features former American Idol vocalist Donnie Williams and his sister Terrell “Tootie” Williams. He was subsequently kicked off of the program. Donnie is currently singing with the Park Place band and recording new music. Also performing are special guests Denise Stewart, formerly the lead vocalist with Norman Connors, Derick Hughes, current lead vocalist with Robert Flack and the beautiful & talented Talita Long, who is the mother of actress Nia Long. The Higher Power CDs is currently available online on CDBaby, Itunes, Amazon and in select stores.
The Higher Power Project CD also features some of the Bay Area’s finest musicians. Along with drummer, writer and record producer Paul Tillman Smith (current director of BAJAZZS) are co-producers guitarist Levi Seacer jr from Princes Power Generation band, bassist Nelson Braxton, currently on the road with Michael Bolton, Eric Daniels, the current pianist for the “Voice” and former musical director for Mariah Carey, Lauren Hill pianist Kev Choice, Tony Toni Tone’s saxophonist Vincent Lars, Chuck Mangione’s guitarist Carl Lockett, Oakland’s other top Idol finalist Latoya London and former Ledisi pianist Sundra Manning. Other performers are keyboardist Jay Logan, guitarist’s Erroll Cooney, Cedrick Dennis and Charles Spikes, bassist Troy Lampkin and spoken words by Yolandra Rhodes & violinist Tarika Lewis who was the first woman in the black Panther party. .
THE BAY AREA JAZZ SOCIETY is a San Francisco / Oakland socially aware music collective marshaled by garlanded drummer PAUL TILLMAN SMITH (pictured below). Smith’s been in the music biz for almost 40 years and most serious soul buffs will know of his work. If you’re not too familiar with him, may we point you to his 2013 album ‘Bed Ballads’ – a retrospective credited to ‘Park Place Presents Paul Tillman Smith’. The long player brought together his best performances from his forty year career and amongst the vocalists on the album are dear Phyllis Hyman (on ‘As You Are’) and Lenny Williams (whose ‘Invisible man’ is one of his very best). Paul’s 2017 ‘A Beautiful Heart’ LP is also worth investigating featuring input from people like American Idol finalist LaToya London and Rosie Gaines.
The drummer’s latest project is leading the Bay Area Jazz Society on a 14 track album, ‘The Higher Power Project ’. With a positive social conscience, Tillman Smith is offering all profits from the album to a funds that will help musicians and artists of all ages and to provide a helping hand to those musicians, who have dedicated their lives making people happy through music but have no personal retirement or pension for their later years. Paul says: “My father was a musician, a hard drinker and Chesterfield cigarette smoker. Musicians have always been exposed to the party life a possible disadvantage. They also mostly have no job security and often have had no control of their monthly income, yet many remain dedicated to their craft and to making people happy through music. A pension and social security have been unattainable for most Artists who have spent a lifetime making people happy through music. 100% of the sales of the ‘Higher Power Project’ CD go into a special fund in support of Musicians & Artists that find themselves seriously struggling in today’s economic climate.”
It is, of course, a wonderful idea. But what about the music on the album… is it worth investing in? In a word – YES. Even without the noble sentiments behind the endeavour , ‘The Higher Power Project’ is a wonderful contemporary soul set that would grace any serious soul collection!
Some of the songs on the album will be familiar to those aware of Tillman Smith. The title track, ‘Higher Power’ has been around for a while, featuring on two previous Tillman Smith albums. The vocalist on the powerful song is Donnie Williams. Williams was hot favourite to win the 2004 American Idol contest when he was removed from the show because of his alcoholism. Williams went into recovery and is now seeking to help those who may be struggling with addictions of all types. His ‘Higher Power’ has won countless awards and is now nicknamed “the National Anthem of Recovery” by a number of West Coast therapists.
Williams features on several more of this albums tracks like another “resurrected” song, ‘Precious Love’ and ‘Wishes’ – a duet with Talita Long. Amongst the other featured vocalists are Derick Hughes, the son of Oakland vocalist Freddie Hughes Terrill Carter, Robert Collier, Michael Cheadle and his daughter Mickala. Amongst the players are Denise Stewart, Yolandra Rhodes, Nelson Braxton, Levi Seacer Jr., Vincent Lars, Sundra Manning, Freddie Hughes, Kev Choice, Tarika Lewis, Jeanie Tracy and Carl Lockett.
The majority of the songs are Paul Tillman Smith originals with the big cover being Donny Hathaway’ ‘Someday We’ll All Be Free’ – an obvious choice, maybe, but a song that always hits the spot!