Daniel | Life, Love and Liberation

It was hot and humid in the streets of New Orleans when we saw him setting shop. He was tall, rocking a fro under his hat and with an unkempt beard. He set up a keyboard, a mic and to his left, a showcase of his work – his art, his gift. We were about to keep walking when his voice stopped us dead on our tracks. Who in the world was this sexy sultry voice?

He pretty much introduces himself in the song ‘Don’t Label Me’ from his album, "Life, Love and Liberation", “…My name is Daniel, not Maxwell, not D’Angelo, /Sometimes I braid my hair sometimes I rock my fro/ I couldn’t be Stevie even if I tried to be/ So let’s move on and accept me for me.”

Life, Love and Liberation is most definitely one of my best buys this year. The album features tracks like ‘Dance If U Wanna’, a track that was the theme song for the 2005 NCAA Championship Week (March madness); ‘Freedom’ whose beginning shows the range of Daniels vocals and ‘I Luv U’, a ballad that was featured on the motion picture ‘Love and Other Four Letter Words’.

Daniel is a native of Hartford, Connecticut, which is a neighboring state from where I reside. The fact that I was hearing him for the first time in soul city New Orleans goes to show some of the difficulties of being an independent artist. I support this artist because his album is what great music should be – when an artist uses his talent and voice to speak to our situations, our desire and our experiences.

If you have not heard him, here is your chance. Visit his website www.thesoulofdaniel.com . His album Life, Love and Liberation is available for purchase on itunes.