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Shai releases sophomore LP, Blackface
After scoring double-platinum
sales with their debut release “If 1
EverFallin Love” and being herald
ed among the few but talented con
veyors of song who were creating a
new Renaissance in music, you
would think that Shai would be
eager to capitalize on their meteoric
success and rush their sophomore
. effort into stores. But suchis not the
case. The four gentlemen of this
multi-talented, multi-faceted cre
ative body (Carl Martin, Marc Gay,
Garfield Bright and Darnell Van
Rensalier) have taken three solid
and thought-filled yearsto construct
« and define their soulful harmonies
andexceptional musical abilitiesand
expand them intothedepth, passion
i and poignancy that is Blackface,
| theirlong-awaited follow-up project.
i The premise of the project is both
- simple and complex, diverseinfocus
and collective in scope. According to
Carl, “Blackfacerepresentsallofthe
experiences that we'vebeenthrough
- overthelast fewyearsandthethings
: we've seen.” With the range of ma
terial .n Blackface, from the sultry,
- stylized texture and vocalizing of
* the project’s premier single “Come
With Me” to the rousing anthem
“95,” it is apparent that the group
puttheirheart and soulintomaking
this record a true reflection of their
artistry and their commitment to
diversity. Marcfeelsthat the second
album is more solid, revealing more
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Shai took three years between their double platinum debut
and their new follow-up LP.
truth than their previous compila
tion. “The first album,” says Marc,
“was put together soquickly that we
weren’t able to do anything more
than make sure that we had quality
songs and tight harmonies. With
this project, we were able to go into
each other’s minds and show who
we really are and how we feel about
things” They were also able to
demonstrate all of their talents, not
only as performers, but also as
songwriters, producers and arrang
ers and their creative observations
as human beings living the human
experience. But tocomprehend the
full direction and perspective of the
group’s latest offering, you have to
understand how four creative bod
ies were thrust together by destiny
and catapulted to immediate and
monumental stardom.
Flashback to 1992:
Four Howard University students,
allinterested in music, but pursuing
different fields and disciplines, are
brought together by fate. Marc was
in D.C. from Miami to study science,
while Carl from Louisiana, had his
sights set on a career in business.
Darnell was from New Jersey and
thegroup’sonlymemberwhosepath
pointedanywherenearmusic, which
was his major although teaching
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was his intent. They harmonized
around campusand added Garfield,
a native Bostonian and political sci
ence student, to balance out the
melodies and provide the bottom.
Then came the opportunity to
perform their rehearsal signature
tune, the now classic “If I Ever Fall
in Love,” which Carl had written to
commemorate the demise of a rela
tionship. After continuous positive
response from audiences, the group
decided to record the track, per
formed a cappella, as a demo. They
shopped ittovariousrecord labels to
no avail, and their sole chance of a
possible signing (with Teddy Riley,
though he had already assembled
the members who are now
Blackstreet) met with a good case of
badtiming. Determined and strong
willed, Carl handed the tape to a
deejay from WPGC-FM, a local DC
station, for airing on the Homejams
show that spotlighted regional tal
ent. The song was so strong that it
wentintoregularrotationalongwith
the various hits of the day. Word
reached WPGC-FM’s “sister sta
tions,” who all added it and received
the same strong response.
Gasoline Alley Records heard the
group and signed them immediate
ly. Shai was given less than one
and-a-half months to put their de
but album together. Today, the
world knows it as If I Ever . . ~ their
2 million-selling debut.
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