Detroit Calling: Kathy Kosins & Paul Randolph
What’s coming out of Detroit these days is certainly something to check out. It is surely worth digging deeper into the local scene which is about to step out globally with the release of this excellent new single by jazz singer Kathy Kosins and singer, producer, bassist, and composer Paul Randolph.
From the golden Motown days and stars like Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson to Detroit techno and its heroes Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, and Juan Atkins, Detroit still is home to some of the most innovative and creative musicians, no matter what the genre. One of the most-talked-about music festivals is the Movement Electronic Music Festival, co-founded by Carl Craig who is also its creative director. Somewhere in between those styles and genres, there is the ultra-soulful and funky scene of people like Zo!, Amp Fiddler, and Brandon Williams.
And then there is Kathy Kosins and Paul Randolph. Both have come up with a new catchy tune that will surely make a lot of twists and turns because of its innovative and energetic style. “Could You Be Me” has all the right ingredients of staying in your head forever: a fat and funky bassline, sparse and sinuous keys, and pulsating, sexy, spherical vocals wrapped up in a catchy hook. The remix cuts are worth checking out as well: the Brazilian mix, even though it comes close to the original, has its special charme due to the cuteness of the Portuguese language.
Techno and house visionary Theo Parrish has come up with a stripped-down version with added pads and 70s-sounding synths in the background that give the cut an added exoticism. The trumpet part towards the end shifts the track into another territory altogether before the track winds down unexpectedly, elegantly triumphant. Opolopo works the track with a juicier bass and added fake handclaps that directs the piece partly into early 80s terrain.
My favorite version at the moment is by John Arnold, also a Detroit resident. It seems that he has found the perfect balance. Combining the jazzy lyrics and the soulful vocals with an incredibly airy house beat gives this exciting track a continuously dance-oriented push. I just wish it would be longer than the four and a half minutes.
Expect more remixes of this outstanding tune which was inspired by a Miles Davis quote (“Music is about style”, “Creation is the freedom to change”). Also, the track is a first teaser to Kathy’s highly anticipated album “Uncovered Soul” (to be released in April 2017) where the singer moves away from her safe and tested straightahead jazz background to the much in-demand soul-jazz world which suits her extremely well.
