Slating Some Sweet Soul Music

Three albums by three superb soul singers have release dates. J Records will release Alicia Keys "As I Am" on Nov. 6. Van Hunt's four track EP "The Popular Machine" will be released digitally on Aug. 7; Blue Note will release his full-length disc "Popular" on Jan. 15. And Angie Stone's "The Art Of Love And War," her first for Stax, will hit retail on Oct. 16.
Hunt says he shut out all media during the making of the album except for a little talk radio and some Franz Liszt. Judging by his song titles, though, he appears to have at least read the backs of Prince albums. Some of the cuts: "ur personal army," "there's never a g'time 2 say g'bye," "ur a monster, parts 1 & 2."
  Stone recorded her album at Marvin’s Room, Marvin Gaye’s former studio on Sunset Boulevard. She co-produced and wrote nearly the entire album. Betty Wright duets with her on one track.
Producers on Keys' album, which is still being recorded, include Kerry Brothers, Linda Perry, Mark Batson, Jack Splash, Harold Lilly and Marsha Ambrosia (from Floetry).  Alicia describes the overall sound of the album as "Rock 'n Soul - Janis Joplin meets Aretha Franklin."