When Doves Cried All Over The World. On April 21, 2016, was the day when it was announced that the artist formally named Prince was dead. This was one of the worst days since June 25, 2009 when we heard that Michael Jackson was dead. This was one of those tragedies similar to September 11, where you will always know where you were when you heard the news. I truly didn’t want to believe that the Purple King, himself was also gone. I really thought I would get many more times to see him in concert. But instead I was just left to be thankful to have seen him in concert and reminiscing of his awesome performance at the Essence Festival. That was indeed one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. I also remember catching him when he played Madison Square Gardens. I bought a ticket to NYC just for that one night to see the legend. And now he’s gone. You know you are loved when buildings and monuments are illuminated in your favorite color all around the world to express their sincere heartbreak and condolences for the loss of a great one. It was a beautiful site for a very sad and emotional occasion. Prince is gone…but unfortunately he wasn’t alone. This year alone, we lost Maurice White, Muhammad Ali,
Vanity, David Bowie and Natalie Cole. P&E family, this has been a very rough year. Where do we go from here with having good music? Music, as a whole, is already on the emergency table. With yet, another music great one gone way too soon, what will we do to come back? I feel that Real Music is on life support hoping that someone will come along and save its life. Real Music is dying with little hopes of reviving. Now even though, I do like some of the music of today, it’s still no secret that a lot of today’s music is lacking substance, meaning, and feelings. And it’s not just R&B but Hip Hop as a whole is missing something. Meaning, where are our new Marvin Gayes to Jaheems in R&B along with our new Curtis Blows to the Rakims to the Nas to LL Cool J’s? And for the ladies…I’m in deep sorrow. Hip Hop Honors finally recognized some of the ladies that paved the way for a Nicki Minaj. The Hip Hop honorees were Queen Latifa, Salt and Pepa, Lil Kim and Missy Elliot. And then Queen paid homage to some of the true female rappers – Da Brat, Lady of Rage, Monie Love, Boss, YoYo. It made me wonder who will be the next real female lyrists? But in closing, the one fortunate thing that came from the passing of Prince is we do have our new or next Prince and her name is Janelle Monae. Now, she was trained by Prince, so hopefully, she will pass the torch. You never know what’s in store for tomorrow. I just hope that good and Real Music survives its comatose state and we all get back to having music with substance, meaning, and feelings.
Co Editor In Cheif
Teresa Edwards
CONTENT
1 Editor In Cheif When Doves Cry
3 Artist of The Month Bobbi Storm
9 Young Adults Corner Ashley
15 Engineer of the Month Joshua Blanchard
23 Film Producer Darryl Moore
29 Equipment Review Numark NVII
Never lose sight of what made you love singing and music to begin with.
Bobbi Storm
P&E family, we caught up with the gorgeous…inside and out…super talented…baddddest up and coming female artist today, Miss Bobbi Storm. This girl is a quadruple threat y’all. She is a singer, dancer, writer, and actress. Beyoncé, Tamar…you got some real competition now. Here’s a little about Bobbi Storm. Bobbi was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She is best known from her wide range of vocal abilities, to her captivating stage presence; Bobbi has been making her name across the globe as a highly demanded and recommended performer. In December 2014 Bobbi was the only singer to perform in front of a legends such as Babyface, Angela Basset, Quincy Jones, and Sidney Poitier, at Oprah’s Legend’s Ball; where she received a standing ovation. In 2005, following a speech from former President Bill Clinton, she sang an operatic negro spiritual titled “Give Me Jesus” at the honorable late Ms. Rosa Parks’ funeral which received recognition from people around the world. Her original music is centered around catchy hooks, infectious melodies, and pop driven dance beats. Bobbi credits artists such as Pink, Beyonce, Jill Scott, Mariah Carey, and the late Minnie Riperton as her major vocal influences. From appearing on the ‘Kelly and Michael Show’ behind Katharine McPhee, sharing the stage performing duets with Eric Benet, and singing the National Anthem for major sporting events at the Barclays Center, Detroit Palace, and Silverdome, it is safe to say Bobbi is exceedingly experienced in live performing. Bobbi Storm will undoubtedly find herself in the top tier of Top 40 and become the music world’s next big star! Be on the lookout.... the Storm is Coming!! P&E family, we were captivated with the calm before The Storm. Here’s what she had to say…. P&E: What was the turning point that solidified your love for music? Bobbi Storm: My turning point for music was when I was working on a cruise ship, people kept saying I needed to be doing more and I would get defensive. I would pray and pray for answers and God told me that they were right and I needed to share my gift with as many people across the world as I could.
P&E: Tell us a little bit about the start of your musical career. How and when did you get started? Bobbi Storm: I started when I was about 18. My parents made me promise them a year of college and then they would support my career as much as they could. P&E: What genre of music would you classify yourself in and why you choose to do this genre of music? Bobbi Storm: I would say pop/soul because I have a soulful voice but the look and ability to become popular and sing popular music. P&E: Besides being an artist, what else do you do as it relates to music? Bobbi Storm: I have been in high demand the past 5 years for performing at special events and I also do voice demos for soundtracks. Independent contractor. P&E: Who are your musical influences and why? Bobbi Storm: From Minnie Riperton to Rihanna to Jill Scott to Pink. P&E: Who have you worked with? Bobbi Storm: Ja Rule, Seven Aurelius, Akon, The Game, Bryan Michael Cox, Troy Taylor, Yonny, Jerry Wonder, Eric Benet, and plenty of on the rise producers and song writers. P&E: Who would you love to work with and why? Bobbi Storm: CeeLo Green, Pharell, Baby Face, Timbaland, Alicia Keys, and the list goes on. P&E: Who is your favorite producer and why? Bobbi Storm: I love Babyface because I feel like being in a session with him would be mind-blowing. He is just so talented. And I would’ve loved to be in a session with Prince because he played so many instruments. And I’ve heard so many amazing stories about him and
how he creates. P&E: What do you consider your greatest strength when it comes to music and why? Bobbi Storm: Being able to make a song that’s so catchy that it gets embedded in people’s minds and lasts forever.
now trying to nail the “it” factor and match it with the perfect sound and properly market it so that it’s not a waste. P&E: Where can we find your music? Bobbi Storm: My music is not online. P&E: How can people contact you?
P&E: What do you consider your greatest area to improve when it comes to music and why? Bobbi Storm: I need a hit! I also should write more and have faith in my writing. I may already have hits that I’m sitting on because of perfection and wanting to make a mark. P&E: If you can go back in time, what would you tell your younger self to do differently? Bobbi Storm: I would’ve wanted to realize that sharing your gift with the world requires fame even if you don’t want all that comes with it. P&E: What advice would you give to the young talents coming behind you? Bobbi Storm: Never lose sight of what made you love singing and music to begin with. P&E: What are the rewards and challenges for you in the music business? Bobbi Storm: The reward is touching one more person and the challenges are remaining focus no matter how many no’s you go through. P&E: What’s your ultimate goal in this music game and why? Bobbi Storm: To inspire, touch, and help as many people as I can with my talents. P&E: What are you working on now? Bobbi Storm: I hope to release some music before the end of the year. I am working with a few producers
Bobbi Storm: You can find clips of live performances if you YouTube Bobbi Storm. ducers now trying to nail the “it” factor and match it with the perfect sound and properly market it so that it’s not a waste. P&E: Where can we find your music? Bobbi Storm: My music is not online. P&E: How can people contact you? Bobbi Storm: You can find clips of live performances if you YouTube Bobbi Storm.
Young Adult’s Corner
I wish artist could have the freedom to focus on the quality of their music rather than quantity!
Ashley
P&E asks our features Young Adult, Miss Ashley Mitchell, what she thinks about today’s music. Ashley is straight out of the ATL but currently living in Charleston, SC. She listens to music daily and love many different genres. R&B is her favorite because she is a bit of sucker for a good love song but often enjoy listening to Pop music throughout the day to accomplish lifestyle goals and activities! She grew up listening to old school R&B and states she is a witness to the evolution of southern music. She adds that even though a lot has changed in her 25 years, she appreciates being a 90’s baby and somewhat miss the good ol' days. P&E: What do you think of today’s music? Is it hot or not? Explain why. Ashley: I think today's music is OK but good quality music is the minority in today's mainstream media. Music of the past decades were inspired by movements, provoked strong emotion, and promoted self-expression - in both good and bad situations; while music of today glorifies mimicking a certain lifestyle and superficial cultural references are often the hook of a song. P&E: What captures your attention in a song? Is it the lyrics or the beat or both? Explain. Ashley: I am attracted to both! I believe they both have their purpose; the beat is the initial intrigue and grabs my attention first, but the lyrics resonate. The more I listen to a song I want to know the message behind the sound. P&E: Who is your favorite artist and what’s your favorite song by this artist? Ashley: I do not have a favorite artist but amongst others, I love Jazmine Sullivan. My favorite song by Jasmine Sullivan is Stanley on her most recent album "Reality Show." I enjoy the disco reference in the beat and words support having self-confidence and independence! P&E: If you could ask (1) question to your favorite artist, what would it be? Ashley:If given the chance, I would ask what musical era or decade Sullivan would want to be a star/legend in?
P&E: Who would you like to see your favorite artist do a collaboration with? Or who was the best collaboration with your favorite artist? Ashley: I would love to see the musical collaboration of: Jazmine Sullivan, Chrisette Michele, Jessie J, SZA, Jill Scott and Keke Wyatt. P&E: Is there a song your artist made that you don’t like? If so, what’s the name of the song and why? Ashley: I am not a fan of the (ninth) song titled "Stupid Girl," on Sullivan's most recent album. In my opinion it does not fit/blend well with the remainder of the album. P&E: What artist you don’t like and why? Is it because of the lyrics? Or is it the beat? Explain. Ashley: There are several new age rap artists I do not like. I do not support their music because of the message within the song; often filled with superficial stuff that does not appeal to me. Blended with a simple beat, theses lyrics tend to be about having a lot of money to show off, making rash decisions, and/or living recklessly (having sex with a lot of girls/ being offensive to people/ making poor decisions). P&E: If you could ask (1) question to your not so favorite artist, what would it be? Ashley: If given the chance I would ask any young, 'trap music' male rapper if they have dreams of collaborating with an artist/group of an alternate or opposite genre. P&E: What would you like to hear and recommend to your favorite artist and not so favorite artist when it comes to music? Ashley: I would like to hear more individuality from today's music and artist of today. I wish artist could have the freedom to focus on the quality of their music rather than quantity!
I just want to make music and make music with others.
Joshua
P&E family, our featured audio engineer comes to you with an extensively long list in his repertoire. He has been in the business since 2002. He is considered a leader amongst his peers. His area of expertise is live sound engineering and media productions. He has a very vast background in technology. This background helps him in his pursuit of technical excellence in sound. In his research in making music education more accessible, it has afforded him a unique opportunity to teach live sound engineering to churches in Latin America as an extension of mission outreaches. It’s with great pleasure and an extreme honor to introduce to the P&E family…Mr. Joshua Blanchard. So we recently sat down with Joshua to find out more about his love for music
P&E:
Joshua Blanchard: When I was younger, I spent a lot of time
listening to soundtracks and that has probably influenced me more than anything else. Alan Menkin, Joe Hisaishi, Nobuo Uematsu and Yasunori Mitsuda all had my ears for many hours on end, and even today, I find that some of the artists I enjoy listening to are also soundtrack composers. It is music that impacts emotion by its composition and design and I try to take that to heart.
P&E:
music?
What was the turning point that solidified your love for
Who have you worked with?
Joshua Blanchard: I had the opportunity to run live sound for
Rick Pino and managed to not disappoint him--but only because I was willing to take correction from his very talented band members.
P&E:
Who would you love to work with and why?
Joshua Blanchard: The artists I admire most already have
people who do what I do! I prefer to focus on places where I can fill a need.
P&E: P&E:
Who are your musical influences and why?
Who is your favorite producer and why?
Joshua Blanchard: Nujabes (Seba Jun). He was a fantastic
Joshua Blanchard: The first time a song sent a chill up my spine when I was a child, I knew then that I was hooked.
composer in his own right and he was putting together melodic jazz from Japan with underground American hip hop artists in a time when a lot of hip hop was drifting away from lyrical melody and focusing on rhythm. That took musical chops, vision, and technical excellence.
P&E:
Tell us a little bit about the start of your musical career. How and when did you get started?
P&E:
Joshua Blanchard: My first hands on experience with
engineering came because some folks at my church thought the computer guy could understand the wires and knobs on the soundboard. They weren’t totally wrong, but I learned it takes a lot more than that. But I was fortunate that our church had such a talented band to learn and hone my skills on.
a name on a guitar, but he was one of the fathers of modern sound engineering. Overdubbing, multi-track recording, and a lot more things which we take for granted now are things he brought to the musical world. It all would have happened eventually, but he did it before most everyone else by being clever when everyone else thought they were too hard to pull off.
P&E:
What genre of music would you classify yourself in and why you choose to do this genre of music?
P&E:
Joshua Blanchard: I’m happy that working on the tech-
widely and price or brand is no guarantee of quality. Everything really has to be judged by its own merits. Fortunately, there is a ton of great equipment available even at hobbyist-level prices. Nothing is perfect, but if the signal to noise ratio is good enough and you can set an equalizer, you can work with nearly anything. You would be amazed at how many chart-topping records were recorded with just Shure SM58s!
nical side makes it a lot easier to not stick to a single genre, but for live sound, I think rock bands provide the most interesting challenges for an engineer to overcome. Acoustically speaking, rock rides a fine line between being music and being noise. So getting it right is gratifying.
P&E:
Who is your favorite engineer and why?
Joshua Blanchard: Les Paul. People know him today for being
What type of recording equipment do you use and why?
Joshua Blanchard: In my experience, performance varies
Besides being an audio engineer, what else do you do as it relates to music?
P&E:
Joshua Blanchard: I have a strong passion for optimizing
Joshua Blanchard: It is where I started but my limited abilities
notation and instrument layouts to make music easier to learn. What we have now makes music far harder to learn than it needs to be and I believe we’re denying many people the opportunity to exercise their God-given capacity for musical expression by not improving these things.
What got you into engineering?
as a musician have left me to focus on it. It is where I can best contribute to music, so I am determined to do it well.
P&E:
What kind of engineering work have you done? (e.g. recording, mixing, live sound)
Joshua Blanchard: Most of my work has been live sound, pri-
marily for modern praise and worship in worship service and concert settings. I’ve also done recording and technical post-production for non-music audio.
P&E:
Joshua Blanchard: I just want to make music and
make music with others. As long as I can keep doing that, I am satisfied. I just want to keep trying to do it better while I’m at it.
Name your top 5 plugins?
Joshua Blanchard:
P&E:
What are you working on now?
- Izotope RX5 Audio Editor can save you from minor recording problems by isolating and removing noise. - Melodyne can help fix small mistakes on performances that were otherwise perfect. - Liquid Notes and Synfire are both powerful tools for building progressions and melodies systematically. - Blind testing is an important part of making judgement calls. 4U+ Blind Test can make that into a much simpler task.
Joshua Blanchard: I’ve recently started using Ohm
P&E:
Joshua Blanchard: I can be reached at joshua.
What do you consider your greatest strength when it comes to music and why?
Joshua Blanchard: My technical background helps me to
understand what’s going on at the digital, electrical, or acoustic level. That occasionally gives me an edge in figuring out how to get the results I want.
P&E:
What do you consider your greatest area to improve when it comes to music and why?
Joshua Blanchard: I’m continuing to pursue development in
playing music. Even though I have an understanding of acoustics and music theory, every step I take toward the music actually coming out of me is transformative.
P&E:
If you can go back in time, what would you tell your younger self to do differently?
Joshua Blanchard: To spend less time contemplating how to
do something perfectly and more time making imperfect things. Failing fast and moving on is far more productive and educational.
P&E:
What advice would you give to the young talents coming behind you?
Joshua Blanchard: Listen with intent and spend at least half of
your time outside of your comfort zone. Being complacent or comfortable is squandering an opportunity to improve!
P&E:
What are the rewards and challenges for you in the music business?
Joshua Blanchard: Making it sound right and making people
feel something is what makes it all worth it. The greatest challenge for me as an independent engineer is creating opportunities to collaborate. Since most of an engineer’s contributions are targeted at making the most of other people’s contributions, you have to put in your best effort if you don’t want to be considered interchangeable.
P&E:
What’s your ultimate goal in this music game and why?
Studio, which is a Digital Audio Workstation made to enable online collaboration. There are lots of public projects available for contribution, so I’m using it as a chance to experiment.
P&E:
How can people contact you?
blanchard@gmail.com
Darryl Moore: Bill Duke because he personally told P&E family, we are bringing to you Mr. Darryl Moore – one of the most artistic film producers out here. Mr. Moore has endured tremendous struggles and persevered. Struggles from being misdiagnosed with ADD/HD that he was actually suffering from being bi-polar to post traumatic stress to being homeless to looking at up to 60 years in jail but made it through. Now, he has a testimony! He’s in the middle of his producing his autobiography movie “Invisible Man”. But he was gracious enough to give up some time to bring you – P&E family – his story.
P&E:
What was the turning point that solidified your love for movies and movie producing?
me what it takes to be successful in this industry. Never take no for an answer. Spike Lee for being more than just a filmmaker but also being and advocate for social change and racial pride.
P&E: Who have you worked with? Darryl Moore: I hate to name drop. I have been in
over 25 films and not counting TV projects. I don’t want to miss anyone. Let’s see...Bill Duke, Bill Cobbs, Frankie Faison, Brandon T. Jackson, Loretta Divine, Mike Epps, the list goes on and on but I really hate name dropping.
Darryl Moore: I have always dreamed of being on TV and
film. I watched television so much as a child that I memorized the lines of almost everything. The commercial jingles were my favorite. I have older siblings who were already adults when I was growing up so it was like I grew up as an only child. Television was source of entertainment.
P&E:
P&E: Who would you love to work with and why? Darryl Moore: I would love to work with James Earl
Jones, Denzel Washington, and Louis Gossett Jr. They are living legends. Just being in the room with them would be an honor.
Tell us a little bit about the start of your movie producing career. How and when did you get started?
P&E: Who is your favorite producer and why?
Darryl Moore: I saw an interview about Bill Duke and he
Darryl Moore: Will Packer is my favorite because I
said you must always have other avenues to gain access in this industry. Come through the door, window, roof, or floor but get in the house. It’s more work behind the camera than in front of it. Plus, I love being the one creating content.
have met him and worked on his projects. He is down to earth and not arrogant. A very hardworking producer.
P&E:
P&E:
What type of movie (i.e. drama, suspense, comedy) do you like being involved in and what makes that appealing to you?
Darryl Moore: I love telling compelling life stories. I love
What do you consider your greatest strength when it comes to the entertainment business and why?
Darryl Moore: I work hard and I refuse to give up. I
refuse to take NO for an answer. I will always work until I find a way to make it happen.
drama. For so long, great stories haven’t been told. Stories of hope about people overcoming great odds.
P&E: P&E:
Besides being a movie producer, what else are you involved with in the entertainment business?
Darryl Moore: I am writing my autobiography. I guess I am a big old nerd. I love books and reading. Also, my oldest son is in school majoring in sound engineering. It’s my goal to work with him after he finishes school.
What do you consider your greatest area to improve when it comes to the entertainment business and why?
Darryl Moore: At times, I can be a loner and in this business you must be a very social. I need to attend more public functions.
P&E:
If you can go back in time, what would you tell your younger self to do differently?
P&E::
Who are your influences and why?
Darryl Moore: Do take a regular day job just be-
cause the naysayers were trying to crush your dream. Tough it out and do what is in your heart.
P&E:
What advice would you give to the young talents coming behind you?
Darryl Moore: Network and pool your resources with other like-minded people. You can make it easier partnering with others in the beginning.
P&E:
What are the rewards and challenges for you in the entertainment business?
Darryl Moore: Anything worth having requires hard work
so i don’t stress about challenges. The greatest reward for me is that I am in control of my future. I am the captain of this ship and that feels great. I set my own hours and I do my own thing.
P&E:
What’s your ultimate goal in this game and why?
Darryl Moore: I will have my own film lot where I will create and produce my own content. After that, I am open to any positive venture. The sky is the limit.
P&E:
What are you working on now? Will it be released soon? If so, when?
Darryl Moore: I am in pre-production on invisible man which is my life story.
“Invisible Man” is the film adaptation of the autobiography “Feel My Pain” written by Darryl Moore. While being treated for unresolved issues from his past, he was diagnosed with cancer. Things got worse when he faced 60 years in prison, dealt with his daughter’s death, and was briefly homeless. Determined to rise above his plight, he became an entertainer.
P&E: Where can we find your body of works? Darryl Moore: A listing of my work is on my IMDb page
and you can download or view most of it online or by buying the DVD’s.
P&E: How can people contact you? Darryl Moore: I can be reached via my website... Www.
moore-ent.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, snapchat, and Youtube.
Numark NVII
The NV II with its sleek design, seasoned with red and white colors, really grabs your attention. But it’s so much more—it improves on the superior performance of the original NV! Suited and tailored with an eye-catching symmetrical design, the NV II features an upgraded layout with clear markings for fast, responsive operation. Its striking platter design with hints of red make the NV II one hot controller! What’s under the hood? Aside from cool look and those great 4.3-inch full-color screens, the NV II adds gridlines on the screens so you can seamlessly beat match your tracks. In addition the NV II adds a 5-column sort to view your music 3 columns at time by song, artist, time, bpm and key. We didn’t just improve an already great DJ controller—we created the NV II to reiNVigorate your DJ skills! Touch and Feel the Mix You can feel the music through the adaptive 5-inch touch-activated platters. The NV II comes equipped with touch-capacitive EQ and filters to dynamically carve out the groove with drop/boost, available at your fingertips. The highly-advanced touch-adaptive jog wheels adjust to your style and feel while manipulating your mix on the fly. Whether you scratch in your favorite cuts or nubb in perfect transitions blends, the platters are an extension of your personality and style. What’s the big deal about the touch capacitive EQ, FX and filter knobs? You have free range to carve out a custom sonic mix by just tapping the EQ/FX knob and adding a simple twist. Think of it as your stylus on a touch screen, where you can control every curve of your musical art, creating the perfect mix. With the touch-capacitive knobs you can literally feel your mix. Performance Trigger Pads Create your own remix during your performance with our 16 velocity-sensitive pads. These are great for finger drumming, looping sample slicing, hot cues and more. Bright RGB backlit pads with color-coded feedback for each mode make switching in and out a liquid operation. While tapping your feet to the beat, the velocity response has an amazing feel for setting loops or set your cue points for awesome drops. Four Deck Control
With four decks, you have unlimited opportunity to create the remix you always imagined, while monitoring your performance on the built in screens. Aside from switching views on the screens, you have control to switch from decks 1-4 with one fast click on each deck. Depending on whether you mix a capella with instrumentals with four decks or create party/club mashups to pepper into your set, you can do it all on the fly at your gig or in recording studio. Toolroom Remix Packs DJs who want to get into producing (or producers who want to DJ) will appreciate the Toolroom Remix package of professional-grade stems, from the world’s premier electronic music label. Create endless bangers with exclusive access to textures and grooves that empower you to create live remixes or great set build ups and drops. Infuse high-quality sounds into your set on the fly or in studio mode. It’s a great value, making the NV II fully equipped with all the tools you need to conquer new opportunities. Out on the Road with Inputs for Pros Gig a lot and need a versatile board? The NV II fits in any environment and comes road-ready with XLR outs to deliver the best in sound. You also have Booth/ Master RCA outputs to monitor your performance with N-Wave 580L speakers, along with a ¼ “ microphone output. While cueing up your music, you have the flexibility of using the ¼” input or the 1/8” input for your headphones. Play all of your music connected via USB with the latest Serato DJ software.