Welcome to Liner Notes, where we dig into the stories and offer commentary behind the albums that resonate beyond the music. Today, we’re unpacking Candace Nicole, the self-titled album by Detroit-based pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader Candace Nicole. 

Nicole’s musical journey began at age 3. Inspired by her piano-playing mother and musically-inclined grandmother, she embraced a family tradition – taking piano lessons. Her classical training introduced her to the works of Beethoven, Bach, and Gershwin, while her Detroit roots infused her artistry with the rich sounds of Motown, jazz, and R&B. Over the years, Nicole would hone her craft performing at concerts and showcases, but her true passion lay in creating original music.   

Balancing family life and work, she composed her debut album during quiet late-night hours, the only time of day where she had the opportunity to create, and soon she had compiled a number of original works that would comprise the album.

Fashioning herself as a “neo-classical” artist who fuses the worlds of classical with jazz and R&B, she secured the services of noted percussionist and producer Jeff Canady (of the Don Was Pan Detroit Ensemble) as well as a cauldron of some of Detroit’s top-tier musician talent to play on the album, including Twon Green II (keys), Anthony Booker (guitar) and Terry Washington (bass/music direction) along with audio engineers Derrick Holmes and Greg Reilly to help bring the album to life.   

1. Latin

Let’s start with the opening track, “Latin,” a lively fusion of Latin and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. This tune channels the vibrant spirit of music legends like Joe Sample and Chick Corea, while adding Nicole’s improvisational jazz flair.  

2. Paradise to See

While the album spotlights Nicole’s piano mastery, it also features standout collaborations with talented vocalists. One such gem is “Paradise to See,” featuring the radiant Yolanda “Yo-Yo” Buckman.  This track evokes the breezy elegance of Natalie Cole’s “La Costa,” blending island-inspired grooves with a hopeful message. Buckman’s soulful delivery paired with Nicole’s lush arrangements creates a sonic escape amid uplifting sentiments of hope toward better times ahead.  

3. Time Goes On

Throughout the album, Nicole’s compositions reflect a variety of styles, and “Time Goes On” is a quiet storm ballad that explores enduring love and commitment and features a heartfelt duet featuring vocalists Kenyatta and Nate Smith, a.k.a. N.A.T.A. 

Nicole’s graceful chord progressions provide the perfect backdrop to the vocalists deftly swapping melodic verses, making this duet a gorgeous slow burn and portrait of unrequited love.

4. Alive!

All throughout the album, Nicole’s restrained gracefulness on the keys belies a dazzling yet rhythmic economy as she avoids the traps of so many jazz and R&B artists, who tend to overplay or drown a tune in bombastic soloing. Nicole blends subtlety and technical brilliance, which is clearly apparent on the track “Alive!” as she delivers a hauntingly beautiful composition that captures both strength and vulnerability. The tune features Kenyatta once again, who delivers soaring soprano vocals.  

5. Mi Mamasita

There are distinctive Latin influences peppered throughout the album, and Nicole’s versatile treatment of Salsa/Merengue/Bachata vibes make for a jubilant celebration of rhythm on “Mi Mamasita.” Again featuring Buckman’s warm, heartfelt vocals, Nicole wrote the tune in celebration of her mother. The song also serves as an homage to the nurturing influence of all motherly figures. 

6. Midnight

The breezy and organic chord structures of the track “Midnight” close out the album in grand fashion.

Across the continuum of this six-song opus, Candace Nicole is many things. First, she is a superb musician with a complete understanding of both a lyric and its relation to the melodic content of a track – her piano serving as an extension of her thoughts and your ears the filter for its distillation.

She is a tunesmith of the highest order who can seamlessly blend classical, jazz, Latin and R&B elements. Her music is deeply personal yet universally resonant, drawing listeners into an intimate, emotional journey.

The album is a debut of remarkable vision, maturity, control, professionalism and iridescence. It shows a riveting, classically-trained artist who can finesse a track from gentle whisper to searing crescendo and allow you the space to ruminate in between while you connect with the music.

But above all, it shows that Candace Nicole, the musician, makes music that is a reflection of you, the listener. She gives listeners something they can feel.

If you dig music like this, check out The Progressive Underground every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on 101.9 WDET where the genres of future soul, progressive hip-hop, nu-jazz, deep house, techno and rare grooves are presented on a sonic palette just for you. See you next time! 

To learn more about Candace Nicole, visit candacenicolemusic.com.

Welcome to Liner Notes, where we dive deep into the stories, sounds, and moments that define the albums we love. Today, we explore “Until We Meet Again,” the latest masterpiece from Sy Smith, the undisputed queen of independent soul.

With a five-octave range and a fearless approach to music-making, Smith has spent decades redefining the boundaries of soul, jazz, and R&B. A proud D.C. native and Howard University alum, Smith first captivated audiences as the lead singer of go-go band In Tyme before making her way to Los Angeles. There, she became an in-demand vocalist for legends like Whitney Houston, Brandy, and Usher. But while her work as a background singer showcased her vocal prowess, Sy was destined for center stage.

Frustrated by the constraints of major labels after releasing her debut album “Psykosoul” on Hollywood Records, Smith took matters into her own hands. Founding her own label, she released a string of critically acclaimed albums (“The Syberspace” “Social,” “Conflict,” “The Fast and the Curious,” and “Sometimes a Rose Will Grow in Concrete”) that solidified her status as a sonic pioneer. Now, with her first album on The Foreign Exchange Music imprint, “Until We Meet Again” delivers an opus that is as elegant as it is personal.

This is more than just an album. It’s a memoir told through song, with producers Zo! and Tall Black Guy crafting a lush Gamble and Huff-inspired sonic backdrop that elevates Smith’s artistry to new heights.

Track 1: “Flowers”

The opening track, “Flowers,” is a soulful prelude where Smith sets the tone for the entire album — a love letter to her audience and an acknowledgment of life’s fleeting beauty. This track blooms into the upbeat, introspective vibes of “Why Do You Keep Calling Me,” a song that captures the complexity of emotional entanglements with wit and warmth.

Track 2: “Why Do You Keep Calling Me”

The track “Why Do You Keep Calling Me” exemplifies Smith’s ability to balance playful storytelling with emotional depth. The production is expertly helmed by Zo and Tall Black Guy who seamlessly blend hypnotic grooves and intricate melodies that places her voice front and center.

Track 3: “Photograph”

Next up, we dive into “Photograph,” a poignant ode to the bittersweet nature of nostalgia and the memories we hold dear. The song echoes Smith’s journey as an artist who’s always been unafraid to revisit the past while forging ahead. This segueways us into the next track, which features a standout collaboration with Grammy-winning trumpeter Chris Botti.

Track 4: “Remember How to Fly” (feat. Chris Botti)

Smith first connected with Botti while touring as his featured vocalist, where their onstage chemistry became a show-stopping highlight. Audiences were always thrilled by Smith’s voice and Botti’s trumpet going note-for-note in playful competition on stage. On this track, their musical interplay belies a mesmerizing synergy, with Botti’s haunting trumpet lines soaring alongside Smith’s transcendent vocals. The song is a call to rediscovery — a theme that resonates deeply in Smith’s own journey in music and life. 

Track 5: “Always Pick Up for You”

By this time the album imbues many similarities to the golden era of 1970s soul music, reflecting a musicality that could easily fit into that era, but that is also timeless. In the  track, “Always Pick Up For You,” Smith slows things down and gives a nuanced vocal performance that conveys both strength and vulnerability while waxing poetic about the sacrifices and loyalty inherent in love.

The next song, “Slide,” puts Smith’s versatility on full display with hypnotic rhythms and sensual vibrations, with the track feeling like an intimate confession set to music. Here the production of Zo and Tall Black Guy really gets immersive with atmospheric textures that highlight their long-standing creative partnership and the trust and synergy that have been built over years of collaboration.

Track 6: “Slide”

Over Smith’s three decades in the music industry, she has cultivated numerous relationships that have developed into familial bonds. One such example is her relationship with the legendary Escovedo family out of Oakland, California. Smith began touring with Sheila E and the Escovedos in 2011 and they developed a deep bond, where Sheila’s family virtually adopted Smith and her actor husband Shawn Carter Peterson as one of their own. The next track features her close sister-friend, the legendary percussionist Sheila E and guitarist Leo Amuedo. The song is a showcase of virtuosity, with each artist bringing their unique flair to create a song that is as technically impressive as it is emotionally resonant.

Track 7: “Masterclass” (feat. Sheila E. & Leo Amuedo)

“Masterclass” lives up to its title featuring Shiela E’s fiery percussion and Leo Amuedo’s intricate guitar work, making it a song that is as technically impressive as it is emotionally resonant. 

Track 8: “Summer of ’93” (feat. Tracey Lee & Dontae Winslow)

The track “Summer of ’93,” featuring rapper Tracey Lee and trumpeter Dontae Winslow, is a nostalgic celebration of youthful freedom and introspection that show’s off Smith’s range as both a vocalist and storyteller.

Track 9: “All The Ways”

“All The Ways” is a minimalist masterpiece that really allows Smith’s voice to take center stage, showcasing her ability to convey deep emotion with subtlety and grace. Here she is accompanied by The Foreign Exchange’s Phonte Coleman who steps up to the mic to croon. It’s essentially a love letter set to music that leaves listeners hanging on every word.

The legacy of ‘Until We Meet Again’

By this point, it’s undeniable: “Until We Meet Again” isn’t just another album — it’s a defining moment in modern soul music. Smith has always been a trailblazer, but this record cements her legacy as one of the most important voices of her generation.

Drawing from the golden era of 1970s soul while infusing elements of jazz, R&B, and Brazilian music, “Until We Meet Again” bridges past and present. It’s a masterclass in storytelling, collaboration and musicianship. You hear shades of Denice Williams, Minnie Riperton, Jean Carne, Marlena Shaw, Phoebe Snow and many other trailblazers from that time period, in a masterwork that deftly translates those vibes into a contemporary context that is both natural, organic and seamless.

With every track, Smith embraces her musical regality, crafting songs that are deeply personal yet universally resonant. This is an album you don’t skip tracks on; it’s a fully immersive experience that carries listeners through a spectrum of emotions. If Smith’s artistry is a journey, then “Until We Meet Again” is the destination we didn’t know we needed.

Now, let’s conclude this journey with the album’s title track, a moving requiem that serves as both a farewell and a celebration of the enduring power of love.

Track 10: “Until We Meet Again”

This track is a poignant closer to an album that is an instant classic. To stay updated on happenings, releases and activities related to Sy Smith visit syberspace.shop.

Listen to The Progressive Underground with host Chris Campbell every Saturday from 6-8 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET.