Voodoo

Personnel includes: D'Angelo (vocals, various instruments, guitar, keyboards, bass, drums); Method Man, Redman, Q Tip (vocals); Charlie Hunter, Raphael Saadiq (guitar, bass); C. Edward Alford, Mike Campbell (guitar); Roy Hargrove (trumpet, flugelhorn, horns); James Payser (keyboards); Pino Palladino (bass); Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson (drums); Giovanni Midalgo (congas); DJ Premier (programming). Producers: D'Angelo, DJ Premier, Raphael Saadiq. Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York, New York. VOODOO won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The song was also nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. Personnel includes: D'Angelo (vocals, various instruments, guitar, keyboards, bass, drums); Method Man, Redman, Q Tip (vocals); Charlie Hunter, Raphael Saadiq (guitar, bass); C. Edward Alford, Mike Campbell (guitar); Roy Hargrove (trumpet, flugelhorn, horns); James Payser (keyboards); Pino Palladino (bass); Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson (drums); Giovanni Midalgo (congas); DJ Premier (programming). Producers: D'Angelo, DJ Premier, Raphael Saadiq. Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York, New York. VOODOO won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The song was also nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. When D'Angelo popped on the scene in '97 with his critical and commercial breakthrough BROWN SUGAR, he brought a gush of refreshing air to the musty world of soulful, sensual R&B. When VOODOO was released, little in the R&B world had changed, as the same stale, color-by-numbers vocals sung over the simplest of beats--ripped off from Teddy Riley or Timbaland--dominated the genre. But once again, the singer/songwriter (for that's what he is) dropped a dose of energy into the soul planet with his invigorating, jazzy, funky, constantly metamorphosing sophomore effort. While much of VOODOO is not entirely original, D'Angelo does wear his influences on his sleeve, particularly those of Prince and Marvin Gaye. D'Angelo does so many things well that by the time he is finished, it's hard to question whether his sound is his own or an exacting mesh of all that's come before. Truly it doesn't matter, for VOODOO is so endearingly crafty and knee-weakeningly seductive, it's practically impossible to close your heart to it. From the free-jazzy, trippy old-school-dragged-through-the-blues muck of "Devil's Pie" to the straightforward torch singing of "Untitled," VOODOO mesmerizes and hypnotizes with soul both familiar and brand new. A tasty treat.