When embarking on a new venture, getting advice from someone accomplished in the field you’re about to enter is a welcomed plus. So if a fledging thespian were to receive advice, or more so encouragement, from an Academy Award winner, of course those words would stick.
That was the case for one of the stars in one of the most talked about productions in the country. The actor said, “He told me that anything in the realm of theatre, film, TV or movies, whatever you want to do, just reach for it. You can have anything you want.”
Although the on the surface the advice can come off as a little pedestrian, his encourager was one Prince Rogers Nelson. Yeah, him. (I know it might be a stretch, but remember he got the Oscar in 1985 and anytime you get a word from him about anything artistic, you need to bring that to light.) In an odd twist, it’s perhaps as an actor where his talents will be fully recognized, because on his “day job,” he’s all about authenticity. A good argument can be made that because of his debut disc, “Ghetto Hymns,” he grand fathered the true-life urban scenarios on R&B records.
Dave Hollister is that dude. So while he’s studying the script of the stage adaptation of the seminal classic film “Love Jones,” he’s simultaneously hoping that the nation studies his album, “The MANuscript,” as they await the show to reach their town. “The MANuscript,” is album eight in the evolution of Hollister, an artist who has been known to display personal defects, vulnerabilities and strengths unabashedly through his music.
“I’m not an artist, I’m a messenger,” said Hollister. “I’m here to be transparent and put my life out there so I’d be able to help somebody else through my journey, so I never had to hide who I was. It’s so refreshing to know that my Day One fans get that, and still ride with me.”
As if Hollister never left from the last project, “The MANuscript,” finds a new business partnership with Shanachie Entertainment, Conjunction Entertainment, Top Notch Music and Hollister Music Group.
Hollister described how the relationship developed: “I was about to begin work from my last album (“Chicago Winds…The Saga Continues”), and I got a call to do a duet with Angie Stone, from a producer Walter W. Millsap III, who I worked with back on my “Chicago ’85…The Movie” album. Two days after he called me and asked about my recording situation. He then asked me to give him one shot to do a project, and if it didn’t pop you’ll never have to work with me again in life.”
After agreeing to get to work, five days later the album was done, top to bottom! “We was in a cold creative zone,” Hollister shared.
Millsap, of Conjunction Entertainment, was drawn to sign and work with Hollister based on his unique appeal. “Dave Hollister’s soul-stirring vocals have graced chart-topping pop, hip-hop, and R&B songs alike,” said Millsap. “Female fans are drawn to his signature style of singing, which is powerful and velvety. He has a significant male following as well, being that he speaks freely of his own transgressions and of his shortcomings and his struggle to live and love the right way.”
“When Walter shared Dave Hollister’s new music with me, I grew very excited about the potential of the project,” stated Marv Mack, president of TopNotch Music. “Dave has one of the most powerful, creative and distinctive voices, which makes him a driving force in R&B! Walter’s production presentation and studio chemistry with Dave really makes the new album more than competitive in the urban marketplace. The new single, “Definition of a Woman,” will touch the heart and souls of women on a universal level.”
The disc succeeds in solidifying Hollister as one of this generations most influential talents. Spirit-tingling vocals that go through you melded with street-laced, laymen-term vocals that speak to you. Hints of a talent that could fit into any soul music era are offered with the lead single as well as the Angie Stone assisted “Receipts” and “Ooh Ya Ya.” The sanctified, sensual combination of “Creation H.E.R” and the nostalgia-inducing “Barbershop” highlight the project. Hollister suggests that if you need that angst-filled vibe of his classic “My Feelings” and “Destiny,” the cut for you is “Blind.”
No word on a tour yet, but “Love Jones the Musical,” based on Theodore Witcher’s 1997 seminal classic film, featuring, along with Hollister, a star-studded cast, including Musiq Soulchild, Chrisette Michele, Marsha Ambrosius, Raheem DeVaughn and MC Lyte, arrives Saturday, Oct. 22, and Sunday, Oct. 23, at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre (1027 Flatbush Ave.) Tickets are available through the box office and from Tickmaster.com.,
Over and out. Holla next week. Til then, enjoy the nightlife.
