Making SkyBreak Nominated in TWO categories at The Black Reel Awards!

25182378_10155466634039822_6310646371655565963_o.jpg

Making SkyBreak has been nominated in two categories at The Black Reel Awards!

• Outstanding Independent Documentary •
Making SkyBreak Directed by Donnie Seals Jr.

• Outstanding Song •
“Starlight” by Zo! featuring Phonte

Feels great to be nominated and hopefully we can also pull out a victory! We’ll see!
FULL LIST OF NOMINEES

25394872_10155466574944822_8124145224665132004_o.jpg

The 2013 SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Awards Finalists Announced!!

2013 SoulTracks Readers Choice Logo

The 2013 SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Awards finalists were announced the other night and it looks like I made the list in two categories…

Independent Album Of The Year
Zo! – ManMade

and

Song Of The Year
Zo! featuring Eric Roberson – “We Are On The Move”

Make sure you click here to subscribe and VOTE between October 18th and 30th of 2013. The winners will be announced via international broadcast on December 9th. Let’s make it happen! Thanks y’all…

SoulBounce Names Zo! Their 2010 Producer Of the Year!


Source: SoulBounce · By Ivory

While here at the SB headquarters we don’t always see eye-to-eye in terms of music, one thing we do agree on is that 2010 was, indeed, the year of Lorenzo Ferguson better known to all as Zo!. Many of the Detroit-bred, D.C.-based multi-instrumentalist and producer’s melodies provided the soundtrack to our 2010. Let’s face it, he seemed to be everywhere this year. Zo! managed to hit us off with stellar production work nearly every season this year, making him easily the SoulBounce Honors 2010 Producer of the Year.

Zo! kicked things off in the spring, when his fellow Foreign Exchange Music labelmate YahZarah released her highly-anticipated album, The Ballad of Purple Saint James. He lent his production talents to her single “Cry Over You” featuring Phonte. The funky, upbeat track provided the perfect backdrop for YahZarah’s sassy rebound tale.

By the time the summer release of his own full-length FE Music debut, SunStorm, we were practically foaming at the mouth with anticipation of the musical delicacies our ears were about to feast on. And boy, did he not disappoint. Drawing comparisions to Stevie Wonder‘s Songs in the Key of Life, SunStorm served up a delicious composition of musicianship and artistry. As previously stated in our review of the album, “While some producers may stumble when their musical ambitions find them dabbling in different genres, Zo! expertly navigates vast musical terrain.” Nearly six months later, this album continues to amaze with his wide-range of talents, sprinkling in a dash of jazz here, a spoonful of broken beat there and a whole lotta fun, spirited soul and hip-hop ingredients in between.

In with the cool weather of the fall, came the equally-cool third group project, Authenticity, from The Foreign Exchange. While most production was still held-down by FE co-founder Nicolay, Zo!’s fingerprints still remained all over this album. Picking up where the group’s previous project, Leave It All Behind, left all, this album was melancholy and slightly-experimental, where LIAB was hopeful and soulful. Zo! even took a turn on the mic–albeit a talkbox mic–on “Don’t Wait.” Whether he was leading us through the highs of love or guiding us through the dreary days of heartbreak, Zo! consistently used his musical prowess to help bring the vivid emotions to life. Through his fingertips, we were able to feel sentiment just as clearly as we could hear it.

And to think, Zo! managed to deliver a crop of good music all while holding down a full-time gig as a music teacher in Washington, D.C. By showcasing us such a versatile range of musical portraits in 2010, we can only imagine what Zo! has in store for us in 2011. If next year is anything like this past one has been, then you better make room on your iPods for more phenemonal music.

‘SunStorm’ Earns Two 2010 SoulTracks Nominations

Earlier today, the finalists were announced for the 2010 SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Awards and after narrowing down each category from 20 entries/per, left standing among the finalists for Song of the Year with “Greatest Weapon Of All Time” (feat. Sy Smtih) and Independent Album of the Year with SunStorm!

If you would like to vote for these categories, here are the official rules via SoulTracks.com:

Voting ballots will be sent out by email on Thursday, October 21st. You must be a SoulTracks email subscriber to receive a voting ballot. If you aren’t a subscriber, just sign up at the top left side of this page. It’s FREE! Folks who sign up after October 21st will receive their ballots within 24 hours.

The awards will be broadcast on Tuesday, December 7th at 8:00pm!


I’m pretty excited as I have never been nominated for anything in my musical career. So to even be recognized for the hard work that we all put forth toward this album and its songs is an honor. Hopefully, these nominations are the first of many to come… Thank you for supporting!