DEONDA LA DARE THEUS

“  Review - LOVING YOU OLD SCHOOL by DEONDA It’s not often musicians – or women in general, for that matter – are honest about their age. However, Deonda is in her late 40s, and not ashamed to admit it.  Heck, she even dedicates this album to her grandson!  Her Loving You Old School project an album that doesn’t just include a song about old school love, but also one that couches these tracks in old school musical settings. The title track is also this album’s best song.  It’s something only a (slightly) older woman can appreciate.  She sings on it how she wants to get with a guy old school.  That means not texting or Facebook-ing.  She wants to meet face-to-face, instead.  It’s a five minute long song too, with a slight Chicago soul sound that incorporates some of the same horn-saturated elements found in music by folks like The Impressions.  One of the most upbeat songs on this collection is “Let’s Make Music.”  It has a march-like beat to it.  In fact, there is also a tribal feel to it, as well. Unlike many of the other songs, this one has an assertiveness running through it.  It also features a really nice saxophone solo.  This song’s eerie electric keyboard part really adds a sense of mystery to the overall vibe.  The electric guitar on the outro is also really nice. While the ‘70s is the main template for these songs, the song “Starlight” sure sounds a lot like George Michael’s “Carless Whisper.”  Most the time, though, Deonda settles into an old school soul groove that just rolls lightly and easily, with subtle percussion, layered vocals and occasional electric guitar solos. Deonda has a singing voice that is light and airy, and a little like Diana Ross in places.  Deonda is at her smooth soul best during “Lucky Man.”  On it, she sings with a low, sultry vocal tone that tends to fit her voice best.  This song uses sparse instrumentation.  The melody is also a slightly minor key one, which gives it an ominous vibe. All the songs are originals, except two.  One exception is “You like me,” which Jermaine Jackson composed, and “Casanova Brown,” a cover and tribute to Teena Marie.  Deonda wrote the most of these songs with her producer Terence Thomas.  In fact, Thomas played most of the instruments on this recording. Old school soul music will always hold a special place in the hearts of true R&B music fans. Nothing expresses romance any better than an old school soul song.  Deonda clearly loves this era in music, which mainly spans the ‘70s, but has never fully gone away and still pops up now and again on the music charts and especially on modern TV singing competitions. Dan McIntosh reviewyou.com     ” - D. McIntosh

“  Loving You Old School by DEONDA   Deonda Theus’ Loving You Old School is a refreshing return to the good old fashion love song, with the type of smooth melodies and sensuous lyricism that illustrates the soul of R&B. With the accompaniment of such accomplished musicians as guitarist and producer Terence Thomas, saxophonist Louis Thomas, and profoundly gifted clarinetist Evan Wood (my brother, I must disclose) Deonda’ effortless vocal charm brings a range of songs, from upbeat and likably flirty tunes like Again, and You Like Me, to the reflective and somber melody of Starlight, to life. Her innately romantic feel and natural chemistry with producer and arranger Terence Thomas is an easy fit for Lucky Man and Teena Marie’s classic Casanova Brown, but her lyrical creativity and originality truly shine in the triumphantly romantic title track, Loving You Old School, a charming ode, I dare say, to every listener who remembers when the simplicity of love passed from person to person unimpeded by the gadgets and gizmos behind which everybody seems to be hiding their feelings today. Deonda’ music is the music of real love, for real people and real lovers. Listen to the fresh romantic groove of I Miss You. Her music is light on frills, but heavy on the straightforward expressiveness that makes every word easy to relate to, with enough serious sexiness in songs like Lets Make Music to provide a sound for every mood. This is the type of music you can listen to in the car or on the porch, when you’re relaxing or when you just need to relax, when your falling in love…or just shopping around. It’s that old school vibe for people who know what it means to love the straightforward, old fashioned way, as well as for those who are just figuring it out. -John Wood, Jr. // <![CDATA[ function googleTranslateElementInit() { new google.translate.TranslateElement({pageLanguage: 'en', layout: google.translate.TranslateElement.InlineLayout.SIMPLE}, 'google_translate_element'); } // ]]> ” - John R. Wood, Jr., Writer