As we are painfully aware, the current pandemic has eliminated most in person activities, including concerts. That is causing significant challenges for artists as they try to make a living and also get the exposure they need to showcase their talents. One positive trend that has emerged during this time is the use of online streaming platforms as the new venue for live music. One such example is the Kennedy Center Couch Concert series, sponsored by the Millenium Stage.
On June 24, 2020, The Couch Concert series featured two Washington, DC based vocalists, Cecily Alexa and Deborah Bond. Both artists are also songwriters, extremely talented and well respected for their dedication to their craft and their communities. Cecily and Deborah (pronounced (De-BOR-rah) were each given roughly 30 minutes to perform.
Cecily Alexa was up first. Her impressive music catalog includes two albums (Awakening , Pt. 1 in 2019 and Songs of Love and Freedom in 2018), 1 EP (Cecily in 2015) and several singles dating back to 2012. She has opened for artists such as Gregory Porter, Jose James, Johnny Gill, Kenny Lattimore, Elle Varner and Bilal.
Cecily performed six songs during her set:
1. Pisces – from Songs of Love and Freedom
2. Set Myself Free – from Awakening, Pt. 1
3. Someday We’ll All Be Free – cover (Donny Hathaway)
4. Clumsy – from Awakening, Pt. 1
5. Your Idea of Beautiful – from Songs of Love and Freedom
6. Don’t Hide The Sun – from Songs of Love and Freedom
Cecily has a soothing soprano voice. I was also impressed with her songwriting skills; her songs have meaning and come from the heart. I became aware of Cecily from her song “Clumsy” (my personal favorite) as it showcases her versatile voice accompanied by a strong bass line and timely horn work. Cecily’s parents were music lovers (soul, jazz and R&B) and it is obvious she was influenced by the music they listened to and has blended key qualities of that music into her own.
You can learn more about Cecily by visiting her website. Her music is available on iTunes and other streaming platforms. I was able to also capture a few photos of her performing, courtesy of the Kennedy Center’s YouTube channel. I am definitely a fan and look forward to the opportunity to see her perform live when this pandemic is behind us.
Next, Cecily virtually passed the mic over to Deborah Bond for her set. Deborah has two albums (DayAfter in 2003 and Madam Palindrome in 2011). These albums are considered classics to indie/neo soul fans worldwide. I have had the privilege to meet Ms. Bond at a Capital Jazz Fest a few years back and she was as humble and gracious as she is talented. She performs with her amazing band Third Logic, and on occasion performs and tours with one of my favorite bands, Incognito.
In fact, one of my favorite Incognito songs is the uplifting “I See The Sun” from their Amplified Soul album, with Deborah on lead vocals. In addition to her work with Incognito, Deborah has collaborated with many other artists, including Frank McComb, Aaron Abernathy, Brandon Williams and Lewis Taylor. She also lends her vocal talents to Melba Moore, Miki Howard, Chante Moore, MC Lyte, Ledisi, Keith Washington, and Foreign Exchange, among others.
Deborah performed six songs during her set:
1. A Message – from DayAfter
2. Givin’ Up – from DayAfter
3. Say It – Madam Palindrome
4. You Are The One – Madam Palindrome
5. Kiss On My List – cover (Hall and Oates)
6. See You In My Dreams – from DayAfter
Deborah has an infectious, positive vibe and that was evident throughout her set. Her vocal abilities allow her to change styles effortlessly without skipping a beat. I enjoyed all her selections, but especially “A Message”, given it is so relevant to what we are going through today. Her lyrics are powerful and make it easy for her audience to receive the message she is delivering. Deborah truly has a good time when she performs, and her audience can’t help but get drawn in to her energy.
You can learn about Deborah by visiting her website. Her music is available on iTunes as well as her YouTube channel. I was able to also capture a few photos of her performing, courtesy of the Kennedy Center’s YouTube channel.
Enjoy the full live-stream performance below!
