Jill Scott Is Back, and the Bass Is Front and Center on “To Whom This May Concern”
Jill Scott has always had incredible bass lines on her albums, with tracks like “A Long Walk,” “Golden,” and “The Way” becoming staples for R&B bassists. Now, it looks like her next release will be no different.
The R&B queen has announced her tenth studio effort, To Whom This May Concern, will be out on February 13th via Blues Babe Records. The project, which marks her first since 2015’s Woman, will feature a bevy of creative collaborators, including Ab-Soul, J.I.D., Too $hort, DJ Premier, Darhyl Camper, Andre Harris, Trombone Shorty, and more.
She unveiled To Whom This May Concern with the lead single, “Beautiful People,” which was put together by Om’Mas Keith.
“Om’Mas Keith is nothing short of genius. Part of Sa-Ra, his production is soulful, whimsical, and so damn musical,” she shared on Facebook. “He came to visit and I watched this man create with every instrument he touched. Damn! Easily!!! He played the drums, the keys, the bass, the guitar… I was floored.”
“Beautiful People” has a notable bass part that has a repeating 8-bar phrase with a simple and effective diminished run that resolves into a tenth.
Bassist, producer, and music director Adam Blackstone also contributed to the album. He started working with Scott over 20 years ago and has since worked with everyone from Rihanna and Justin Timberlake to Dr. Dre and Eminem.
“Adam Blackstone! My sweet and wonderful friend,” Scott wrote. “He was 19 or 20 when he became my music director. I’m amazed at how he’s forged his path. He’s the go to for any dream team. He’s the Quincy Jones of our time!!!! His production is pure authenticity. He chimed in like an anointed chef all over dis thang. I’m proud to call him peer; overjoyed to call him friend.”
Blackstone co-produced Scott’s second single, “Pressha,” with Vincent “VT” Tolan. Both of them provide bass on the sizzling, down-tempo R&B groove.
Given Jill Scott’s track record, we’re sure the rest of To Whom This May Concern is going to be killer.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
