K.Avett

K. Avett the artist is a bold, beautiful, full-fledged woman with a capital “W,” and every aspect of that womanhood gets explored on her independent soul music debut, K. Avett: Revelations - from her spiritual to her sexual to her romantic. The auspicious indie testimonial also does some minor genre hopping to flesh out the various musical angles of the multi-dimensional K. Avett’s kaleidoscopic prism, jumping from urban adult contemporary to country funk to ragtime jazz with equal technical aplomb. It’s a smoldering yet often dazzling display of a young artist hitting the ground running with a rock solid debut that lends itself to repeat listening for days on end by soul and R&B traditionalists needing something real.

K. Avett the artist is a bold, beautiful, full-fledged woman with a capital “W,” and every aspect of that womanhood gets explored on her independent soul music debut, K. Avett: Revelations - from her spiritual to her sexual to her romantic. The auspicious indie testimonial also does some minor genre hopping to flesh out the various musical angles of the multi-dimensional K. Avett’s kaleidoscopic prism, jumping from urban adult contemporary to country funk to ragtime jazz with equal technical aplomb. It’s a smoldering yet often dazzling display of a young artist hitting the ground running with a rock solid debut that lends itself to repeat listening for days on end by soul and R&B traditionalists needing something real.

With a soulful album this cohesive and filling, one hoped for greater fan fare and response for this Spring 2014 release. However, it was imperative for us that readers get introduced to this skilled alto with the gospel runs, jazz riffs, soulful crooning and emotionally impactful lyricism, regardless of the release date. K. Avett is just worth the second look. It’s not a perfect project, but as debuts go, K. Avett: Revelations credibly vies for a slot among new R&B artist introductions that usually causes critics to pull out such predictive terms as “promising.”

The singer/songwriter from Texas pens nutritious meals with traditional song structures and occasionally weighty subjects. One of the project’s more spiritual cuts, “Heaven,” proves a subtle song about earning passage to the afterlife, here lyrically delivered in more inspirational than theistic language. An ode to music and what it means to the prodigious Avett, “Music (Never Out of Reach)” is a piano ballad set against sophisticated street sounds, a wash of strings, and smooth supporting vocalists. A pitch perfect interlude, “We Ain’t Talkin,’” is a brief showcase of K. Avett delivering a bit of ragtime and Broadway jazz about the communication challenges in a relationship. “Alone” finds K. Avett taking on the role of observant storyteller about a lost woman who has turned to the arms of multiple strangers to help her deal with her loneliness and the emptiness of her life.

In “Can’t Stand,” the debut single and one of the album’s strongest moments, K. Avett explores the complete journey of a woman who finally comes to grips with the fact that a relationship has turned sour; she no longer buys her callous lover’s excuses, coming into herself in the process. In her emotionally devastating performance on “Can’t Stand,” we feel every bit of the tension, the love, the lust, the desire to go back to that love you know, to believe the foolishness yet understanding that to do so one mo’ ‘gin would be to disrespect and dishonor herself…again. It’s a penetrating moment on a project that glides easily on cruise control. That K. Avett does this work with few big note moments, but rather through her phrasing, technique, and heartfelt sentiments is a testament to her training.

A singer’s singer, Avett’s jazzy gospel style works on both the leads and background work she does throughout the project, especially on the sleeper ballads. In seductive night sounds and call and response choruses, “In My Dreams” is an introspective observation about meeting that fantasy lover who could be too good to be true (“Do I relax and flow/let it go?”). Sweet romance is the bed of “Luv 4 Life,” a candlelight and you affirmation sung to a soulmate about what her man means to her and their written-in-the-stars future together. An intimacy cut, “Take It Slow” brings nuance and subtlety to the dance of making love without ever getting coarse or profane, but is clear about its subject. The romantic fun of “Fall N2U” taps into her country funk, with its organ thump and harmonica accents, but keeps it chic in its intricate harmonics. In a project of largely consistent feel, a standout moment comes in “Find A Way,” a powerful plea to a lover to meet her halfway and address her relationship needs, as she’s giving him the best that she has, but isn’t getting that back.

Where Avett has growth potential as a writer is perhaps in the need for catchier, more melodic hooks, so that the story arrangements and song memorability match the vocal and lyrical talent. For instance, a simmering slow jam like “Show Me” is well sung, but is almost too derivative of the kind of early ‘90s ballads made signature by artists like Milira, Chante Savage, or Angela Winbush. Even as a nod to tradition, there is little unique that makes the cut stick. Of a different tract, of these otherwise well-considered songs, the aggressive “Too Late” feels an outlier on this sultry album. Unlike the soulful church infused style of all the other mature material, the more mid-tempo cut is sung in a totally different, more hip hop-meets-rock sing-talk vocal, and its tone and approach are more vengeful and biting. “Too Late” is well-produced, but the vocals feel forced and it jars in its bitter tone and aggressiveness in a set whose overall sound is anything but.

As the project’s other prominent swinging, mid-tempo groove, the funky ‘80s era Chaka Khan flavored “U N-Me” works better, with messaging both more generous, complicated, and dimensional regarding the difficulties of maintaining a relationship and its earnest desire to get back to the love. “U N-Me” is representative of K. Avett: Revelations as a whole: layered, grown, dynamically produced, with well-executed vocals that stand-out. I can’t wait to hear it live on the road, and after a listen, neither will you. Won’t you save me a seat? Highly Recommended.

By L. Michael Gipson
- See more at: http://www.soultracks.com/album-review-K-avett-revelations#sthash.5AhTwUEY.dpuf - Micheal L. Gipson

K Avett
My Featured Artist this week is a young lady from Dallas, Texas, that's Ms K Avett. I played a track last week from her debut album "Revelations" but I thought this week I would dig a little deeper. There's no doubting this lady is a star on the rise, so I consider it my soulful duty to bring her to your attention. - Bill Randle

K.Avett Speaks To Soulful Seduction

What can we say about K.Avett, she is beautiful, has a very sultry sexy voice and a quirky fun personality to compliment the brilliant music that she is releasing to the world! Now completed, her solo album ‘Revelations’ is a smooth crossover of soulful RnB and we love listening to each track here at Soulful Seduction!

NAME: K.Avett (pronounced K. uh vett)

CURRENT ALBUM/SINGLE: K.Avett: Revelations/Show Me

RELEASE DATE: Spring 2014

K.AvettBlackNWhiteHow are you managing an extremely busy work schedule against making sure that you have some time to yourself? Honestly, it poses a challenge a lot of the time, but I try. Reading a good book, having a good meal, and enjoying a good nap are all underrated life pleasures.

If you had to explain your vocal talent with three words, what would they be and why? Eclectic, Soulful, Evolving…

Who encouraged you along with your singing career? My family and my team have been an amazing source of encouragement and strength for years. Having them in my corner is invaluable.

What moment did you decide this is where you wanted to take your life? Well, this project was actually years in the making. I certainly credit God’s timing with everything coming together the way it has.

Where do you want to take your music and what’s your ultimate singing career goal? I want to look up 30 years from now and still be making great music. A Grammy would be awesome, too… lol

How has the industry changed since you began, and how have you adapted to the changes? More than anything, I think social media has played a huge part in how things have changed this industry. As an artist, I’m far more accessible now than I would have been 10 years ago. This allows me to more easily connect with my fans and share my music with them.

Are you prepared to take chances with your music as musical tastes change? Hmmm, I definitely feel that my eclectic musical tastes are reflected in my music and rather than shying away from that creative element, I actively embrace it. Music is so broad and there is something truly appealing about venturing outside the musical box.

What makes your fan base go and buy this album/single? I definitely think my album embodies a creative energy that appeals to a wide audience. My fans (it sounds so weird to say) connect to the emotional element of my music. That’s the part you can’t fake and it feels awesome to have that relationship with people I’ve never met.

Let’s talk about your live gigs. When on stage, how do you connect to your audience? My personality is a bit…quirky? On stage, I love talking to the audience. For me, being authentic (versus an alter ego) plays to my strengths and makes me more relatable. People want to experience a connection, you know?

When do we expect to see you in the UK, live on stage doing what you do best? I’ve been invited to perform this fall at the Jazz Café in London. I’ve received so much love from the UK and am ready to show some back.

RevelationsYou seem to have that magic musical touch…what’s the secret ingredient for any new artist coming through? I think embracing one’s own uniqueness as an artist is vital to creating something magical. You cannot go wrong if you stay true to yourself.

What year would you like to step back to and why? Wow, that’s a good question! I don’t know, maybe 1970? There was such great music around that time.

What’s the best moment in your career? To date, the best moment for me has been receiving an invitation to perform at the Jazz Café in London later this year.

In the way of your music, what have we got to look forward to, what’s next? Well, I’m really excited to be working on my next project. We’re collaborating with a new production team, so I’m pretty psyched about the direction that we’re going with this second album.

What’s in your diary for the next 3 months? Ooooh, a lady never divulges the contents of her diary… lol. You’ll just have to wait and see! - Darren Bull

It’s always refreshing when you hear some good music, without any studio altered vocal gimmicks or overproduced tracks. New artist, K.Avett definitely embodies this with her sultry voice and unique blend of R & B, Jazz, Soul and Funk music all rolled into one. Her debut album, the appropriately titled Revelations, will definitely grab your attention. Her voice is smooth, strong, yet controlled. The latter of these is perhaps the most appreciated of all. There are people who may be able to sing, but there are so few that no what to do with their voices and how to control them. K.Avett proves she’s not lacking here and draws in the listener with her vocal abilities and control.



Revelations opens with “Can’t Stand”, a bluesy, funk driven track with a riveting guitar solo. K.Avett sings in a low, seductive register and recounts the story of a lover who is no good for her and realizing that it’s past time to move on. This song has a really catchy groove and melody. I can easily hear this on a quiet storm mix on the radio. The vocal arrangements here are wonderfully done as well. “Show Love” is a stand out track on the album and like its predecessor, also has a blues backdrop. This track is a perfect R & B lullaby and K. Avett’s voice weaves in and out of the track effortlessly. If I had to pick, this would probably be my favorite song on the album. The song finds K.Avett appreciating words of love, but favoring actions of it much more.



“In My Dreams” is the most up-tempo track on the album that has heavy drums and hypnotic vocals about that feeling of déjà vu when meeting a new love interest. I really like the contrast here of the edgy production and her fluid vocals. The pairing of the two works really well and is something many artists have tried but failed to execute well. “Fall N2U” is dedicated to her true love and has a jazzy feel that puts you right in the middle of a New Orleans midday breeze. The song speaks of her falling into the man she loves. Her voice is somewhat slurred here and again marries with the production well. K.Avett offers up a well-orchestrated seductive slow jam about anticipation of seeing her lover on “Take It Slow”. This song has a catchy neo soul vibe that’s right up there with the ranks of a Jill Scott or Ledisi.



K.Avett throws the nice girl out the window on the rock tinged “Too Late”. It’s a story about an annoying ex that doesn’t seem to understand that it’s over. Her sassy attitude heard here is a great addition to the album and adds more depth by showing a different side of her talent on a more jagged type of track. She offers up some wisdom and advice to women on the cautionary “Alone” and even takes us to church on “Heaven”. The latter could have been a very risky choice, but she pulled it off well here. This gospel track flows seamlessly with the album as a whole, while still getting the message across.



“We Ain’t Talkin”, which is actually interlude, speaks about breaking into the mind of her lover and calls it the communication blues. This song has an old school feel to it and my complaint about it is that I wish it was longer. But “U N-Me” picks up right where it leave off, but with more of a live band sound. Musically, this is one of my favorite tracks on the album and vocally, I really like how K.Avett gives us a taste of her higher register here.



K.Avett closes out Revelations with a melancholy, yet powerful ballad, “Find a Way”. Her voice is more chilling here than ever and the production here is very minimal – as it should be. Although the subject matter is different (“Find a Way” talks more about getting through to a seemingly unresponsive lover), this song somehow reminds me of Whitney Houston’s “Saving All My Love For You”. The guitar solo midway through the song is a very nice touch and adds another dimension to the song musically, without overshadowing her voice. All in all, Revelations showcases a vocal talent that is truly a force to be reckoned with. She shines brightest on the sultry slow jams, although I’d like to see more of the grimy, edgy tracks as well. But if this is just the beginning, I’m excited to see what’s next to come for K.Avett. Check out some of her live performances below. - Carlos Harleaux

If Conya Doss, Faith Evans, and Kim Burrell all shared a baby sister, K. Avett is who she’d be. A Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX-based soul/jazz singer-songwriter, K. Avett is so much the real deal we can hardly stand it. Showboating soulful arrangements of gospel and contemporary inspirations, Avett’s phrasing and vocal approach are like the sultriest of jazz. On one of the new missed gems of the summer of 2014, K. Avett’s 13-song debut project, K. Avett: Revelations, is not all gospel, but it’s all soulful and lyrically from a very personal space. One of the more introspective relationship songs of the bunch, “Can’t Stand” is also one of the album’s standout secular moments, sung with the skill, confidence, and heartbreak of a vet. Throughout the cut, one can definitely hear the contemporary gospel influences in her voice, but the smoke of the speakeasy is just as present, giving listeners a sweet tension between the church and the nightclub in K.

If Conya Doss, Faith Evans, and Kim Burrell all shared a baby sister, K. Avett is who she’d be. A Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX-based soul/jazz singer-songwriter, K. Avett is so much the real deal we can hardly stand it. Showboating soulful arrangements of gospel and contemporary inspirations, Avett’s phrasing and vocal approach are like the sultriest of jazz. On one of the new missed gems of the summer of 2014, K. Avett’s 13-song debut project, K. Avett: Revelations, is not all gospel, but it’s all soulful and lyrically from a very personal space. One of the more introspective relationship songs of the bunch, “Can’t Stand” is also one of the album’s standout secular moments, sung with the skill, confidence, and heartbreak of a vet. Throughout the cut, one can definitely hear the contemporary gospel influences in her voice, but the smoke of the speakeasy is just as present, giving listeners a sweet tension between the church and the nightclub in K. Avett’s smoldering delivery. It’s a nice blend on an album that balances both worlds.

As smooth as “Can’t Stand” is, the jam isn’t even the album’s best. However, it does serve as a welcome introduction to a singer’s singer we hope to hear a lot more from and soon. Sometimes the mid-year album releases you discover late in the year are actually some the sweetest finds of the year. I’m enjoying this sweet tooth.

By L. Michael Gipson - Michael L. Gipson