Press
Santana’s strong, long show sets standard for SunFest weekend
Concert review
The Surprise of the Day Award goes to A.Jay & the simple Truth, a band out of Lake Park the dug into so many good grooves the needle was ready to be replaced by the end of the end of their set. Most of the credit goes to vocalist a.Jay Parham, whose style is one part James Brown soulfulness, another part Al Jarreau scat-singing bubbliness. Parham was most in his element in a diverse range of covers, from Bill Withers’ Ain’t No Sunshine to Joan Osborne’s One Of Us.
- Charles Passy, The Palm Beach Post
Around Town
Sing Me Baby
They say scat singing is perhaps the hardest style to master. When you hear AJ Parham do it with such ease you think you can join in. Think again. AJ Parham & The Simple Truth are a tight badass jazz combo complete with upright (yay) bass. AJ Parham has a set of pipes that’ll blow you away. Grooved on them at Underground Coffeeworks the other night. Wow. They’ll be appearing the again on April 19. Rich, tasty, smooth Jazz. Don’t miss ‘em.
- Jennifer Gilespie - Red Herring
Crowd grooves to sounds of ‘good jazz’
“You could tell by the time the first act, A.J. and The Simple Truth, finished playing to a standing ovation following a rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’ that the music was good jazz.
‘It’s fantastic,’ said 46-year-old, Fort Pierce resident Paul Truesdell, who considers himself a moderate jazz fan. ‘The first group was worth the ($12) price of admission.’
The lead singer of the first group, A.J. Parham, of West Palm Beach, said the fans are the ones who determine whether the night will be an exciting one, by how much they get into the music.
‘This is a great crowd ,’ said Parham, 35. ‘Especially for the first time having this.’
Besides Parham, and his band, the night featured many different varieties of jazz, including that of Parham, who described his music a ‘power jazz.’
When asked to explain, he said ‘it’s an intensity of rock-n-roll, but with the technical prowess of jazz.’”
- Brett Jensen, The Tribune
Where to Go…What to Do…Around Town!
SIMPLE TRUTH CD RELEASE PARTY
The exciting local power jazz combo, The simple Truth, will be celebrating the release of their debut CD, Songs from the Underground, Thursday May 15. First, the band will jazz up Clematis by Night, and then continue on to Jamestown Cigar Bar, where they’ll be smokin’ into the wee hours. This won’t be downtown West Palm Beach’s first glimpse of The Simple Truth, as they have been playing together for two years, with regular gigs at such locales as the Jazz and Blues Showcase, Jamestown Cigar Bar, and the Underground Coffee Works. The band espouses the philosophy that “we all share the same Simple Truths: one world, one race (human), one love and always, one more day,” this promises to be a moving, soulful first release. The album includes five original tracks and four standards played by a line up of musicians whose credentials go on for about a mile - far too many mention here. The only solution is to check them out for yourself at the release party and at SunFest which they will be playing on Friday May 2 at 4 pm on the Florida Crystals Stage. Keep you eyes peeled for a review of the Simple Truth’s new CD in our next issue.
- Jennifer Gilespie, Red Herring
‘Toots’ rules strong day of SunFest performers
Standouts in addition to the reggae king were Kenny G, Keb’ Mo’ and Randy Newman.
Concert review
There was AJay and the Ascension’s powerful, funky set of pop interpretations. AJay’s voice, full of soul with breathy delivery, was perfectly suited for the scat-filled take of Sam Cooke’s Summertime, which was performed with an arrangement so original that the original was almost unrecognizable except for the lyrics.
- Jeff Houck, The Palm Beach Post
MAGAZINE SCANS
