With a dynamic,utterly distinctive blend of breathtaking rhythm & blues, fiery funk and roof-raising gospel inflections, Leela James delivers original music with a vocal prowess that both honors and advances the cause ... more »of true soul music. On A Change Is Gonna Come, her stunning debut album produced by some of today's biggest names-from Kanye West and Wyclef Jean to Commissioner Gordon and Raphael Saadiq-Leela James reaches back to the best and brings it up to the date for today...and tomorrow.« less
With a dynamic,utterly distinctive blend of breathtaking rhythm & blues, fiery funk and roof-raising gospel inflections, Leela James delivers original music with a vocal prowess that both honors and advances the cause of true soul music. On A Change Is Gonna Come, her stunning debut album produced by some of today's biggest names-from Kanye West and Wyclef Jean to Commissioner Gordon and Raphael Saadiq-Leela James reaches back to the best and brings it up to the date for today...and tomorrow.
LaTasha A. from RALEIGH, NC Reviewed on 6/16/2008...
I love this CD, and hope that she releases another with the same level of intensity. Her voice is amazing and totally not what I expected looking at her picture.
VALERIE P. (that-girl) from ATLANTA, GA Reviewed on 5/10/2008...
Leela has a very strong, resonant voice that calls to mind the blues and early r & b singers of the 1960s and 70s. This cd is thoroughly enjoyable and will move you. The critics agree.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
CD Reviews
Great Soul
political idiot | california | 06/24/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I caught the appearance of Leela James on Soul Train a few weeks ago and had to have this disc. A nice varied album with rich, soulful vocals on most tracks. Songs range from mostly original traditional and modern soul to bluesy track or two, only a couple of clunkers --"Music" is rather petulant. The cover of the No Doubt pop tune is ok, but nothing special. A one star hit for the phony record noise on some tracks, Ms. James' voice is too good for silly gimmicks. Leela James is a super talent and I look forward to future releases."
Brilliant
A* | New York, N.Y. United States | 06/25/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was walking pass by my TV when Soul Train was on and I heard her voice. It made me stop dead in my tracks and listen. I wasn't able to catch her name so I went online trying to find the line up for that weeks episode and due to me be lazy that means I must have really heard something magical in her voice. It is swamped in soul. The kind of voice that Aretha and Gladys have and it comes out of such a compact package! Her cover of "A Change is Gonna Come" almost runs close to Cooke's and in just that kind of comparison is something that many "artists" these days lack."
Leela's voice is 5 stars, but the album ain't...
G. Mitchell | DETROIT, MICHIGAN | 06/27/2005
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Aside from poor sequencing, this album suffers from TMC syndrome...too many cooks in the kitchen...
- the musical interludes are dope, but who's album is this? Leela's or Gordon's? The track list posted here says it's 14 tracks, but it's really 19 including the interludes...what was Gordon tryin' to make? The Miseducation Of Leela James?
- that Wyclef joint "Ghetto"...ummmm, no. Wyclef has done good work before, but this is NOT one of those times...
- "Soul Food" (and it's preceding interlude as well) is really nice, but there's no real hook...it's sounds unfinished...Raphael (and Jake and 'nem) made a dope groove tho, and it kinda makes up for it..."Rain" has the development that I wish "Soul Food" had...
- This interlude before "When You Love Somebody" shoulda been a whole song...
- and speaking of "When You Love Somebody", why didn't she just remake the original Al Kooper song from a female point of view?
- "Mistreating Me" - this song had me rockin' back and forth like I was in chu'ch...
- Gwen Stefani has got to be jealous. Production wise, I hate how Gordon gave "Don't Speak" the "Fugees' 'Killing Me Softly' remake" styled treatment, but vocally...let's just say if I were Gwen, I'd sue Leela for making me look bad...lol...
- "My Joy" - (see "Mistreating Me" for comments...)
- the two kanye joints are good...I'm glad he didn't rap on them, but if they ever become singles, I KNOW they will be remixed to maximize on the single potential...not that I hate Kanye's rappin', I actually dig it at times; it's just that Leela doesn't need all that...
- "Prayer" is REALLY nice! So is her Sam Cooke remake...I have no complaints there...
Overall, it seems like there was more focus on Leela getting some product out rather than making a tight, concise and cohesive album, and it shows...with a voice like hers, that kinda disappoints me because all of the hacks who are WAAAAY less talented than her have to do that to sell records, but I don't think she should have to.
I ain't givin' up on Leela tho...Aretha's first Atlantic album wasn't focused...hell, to be TOTALLY honest, the first Aretha LP that I thought was a perfectly sequenced piece of work was "Sparkle", and look how she turned out...
With the right producer and a focused direction, Leela can make some LEGENDARY stuff...but this album as it stands is not.
If you've read this far, DO NOT let this review deter you buying her album - Leela needs the music buyers' support to be able to make that next album the better piece of music it needs to be..."
Five Stars Just Isn't Enough!!!
Ms. Towns | somewhere outside of D.C. | 07/31/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Just when I thought BLACK MUSIC was dying then came Leela James. If you don't do nothing else today make it your business to buy her album. Gon' head and click the "Add to Shopping Cart" button in the top right hand corner. I PROMISE YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.
This girl has an annointed, soulful, inviting, engaging and stimulating voice. In "Music" her first single she sings, "Can't look back to yesterday. Can't we just put the thongs away and just fall back in love with music? ...Its all about the videos. We don't sing no more. "
She breathes life into Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come", as its the title of her debut album.
She does for "Don't Speak" what Gwen Stefani could NEVER do... she made it soulful. Leela penetrates you when she sings..."I really feel I'm loosing my best friend. I can't believe this could be the end. It looks as though you're letting go."
In the up tempo "Good Time" this artist samples "Funky Sensation" from the 70s. This song is great for skating, those up-and-coming Labor Day bar-b-cues and just cruisin' in the wip.
In "Soul Food", Leela compares the lip-smacking taste of yams, collards and ribs to the good loving of her man. The song which prefaces "Soul Food" makes you feel like its 1865 and you and Cus'in Pete and Sista are all hanging out on the porch as Cus'in Lester plays the harmonica while everyone claps to the beat.
There is one cut where she takes you to church with the gospel hymn "I Know I've Been Changed". Here its just her voice and some soulful hand-clapping and foot-stomping... and thats it!
In "My Joy" she sings of a woman's self-redemption as she belts..."Who are you to say that I can't go on without you? Why you telling me I'm never gonna to survive? Once upon a time, yes I believed that lie...you were the end all to my be all....nah, nah, nah aint no way you gon' take away my joy, my peace, my strength..."
Glad for her relationship with God, she sings in the song titled, "Prayer"... "Where would I be if you never heard a prayer from me? What would I do if I didn't have you to be there for me?...In the midnight hour I call your name cuz I knew you were watching over me. I know somebody said a prayer for me... My Lord has been good to me. I just want to thank you Lord... Somebody ought to testify with me..."
Leela gives my generation what my mother's and her mother's generation was full of... a soulful AUTHENTIC artist. We as a people have not had anything like her in a VERY long time! Yes, we have the Jill Scotts and Erykah Badus and Anthony Hamiltons which fall into that "Neo-soul Music" category the record label execs created, but they gon' haveta' create a section just for Leela and label it "Jus' soul"... because she stands in a class all her own.
Note: When you purchase the album it doesn't lists the interludes, so not to confuse you here's the tracklist:
Album Tracklist-
01 Intro
02 Music
03 Good Time
04 Ghetto
05 Slappy Interlude
06 Soul Food
07 Rain
08 Married Interlude
09 When You Love Somebody
10 Mistreating Me
11 Don't Speak
12 Bummy Interlude
13 My Joy
14 It's Alright
15 Didn't I
16 Prayer
17 I Know I've Been Changed Interlude
18 A Change Is Gonna Come
19 Long Time Coming
"
The Change HAS come!
OlOrisa | Plant Earth | 01/07/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Leela has strong lyrics, strong voice and dignified messages. She balances new and old very well. I see her less as a representation of "neo-soul" and more as a return to REAL R&B - a day when people didnt use computers hide their vocal flaws and rappers to hide their lack of charisma. Leela has everything necessary to keep you tuned in and grooved. The Change has come!"
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1
LaTasha A. from RALEIGH, NC 
