Page 2
March 14, 2001
ocus
Focus
A
S U P P L E M E N T
O F
|J ü r t b n t ii
A Striking New Flavor o f Soulful R&B
(Observer
*
Editor in Chief,
Publisher
*
Charles H. Washington
Editor
L arry J. Jackson, Sr.
Copy Editor
Jo y Ramos
Business Manager
G ary A nn Taylor
Koffee Brown is a concept like no
other in today’s R&B, from art to
music to film, most artistic outlets
are currently succeeding off o f un­
original ideas that are as banal as
they are recycled. But at least one
new group stands high above the
competition, making a mark in cre­
ativity and its entertainment merit.
Koffee Brown’s debut album Mars/
Venus is a classic R&B moment. It
explores the highs and lows o f an
intimate relationship from both a
male and female point-of-view. With
astonishing melodic composure, a
unique lyrical style and undeniable
musical grace, Koffee Brown con­
verses about relationship drama -
often times trying to find solutions
to their problems and other times
knowing that some things are too
difficult to work through. But de­
spite the outcome o f the situation,
Vee’s sultry vocals and Fonz’s silky
voice work so well with each other
that even in the harshest moments,
their togetherness is never ques­
tioned.
Koffee Brown is a blend o f soul­
ful R&B, mild funk rhythms along
with minor hints o f Gospel. The duo
possesses coolly wandering melo­
dies with exquisite midtempo ar­
rangements that take your heart and
Creative Director
Robert Parker
4747 N E M artin L uther
King, Jr., Blvd.
Portland, O R 97211
503-2884)033
Bus it t o
L in c o ln City.
F ro m th e
R o s e City.
Fax 503-2880015
e-mail:
thefocus@portlandobserver.com
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desires on a journey.
Koffee Brown was put
to g eth er three years
ago, and it took two
years to
re c o rd
the al- c
bum .
T hey
w a n te d
to be pre­
cise about
the m usic
and
the
songs.
W hat
does
Ko free Brown mean
to the both o f them?
“The Truth," they
shout “We let you
know w h at really
goes on in relation­
ships. You get to hear
both sides o f the story,
from a male perspective
and a female perspec­
tive.”
A nd rig h t in the
middle o f watching
m u sical re d u n ­
d ancy, pro-
d u c e r
Kaygee
ere-
say ‘Let’s get together for
coffee.’” And that is
what Koffee Brown does
- they get together and
discuss love in its en­
tirety.
The al-
b u m
M a rs/
V enus
contains
t h e
s m o o th ,
danceable single
after party. They
also flex their vocal
m u sc le s on the
s m o o th e d -o u t
songs “Chick on da
sid e ,” “ Q u a lify ”
and “All I Need
(B o n n ie
and
Clyde).” “Black­
o u t,” a ro u g h
street-love jam
show cases
V e e ’s harder
ed g e;
she
raps on the
tra c k
likea
tru e v e te ra n .
ated K offee
then
B row n. “ I
Vee and Fonz sing about ' A n d
there’s the to­
was watch­
male/female relationships in
tally off-the-
ing videos
their new CD called "Mars/
one day and
Venus."
> meter, red-light
e v e ry R&B
slow jam haters
act was a solo
disease. Stories o f
one. I was listening to
true love, creeping, cheat­
w hat they were saying but ing and getting back together gor­
som ething was m issing. I geously unfold throughout the al­
thought, ‘It would be dope if bum. Vee and Fonz possess an un­
someone responded to what heard tenderness that translates it­
they were saying, like a con­ self on their debut album Mars/Ve-
versation.’ So that’s when it hit nus quite well. Ask Koffee Brown
me. When anyone needs to what they want most out o f life and
talk, no matter how big or small they’ll both tell you straight up: to
the conversation, they always have the world feel our music.
Entertainment
Guide
T he L uv Jonz
E very T h ursday
E ven in g
The Luv Jonz is Portland’s
Thursday night lounge which
features live hip-hop/jazz by
the David Parks Panic Project,
live poetry and music d.j. ’ed by
O.G. One. This is for adults 25
and over only. No sneakers,
jeans, baseball hats or athletic
wear of any kind. The lounge
is located at The House o f
G ro o v es, 13 NW . 13"1 &
Burnside in downtown.
Ascending the Cosmic
Mountain: Wednesday,
March 14 - June 3
The Portland Art Museum, lo­
cated at 1219 S W. Park Avenue will
be offering an exhibition o f a selec­
tion o f Tibetan religious art and
artifacts from Portland private col­
lections. The event is part o f the
“Tibetan Arts and Culture Festi­
val,” which will run prior and con­
currently to the Dalai Lama ’ s visit in
mid-May and includes Tibetan film,