Welcome to 4cd.com - Information on New age music artists

RENE MARIE

Who She Is: A self-taught singer from Virginia who didn't start singing professionally until she was in her forties. Her latest effort, Live at Jazz Standard, led Down-Beat magazine to name her one of its rising stars of 2003. Her Sound: Cassandra Wilson after three cups of espresso. Why We Like Her: Because she's got moxie. "There are three things Black folks in the South hate: the word nigger, the rebel flag and the song 'Dixie,' " says Marie, who turned 48 last month. On her 2001 release, Vertigo, she bravely set the nostalgia of "Dixie" against the weight of "Strange Fruit" in a powerful medley that reveals her unique perspective.--JAMES HILL

ANTHONY HAMILTON

Who He Is: A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, who worked as a barber before signing his first record deal in 1993. After a string of failed attempts, Hamilton released his debut album, Comin' From Where I'm From, in September. His Sound: The kind of rich, mournful soul music that tugs at the heartstrings. Why We Like Him: He's a true southern gentleman--and it comes across in a way that sets this album apart from the work of his bravado-driven contemporaries.

--RASHAUN HALL

KENNA

Who He Is: A genre-bending singer songwriter from Ethiopia whose CD, New Sacred Cow, debuted last summer. His Sound: Angst-filled lyrics over electronica polyrhythms. Why We Like Him: He wants to give back. "I'm not just here to be an artist," Kenna says. "My mission in life is to be an altruist, to help developing economies. I see music as a path to that."--AKIBA J. SOLOMON

JASON MORAN

Who He is: A 28-year-old jazz pianist who grew up in Houston, Texas, where he founded his first jazz quartet at age 16. His Sound: Thelonius Monk meets Radiohead. Why We Like Him: Moran sees beyond the rigid rules of jazz, building songs around sampled phone calls (in Turkish, no less) and doing a piano version of Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" on his latest release, The Bandwagon. He wants to be Jay-Z for the jazz set. "I don't wear Sean John or rap," he says. "But I have that attitude."--J.H.

SANTI WHITE

Who She Is: The lead singer of Stiffed, a punk-rock band she formed last year. The group is recording a follow-up to their 2003 debut CD, Sex Sells. Her Sound: Raw, quirky and unapologetically punk. That means high-speed electric-guitar chords, thumping live drums and vocals with attitude. Why We Like Her: The Philly native isn't afraid to buck convention. "Apparently, it's odd for me to have found this kind of music as a Black woman," she says. "But I don't get upset when people think I'm different."--A.J.S.

LEELA JAMES

Who She Is: A 26-year-old from Los Angeles who began singing professionally when a teacher, who was also a producer, heard her singing in class and sent her into the studio. Her sound: A throaty alto with a nostalgic soul sound. Why We Like Her: A Change Is Gonna Come, James's debut CD set to be released early next year, has that old-school feeling that makes you reminisce without feeling old.--R.H.