JULIE DEXTER / “Look Who’s Got Ya Back”

I love Julie Dexter. She’s one of those rare popular musicians who is both very talented and very independent. With her obvious good looks and her knack for writing and singing a memorable hook, Julie could’ve chosen to go the major label route: she could be one of many shaking her thing-thing on our collective TV screens, hoping that something she said, sang or did would make her one of the latest winners in the perennial pop music sweepstakes. Instead, like precious few others that come to mind (Fertile Ground and Peven Everett to name two) Julie forgoes her major label potential in order to self-record, self-produce and self-distribute music motivated not by dreams of fortune and fame but by her desire to communicate truth and beauty. julie dexter 01.jpg I like the entire Conscious album—it’s the kind of music that sounds equally wonderful whether you’re feeling every word or whether you’re going about your daily doings, listening only subconsciously—but several songs stand out. The title track is a extended rumination on what it means to be young, Black and aware in our modern times: “Trust,” Julie reminds us, “Is a fragile situation.” “Look Who’s Got Ya Back” is familiar and unspectacular but paradoxically, very, very beautiful—like a family get-together or a conversation with an old friend. It reminds us that we don’t always have to be blown away by something to be blown away by something…if you know what I mean. “Like Ours” is a welcome bonus: a previously hard-to-find three-year-old collaboration with Thomas Naim (of the Brazil-obsessed Parisian duo Tom & Joyce). Anyone whose ever loved from afar will dig this one. “Rain Song” might not be the best song of the album, but it’s my favorite. The languorous unfolding of the melody is the ideal showcase for Julie’s clear, pitch-perfect voice. Julie isn’t one of those American Idol-style over-singers; as such, she doesn’t wail and shriek her way through every lyric. She doesn’t have to.

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I first heard Julie’s CD about a year ago in New Orleans, not long after it came out. I intended to post a write-up of it then, but we got sidetracked by this and that and the other and never got around to it. I’m actually happy that we didn’t post it the first time around; since then, I’ve grown to like Conscious even more than I did back then. So, below is my original write-up for Conscious, although I’m pleased to say that most of it no longer applies. A few months before Katrina, my sister Asante moved from Brooklyn back home to New Orleans. And since Katrina, Asante and I are together here in San Diego. I don’t miss her anymore because I see her everyday. emoticon
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December 2004: My older sister Asante lives in Brooklyn, but when she lived in New Orleans, Asante had a sunroom that looked exactly like the one pictured on the back cover of Julie Dexter’s new album. Julie is dressed in soft pastels, sitting in a bamboo circle chair. Her friend sits across from her on a plum-colored futon—he’s wearing all black. There are freshly cut flowers of gold, orange and green in a plain glass vase. A stack of books beside the flowers. A bucket of sea green paint. An ebony-stained hardwood floor. The large windows are uncurtained; sunlight streams through. In my sister’s sunroom, the sofa was brown instead of plum and Asante favored lilies instead of gladiolas, but the feeling is identical. I spent more than a few lazy afternoons in Asante’s sunroom. When I look at Julie’s photograph, I recognize her smile. julie dexter 04.jpg Open the CD booklet and you’ll find eleven pieces of music that communicate the same vibe as the photograph. Warm, but not soft. Strong, but not tough. Mature, but not old. There are no immediate revelations, this is simple music. But not simple as in ‘ordinary,’ ‘easy’ or ‘uncomplicated.’ To the contrary, many of the songs address the contradictions and complexities of 21st century survival: growing older, identity and awareness, being far away from home and family. So Julie’s music is simple, but simple as in ‘without pretense or deceit,’ as in ‘humble,’ as in ‘sincere.’ As in the lyric: “Though you’re far away / Home is who you know.” When I hear those words I think of my sister, 1300 miles from where I am, and I feel like giving her a call. Conscious is comfort music for the young Black soul. —Mtume ya Salaam Links: http://www.juliedexter.com http://www.muranimusic.com           Deeply supportive          Mtume, Julie Dexter’s music connects to you in a very specific way, the way music does for many of us when a particular song conjures a memory that is meaningful. Sometimes the song is organic to the experience, i.e. we were at a dance with a special someone and that song was played, other times the song, some magical-how, immediately, albeit randomly, reminds us of a situation, or more likely of a particular person, or maybe it was a year or time period when we were getting into something, whatever, music has that power, and I think that’s what Dexter’s music does for you. I don’t have that connection, in general her music does not touch me so deeply. Nevertheless, I am deeply supportive of what she is doing. Born in Birmingham, England of Jamaican parents and currently a resident of Atlanta, this sister is going the independent route. Slowly releasing her own music her own way on her own label. Her independence is inspiring. Go to her website and buy her CD! If you don’t like it, share it with someone who does. And by the way, I like “Rain”—the arrangement, the vocal freedom and the breathy tenor sax obbligato. I even dig the recording sound, the warm presence of the lead vocal, how you can hear the keys clicking on the sax, the bass forward in the mix. It’s a hip production, unusual in this time period when electronics instruments and recording techniques are so heavily digitized (but then it sounds like the background vocals are pushed through a synthesizer, or compressed and altered). “Look Who’s Got Ya Back” is really alternative/contemporary gospel-Nu Soul (or neo-soul), but “Rain” is in completely other kind of bag; I like that. julie dexter 02.jpg But what I really like from Julie is a live concert recorded in Holland that’s available on the internet. (Go to http://www.fabchannel.com and enter Julie Dexter in the search box.) Her obvious enthusiasm, her jazz chops all up in the music, less of a popular orientation, which is, after all, my particular inclination. I’m much more invested in jazz than in popular music and therefore respond more strongly to jazz elements artfully employed. In this concert you hear a different side of Julie, she’s still doing popular music (in fact, check the selection, a reggae version of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues”), but it’s full of improvisation and group interplay. Also note, that’s Julie on the keyboards on this track. —Kalamu ya Salaam

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 15th, 2006 at 1:43 am and is filed under Contemporary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


7 Responses to “JULIE DEXTER / “Look Who’s Got Ya Back””

rylan gregory Says:
January 15th, 2006 at 3:06 am

ah … cool to see Julie Dexter getting her due here. she is indeed in an elite class of independent nu soul singers … agree with the Fertile Ground analogy … amel larrieux also comes to mind, tho’ she may not be so independent, but soulful nonetheless (think “You Will Rise” with Sweetback)… if you get a chance take a listen to Julie Dexter on “The Plan” which came out on Main Squeeze a bit ago … every time I put that record on it still sounds fresh to me … IG Culture produced i believe …. peace.

Ms. Berry Says:
January 15th, 2006 at 12:56 pm

Ahhhh, Julie Dexter…I love the texture of her voice and the phrasing of her delivery. Ms. Honeysoul introduced me to the artist and I haven’t stopped paying her Conscious CD since I got it. I love her sound. Thanks for highlighting her.

viqifrench Says:
January 16th, 2006 at 7:48 am

I’ve been a Julie Dexter fan for many years. Her “Peace of Mind” CD was an instant, atmospheric classic for me. Her warm, delicate vocals immediately and magically sooth. The title track and the song “Burning” exude rare sensuality. There aren’t many tunes on here, but I considered each a polished gem.

That said, I was mildly disappointed with her next CD, Dexterity. Little grabbed me the same way; more tracks missed than hit me. “I Dream,” “How Long,” and “Moving On” recaptured the magic of the first CD, but much of the rest seemed crammed with words or suffering a lackluster hook.

I certainly haven’t given up on this pearl, though. A friend speaks highly of the CD you’ve reviewed, and so do you.

Having read your critique, I plan to explore her latest and may invest. If there’s more of the chill vibe from album #1, and less of the poetic frenzy of album #2, I’m sure I’ll love it.

jb Says:
January 17th, 2006 at 10:56 am

I agree with viqifrench, the Peace of Mind EP had me sold on Julie. I like her follow ups but nothing resonated like that EP. It’s truly extraordinary. “Never Will I marry” from the Perrier Jazz Vocalists comp is probably my favorite song by her though while “Look Who’s Got your Back” is probably my fav from Conscious. Great selection.


Qawi Says:
January 17th, 2006 at 3:43 pm

Thanks. I usually don’t comment on folks I don’t know about. But, in this case, with what you presented here, I’m sold. I tuned in to the BOL Jukebox and the songs ‘Like Ours’ and ‘Conscious’ are BEAUTIFUL — lyrically and musically. I don’t know why, but it sounds like Chante Moore is singing the background vocals on Conscious. Then I hear ‘Look Who’s Got Ya Back’ and am completely sold. I had to listen to it twice to take it all in. Who’da thunk that you guys would slip in a spiritual/inspirational song mixed with a 70’s style hook.

‘Makes Me Wanna Holla’ was a treat as well. The Reggae treatment was nice and shows her as a scat artist as well. I take it that she has the same obscurity of promotion like her bretheren Omar Lye-Fook (another Jamaican-born, UK Soul & Jazz artist).


deen Says:
January 19th, 2006 at 10:04 pm

I just want to give big ups to this site. Reading the reviews and comments left on this site totally make me realize about how much of a featherweight I am when it comes to music.

I wanted to comment on the Julie Dexter selections though. Like many others on this site I suppose, I heard the songs and had to express my feelings about them.

The song “Like ours” is beautiful, I felt like she has a powerful voice in the softer sense. Not many high notes or exaggerated notes like you hear from so many of the powerful R&B songstresses and crooners, but she has that old Billie Holiday effect on me where she literally raises the goosebumps on my arms and just sends me into euphoria.

I was definitely straddling the fence on whether or not to buy her album, but no longer, this one is definitely getting copped.

Anyway, Julie lives in Atlanta and it seems everyone I know has run across her, but I have yet to meet her or see her perform. Hopefully if I ever see her I can tell her about the site(even though she may already know or you guys may already know her)and spread the gospel about this site like I have spreading it to everyone I know.

The site is amazing.

Maybe you guys could cover Dwele next?

Allure1391 Says:
February 13th, 2007 at 10:27 am

Wow!! Julie Dexter she really got something different there. she is a bright light shinning and I’m really feeling her sound. Where have they been hiding her!


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