Article by Eric  @ CMJ - I came to find that Blake Carrington creates different music. His voice is a mix between Sam Cooke and a young Stevie Wonder. The music on his album Traveling Man is slick and tends to ebb and flow with perfect timing. The singer songwriter even finds a way to incorporate a trumpet into a street R&B song.

Carrington went into his song “Shot Up,” and he was singing so hard that I thought the veins in neck were going to burst all over the crowd surrounding the small circular stage at the Remote Lounge. I was pleased to find that his voice is as strong live as it is on record. It was great to see an artist go from velvet smooth tones into soul-sharing chaos. It's great to watch a performer like this and experience the smokey five o’clock in the morning jazz vocals until early hours of the morning. After the show I talked to Carrington and asked him a few of questions.

Tom Duffy: Who are you inspired by?

Blake Carrington: My main influences are my grandmother, Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway, people that have that “gut” sound.

TD: Why do you feel the need or want to make music?

BC: I need to make music because it’s an escape from the trials and tribulations that we all as a people go through on a daily basis. And it grounds me, and makes me a better person.

TD: You have some pretty deep lyrics. Are your songs personal?

BC:I would say that 95 percent of my music is personal. You have to draw from within to make the truest form of art, but there are times when I take the situation someone is in and I put that into my music.