Review: Step Inside - Kevin Jenkins

Review by Stephanie Coffey

Being New York City based, we always love discovering new music from local artists. Recently, we stumbled upon Kevin Jenkins and knew we had to share his music with all our readers. Jenkins is a professional bassist turned soul singer who can best be described as a mix of Sting, Bill Withers, Seal and Stevie Wonder. Throughout his 38 year long career, Jenkins has worked alongside musicians like Cyndi Lauper, Enrique Iglesias, Roberta Flack, and Maxwell. He's also opened for legends like Michael Jackson, The Police, Tina Turner and Joe Cocker. Jenkins even played at major jazz and blues festivals around the world. Now he's ready to head out on his own and release his debut album Step Inside.

There's no better way to describe Step Inside than as a true masterclass in soul. The twelve tracks each have a genuine soulful pop sound, which automatically sets it apart from anything else in the music industry today. Step Inside will have you jamming, as the rhythm and melodies get stuck inside your head. One of our favorite songs off the album is "Save the Day". This tune in particular has a reggae vibe that we cannot get enough of.  Another standout track is "Take This Ride" featuring Shemekia Copeland. We love the dynamic in it of the male and female voices blending together. It also has an old school feel, transitioning us back to the days when music actually meant something; when everything wasn't auto-tuned with techno beats.

Another aspect we love about Jenkins' music is the lyrics. With help from Tómas Doncker, Jenkins displays his powerful songwriting skills on this album. In our opinion, no song demonstrates this better than "Change of Heart". This number has an uplifting message that it's never too late to be who you want to be. You can achieve all your dreams if you believe in yourself. That's not the only track Jenkins wrote though. In fact, he co-wrote eleven of the twelve tracks.

Don't forget to 'like' Kevin Jenkins on Facebook and follow him on Twitter. You can also buy his debut album Step Inside here.