Lenny Kravitz Biography - Entertainment - http://maxpages.com/subair/Lenny_Kravitz

Fans of Lenny Kravitz know firsthand that he is one of a rare breed of recording artists who defies the neat little musical boxes and categories (Pop, Uri Folk, Alternative) that critics like to saddle an artist with. Embracing many genre as soul, jazz and rock, the Brooklyn-bom singer/songwriter has managed to create music that stands the test of time by raising the spirit of fans across the globe. With the release of his fifth LP, 5, Lenny Kravitz has once again proven to fans and critics why he is one of the world's most daring and innovative recording artists today. Filled with live horns, churchy organs, sizzling guitar work, powerful melodies and Lenny's trademark soul-stirring melodies, 5 may be his most "urban accessible" LP to date. But that is so only because the mainstream urban media either hasn't been listening to Lenny's last four albums, or they been engaging in some good old fashion playa hating. While many of his fans will be inclined to place their bet on the latter, the truth of the matter is that many major urban media outlets know all about Lenny Kravitz's music. They probably own his entire catalogue, and on the lo lo, they will tell you that the brother is baaaaad (as in good for the ebonically challenged), but that he can't be placed in heavy rotation or have any stories run on him simply because he won't fit into the urban market.

But the truth is that a lot of popular trends that are blowing up on urban and churban markets are doing so as a result of the trails blazed by Lenny. For instance, notice how the whole urban alternative movement, as embodied in the music of platinum-selling artists who openly defy musical labels such as Seal, Desiree, and Dionne Ferris (who samples Lenny's classic song Freedom Train on her debut LP Wildseed, Wildflower), bears a striking resemblance to what Lenny was doing years before them. Then there's the whole neo-soul trend by the likes of Maxwell and D'Angelo (both of whom are fans of Lenny's work), which has currently captured urban radio's attention. A few years before neo-soul was urban chic, Lenny was doing songs like "Stand By My Woman" "It Ain't Over" and "Black Gifl," which are steeped in the tradition set forth by his musical inspirations James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Sly and The Family Stone, Earth, Wind & Fire, etc. The same can be said for alternative rock acts such as Sugar Ray, which now openly embrace other genres of urban music such as dancehall and hip-hop, and incorporate them into their own sound. So has Lenny. In addition to writing and producing a song for his homeboys & Junkanoo superstars, The Bahamans, and incorporating some of these rhythms into his own work, Lenny was the producer who put pop superstar Madonna up on hot street flavor when he married a Public Enemy beat to her controversial hit record, "Justify My Love," earning her props on major urban radio stations across the country.

With 5, Lenny continues to uphold the tradition of creating good soulful music capable of pleasing fans of good music. Listen to it with an open heart and ear.

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Page Updated Sun Apr 9, 2000 5:59pm EDT