STAGE AND MUSIC’S MARVA KING RELEASES NEW DISC: R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Funk, Gospel, Reggae, and Rock Give this ‘Sistah’ Soul



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Born in Flint, Michigan, Marva King is most known for her starring stage role in Tyler Perry's multi-million dollar grossing faith-based DVD, "Diary Of A Mad Black Woman." In "Diary," King played the spurned, attractive, feisty and vengeful housewife, Helen. Twentieth Century Fox and Lions Gate Entertainment have licensed the DVD rights to this hot property. Now, however, the former Prince and the New Power Generation singer is back again, currently in the studio, recording her very own album.

Despite the massive success of her stage debut, King, however, has far more to her stellar resume than just her diary. Performing since the age of four, King started her career very early on, and became accomplished at quite a young age. She is heard on albums by Tupac Shakur, Prince, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Cliff, Chaka Khan, Lionel Richie and Phil Collins, just to name a few. She co-wrote the Whispers' single, "Innocent," which debuted at #4 on the "Billboard" Hot Singles Chart. She has performed with artists like Lenny Kravitz, and has toured with the likes of Stevie Wonder and Prince.

Holed up in the studio, the prolific vocalist with the four-octave range is currently recording her upcoming neo-soul and R&B CD, "Soul Sistah," for which she has already completed several songs. Fans will certainly relish its new offerings, which include a wide variety of musical samplings. King has received "Universal Love" from audiences around the world, and surely gives it back in her track of the same name. Other tantalizing numbers on her long awaited album include, "Sensuous Man," Big Ups" and "Trippin'." One of her personal favorites is "Sistah," featuring violinist Karen Briggs (Yani). Listeners will be thrilled by tracks that include "Yo Attitude" and "The Flesh." One of the highlights of the album is a revamped version of Minnie Ripperton's "Baby This Love," featuring George Duke on keyboards. King, who also co-composed all of its other tracks, is producing the album.

Marva is beyond any stereotype or genre. Larger than such a limitation, her recordings include music that is hip hop, gospel, jazz, R&B, funk, reggae and rock. Her mesmerizing delivery inspired Larry Flick to write in "Billboard Magazine," "Marva King is a supreme Diva, and her name will go down in history as one of the best."

There are many special moments that could fill countless, riveting chapters of her diary. This is one of them: King met Prince when she performed at a birthday party for Stevie Wonder. The Artist secured her phone number, and two days later, he had her to fly her to audition for him. Prince soon took her on the road, under his wing, and made her a member of his group, New Power Generation (NPG). She performed on most of the songs on his "New Power Soul" album, and demonstrated her immense talent, as well, when she played with Prince live, on stage performances that included their still memorable remakes of Shania Twain's "Still The One" and Joan Osbourne's "What If God Was One Of Us?"

Says King of being hired by Prince, "At Stevie's (Wonder) party, after I performed, a guy came up to me and said, "My boss wants to speak to you." I said, "Who is your boss?" and he answered, "The Artist." I looked at him and asked, "Well, what artist?" He just responded, "The Artist." Such was the mysterious beginning of their working relationship together for King, when Prince chose her to be a member of his group, NPG. King, who had been working with K.D. Lang, would soon fly off to Minneapolis to start working with the fabled Prince.

"I worked with him for two years," King explains, adding, "It was intense. I have never worked that hard in my life. I was tired, but it was so much fun." She reflects, "I left because it was time for me to go. We were in Europe, and I developed bronchitis. We did a lot of shows in Europe and in the States. I was exhausted for two years straight."

"I learned a lot about performing and business from Prince," she notes. "I was a rather reserved performer on stage before, because I came from gospel and R&B roots. He broke all that up, all the chains and barriers. That's when I turned into a performer," she reveals. King still refers to that episode in her life as "major school."

King recalls, "When it was time for me to leave, Prince revealed to me he had a vision it was going to happen. He said, "I already know you're going to leave me. You have many angels around you, so I won't try to stop you." Thus, he gave me his blessing."

The angels are still watching over her. She continued to attract new fans that watched her in the stage production of "Diary Of A Mad Black Woman." Marva points out, "People never filmed these stage performances and sold them before. Now, everybody is following suit. This was really one of the first black stage productions that just went out on DVD and blew up." A staggering fact, "Blackflix Magazine" has quoted film critic Roger Ebert, as saying, "I have received more emails about that than any other review I have ever written, outnumbering "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "Passion Of The Christ" put together. And they were not the same message. Each came from an individual who felt moved to write."

Marva, who is also heard on Michael Jackson's "Bad" album, states of the iconic pop star, "I used to travel with him a lot, although I did not do the tours. I just hung out with him and his family a lot; I know all of them very well." She remembers, "The first really big recording I ever did with anybody for a major label was "Let's Get Serious with Jermaine Jackson, and that was in the early '80's."

Stevie Wonder hired her as a teenager. Marva comments, "He told me, I just have a feeling you're not supposed to be in the background, you're supposed to be a solo artist. At the time, I was very happy to be in the background, I sung in church choirs all my life. I toured with him, did a live album with that was recorded live in Osaka and Tel Aviv, which is his double album, "Natural Wonder," featuring the song, "Master Blaster."

Lionel Richie has also worked with Marva, who contributed to his "Dancing On The Ceiling" album, which features guests like Eric Clapton and Alabama. It featured her voice on its tracks that include the chartbusting hit single, "Love Will Conquer All." She also warbles on his platinum selling album, "Louder Than Words," which featured her voice on songs like "Piece of Love," which she also wrote. "Louder" had a star-studded cast that also included Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Babyface and Peter Gabriel.

King confesses, "I've done so many sessions, it is hard for me to remember them all, as enjoyable as they were."

Among the countless albums she graces, King's voice is also heard on Paula Abdul's "My Love For You Is Real" album, Yolanda Adams' "Mountain High, Valley Low" album, the "Gap Band III" album and Jeffrey Osbourne's Grammy nominated album, "That's For Sure." She was also featured on Will Downing's duet, "I Can't Make You Love Me," a remake of the Bonnie Raitt track. Randy Jackson gave her first production job, producing tracks for Philip Bailey.

In the upcoming 2005 film release of "Resurrection: The J.R. Richard Story," King plays the feature role of Richard's confidante, sportscaster Cindy Young.

She will also be heard on three tracks on the "Soul Of Brazil" compilation album, including its first single, slated for release this summer on You Records, headed by Clarence Smith, founder of "Essence Magazine."


source:
Phyllis Pollack
Def Press Public Relations
Route66@socal.rr.com
818-349-2282

I dig Marva! She does have a unique voice and should be up front. I can still remember when she pointed to me while singing a verse from one of Prince's songs. Got me all weak in the knee's!

klick

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[Edited 7/7/05 3:12am]

I loved her in "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" good for her!

I had no idea she had such an impressive resume. Good for her! I hope her album does well. The song she wrote for Lionel Richie- "Piece of Love" is a really nice tune.

She's a tie between Natalie Cole & Nicole Renee when it comes to looks she's def pretty!

I like MARVA to. She has a wonderful voice. Everytime I saw PRINCE in concert it was an added treat to hear her voice!

She isn't a "protege"



Peace

Juize

here's the link 2 her website: www.thekittysings.com

serpan99 said:

oh my. I agree.
[Edited 6/5/05 8:42am]

is it fair to call her a Prince protegee? i mean it's been almost 8 years since she was with him. and Prince's protegee's have a certain stigma which usually means their careers end up shit canned before they get off the ground.

in just reading the article, i get that she is a learned artist, and a music protegee, but i don't think it's right to consider her a Prince protegee. i mean, it didn't even mention in the article that he did anything for this upcoming album..


they could, however, release still the one, on the album with a video, and it would be a definite hit.


altho, i have always pondered if shania had meant, the one i kiss goodnight, or if she wanted mutt's "one-eyed" kiss good night... meaning she wants to bop him up before bed....


dacoon

serpan99 said:

GOOD LAWD!!!

I ran in2 Marva 6 years ago. It was post-Prince. She was at a pawn shop pawning an old MPC-60. She was head-2-toe in tight orange leather. When I walked in, she was like "Ur a musician,arent U." I said "Yeah"...I didnt recognize her. I kinda gave her shade 4 a minute. She started talking 2 me again & I noticed a diamond necklace between her boobs that said NPG. My mouth fell open! I was like "Oh SHIT!" She told me who she was & we wound up chillin in her car & playeachother eachothers music. I ran in2 her at a grammy party a few months later & she performed with 1 of my artists. She was pretty dope. The band didnt know her song & she sang 2 the band members what each 1 of them should play. I guess she learned a thing or 2 from U KNOW WHO.

Terriffic..I will buy it! I DIG HER!

Juize said:

Agreed. She had a wealth of experience and respect in the industry before her Prince phase. Whereas I remember her work with the artists she's worked with, her time with Prince is where I remember her least of all...

mmmmm Damn, Marva King is hot! Give me some of that chocolate.