From the beginning, Corinthia Cromwell’s career has been blessed.
In the early ‘90s, Cromwell received parts in major motion pictures like Spike Lee’s Malcolm X and Reginald Hudlin’s Boomerang. In 2007, Cromwell opened up for and performed onstage with Grammy-winning saxophonist Kirk Whalum. Now with her group the Evolution Band, Cromwell has released Peace of Mind Outside the Lines, an album that seamlessly marries her twin affections for Gospel and jazz. The record is actually separated into two sides – one of spiritually uplifting praise and worship, one of silky soft jazz. Think of it in terms of vinyl; flip it over and another world is waiting.
Given how it is arranged, it’s quite an ambitious project. Many artists do not have the courage to attempt such a clear division of genres on the same record. But for Cromwell the album is an extension of a lifelong love for music that began in her adolescence, when he she discovered the power of the saxophone. “While at Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore, Maryland, I became intrigued with the saxophone,” Cromwell recalled. “I was a classical clarinetist at the time, and during my junior year, the jazz band had an opening for a saxophonist. I asked the band director at the school if I could borrow a saxophone over the holiday break. During the break, I practiced playing with and studying the instrument. When I returned to school after the Christmas break, I auditioned for the second chair. According to the band director because I had demonstrated such promise, he placed me in the first chair. From that experience I decided that I wanted to learn more about the instrument and grow in the knowledge of mastering it and the many sounds it produced.”
On the CD, especially during the Gospel tracks, Cromwell and her Evolution Band can really generate a sound big enough to fill arenas. However, just like the group’s name, the Evolution Band has changed with time, with members shifting. “The current list of musicians are: Justin Taylor on keyboards, William Allen on drums, David Phillips on bass, and Kevin Jackson on guitar,” Cromwell said. “The Evolution Band started out in 2000 under the name of the Upfront Band featuring Corinthia Cromwell. In 2005, the name was changed to Corinthia Cromwell and the Evolution Band to reflect the new direction in which our music had developed and was heading.”
In the early ‘90s, Cromwell received parts in major motion pictures like Spike Lee’s Malcolm X and Reginald Hudlin’s Boomerang. In 2007, Cromwell opened up for and performed onstage with Grammy-winning saxophonist Kirk Whalum. Now with her group the Evolution Band, Cromwell has released Peace of Mind Outside the Lines, an album that seamlessly marries her twin affections for Gospel and jazz. The record is actually separated into two sides – one of spiritually uplifting praise and worship, one of silky soft jazz. Think of it in terms of vinyl; flip it over and another world is waiting.
Given how it is arranged, it’s quite an ambitious project. Many artists do not have the courage to attempt such a clear division of genres on the same record. But for Cromwell the album is an extension of a lifelong love for music that began in her adolescence, when he she discovered the power of the saxophone. “While at Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore, Maryland, I became intrigued with the saxophone,” Cromwell recalled. “I was a classical clarinetist at the time, and during my junior year, the jazz band had an opening for a saxophonist. I asked the band director at the school if I could borrow a saxophone over the holiday break. During the break, I practiced playing with and studying the instrument. When I returned to school after the Christmas break, I auditioned for the second chair. According to the band director because I had demonstrated such promise, he placed me in the first chair. From that experience I decided that I wanted to learn more about the instrument and grow in the knowledge of mastering it and the many sounds it produced.”
On the CD, especially during the Gospel tracks, Cromwell and her Evolution Band can really generate a sound big enough to fill arenas. However, just like the group’s name, the Evolution Band has changed with time, with members shifting. “The current list of musicians are: Justin Taylor on keyboards, William Allen on drums, David Phillips on bass, and Kevin Jackson on guitar,” Cromwell said. “The Evolution Band started out in 2000 under the name of the Upfront Band featuring Corinthia Cromwell. In 2005, the name was changed to Corinthia Cromwell and the Evolution Band to reflect the new direction in which our music had developed and was heading.”
