A few weeks ago I had the privilege to witness writer, producer, songwriter, musician and entrepreneur Ryan Leslie perform live. I was personally introduced to Ryan several years back when he was more well known on the East coast than most other places, and I’ve been rocking his smooth R&B, neo-soul sounds ever since.
His first time Houston, TX performance in the intimate Peacock Room at the House of Blues was a success. The standing room only crowd, very familiar with his entire repertoire spanning several cds, sang and chanted alongside every song.
Like any true artist and performer who is authentically passionate about their creative works, Leslie was clearly feeding off the energy of the crowd.
One of the highlights of the performance was his lead guitar player blowing a speaker while singing and performing the Prince classic “Purple Rain.”
While stagehands and audio technicians scurried to correct the issues, Leslie quickly hopped on his keyboard and started chanting back and forth with the crowd not missing a step until the speaker was prepared.
Houston opened their arms to embrace the talents of Ryan Leslie. I am sure he will return soon, but this time to perform in the main room at the Houston of Blues if not a much larger venue. Mr. Leslie, you have fans in Houston, and we enjoy our work. Keep up the creative genius.
Just like your local farmers market, please support artists who have their own label and are not affiliated with a major distribution house. A few years ago Leslie started NextSelection Lifestyle Group, and I am sure we will see his creative flourish without the watchful eye of record label management. His success depends on album sales and a grass roots fan base. Please check out Ryan Leslie’s Youtube channel and get familiar with some of his work.
