Alyson Williams – It’s About Time CD (Expansion)

Alyson Williams hit the UK soul scene with a vengeance on her debut solo Top 20 single ‘Sleep Talk’ for Def Jam. With hits including ‘My Love Is Raw'(with Nikki D), ‘I Second That Emotion’ , the US smash ‘Just Call My Name’ and the UK Top 10 ‘I Need Your Lovin’, her solo career was launched after impressive cameos on earlier albums (also for Def Jam) by Chuck Stanley and Oran ‘Juice’ Jones with whom she regularly toured  including the UK with another Def Jam soul legend Tashan (also recording the duet ‘Do You Wanna Know’). Her debut album ‘Raw’ was certified Gold in the UK and spent a phenomenal 67 weeks on the US Billboard charts in the months following its release. The daughter of band leader and acclaimed jazz trumpeter Bobby Booker, Alyson Williams sang consistently through the 80s on backgrounds for artists like Curtis Hairston, Melba Moore. B.B. & Q, Unlimited Touch and Bobby Brown. She was also integral to the 80s boogie soul group High Fashion who with Meli’sa Morgan scored a club hit with ‘Feelin’ Lucky Lately’.

It’s About Time is a collection of songs that tell a love story. A mix of R&B and smooth soul, the album offers something for everyone and the lyrics are universal. Alyson, who co-wrote five of the songs, takes her listeners down the manic path of a passionate relationship. She opens with boy-meets-girl, moves on to the moment the wedding is called off and finishes by chronicling the struggle to make it from day-to-day in the wake of a break up.

Both ‘Soft & Warm’ and ‘Say Goodbye’ is the kind of sophisticated soul Maysa Leak gave Expansion when produced by Bluey, while her version of ‘Holding Back The Years’ is smooth jazz vocal heaven. For the more urban minded, ‘SuperStar’ is also not to be missed.The album features two duets with R&B vocalist Tony Terry, best known for his hit singles, ‘When I’m With You’ and ‘Everlasting Love’, and background vocal support from neo-soul singer Grenique. Producers and writers featured on the album include Marcus Johnson, Nate Smith (Michael Jackson, Supafriendz, The Artistics), Colin Morrison (Chante Moore, The Temptations), Eric ’88 Fingaz’ Parham (YahZarah), John Stoddard (Kirk Whalum, Dave Koz, Yolanda Adams) and Gerald McCauley (George Benson, Bobby Lyle) – Expansion