Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum

Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum is an album by vocal and instrumental ensemble Sounds of Blackness, released in 1994. It includes the singles "I'm Going All the Way", "I Believe", "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright" and "Black Butterfly".

Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum
Studio album by
Sounds of Blackness
Released1994
Genre
Label
Producer
Sounds of Blackness chronology
The Night Before Christmas... A Musical Fantasy
(1992)		 Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum
(1994)		 Time for Healing
(1997)
Singles from Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum
  1. "I Believe"
    Released: 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Critical reception

In a review for AllMusic, Jason Birchmeier gave the album four out of five stars, commenting that producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were "on top of their game" at the time of the album's release, and that they "brought no shortage of their trademark dense percussive rhythms" to the album. He went on to say that "even if the production sounds a little calculated and perhaps even outdated for its time, it made for some amazing songs."[1]

Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum won Best Gospel Album at the 1995 Soul Train Music Awards.[2]

Singles

In 1993, the year before the release of the album, "I'm Going All the Way" had been released as a single in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 27 in the UK Singles Chart.[3] In 1994, "I Believe" was released as the next single from the album, reaching No. 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States,[4] No. 15 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs,[4] No. 1 on Dance Club Songs[4] and No. 17 in the UK Singles Chart.[3] "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright" reached No. 29 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs,[4] No. 10 on Dance Club Songs[4] and No. 29 in the UK.[3] "I'm Going All the Way" was re-released in the UK in early 1995, this time reaching No. 14, becoming the highest-charting Sounds of Blackness single in that country.[3] The single also saw a release in the US, reaching No. 39 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[4] and No. 41 on Dance Club Songs.[4] "Black Butterfly" reached No. 86 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[4]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Hold On, Pt. 1"Negro spiritual1:06
2."I'm Going All the Way"
4:52
3."Ah Been Buked, Pt. 1"Negro spiritual0:41
4."I Believe"
4:39
5."Hold On, Pt. 2"Negro spiritual1:19
6."Everything Is Gonna Be Alright"
4:48
7."Sun-Up to Sundown"Traditional work song0:41
8."The Lord Will Make a Way"
  • Harris
  • Lewis
  • Wright
5:09
9."He Took Away All My Pain"
  • Harris
  • Wright
  • Bennett-Nesby
4:46
10."A Place in My Heart"
  • Harris
  • Lewis
  • Bennett-Nesby
  • Wright
6:09
11."The Harder They Are the Bigger They Fall"
  • Harris
  • Lewis
4:01
12."The Drum (Africa to America)"
  • Harris
  • Lewis
  • Gary Hines
  • Joseph Young
2:55
13."African Medley: Royal Kingdom/Rise/My Native Land"
  • Hines
  • Carrie Harrington
  • Alecia Russell
5:55
14."A Very Special Love"Billy Steele5:21
15."Strange Fruit"Lewis Allan2:43
16."Black Butterfly"
  • Harris
  • Lewis
3:59
17."You've Taken My Blues and Gone"Poem by Langston Hughes0:26
18."Livin' the Blues"Hines4:13
19."Ah Been Buked, Pt. 2"Negro spiritual0:28

Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic.[5]

Musicians
  • Robert Anderson – vocals
  • Jamecia Bennett – background vocals
  • Robin Berry – harp
  • Dexter Conyers – vocals
  • Core Cotton – vocals
  • LaSalle Gabriel – guitar
  • Shirley Marie Graham – vocals
  • Trenon Graham – drums, percussion
  • Carrie Harrington – vocals, background vocals
  • Gary Hines – arranger, drum programming, keyboards, piano
  • Jimmy Jam – arranger, drum programming, keyboards, synthesizer
  • Geoffrey Jones – vocals
  • Patricia Lacy – vocals
  • Terry Lewis – arranger
  • Eunique Mack – vocals
  • Renee McCall – vocals, background vocals
  • Ann Nesby – bass, vocal arrangement, vocals
  • Kevin Pierce – guitar
  • Alecia Russell – vocals
  • Nate Sabin – guitar
  • Larry Sims – trumpet
  • James Smith – vocals
  • Sounds of Blackness – instrumental, primary artist, vocals, background vocals
  • Billy Steele – keyboards, vocal arrangement, vocals
  • Jeff Taylor – drum programming
  • Libby Turner – vocals, background vocals
  • Franklin Wharton – alto sax
  • Kevin Whitlock – percussion
  • Stokley Williams – drums, percussion
  • Louis J. Wilson – tenor sax
  • Marcus Wise – tabla
  • David Wright III – baritone sax
  • Jimmy Wright – arranger, keyboards, organ, electric piano, synthesizer, vocals
  • Rev. Joseph Young, Jr. – rap

Production
  • Brian Gardner – mastering
  • Gary Hines – producer
  • Steve Hodge – engineer, mixing
  • Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – executive producer, producer
  • David Rideau – mixing
  • Brent Rollins – artwork
  • Jeff Taylor – assistant engineer

Charts
Chart (1994) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[3] 28
US Billboard 200[6] 109
US Top Gospel Albums[6] 4
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[6] 15

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[7] Gold 500,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. "Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum - Sounds of Blackness | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  2. "Baker, White Garner 2 Soul Train Awards". Los Angeles Times. March 14, 1995.
  3. "SOUNDS OF BLACKNESS | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  4. "The Sounds Of Blackness". Billboard.
  5. "Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum - Sounds of Blackness | Credits". AllMusic.
  6. "The Sounds Of Blackness Chart History". Billboard.
  7. "American album certifications – Sounds of Blackness – Africa to America". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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