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".

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 He went on to say that "even if the production sounds a little calculated and perhaps even outdated for its time, it made for some amazing songs."

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

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. 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, No. 15 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, No. 1 on Dance Club Songs and No. 17 in the UK Singles Chart. "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright" reached No. 29 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, No. 10 on Dance Club Songs and No. 29 in the UK. "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. The single also saw a release in the US, reaching No. 39 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 41 on Dance Club Songs. "Black Butterfly" reached No. 86 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

Track listing

Personnel Adapted from AllMusic.

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 Jayn Higgins - 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)Peakposition UK Albums Chart28 US Billboard 200109 US Top Gospel Albums4 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums15

Certifications

References

External links Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum at Discogs