I cannot wait for this one. Via EURWeb:

Queen Latifah can now put the rap mic in the same catchall room as the African-themed hats. Her next album, due September 28, will celebrate her singing voice on a collection of standards from the jazz, R&B and pop genres.

"The Dana Owens Album," to be released via Vector/Flavor Unit/Interscope, is produced by Arif Mardin and Ron Fair, whose resumes include the likes of Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Chaka Khan and the Black Eyed Peas.

According to "Billboard," two first single from the album premiere today via AOL Music's "First Listen" program. The first is a cover of the Mamas & the Papas classic "California Dreamin'" inspired by Jose Feliciano's quasi-flamenco version on his 1968 album, "Feliciano!" The second is a big band arrangement of the Leonard Feather/Billy Moore Jr. song "Baby Get Lost," versions of which have been recorded by Billie Holliday, B.B. King and Dinah Washington.

Guests on the album include Al Green (appearing on a version of his own "Simply Beautiful"); James Moody (on a take of his "Moody's Mood for Love"); and Herbie Hancock (on the Screamin' Jay Hawkins standard "I Put a Spell on You.")

Thinking about getting that new R. Kelly album? Well here are some samples of Happy People/U Saved Me (props to Notes from A Different Kitchen.)

I'm telling you now, I purchased The Okayplayer Compilation, and was impressed by Little Brother. I wasn't the only one spinning their tune. So, when I diverge my ride home from work to go to the rekkasto' (both by cell phone call and email notification) to pick up my releases for the week, I was enlightened by The Foreign Exchange. The new CD, Connected, is currently in my player and right now has escalated quickly into my top 10 for the here and now.

From Ecko Unlimited, it turns out that Nicolay and Little Brother never met face to face:

"It was all very surreal actually, " says Phonte, half of the duo, about the albums "virtual" recording experience. "Nic would just send me tracks via Instant Messenger, and I would record to them and send the finished product back. I had no idea that our simple IM sessions would develop into the beautiful project that we have now."

Check out the entire article here.

You can download Nic's Groove [explicit lyrics] or do the Amazon one-click for the album, if you can't make it to my rekkasto. Looks like I need to pick up Little Brother too. If I can listen to one entire album without skipping one song, needless to say, it's a good thing.