Submitted by Gwen Quinn
(NEW YORK, NY) – On the heels on Black Music Month, The Town Hall presented Keeping The Faith: Celebrating 30 Years of Music and Entertainment with Singer/Songwriter Faith Evans at the historic concert hall in New York City. The concert line-up included Grammy Award-nominated recording artists Kim Burrell, Durand Bernarr, Kierra Sheard-Kelly, and B.Slade, along with Faith’s daughter Chyna Tahjere, Ayana George Jackson, Linny Smith, Matia Celeste Washington, Chenee Campbell, Anitra McKinney, Susu Montgomery and a two-song performance by Faith Evans, under the musical direction of multi-genre composer and conductor Damien Sneed, along with his critically-acclaimed Orchestra of Tomorrow. Also, singer-songwriter, dancer and actor Avery Wilson made a surprise guest appearance.
It has been fifteen years since the Grammy Award winner performed on a New York City (union) concert stage. The Town Hall’s Artistic Director Melay Araya welcomed the concertgoers and delivered a powerful speech about Faith Evans’ genius as a singer/songwriter. The highly anticipated, two-hour plus concert event included a set list filled with hit after hit, starting with the musical overture from a few of Faith’s career albums performed by the Orchestra of Tomorrow followed by the first musical number, “No Other Love,” with vocalist Ayana George Jackson. It continued with “Ain’t Nobody,” performed by Anitra McKinney; “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore,” with Matia Celeste Washington on lead vocals; “Come Over,” sung by Chenee Campbell; “Tears Away” (interlude) with vocalist Anitra McKinney; “Never Gonna Let You Go,” performed by Ayana George Jackson; “Burnin’ Up” (chorus and vamp), with vocalist Matia Celeste Washington; “Can’t Believe,” sung by Chenee Campbell and Linny Smith; “Thank You Lord (interlude) performed by Orchestra of Tomorrow; “Endow Me,” with vocalist Susu Montgomery; “Caramel Kisses,” sung by Faith’s daughter Chyna Tajhere; and “I Love You,” performed by Durand Bernarr.
After Bernarr’s brilliant performance, two of Faith’s closest and longtime friends Courtney Terry and Rufus Blaq both shared stories about their dear friend, and the relationship they all shared before Faith’s career ascension to the top of the music and entertainment charts. The concert proceeded with a performance of “Keep The Faith,” by Kierra Sheard-Kelly; “Love Like This,” by Kim Burrell; “You Used To Love Me,” performed B.Slade; and “I’ll Be Missing You” performed by Ayana George Jackson, Matia Celeste Washington, Chenee Campbell, and Anitra McKinney.
After the extraordinary musical tribute, Faith joined the talent onstage and was filled with a range of emotions. She performed the last two songs, “Soon As I Get Home,” and was joined by guest artist, the uber-talented vocalist, Avery Wilson, who took the song to another level. The finale performance was one of her signature songs, “Again.”
Following her performance, there were several presentations made to Faith Evans from the City of Newark, New Jersey by Councilwoman-At-Large, Reverend Louise Scott-Rountree including a Proclamation from Mayor Ras Baraka, a Resolution from the Newark Municipal Council, a Letter from Councilwoman Rountree and a Medal from the City of Newark, New Jersey.
As the mother of four, Faith dedicates much of her time to caring for her son, Ryder, and performing her work as a full-time autism awareness advocate. The proceeds from the tribute concert benefits her foundation, Ryder’s Room, Inc., which she created to help provide the highest level of resources to children and their families with disabilities and different needs, as well as professionals in the field.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of her debut album, Faith (1995). The songwriter, arranger, and record producer is the artistic force behind her nine studio albums: Keep The Faith (1998), Faithfully (2001), The First Lady (2005), A Faithful Christmas (2005), Something About Faith (2010), Incomparable (2014) The King & I (2017), her duet album with her late husband, The Notorious B.I.G., and her one compilation album, R&B Divas, featuring Faith, Nicci Gilbert, Monifah Carter, Syleena Johnson, Keke Wyatt, Kelly Price and Fantasia, from the hit reality series of the same title.
Faith has more than 30 top-charting hit singles. Her voice has appeared on nearly 20 soundtracks including “Kissing You” on the Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album; “Somebody Bigger Than You and I” with Whitney Houston featuring Faith, Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill and Monica from The Preacher’s Wife: Original Soundtrack Album; “My Everything” with Faith and Barry White on the Money Talks: The Album; “Best Man” on The Best Man: Music from the Motion Picture and numerous others. Faith has also made numerous guest appearances on singles including “Heartbreak Hotel” by Whitney Houston featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price from Houston’s album, My Love Is Your Love (1998) and the single, “Can’t Believe” with Carl Thomas from Faith’s third album, Faithfully (2001), both singles were nominated for Grammy Awards, respectively.
Faith is the author of The New York Times best-selling book, KEEP THE FAITH: A MEMOIR, co-authored by Aliya King, which is the winner of the African American Literary Award for Best Biography/Memoir (2009). An entrepreneur and a TV executive producer, Faith co-created, executive produced and starred in an original reality series, R&B Divas in August 2012. The series became TV One’s cable network, the most watched original premiere in the history of the network.
The Grammy Award winner for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “I’ll Be Missing You,” a tribute song to her late husband and hip-hop legend Notorious B.I.G., which she performed with Sean Combs and the R&B group, 112. She also co-produced the international anthem, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for eleven weeks.
Faith is also an eight-time Grammy nominated artist. She is the recipient of three Lady of Soul Awards for Best Female R&B/Soul Album for Faith (1996); Best R&B Soul or Rap New Artist for “You Used To Love Me (1996), and Lady of Soul Award (2018). She is also the winner of the MTV Video Music Awards for Best R&B Video, “I’ll Be Missing You,” and a Soul Train Award for Outstanding Music Video for “I’ll Be Missing You.” She is the recipient of Black Music Honors’ Urban Music Icon Award (2018); Barbados Music Awards’ International Lifetime Achievement Awards (2011); Urban Network’s Best New Artist Award (1996); WEEN Awards’ Legend Award (2015); and Women In Hip Hop’s Hip Hop Soul Fusion Award, among numerous others.
The angelic soprano still remains one of popular music’s most desired vocalists in the modern-day era. Shaped by her early beginnings and musical influences in the church choir in Newark, New Jersy, Faith is among only a few performers who have been inextricably linked with the history of soul music and hip-hop. Her virtuosity as an artist is undeniable. When asked by her legion of fans and supporters around the world how she’s survived and come this far, she simply replies, “FAITH.”
