Trending on Billboard
It’s amazing sometimes where life’s twists and turns can take you. Just ask three-time Grammy Award nominee Kem: While waiting tables in the mid-‘90s before the singer-songwriter’s career took off, Kem met one of his musical inspirations. Several years later, he found himself opening for that artist.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Al Jarreau while I was waiting tables,” recalls Kem, who was working at the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn, MI. “Then the next time I saw Al, I was opening for him at the Long Beach Jazz Festival in 2004. His name is definitely in the hatful of people that I took inspiration from.”
Another twist happened three years later: After winning a Grammy Award for best traditional R&B vocal performance— with George Benson and Jill Scott — for “God Bless the Child” in 2007, Jarreau spoke with a reporter backstage. As relayed in an article posted in THR, Jarreau was asked what future collaborations were on the horizon. He responded that he’d like to “team with Universal Motown R&B artist Kem and title the album Alkemy.”
Now nine years after Jarreau’s death in 2017, Kem is making good on conversations the pair had about finding an opportunity to work together. He’s bringing “Kem Presents: Alkemy” to Blue Note Los Angeles beginning tonight (March 12) and running through March 15. That run — kicking off on what would have been Jarreau’s 86th birthday — follows a similar four-night residency at Blue Note New York a week ago (March 5-8). Billed as an “intimate evening of soul and jazz,” the bookings mark Kem’s first-time playing Blue Note’s U.S. clubs.
“One of my biggest musical regrets is that Al and I never got a chance to actually record something together,” says Kem. “So I’ve been thinking about that and, as a newly independent artist, I’ve been exercising my creative juices. Paying homage to this idea of alchemy and my friend Al really has allowed me to get back in touch with the creative and artistic sides of myself.”
Alkemy finds Kem walking the fine line between R&B and jazz that he started down when launching his career. For the upcoming album, produced by Grammy winner Robert Glasper, Kem has recorded original jazz arrangements of songs from Jarreau’s catalog as well as his own such as the R&B hits “Love Calls” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” The Blue Note previews of Alkemy are also being recorded as Kem continues to work on the album.
“One of the beauties of being independent is the ability to take our time; to let the art lead the strategy,” says Kem when asked about an Alkemy release date. “The shape and context of these shows may help to further color this project. But my hope is to release it this year.”
Kem — who traced his arc from homelessness to Grammy-nominated artist in the best-selling memoir Share My Life: A Journey of Love, Faith and Redemption — is no stranger to the indie scene. Before signing with Motown Records in 2001, he self-released first album Kemistry via his same-named label. Reissued by Motown in 2003, the gold-certified album spun off the R&B No. 1 “Love Calls.” During his 20+ years with Motown, Kem co-released eight albums on Kemistry Records in conjunction with Motown. Those include the platinum-certified Album II and gold-certified Intimacy: Album III.
“At this stage of my career, it was the right move to make,” says Kem of cutting the cord with Motown last June and relaunching Kemistry Records. “I had good years at Motown. It was equitable; they made money for me and I made money for them. I wouldn’t discourage anybody from being signed to a label. There are benefits that come with that.
“But it was time to bring my career up to speed with how things are today,” he continues. “There’s a new sense of motivation and urgency. Being an established artist with a devoted fan base, I can go to my fans directly. I can release singles without necessarily being attached to an album right away.”
Which is what Kem has been doing. Working with longtime creative partner Rex Rideout, he recently scored his ninth No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay with “Rock With Me” – his first since 2022’s “Stuck on You.” In December came “Give My Love (Joy & Pain Remix)” featuring Boney James. Then that was followed last month by the inspirational anthem “One Love.”
“An R&B album is definitely forthcoming,” promises Kem. “I would like to do that this year as well and then go out on a bona fide tour in 2027.”
But Alkemy is top of mind now. “It feels more substantial than what we initially set out for it to be,” says Kem. “I trust the instincts of creating what I like; expressing the truth about myself artistically. That’s what I’m supposed to be doing. Anything else wouldn’t be authentic.”
