Ronnie Laws

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Ronnie Laws Signature Saxophone

Ronnie “The Legend” Laws’ new release of Voices in the Water, finds this saxophonist extraordinaire, delving into the deep well of his illustrious three-plus decade solo music career, creating inventive tracks that uncover impressive strengths in R&B, Smooth Jazz, even Rock and a touch of his hometown Houston Blues.Voices in the Water, Ronnie Laws’ 26th release, third for HDH Records, contains ten original Laws compositions, with legendary vocalist Randy Crawford adding her voice to two tunes, “Our Love Is More” and “Show Me.”

Recorded in Los Angeles, the title of Voices in the Water holds a special meaning for Ronnie Laws, as well as the reason for its creation. “During Hurricane Katrina, witnessing the news blasting on TV, I saw how, literally, a people were being overlooked once again. I just started reflecting, historically, figuratively, how voices were being washed asunder from the time slaves were brought to North America, and how there were some who literally jumped off ships because they didn’t want to live a life of slavery. Those are voices that will never be heard.”

Voices in the Water was co-produced by Laws, veteran producer John Barnes (Michael Jackson, Herb Alpert, and Betty Wright) and HDH Records’ Eddie Holland of the legendary Holland-Dozier-Holland team that gained massive fame at Motown Records. A bevy of go-to A-list musicians grace Voices in the Water. Vocalists Louis Price, Martinette Jenkins, Joey Diggs and Bridgette Bryant, guitarists Rob Bacon and Freddie Fox, organist Tim Carmon, bassists Sekou Bunche and Alex Al, and legendary drummer James Gadson help flesh out Ronnie Laws’ imaginative sounds and textures throughout the project. Voices in the Water follows the success of 2000’s Dream a Little (which yielded the Urban Adult and Smooth Jazz smash hit “Old Days/Old Ways”), and 2004’s Everlasting.

Born into a music loving family to father Hubert Laws Sr. and mother Miola, Ronnie and his siblings absorbed all kinds of music in their Houston household. “My mom is a real music connoisseur,” Laws says. “She exposed us to a lot of different music growing up, from classic jazz – Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles – and some of the real serious blues artists like B.B. King and Muddy Waters. There was gospel, classical; she was a big music person.”