No one would ever mistake Citizen Cope for anything other than a true musical artist. While others clamber onto the multi-media bandwagon with light shows, smoke machines and other sensory extras, the man one critic called Washington’s “most soulful export since Marvin Gaye” is following his own road that almost takes him away from the coveted glamour.
“I’ve been doing a lot of these acoustic shows in smaller venues,” said Cope, whose given name is Clarence Greenwood. “In these difficult times, you have to find somewhere in yourself [from which to] speak.”
| ONSTAGE |
| Citizen Cope |
| » When: 8 p.m. Saturday |
| » Where: Warner Theatre, 1299 Pennsylvania Ave. NW |
| » Info: $35; ticketmaster.com; 202-397-SEAT |
Certainly he does that on all of his album including his most recent release, “The Rainwater LP.” The music is filled with old-style soul flavorings and rich funk punctuated with horns and strings upon which Cope’s world-weary vocals float. The album is something akin to a sonic trip back if not to Laurel Canyon than the early soul inflected with blues, rock and other sounds that built the Motown sound.
Not that recording that type of album is easy, even for Cope who is lauded by dozens of household name artists including Carlos Santana and Sheryl Crow.
Cope is rightfully proud that he dropped his major label ties and went indie in order to produce his own music, his way. He’s one of the few artists who arguably isn’t bitter about his break-up with the major labels. He sees it as a relationship in which irreconcilable differences developed.
Yet some aspects of business do vex him.
“Right now, everyone globally is worshipping the dollar,” said Cope. “I live in a free enterprise system and it’s not that the ideals of this country have changed. It’s just gotten to be mob mentality [to pilfer art]. I just think artists have to see what I see and speak about it. Luckily I have a voice and something to say.”
Plenty of people want to hear that voice as evidenced by his list of sold out concerts throughout the country and the demand for his music. Crow just covered his song, “Sideways” and invited Cope to guest on the song, which he did.
No matter what happens in the business, Cope makes it clear he’s wed to his artistry and will continue to speak to those who want to listen.
“She is a great band leader and talent,” said Cope of Crow. “I think she just liked the song and was touched by it. You know, I am always excited when people want to cover one of my songs. I still have a connection with all my songs, but I don’t know if I ever looked at them as mine. They come from a higher power.”
