Raphael Saadiq's - Raphael Saadiq As Ray Ray - Debuts At #3 on Billboard's "Independent Albums" Chart and #86 On The "Top 200 Albums" Chart; Whole Album Is Impacting on Radio Stations Across The Country, US Tour Set To Launch November 4, 2004.

October 26, 2004 -- Grammy® Award winning singer/songwriter/musician/producer Raphael Saadiq’s highly anticipated RAPHAEL SAADIQ AS RAY RAY album debuted at #3 on Billboard’s “Independent Albums” chart this week, having sold over 13,000 copies its first week out. It also debuted at #86 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart, edging out De La Soul for the slot by only 62 copies.

In touring news, Raphael will launch a nationwide trek starting November 4 in Toronto at The Guvernment. It’ll take him through New York City, Baltimore, Atlanta and other major cities before concluding late November. Before the tour kicks off, Raphael will be performing at a special in-store appearance at Amoeba Records in Los Angeles on Thursday, October 28 at 7pm.

Raphael recently performed hits old and new in front of a slew of adoring fans in London as part of a five-night, sold-out residence at the Jazz Café. In a four-out-of-five star review in England’s The Guardian newspaper, the show was hailed as “…a beautifully orchestrated gospeldelic set…Saadiq, moving ever further from the same-old soul singer stereotype, more than makes good on his self-summation of ‘number one.’”

RAPHAEL SAADIQ AS RAY RAY is the follow-up to 2002’s critically acclaimed and three-time Grammy-nominated album, INSTANT VINTAGE. Saadiq was also nominated in 2002 for two Grammy Awards for co-writing—along with Jake & The Phatman, Erykah Badu and James Poyser--the #1 smash hit “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)” from the “Brown Sugar” soundtrack. He ultimately took home the “Best R&B Song” prize for “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop).” Ironically enough, Saadiq garnered the Grammy nominations for INSTANT VINTAGE only weeks after amicably parting ways with Universal Records, who released the album May 2002.

The new album has been racking up rave reviews since its October 5 release on Raphael’s Pookie Entertainment label. To wit:

“On his second solo studio effort, Saadiq epitomizes the ‘grown and sexy’ vibe. Casting himself as a puckish blaxpoitation-era player, the former Tony! Toni! Tone! fronter woos honeys from Detroit to Houston with enough midtempo dance grooves to make R. Kelly seem out of step…Saadiq’s bass virtuosity is strictly pimp caliber. A-”
--Neil Drumming, Entertainment Weekly, October 8, 2004.

“Having firmly established himself as one of R&B’s most talented writer-producers (Erykah Badu, Angie Stone, D’Angelo), Saadiq steps out from behind the boards for this funkdafied solo CD. In contrast to the classic-soul stylings of 2002’s acclaimed INSTANT VINTAGE, RAPHAEL SAADIQ AS RAY RAY plays like a fun-lovin’ soundtrack to his alter ego’s amorous exploits.” --Raymond Fiore, Entertainment Weekly, “25 Most Anticipated Albums of the Fall: (#13),” September 24, 2004

“With his impressive solo follow-up, Saadiq continues to put the soul back in R&B music.” --Andrew Simon, Vibe, November 2004.

“Saadiq’s retro-‘70s style is right on track…The album opens with a cinematic intro, aptly titled ‘Blaxpoitation,’ that segues into the swaggering ‘Ray Ray Theme,’ on which guitar vocalist Joi coos about ‘soul brother number one/Loverman, on the run.’ And Saadiq does his best to live up to that billing, along the way conjuring up vintage Prince, Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield (on the socially conscious ‘Grown Folks’). Other guest artists include Babyface, whose silky vocals mirror Saadiq's on ‘Not A Game,’ and Teedra Moses, who sings on two cuts, including ‘Chic,’ a Chic-inspired soul-disco jam. And on ‘Rifle Love,’ Saadiq reunites with brother D'Wayne Wiggins and Dawn Robinson--members of his former groups Tony! Toni! Tone! and Lucy Pearl, respectively--and hits an old-school R&B bull's eye.” --Chuck Arnold, People (“Critic’s Choice”), October 18, 2004

3-1/2 out of 4 stars - “…the album is set to be, at the very least, one of the top albums of the year.” --Dana Hall, Radio & Records, August 27, 2004

On the radio front, various tracks from RAPHAEL SAADIQ AS RAY RAY are heating up the airwaves. Stations in such cities as Detroit, Miami and Washington, DC want the whole album to be heard and not just the first single, “Rifle Love.” They’ve been spinning “Chic” (featuring Teedra Moses), “Detroit Girl” and “Grown Folks” because, as one PD put it so eloquently, “the word of mouth on this record is just too hot for us to keep the whole thing to ourselves and limit our listeners to the single. We want everyone to be exposed to this incredible piece of music with as much variety as possible!”

Here are the confirmed U.S. tour dates, with the one stop in Canada. More shows will be added to the itinerary in the coming days.

DATE CITY VENUE:

Thu 10/28 Hollywood, CA Amoeba Records (In-store)

Thu 11/4 Toronto, ONT. The Guvernment

Fri 11/5 New York, NY B.B. Kings Blues Club

Sun 11/7 Philadelphia, PA The Trocadero

Mon 11/8 Baltimore, MD Funk Box

Wed 11/10 Alexandria, VA The Birchmere

Thu 11/11 Charlotte, NC Amos’ South End

Sat 11/13 Atlanta, GA Earthlink Live

Sun 11/14 New Orleans, LA House of Blues

Sat 11/20 Sacramento, CA Radisson Hotel

Sun 11/21 West Hollywood, CA House of Blues

Mon 11/22 Anaheim, CA House of Blues