PJ Morton – Celebrates in his hometown, NOLA

6th July 2015   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

“It’s awesome that it worked out that way,” says keyboardist/vocalist/composer PJ Morton of celebrating the release of his new album, Live Show Killer, in his hometown of New Orleans. PJ Morton & The Crusade performs at the Howlin’ Wolf on Friday, July 17, 2015, the very day the CD goes on sale.

The thing is that PJ Morton, 34, who is the son of the noted gospel luminary, the Rev. Paul S. Morton and the keyboardist and vocalist with the pop/rock group Maroon 5, simply doesn’t play here often. Maybe once a year. Since joining Maroon 5 four years ago, he’s been living in Los Angeles where the band is based.

“I always try to hit home when I’m going on tour,” says Morton who will take to the road in promotion of the CD, head to Australia and Asia with Maroon 5 and then “cross the pond” with The Crusade to perform in Europe.

Eight members of The Crusade, including Morton’s longtime friend and music associate, New Orleans native, drummer Ed Clark, will be showing off tunes from the contemporary R&B album as well as new material at the July 17th Live Show Killer release party.

Naturally Morton’s musical journey began in the church, playing organ at the Greater St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church where his father was a pastor. The elder Morton, who has been involved in recording, radio and television, wasn’t just a musical and spiritual influence on his son.

“Overall, just him as a leader, a performer and a pastor, it’s all kind of affected me,” says PJ. “My concerts are my congregation – the people in the audience are my flock. The things that I saw him doing, I’m doing just in a different way.”

Morton began his career in contemporary rhythm and blues while attending Morehouse College in Atlanta. He was first recognized as a songwriter and producer and won a Grammy in 2003 for his work on the tune “Interested” on vocalist India.airie’s album Voyage to India. Morton gained a Grammy nomination for the song “Only One,” which featured Stevie Wonder on harmonica, heard on his 2013 release New Orleans. It turns up again on Live Show Killer minus Wonder — obviously an influence on PJ — yet retaining his flavor.

It fits in well on the fine, new, heartfelt album that is full of love songs and tunes about broken hearts primarily coming from Morton’s pen. Recorded before a live audience at Los Angeles’ Henson Studio, the album boasts big production and

includes horns and strings.

Moving from gospel to rhythm and blues wasn’t a leap for Morton. “Secular music that is about love is in the same spirit as gospel music,” he explains. “I think it comes from the same place. One is talking about the love for a person or people or being hurt by a loved one. The other is talking about the love of God and the life you live being a Christian. It’s the same heart, it’s the same soul it’s just slightly different subject matter.”

Initially, when Morton began performing R&B, there was some “push-back” from his father, he says. For decades, gospel artists have been harshly criticized if they moved into the secular music arena. PJ wrote a book on the subject, Why Can’t I Sing about Love? for which his father wrote the forward. PJ says that gradually — and more and more — his father accepted his choice and is behind him “100 per cent.”

“Being a fan of love himself and being married for over 30 years, I think he got that (concept) clearly. He’s not listening to ‘Amazing Grace’ when he wants to spend some quality time with my mother,” PJ adds warmly. “All music comes from God.”

Two of Morton’s signature performance elements make their way onto the album. He has a penchant for including, theme songs from old television series. Thus we get a short version of “Thank You for Being My Friend” from the “Golden Girls” TV show and a full, soulful rendition of “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” from the series “Cheers.”

He explains that playing along with such theme songs was one way he perfected his piano playing and learned new chords. “I kind of kept them (the songs) with me,” says Morton who never studied music, learning entirely by ear.

“I know it’s blasphemous to say, but I never really wanted to learn music – I felt it was a natural part of me,” says Morton who studied marketing at Morehouse. He, along with drummer Clark, did play in the jazz band while attending St. Augustine High School. “I didn’t read but the band teacher reluctantly broke down and gave me CDs and said, ‘Learn this.’”

On the latter of the two TV themes, those in the crowd sing along the familiar lyrics with Morton and the band. “I do create with an audience in mind and a big thing for me is getting the participation from the audience,” he explains. “I think it comes from my church background – the call and response. It’s pumped back to me and I know you’re there.”

Perhaps surprising to some – and maybe no one more than to Morton himself – is that the vocalist performs on trumpeter and composing giant Terence Blanchard’s latest album Breathless. “I was just super honored when he reached out to me,” says Morton. “I didn’t know that he looked at me in that way – that he respected me in that way.”

PJ appears on three of Breathless’ cuts including the opener, an inspired version of Les McCann and Eddie Harris’ hit, “Compared to What” as well as Hank Williams’ “I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But Time.”

“That’s what’s awesome about music,” Morton offers. “Once it’s put out in the world, it’s for everybody and it’s open to interpretation.”

This article originally published in the July 6, 2015 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.