KASSONDRA ROCKSWELL is classical symphony meets juke joint.
Apparent in her ability to sing, songwrite, arrange and compose, ROCKSWELL is a musical chameleon. She is two-faced and double-sided. Nappy and straight. Sophisticated and gutter.
Born under the constellation Gemini to a hard-working, church-going mother and a cussin', cheatin' alcoholic dad, Rockswell grew up in the ghettos of South Dallas. Up until she ran off to Howard University for college at 18, she was inundated with four part a cappella harmonies four days a week at church with her mother. Everyday church would serve as her formal music training and is credited with the sultry singer's raw soul and perfect pitch.
At age 13, ROCKSWELL boldly approached the adult choir director and asked to replace a soloist who was relocating to California. He quickly obliged her, and soon thereafter, the choir traveled across the country by bus, touring and singing at revivals and church conferences. The teenage ROCKSWELL repeatedly brought audiences to their feet and grown folks to tears with her powerful rendition of the infamous gospel hymn "Goin’ Up Yonder" written by Walter Hawkins.
Already bitten by the spotlight bug, ROCKSWELL was still determined to, as Spike Lee coined, "do the right thing." She ran off to law school in Houston, intent on excellence amongst the status quo, until she found herself penning songs and poetry during legal lectures by day and crooning in local smoke-filled clubs by night. She withdrew from law school with a B+ average, much to mommy's dismay, but went on to immediately self-publish two books and later produce two independent poetry albums and an all-star hip-hop jazz band--The Sweat Lodge.
ROCKSWELL's third LP, Ante Up, was recorded in 2007 with the musicians from The Sweat Lodge. It is a sweat and tears sacrifice of completely original music and well-written testimonies of love, passion, heartbreak and joy.
Still yet, ROCKSWELL's best credential is her electric delivery. She in unapologetically funky on stage, holding audiences captive with a powerful vocal range and an unpredictable show.
KASSONDRA ROCKSWELL is both a noun and a verb. She is an experience you do not want to miss, and she is definitely not to be slept on.
Aliases include Von Jones, Red Devil, Showstopper, Sassy Red, Shape Shifter Number One and Doremi Fasollati.
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