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D'Angelo 2012 Tour Diary Pt. 1: HE GOT ON THE PLANE

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.D'Angelo_Tour_2012_Day_Sheet

D'Angelo Tour 2012 Day-Sheet, Stockholm, Sweden.

D'Angelo's first tour in a minute and a HALF kicks off today in Stockholm, Sweden and the (in)famous Tina Farris, AKA GoodTimeGirl here on Okayplayer, is back on the road with R&B Jesus again - 10 years later.  GoodTimeGirl is Roots family to the core; she tour managed the Legendary for years, and has since worked with everyone from Lil Wayne to Nicki Minaj to Will.i.am and Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas.  She also plays a mean bass.  To keep up with her adventures, visit her highly entertaining blog. In the first installment of her D’Angelo 2012 Tour Diary for OKP, she gives us a roll call of the musicians and support team whose very names are convincing us all over again that this comeback is the real deal. And most importantly, she confirms that, Yes…

He Got on the Plane.

Praise Jesus.  The knot in my stomach is slowly unraveling.  I know once he gets on stage...once he finally makes it on the stage...he's gonna remember why he loved it all in the first place.  Since day 1 at rehearsals, I've been hoping, praying for a spot on this tour.  Oh, sure. I've done the Peas, Nicki, Wayne....all for much more money, ‘tis true...but nothing has moved my soul quite like this 12-year sabbatical and any possible return? I wanted a part of the action.

Of course, as a minion, it's not easy to keep my mouth shut--I mean since I know everything and all--but I try. And hopefully I’ll still have a friend in Alan Leeds after this. Greatest tour manager I know and Mentor.  He's one of the originals here.

Pino Palladino--the other love of my life from a past life--is doing his thing, moisturizing loins everywhere with every slap of that bass.  Lou – choreographer; Mark Jenkins - the original "Untitled" body-sculptor; and Roxanne George--my girl--the hair stylist, loving her like no other.

Some of my cohorts for years past; Martin Thomas as Production manager and lighting director; Artless Poole - my brother and front of house sound engineer.

Kenny Nash – Philly’s own monitor engineer. Sean Woods - Who we know from Jill. And David Rule who has the best name next to Curtis Battles.

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.D'Angelo_Rehearsal_Room

D'Angelo's NYC Rehearsal Room.

Then there's the newbies; Chris Dave - Rick Rubin’s favorite drummer (sacrilegious I know); Ray Angry - our boy from The Roots who's subbing for Cleo Pookie Sample (gotta love a n**ga named Pookie). Jesse Johnson; who's a beast but had another commitment so we have Jeff Lee Johnson--killing it.

Sharkey on guitar, who I'm waiting to bust out.  He's quiet and plays his position but I heard him do some Spanish guitar during rehearsal today and I know he can rock it.

Then we have our background vocals--note that I was around when it was Anthony Hamilton and Shelby Johnson on background, so I expect a ton from these young’uns.  Now I know they can sang--I know this--but I'm a snobby high-falootin bitch, so we gon' see…I'm waiting to be impressed.  Yeah I said it.