Kenny Lattimore and Chante Moore 'Uncovered/Covered' album

In the annals of contemporary music, there have been some wonderful duos – think Ashford & Simpson, back in the day, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, Peaches & Herb among others. But this may be a first: “Uncovered,” a musically solid and remarkably honest album by real-life husband-and-wife Kenny Lattimore and Chanté Moore that depicts the challenges that inevitably come when two people make a commitment to a relationship, founded in real love and mutual respect which holds the promise of longevity and staying power. “We live together, we work together, we parent together,” says Chanté. “It’s a lot to balance and yes, it is work but,” Kenny chimes in, “we enjoy the journey. Naturally as a couple, as two busy people with careers that put us in the public eye, we have issues to work through. We’re not going to reveal everything that goes on in our relationship but we decided to sing about the real issues of love.”

“Uncovered” is indeed the perfect title for an album that reveals the passion and pain, the ups and downs of a love lived in the glare of the spotlight. “We’re uncovering the real issues of love…not just the happy feelings but how you survive in the real world,” both agree. With insightful poems written specifically for the project used as interludes between specific songs, “Uncovered” provides a clear contrast to “Things That Lovers Do,” the best-selling Arista album released by Kenny and Chanté not long after they married in 2002. “That first record was about ‘new’ love, about falling in love,” says Chanté. “It was like book one. Now comes book two: you get into a relationship, you’re at the next level, and you have different issues. “Uncovered” reflects that. You’re going to go through some bad times and then, you’re either going to stay in or give up on the relationship.”

With superb production from hitmaker Barry Eastmond (known for his stellar work with Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, Will Downing and others) and newcomers Carvin & Ivan, Lamont Fleming, Shea Taylor, Kip, Mark & Nicole Hamilton and Larry “Rock” Campbell, “Uncovered” boasts unforgettable versions of three classic songs – Sade’s “No Ordinary Love,” R. Kelly’s “I Can’t Sleep” and LTD’s “Love Ballad” – alongside eight original tunes, tailor-made for a milestone album by this soulful duo. Both artists contributed to different cuts on “Uncovered” (so titled because, according to Chanté, “it’s a word that is sexy and revealing – and because this record is a complete opposite to the last one which was almost entirely made up of our cover versions of classic songs”): Kenny co-wrote “I Got You Babe”, “Live Without You” and Chanté co-penned “The Good Life”.

Opening with a straight-ahead poem from Atlanta-based poet Spynx (who also contributed the album’s beautiful final poetic interlude), “Uncovered” moves into the gorgeous ‘70s LTD classic “Love Ballad”: “We sat down with our manager Michael Mauldin and talked about cover songs,” explains Chanté. “It’s a uniquely structured song and a song that is a reflection of our relationship. The question I had was ‘what more can I do to it?’” Kenny notes, “We did so many on the last album,” and honestly, I didn’t think this would turn out as well as it did. Chanté came up with the vocal arrangement and she really put herself into it.” Recording ‘live’ in the studio with producer Barry Eastmond definitely “let us take an ‘80s approach to a ‘70s song,” says Chanté. “I think we made into a new millennium song.”

Next up, the infectious original “Good Life” is “a sexy song! Yup, it’s about sex,” smiles Chanté, “but we insinuate rather than be blatant.” Kenny agrees: “When you really want to be with someone, you want sex to express love…and the title says it all!” Not the old Sonny & Cher chestnut but a new song, partly penned by Chanté, the hypnotic “I Got You Babe” describes the solid foundation that a couple can create for each other. “Emotions can tear two people apart but this song is saying. ‘I got your back and I know you got mine!’” says Kenny. “Yes, I know sometimes I can be too emotional,” admits Chanté, “but what we’re saying is through it all, we can stay together. The song is really describing what marriage is like for me.”

Covering a song by a unique artist like Sade could be challenging for almost anybody but with their fresh revival of “No Ordinary Love,” Kenny and Chanté pulled it off impeccably. “I really wanted to do this song,” says Chanté,”and I thought it was a great idea!” Kenny adds. “Sure, it was risky because Sade is such a stylist,” and, Chanté recalls, “I just add to be really careful not to over-sing it!” The result is clearly one of the standouts on an album that brings the time-honored tradition of soulful duets back into vogue.

Prefaced by an ‘in your face’ poem from Louisiana native Kim, the dramatic “Live With You” deals with a situation that confronts couples as their union goes through the natural stresses and strains that life brings. “It’s a little more like fiction than fact,” says Chanté. “It’s about dealing with living in the same house when you’re going through something and you want to find some kind of compromise. Sometimes, men don’t communicate the way women do…and sometimes, it’s the exact opposite.” And, Kenny says, “you could find yourself asking the question, ‘who are you?’ You have to have some kind of resolve…”

Likely the song that most clearly reflects the challenges Chanté and Kenny face as a married couple with active careers in the fast-moving music biz, the smooth slow jam “Every Time You Go” has the stamp of complete authenticity: “Wow, that song is so reflective of how we have to deal with each other!” Chanté laughs. “Fortunately, because we have worked together so much – in plays like “Things That Lovers Do” and “What Men Don’t Tell” – we haven’t had to leave each other that often but when we do, it can be mentally challenging.” Kenny concurs: “It’s a reality that faces us and when we transition back into our solo careers which we will both be doing in the next year or so, that will become our normal lifestyle…”

Other songs on “Uncovered” deal with a range of emotions and situations that are constant themes in any enduring relationship. Segueing from Andrea Mills’ poem “Dream,” Chanté’s solo track, the sensual “Just A Dream” traces “the fantasies of a woman! The dream seems so real…it must have been reality!” Kenny’s solo, the evocative ballad “Here On Earth” explores what he calls “the strong and mysterious connection that can exist between two people – which is something that Chanté and I experienced when we got together for the first time. It’s about that look or that simple gesture that happens when you really get to know a person…”

A truly soulful reading of superstar R. Kelly’s “I Can’t Sleep” gives both the chance to be truly passionate in their vocal delivery. “It was difficult to figure out what to do with the song because I am so familiar with Robert’s original,” Chanté confesses. “Our original choice for an R. Kelly song was “Baby Baby Baby” but we felt “I Can’t Sleep” made more sense for us as a couple.” The result is another album highlight that seems destined to garner a good deal of airplay and attention from music buyers as does “Tonight (2 Step),” an upbeat, “fun, dance song that was inspired particularly by the Chicago folks who are into stepping,’” explains Kenny. “Chicago loves both of us and I’ve done several steppers’ events so it’s our way of giving some love back to that audience.” And, says Chanté, “It’s also about what sometimes happens to married couples! They stop going out at night! They don’t do what they did because they settle into a routine. This song is to remind the couples that it’s o.k. to go out, have fun and enjoy one another like you did when you were dating!”

Rounding out “Uncovered” is “Beautiful Distraction,” which Kenny describes as “a great song about how you find what you’re looking for in love when you’re not looking for it! Kinda like me with Chanté!”; and “Vocal Booth,” another fun cut that reflects “how we sometimes use music to express the realities in life and expose ourselves through our music,” the pair agrees. A heartfelt poem from Spynx entitled “Who Could Want More” brings the album to a close and “Uncovered” is, from Kenny’s perspective, “a r more relaxed project than the first record we did together. When I listen back to “Things That Lovers Do,” I realize how tough it was approaching those classic songs. This one is very ‘Kenny’!” For Chanté, the new album “shows more freedom musically, vocally and creatively…although I am very proud of them.”

“Uncovered” is indeed a natural evolution for Kenny Lattimore and Chanté Moore. Kenny’s musical journey began in began in Washington, D.C., where he was raised on a musical diet of R&B, funk, gospel and jazz. Chaka Khan, whom Kenny met when he was just 8 years-old, was a major influence as were Earth, Wind & Fire, Aretha Franklin and The Winans. Kenny studied classical and chamber music in high school, and also learned to sight-read music. Soon after enrolling at Washington's renowned Howard University, he joined a fledgling vocal group called Maniquin and recorded one LP in 1989 before Kenny decided to begin a solo career in 1990. Moving to New York City, Kenny signed with Columbia Records in 1995, and his self-titled debut album achieved gold status and landed him a Grammy nomination. In 1998, Columbia released the much-acclaimed follow-up, “From the Soul of Man” before he switched labels, joining the Arista Records roster where he released the album “Weekend” in 1991.

For Chanté, the road to international recognition began in Northern California where, as the daughter of a minister, she was exposed to gospel music early on in life. After appearing in a high school production of “The Wiz,” she opted for a career in music and in 1992, she signed a record contract with Silas Records (distributed by MCA Records), the label created by late renowned music industry executive Louil Silas, Jr. A series of critically-acclaimed albums, “Precious,” “A Love Supreme” and “This Moment Is Mine” yielded half-a-dozen notable singles including “Love’s Taken Over,” “It’s Alright” and “Old School Lovin,’” tracks that also created a following for Chanté in the U.K. and Europe. In 1999, Chanté achieved mainstream success with “Chanté’s Got A Man,” a top 5 pop and R&B smash, resulting in the 2000 best-selling album “Exposed.”

The creation of “Things That Lovers Do” seemed a logical step after Kenny and Chanté’s union in early 2002 and literally within two months of exchanging vows, the pair were busy recording the album which included their masterful interpretations of such classic tunes as Teddy Pendergrass’ “Close The Door,” The Commodores’ “Still,” “You Don't Have To Cry' (Rene & Angela, 1986), 'With You I'm Born Again,' (Billy Preston & Syreeta Wright, 1980), "Make It Last Forever" (Keith Sweat with Jacci McGhee, 1988), "You're All I Need To Get By" (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, 1968), "Love Saw It" (Karyn White & Babyface, 1989) "Here We Go" (Minnie Riperton & Peabo Bryson, posthumously released in 1980) and of course, one Ashford & Simpson chestnut, “Is It Still Good To Ya.” In addition to producers Darryl Simmons, James Poyser, Jamey Jazz and Jamie Hawkins, Kenny and Chanté worked with super hitmakers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis on the album’s title cut and first single, “Loveable (From Your Head To Your Toes).”

The response to “Things That Lovers Do” was such that Kenny and Chanté took to the road to perform in a play named after the album: “We spent about seven months on the road with it,” recalls Chanté, “and then came home to make a life with each other! We moved into a new house and then we were out again with the play. “Kenny got the chance to perform in the gospel play “What Men Don’t Tell” and Chanté joined him in the show in 2004. “We had some days off,” Kenny laughs, “and somewhere in between all of that, we actually did some straight-ahead concerts.”

Now comes “Uncovered” and the pair agree that the album is a natural progression from its best-selling predecessor: “We’re telling stories, not just singing songs,” say Kenny and Chanté, “and having the poems in between creates a great segue and adds some real excitement to the record.” No doubt, “Uncovered” continues a time-honored tradition of soulful duets but unquestionably, with Kenny Lattimore and Chanté Moore, there’s a ring of sincerity and honesty that makes it no studio invention or creation but truly, the real thing.

Fact Sheet

Kenny Lattimore is originally from Washington D.C.
Kenny was first signed to Columbia Records in 1995.
He achieved Gold status on his self titled, debut album featuring the classic love song, “For You”.

Chanté Moore hails from Northern California.
She signed with Silas Records in 1992.
In 1999 Chanté released her best selling album Exposed, which spawned her biggest mainstream single, “Chante’s Got a Man”

Things That Lovers Do was the couple’s first “duet” album that was comprised of remakes of hits from the 70’s & 80’s with 2 new songs.
“The album was more about “new” love, about falling in love,” says Chanté. A sold out musical stageplay was produced that revolved around the Things That Lovers Do theme.

Kenny & Chanté’s latest album entitled, Uncovered is like Book 2 if Things That Lovers Do was Book 1.

Chanté describes Uncovered by saying, “You get into a relationship, you’re at the next level and you have different issues.”

Uncovered differs from Things That Lovers Do because it is mostly comprised of new material plus solo tracks from both Kenny and Chanté.
The first single is a groove called “Tonight (2 Step)”, a song dedicated to the creators of the Chicago “stepping” dance.
Uncovered also features remakes of 3 R&B masterpieces: Sade’s “No Ordinary Love”, R Kelly’s ”I Can’t Sleep” and LTD’s “Love Ballad.”

The album is a well balanced body of work with superb production from Barry Eastmond (Brandy, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Freddie Jackson, Glenn Jones), Carvin and Ivan (Jill Scott, Faith Evans, Musiq Soulchild), as well as new comers Lamont Fleming, Shea Taylor, Kip, Mark and Nicole Hamilton, and Larry “Rock” Campbell.

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Kenny Lattimore and Chante Moore - Uncovered/Covered