"Who you callin' a bitch?" demands Queen Latifah in her song, "U. N. I. T. Y." -- and she expects an answer with respect. This performer has been many things in her life: singer, hip-hop goddess, actress, feminist, impresario. Perhaps she's even been a bitch, but make no mistake -- all roles have bee

Feminist, In-your-face, Primal, Sensual

Blending soulful vocals with a melodic, mid-tempo beat, Marvin Gaye introduced a new kind of rhythmic pop to the mainstream. The drive to produce commercially successful material -- a goal Gaye personally deemed insignificant -- eventually took its toll on the sensitive artist. But though he never qu

Cool, Intimate, Layered, Pop, Religious, Rhythmic, Sensual

To salsa fans around the world, Cuban-born singer Celia Cruz is one of a kind. In the course of her career, which by now has yielded more than 60 albums, she has been elevated to an icon status on par with Aretha Franklin, Bessie Smith, or Edith Piaf. After decades as the reigning queen of the Latin

Bright, Ebullient, Lush, Salsa music, Sensual

Trouble and honey. This was the essence of Patsy Cline, as summed up by the singer herself. Really more honey than trouble, she was a feisty country persona with a soprano that dripped romance. Her place in the country music echelon has the glow of legend, perhaps due in part to an early death that s

Cool, Lush, Sensual, Sophisticated