Take 6 are celebrating their 25th anniversary with global tour dates this summer and fall in support of the recently released album, One. The music video for the album's title-track features cameos by Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight, Lalah Hathaway and Lil Fizz from B2K. Their camp sent over these details along with the tour dates:
One is Take 6's first project without Cedric Dent, who retired from the group last year. "Cedric had taken a position with MTSU (Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN) which didn't allow him to go out on the road during the school year and kind of limited him only to the weekends and that's if it worked for the schedule," says Kibble. "So we decided it was best to find a person to step in and cover him when he couldn't be there. We actually had a pool of three people we used over the years. Khristian Dentley was one of those people called on to step in. He did it beautifully and had a lot of energy. In standing in for Cedric, we were able to learn his personality and he was able to learn the music. After seven years, Cedric decided to go full time into academia and when he did, Khristian was already primed to step in behind him."
Dentley brings a multitude of skills to the mix. He programmed, co-wrote or co-arranged some of the songs such as "One," the soulful, block-party styled title song. "Khristian was the visionary behind the music video for that song," says McKnight. It was shot at a private home outside of Los Angeles with about 40 Take 6 friends and family members. Stevie Wonder; Claude McKnight's little brother, crooner Brian McKnight; Lalah Hathaway, Lil Fizz from B2K and former pro football player Greg Gunther all make appearances in the video. "The video was all about getting together at a family styled barbecue and hanging out and just having fun," says Claude McKnight. "We invited some of our friends, we had some cameos. It was just a lot of fun."
The group also had fun recording One and considers it a return to their spiritual heritage. "We're pretty excited because this album is one of our first completely gospel-influenced albums," says McKnight. "It kind of takes us back to when we first started out. The touring that we're planning on doing will include a lot of churches and gospel-flavored venues. Interestingly enough, we've always toured Internationally because were basically a jazz group and we still have those elements on this album but lyrically it's a lot more gospel based. We really wanted to go back to our roots and to be a part of that and uplift people from that standpoint."
TAKE 6
Tour Dates:
06/24/12 - Chicago, IL @ Gospel Music Fest (Bronzeville stage)
06/30/12 - Moscow, Russia @ Open Air Fest
07/01/12 - Vienne, France @ TBD
07/02/12 - Geneva, Switzerland @ TBD
07/04/12 – Gru Village, Italy @ TBD
07/05/12 - Cervia, Italy @ TBD
07/07/12 - Berlin, Germany @ TBD
07/11/12 - Paris, France @ TBD
07/12/12 - London, UK @ TBD
07/14/12 - Wiesbaden, Germany @ TBD
08/29/12 - Tokyo, Japan @ Billboard Live
08/30/12 - Tokyo, Japan @ Billboard Live
08/31/12 - Tokyo, Japan @ Billboard Live
09/01/12 - Tokyo, Japan @ Billboard Live
09/03/12 - Osaka, Japan @ Billboard Live
09/04/12 - Osaka, Japan @ Billboard Live
09/05/12 - Osaka, Japan @ Billboard Live
09/08/12 - Tokyo, Japan @ Tokyo Jazz Fest
09/22/12 - Norfolk, VA @ Chrysler Hall
10/27/12 - Austin, TX (w/ Austin Symphony Orchestra)
11/29/12 - Santa Clarita, CA @ College of the Canyons
11/30/12 - Malibu, CA @ Smothers Theatre (Pepperdine University)
12/01/12 - Rancho Cucamonga, CA @ Victoria Gardens (Lewis Family Playhouse)
12/20/12 - St. Louis, MO @ Powell Symphony Hall
02/22/13 - Moscow, ID @ Lionel Hampton Jazz Fest (University of Idaho)
TAKE 6
ONE
1. Down Here I've Done My Best
2. One
3. Can't Imagine Love Without You (Ft. Stevie Wonder)
4. What A Friend We Have In Jesus
5. In My Heart
6. Noah
7. Allelula
8. Glorious Day
9. You're Gonna Need Him
10. Farther Along
11. Noah Reprise