PJ Morton Debuts on Six Billboard Charts with 'Gumbo' Album

Maroon 5's keyboardist, PJ Morton, has debuted on six different Billboard sales charts with his brilliant fourth album, "Gumbo" (Morton Records/Empire). The project reached No. 10 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. - an astounding feat for an indie album without major radio airplay support. It also peaked at No. 5 and No. 9 respectively on the Heatseekers-South Atlantic and Heatseekers-South Central charts. The set rose to No. 16 on the R&B Album sales chart, No. 28 on the Independent Albums chart and No. 30 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Album chart. The set features cameos by singer BJ the Chicago Kid, rapper Pell and R&B singer Anthony Hamilton's back-up group, The HamilTones.

The album has won a plethora of praise. Producer Warryn Campbell (Kanye West, Alicia Keys) posted on his Instagram page that "Gumbo" is the "album of the decade." Legendary Pop music critic Keith Spera wrote in The Advocate daily newspaper that the new album, "expands Morton's songwriting range beyond love and relationships" to include issues of the world at large. L. Michael Gipson of Soul Tracks writes that the set is, "Perhaps Morton's most grown and fulfilling in years." In short, Hip Hop producer, 9th Wonder, posted to his IG account that Gumbo is, "refreshing...this album is jamming."

The Grammy® Award winning singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist had lived in Los Angeles for the last few years since officially joining one of the world's top bands, Maroon 5, in 2012. However, Morton returned to his hometown of New Orleans last year and began laying the musical foundation for Gumbo -- the first album he's ever recorded in the city. Morton wrote the majority of the songs such as the Jazzy "Claustrophic" and the retro funky "Sticking To My Guns" but also includes a very satisfying and upbeat take on the Bee Gees' 1977 classic, "How Deep Is Your Love."

Morton released his first indie album Emotions in 2005 - without major label support and promotion - and attracted an underground following of eclectic fans that have followed his every musical move over the years. Morton's 2013 album New Orleans features Stevie Wonder playing harmonica on the track "Only One" which earned a Grammy® Award nomination for best R&B song. He has also collaborated with Busta Rhymes, India.Arie, Jazmine Sullivan, Faith Evans, Musiq Soulchild, Lil Wayne, and Monica. He served as music director for Solange during the promotional tour for her breakthrough album, A Seat at the Table.

Morton recently performed with Maroon 5 at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and also did his own solo set there prior to being called on stage for an impromptu performance with Stevie Wonder during the Motown icon's festival set.

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