David Josias

David Josias, the 5th of seven children born and raised on Chicago’s Southside, is an Artist/ Songwriter/Producer who gained national notoriety from his independently released single, “Mindblowin”. It hit #1 at radio stations across the country and sold over 200,000 copies, garnered a Billboard Top 100 single, followed by a BET & Music Box most requested video. An R&R magazine review called him the “fresh new voice in R&B”.
Josias landed a record deal with Lava/Atlantic Records, under the guidance of legendary executive Jason Flom, and eventually recorded and released the independent, multi-CDs entitled “In My Life”, “Ghetto Love” and “Special Time”. His classic song “In My Life” is a most requested song and stands up against the classics of all time.

In addition to having written over 200 songs, BMI songwriter David Josias is also a talented musician on keyboards, trumpet, bongos, congas and various percussions. His styles and influences include Orchestra, Jazz, R&B, Classical (The Bach family, The Mozart family), Wynton & Branford Marsalis, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke, Prince, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Earth Wind & Fire, Anita Baker, and Alicia Myers.

Josias comes from a musical family of vocalists, his father a member of The Spaniels. He has worked and performed with various entertainers including Chaka Khan, Faith Evans, Deborah Cox, Ron Isley, R. Kelly, Doug Rasheed, Usher, 112, D’Angelo, Danny Boy, Ray J, Twista, KRS-One, Dana Dane, Da Brat, Do or Die, Al Hudson, Gavin Christopher, Public Announcement, Maurice Mahon, Pure Soul, Brownstone, Marshall Jefferson, Evelyn Champagne King, New Edition, Duran Duran and many others.

In his spare time, Josias enjoys conversations with good people, shooting pool, basketball, baseball/softball, football, jogging, swimming, rollerskating, boxing, bicycling, playing video games, board games, movies, cook-outs, mall shopping, skateboarding, weight lifting, island resort hopping, yoga, steppin’, watching “Dancing with the Stars”, or just hanging at the beach.

Soulchoonz Show Now Also in New York

After London and Chicago, it is now the turn to New York to tune in to the Soulchoonz Show. The popular internet based Rhythm And Soul Radio station has signed an agreement with Soulchoonz to air the Soulchoonz Show every second Sunday of the Month at 4pm EST starting on May, 11.

Enjoy the best Soul music from the US and the UK courtesy of the Soulchoonz radio. Based in the UK Soulchoonz has been deeply involved in soul music for decades and through this special radio show gives the world a taste of the soul music that has been, is now and is going to be hot in Europe and around the world.

www.rhythmandsoulradio.com

Helen Rogers New EP

Helen Rogers is a well respected singer songwriter best known for her outstanding work on ‘The Jazzmasters’ project with Paul Hardcastle, 1991-2005 both co writing songs with him and providing all the vocals. ‘The Jazzmasters’ has been extremely successful, reaching No 1 in both the US Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart and the J- Wave Chart in Japan. The Jazzmasters 3 won the American NARM award for longest time at the No 1 spot.

Helen Rogers began her singing career with South London based record label TNT which specialised in Reggae music and spawned such home grown Lovers Rock talent as Eric Gordon, Deborahe Glasgow and Reggae chart toppers Natural Touch. In 1982 she joined Brit Funk outfit Direct Drive as lead vocalist and together they enjoyed Black Echoes Soul Chart top 10 hits with ‘ In the Middle of Spring’ and‘Pass the Paper'. In 1984 they achieved a UK Soul Chart No 1 hit with ‘Anything’…..’ described as "one of the best, and indeed, most successful British records around…it’s one of the most heavily played tracks on pirate radio, the most danced to record around London" (Blues and Soul magazine Jan 22- Feb 4 1985). ‘Anything’ remained soul No 1 for 8 weeks, Direct Drive signed to Polydor Records and charted nationally.

In 1986 Helen provided vocals on Paul Hardcastle’s remix of Third World’s classic ‘Now That We Found Love’ which charted nationally at no 22. As well as having an impressive back catalogue of jazz albums, Helens’ musical pedigree extends to lovers rock reggae. In 1987 Helens’ Lovers Rock cover of Tina Turners hit ‘What’s Love Got To With It’ achieved top 10 status in the Jamaican Reggae Chart. This was followed up by a Lovers Rock version of Smokey Robinson’s “Tracks Of My Tears”. Here, Helen duets with Black Steel to produce another top ten hit in the Jamaican Chart. A year later Helen collaborated with Paul Hardcastle once again for the track ‘Walk in the Night’ which reached no 54 of the national chart. This was the track that sowed the seeds for the hugely successful ‘Jazzmasters’ series which brings us back to where we started.

Now Helen has decided to strike out on her own the with the long awaited E.P, Eyes Like Midnight .This E.P featuring tracks from her forth coming album is to be launched at The Bedford in Balham on the 29th of April. Arranged and produced by Helen herself, it displays her unique vocal and song writing talent. Along with the musical virtuosity of Tony Qunta , this project has allowed Helen to fuse together her influences from many genres including Jazz, Jazz Funk and Lovers Rock.

Helen Rogers says: “This EP is my first solo project, where I am writing, arranging, producing and singing. I had been writing songs alone when I met my guitarist Tony Qunta and asked if he would like to write with me. We discovered that we had a wonderful songwriting chemistry between us. The project gained momentum quickly and we were joined by renowned Brazillian Percussionist Ulisses Bezerra and funky bass man Derek Baxter.”

As Helen continues: “My influences come from many musical sources…Lovers Rock, R’n’B, Funk, Jazz, Rock, Indie ….songwriting influences come from life itself …my own experiences or the observation of others. Sometimes just the look in a person’s eyes can inspire the idea for a song….as with Eyes Like Midnight. Music is such a beautiful form of communication as it goes directly from soul to soul. It has always been my Best Friend!”

You can listen to Helen’s latest music in May’s Soulchoonz Show.

Al Green's New Album

Keep your eyes out for a new album from Soul legend Al Green which is due May 27. The new album includes contributions from The Roots' ?uestlove, John Legend, Corinne Bailey Rae, and neo-soul singer Anthony Hamilton.

Seema's "My Loneliness" to be played on the Soulchoonz Show

With the force of Christina and the soul of Etta, Seema J has been turning heads every time she opens her heart to sing. Born and raised in southern California, her affection for music began as a young girl growing up in her hometown of Cerritos. There you could find her either humming along to “The Sound of Music,” or up in her room, mimicking the sounds Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Celine Dion.

Soon enough, fate stepped in at the age of nine and granted her elementary school choir a special engagement in the Broadway musical show “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” which played at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. It was her first professional on-stage exposure and little did she know that is only the beginning of her musical introduction to the world. Years passed and she continued her passion for performing through high school and community-wide events, ending her senior year recording a CD with her high school jazz band and accepting the Bank of America Achievement of Fine Arts Award upon graduation.

Her interest in jazz and gospel blossomed in her college years while her songwriting style quickly developed as new experiences saturated her life. As a full time student, she began sharing her talent with peers through various college events, namely Spring Sing (UCLA’s finest musical tradition), in which she performed original material two years in a row before an audience of nearly 5,000 students, staff and alumni. As a Sociology graduate, her time is now completely devoted to music and there is no stopping this rising star.

Sound of My Soul is a collection of these stories expressed through a colorful blend of soul, funk, and R&B. Each song is a heart-felt and forthright tale, offering perspective and young wisdom that speaks to any soul. This album is a mere glimpse into the many shades that make up this artist with the promise of only greater things to come.

Teddy Pendergrass

Consult the entry about Philadelphia-bred baritone Teddy Pendergrass in the encyclopedic Rough Guide to Soul and R&B, and the very first thing you read is: "The bard of the boudoir oozed machismo from every pore. He had a man-and-a-half growl like Wilson Pickett, but he was styled more like hot-buttered love men Isaac Hayes and Barry White, and during the height of his fame in the late 1970s he frequently held 'ladies only' concerts."

That description really can't be improved upon. But the "past tense" nature of those sentences is downright misguided. For as he approaches his 58th birthday on March 26, Pendergrass is still singing and writing new songs. And despite his catastrophic car crash in 1982 -- resulting in severe spinal cord injuries that left him paralyzed from mid-chest down -- he remains a man very much in control of his career, his image and his destiny.

Most recently he has been keeping exceedingly close watch over "I Am Who I Am (The Teddy Pendergrass Story)," the musical biography penned by Jackie Taylor and Bill Jolly. And not only has he contributed three new songs to the show (the title number, plus "This Far by Faith" and "A Mother's Love"), but he also is expected to attend an opening performance.

"After Jackie Taylor contacted my agent about her idea for the show, I talked to some people who knew about the Black Ensemble," Pendergrass said. "I wanted to make sure the show would be done with complete integrity. I've been in show business for 42 years and I take great pride in the painstaking level of quality I have maintained. Nothing moves without me. I read, corrected, changed and approved every aspect of the script. You see, the Internet stories about me get a lot of things wrong. There's a lot of false information out there. I'm the one who has lived the life.

"I also didn't want the show to be like every other story done. There had to be an element of newness to it. That's why I wrote the new songs." Of course the story has been told before: About how his mother, now 89, was a nightclub singer; how he started singing in church at 2½; how he later became part of the backup band for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes; how he struck out on his own in 1977.

"There are many parts to my life," said Pendergrass, who underwent a long post-accident rehab. "The question after the accident was: Did I have the ability to breathe, let alone sing?" Pendergrass said he has spoken to both actors -- Kevin McIlvaine and RaShawn Thompson -- who portray him in the Black Ensemble show. "I wanted to give them the ammunition they needed to play someone who is still very much alive," he said. "I wanted them to know the way I do things.

"I'm an observer, not really a talker," said Pendergrass. "And I'm a listener. Early on it was Jackie Wilson who was the big influence, and also Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, James Brown, Otis Redding and The Dells. Now it's Kanye West, and some classical artists, and Celine Dion. There also are some things I prefer not to listen to, though I would never say they were not legitimate. The music just follows the culture and the way people are."

Soulchoonz Featured Artist Taneta Delivers Sophisticated Soul

"Taneta had the crowd captivated tonight with her superb performance at the Cobden Club. Her stunning original songs sound like ready-made classics; her vocal delivery is at once brilliant, soothing and silky smooth. A class act that held the audience completely in her grip...watch out for this girl..."Stephen Hunwick, Music Critic (COBDEN CLUB Feb 06)

The two words that describe Taneta's sound best are "Sophisticated soul". Romance, lust and love, self-discovery and her own evolution from girl to woman are consistent themes in her music. At the furthest extreme she tells of love in its bleakest forms- vividly singing of the failure of love and the fear of it, while at the other end singing of the liberation of love and the redemption it brings.

Taneta learnt her craft as a singer, performer and song-writer at the now legendary Sunday afternoon jam sessions at Camden’s legendary Jazz Café- watching the likes of Eska, James Yarde and Soweto Kinch inspired her to combine all her great loves, from r’n’b, jazz, hip-hop, to neo-soul music. A series of unpredictable twists and turns in her creative journey led Taneta to New York where she wrote and recorded alongside Grammy-nominated sound engineer and producer, Frank Wolf. Currently working with maverick soul-head, Maqman, Taneta is completing her full-length album, "Paradox" at his Switzerland-based studios, due for release in August 2008.

Taneta wrote "In the Mood" with DJ Sam Young who she met on myspace The whole vibe is heavily influenced by Barry White's sexy 70's sou vibe, while vocally Taneta's heroes, Minnie Ripperon/Roberta Slack and Diana Ross were her inspiration. The combination of Sam's hip-hop sensibility and Taneta's sensual tones, combine to make "In the Mood" a true classic in the making.

Gamble & Huff

There are very few hitmakers that have the clout and legendary masterpiece catalog as the music duo of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, aptly known as Gamble & Huff. The two music maestros are the men behind such hits as Lou Rawls’ “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,” Teddy Pendergrass’ “Turn Off the Lights,” The O’Jays’ “Darling, Darling Baby,” and so many, many more, bringing Philadelphia soul music to the world.

In 1971, the duo formed Philadelphia International Records (PIR) and cut a major deal with the largest label at that time, CBS Records and its president Clive Davis. Now, the two have scored a major agreement with mega label Sony/BMG. “We’ve just signed a deal and we’re re-releasing all of our catalog,” Gamble told EUR’s Lee Bailey. “We have a licensing arrangement. We’re releasing product, but we haven’t any new product. We have a tremendous catalog and that’s what we’ve been working on.”

The thought of the music legends simply re-releasing their classics may not sit well with some fans; both Gamble and Huff explain that this is merely the process and path of legendary music. “It’s a traditional process. It’s what all the big music labels do every ten years,” Huff said, continuing that the duo may be inspired to do some new music, too. “If something special comes along that would spark our creative activities, we would consider it. We pick and choose. We don’t have that energy that we had in the ‘70s. We can’t just pick any person that sings.”

Huff reminisced on his days in the studio with partner Gamble. At times they spent entire days and nights churning out hit songs. “We worked seven days a week, almost 24 hours a day,” he said “We’re not trying to compete with the hip-hop guys and all that, but if there is an artist that really excites us, then we’ll get involved with it. At this time, we’d like to set our music for TV programs and movies and commercials and everything you can think of.”

Huff reiterated the fact that the industry has made some changes and that the hit team has, too; one being to just slow down, enjoy life, and get more rest than they did in their heyday in the ’60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. “Music comes in all different forms – in business, too,” Huff added. “The way me and Gamble worked in the ‘70s – I wouldn’t say we couldn’t do it, but the energy wouldn’t allow us to do it [now]. I’m not going to get trapped in that illusion. I’ll mess around and have a heart attack. When me and Gamble worked it was a lot of intensity; a lot of energy. I’m not going to stay up ‘til 4 o’clock in the morning. That’s what we did.”

After all that work to create songs, their hits are now going to work for them. Gamble & Huff classics have resurfaced quite often in many different formats – television shows, movies, commercials. “I think it’s just as rewarding,” Gamble said of comparing producing the hits with having them be a part of productions. “For example, you take the Donald Trump ‘Apprentice’ show; ‘For the Love of Money’ has been the theme song for that for seven seasons. You got the Coors beer commercial, ‘The Love Train’ had been on that, you got ‘The Rubber Band Man.’ You got so many songs from our catalog that were able to transition themselves.”

What also might surprise fans is the duo’s complete respect for artists that sample their music. While some music legends snub the mixing and sampling of classic hits, Gamble and Huff are quite impressed by it. “What it does is keeps the catalog going,” Gamble said. “It’s probably one of the most sampled catalogs in the industry; probably us and James Brown. We’re pretty close behind him, with some of the major artists sampling a lot of our music and it brings our music to a new generation.” “It’s very clever how they use those tracks and apply their version of those grooves,” he continued. “They’re not making records, they’re just making beats. It’s very interesting to see how they take the original records and speed them up or slow them down. And they’ve really done well.”

BODY LANGUAGE IS NOW AVAILABLE!

Body Language is a collection of previously unreleased material from stellar vocalist and artist Ty Causey that has to this point been made available at select live performances. This limited edition CD is now available to you and could be considered for those who own his other projects as the link between his earlier releases and latest EXPRESSIONS. It also represents an exploration of ideas and approaches that have helped in his development as a complete artist.
It stars, of course, Causey’s consummate vocals, always passionate, charismatic, silky smooth and soulful in the midst of varying grooves, sounds and styles. Some reminiscent of those found on the popular N-TYSING or LOVE NOTES projects and those that lean to what would ultimately make up EXPRESSIONS, considered by many to be his strongest to date. But as always love and romance rule as Ty delivers with sincerity lyrics that say what you wish you had.

Since coming off tour with renowned saxophonist and recording artist Najee ,Ty Causey has himself become internationally recognized as a highly –regarded artist and vocalist on the strength of his three acclaimed CDs, N-TYSING (later re-release as N-TYSING Rekindled), LOVE NOTES and the recently released EXPRESSIONS. During this time Causey has proven to be a premiere vocalist possessing a captivating flow reminiscent of past Soul/R&B greats with growing numbers of swayed fans, industry vets and music resources confirming the due praise including revered soul music spot Soultracks.com which has called him “one of the most enjoyable adult soul singers around" and the equally venerated Dustygroove.com which touts him “as one of the best male soul singers we've heard of late, and an artist with a sound that should be getting him big play in years to come!”

But he has also earned the worthy stamp of prolific songwriter and grown into an outstanding producer to boot, crafting the perfect canvas for his superb vocals. This has also come to the attention of many prompting accolades like that from the very popular SmoothJazz.com, which wrote, “Causey is an extraordinarily talented producer/singer/songwriter who has got to be one of the brightest new stars of the smooth jazz, R&B, and sensual soul genres.” His growth is synonymous with that of most true artists who continue to challenge themselves with the soul desire being to deliver something that will stand the test of time and move listeners to joy, passion or reflection.

For a great many Ty Causey is a star long overdue for and on the brink of breakout success and recognition. When the story is told of his rise Body Language should be considered as instrumental to his overall development as anything he’s done.

Soul-D-Out Presents Tasha World @ The Cobden

Thursday 28th February in the surroundings of London's top members only club 'The Cobden' @ 170 Kensal Road, Soul-D-Out presents a rare opportunity to see three fantastic acts live. Door opens at 8pm. Entrance fee is £7.

UNÉ pens new lyrics to a classic

R&B Singer UNÉ (pronounced younay) a native of Detroit pens new socially relevant lyrics to a timeless classic A Change Gone Come. Inspired by the message of change that Senator Barack Obama has set forth in his Presidential campaign for a great future for all Americans, UNÉ hopes to be the unique voice in music that echoes Obama’s sentiments and vision.

The new UNÉ version re-titled, A Change Is Gonna Come, of the originally titled song A Change Gone Come recorded by Sam Cooke has been described as giving the listener goose bumps, penetrating, moving and looking forward toward peace and love for all mankind, a hope held by all. Now that vision is within grasp touching our very fingertips.

Kenneth M. Smith, President of Native Records, Inc. the record label that is releasing the poignant, single states, “Our country is at the point of making a change. Americans are faced with a choice of clinging to the old or letting go and reaching for the future. We are awakening to the dawning of a new day. Barack Obama who bridges the gap between the old and the new is spearheading a vision for our future to progress and not regress.

Out of the Civil Rights Movement, in 1964 a song appropriately titled ‘A Change Gone Come’ was born. Today, recording artist UNÉ has captured the spirit of that song carrying the torch of that dream, as the new music bearer using his magnificent talent and artistry to remind us that a change is gonna come.”

As an artist, UNÉ has been stirred by this wave, singing his heart out with a sweet and mellow sound, doing what he does best. UNÉ’s single A Change Is Gonna Come highlights many issues that Obama is proposing such as change in our health care system, change in our social service system, and change in our strategy in the war, is his gift of love to the nation and to the world.

UNÉ’s purpose as a songwriter has been made crystal clear since the emergence of Barack Obama. He is joining the Obama movement and hopes to be alongside Obama politically and musically, sharing his ideologies, right to the front steps of the White House. This optimism does not deflect his deep respect for Sen. Hilary Clinton’s bold move to run for the highest office in the country as the first female contender.

A Change Is Gonna Come is the new single release on UNÉ’s up coming second album on UNET Music and Entertainment, Inc./ Native Records, Inc.

Soul:ID - The Afropean Soul Music Story

When three artists originally hailing from Africa, Tchaï (Burundi), Dad’D (D.R.Congo) and V (Rwanda), united with Producer Urban Deep (Austria/Belgium) to form Soul:ID, this refreshingly unique collective created what they define as "Afropean Soul" music.

Even before the commercial release of their debut album “Sex, Love & Philosophy”, Soul:ID managed to get global airplay on more than 450 radio stations, stirred up a buzz on 4 different continents and had renowned HipHop label ABB Records (Dilated Peoples/Little Brother) picking up their album as their only European act ever for the US market.

American and European press compared their debut to be in the same league as Jill Scott, Lucy Pearl and Loose Ends while African media sees in them a symbol of a peaceful and refulgent Africa of this new millennium.

Wyclef Jean, Craig David, Youssou N’Dour, Robert Palmer and Zap Mama are already on the list of artists they have collaborated with.

After whirlwind tours in America, Europe and Africa, it is clear that Soul:ID, the surprising union of three lead-vocalists/producers and a drummer/producer, has a lot in store for us - promising to continue seducing the world with their recipes of soulful vocals, gut-wrenching bass-lines and serving as a positive example of a beautiful and stylish multicultural society.

Preview and purchase their album:
www.soul-id.com

Onutss Presents Listening Party Featuring Lamone & Will Preston

Spreading respect, knowledge and love – Darien continues to beat the underground heart.

Born and raised in Mount Vernon, NY, this soulful artist continues to move his audiences around the world. The UK is showing so much love with the release of the much awaited Reel People album, "Seven Ways to Wonder". The album's first single release was "Alibi", written and sung by Darien – and it is an instant dance sensation. The beat, the rhythm, the vibe, and the remixes by Internationally known Swedish remixer Rasmus Faber and NYC's own Dennis Ferrer – make it so you HAVE TO MOVE. When you add Darien's unique vocal flare to his beautifully painted lyrics, you have a recipe that keeps you coming back for more.

The second song written and sung by Darien on the Reel People album is "Upside", with remixes from Pete Kuzma and another by Bugz in the Attic. Once again, DJ's and a new found fan base in the UK have shown so much love and appreciation for Darien's ability to keep the music fresh -- Keep the vibe alive. For "Upside", Darien went to the funk side and it's easy to lose yourself in it.

Another UK band, "The Realm" is releasing "One Step" which is written and sung by Darien. To his credit, Darien's own style of Soul music is being played and well received in the US and in the UK with DJ's all over Europe adding his music to their play lists daily.

What is his secret? Darien speaks truth. Through his mastery of words, he paints the most beautiful, uplifting and honest moments. For all of you who bought his previously released EP, "The Last Demo" before it sold out … and for all of you new welcoming fans… Darien's new album "If These Walls Could Talk" will be dropping soon!!! And remember – If love is a crime – He is your Alibi.

Contact:
www.RighteousMusicMedia.com
www.myspace.com/DarienOnline