We are delighted to announce artists selected to perform at the Preliminary URBAN LAMN Jam Music Contest to take place on Tuesday, June 7 at the 1616 Club in Los Angeles. Our excellent line-up includes:
Ivano Fakhoury
This LAMN Jam is FREE to see (21 and over). Join us on Tuesday, June 7 at 8:00 pm at the 1616 Club located at 1616 E. 15th St. Los Angeles, CA 90021.
Click here to RSVP now.
About the artists:
Major Myjah
Even at this age, Major Myjah is a solid force in the music industry. He says it best, “My name is Myjah and I’m Major. While most young artists add “Lil” in front of their name like Lil Bow Wow, Lil Romeo, Lil Wayne and Lil Mama, this one gets “Major”. He’s a singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer, actor and guitar player. His lyrics, “I want to be with you, cause you shine in the dark” seem mature coming from the pen of a 13-year-old but that is standard for this rising child star. With musical influences like The Beatles, Bob Marley, Nas, B.O.B and Eminem, it’s natural for Major to bring forth lyrics that are beyond his years. In fact, the first song he ever sang freestyle was so deep that Reggae legend Freddie McGregor and his road manager, Barry Clarke, instantly gave him his moniker, Major Myjah; he was a wee 4 years old.
Currently there is a strong buzz in the industry about Major Myjah, and many producers are showing an interest in this child prodigy whose international pop rock style is reminiscent of a fusion of John Mayer and B.O.B with a Caribbean twist. He’s already been produced by Red Rat, Genius, Black Chiney, Leroy “Baarbroy” Romans and Grammy winning Producer, Tony Kelly. Major is very ambitious, he writes songs on his guitar almost daily and is currently preparing for his “work day” in the studio. This rising superstar has been singing and writing since he started talking. Now an eighth grader, MJ, as he prefers to be called by his peers, has several original self-penned songs in his repertoire and has co-written with several successful songwriters like Shema McGregor, Charles Harris who wrote Brooke Hogan’s first single for her reality show. MJ also has a music video for his single, “My Sunshine” that was directed by renown director Jay Will. The response to this single has been unexpectedly great even though it only got a soft release on Youtube. MJ has a huge fan base in Miami, Los Angeles and Israel.
MJ loves to sing, rap and play video games. He has so much energy that his family once enrolled him in basketball to burn some of it off, but this true music lover prefers to spend time burning up his guitar; this is evident by the extent of his catalog of original music. MJ’s parents are musically inclined as one is an international reggae artist and the other is his Manager. However, they prefer to downplay their role in MJ’s career so that he can shine on his own merit as well as feel free to develop his own style. With self-penned lyrics like “Yes, I’m a Super Star,” Major Myjah will not haveany problems shining.
Andre Delano
Andre Delano has demonstrated his amazing ability to woo a crowd with his saxophone time and time again. His live performances are energetic and dynamic with an incredible sensual undertone that is quite surreal. It is no wonder why his upcoming project “My So Fine,” is a collection of 14 original songs with a mix of vocals and instrumentals that will turn an evening with a slight romantic spark into a night of hot passionate fire. The CD starts with the hot Latin flavored “Sista Caliente.” Andre teams with legendary Arranger-Producer Sir Gant (Anita Baker, Peabo Bryson, Madonna) on the reggae induced “Once My Love.” Delano showcases his beautiful vocal skills on the title track “My So Fine” as well as “The Da Da Song,” which is very reminiscent of Motown’s Jr. Walker and the All Stars. “That Much (I Love U)” also has an old school feel that puts you in the mind of Al Green and Ronald Isley. The song that Andre calls a “lyrical vow”, “I Do,” is certain to become the next timeless wedding song. We walk down memory lane with Andre to his college days with the aptly titled “College Sweetheart” and “JSU Jam” that gives off the marching band feel of being back at a college football half-time show. We are graced by the presence of smooth jazz keyboardist Kevin Toney on the heartfelt “Soultie,” and trumpeter Greg Adams is the featured performer on the wedding ceremonial, “First Dance.” Andre continues his sexy saxophone prowess on the romantic ballads, “More Than Words Can Say,” which reminds you of a sax-seducing Prince song and “Get To You,” that sounds like a crossbreed of Earth Wind and Firesʼ “That’s the Way of the World” and Rose Royce’s “I Want To Get Next To You.” Andre ends the CD with an upbeat “Home Sweet Home” and a self-induced cover song with an instrumental version of “The Da Da Song.”
Andre began playing the saxophone when he was 8 and by the time he was 18 he had more credentials on his resume’ than your average touring musician. He received his training at East St. Louis, Illinois’ prestigious Lincoln High School, the alma mater of legendary jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, and had
performed with numerous famed musicians such as: Wynton Marsalis, Clark Terry, and Bunky Green, among others. “Our jazz program was really incredible,” Andre says about their regimen that required practicing one hour before school and five hours after school everyday. “We won every competition,
including Down Beat magazine’s national competition. In my three years at Lincoln, we never lost. We were number one at everything.” That experience prepared Andre for his career as a noted saxophonist who would go on to record and travel with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Maxwell, Usher, Lionel Richie, Donny Osmond, Bobby Womack, Jeff Lorber, Chieli Minucci, Doc Powell, and Bobby Lyle.
Andre’s solo career began with the 2005 release of “Full Circle,” that catapulted him into an instant favorite amongst smooth jazz fans everywhere. The album was a mainstay on the smoothjazz.com charts with the singles “Night Riders” that was remixed by the Grammy® Nominated Producer, Jeff Lorber and “Foot Steps” that featured Earth, Wind and Fires’ original guitarist Al McKay. The first track “Funkborne” was licensed through the Global Hue Agency and featured in a national Diamler Chrysler Jeep Commercial. The critics raved:
Music Connection Magazine wrote, “Full Circle is rhythmically explosive and mega-soulful…a cool mix with a romantic chill…” The Los Angeles Times said, “Delano plays with a flair and inventiveness…. He is clearly ready for his own solo career.”
Andre followed in 2006 with a Christmas release entitled “First Christmas” that features one original song and nine Christmas cover songs including “Jingle Bells,” “O Come all Ye Faithful” and “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas” which charted on Smoothjazz.com for two consecutive years since the release. The title track
“First Christmas” is a vocal song that Andre wrote and sings for his baby daughter.
Delano has opened for, Boney James, Norman Brown, Peabo Bryson, Peter White, Rick Braun, Kenny G, Mindi Abair and many others. Each opening performance has resulted in Andre selling the most CDs of the night. Andre’s sensual and energetic performances have left his audiences in awe. He is approaching the saxophone with a whole new vigor. “My So Fine” is the perfect next step in his musical evolution. Delano adds, “A lot of people say that the saxophone is a very sexy instrument. “My So Fine” is an album that is all about love’s sexiness. My challenge on this one was to see just how sexy the saxophone could be.”
Malik the Freq
“Malik the Freq is one of the shining stars of THE LIONS (members of Breakestra, Rhythm Roots All-Stars, Poetics and Macy Gray) and THE BULLETS (w/Aggrolite Organist Roger Rivas), both true staples of the Los Angeles Reggae scene. But for years Malik has quietly been writing and performing genre exploring songs. As both bands adopt the songs, their full versions can be heard in all their glory, but the songs themselves are so sweet and personal that to hear them from Malik solo is a bit of a revelation. Hearing songs like “Bird on a Wire” or “Sun Drenched Witch” performed solo gives us all a chance to catch the bitter-sweet optimistically haunting vibe of the the Freq; and that’s not even to mention his stellar voice! You will be swooned.”
Seefor Yourself
Reigning as SoCal’s 2010 “Van’s Warped Tour – Battle of the Bands” winner, Seefor Yourself fuses brilliant musical artistry with profound lyrical imagery, earning him simultaneous street level credibility and mass media critical adoration. Performing since the age of 8, Seefor’s rise has been achieved through a series of battles, performances, mixtapes, independent label releases, videos, commercials, and radio drops. His appearance on HBO’s “Blaze Battle”, VH1’s “Hip Hop Week”, along with over twenty performances and interviews on “Sway” (MTV) and “Tech’s Power 106,” and nationally syndicated radio powerhouse, “The Wake Up Show”, has made Seefor Yourself a household name in SoCal and throughout the national Hip Hop scene. After forming his band and winning the “Van’s Warped Tour – Battle of the Bands” at the House of Blues, Seefor Yourself won a chance to play in the Warped Tour this summer.
Seefor Yourself’s innovative song writing and unmatchable vocal performances garnered him 2 IE Music Awards for “Group Of The Year” and “Mixtape Of The Year” in 2008 while serving as front man in his former group, “The Outskertz.” This award level artistry continues as Seefor’s career with the band begins with his video “Falling Down” winning “Video Of The Year” for the 2010 Street Official Music Awards. The new video “Homecoming Parade” which is dedicated to our U.S. Military debuted at #10 and is now #1 on LA’s ReachMagazine TV (ch 31 direcTV, 21/23 on other cable providers).
The new acclamations are in response to Seefor’s compelling and masterful debut solo album, “The Greatest Show On Earth,” which is scheduled to be released later in 2011. The album features groundbreaking vocal performances from Seefor that seamlessly mesh Hip Hop, Rock, Soul and Pop influences. The album tracks literally bulge with amazing performances from the members of the musical group Seefor has formed as part of his new musical vision. Evan “Emac” Palmer’s musical production and supervision create a beautiful score that is sure to entice your soul! The album is a mesmerizing conceptual effort depicting modern spiritual struggle and redemption told with a seductive authenticity free from judgment or bias, yet filled with wisdom and revelation. The result is a startling collection of inspiration and invention set to pulsating rhythms and infectious melodies that immediately impress and astound.
Seefor Yourself draws influences and has been compared to a wide variety of musical geniuses. He best compares his music to throwing Tupac, The Black Keys, Eminem, Cold Play, Jimi and the Beatles in a cooking pot with Jesus Christ and letting it simmer overnight to create a soup that he calls “Hip-Rock”.
The release of this upcoming album will reveal Seefor’s unique mix as a hip hop stylist, rock singer, rap icon and pop producer which all culminate into an unforgettable and commanding master performance. The unreleased album is already making waves as unmixed versions of the songs from the album have been played on VH1’s “For The Love Of Ray- J” and TBS’s “Lopez Tonight” show AND WERE PERFORMED IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOR OUR 1ST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA! The release of this staggering musical vision will propel Seefor Yourself to global preeminence as a true artist and social prophet. It is only a matter of time….
You can find videos, show dates and more information @ IamSeeforYourself.com.
Verbs
Verbs is a rapper Los Angeles, and one-eighth of Los Angeles Rap collective- The Swim Team. He came up through the local hip hop circuit in the mid 2000’s perfecting his craft on countless Thursdays at the world famous Project Blowed. He has released an EP entitled The Progress EP in January 2008, and In June 2009 he dropped a collaboration Project with Alaskan west coast-transplant, Intuition- THE BUZZ under the group name Intuition and VerBS. In August 2010 he released The Progress EP 2:Fuck Yea Man. His influences include Coconut Juice, Ice Cube, Common, Phonte, Murs, The Cardigans, Metric, The Strokes, One Be Lo, Elzhi, MF DOOM, Mos Def, Jean Grae, Apani B fly, Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes.
Ivano Fakhoury
At the early age of three Ivano’s mother recalls him singing along with every commercial on TV … word for word. Being raised in an old fashioned family, music was viewed as a hobby where only the importance of education was stressed. To the point that Ivano’s father would ask him to sign an agreement between the two of them that he would become a plastic surgeon. Ivano wound up breaking that promise…
Ivano recalls “when I was about fourteen I started singing Karaoke tracks at weddings and family events, I remember being so nervous I could barely hold the Mic”. However, after a few standing ovations Ivano knew music was more than just a hobby, but something that would become an important part of his life as an artist and as a song writer. “I’m not about technique when I’m singing or worried about every word coming out of my mouth perfect. I let the passion for my music take control of what I’m doing. I’ve always been able to tell which artists are singing from their soul and those have always been the artists I’ve gravitated toward. I have been influenced by all types of music from Pop to World, Rock to R&B, Latin music as well. I love to be able to have versatility with my music and I think this comes through in my songs. I have a respect and appreciation for all kinds of music.”
For the past few years Ivano has devoted his time to developing his voice, style and writing ability – leading him to join forces with a four member male group, which style consisted of Hip Hop and R&B, with Ivano adding “the spice” to the mix. Although the group made noise within their community and abroad performing at various events throughout the US, Ivano knew within himself he needed to go in another direction on a much broader scale in order to become the artist he had committed himself to be. Present times Ivano has been spending time in the studio creating his own sound. “My sound is a fresh mix of Pop, Techno, World and R&B. Everything that has been an influence in my life comes through in my music. If you took a little MJ, mixed in some Akon and sprinkled some Black Eyed Peas you’d get me! Enjoy.
