Haywood Gregory

Haywood Gregory, a native of Savannah GA., began singing in churches and public schools at the age of seven, and it had been merely a few years before he became a professional singer at the age of fourteen. Some of his many accolades include having performed with Morgan Freeman, The Blind Boys of Alabama and The Soul Stirrers (1988) in the Broadway hit play "GOSPEL AT COLONUS" at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City, touring throughout the United States and Europe performing at various festivals such as the Newport Jazz Festival (RI), the 36th Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland), and the 20th Savannah Jazz Festival (GA)., and numerous appearances on the Joe Franklin Show. Haywood made his big screen movie debut, singing in the hit movie "THE KING OF NEW YORK" starring Christopher Walken. Haywood has recorded on numerous albums, some include the 1997 "LAST CONCERT CD" with Eddie Harris and Bernard Purdie in Cologne Germany, the Killer Joe CD, "SCENE OF THE CRIME", distributed by BMG Music, and HAYWOOD & JEANNE C. GREGORY "SWINGING WITH THE ROMERO BROTHERS". Haywood has shared center stage with such notables as Bruce Springsteen, Carl Perkins, Dion, Bruce Willis, Freddie Jackson, Tony Bennett, Liza Minnelli, Lionel Hampton, Bobby Watson, Buddy Guy, The Oak Ridge Boys, Otis Blackwell, Ronnie Dove, Issac Hayes, George Coleman, BB King, The Drifters, The Marvelettes, The Blues Jumpers, and many more great stars. 

Haywood other accolades includes his performances on various television show and series: "Vise Grip On My Heart" televised on Baby Story, Chicago PD, Houston Beauty, Party Planner with David Tutera, Velvet and So You Think You Can Dance "21st Century Soul Man" televised on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Mr. Hockey, Velvet, Wheeler Dealers and So You Think You Can Dance "I Need Money" televised on Bizarre Foods America, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, Make Over Story, The Oprah Winfrey Show and Mr. Hockey. Haywood is a patriot, who has been awarded two resolutions from the New Jersey General Assembly, and the New Jersey State Senate for being a world class musician and family man. In 2007, Haywood was nominated at the 38th Annual GMA Dove Awards as a producer for Traditional Gospel Album and Traditional Recorded Gospel Song of the Year for The Blind Boys of Alabama album entitled "Rare Classics".

https://gregota.com/

Ericka Siyo

Ericka Siyo is a poet. The album "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" is inspired by her second book. She hires musicians from various backgrounds to write the music and sing her songs, hence the variety of music genre in the album. There's a song for everyone.

"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" has been played nearly 6000 times on Radio Jango within a few months.

Ericka is at the beginning of her career and she wishes to continue to write poetry and song's lyrics. The album "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark" is dedicated to those who feel that they are left behind, it's a reminder that they are not alone.

http://freefrench.uk/

Candance Woodson

Twenty-eight days after her 2014 breast cancer surgery, Candace Woodson was back to business-as-usual performing at the wedding of one of John “Cougar” Mellencamp’s daughters. This is a testament to Candace Woodson’s lifelong passion for performing and a talent for resilience she calls “stick to it-ness”. A survivor since 2014, she wrote the song “Free,” a funky old school dance anthem that conveys hope and positivity in the wake of adversity. 

This is a message she conveys stemming from her own experience and feeling after receiving her last cancer treatment at the Medical University of South Carolina. With the help of UK promoter Steve Ripley, who has worked on hits for Diana Ross, Luther Vandross, Maxwell, and Jody Watley, “Free” rose to #12 on the UK Soul Chart Top 30. This success laid the foundation for a handful of other chart-topping singles, including “The Answer Is No”, a defiant female empowerment ballad. “The Answer Is No” hit #1 on the UK Soul Chart Top 30 and has continued to receive airplay on Smooth Jazz Radio as well as other top stations. Woodson received Billboard’s “Most Added” designation and a “Best International Artist” nominee. Her highly anticipated full-length debut album “Desire” includes her UK hits as well as new tracks that would become international fan favorites. “I’m so grateful for the opportunities I have had in the UK, and it’s exciting now to work with some of the best in the business in expanding my fan base internationally.” “I have stopped and started the musical part of my life so many times, but this time I will not stop no matter how things play out. To me, my music is very authentic, and it reflects everything I’ve gone through and the soul of someone who has loved music all her life “.

http://www.candacewoodson.com/

Buzz Kiefer

In the tradition of “Santa Clause Wants Some Lovin’” and “Santa Baby”, “I Wanna Be the Christmas tree” is dripping with inuendo and double entendre.

Chicago style horns and doo-wop BGVs make this entry into the Christmas repertoire, an extravaganza. There’s ear-candy here to satisfy the sweetest of sweet-tooths, tastfully undercut by the eye-popping irreverence of its lyrics.

Sleigh bells (drummer, James Rogan) and horse whinnies (Jimmy Bowland on saxophone) take the listener on a sleigh ride, but the riding whip, implies something more naughty.

'I wrote these lyrics at a Christmas Party,' says singer/songwriter, Buzz Kiefer, 'I asked everyone there to say something sexy about Christmas. Then I wrote the music like it was for a strip tease.'

Holiday traditions like figgy pudding and tree-top angels become metaphors for that strip tease.

Complete with angel-choir modulation in the final chorus, this slippery 6/8 groove proves: Christmas is for lovers.

www.buzzkiefer.com

Bryan Dallas

Bryan Dallas is more than a musician; he's a living testament to a life well-lived and a versatile artist. 

Born in San Francisco, CA, he grew up in the heart of the Bay Area's rock 'n' roll scene, setting the stage for his musical journey. But Bryan's story is anything but ordinary. His life is a patchwork of unique encounters and experiences: 

* At 18, Bryan danced backstage with Drew Barrymore and Karen O at The Beastie Boys concert. 
* He had an impromptu show with ZZ Top at age 23. 
* In pro per won against city police for a traffic ticket that turned into wrongful arrest. 
* Was in a hardcore band when EMO was a trend. 
* Became the first (and possibly only) crew member to check Chrissie Hynde’s microphone at The Fillmore SF.
 * Got kicked out of a church Choir for wearing blue suede shoes. 

Beyond music, Bryan is a master mechanic, college radio programmer, and holds a Degree in day trading. He's an Anecdotalist, Epicure and has even left his mark on BURRN! Magazine, Japan. Bryan's journey isn't just a musical one; it's a celebration of life's diverse experiences.

He's an artist who defies conventions, always ready to follow his own unique path.

https://www.bryandallas.com/

Russ Lorenson

 

Start with one healthy pour of brand-new holiday tunes, add a jigger of lesser-known gems from the Golden Age of Christmas Music, shake them together with a 16-piece big band, garnish with a candy-cane crooner, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an intoxicating Yuletide cocktail that will get you In the Holiday Spirit!

"In the Holiday Spirit" has been awarded four stars by the editors of Downbeat and was included in the magazine’s prestigious “Best Albums of 2015” list: 'A showman of taste and discretion, Lorenson admires Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin without imitating them or adopting a Rat Pack smugness.'

A big band, a swingin' crooner, and holiday tunes you're not already sick of hearing – what else do you need to get In the Holiday Spirit?

A terrific voice. Charisma to spare. A delightful raconteur. Impeccable musical taste and vocal phrasing. Unassuming nice guy. They all apply to Russ Lorenson, whose burnished tenor has thrilled audiences throughout the US and Europe.

Since his breakout club debut in 2005, Russ Lorenson has established a reputation as one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading interpreters of jazz standards. As a singer, he is equally at home whether entertaining a concert hall audience or performing in the more intimate cabaret setting. With comparisons to Tony Bennett, Mel Tormé, and Chet Baker, Lorenson has a voice one savors and remembers. It’s no wonder he’s called “San Francisco’s Favorite Crooner.”

In recognition of his solid and sophisticated musical vocabulary, Downbeat called him “a showman of taste and discretion.” The Los Angeles Times said that he brings “a supple voice and strong sense of characterization to all his songs.” The San Diego Union-Tribune said that his “relaxed, easy deliveries…seem natural and heartfelt.” The Coronado Journal simply called him “…irresistible…”

https://www.russlorenson.com/