PJP Mixtape #1
Philadelphia is home to strong musical traditions like Jazz, Gospel, DooWop, R&B, Rock and Hiphop. Our greatest strength has been the unexpected and wonderful blending and swirling of these traditions into new and fascinating musical creations. That's what we did and that's what we still do. This mixtape series, available as a free download is an opportunity for you to check in and catch up with the amazing Philadelphia music scene. So, sit back, relax and enjoy some of the most talented vocalists and instrumentalists in the world.
PJP MIXTAPE #1 - April 2015
Produced & Mixed by Phila Jazz Project
Hosted by Julia Lopez and Melissa Talley Palmer
Intro & Credits by Homer Jackson
1. "Equinox/Heartbreak" w/ Toby vEnt [Vocals]
Who Got The Jazz Band; Nimrod Speaks: Bass/Luke Carlos O'Reilly: Piano/Khary Abdul Shaheed: Drums;
World Cafe Live; Philadelphia, February 2014
2. "I Put A Spell On You" w/ Laurin Talese [Vocals]
Boo Big Band w/ Steve Tirpak: Music Director, Arranger, Trombone & Keyboards, Eric Wortham: Piano; Steve Beskerone: Bass, Anwar Marshall: Drums & many more.
Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia, Halloween Night 2013
3. "Titanium" w/ Jaye Sanders [Vocals]
Dena Underwood: Piano; Nicholas Krolac: Bass; Darryl Jackson: Drums;
DivaNation Concert Series at Drexel University's, Mandell Theater, September 2014
4. Poems from "Retro Love" written & performed by Beth Feldman Brandt
Recorded at Turtle Studios in June of 2014
5. "What Bessie Told Me" w/ Barbara Montgomery
Kendrah Butler: Piano; Nicholas Krolac: Bass; Darryl Jackson: Drums; Doc Gibbs: Percussion;
DivaNation Concert Series at Drexel University's, Mandell Theater, September 2014
6. "Hot" w/Gretchen Elise [Vocals]
Kim Pedro's Nu Gruuv, w/ Kim Pedro: Drums, James Cooper: Bass, Adam Faulk: Keyboards, Mike Clay: Reeds; Bethlehem Roberson: Background Vocals;
Make Music Philly 2014, Arch Street Meeting House, Philadelphia; June 2014
℗ © Copyright 2013 Gretchen Elise;
7. "Round Midnight" w/ Laurin Talese [Vocals]
Boo Big Band w/ Steve Tirpak: Music Director, Arranger, Trombone; Featuring Eric Wortham: Piano; Steve Beskerone: Bass, Anwar Marshall: Drums & many more.
Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia, Halloween Night 2013
8. "What is Thing Called Love" - Interviews by Asha Jackson
9. "My One And Only Love" w/ Selina Carrera [Vocals]
Who Got The Jazz Band; Nimrod Speaks: Bass/Luke Carlos O'Reilly: Piano/Khary Abdul Shaheed: Drums; Umar Raheem: Sax;
World Cafe Live; Philadelphia, February 2014
10. "Valentine Love" w/ Barbara Walker & Kevin Valentine
Philadelphia Songbook Band w/ Alfie Pollitt: Piano & Arrangements; Charles Washington: Trumpet solo; Pete Chavez: Soprano Sax solo;
Temple University's, Temple Performing Arts Center; Philadelphia, February 2014
The artists participating on this mixtape include:
Beth Feldman Brandt is a poet and her writing has investigated such diverse themes as atomic clocks, ocean habitats and The Origin of Species. Her work has been published in Philadelphia Stories, The Quay Journal of the Arts, The Mad Poet's Review and by Greenleaf Poetry Press. Her poem, "Transmutation", based on the life of Charles Darwin, was set to music by composer Andrew Litts and performed by Network for New Music. Beth has served as an artist-in-residence at the Ragdale Foundation. She is the Executive Director of the Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation that supports arts and cultural programs in Philadelphia and is Chair of the Poet Laureate Committee for the City of Philadelphia.
Website | Booking Contact | SoundCloud
Selina Carrera is a Philadelphia born songwriter, singer, rapper, & poet, who constantly experiments using her smooth Sade meets TLC vocals. Working under Monarch Music Group as a songwriter and vocalist, she met Pras Michel of the Fugees and created the group ‘Axixs’ combining hip-hop, soul, and pop. In early 2011 Selina met Lauryn Hill, which led to Selina becoming one of Ms. Hill’s background singers. While working closely with Ms. Hill, Selina began to develop her own unique sound and started performing and recording regularly, while still collaborating and writing for other artists. As of recent, Selina started experimenting in music production under good friend and mentor, grammy winning producer - Omen.
Website | Booking Contact | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud
Gretchen Elise is a West Philly-based singer-songwriter whose jazz-flavored, audience participation performances are unforgettable. Her two original CDs, Time & Space (2010) and Are You Ready (2004) combine a global flavor with shades of Philly jazz & soul. An arts education advocate and a mom of two, Gretchen has performed in Philadelphia, Boston and Berlin, at World Cafe Live, The Irvine Auditorium, The Legendary Dobbs, The Mandell Theater, The Free Library of Philadelphia, The Level Room, as part of Cedar Park Jazz Live and Jazz at Julian Abele Park, Ryles, The Western Front, Jorge Hernandez Cultural Center, Boston Center for the Arts, Gethsehmanikirche and Harlem Jazz Club.
Website | Booking Contact | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | SoundCloud
Barbara Montgomery has had a multi-faceted career as a performer, recording artist, music industry executive, producer and publisher. She has also worked in television and film production. She began performing as a jazz vocalist, took a career detour and joined the NBC/Westinghouse television station that produced the "Mike Douglas Show." This provided the gift of working with jazz greats like Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald. She has produced six CDs of her own, arranging and writing with musicians like Barry Sames, Steve Giordano and Aaron Graves. Her CDs “Little Sunflower” and “Trinity” won the Blue Chip Award for Best Jazz Vocals by the International Association of Jazz Educators.
Website | Artist Profile | Booking Contactt | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Bethlehem Roberson was raised in an active, church-going Philadelphia family, where she became steeped in the traditions of gospel music. Later, she took on the Hebrew faith, merging her gospel background with the traditions of Judaism. A singer all her life, Bethlehem participated in open mic events and spoken word presentations. She has performed at Relish, LaRose Jazz Cafe, The Rotunda, Clef Club, Irvine Auditorium, Temple Performing Arts Center, Dowling's Palace and other venues. Bethlehem draws influences from male vocalist like Sam Cooke, David Ruffin, Marvin Gaye, and Prince. As a writer, her studies of the Torah and other sacred Hebrew texts, teach her that words have sacred power and must used wisely and carefully.
Website | Booking Contactt | Facebook
Jaye Sanders is a Philadelphia native. As a pastor's daughter, she was raised in church, singing hymns, directing the youth choir and then launched out to other genres of music. She writes, arranges, and sings Gospel, R&B, Pop and Jazz music. Graduated in 2002 from The High School of Creative and Performing Arts of Philadelphia, where she studied Theater & Vocal Music. Jaye worked as an A&R in the Philadelphia area where she has worked with different artists to shape their craft and develop an image for them, as an artist. She has performed background vocals for many artists such as the actor, Idris Elba, Philadelphia native, Bilal and many more. Now she is working on her own solo career and sharing her great talents with the world.
Artist Bio | Booking Contact | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Laurin Talese is a talented vocalist from Cleveland, Ohio. She relocated to Philadelphia to attend the University of the Arts and received a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice. She has worked with numerous American national recording artists such as Jaguar Wright, Bilal, Robert Glasper, Vivian Green and European superstar, Joy Denelane. Laurin has also shared the stage with great classical and jazz ensembles such as The Cleveland Orchestra, The Cleveland Jazz Heritage Orchestra, The Moses Hogan Chorale, and the internationally acclaimed Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg, Austria. Laurin’s talent has afforded her the opportunity to perform throughout Europe, as well as Asia, Brazil, and 30 of the states that comprise the continental United States.
Website | Booking Contact | Facebook | Twitter | SoundCloud
Kevin Valentine is a Philadelphia-based Jazz singer, who was born and bred in New York City. He was an early member of the Boys Choir of Harlem where, he first met Philly’s ubiquitous bass player, Mike Boone. Kevin has done “Amateur Night at the Apollo” and performed at New York City clubs such as “Smoke”, the “West End” and “Somethin’ Jazz Café”. Since coming to Philly to attend law school, Kevin has soaked up the city’s rich jazz culture. He has performed at Zanzibar Blue, Pyramid Club, Rembrandt’s, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus, La Rose, Calabash, and Chris’s Jazz Cafe. Kevin was nominated Best Male Jazz Vocalist of 2013 by the Clef Club of Philadelphia and his CD “JazzVox” provides insight into his approach to the music.
TobyVEnT is the lead singer and lyricist of VEnT, an alternative rock/soul band from Philadelphia. While VEnT has many great influences, their sound is unparallel to anything the industry has heard. VEnT fuses Soul with Alternative Rock, while dabbling in acoustic rock, jazz, funk, contemporary christian, R&B, soft rock, gospel and other genres. VEnT has opened for artists such as Marsha Ambrosius, Syleena Johnson and Monifah and has sharied the stage with other great performers. VEnT currently has three albums: Out the Box (2010), Beautifully Broken (2011), and Just Leftovers (2012). VEnT has performed at many venues in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware, as well as numerous venues in Connecticut, Chicago and New York.
Website | Booking Contact | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram
Barbara Walker is an extremely talented Phladelphia vocalist. She has performed in film, theater and recordings with local and international artists and musicians such as LL Cool J for Island/Def Jam Records. Barbara made her Hollywood debut singing “Here Comes the Morning” in the hit film, ”The Score,” starring Robert DiNero, Marlon Brando, Angela Bassett, and Ken Norton. She performed in The American Music Theater Festival in the stage play, “Essentially Ellington.” She has toured the country with the late Grover Washington, Jr., Patty LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Herbie Hancock, Diane Schurr, Diana Krall, Bradford Marsalis, Al Jarreau, Chick Corea, the late Oscar Brown, Jr., Nancy Wilson, Celine Dion, Manhattan Transfer, and the late Maynard Ferguson.
Website | Booking Contact | Facebook
Enjoy and keep your ears and eyes open for PJP Mixtape #2.
