Michael Jeffries Bio
Michael Jeffries was born in Memphis on August 16th . The family moved to Oakland, California in 1962. Michael began his love for music at a young age teaming up with elementary school classmates to form a group that later would become “The Two Things In One”. The group had local success with two singles featuring Michael as lead vocalist. “Silly Song” 1971 and “ Together Forever “ 1973. During the early 70’s as front man for the group Michael opened for Earth Wind & Fire, War, Bill Crosby, Funkadelic and a host of other acts. In 1977 Michael was recruited by The Bay areas own Tower Of Power as their lead singer and recorded 4 albums with the band. “ We Came To Play CBS 1978, “ Back On The Street “ 1979, Sheffield Labs Direct to disk live 1981 and Dinosaur Tracks in 2000. In 1986 Michael co wrote the billboard top 10 single “Never Say Never “ for songstress Denise Williams and appeared on the movie Wildcat’s soundtrack singing the song “ Razzle Dazzle”. In 1987 Michael appeared along with Karyn White as a featured vocalist on Jeff Lorbers “ Private Passion CD”. Michael released his first solo CD in 1989 on Warner Bros with tracks produced by Jellybean Johnson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
Hi this is Michael,
I’d like to take you on a tour of how I fell in love with making music. Since I was just a young lad music was always around. The radio was always on and the popular songs of the day provided the background and sometimes the foreground to everyday life. My uncles and aunts were teenagers and I lived my life looking up to them while trying to understand it all. This was the golden age of the Motown sound and the Memphis sound, it was an era when Radio Dj’s were stars and people would tune in to listen to what the top jocks played. With all the great music coming from Motown and Memphis I had plenty to grow on. But while watching Ed Sullivan I got a glimpse of what would push me into action, James Brown. That night on Ed Sullivan I saw something that would not allow me to sit still, I got up and started skating around imitating what I saw James Brown doing and I was his newest 8-year-old fan! With a mirror and a brush for a microphone I skated and hollered until my parents thought I was good enough for half time entertainment at some of their house parties! I would get so excited when I would here them tell their party guest that I was really good at doing the James Brown they would then come and get me to give a impromptu performance. I looked forward to those opportunities and I never shied away from the slightest request.
All this James Brown craze lead me to the record store with my 50 cents to buy “ I Feel Good”. I played that record until the grooves wore thin! I thought I would die when my mother took me to see the man himself live at the Oakland Coliseum in 1966. James blew my top off and I haven’t been able to get it back on ever since.
While performing a showcase for several major record labels as a member of the group Spectrum, Tower Of Power members caught the show and liked my performance so much they asked me to audition for the band. I was a little skeptical about going to the audition because of rumors of heavy drug use within the band. I showed up for the audition at the record plant in Sausalito. When I walked in there was a track playing that didn’t sound anything like Tower but it was nice and fresh and sparked my interest. Let me just say this I was a total Tower Of Power fan I even cut school to see them play at Contra Costa College when I was in tenth grade. To be here about to audition for the group was a trip, a good one. As I entered the control room I saw all the familiar faces all awaiting my arrival. Emilio or Mimi as everyone calls him greeted me and began to show me the song. It was that track that I had heard “ You Appeal To Me”. This would be easy because I truly loved the track and the melody. They loved the performance and had me do another song. Mimi offered the gig to me and while I was really happy with that news I was still concerned about the drug use. I recorded 4 records with the group through some really tough times for the music business. It was the disco era and the label the group was signed to wanted Tower to be part of the disco craze. I learned a lot while touring and was finally able to do the thing that I loved most and support myself doing it. I‘m happy to see the band doing so well today and drug free, I got a chance to join them on stage at the Fillmore for the 40th year reunion show and it was great.
While I was a member of Tower my song writing really began to develop. I would write all the time and I started building the recording equipment to create the demos for the songs. By the time my stint with the group was done I had written enough material for two albums. With this catalog of songs in hand I started to shop for a record deal. On the way to signing a record deal with Warner Records, I signed a participation publishing deal with Almo-Irving Music publishers. While at Almo Ivring I was able to place many of my songs with other artist and even landed an R&B top 5 single with Denise Williams “ Never Say Never”. Warner Records teamed me up with keyboard wiz Jeff Lorber and I was a featured vocalist on the “Private Passion” CD”. While recording the “Private Passion “ Album I met a young talented singer Karyn White. Karyn had visited my studio to do a vocal and I was really impressed with her vocal quality. When Jeff ran into a snag with his first choice for the female lead on the Private Passion record I quickly recommended Karyn and the rest is History.
My first solo release was the self-titled “ Michael Jeffries “ Warner Bros. Records released in 4th quarter of 1989. The same day as the big quake of 89. I remember packing for a promo tour and wham shake and roll. When I reached London to promote the record all the interviewers thought the Bay area was flat to the ground. Well maybe it was a bad sign cause my record didn’t quite do the numbers we expected. I found myself without a record deal and with all the responsibilities of a family. I chose to step away from the uncertain income that comes with trying the get back on that horse. I had to think about my family. I thank God for showing me the way through that time and leading me back to this place with my family at my side.
Lin Rountree
Soul-Trumpeter
Soul Trumpeter Lin Rountree, an accomplished performer and recording artist, is a pioneer helping to frame the new sound of Soul-Jazz. Direct from the ‘new’ Detroit music factory, his playing has been described as soulful, funky, and sensual. Be it R&B/Soul or Groove Jazz, he has an innate ability to connect his music to his listener’s soul. And his charm, intelligence and wit make him a great entertainer on and off of the stage.
Lin began playing the trumpet in Alexandria VA., when he was just 11 yrs. old. He frequently attended music development programs at The Duke Ellington School for performing arts in Washington DC. Upon his graduation Lin was recruited into the Music program at Florida A&M University where he performed with the famed Marching 100’ under the direction of William P. Foster and Dr. Julian White. Lin credits his abilities to practice, prepare and perform to the training that he received at FAMU. Likewise the school is also where he started to develop a deep appreciation for Jazz music and began studying some of its masters. Lin cites trumpeters Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, and Tom Browne as huge influences on both his playing and writing styles. After his graduation and after several stops around the country he found his home in Detroit, Michigan a city with a rich tradition in R&B, Soul and Jazz music. Lin hit the music scene hard by sitting in and learning from well established Detroit musicians. The next few years Lin played in a several top 20 Motown bands but quickly realized that Trumpet players were not typical side-men in smaller R&B units where soloing opportunities were more plentiful, so he formed his own working group, “Up Close” which featured vocalist Michele Nicole. For the next 6 years, then band-leader, Lin worked the tough Detroit club circuit as Up Close quickly became one of the most sought after and top performing bands in the city. In 2004 Lin had a chance encounter with two accomplished producers, Dana Davis and Billy Meadows who after listening to a demo of original songs written by Lin decided to work with and eventually sign him to BDK records. BDK went on to ink a distribution deal with Ryko/Warner Bros through Nu-Millennium records. This after Nu-Millennium owners and industry heavyweights Kindall Minter and Hank Caldwell were blown away with the quality of Lin’s material.
After BDK Records was dissolved in 2010, Lin continued to push forward and released his most audacious project to date: Soul-Tree, The Soul-Jazz Experience in early 2011. This R&B/Soul based Jazz project written and produced by Rountree along with Dana Davis, Jeff Canady, Tony Gordon and Monica Marie Jones. This groove-filled set has 12 tracks including 6 vocal collaborations and 2 popular instrumental covers. The record features R&B sensations Conya Doss, L’Renee, Aaron “AB” Abernathy, Valencia, Michele Nicloe, LaRae Starr and Kendrick Jackson. Featured soloists include flautist Althea Renee, pianist Gail Jhonson and renowned guitarist Darryl Dixon. The first single is a rockin’ version of Michael Jackson’s “You Rock My World” which features Dixon playing a lights-out guitar solo at the end. All of the songs on Soul-Tree represent a new direction in instrumental soul and as a driving force in the new generation of instrumental soloists and polished recording artist; Lin Rountree creates music that will move your soul!
For performance dates, and to hear samples of SOUL-TREE go to:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lin-Rountree/41044431419
Management/Booking: Michael Elder, ME-Entertainment
(917) 721-6023 MeEntrment@aol.com
