New & Recent Releases - Soul Discovery MAIN LIVE SITE

LINA LOI............. is an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter.

Lina’s introduction to music started at the age of four when she began singing at church. After cultivating her gospel and jazz roots by touring with the church choir, performing with her mother and singing at social gatherings, Lina was signed to Atlantic first as a songwriter and then as a singer. Influenced by singers from Josephine Baker to Sarah Vaughan to Sade. Lina began developing a signature vocal style that could be described as a mixture of swing, R&B, and jazz meets modern day soul. In 1998, Lina got her first big break as a songwriter by penning a tune for Tyrese’s self-titled debut album.

Lina proved herself to also be a solid songwriter, penning “Ain’t Nothing Like a Jones” for Tyrese. Lina began her career in 2000 when she signed to Atlantic Records. Following her record deal, was the release of her first album, Stranger on Earth, which was introduced on August 21, 2001. The album sold 45,000 copies worldwide. Stranger on Earth received a strong critical response for its blend of R&B with swing and vocal jazz. The title track was a cover version of a Dinah Washington track.

The album featured the singles “Playa No No”, “It’s Alright”, “I’m Not The Enemy”, and “Don’t Say Nothin’”. The track Playa No More became a minor hit while the album reached #89 on the Billboard R&B and hip-hop album chart. “Stranger on Earth” was named the #1 R&B Album of the Year by Tower Records’ Pulse Magazine, #1 album by cdnow.com and among the Top 10 R&B Albums of the Year by Billboard Magazine. In 2003, Lina signed to Hidden Beach Records and launched her own record label, Moodstar Recordings.

In 2004, she began recording her sophomore album. Her second album entitled, The Inner Beauty Movement was released in June 2005 on the Hidden Beach Recordings record label.

The lead single Smooth received nationwide airplay. Following the release of her sophomore album, the song Come to Mama was released as the second single. By 2007, Lina had returned to the studio to begin working on her third album. The process by which Lina recorded a total of twenty tracks. Back again with Moodstar Recordings, Lina presents her third album-to-date, Morning Star released by her own label. The album debut in February 2008, entitled Morning Star.

Lina released her two singles from Morning Star, choosing in favor of “Feel The Love” and “I’ll Stick Around”. Towards the end of 2008, Lina released the third single entitled, Good Day. Lina continues to give her fans new music by introducing a special single titled “My Man” which can be purchased on CdBaby.

Zanya Laurence

Singer/Songwriter (Soul/R&B/Jazz)

Zanya Laurence, new to the stomping grounds of the Mile High City, is itching for adventure & ready to blaze her own soulful trail through the many opportunities of a new land. Her highly anticipated sophomore album “Always”, just released this October 30th, is only the latest chapter in the story of her musical journey.

Inspired by Jazz, Funk & Soul, & melting them down into a fluid sound that is all her own, Zanya has incorporated her creative writing & raw emotion into the lyrics found on her independent releases, “Soul Theory” & “Always”, recorded at her studio/company, “Soul Spot Music”.

After moving back to Albuquerque from Los Angeles when her father fell ill, she was nominated for several New Mexico Music Awards while performing locally & promoting her single, “Sunday”, through a nation-wide top 40 radio campaign with Howard Rosen Promotions. Currently focusing on the promotion of her new album, she has earned her first song placement in an independent film, “Karma Calling” due for release in 2013.

Before that, she graduated from the Vocal Institute of Technology at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, CA with extensive training in theory & performance, while performing the Hollywood area regularly with her band in well-known venues such as the Knitting Factory, as well as cozier venues, like the Bliss Café’.

Born in southern California & raised in New Mexico, her musical evolution encompassed learning to play the classical guitar at her father’s knee. In choir & band during her younger years, she moved onto writing & recording originals by her teens, eventually growing into the passionate muse she projects in all of her work today.

Although, Laurence is compared to several established artists, her original writing style & unique voice can be heard through the passionate expression, phrasing & thoughtful delivery of each song. At the end of the day, Zanya’s sound is truly one of a kind.

Opaz celebrates 20 years of Achievement.

Industry peers, critics and music connoisseurs alike have all acclaimed Ray Hayden to be one of the most established legendary and revered producers in the UK and now Opaz Productions celebrates its 20th Anniversary.

From the inception of Opaz Productions in 1992, Ray Hayden has produced tracks for the following artists: Martine Girault, Ronny Jordan, Mica Paris, Swing Out Sister, Incognito, Guru, Maysa, George Howard, Omar, Adeva, Carol Thompson, Patrick Jean-Paul Denis; and remixes for: Marvin Gaye, Mary J Blige, Sade, Tyrese, Tony Toni Tone, The Brand New Heavies, The Christians, Gene Rice, Des’ree, Another Level, Nina Simone and The Temptations.

These formative years were bookmarked by the release of the now signature song and a firm UK classic ‘Revival’ by Martine Girault, which entered the charts at No 1. Revival added flavour to Nescafe's TV advertising campaigns and featured in films starring Meg Ryan, TuPac Shakur and Micky Rourke allowing Opaz Productions to establish itself as a world class production company.

In marking its twentieth anniversary The House of Opaz will be releasing its entire catalogue online including many hidden gems from its vaults. Leading the campaign is new signing Cartier Fraser-a young lady from North West London.
Already a radio and critic favourite, lead track ‘Mr Lost’ from the debut album of the same title features nine tracks which showcases the incredible talent of Cartier nurtured and lead by the magical and renowned production skills of Hayden. ‘Mr Lost’ will be available to download from iTunes October 29th 2012.

Hayden comments: "I've been lucky enough to stay in music in spite of the impact from the internet and I couldn't have found a better artist to mark my anniversary than the very gifted Cartier Fraser".

Clearly not afraid of a challenge or ‘status’, Hayden in 1998, won his five year legal battle against Hollywood ‘golden boy’ Will Smith, for copyright infringement against his song ‘Boom Shake The Room’.
Now, Ray Hayden and The House of Opaz have a diverse portfolio of projects and ventures. Much like a chameleon [he] has changed and adapted to his surroundings and environments both personally and professionally; and like Scott, Hayden has gone off on musical expeditions like an intrepid explorer travelling, experiencing and immersing in cultures from East –working with Japanese artists Towa Tai, Monday Michiru and Shinobu to Jeremie Johnson from the Middle East to all the Westerners named above, to animated projects, graphic design and web design all culminating in the development of a computer game with a to-die-for sound track utilising the hidden gems from The House of Opaz all under his umbrella company Opaz Multimedia.

In celebration of 20 years of achievements the entire back catalogue will be available for the first time digitally at the end of the month; this will also include collaborations from Cartier and iTunes
No. 1 selling Jazz Artist Yolanda Brown.

For more information visit: www.opazmultimedia.com

Julia’s venture into the entertainment world began long ago, when she was only five (5) years old at her kindergarten graduation, singing gleefully her rendition of “We’ve Only Just Begun.” Later on, while in grammar school, Julia auditioned for and was accepted into the prestigious “Gospel/Soul Children of Chicago, Illinois”, which by the way, has a broad history and is well known throughout the United States and Europe as being one of America’s premiere children’s choirs. After grammar school, Julia enrolled at Mother McAuley High School, where she was featured in several musicals, like “Bye, Bye Birdie”, “Oklahoma” and “No No Nannette”. After graduating from high school, Julia attended the University of Illinois at Urbana. While at the University of Illinois, Julia successfully produced two major university musicals; however, she stayed true to her educational commitment nd ultimately received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Broadcast Journalism all the while, holding the state elected office of student member of the University’s Board of Trustee’s.

Immediately following graduation, Julia was hired for a year as an on air news reporter for an NBC affiliate in Champaign, Illinois. After returning to Chicago, she was quickly hired at City New Bureau as a print reporter, covering a variety of topics and interviewing many prestigious personalities like the late United States Commerce Secretary, Ron Brown, First Lady Hillary Clinton, and former Illinois Governor Jim Thompson, to name a few.

In early 2001, Julia experienced once again a burning desire for her roots in music so she left the demands of the news desk to pursue her life long dream of becoming a star or least a recognizable talent in the entertainment industry. In just a short time, Julia has obtained an impressive chain of entertainment accomplishments that have only tipped the iceberg in her quest for that stardom. She has in a very short time, single handedly and yet masterfully honed her vocal skills t extreme heights and has been compared to musical starlets like Sarah Vaughn, Nancy Wilson, Carmen McRae, and Shirley Horn. She has most recently been on fire on the R&B stage crooning out tunes in the likes of the greats that preceded her like Phyllis Hyman, Anita Baker, Tina Turner and Gladys Knight. Julia has also been known to dazzle her audiences with the sound of such “new school” artists as Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce’, Alicia Keys, and Jill Scott to name a few!!! Julia has garnered respect as a musical vocalist who started with only her gift from God and a desire to be her BEST. She realizes it is only a matter of time before the world knows her name and history will be written once again with “JULIA” etched in stone next to all of the musical giants past and present. After all, how can she miss when destiny has already determined that “SHE’S A STAR”!

There is nothing more thrilling than an artist whose time has come. Introducing Julia Huff, an astounding Chicago-based singer/entertainer making her recording debut with a first class 6-song EP simply entitled Meet…Julia Huff. After wowing audiences on Ameri-ca’s mid-west and east coast club circuits, Russia and Japan, the lady has set her sights to expand her audience with a choice selection of material produced, arranged and composed by the legendary Jerry Peters (Earth Wind & Fire, Phyllis Hyman). Peters ushered in his A-Team of musicians to lift Julia’s vocal stylings to the heavens including guitarists Paul Jackson Jr. and Doc Powell (Luther Vandross), keyboardist Wayne Linsey (“The Tonight Show”) and drummer Harvey Mason (Fourplay). The project consists of 5 songs tailor-made for Julia plus an unforgettable rendition of the Brazilian cloud-float classic… “Dindi.”
Meet…Julia Huff presents the artist with a lushly intimate portrait of a singer in startling command of her gifts, breathing passion and purpose into every line of a dynamic set of smoky, intensely introspective songs. From the rapturous piano and muted trumpet dipped lament “Too Far to Turn Around” and the touching love song of gratitude “All Because of You” to the sassy finger-snappin’ sass of “That’s Not Gon-na Get It” and the gently bumpin’ groove “Who’s Gonna Hold Me Now” – songs that Anita Baker and Regina Belle will wish they’d got-ten to first.
Julia Huff has been leaving an indelible impression on the hearts of audiences with her powerful “A Tribute to Phyllis Hyman” shows, her loving salute to the late great vocal magician that could turn a song inside out. That she has absorbed the essence of that icon’s artistic in-tent is clear in her performances of her debut. So much so that listeners will be compelled to want to see Julia in her element – the concert stage – after luxuriating in her commanding performances captured here.
Most profoundly prophetic is the spiritually based “I Will Always Be Around”… for with time-honed, God-given gifts such as hers, Julia Huff is going to be a refreshing presence on the music scene for a long, long time to come.

Listen to the loveliness…and assess the timelessness.
Management/Booking/Press
Adrian Rosser
arosser@msn.com
(404) 696-3861
Meet Julia Huff”...serves up a soulful buffet of songs that cater to the listening appetites of the “Soul Generation”; the genera-tion where lyrics, love, melody and rhythm were and still are the driving forces to our listening. The songs in this project range from soothing and sultry love ballads to new interpreta-tions and arrangements of song-book classics like Antonio Car-los Jobim’s “Dindi”. Although Ms. Huff’s voice is well-seasoned in the art of song and interpretation, she manages to bring a sense of freshness and vitality to this cadre of predomi-nantly newly-written and released songs to a hungry audience

Bashiri Asad is just like you. He laughs. He cries. He loves. He dreams. Just like you, everyday. He feels deeply, and turns his feelings into music. Soul music. Music that says exactly how you feel, everyday. Bashiri Asad is the “Everyday Soul Singer,” and he will remind you that feeling what you feel, in your soul, is just fine.
Acknowledging that each of us has a priceless gift that we must harness and share with the world, Bashiri has come to define his sound as “Indy-Soul”. From shoo-wop style singing groups and classical vocal training, to performances local and abroad, his vocal prowess has been growing into the soul-stirring entity it is known as today. The influences of Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke, and Otis Redding echo in his performance, and those coupled with his own strength and passion have come together to create soul music. Seeking to join the ranks of other indie-soul artists looking to breathe new life into the scene, Bashiri has begun to make a name for himself not just in the Circle City, but around the country. Bashiri’s infectious passion for the art of music and authenticity in performance is making him a familiar name on the independant music scene. Humble in his approach, relentless in his delivery, you have to experience it to truly understand.

www.BashiriAsad.net www.facebook.com/Bashiri.Asad.Fan.Page www.twitter.com/Bashiri08

www.reverbnation.com/BashiriAsad

Terry Washington is an R&B/Jazz singer/songwriter, composer and music producer. Terry recently released his debut CD entitled "The Essence of Love” under Silknotes Recording Group, LLC, Lithonia, Georgia (USA). But make no mistake about it; he is a seasoned performer whose music takes you on a soulful musical journey to love. You could say his music is rhythm and blues colored with a tint of Jazz. The songs on his CD put you into those romantic moods you've experienced when listening to such greats as Luther Vandross, Will Downing, Jeffrey Osborne, and Maxwell. As he effortlessly goes from baritone to tenor and falsetto he delivers a smooth singing style with a voice that is texturally rich, soothing, and memorable. You may even shed a tear or a few when listening to a couple of the more lyrically emotional songs he has written. In fact, the lyrics contained in his music are simply breath-taking. The compositions are impressive and mature, with rhythms and melodies that move you, make you take a look inside, relax, love and want to be loved. All of the songs on the CD were written, arranged, produced and performed by Terry. This debut CD has been long awaited, greatly anticipated, but well worth it all.
Terry was born in New Orleans, LA (USA) and grew up in the New Orleans metropolitan area where music is way of life. He now lives in the Atlanta, Georgia (USA) where he performs this beautiful music. Stay tuned. There is much more to come from Terry Washington. Visit Terry’s website at terrywashington.com. Terry’s CD, “The Essence of Love “can be purchased at cdbaby.com.

Ellis Phelps & William Swann

Have you ever noticed that when times seem toughest, music seems to get better? I am a song born in Trenton, New Jersey and given the name Ellis E. Phelps aka (E Boogie). Music has always been the heartbeat of my existance. Songwriting and Producing is the passion that God has given me. Over the years I've developed BIG ears for many facets of music. Mixing and Mastering have been added to my favorites by a recent wave of new clients who have become fond of my gifts. Although I produced many local projects,
Sedona Crusin was my debut project that I produced soley and there were a host of others including Jingles for various products and organizations.

But I'm Still Here is my most recent project. Smooth as Silk they said.

Over the years I was blessed to work with many Artist such as the very talented WILLIAM SWANN, this brother is truly a gift to the universe, I call him "JAW" short for "Just Add Water". A good Brother and a joy to work with. Then there is Cedric Pendleton of the Tyler Perry Show House Of Pain, Eshe of Arrested Development, The Poet Extrodinare Wayne "Breeze" Watson, Guitarist Reggie Ward of the SOS Band, "The Stand Up In It Man" Theodis Ealy, The Blues Man Lover's Guitarist Victor Hodge, Doc and Nayo Jones of Doc's Place. My latest project is the writing and production of the Soon to be Released CD by Nashid "No Strings Attached" and the list goes on and continues to grow. My listed Credits are over 200 completed songs, and the productions of 5 full length CD's not mentioning Mixes and Mastered Projects. I guess you can say I've been Blessed.
But Like I said and as anticipated and well worth the wait. Ellis Phelps' new release. "I'm Still Here"

The Songwriter / Executive Producer

Everybody is a Song I believe music is truly a gift from the Creator used to communicate with the hearts of mankind. If you’re careful to Watch and Listen you’ll find that every life (no matter how great or small) from The President Barack Obama to Leonard the neighborhood drunk is a song. Some are just played louder than others and some of us only tune our antennas in to certain stations of life and only pick up selected stations on our life’s dials. I’m Still Here is a project that points to fact that even in the wake of 9-11, Lost Loved Ones, Hurricane Katrina, The Earthquakes in Japan and the War in Iraq, just to name a few, are all disturbing realities that distract us. But if you listen you’ll hear in your favorite songs The Creator saying, “I’m Still Here”.

___________________________________________________

Ryan Shaw was born in Decatur, Georgia and grew up in a deeply religious Pentecostal family. He began singing in church at the age of five and later formed a family group with his four brothers called the Shaw Boys. "We didn't listen to secular or pop music either in or out of our house," he explains. "So my early musical influences are all from the gospel world—singers like Darryl Coley, Keith Brooks, James Moore, and the Pace Sisters."

After briefly attending Georgia State University, Ryan successfully auditioned for the gospel musical A Good Man Is Hard to Find (Part II). In 1998, he joined the cast of I Know I've Been Changed, written and directed by Tyler Perry (Diary of a Mad Black Woman). Ryan came to New York with this production and performed to sold-out crowds at the Beacon Theater.

After the closing of I Know I've Been Changed, Ryan joined the resident cast of the Motown Café on West 57th Street where he performed Detroit soul favorites by the Four Tops and Marvin Gaye. Later he found another steady gig with a group that he says played "just about anything from the Fifties and Sixties that you could dance to - Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, Stax and Motown, Dion & the Belmonts, you name it."

"With my church background, a lot of this material was new to me. But when I saw how those songs affected people, I began to understand how their own memories and emotions were invested in the music. Now that was pretty cool."

The more Ryan heard of the sounds of the Fifties, Sixties, and Seventies, the more aware he became of the missing ingredients in contemporary music. "I'm into chords, melodies, lyrics, arrangements - I'm into music in all its aspects. It seems like the late Eighties were the last time we really had all these elements in Black music, with artists like Anita Baker and Luther Vandross. By the mid-Nineties, we were down to two chords and a drum loop."

In 2004 Ryan was recruited into the Fabulous Soul Shakers, a vocal group specializing in classic soul and doo-wop. Johnny Gale, the group's guitarist, is a New York music veteran who's worked with everyone from Hank Ballard to the Ramones. Deeply impressed by Ryan's talent, Johnny urged his old friend Jimmy Bralower to check him out. As a percussionist and drum programmer, Jimmy was among the city's most in-demand session players, having worked with superstars like Madonna, Peter Gabriel, and Steve Winwood.

One night in 2006, Bralower came down to hear Ryan sing at a small Lower East Side club...and was blown away by what he heard. He and Johnny Gale invited Ryan back to Jimmy's basement studio on Long Island where they quickly cut four of Ryan's featured numbers with the Soul Shakers including "Do the 45" and "I Found a Love."

In 2007 a new genre of music — New York Lounge Funk — was born with the release of Dreemtime’s debut album, Dreamy. Its twelve tracks unfold into ethereal harmonies that pulse above steady Latin percussion and sexy, sophisticated electronics but always stay grounded with live brass and orchestral instrumentation.

Sometimes compared to musical legends Frankie Beverly, Jamiroquai , Sade and Maxwell. Dreemtime’s unique sound is drawn from band director Klive D’Farley’s musical and life experiences.
Born in Hong Kong to English parents, D’Farley was first introduced to music while playing the church pipe organ at the Bury St Edmunds castle of the Rolling Stone’s Bill Wyman, father of his boarding school best friend. However, it was not until 1993 that he decided to pursue his music career full-time.

Leaving his job at an influential London investment bank, he escaped to the French countryside to write. With a bank loan from a-soon-to-be-very-good-friend Richard Goppy, D’Farley taught himself to play piano, guitar and percussion as well as to arrange music.

Following a short partnership with Phatline Publishing back in London, D’Farley landed in New York City in 2006 and founded Dreemtime, a project that allows him the freedom to write, arrange, produce, perform and record each track.
With a keen ear for bringing together musical talents, D’Farley often organizes collaborations with artists including the great composer, arranger and writer Marek Harris; soul singers Maya Azucena,
Anise White and Amanda Brown; exquisite vocalist Jessi Colosante aka JeSánte; guitarists Jesse Graham,Bernardo BaglioniScott Musmanno; drummer Ramsey Jones; flautist Aki Kasuga; mixer Bassy Bob; brass players Marcus Miller; bassists Jesse Murphy,Paul Ogansalu plus producer, keys and piano player 4MuLA among others.

A constantly evolving group, Dreemtime has released two albums — Dreamy (2007) and New York Lounge Funk (2009) — and is currently working on its third project, Rituals, in partnership with Erno Laszlo skincare. Before the album release later this summer, the 12 tracks will be available in stages on three EPs — Black, White and Gold — to coincide with Erno Laszlo’s product launche

Meet Jonathan Winstead

Jonathan “Super J” Winstead—so named because of his many roles in the music industry—is an award-winning songwriter, producer, arranger, pianist, and R&B/soul vocalist.

A native of Nashville, Tenn. ("The Music City") and founder and owner of One Staj Music Group, Jonathan brings a pure, authentic, and joyously funky vibe to an industry that, lately, is marked by the merely commercial.

Jonathan’s soulful roots run deep and wide. From his early training in religious music (he’s the scion of two Nashville-based gospel musician) to his work with rock, pop and gospel artist such as Casmé, the Dixie Travelers, the Joy Boyz, April Rucker, Yaza, Damien Horne, Lawrence Thomison, Kink Ador and Jackie Wilson, Jonathan Winstead has expanded his eclectic repertoire to include fresh and contemporary takes on the age-old themes of love, hurt, passion, and happiness.

His studio work—recording, arranging, and producing—is inspirational, eliciting the best from the artists with whom he engages. It is his delightful spirit that no artist could deny his request as he decided to co-produce the compilation, We Will Not Ignore Songs in the Key of Haiti, an EP to benefit Haiti after the devastating earthquakes of 2010. Jonathan also lends his talents for benefit concerts for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Jonathan has always believed in giving back to his community.

However, it is on the live-music stage where Jonathan’s exuberance and mastery are best displayed. He has never met a stage that he did not make his home or an audience who did not become family. Jonathan’s well-crafted vocals are reminiscent of Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye. His complex vocal riffs and arrangements in both his original compositions, and arrangements for other works, recall the warm surprise of a Steve Winwood and Stevie Wonder. When he sits down at the piano, his performance is a seamless combination of technical skill, honest vulnerability, and sensuality.

In 2009, Jonathan earned Record of the Year Award, from the Gospel Music City Awards for producing “There is a Blessing” by The Joy Boyz; also in 2011, Jonathan earned Best R&B Performance from the Nashville Independent Music Awards. These accolades confirm what many Nashvillians already know—namely, that Jonathan Winstead has significantly raised the bar for not only local musical artists but national ones as well.

And the rest of the world is taking notice, as Jonathan is becoming a much-in-demand headliner and opening act for major acts, such as Lalah Hathaway and Raheem Devaughn. Jonathan is Nashville’s latest gift to the universe of next-level music.