Derek McKeith

With the musical freedom of Jimi Hendrix, vocals that are reminiscent of Prince and the experimental boldness of Outkast, vocalist/songwriter/producer DEREK McKEITH is a package complete with creative foresight, lyrical honesty and natural showmanship.

In 2003, DEREK introduced his fusion of Rock and Soul with the appropriately titled CD, Something Strange, which instantly generated a circuit of fans domestically and internationally. Selling over seven thousand CD’s independently in the first three months of its debut lead to a guest appearance on F/X network’s “The Orlando Jones Show,” an opening performance to a sold-out venue for Columbia/Skyblaze artist Goapele and crowned as one of Amoeba Music’s ‘Home Grown Artist.’

DEREK is a progressive artist who subtly draws on a variety of musical genres for inspiration and has once again proven his versatility with his subsequent project The Signature…a journey bursting with fun, love, heartbreak and sexual desire. Songs such as Headlines and My Heaven have already caught the attention of radio stations from Los Angeles’ KROQ, KCRW, Indie 103.1 and KPFK to Australia’s 88.1FM.

The internet has been a worthy medium for DEREK generating over 80 percent of album sales. It has served as a place where cyberspace searchers - from DJ’s to avid music listeners worldwide - discover him daily expressing their anticipation to hear more and support his movement in volume. In conjunction, DEREK’s live performances have clearly produced a large fan base with a broad audience and have proven their rock and soul loyalty as participants in his continuous sold-out performances.His enthralling energy, strong vocal range and old-fashion charm are all assets that make DEREK a well-packaged entertainer and are generally the overall consensus.

With THE SIGNATURE, DEREK pushes the envelope of tradition once again with songs like “Mr. Stranger” and “Only You” confirming that his gift for innovation is endless and that his patience for cookie-cutter music is non-existent. He has been described by former Motown president Jheryl Busby as ‘refreshing’ and ‘magnetic.’

DEREK’s credits also include: a song on New Line Cinema’s soundtrack “The Son of the Mask,” music licensed on Showtime’s television series “Soul Food” and singing background to artist Tevin Campbell(Quincy Jones-“Back on the Block” LP),Jon B., Avant and Sisqo to name a few.

Not only has DEREK’s talent proven successful as a musician, it has naturally transcended him into the experienced entertainer and business savvy man that he is today.

 

Kameron Corvet

Kameron Corvet’s trajectory from vocalist, to acoustic and electric guitarist, to producer and songwriter is not mirrored by many. This well-rounded perspective gives his musical approach a depth that is experienced when listening to any of his work. He’s a breath of fresh artistic air and talent in a day and age when a cookie cutter approach has been applied to those who are considered to be the artists with the most potential to sell platinum records and fill the largest arenas. Corvet, a native of both Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Cincinnati, Ohio, has been singing since the age of five. He admits however, that he was probably more like seven when his singing actually started to sound good and his dream of being a rock star was born. As a child in the 80’s, Corvet listened primarily to top 40 pop. Considering that and his private school education one might regard his upbringing a far cry from one which, by all outward appearances, could spawn the angst that is prevalent in artists of the rock music genre.

By the time he was 17, he was teaching himself to play the guitar between being recruited to play Division I college football and singing in the classical ensemble. As a guitarist he burnishes, picking up his guitar everyday and building a necessity to play, as being the most critical step in his development. Upon finishing high school his influence by artists such as: Elvis Presley, Prince and Lenny Kravitz made him sure that he wanted to seriously pursue a career in music. Through talent shows and collegiate track meets he found himself at Morehouse College pursuing a BA in French while cutting his teeth on Atlanta’s local music scene.

Although he began his career as strictly a vocalist, Corvet understood the power of being a tri-factor artist. The release of his self titled EP, Jonz, while still a student at Morehouse helped him to develop confidence in his ability to write and produce. He acknowledges that, “contributing to a musical piece in more than one way, forces responsibility for the song as a whole.”
As his college career came to a close he was prepared for both corporate America and an extensive career in music. While pencil pushing as an active member of the corporate world he simultaneously released his independent full length album Sayingthings; fading the boundaries between soul and rock. Although he garnered a great deal of local and international success under the name Jonz, Corvet considered himself too refined for that alias and chose to continue his journey under his real name. When asked, he refers to the reasons behind the name change as “spiritual epiphany”. “It was significant for me because I always wanted to have a “stage name” or a secret identity to hide behind. I know now that I’m best represented by my real name.”

Whether opening for Doug E. Fresh or playing at the Apollo the performance has always been the unique deal sealer for Kameron Corvet. Each concert has allowed steadfast supporters to experience a more skillful guitarist and vocalist capable of improv freestyles, soft falsetto and belted refrains. He deems his songwriting a true marriage between the actual written text and the delivery. He credits his intense study of language for helping him become an exceptional lyricist and aims to be revolutionary as a songwriter with his philosophy on how it should be done. “It’s important for my written work to be as intentional, emotional and detailed as any of the most prolific authors, poets and songwriters whose work I’ve ever encountered.

He is an artist who exceeds any monotonous genre in which format, not content, determines heavy rotation. His vocals stretch beyond the expectations placed on rock artists without sugar coating words with elaborate runs. By composing on guitar, his music exposes an edgier side than any represented in soul music. His tracks are meant to come alive and live on when listeners sing them amongst themselves in their own rhythm and key.

What’s most intriguing about artists, whose talents are of his caliber, is that they were never meant to be casually seen. Corvet puts his pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else and he doesn’t run away from that. Instead, the things that separate him from so many other artists are the very same things that bring him closer to his audience. He’s one of them and one of us at the same time. The fact that so many have had the chance to be exposed to the secret that is Kameron Corvet will allow him to start further ahead in his musical endeavors than a new artist traditionally can. This is because his sense of normalcy gives us insight on the rock star in all of us. And as long as real music exists, his kind will continue to inspire us.

Gordon Chambers

LOVE STORIES, the eagerly-awaited sophomore album by award-winning songwriter, producer and artist Gordon Chambers is reminiscent of the joyful music heard in the ’70s by artists like Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire. Chambers declares, “A lot of that music was happy-sounding and fun, orchestral but with a beat. As this album evolved, I found we were recording more material with a tempo. That wasn’t something I planned, but I’d like to think that LOVE STORIES is in that tradition of the classic soul music of the ’70s with a fresh, cutting-edge feel.”

Like many of the great works of that era, the original compositions on Chambers’ follow-up to his critically-acclaimed self-titled 2005 debut consist of full-on stories in song or musical vignettes. “Every song on the album is a love story,” says the accomplished music man, whose catalog of credits includes hits with Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Yolanda Adams, Patti Labelle and The Isley Brothers (2006’s R & B chartopper, “Just Came Here To Chill”). “Some are personal but mostly, they’re not. I’d like to think that, as a listener, wherever you are in your journey of love, there’s something here for you.”

From the celebratory opening cut, “The Next Time” to the wistful yearning of “To Love Again” (a memorable duet with soul stylist Ledisi), through the beautifully-orchestrated “Violins,” LOVE STORIES fulfills on Chambers’ creative vision. “Honestly, I was thinking of doing a live album as the follow-up to my first CD,” says Chambers, who spent much of 2005 and 2006 touring and performing, introducing audiences eager to hear soul music, 21st century-style. “Wherever I would go, I’d be asked ‘when are you coming out with new music?’ by people who bought the first album. It was their encouragement that had me look at songs I’d recorded for the first CD that we didn’t finish, as well as others I had recorded since then. I found I had enough to start out this second record…”

With a focus on upbeat songs that allow Chambers to emphasize the energy and dynamism audiences have come to expect from his live shows, LOVE STORIES exudes a certain joy and sense of celebration: “Get To Know,” co-written and produced by Barry Eastmond (with whom Chambers collaborated on the Grammy-winning “I Apologize” for Anita Baker) is a ’stepper’s delight’; “Stay Together,” a rendition of a song recorded in recent years by The Temptations; and the pop-flavored “Unfair” (co-produced with top Swedish hitmaker Arnthor Birgisson), are prime examples. Not that the album is bereft of the kind of great love ballads for which Chambers has built a reputation as an established songwriter: try “By My Side,” the inspirational “Still Blessing Me” (featuring Melonie Daniels) or the haunting “If It Wasn’t For Your Love,” which Chambers explains, “was originally written about my parents. Heather Headley recorded it on her first album and I continually get requests for sheet music for it. People want to use it for different themes - weddings and anniversaries and so on. One of the lyric lines says, ‘Finally, I see how it is to live a dream.’ My parents have always supported me with a real foundation in life so the song was written from a place of my gratitude to them. It’s very personal and expresses the heart of who I am.”

In the tradition of recording versions of songs from his own catalog (expressed with his much-loved version of “I Apologize” on his debut CD), Chambers pays similar homage with a soulful reprise of his 1994 award-winning smash “If You Love Me,” originally recorded by Brownstone. While the majority of tunes on LOVE STORIES are Chambers originals, the New Jersey-born, Brooklyn resident called on fellow tunesmiths for a couple of the tracks. He notes, “The song ‘Violins’ was intended for the first project. It was written by one of my songwriting partners, Troy Taylor and a new and very promising writer, Claude Kelly. We felt it needed real violins and we figured out how to include them for this album: we got some former students from the Berkley School of Music and recorded it there. ‘Bygones’ is a gorgeous song that I first heard when I went to see Sherrod Barnes, who is one of New York’s best guitarists and songwriters - he tours with Roberta Flack and has written for Destiny’s Child. I was very moved by the lyrics. It’s very poetic in a simply way and it’s about letting things go, wiping the slate clean. There’s a life lesson in there for those who listen to the lyrics…”

Writing lyrics that touch and inspire has been Gordon Chambers’ stock in trade since he began his journey as a multi-faceted artist after some years as the entertainment editor for world-renowned ESSENCE magazine. An interview with Queen Latifah in 1993 resulted in Chambers’ first songwriting assignment (”Winki’s Theme” on Latifah’s Black Reign album), but he had in fact been preparing to step into the world of music from an early age. “My parents always encouraged me as a child and I was able to take music lessons whenever I wanted and needed. They really gave me an environment which could explore my creativity and I’m so grateful that they supported me,” he recalls, noting that he started out playing several instruments including trumpet and piano. In college, he befriended fellow students like star session singer Cindy Mizelle and Gordon’s own vocal skills first came to the fore in the jazz genre. “I liked jazz because it had no rules and you didn’t have to have a ‘big’ voice. I could have my own sound so experimenting with jazz and singing off the cuff worked just fine!”

After graduating from the prestigious Brown University, Gordon landed the job at ESSENCE and before he knew it, Chambers was networking, meeting fellow songwriters, producers and aspiring artists. A session for the late Phyllis Hyman led to a meeting with (producer) Barry Eastmond who was working with Anita Baker at the time; by the end of 1994, Chambers’ name would appear on Baker’s double-platinum album Rhythm Of Love, and he would find himself with a major pop and R & B Top 10 hit with Brownstone via the song, “If You Love Me.”

In 1997, Chambers started devoting his time entirely to music and in short order, his name would appear on Angie Stone’s 1999 major hit single, “No More Rain” and on tracks recorded by Patti Labelle, Brandy, Carl Thomas, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight and Jamie Foxx, and Beyonce among others; by 2000, he was in the studio producing and in the last four years, Gordon’s produced tracks for soulful divas Aretha Franklin (for her 2003 release So Damn Happy) and Whitney Houston among others.

The turning point in Chambers’ decision to step into the foreground as an artist came at a Houston session: “I was working with Whitney on the song, “I Wish” and I had to sing some of it as a guide for her. She turned to me and said, ‘You want to do what I do, don’t you? So…go for it!’” Those words of encouragement from Houston, along with constant support for live performances he’d been doing in and around New York for the past few years, was the catalyst for Chambers to get to work on his debut album, released in 2005. Working closely with producers Troy Taylor, Barry Eastmond and Brian Bacchus, and with special guests including singer-songwriter Glenn Lewis and saxophonist Mike Phillips, Chambers fashioned a tour-de-force record that served as a dazzling showcase for his soulful vocal artistry. From his own versions of songs he’s written but were recorded by others - such as “I Apologize” and “My Valentine” (recorded by hitmaking vocalist Carl Thomas who is featured on the track with renowned trumpeter Roy Hargrove) - to strong originals like “Touch You There,” “Still In Love,” “That’s When You Fall In Love” and the standout ballad, “I’ll Miss You Most,” the album immediately began picking up rave reviews, particularly with discerning music lovers both in the U.S., Europe and beyond.

Chambers’ debut album became a hit on the independent soul circuit and was named “Independent Soul Album” by Soul Tracks.com who also saluted Chambers as “Independent Soul Male Artist” of 2005. With the album a best-seller at CD Baby, Chambers set out on a two-year run of performances that have included appearances at the ESSENCE Music Festival, New York’s world-renowned Blue Note three times, B.B. King’s in New York, BAMCafe in Brooklyn, New York, the California African-American Museum, Harlem Week (before a crowd of over 15,000), Chicago’s Northalsted Market Street Festival, and shows for the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, DC in both 2005 and 2006. Chambers has participated in tributes to Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross, has been featured in ESSENCE and EBONY magazines, been included in a 2006 Billboard magazine cover story article focusing on the indie soul movement, and appeared on the popular “Being Bobby Brown” TV show. He’s shared the stage with a number of soul music luminaries including Patti Labelle, Stephanie Mills, Freddie Jackson, Ashford and Simpson, the late Gerald Levert, Will Downing, Lalah Hathaway, Faith Evans and fellow independent soul artists Rahsaan Patterson, Anthony David and Eric Roberson. Chambers was personally chosen by popular author E. Lynn Harris for inclusion on a promotional CD to promote Harris’ book, I Say A Little Prayer, released in 2006. Harris included the two songs - “I’ll Miss You Most” and “My Imagination” - from Chambers debut CD, after gaining inspiration from his music during the writing of his latest best-seller.

The enthusiastic international response to his debut album resulted in performances in London, Paris and Canada and before 2006 was over, Chambers had landed a Grammy nomination for the song “Family Reunion” (featuring Yolanda Adams, Chaka Khan, Carl Thomas and Gerald Levert), as well as working on songs with both Adams and Patti Labelle. Inspired by the reaction to his first album, Chambers began working on LOVE STORIES in 2006. “Being out on the road and performing, it was a wonderful surprise to know that there really is a healthy, adult, R & B-supporting community out there for independent artists such as myself,” he says. “The presence of internet and e-commerce websites, soul music conferences and promoters has been a tremendous help. They received my music so well. Now, with the confidence I’ve gotten vocally from performing live and knowing there is an audience out there for good soul music, I’m ready to get out there again and share LOVE STORIES.”

Bradd Marquis

Finally, soul music has returned, in the form of the up and coming R&B phenomenon, Bradd Marquis. He has an amazing voice and a stellar personality. Born Bradd Marquis in Trenton, New Jersey he was raised in the deep gospel traditions of the church and strong, family values and after one listen it’s easy to see why Bradd Marquis is a superstar! Bradd Marquis always knew he was destined for something special when he first started singing and performing the song “Truly” by Lionel Richie, at 4 years old.

While most of his peers and childhood friends succumbed to a life of crime or gang violence, Bradd Marquis chose a different route. He decided to pursue a college degree at the University Of Cincinnati (UC) and become a community spokesperson. While at UC Bradd Marquis performed in several talent shows, which influenced him to take his talent to the next level. Bradd Marquis performed live in the “Cincinnati Idol” showcase. Bradd Marquis’ passion for music drove him to become a triple threat as an artist who can write, perform, and produce. After receiving his degree in African American Studies he returned home and worked in his community as a counselor, social worker, and a college advisor.

One of the first people he met with was the well-known producer, Cochise (Elam Records) who has worked with some of the biggest names in the business. Some of the labels and artists Cochise has done production or engineering for include J Records, Bad Boy, Universal, Arista, Notorious B.I.G., Saigon, Remy Ma, Big Pun, R&B artist Joe, R. Kelly and Britney Spears. Cochise explains why he wanted to work with Bradd, “He was exactly what I was looking for. I never heard someone sing with such emotion and sincerity. On top of his great image, he is so articulate and purpose driven that I thought he would make a great public figure.”

Bradd Marquis believes in communicating a positive message through his music and is evident in his motto: “All Love, All The Time.” He is an amazingly talented performer and he is already building an impressive fan base from his televised performances on Showtime At The Apollo and BET’s “Wild Out Wednesdays” on 106 and Park. He has performed live in several New York City industry showcases such as Faces In The Crowd, Wild Out Wednesday, and Blaze The Stage, and has coordinated and performed live in his own multi-artist showcase.

Bradd Marquis’ first, buzz single “Radio” is already receiving air play on New York’s #1 radio station, Hot 97. World famous DJ and on-air personality Kay Slay was the first person to play the song and has already endorsed Bradd Marquis as the next, R&B powerhouse. For more information on Bradd Marquis or to watch his performance from “The Best of Showtime At The Apollo” visit http://www.myspace.com/braddmarquis http://youtube.com/results?search_query=bradd+marquis or

Andreena Mills

Andreena Mills