ROXANNE

Roxanne believes Music Sets the Soul in Flight.

Famed songwriter George Fischoff dubbed singer/songwriter Roxanne, Freedove, a symbolic name meant to capture the love-based spirit of her music as much as her engaging personality. There is also another symbolic aspect of Roxanne¹s music embedded in her first name: Roxanne is said to
mean dawn of a new day, or a new beginning."

Born in Luisianna, we are lucky to have Roxanne here with us Tri-State!

Growing up in New Orleans. I was shy and introverted, but in the privacy of my room, another world opened up for me through music, she says. Roxanne says she became obsessed with music at nine years old, calling it a singing addiction,drinking in the artistry of the legends in soul, rock, gospel and contemporary music. She wold sing along with Aretha Franklin, Denise Williams and Teena Marie at home, while developing a profound inner love for gospel music singing in the choir at church.

Roxanne began working with Gaynielle and
Cyrille Neville and performing with a host of accomplished musicians including Renard Poche, Raymond Weber and George Porter.

Larry Flick of Billboard Magazine exclaimed, The wheels are turning for this intriguing artist.

AMEE

Amee is a riveting performer whose deeply soulful but always hard-hitting R&B style is capable of rocking a Southern stadium or heating up New York City nightspot.

After graduating from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Music in Music Theater, Amee cemented her reputation with a range of gigs in the South, where she entertained at a command performance for President George Bush Sr., brought thousands to their feet at Charlotte Hornets games, and took the stage with R&B hit makers such as Percy Sledge, the Trammps, and Sister Sledge.

Amee then made her way north to pursue her career and immediately found herself in demand from Atlantic City to the Big Apple. She moved quickly from the Miss America pageant to the studios of New York, recording as a backup singer and doing session work for commercial clients including VH1 and others. With a blend of big-city energy, down-home roots and a rock 'n' roll heart, Amee continues to thrill audiences all over the U.S. by delivering uncompromising performances.

 CHRIS

From a roadside blues bar in Ohio, to the spotlight of network television, and nearly everywhere in between, the voice of singer/songwriter/guitarist Chris has left an indelible impression. After a severe knee injury ended his hopes of a professional football career, Chris was left empty and searching for a purpose and a passion. Music would be his saving grace. Chris found his way to the stage of an open mic blues jam where he sang a Muddy Waters song with bourbon in hand, eyes closed, and a broken heart, and found the catharsis to save himself and to share that poignant emotion with his audience. For the next 16 years, Chris honed his craft in blues bands, touring rock bands, and as a solo/acoustic act, personally selling over 16,000 of his own CDs!

He has opened up for acts as diverse as Green Day, Collective Soul, Sugar Ray, Matchbox 20, Hootie and the Blowfish, Live, Fuel, The Smithereens, Warren Zevon, Todd Rundgren, Kansas, Blue Oyster Cult, Jewel, and Edwin McCain to name a few. He was hand picked by the legendary Ashford and Simpson to perform the male lead “Rootie” in the workshop of their musical “Pipes” and to sing at the birthday party for one of his idols, Michael McDonald. Chris was also a featured singer on last summer’s NBC hit show “The Singing Bee”. Chris has previously appeared on national television as a semi-finalist on “Star Search“, as a featured guest on “Last Call with Carson Daly“, “The Early Show“, and the WB’s “Daily Buzz”. Chris’s voice can be heard on the Top 10 Billboard charting “Kidzbop” CD’s, Applebee’s and Canadian Club radio ads, and the new Pokemon theme song “Diamond and Pearl”.

LARRY (Keys)

Larry is a Long Island based keyboardist who has always been on the cutting edge of his instrument. He was the keyboard player for The Little Wilson Band, a local R&B powerhouse band for about 15 years until they retired. He also has played with The Willie Steel Band. He now is a main core rhythm section with JAMROCK!

His uncanny ability on piano and his pure mastery of The Hammond Organ have won him the repsect of all who played on MAKANA. Tony and Larry have known
each other for about 10 years and have shared the stage in many musical situations including " The Paper Bag", a 40 piece rock orchestra and now JAMROCK. ORCHESTRA!

JOHN (Drums)

John started his drumming career at the early age of four. Following in the footsteps of his father & brother, who were involved in various Drum and Bugle Corps, he joined the Bayonne Bridgemen from 1980-1984, under the direction of famed percussion arranger Dennis DeLucia. During high school, he was a member of the stage, symphonic, and concert bands.

To further perfect his abilities, he went on to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1984 - 1986. He majored in performance & took numerous classes in theory, harmony, and composition. John also studied percussion under the tutelage of Tommy Campbell, Skip Hadden, John Ramsay, & Ed Uribe. Later, he went on to study with Pat Petrillo, David Garibaldi and Colin Bailey.

John put his musical education to work immediately by becoming a member of the Bobby Mercer Road Show, touring with them extensively throughout the northeast area of the United States. Shortly thereafter, John formed his own soul/R&B band, What It Is. He was also a member of The Eggmen, a Beatles tribute band which performed in the NY area. He also contributes as a vocalist.

Some highlights of John's career include performances with Tom Bowes formerly of Tower Of Power and Mark " The Loveman" Pender and Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg of the "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" show.

WALT (Trumpet)

After a brief flirtation with medical studies, and a year of classical trumpet studies at the University of Michigan, Walt transferred to Oakland University in Rochester, Mi., where an emerging Jazz Studies Program under the direction of Marvin "Doc" Holladay seemed to be the direction he wanted to pursue. The jazz program, It was also during this period that Walt began to record and tour with many local Detroit acts including Johnny Taylor, the Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations, the Dramatics, Wild Cherry and the Brides of Funkenstein. He also co-led the jazz quintet, IMPACT, which hosted a legendary Detroit Sunday afternoon jam session and worked extensively throughout the mid-west region.

From 1979 through 1982, Walt served as staff arranger, trumpet soloist and
vocalist at the Grand Hotel, on Mackinac Island, MI., It was there that he made his first contact with legendary jazz drummer great, J.C. Heard., His apprenticeship with J.C. found Walt sharing the stage with one of his greatest idols, Dizzy Gillespie. In addition to Diz, Walt performed in small
combo situations with Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Milt Hinton, George Shearing, Buddy Tate, Nat Pierce, Buddy DeFranco, Walt, also prolific as a composer (formal studies with Stanley Hollingsworth), served as composer in residence for the Detroit Dance Collective, the Acoustic Arts Ensemble and the Detroit Concert Choir. Additionally, Walt has served as Instructor of Jazz Trumpet, Arranging and Composition Studies at Oakland University (Rochester, MI) 1985-92, as well as the Center for Creative Studies (Detroit, MI) 1988-90. His numerous artistic wards include 1972 Best Trumpet (State of Michigan Phi Mu Alpha), 1976-77 Arranger and Soloist awards (NAJE, IAJE), 1989-92 Best Trumpet and Best Composer awards (Metro-Times Annual Music Awards), and 1993 Jazz Hall of Fame (Metro-Times Annual Music Awards).

Establishing residency in New York in 1993, Walt quickly established musical affiliations with Barry Altschul, Kenny Drew Jr., Kirk Lightsey, Cecil McBee, Eddie Hendersen, David Scnitter, and Jimmy Madison. His first New York jazz group, Emergence, featured new compositions inspired by Walt's move to NYC. He soon was performing as an instrumentalist/soloist with Ray Santos and CAME, the Mingus Big Band, Wayne Andre, Nancy Banks Orchestra and the Jazz Composers Orchestra. His current musical activities include principal trumpet for the Billy Strayhorn Project, the Charles Tolliver Big Band, co-leader of the Jambalya Brass Band and musical director of George Gee's Make Believe Ballroom Orchestra and Jump Jivin' Wailers. In 2004 Walt co-produced a CD with legendary arranger/composer Frank Foster entitled "Settin' the Pace" featuring the George Gee Orchestra. Also a lover of classical music as well, Walt is principal trumpet with the Metropolitan Brass Quintet and the Gotham Brass Quintet. He additionally has appeared with the Harlem Festival Orchestra and the Greater Allen Cathedral of New York Orchestra.