Today we’re talking with Jermaine St. Omer who is the bandleader for “Jermaine and Saint O”. The Band plays a special brand of Jazz known as “Afro Caribbean Jazz”, where they include a steel pan to give the music a very distinct island sound.
Tony Coke: Where are you from and how long have you been making music?
Jermaine:I am originally from the Caribbean island of St.Lucia,but have made Canada my home for a number of years.I have been exposed to music since the age of 17 ,playing with the renowned Tru-Tones on the island of St.Lucia.
Tony Coke: What are you currently promoting?
Jermaine:We are currently promoting our participation in a band competition hosted by Landmark Events, in hopes of scoring a recording contract with a major label. We have just been confirmed to move on to the finals on January 16/2016.
Tony Coke: Awesome! Congratulations! That’s very interesting, how does that work?
Jermaine:Whats interesting is that we get to showcase our talent to a host of industry professionals including record company executives, publicists, managers, producers etc., who wouldn’t have had the opportunity to see us on the festival circuit.
Tony Coke: Very cool, so is your goal just to get a record deal?
Jermaine:Our current musical goals are to take our show to the international market, where we can share our love for our musical genre, “Afro Caribbean Jazz”. The sky is the limit in our pursuit of the musical dream, to be recognized and respected as music professionals.
Tony Coke: I love it, what’s are you guys working on next?
Jermaine:We are currently working with our marketing team, web designer, videographer and media consultant to launch our band Jermaine and SAINT “O” for the 2016 jazz season both locally and internationally.
Tony Coke: Great, great. That sounds like a really cool genre and circuit to be on with opportunities around the world. Best of luck to you guys!
Stay up to date with Jermaine and Saint O on their website or Facebook page.
I meet so many awesome and inspiring people with BandsRising, some turn out to be right in my own backyard. Kimia is a very diverse and talented musician from London, currently living in Dallas, Tx. She writes and records several different genres of music, and has traveled the world connecting and collaborating with other musicians.
Tony Coke: Some of your music is singer / songwriter based, some of it leans towards electronic, some even has hints of country. What type of music do you most identify with, what do listen to when you put on your headphones?
Kimia: My background is classical and I’m a huge jazz fan as well. Much of my writing for my personal projects is singer/songwriter but I love participating in a variety of genres (jazz, hip-hop, electronic, pop, world, Celtic) because I love meeting people and trying different things. I’ve lived on three continents and have been influenced by a lot of different music and cultures as a result, so I have very eclectic taste when it comes to music. The electronic music is a collaboration with a talented young DJ and has been a lot of fun. I’m also working on some hip/hop violin and reggae with a local artist in Dallas and that is a lot of fun too! I’m always happy to accompany friends as a violinist on their projects too (or fiddle as they call it in Texas ☺).
Tony Coke: You have a new project to be released soon, give us the down low.
Kimia: It’s a pop album with a full band. There will be a couple of songs on the album that are acoustic and that is because I wanted the lyrics to be the focus of those songs. I wanted a lot of space and didn’t want the songs to be overproduced. As a musician as well as a writer, I try to find a balance between space for the musicians to shine and letting the lyrics/message be the focus.
Tony Coke: Why did you write it, what was your inspiration?
Kimia: So, as well as being a professional musician, I’m a professional psychologist. I spend a lot of time helping others work through situations but often don’t take the time to process my own feelings! ☺ This album focuses on lessons from life and love. I wanted to be more real and personal with this one. Some songs are about my experiences and some were written for friends, e.g. a remembrance song written on the 1 year anniversary of a friends death from cancer.
Tony Coke: Wow, very impressive, you must be super busy! Is the album already completed? Can people see videos in the studio or get involved with the recording?
Kimia: The recording is almost completed and the album will be mixed by the end of the month. There will be behind the scenes videos on my facebook page over the next few weeks www.facebook.com/kimiajourneys
Tony Coke: When does it come out and how will people be able to listen?
Kimia: The release date is on October 16th and the album will be available in person at the CD release party in Dallas, as well as on iTunes and other online retailers.
Tony Coke: How involved are you in the beats and production of your music? there is piano in one of your tracks, is that you as well?
Kimia: I’m very involved in the production of my music and select session musicians based on a sound I’m looking for, but I’m always open to their ideas as well. The beauty of bringing a track to life is in the collaboration. We have a great music scene in Dallas and I’m fortunate to know and work with some really talented people. I specifically have to give a shout out to my friends The Funky Knuckles, Whiskey Holler, The Selkie Girls and Crystal Clear Sound.
Tony Coke: We were talking beforehand, and you mentioned a world music project you were working on. What are the details on that?
Kimia: I love to travel and meet people from different cultures. I also think its important that we work together and learn from each other. Recently I had the opportunity to travel to India to write with and produce music with two different groups. I was looking for a tabla player and was thrilled to meet one and work with him too. I’ve been enjoying working on several different genres this year so I decided to split my projects into three different releases. I’ll have my pop/singer, songwriter album, an electronic music collaboration album and a world genre collaboration with influences from India, Africa and the Middle East. It’s been a special year so far and I’ve made some great new friendships along the way.
Tony Coke: Very cool! What’s the best way for people to connect with you?
Meshach Abednego is a performing artist from New York. Images come to mind of Robert Johnson and Bob Dylan when listening to his music, but those are quickly replaced by the images and messages his music articulates.
Tony Coke:You play guitar, sing, and write.
Which do you identify most with or which would you rather be known for?
Meshach Abednego: I’m more of a performing artist than anything else. I say that because my work is driven a sense of social mission. So wether its with an instrument, my voice or written words, my aim is to uplift humanity and support social justice. Its my passion for humanity and love for those that suffer that I would like to be known for.
Tony Coke:How has being from Brooklyn influenced your music?
Meshach Abednego: I’ve lived in Brooklyn for most of my life and have been really shaped by its cultural diversity. This diversity has given me a freedom to explore different sounds and genres that you don’t often hear in mainstream music. Its liberating. So I guess you can say, Brooklyn has liberated me.
Tony Coke:You have a great video on your YouTube channel with your son, Thaddeus. It looks like he has passion, I see a possible duo in the future. Has having a child effected your music or musical ambitions? Meshach Abednego: Thaddeus is my muse. I experienced a creative awakening when he was born. Being a parent has made me keenly aware of my impact on the lives of others. Now its much more important that I follow my passion and teach my son how to live in bliss.
Tony Coke:That is great! The times have really changed, everyone should follow their passion. You have an EP scheduled for release in September, how is that going and what can we expect from that? Will it be just you, or will there be a band backing you? What is the recording process like for you?
Meshach Abednego: I’m recording at Battalion Studios in Brooklyn which a classic indi-rock environment. The songs are all traditional Delta Blues sound with just me on vocals, rhythm guitar and stomp-box percussion (like Son House or Robert Johnson).
Tony Coke:Cool. What’s coming up for Meshach Abednego after the release and how can people best connect with you?
Meshach Abednego: After the album release in September, I’ll be focusing on touring for the remainder of the year. I’ll be performing locally in September and October and am scheduling performances in Canada, London and Paris in December.
Tony Coke:Straight out of LA, Will Ovid joins us today on Bands Rising. Will is a teen musician, singer songwriter, and guitar player.
Good talking to you Will.
You’ve got that So-Cal vibe happening… Are you into the surf and skate scene? Or what occupies your time other than music? Will Ovid:
Thank-you!….. Actually I was briefly into the skateboarding scene for one summer, but the call of my music was too strong, so my interest in skating turned out to be very brief. I still have the boards though. Well I have to say doing homework occupies a lot of my time, but my second passion is comedy.
Tony Coke:Your single “Coming Home” is performed with a band behind it, but could totally be done solo singer songwriter style.
Do you typically have a band when you play live? Which do you prefer?
Will Ovid: Actually I love to perform as a solo singer, songwriter. I’m pretty passionate about playing some amazing ripping guitar onstage as well!
Tony Coke:I assume you write your own music, what is the writing process like for you? Music first, then lyrics? Or do the lyrics help write the melody and music?
Will Ovid:
Well I really consider myself a guitar player first, because I hear the music in my head and then get those melodies down with my guitar. Those melodies inspire my lyrics.
Tony Coke:Do you feel being from a music industry hub such as Los Angeles has helped your music career so far, or is more difficult since there is more competition in LA?
Will Ovid: I can honestly say being in Los Angeles has been a big plus for me, there is competition of course but there is also a huge family of musicians and producers that inspire and support each other.
Tony Coke:What’s next for Will Ovid and what’s the best way for people to connect with you?
