for the Love of Music past shows

LM24-30. DeeAnn’s “Its My Time”

Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

‘for the LOVE of Music” with Sara Troy and her guest DEEANN, on air from July 23rd

It’s My Time. In 2015, years after setting aside her larger musical dreams to dedicate herself to raising a family, multi-talented singer/songwriter, DeeAnn is back to create her legacy. Her latest album It’s My Time, currently receiving National airplay with Neal Sapper, New World n Jazz and featuring three original songs amidst a mix of folk, pop and jazz classics, is the latest manifestation of the Niagara Falls, NY native’s renewed vision of her life.  

The singer laid the foundation for her newly burgeoning career with her cleverly titled 2017 collection Desperately Seeking DeeAnn, which was produced by contemporary jazz bassist, RiShon Odel (Brian Culbertson, Najee). When her father, popular Buffalo area jazz performer Frank DiMeo, learned she was finally embracing what he felt was her destiny as a jazz singer, he was thrilled.  Though she had previously sung pop and country professionally, he was the one who introduced her as a little girl to the music of Ella Fitzgerald and his favorite, Sarah Vaughan.  

To pay tribute to her dad’s influence, DeeAnn invited him to sing two duets with her (“Unforgettable” and “Fly Me to the Moon”).  The collection also featured the blues and jazz influenced original tune, “Everybody’s Got a Story”, whose chorus served as her life’s new mission statement: “Everybody’s Got a Story/Everybody’s got a cross to bear/Everybody’s got something to say/So shine the light and spread your love.” The following year, DeeAnn was honored to be inducted into the Niagara Falls Music Hall of Fame.  

The singer soon had a painful story to tell.  The tragedy of losing her 23-year-old son William Michael Tompkins to a motorcycle accident, after she and Odel had completed most of the tracks of “It’s My Time’ threw DeeAnn’s life into a tailspin and delayed the project indefinitely.  Her original concept was to record an album of old standards, and the two had 90 percent of them.    

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When DeeAnn came back to the project she added a few new, very personal songs, starting with a heartrending, gospel-influenced version of “You Are My Sunshine”, a song she sang to William to put him to sleep when he was a child.  Odel’s sensitive yet rousing and inspirational production features members of the Buffalo Philharmonic String Quartet (Roman Mekhulnov).

Another original tune she added, the soulful ballad, “A Little Romance,” is a homage to the “angels” who helped her during her lowest points: “You help me pray, when my faith is shaken/You give me hope, help my soul awaken.” The other originals are the passionate love ballad “Here to Stay” and “Writing on the Wall,” a whimsical, hard hitting, brassy blues-rock breakup song, a duet with Mick Hayes that balances the poignancy of the album.  

The other tracks on It’s My Time reveal DeeAnn as a masterful song interpreter and storyteller who turns words and melodies of legendary writers and artists into her own emotional narratives.  Drawing from a wide range of styles and eras, these include “Blue Skies,” “Summertime,” “Killing Me Softly,” “My Funny Valentine,” “Nearness of You” and “Fine and Mellow.”

Hailing from a small steel town outside of Buffalo, DeeAnn was raised in a musical family, learning standards that would eventually become part of her repertoire.  In addition to the smooth vocal stylings of her father Frank, she was inspired early on by Buffalo Blue Note legend, DoDo Green and attended multiple jazz jams.  During her early days as a pop/rock singer, she won Best Female Vocalist at the Buffalo Music Awards two years in a row.  Her later success as a country artist earned her placements on numerous radio CD compilations, resulting in airplay throughout the U.S and Europe.  When she returned to music as a jazz-blues singer in the mid-2010’s, she won Best Female Blues Vocalist at the Buffalo Night Life Music Awards and her 2019 EP Stay Here won Best Jazz CD from JazzBuffalo.org. 

Tony Zambito, Executive Director of JazzBuffalo, says, “DeeAnn is not only a soulful powerhouse, but also a superb storyteller who’s emotionally charged performances create a deeply personal and wonderful listening experience for audiences.  Whether interpreting timeless classics or presenting her own originals, DeeAnn captivates listeners with her heartfelt delivery and genuine connection, making each concert and listen truly memorable.”

https://deeannmusic.com

https://www.facebook.com/DeeAnnMusic

https://www.instagram.com/deeann_dimeosings

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LM24-04. Kevin Flournoy’s Three Decades in Music

Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

“for the LOVE of Music” with Sara Troy and her guest Kevin Flournoy, on air from January 9th.

An unstoppable behind the scenes force of musical nature since his 1994 breakthrough as a producer with “Sweet Sensual Love,” Big Mountain’s follow-up to their smash “Baby I Love Your Way,” and keyboardist on their Reggae Sunsplash tour, Kevin Flournoy has amassed a dizzyingly prolific all-star resume in the jazz, pop and R&B realms over the past three decades. 

Driven by an expansive, panoramic perspective on music, and starting with his subsequent 90s work with The Emotions, Teena Marie and Ronnie Laws (helming the saxophonist’s Blue Note tribute album Harvest for the World – Portrait of the Isley Brothers), Kevin has written, performed or recorded with Chaka Khan, Babyface, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Jeffrey Osborne, The Pointer Sisters, Jennifer Hudson, Howard Hewitt, Jamie Foxx, The Jazz Crusaders and contemporary jazz greats Boney James, Norman Brown, Kirk Whalum and Harvey Mason. In the 2000s, Flournoy toured with Donny Osmond for six years.

Now, marking an extraordinary 30 years as the music industry’s premiere “go-to” guy in a multitude of arenas, Kevin is finally emerging as a recording artist in his own right, writing, recording and producing his independent debut album Vers•a•tility. Much like Quincy Jones did in the 80s and 90s with his epic eclectic albums The Dude, Back on the Block, Q’s Jook Joint and From Q, With Love, the keyboardist/producer features a dynamic array of guest artists, complementing legends he has worked with throughout his career with hand-selected young and vibrant artists on the rise. The collection features eight vocal tracks and four instrumentals spotlighting Kevin’s brilliance as a keyboardist and composer. 

“This project is a culmination of everything I know, each style I’ve played, and all I have done and want to do in music,” he says. “It’s special because it reveals all aspects of my artistry and lays a proper foundation for what I intend to write and produce moving forward. I’ve been dreaming about creating this album for many years and I’m delighted that it’s finally come to fruition. I’ve finally been able to emote through my art in such a way that is bringing joy to many people who are hearing my music for the first time.” 

“What I like most about these sessions,” Kevin adds, “is that they’ve allowed me to work with some of the most sought-after studio musicians and celebrity vocalists in the industry. The album has always allowed me to develop relationships with some of the top recording studios (Capital, Westlake, East West, Sunset Sound) and studio engineers in the world, including late great 20-time Grammy winner Al Schmitt.”

Released this past year, Vers•a•tility’s first lead single “Tell Me If You Still Care” featuring vocals by Phil Perry and Shannon Pearson, is a lush, sensual re-imagining of the mid-80s Top 5 R&B hit by The S.O.S Band, composed by Jimmy Jam and /Terry Lewis. The YouTube video of a live presentation of the song has 2.5M+ views on YouTube and earned Song of the Year honors from the Orlando Urban Film Festival. The track marks a special reunion between Flournoy and Perry, whom the keyboardist played for years ago at Kimball’s East in Oakland. 

The second lead single was the original Kevin-penned R&B/pop vocal track “You’re All I Need” featuring Filipino singer Orion Song, winner of The Voice Australia Anja Nissen and Christine Noel, well known for her tours as a backup singer for Miley Cyrus. The upcoming third single “Smooth It Over” is a special reunion with Ronnie Laws featuring Kevin on piano, while Kevin’s original urban jazz instrumental “Put It There” will be the fourth. 

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Other tracks include “Caribbean Blue,” which reunites Kevin with Quino, lead singer of Big Mountain; a twist on Al Green’s “Still in Love With You,” featuring Cerissa McQueen; a duet of the Barbra Streisand classic “Evergreen” by guest artists Cerissa McQueen and Adam Aejaye Jackson; an emotional version of Etta James’ iconic “At Last” with vocals by Shannon Pearson; and “A Parting Glance” featuring Native Vibe. In addition to “Put It There” and “Smooth It Over,” Kevin is the composer and main performer on the instrumentals “Secrets,” “Tears Are Gone” and “Move It Over,” which features San Diego guitar great Patrick Yandall and bassist Melvin Lee Davis, who is Chaka Khan’s musical director. 

Kevin in part credits his father, a marine who played trombone, for cultivating his love for music early on by taking him and his siblings to a local music store in Barstow, CA to pick out an instrument to play. Kevin played guitar for several years before gravitating to his sister’s original instrument, the organ and ultimately piano. A professor at Kevin’s future alma mater University of California San Diego, Jimmy Cheatham, introduced him to the music of Count Basie when he was 15 and Kevin played in a big band for five years. Kevin earned a B.A. in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Music Science and Technology. Another major influence on Kevin as he made his way in the music industry was Marvin Gaye’s onetime musical director Nolan Shaheed. 

In addition to his work with countless artists and working on numerous TV projects including American Idol, Kevin is the creator of an original video music-talk program called The K-Flow Show, a fresh take on the traditional music/talk show featuring organic live performances by celebrity and independent pop artists. Conceived as something of a mix between Hugh Hefner’s classic TV show Playboy After Dark, MTV Unplugged and Daryl Hall’s Live from Daryl’s House, The K Flow Show – which takes place in an intimate, living room type setting – will also spotlight instrumental performers and TV and film actors. Kevin has brought a live version of The K Flow Show to the Miracle Theatre in Inglewood, CA and in January 2024 will bring the special presentation to the Blues and Jazz Festival in Ghana, Africa. 

Kevin is also deeply involved in a philanthropic effort as producer of a celebrity recording compilation On a Very Special Note, which will benefit The Art of the Olympians and the World Harmony Run/Peace Run – a project that will ultimately benefit people all over the globe. The original songs for the project have been composed by Kevin for each celebrity participant. A very important strategic promotional alliance with the Peace Run organization was forged when Kevin was honored with the Sri Chinmoy-Torch-Bearer Award, given to individuals who support and contribute to making the world a better place. Previous recipients include Archbishop Kevin Tutu, Russell Simmons, Carl Lewis and Billie Jean King.

https://www.kevinflournoy.com

www.facebook.com/kevin.flournoy1

Insgram@kevin.flo 

youtube.com/c/KevinFlournoy100 

tiktok.com/@kevin.flournoy

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LM23-50. Joe Coleman Veteran, Singer, Author Extraordinaire.

Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

“for the LOVE of Music” with Sara Troy and her guest Joe Colman, on air from December 11th

Joe Coleman, former lead singer of ‘The Platters’ Joe Coleman joined the Platters for a two-decade stint as the group’s lead singer in addition to gaining a successful career as a songwriter and playwright. Joe Blunt performed and recorded with the Drifters for over a decade in venues all over the world alongside Ben E. King and Johnny Moore, earning a Lifetime Achievement Award from Sony Records. Theo Peoples was discovered and hand-selected to join the ‘Temptations’ group in 1992 and made Motown history by becoming the first musician to be in both The Temptations and The Four Tops.

Now also an Author of a children’s book with a message and a song, he shares his life in the Air Force, his love of music and his continued passion to bring soul to his audience.

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The Voices of Classic Soul have been around the world and back again several times each as the lead singers of four of the most legendary vocal groups of all time: the Temptations, Platters, the Four Tops, and Drifters. The three singers have a back-story right out of a Hollywood movie; Coleman, Blunt & Peoples grew up singing together in church and on street corners throughout the 1960s before finding fame and fortune separately, then reuniting after 30 years to harmonize together once again.

A Book for children on choosing happiness

AMAZON

The DanSing Pancakes’ Healthy Choices Musical Story is a new, edutaining, high-action, illustrated children’s book written in rhymes, and with a “scan and play” audiobook by voiceover narrator and actress Shayna Small and with a hot new song, written and performed by legendary Platters® lead singer Joe Coleman.

The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington [DC] proudly had a cameo part in the fun song. Please visit www.DanSingPancakes.com.

Pablo and Priscilla Pancake were born suddenly in a frying pan at a home near yours. They bathe in bowls of syrup and they attend Panfry Primary School. There they encounter “human” classmates smoking, and talking about drinking and doing drugs.

Through their adventurous story and a hot new song, the DanSing Pancakes help kids resist drugs, alcohol, and smoking while teaching them positive choices such as studying hard, eating healthy foods, and being good friends.

What readers are saying about Joe Coleman’s DanSingPancakes: “I wanted to tell you about a little boy I read it to in the play therapy room. His mother, who has struggled with addiction and is on the verge of losing him was in the lobby. He sang the song until he memorized it. He then went out to the lobby, got down on his knees in front of his mother seated in the chair, and sang it to her and made her sing it with him. Joe it was quite honestly one of the most moving things this old therapist has seen in 30 years. So that is my critique of your book through the eyes of a little boy who dearly loves his mother.”-Beth Hughes; Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, and Certified Trauma Therapist who specializes in treatment of traumatized children & adolescents, and their families.

FIND JOE’S LAST SHOW WITH SARA HERE

https://jscolemanenterprises.com

https://www.dansingpancakes.com

https://www.facebook.com/JoeColeman6

Voices of Classic Soul

1) Voices of Classic Soul | Facebook

Booking agent

shaili@allenmediastrategies.com 

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All of our shows/interviews are done by donation, if you enjoyed this show please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support, thank you. and please support Our Forgotten Children’s anthology and help to bring this book into production.

Swapna Abraham.

Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Multiple World Record Holder & Award Winner, Singer-Songwriter, Actor, Author, Interior Designer, Mentor and Versatile Corporate Professional.

A multiple world record holder and award winner, Swapna Abraham is a singer-songwriter, actor, author, interior designer, mentor, and versatile corporate professional from Kerala with her roots and formation in India and prime experience in the UAE.

Swapna has authored and produced 21 musical albums and performed extensively on the international gospel music platform (www.swapnaabraham.com). Holding 4 world records in singing and songwriting with the Golden Book of World Records (www.1000songsin1000days.com), she has also published a memoir ‘She Played In The Dark’ entailing the journey and lessons through the 1000-day world record journey.

NEW SHOW AIRS DECEMBER 5TH, JUST CLICK ON THE BANNER.

SHOW THREE. Composed live – music and lyrics, one song everyday for 1000 days from 8 April 2017 to 2 January 2020

This project was an afterthought before embarking on a world record attempt to establish legitimacy in the outcome. And proceeded to be a world record in its own right with the Golden Book of World Records – Longest quotidian feat of composing, producing and publishing children’s song incessantly.

SHOW TWO. ‘She Played In The Dark’ is the story of a protagonist that found her own definition of and path to fulfilment and success if one may call it that. All this with the responsibility of caring for two college-going children, one of which got married and had two babies in the course of the challenge; aged parents who were always at the back of her mind, the hustle with a rather busy day job that paid the bills, health matters, any travel whether it was on the road to work, by air reaching family and friends or in a lift headed for home (and the challenge).

SHOW ONE. To share my story of realizing my calling after having reached what I imagined was a dead end. There are people out there that are probably at that dead end and cannot see the light of day. If mine could help them see and navigate, I’d have achieved far more than I did through my 1000-day challenge that set four world records in singing-songwriting and everything until then.

Swapna has authored and produced 21 musical albums and performed extensively on the international gospel music platform (www.swapnaabraham.com). Holding 4 world records in singing and songwriting with the Golden Book of World Records (www.1000songsin1000days.com), she has also published a memoir ‘She Played In The Dark’ entailing the journey and lessons through the 1000-day world record journey.

A mentor in singing and songwriting, Swapna championed the first branded karaoke cafe ‘Kafeoke’ in India with a school for singing and songwriting and a recording studio. She is also known for her acting performances as Donna in the Mamma Mia musical directed by the late Mithran Devanesan, and Meenakshi in the Tamil feature film Nadunissi Naaygal directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon. An alumnus of the T A Pai Management Institute and Indian Institute of Management Kolkata, she is the India Country Chair for Media Arts & Communication of G100, a global organization for the equitable elevation of women. Leaving no flair unpursued, Swapna is also an interior designer and member of the Designers Society of America (www.alikainteriors.com).

Her most recent musical work is the 12-song album titled LOVED. One of the songs NO LOVE LOST (feat Devan Ekambaram) received the following awards through 2023:

  • Silver – One Earth Awards – Best American Roots Song
  • Silver Medal – Outstanding Achievement – Global Music Awards – Country, Female Vocalist
  • Finalist – Spring 2023 – World Songwriting Awards – Best Modern Country Song 
  • Official 2023 Finalist – InterContinental Music Awards
  • Official Nomination – Hollywood Independent Music Awards – Country (Crossover)

She is presently producing the 1000 songs that were written on A Children’s Song A Day through the 1000 days and that set one of the four world records; and is soon expecting it to be published internationally along with the song book in two volumes. This will be the biggest album of original songs made for children in the age group of 4-12.

In culmination, Swapna is the recipient of the NeedStar Award (2010), a Women’s Day Citation ‘Role Model for her progress and success in the field of Mainstream Career, Art & Entrepreneurship’; the Lamp-Icongo Karmaveer Chakra for Gospel Music Maestro Award (2012) for the contribution to gospel music from 1991-2012; the Aspire World Award (2019) for her Passion for Excellence at the 31st Global Women’s Empowerment Summit, Dubai; and the Women of Excellence Award at the  Women Economic Forum (2022). Swapna was awarded a doctorate (honoris causa) in music in 2022 from Vinayaka Mission’s Research Foundation (Deemed To Be University).

AMAZON

Finalist for the World Songwriting Awards, Spring 2023, for Best Modern Country Song

We are honoured to have Swapna join us as an author on Our Forgotten Children’s Book

https://open.spotify.com/embed/track

www.swapnaabraham.com

www.1000songsin1000days.com

music@swapnaabraham.com

facebook.com/swapna.abraham

instagram.com/1000in1000

linkedin.com/in/swapna-abraham-

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LM23-47. Connor Nelson, the MUSIC is Within me.

Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

“for the LOVE of Music” with Sara Troy and her guest Connor Nelson, on air from November 21st

I wish to share music because it is something I am insanely passionate about, singing writing and producing music is creatively and mentally liberating. I believe music is a
universal language, and my wish is for my music to be an emotional outlet for everybody to pour themselves into. The journey would be singing and learning piano since I was in
third grade, which evolved into writing music when I was sixteen, receiving a diploma in Electronic Music Production for my musical studies, and learning guitar during
quarantine. All of these factors have accumulated into creating the artist I am today.

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Connor Nelson is the captivating force behind the enchanting realm of midnight pop. A dedicated full-time musician, Connor possesses a rare trifecta of talent as a singer, songwriter, and producer. His music effortlessly blends the intoxicating vocals of R&B with the polished sheen of mainstream pop, resulting in a truly mesmerizing sonic experience.
It comes as no surprise that Connor’s exceptional vocal abilities have garnered attention from notable figures in the music industry, including Conan Gray, Jessie J, and Tate
Mcrae. Their recognition serves as a testament to his extraordinary talent and undeniable potential. In addition, Connor’s exceptional achievements include being
named the “Alternative/Indie Artist of the year” and winning an award for “Excellence by a Queer Artist” at the 2023 Fraser Valley Music Awards, as well as being honoured as
an Ovation Award Winner, a prestigious accolade bestowed upon a single musician from among thousands of singers across Canada and the United States.

As he embarks on his musical journey, Connor’s dedication to his craft and unwavering commitment to excellence shine through in every aspect of his work. With a professional yet personable approach, he invites listeners to immerse themselves in his captivating world of midnight pop, where his voice, lyrics, and melodies intertwine to create an unforgettable captivating experience.

http://www.itsconnornelson.com
itsconnornelson@gmail.com
facebook.com/itsconnornelson
instagram.com/itsconnornelson
tiktok.com/@itsconnornelson
youtube.com/channel/UCjlK2g994XuPrLiw4D00Z5w
Twitter – https://twitter.com/itsconnornelson

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/

Apple Music / Itunes: https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/connor-nelson

Amazon Music:https://music.amazon.ca/artists/B01EIURIQQ/connor-nelson

Deezer:https://deezer.page.link/pVkREHhTgTXk52S69

Tidal:https://tidal.com/browse/artist/11756160

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All of our shows/interviews are done by donation, if you enjoyed this show please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support, thank you. and please support Our Forgotten Children’s anthology and help to bring this book into production.