THE NEW SOUND OF SOUL SERIES: MAYA AZUCENA

FEATURING:
Maya Azucena, vocals
Christian Ver Halen, guitar
Chris Rob, piano/keys/vocals
Solomon Dorsey, bass
Ive 09, drums
Lakecia Benjamin, sax
Rashida Bryant, vocals
Honey LaRochelle, vocals
Hasan Salaam, special guest MC

When Brooklyn singer/songwriter Maya Azucena released her solid, soulfully funky, debut CD, aptly titled Maya Who?!, it was meant to playfully address how many responded to hearing her exotic surname for the first time. However, after hearing her music or seeing her perform, that question was quickly spun to echo those keenly wanting to know who this strikingly talented new artist on the scene was. They were no doubt quick to discover what has been described as her "powerfully compelling voice" which "echoes of old-school divas, like Chaka Khan and Roberta Flack." (as quoted from Village Voice and NY Post respectively). "I sing what I mean and what I feel from the bottom of my heart," says Maya with an undeniable tone of sincerity and it undoubtedly comes through in all she does as it has earned her streams of love, admiration, respect and opportunity. CDBaby.com, the well-regarded online music store where Maya's internationally acclaimed debut CD, Maya Who?!, remains in the Urban/R&B Top Sellers list, was encouraged to say "This soul/R&B/hip hop album is a fantastic launching point for a young woman with a bright and long career ahead of her."

Maya's 2007 sophomore release, Junkyard Jewel, has earned accolades in such reputable publications as Recording Magazine and Billboard. After self-distributing her debut, it was a newfound relationship with Purpose Records that brought Junkyard Jewel to the national retailers in September. The album, produced by Andre Fratto of Great Waters Productions, is fueled by the guitar work and string arrangements of Christian Ver Halen, (Maya's main song collaborator), and a solid band consisting of percussionist Ivan Katz, bassist Jason DiMatteo, violinist Tarrah Reynolds and cellist David Gotay. Maya's expressive voice shines on the breezy mid-tempo "Set You Free," the heart wrenched "Runaway Blues," and the soulful love song "Like No Other." Ballads such as "Wash Over" and the title cut "Junkyard Jewel" put Maya's soulful voice above the rest. Her rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" has been a fan favorite at shows and now, finally recorded, is notable, inspiring, and spine-tingling. Maya describes her offering as "a collection of songs that express my personal feelings about the things I've lived through, the world I see around me, and the hope and faith I live by."

Not only has a burgeoning résumé of impressive accomplishments been the result of her independent ventures, but also a resounding buzz often reserved for those touted as a star in the making. The range of these accomplishments is a reflection of the truly creative artist Maya is, and the enormous ability she possesses, proving the buzz is certainly warranted. AllHipHop.com recently named the one-time aspiring actress "Best Alternative Artist of the Year," while Soultracks.com has touted her as a "Best Female Vocalist of the Year" nominee two years in a row, adding "Best Album" and "Song of the Year" nominations for the 2007 Soul Tracks Readers Choice Awards. In the process of planting seeds for her burgeoning career, Maya Azucena has shared stages or been on bills with legendary artists, vets and newcomers from the worlds of R&B, Soul, Hip Hop, Jazz, Rock and more. Artists such as Roberta Flack, Roy Ayers, Vernon Reid, Stephen Marley, Martin Luther, Jaguar Wright, Joss Stone, Leon Ware, Richard Bona, Bilal, Lupe Fiasco, Big Daddy Kane, the Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight, Anthony Hamilton, Platinum Pied Pipers, and John Legend comprise the partial list. In addition to criss-crossing the US with riveting performances, she's toured cities in Canada, Italy, and England as well as Stockholm, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Croatia where Croatian superstar, Gibonni enlisted Maya's vocal talents for a track named, "Andejo U Tebi" (''Angel In You'') on his latest CD. As a result of their collaboration, the song garnered 2 Croatian Grammy awards (or PORIN, as they are called) and a stellar performance at the televised ceremony.

Maya's soaring and sensual performance is featured on Grammy-winning producer/songwriter (and son of the legendary Bob), Stephen Marley's track, "Let Her Dance," from his latest Universal/Tuff Gong release "Mind Control." Maya even recently had the Number 3 spot on BILLBOARD'S Hot Club Dance chart with the single, "Make It Happen" on Kult Records. Her new Jason Fisher-directed video is on rotation at BET-J. And, there is an ever-growing list of collaborations with notable international music producers such as Devo Springsteen, DJ Bob Sinclair, Stephen Marley, Jonathan Peters and Rich Medina, as well as various artists, rappers and DJs. Her voice may even have grabbed your attention through the national NAIR commercials in "The Less You Wear" and "Short Shorts" campaigns plus others like Johnson & Johnson, Icy Hot, Macy's INC, Mike's Hard Lemonade, and Longhorn Steakhouse.

All that Maya Azucena has done thus far is indeed impressive. Not merely by the amount of accomplishments she has achieved, but because of the realization of something taking place that means far more to her. That something is growth. On the back cover of her debut CD she then wrote, "I am a work in progress." This was both a refreshing and revealing statement. For one, she was being incredibly modest, for even then she displayed great ability, poise, and professionalism that immediately hoisted her among the premiere artists to watch on the soul scene. But it was also a declaration from the start that she is a sincere, creative artist first, driven by the desire to move an audience emotionally and physically - challenging herself each time to explore ways to do it differently- do it better.

ARE YOU READY TO EXPLORE THE "JEWEL"?
www.JUNKYARDJEWEL.com