Biography
Soulful, driven and talented, kashan. fuses the vibes and sounds of jazz, soul, and R&B to create simplysoulmusic. simplysoulmusic is the soundtrack to your day off at home or in your car. kashan., creates music that makes your head bob and your shoulders dance, reminding you that good music is still alive. simplysoulmusic is the suggestion of the musical influences of artists such as Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, Sammy Davis, Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline, Nat King Cole and countless others. This vast array of artists can be heard in the storytelling style of kashan.'s original music with soul stirring lyrics that inspire dreamers, lovers and leaders to change the world around them.
As a young kid, growing up in rural west Tennessee, kashan. used music as an escape from shyness. He would lock himself away in his bedroom and become immersed in the finger snaps and rhythms, the drums and guitar; beaten and strummed by soulful lyrics of love, lust, deceit and pain. These songs not only inspired him to dance, but triggered in him the desire to sing. The music also brought forth a dormant talent for poetry and lyrics, leading him to focus his writing towards poetry and songs of experience, travel and self assurance
kashan., like many of his influences, grew up singing in the church. He was also very athletic as a child and many had expected him to excel in sports, which he did, but it was his experiences while attending Tennessee State University that helped him realize how important music had always been in his life. It was as a member of the premiere performance group, TSU Showstoppers that he learned to blend his history, talent & passion to detail his journey as a performing artist.
kashan. made Nashville his home for several years before making a bold decision to move to New York City in 2007 to fully pursue a recording career. The move to New York facilitated the birth of kashan.’s brainchild, simplysoulmusic, an energetic intersection of music styles and genres. Performing at open mics across New York, he simply billed himself as “The Naked Performer”; naked in the sense of no piano, no guitar, no music, just himself, his original lyrics, spoken word and vocals bared before any audience that would listen. Through performances crafted toward audience participation, he gained the attention of other musically inclined audience members who contributed by clothing the performer in a rich tapestry of musical disciplines that ultimately evolved into the simplysoulband.
This collective of talented individuals gather to perform simplysoulmusic and can range from just 1 to 12 individuals, depending on performance needs. All members are artists in their own right and have been collaboratively creating sounds throughout the Burroughs of New York City as kashan. & thesimplysoulband since 2008.
As a performer, kashan. has followed his dreams and traveled to over 20 different countries around the world, including Korea, Japan, Italy, Germany, Holland and the Philippines, performing not only his own original creative music, but also as singer, dancer and actor with several performance groups.
In early 2010, kashan. was afforded the opportunity to record his first CD, “shades of kashan.” a compilation of 12 original tracks including live performances, spoken word as well as beautiful, sincere ballads. kashan. is currently working on his sophomore recording and a journal of poetic prose to be released in the coming fall of 2010.
kashan. in 11 Questons
Current or most recent project:
shades of kashan.
Earliest memory of being a writer:
I remember writing a poem about Martin Luther King, the first couple of lines was Martin Luther King was a man with a dream, He had an ear, and a mind and a soul within ...But, I didn't know how to write a song until I had been thru some things good and bad! LOL
Earliest memory of being a singer:
When Whitney Houston's first record was released! I can remember dancing around and singing like she did. She was so beautiful and I was mesmerized by everything about her.
When did you first record your music? And under what circumstances?
I first started recording when I was cheering with the Titans. The producer that made the music for our squad told me he had some tracks that I should listen to and I wrote lyrics to them and then recorded them. I've yet to actually pay any cash to record, I have always worked with people that believe in my music and voice
How do you identify and nurture ideas for new projects?
I'm open to the adventures of life, and I seek them in meeting people and visiting different and new locations. I really believe in seizing the moment and having fun. if I see people smiling and laughing I always want a piece of it and i usually navigate to it, whether I know the people or not. I don't believe in meeting strangers, we are all connected in one way or another.
Please name 1-3 singers/writers/performers that have influenced your artistic style and why?
It's so hard to put this into 3 performers, because I am a lil bit of everything, so I'm going to put as many as I please and we'll have to deal with the semantics of this later,lol
Whitney Houston, was one of the first voices that I remember and that smile. I wanted her to be a friend or an older sister. I loved her instantly!
Ella Fitzgerald- because her voice is unstoppable and she had a career than spanned over half a century and whenever she sang it was a master class within itself that you just wanted to study.
Donny Hathaway! Loved his lyrics and timber of his voice. He made, soulful, sultry and sad, remarkable chilling. I loved to think I was in a set where he was on the keys and trying out new sounds for the people!
Kim Burrell-Inspires me because of her conviction in singing but giving her message in a way that was her on
India Arie.! Where do i begin! It is because of her first single that showed me I could do music my way and on my own terms. Video is the name of the song, and it made me so happy that it led me to fully focus on writing and entertaining as a life's career!
What 2 books and 2 CDs should everyone own?
Book -The Secret & Running with Scissors
CDs -Kim Burrell-Everlasting Life &
India Arie-Acoustic Soul
Do you believe LGBT performers have an obligation to the LGBT community? Why or why not?
I think that performers regardless of their sexual orientation should be true to their message in the craft. I think that when there is truth there is redemption and understanding. I think that performers should stand up in situations dealing with sexuality if it is for the betterment of the people but everyone's situation is different and their privacy should be respected as well as the artists decision.
What is the biggest misconception about you and/or your work?
Someone once told me that I was too proper with my lyrics. It was an English major, which made it even more confusing! But, i feel that my music doesn't take a lot to understand, it's melodic, intelligent and takes ya own a ride!
What advice would you give aspiring singer/songwriters?Thicken ya skin! Make ya rules as ya go, but be open to learning from the triumphs and mistakes of others. Do a little bit of something you love each day!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself doing what I love to do right now, which is making music and peforming in many capacities. I see myself married with a home, perhaps after having lived 5 years abroad!
A young musician at a crossroad, brings his intersection of jazz, soul and R&B to Chicago.
Perfomance: Saturday, May 1, 2010
Location: Sidetrack Video Bar
3347 N. Halsted, Chicago, IL
Time: 4 pm 7 pm
