| Tashan is from Poughkeepsie, NY, a little place
by the Hudson River in Upstate NY. Music was very much part of Tashan’s
life from an early age. Already as a child, his mother ensured he participated
in the local dance institute, hoping to stimulate his obvious talents.
From time to time Tashan was taken out of school for various auditions
in New York, with Tashan becoming part of a group called Estelle and
Alphonse's Dance Studio, performing before live audiences.Tashan has
been in the music business since the eighties. His first break back
came in the early '80s when Jalil from the group Whodini asked Tashan
to come with them to London and write a song called "Yours for a Night"
on their debut album. Tashan travelled back and forth on the Metro north
meeting with Russell Simmons at 1133 Broadway (Back in the day on the
train...goin down to the city ......lookin for fame) playin demos he
recorded with just him and a piano.His journey from that point on has
been a "trip". The ups and downs, the chance to be heard on radio to
be seen on tv, to travel the world, but most importantly an opportunity
to do what he loves the most and that is write, record and perform songs.
A song to Tashan is like a baby. A gift from God that you create nurture
and share with the world. Well from then Kurtis Blow put Tashan on the
first Fat Boys album (Can you feel it?) and Afrika Bambataa liked his
track with Whodini. Tashan subsequently toured with the Zulu Nation
as a part of Shango. Finally he got his own deal from Russell on Def
Jam and recorded the first CD "Chasin a Dream". This project took a
long time to record since it was Tashan’s first time really making a
record but he realized that if you put your heart and soul into something
with focus and sheer determination God and the universe will allow it
to happen for you. His thanks go out to Heidi Smith,Bill Adler,Lisa
Cortez,Big D,Lyor Cohen,and Rush Management in those days who supported
Tashan through this project. A video was made from this album and Tashan
was heared on the radio for the first time. Success was his and Tashan
traveled as a result a lot in Europe on the "Soul Songs Tour" with Oran
Juice Jones, Chuck Stanley, and Alyson Williams doing shows with just
one band playin for all of us. As Tashan recalls: “I definitely felt
like I was a part of the Motown revue like in the "Temptations" movie”.
His second album was recorded for Original Black Records (OBR) which
was the label designed for souful singers since Def Jam was the house
of rap with friends Chuck and LLCool J. That album was a collection
of songs about the world and the black family. "Black man" and "Save
the family" videos from that album played on BET too. And Tashan even
got the chance to do and interview with Donnie Simpson on his birthday.
The next album was "For the Sake of Love" that was recorded in London,
England. It was a live album with musicians and the London Symphony
Orchestra. Tashan remembers: “Living overseas and making music was an
experience I'll always cherish and never forget.” He then released his
fourth mixtape style album "Life goez On" on Tashan’s own label PowerKingdom
Music and Recordings as he no longer had a deal on a major label. The
album was extremely well received by the UK soul crowd and has reached
a very collectable status already. |
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