JL Studios Recording Toronto

Voice Of McDonald's Semi-Finalists Vocal & Video Recording

2011-09-14T05:55:00.000-07:00

JL Studios had a wonderfully creative past two days working with Molly Marlow and Sarah Peterson recording vocals and shooting live off the floor video for the Voice of McDonald's IV worldwide singing contest.

The contest showcases the talents of McDonald's crew and managers worldwide, as they show the world all kinds of opportunities McDonald's provides for their restaurant employees.

Contestants were be able to enter through Voice of McDonald's competitions in their own countries or within their Areas of the World. The top 16 contestants (four each from North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia-Pacific/Middle East/Africa) will become Global Semi-Finalists, and eligible to compete in the final rounds at McDonald's 2012 Worldwide Convention in Orlando, Florida, USA. These changes were designed to increase the excitement of VOM among McDonald' customers and restaurant employees in their communities and countries around the world.

In addition to the local, Country and Area of the World levels, each Global Finalist will win a paid trip (with a guest) to Orlando to compete for top honors: First Prize: US$25,000, Second Prize: $17,000, Third Prize: $12,500, Fourth Prize: $7,500, Other Global Semi-Finalists: $3,000. Additional exciting prizes will be announced on the contest website.

Heating It Up With Lisa Ray

2011-06-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

OMG!! Lisa Ray, Bollywood/Hollywood Actress and former Model was recently at JL Studios recording voice and her quest for gold is heating up...on OH MY GOLD!  Starting July 11th on Discovery TLC.

Sneak peak into behind the scenes of Oh My Gold!

Twilight Star Robert Pattinson at JL Studios

2011-05-17T12:15:00.000-07:00

"Twilight" star Robert Pattinson stopped by JL Studios this afternoon to record ADR for an L.A. project in the works. Rob was very laid back and accompanied by two friends with a dog. He is a huge music fan and is an excellent musician, playing both the guitar and piano.

MR816 CSX Is JL Studios Newest Addition

2010-12-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

The MR816 CSX fuse fully featured FireWire interfaces and inbuilt DSP FX power with next-generation integrative technologies. Developed by Steinberg and Yamaha, both MR interfaces are the centerpiece of a latency-free recording and monitoring environment that fully exploits the flexibility and power of Cubase.
The MR816 CSX is, simply put, the ideal hardware for any Cubase owner who needs to record vocals, instruments, keyboards, percussion or any other audio source. The Advanced Integration between MR816 and Cubase offers a unique and powerful production solution that fully mirrors Cubase functionality, adds DSP power for mixing, allows on-the-fly rerouting of input signals via Quick Connect, full integration into the Cubase user interface and much more.

Apple Mac Pro Takes Center Stage at JL

2010-11-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

We are in love with our new Apple Mac Pro 2.26GHz 8-core!!! This baby is a member of Apple's most powerful family of computers yet. Boasting all-new "Nehalem" processors for seriously beefed up performance, the Mac Pro 2.26GHz 8-core accesses information between cores more efficiently than ever before. Plus, with a massive 640GB hard drive - and three more internal drive bays for expansion - along with 12GB of installed memory, four FireWire 800 ports, and five USB 2.0 ports, the studio has a powerhouse companion for your demanding professional audio work!!!

Morgan Kelly at JL Studios Recording for "Long Day Gone"

2009-11-23T08:51:00.000-08:00

Morgan Kelly at JL Studios for ADR voice on his soon to be released film, "Long Day Gone".

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Inspired by true events, Long Gone Day is the story of Christian Locke, a young rockstar who was on the verge of superstardom, then he disappeared. A year since his bands last tour, Christian no longer opens his door.

Phone calls are ignored, messages are not returned. Isolated in his loft, Christian hides from the outside world. Despite his childhood dreams of stardom, he now spends his days getting high and remembering Layna, the girl who left him as his addiction spiraled out of control.
Determined to get her back, Christian finally vows to overcome his demons. But as he soon discovers, while drugs can be addictive, fame can be even worse.

Caught between his dreams of musical immortality and the simple happiness he's found in his girlfriend Layna, Christian is on the verge of losing it all. But just when the memories of his past catch up with him on his journey towards recovery, a dark secret is discovered that casts doubt over everything we believed to be real along the way.

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Chad Pollett and Dani Matte Explore Cory Lee

2009-07-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

Chad Pollett, producer and Dani Matte of The Management Trust met singer, songwriter, Cory Lee today at JL Studios to explore possible future collaboration.

About Chad Pollett:

A fresh new vibe on the scene, the music of Chad Pollett is that of a messenger of soul. With an ear for music, a natural gift and an ability to play any instrument put in front of him – Chad Pollett is by far one of the most precious gems in the community today. Though new on the scene, Chad roots with music stem back to early childhood. At the tender age of 22, Chad’s gift is just beginning to flourish into the scene through music composition, production, singing and song writing. Don’t be fooled – his soulful voice has a soft, smooth edge, speaking a language of art and passion unique to his own. Known for his catchy hooks and beats, he has a sound to be remembered – and a name never forgotten, Chad Pollett’s production of music ranges from Pop, R&B neo-Soul to House and Acoustic Rock.
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About Cory Lee:
Cory Lee is a dangerous multi-threat actress, singer, songwriter, dancer and model. Initially her music caught fire in the clubs across Canada, and radio soon followed with her first single "The Naughty Song" (from her debut album What A Difference A Day Makes). This was just the beginning for Cory with a 2006 nomination for a Juno Award, in addition to a 2006 Indie Music Award for Pop Artist of The Year and 2 Canadian Radio Music Awards. Her sophomore album Sinful Innocence was released through WIDEawake/Universal in Canada in June of 2007 and through WIDEawake/Village Again in Japan in July. She has also joined the cast of the teen drama series Instant Star, by Degrassi producers Epitome Pictures, playing the role of Karma. Featuring production from multi-platinum and 3-time Juno Award winner Perry Alexander (Keshia Chante, Shawn Desman) and KUYA (Nelly, Ginuwine, MASE), Sinful Innocence enthusiastically explores society's "good girl/bad girl" double-standard from Cory's own independent liberal perspective.

About The Management Trust Producers:
The Management Trust is an artist/producer management company, representing some of Canada’s best Producers. Headed up by Jake Gold, our producers bring to the table a wealth of knowledge, expertise and decades of experience. Having worked with Jann Arden, The Cliks, The Pursuit of Happiness, Sloan, In Flight Safety, and many more; our producers, work directly with artists at every stage of production, ultimately creating the best sound tailored to every artist.

Shannay Smith is an Original and Distinctive Voice

2009-07-08T21:04:00.000-07:00

Shannay Smith graced JL Studios today to record piano and vocals for her latest four song effort. This talented singer with her crystalline vocals and insightful songwriting, is one to keep a look out for. Shannay is an original and distinctive voice who will surely be welcomed by the Toronto music scene.
Shannay Smith has been involved in performing arts since she was a little girl. Her first debut performance as Anne of Green Gables when she was 10 years old. Since then she has been the lead in many musicals such as Laurie in Oklahoma, The Narrator in Joseph and the Technicolor dreamcoat, and Cinderella in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Having had extensive vocal training Shannay has been awarded multiple scholarships for her vocal performances.She graduated from the performing arts school Randolph Academy.
She is involved in an entertainment group called the Blonde Moments - singing and dancing to choreographed songs from the 50's and 60's and she is one of the lead singers for a cover band called The Groove Babies.
She began composing her own music on the piano when she was in high school and has only recently begun to pursue a career in being a solo artist in Toronto.

New Single for Country Artist Lee Everett

2009-06-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

What a great time we had tracking vocals on a new single for country artist, Lee Everett. The song, "Got What It Takes" was penned by legendary song writer Don Graham. Also, present for the session was super star Bobby Curtola who sang backing harmonies for the track, joined by son Rob Krienke, and patrons of the arts Rosemary & Paul Learn. After the session had wrapped I mentioned to Bobby that a friends mother was a huge fan and asked if he could autograph a picture for her. Bobby said, "I can do better than that, do you have her telephone number?" Mr. Curtola ended up calling Carol and personally sang a song to her over the phone. Now that's what I call a commitment to his fans. Bobby, your one of the coolest guys I have ever met!

Hugo and Kimberly Deliver Solid Vocals

2009-01-20T22:24:00.000-08:00

Hugo Straney, Singer and Irish Person of the Year joined Winnipeg Vocalist, Kimberly Wood (who has worked with Shania Twain), at JL Studios for a recording session today. Hugo and Kim layed down solid vocal accompaniments for the soon to be released Bobby Curtola record, 'Coming Home'. Delicious home baked cookies were shared, the conversation laden with humour. A fun time was had by all.

Be sure to check out 'We Are Irish', hosted by Hugo Straney on Chin AM Radio 1540, each Sunday from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. EST. .

Bobby Curtola The Original Teen Idol Recording at JL

2008-12-08T11:41:00.000-08:00

Bobby Curtola, the original “teen idol” spent the day at JL Studios tracking vocals for his upcoming album. It was great pleasure to work with Bobby on the albums title track, "Coming Home", written by MacGregor/Graham/Curtola/Hill, and being recorded as a tribute to the Canadian Armed Forces. The single is due to be released in February on Breakin Records.

In the fall of 1959, sixteen-year-old high school student Bobby Curtola went from pumping gas at his father’s garage in Thunder Bay, Ontario, to the life of a Teenage Idol. Who would have known that within a year he would go from playing in his basement band “Bobby and the Bobcats” (who played Lakeview High Assemblies) to recording his first hit single “Hand In Hand With You.”

The “45” was recorded at a radio station in Thunder Bay and it was released in January 1960. By February it was sent to radio stations nation-wide, starting first in Winnipeg and then Halifax to the Rock’n’Roll DJ of the Maritimes, Frank Cameron at CHNS radio. Next it was sent to Regina, then Kingston, to DJ Brian Olney at CKWS radio and CFUN radio’s Red Robinson in Vancouver. Edmonton and Calgary stations were playing it next and it made its way into the Ottawa Valley ending up in Toronto in June. The response was immense and with his popularity mushrooming Bobby was making many promotional and professional appearances, one of the most significant was opening for the Bob Hope Show in March.

The charismatic Bobby, with his handsome boy next door looks was quickly finding himself within a whirlwind that we now refer to as “Curtolamania.” Everywhere he went there were throngs of teenage girls screaming...“Bobby, Bobby... We love you!”

Bobby set out on his first Western Canada Tour in the fall of 1960 with Edmonton’s famous DJ from CJCA radio, Barry Boyd and his band The Frantics. From there Bobby went on to become a trailblazer, establishing the first coast to coast tour circuit in Canada. Within the next year he was recording in Nashville with Bill Porter for RCA Studios, where he continued to record for many years.

Basil and Dyer Hurdon, Bobby’s first managers and songwriters can be credited for much of this early success.

The hit “Fortune Teller” was released in 1962 and was soon to be Gold in Canada. The now Rock’n’Roll Hall of Famer, Red Robinson, was instrumental in Fortune Teller’s success. Seeing its potential internationally, he sent it to Pat O’Day at Seattle’s KJR and Hawaii’s KPOI radio. The result was monumental. The Americans went crazy over it, especially since they couldn’t buy it; it wasn’t in the stores yet. A major US record deal was signed and Fortune Teller went on to become a 2.5 million seller internationally! Bobby now had everyone’s attention!...He was invited to tour with Dick Clark and his Cavalcade of Stars, the beginning of many tours that followed. While on tour in England that same year, Bobby met The Beatles and appeared on the famous British TV variety show “Thank Your Lucky Stars.”

In June of l964, Bobby was definitely in the right place at the right time. He became the first pop singer to record a jingle that sounded like a “Top 40 Hit Single,” the song was “Things Go Better with Coke.” He signed an exclusive contract with Coca-Cola to be their #1 Spokesman. Bobby, inspired by Coke and thinking of a spin off to “Things Go Better with Coke,” co-wrote “The Real Thing” which he used a version of for the commercial “Coke’s The Real Thing.”

Bobby made numerous appearances on network “Teen” TV shows like American Bandstand. His Hollywood debut was on Hullabaloo and Shindig, from southern California, then the world famous Wolf Man Jack Show and Don Webster’s show in Cleveland, Ohio. He later became the first recording artist to host not one, but two Network Canadian TV shows, After Four on CFTO Channel 9 in 1965 and 1966 and Shake, Rock and Roll on CTV in 1973. Bobby was also host to many of the Miss Canada and Miss Teen Canada Pageants.

The sixties, with hit after hit for Bobby, included 25 Canadian Gold singles and 12 Canadian Gold albums.

The year 1972 became a turning point for Bobby. He made the transition from “teen idol” to the “highest paid nightclub entertainer” in Canada and was ready for his debut in Las Vegas. Once there, he was an instant success! With his degree of professionalism and sheer showmanship he couldn’t help but impress the audiences and it wasn’t long before he was noticed. Walter Kane, who was in charge of hiring the entertainment for the Hughes Hotel chain, signed Bobby to a five year multi-million dollar contract making him the first Canadian entertainer to receive a long term contract in Las Vegas. Bobby continued a very successful career in Vegas for more than twenty years.

Courtesy of bobbycurtola.com

New Kid Neumann TLM 103 Shines at JL Studios Recording

2008-11-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

JL Studios has added the Neumann TLM 103 to our collection of microphones.

As a large diaphragm condenser mic, the Neumann TLM 103 can handle most recording situations one will come up against. It shines as a vocal mic with pleasing coloration in the high frequency realm. It's proximity effect is nearly perfect in my opinion. It gives you that extra bass you want without being overbearing. Neumann recommends it for broadcast, sampling, foley, and as a spot mic for strings, winds, percussion, amps and as an overhead for drums.

Due to the mic's low self-noise and distortion, you could use a hyper-EQ shape and/or an extremely squashed and spanking compressor setting and not highlight any microphone shortcomings. I found applications where I prefer the TLM 103 over anything else in the mic cabinet.

Quite simply JL Studios loves the new Neumann TLM 103. Bravo.

David Matthews Killer Bass

2008-03-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

David Matthews joined us at the studio to lay down killer bass for a new SHIRTLIFTER single due to be released soon.

David Matthews has been working as a singer songwriter in Toronto for
the past 8 years . Dividing his time between acoustic , and bass
guitar fairly evenly. " I enjoy solo acoustic performance , for its
simplicity , and bass guitar for the wide variety of artists and
genres it has allowed me to work with."

David enjoyed his first time at the JL studios . "It was a genuine
pleasure to be there. If I could get every engineer I work with to
make the bass guitar sound this FAT , bass guitar would likely be my
only job title!"

Billy Newton–Davis Hits A High Note

2008-02-14T20:00:00.000-08:00

International singing superstar, Billy Newton–Davis is back at JL Studios recording remixes for his currently released tracks "All U Ever Want", "I Like Your Music" and "Outta My Life".

"All U Ever Want" has just been nominated for a Juno Award for Dance Recording of The Year, sponsored by Galaxie, CBC's continuous music network.

The triple Juno winner described himself as "overwhelmed and so excited" over his nomination. "When Melleny Melody and Deadmau5 (producers and owners of Toronto Play Records) brought me into their world, I had no idea it would lead to this," he said.

Billy's debut album, Love Is a Contact Sport included the songs 'Deeper,' 'Right Beside You,' and 'Find My Way Back,' and won Newton-Davis the 1986 Juno award for best R&B/Soul recording and most promising male vocalist. His 1989 follow-up, Spellbound, included his most successful single, 'I Can't Take It,' as well as 'Can't Live with You' (a duet with Céline Dion), and won the 1989 Juno award as best R&B/Soul recording.

Jason Farrar Explores with His Stick

2008-01-29T19:10:00.000-08:00

Renowned bass player and vocalist Jason Farrar, accompanied by his bass stick joined Shirtlifter at JL Studios to lay down melodies for two songs on the up coming, "More Songs About Gods" album.

After graduating in classical piano and voice at the Royal Conservatory, Jason Farrar has gone on to unfailingly pound and caress his way through hundreds of gigs and rehearsals. His band credits include J. Englishman and Brother Love Canal, the Sattalites, Megan Morrison, Blues Element, and the Greg Wyard Band, but to name a few.
In 1993, Leslea Keurvorst and Farrar formed Kuru, a Toronto-based dark-wave band. Their classical training combined with their use of technology and the human voice gave them a unique and dark sound that was perfectly suited to the needs of the film. Their work has appeared in a number of films and they have produced several independent recording projects during their eight years together.
In spring 2004, Jason joined "Classic Albums Live" project as choirmaster. Classic Albums Live is fast becoming one of Toronto's biggest attractions. The Classic Albums Live group draws on the finest musicians from around the world to create a track-for-track, note-for-note experience duplicating an album from the annals of rock history.
Farrar performs regularly in Toronto, Canada and around the world.

Darryl Sutton from BRTB Connects

2008-01-17T18:22:00.001-08:00

Darryl Sutton from BRTB ventured to JL Studios to personally deliver an order of cable connectors. The guys at BRTB pay meticulous attention to detail and you will be hard pressed to find better customer service.

If you need pro audio and video cabling that rivaIs Mogami at a more competive price, then I suggest you check out BRTB.

"The Audio division of BRTB is 10 years old and has quickly built a reputation for quality audio cabling. BRTB Audio products consist of standard audio cables to snake systems, recording snakes, connectors, bulk cable and accessories. All BRTB audio assemblies are manufactured at their modern facility located in Markham Ontario, Canada."

Courtesy of brtbcanada.com

Richard Thomas at JLS Recording

2008-01-16T15:52:00.000-08:00

Veteran actor Richard Thomas trecked to JL Studios between performances to record a voice over for "Hope For Life".

"Thomas is in Toronto staring as courageous Juror #8 in Twelve Angry Men, which hit the stage at the Princess of Wales Theatre Jan. 8. Most remember Richard Thomas as John-Boy from The Waltons in 1972, the role that first made him a household name. During the Waltons years, Thomas starred in several well-mounted TV movies, including the 1979 remake of All Quiet on the Western Front. Ever seeking opportunities to expand his range, Thomas has sunk his teeth into such roles as the self-destructive title character in Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story (1983) and the amusingly sanctimonious Rev. Bobby Joe in the satirical Glory! Glory!. In 1980, Thomas made his first Broadway appearance in over two decades as the paralyzed protagonist of Whose Life is It Anyway."

Courtesy of thestar.com

Presonus BlueTube makes a Debut

2008-01-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

We were looking for a versatile pre amp with lots of character, so JL Studios decided to take a PreSonus Bluetube DP for a test drive. Our testing revealed that the pre amp has low noise, is responsive, warm, and very musical. We were so impressed that we have added a BlueTube to the studio's equipment roster. This baby packs quite a punch for such a reasonable price.

Melleny Melody Cranks It Out at JL Studios

2008-01-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

Singer, songwriter and performance artist Melleny Melody bounced into JL Studios to record vocals for up-n-coming material on her Play Records label.

"Over the years, Melleny Melodys flavorful and always entertaining performances have caught the eye of TV producers, including Nelvana, which picked her as the voice of Cheer Bear and Baby Tugs in the smash hit kids TV series, The Care Bears. In keeping with her cartoon-like characters, she teamed with composer and arranger John Henry Nyenhuis to produce Cartoon Songs to Drive you Crazy, a collision of 90s digital and 30s Big Band sounds that evoke images of Betty Boop, Shirley Temple and Marilyn Monroe. Her video of Im so Happy, nabbed a Silver Award at the Houston World Fest in the mid-90s for Best Music Video/Best New Artist and her recording of Gravity was featured in the award-winning short film, Weight of the World. Melleny Melody has also performed on BMGs Cocktail Shaken and Stirred compilation, singing Superman by the Crash Test Dummies and Courage by The Tragically Hip."

Courtesy of mellenymelody.com

Marcus Hann laying down guitar riffs at JL recording studio

2007-12-04T04:33:00.001-08:00

Marcus Hann, guitarist extraordinaire played with rock band, "After The Fall" back in his Newbrunswick hometown. Since his move to T.O., Marcus headed the Attack Records A&R department, presently he is at JL recording studio lending his talents to SHIRTLIFTER'S up-n-coming album, More Songs About Gods.

Xavier "X-Man" Paul Slams It

2007-11-19T12:32:00.000-08:00

JL Studios is pleased to announce that Xavier Paul from the studio's Voice Talent roster has landed a "Lebron IV" spot for Footlocker .

"Xavier's voice is cool, hip, upbeat, fun with an essential urban edge. His range allows him to go from being "in your face" raw to smooth jazzy and real. A Will Smith soundalike, he captures a mainstream sound without sounding "overly articulate". Xavier has a fresh clear sound and is capable of a variety of male sport/entertainment celebrities: Mike Tyson, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, Cedric "The Entertainer", Martin Lawrence. Xavier was the voice of "Slam", a UK based international basketball sports news program airing on the Eurosport Network. Xavier is also an on-air host based in New York currently working on developing new urban programming for MTV."

Courtesy of voiceovers.co.uk

Ron Schuster back at JL Studios recording Quaker voice tracks

2007-09-10T04:31:00.000-07:00

A very talented Ron Schuster, Photographer & Video Producer recently recorded studio voice tracks for a Quaker Oats video. Ron's portfolio offers a visual treat, so... check it out at whatisreel.com. His clients include Nike, Bata, and Cuisinart.

Singer Billy Newton-Davis rocks JL recording studio

2007-08-28T04:22:00.000-07:00

International singing superstar Billy Newton-Davis has been busy recording at JL Studios. Currently, Billy and Melleny Melody, singer, songwriter and performance artist have been working on Classic House tracks to be released on Mellee's, Play Records label.

"As one of Canada's premier entertainers for over 25 years, Billy began his professional singing career performing repeatedly on the legendary Mike Douglas Show, showing off a new suit on the Jackie Gleason Show and singing back up for Gloria Gaynor in the 1970's. In the 80's Billy was a two-time Juno Award winner for the albums, "Love Is A Contact Sport" (1986) and "Spellbound" (1989). "

Courtesy of billynewton-davis.com

Washburn D2005SCE Limited Edition Guitar

2007-05-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

We are ecstatic about adding a Washburn D2005SCE Limited Edition acoustic/electric guitar to JL Studios arsenal of stringed instruments. The D2005SCE is number 10 of 240, and features beautiful solid wood mahogany from India, gold Grover tuners, inlaid mother of pearl fret board and head stock, lazer etched rosette around sound hole and BBand A3.2 electrics.

The guitar has a natural (unlacquered) finish which we really like. Unlacquered guitars enhance natural sonic characteristics of the wood. What an amazing sound, intonation, and action this instrument has.

Arvinder Singh Punjabi Playback Singer

2007-05-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

Arvinder Singh kept JL Studios engineers spellbound with his music as well as his excellent sense of humour.

"A teetotaller who sings of the charms of wine! A practising Sikh who attempts to mix the modern with the traditional. A playback singer who wants to be associated with some timeless songs, Arvinder Singh is all this and much more... .

He is a teetotaller singing about the joys of wine! A practising Sikh who does not get a haircut for religious reasons, yet he maintains a trendy look with a ponytail and all. He thinks that fusion is confusion, still comes up with mixes as they sell in the market. He is Arvinder Singh, the man who is all over satellite channels these days with his debut album "Paani Sharab Main."

Arvinder is not just a singer who has branched out after a brief training stint at a workshop. He started learning classical music since when he was eight. Pandit Devaki Nandan in Himachal Pradesh, Pandit Ram Narayan Sharma of Jaipur gharana, and Ustad Mahender Singh of Punjab gharana were all his gurus.

Recall "Sanjha Chulha" on Doordarshan? Arvinder had composed its music and sung its songs too. This was his first venture. Since then he has been associated with several notable songs, including "Tun Tun Ho Yara" from film "Dada", "Ma Ambe" in Aamir Khan's "Mela", "Chod Ke Na Jana" from "Maa Tujhe Salaam", and "Eid Mubarak" from "Tumko Na Bhool Payenge". This 35-year-old melody maker has more items in his kitty.

An admirer of Ghulam Ali, he has not had "a very good experience" in Bollywood. "I had sung "Shava Shava" song for `Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' but Amitji - Amitabh Bachchan -- said that he wanted Sudesh Bhonsle to sing for him. Similarly in `Maa Tujhe Salaam' I sang the title song but later I got to know that its makers got Shankar Mahadevan dub it," he laments, feebly adding that being a beginner is all about trying to take it in his stride.

About the album he has interesting things to tell: "I composed the song 12 years ago and performed it at many places and received encouraging response. That emboldened me to make it into an album."

His hairstyle makes him look like a foreigner. "I am a practising Sikh. I do not drink but singing wine songs on stage wearing a white pagdi always made me feel guilty as the pagdi has a sanctity of its own so I gave up my turban. Yet I never wanted a haircut for religious reasons. Once in Norway I found many Norwegians with long hair, performing. Here I got reason to look modern as well as fulfil my religious responsibility, hence this ponytail," and he ruffles his hair lovingly. You ask him about his academic life and he hesitatingly reveals, "I studied at a Himachal school but was more into music through which I would bring fame to the school. Till High School, the school authorities saved my academic years by giving grace marks but they gave up after that."

The father of two children, Arvinder has an aim to fulfil. "To sing something that touches the soul and not always those foot-tapping numbers which are transient in nature." To bring soul into his music, he rehearses for at least two hours a day."

Courtesy of Online edition of India's National Newspaper

Rodney Jay Soward Kicks It

2006-07-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

R. Jay recentley kicked off work at JL Studios recording some smokin' beats and vocals on his record due for future release. When not playing for CFL's Toronto Argonauts as a wide receiver, R. Jay spends his spare time writing and producing music. He spends the off-season in Mississauga with his partner Deneesha and their five children. He is a regular member of the Argo charity basketball team, the Courtside Boatmen.