A New Feature...Spotlight on

I'm attempting something slightly different with Standing In The Shadows Of Music. Along with what I normally write in this blog, I'm going do a periodic spotlight piece on some of the local musicians in the Charleston area.
My purpose still is to create dialogue among musicians, and hopefully by showcasing some of the people that I know and/or come into contact with we can continue this journey into and through the music business.
So sit back at your computer and take a musical trip with me and learn about some of the brilliant and phenomenal people who have chosen to make music their life's work.
On this my maiden voyage spotlight is on...Ms Janice Banks

I first met Jan here in the Charleston area at a private party that someone gave during the Christmas season in 1998. At the time she was the lead vocalist of a band called Production Company, and I don't have a clue what the band was playing at the time, I just remember going damn, that girl can SANG ( yes, I spelled it the way she did it...she sang, like the brothers would say !!!)
Although I didn't actually talk to her, I still remembered it well. Anyway, just about 2 years ago I ran into a college friend of mine Sonja Fullen, and she told me that she was becoming involved in music as a songwriter. Sonja had written quite a few wonderful songs, and asked if I would help her to get them produced and recorded, and I said sure. We exchanged numbers and she asked if I would also help to organize some people into a group to do her music.
When I arrived at the rehearsal among the ladies there was Jan ( I was a happy man).
Well as luck would have it I ran into some personal troubles and had to back out of the project for several months, but when I returned finally most of the songs had been worked out.
The song that was chosen for Jan to sing the lead vocal on was entitled "God Is Good To Me." It's a smooth, grooving jazzy piece that modulates ever so easy from the one chord to a series of moving 5 chords, and with each modulation the songs builds with slight intensity until it makes you want to explode out of your seat with jubilation for the Lord.
As I said before, Jan sang the HELL out of that song, and let me tell you Satan would not have a chance after hearing that.
Again, as I said also, I had been having some personal troubles and after hearing songs like that sung by people like Jan my troubles started to rise from me...she through song began inspiring me. I began to look at the trouble that I was having as non-exsistent, and after a time it became non-exsistent.
If you're feeling down and blue, find yourself some live musical performance somewhere and pray really hard that it features Ms. Janice Banks, 'cause baby, it'll do your body good.

If you'd like to know when and where you can catch Jan performing drop me an e-mail along with your comments on this blog post and I will pass them along to her.

Sista Jan, thank you for helping to reshape my life during my down period. May God continue to bless you with amazing talent and beauty.