Chaka Khan,
Suzan Lori-Parks,
Oberia Ratliff,
Edita de la Mercedes Moncada Manriques,
Celia Cruz,
Arturo Sandoval,
Ella Fitzgerald,
Dizzy Gillespie,
Bamboleo,
Stevie Wonder,
Anacoana,
Jobim, Amir Anthony,
Dee Dee Bridgewater,
Nancy Wilson,
John Coltrane,
Omar Sosa,
Earth, Wind and Fire,
James Brown,
Ray Charles,
Roberta Flack,
Paquito D'Rivera,
Patrice Rushen,
Memphis Minnie,
Sharif Atkins,
Eric Dolphy,
Zap Mama,
Dave Valentine,
Cachao,
Duke Ellington,
Louis Armstrong,
Jon Faddis,
Rosie Perez,
Shelia E,
Changito,
Juan Fuentes,
Giovanni Delgado,
Ari Brown,
DuShon Mosley,
Floyd Webb,
Lauren Deutch,
Nicole Mitchell,
Maia,
Donn Carl Harper,
Kai Simone,
Erica Ruth,
Yuri Hevia,
Gustavo Figueroa,
Delaselva,
Karen Stewart,
Lawrence Stewart,
Kadea Metara,
Rosalind Cash,
Nikki Giovanni,
Oprah Winfrey,
Uma Thurman,
Fred G. Sanford,
Bernie Mac,
Redd Foxx,
Richard Pryor,
Yvonne Orr Richardson,
David Barr,
Rusty Schwimmer,
J.Nicole Brooks,
Lee Ollie Crawley,
Beria Leigh Davis,
Odessa Fuller,
Joyce Ford,
Ollie Dantzler,
Sutcha-Eamah Wallace,
Jerry Gonzales
This could go on and on...I will add more later
Coco Elysses hails from Robbins, Illinois and has been performing since the age of eight locally in community theatre. Coco also began her musical studies with clarinet and viola. During her matriculation at Saint Augustines College, also where the famed Delany sisters of Having Our Say were born and raised, in Raleigh, North Carolina, she turned down an opportunity to run track and opted for a much needed scholarship with the concert band where she was introduced to classical percussion.
Coco is a percussionist, vocalist, arranger, lyricist and songwriter. Coco was a member of Samana (a musical ensemble), who was the first all female ensemble to perform at the famed Chicago Jazz Festival. Samana was featured in Chicagos Steppenwolfs Traffic series and performed for First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at her 50th birthday celebration in Chicago. Recently, Coco opened for The Temptations and Mint Condition at the Country Club Hills Theatre.
Other credits include several Showfolk productions at ETA, where she also made her main stage debut in Food for the Gods (directed by Paul Carter Harrison), Bailiwick Theatre, Chicago Dramatists Workshop, Heathworks, and MPAACTs production of Other World Lovers, Continuum-Visions from Yetunde, and Vital Signs. Coco is also a voice-over artist and can be heard at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago in the Skywatchers of Africa exhibit. Cocos voice can also be heard on spots for BET, BlackVoices.com, McDonalds, IN and OUT Burger and several other companies.
Cocos introduction to Chicagos Theatre scene began at ETA Creative Arts Foundation, one of the few historical African American owned theatres, in several children shows. Cocos last theatrical appearance was in The Chicago Theatre Company production of Love Talk. She also appeared at Organic Theatre in The Old Settler, where she received a Black Theatre Alliance Award nomination for Best Featured actress in a drama, that same production moved to The New American Theatre in Rockford, Illinois. Coco also appeared in the Chicago Theatre Company, Black Theatre Alliance Award-winning, and Jeff Nominated production of Shakin the Mess Outta Misery. Cocos Sound Design credits include Having Our Say, Pill Hill, at CTC and Doo Listers Blues for The New Onyx Theatre.
During Coco's four years in Los Angeles, she was quickly signed as a voice-over artist with William Morris Agency. She also played percussion with latin rock artist Santino. During this time Coco gained fluency in Spanish leading to her travels to Cuba, and Chile.
During a month visit in Santiago, Chile, she recorded with EMI band, Raiza on their second album entitled, Latino Soul.
Her discography includes Samana, The Tracey King Project, AACM 35th Anniversary Concert Series, Hector Silveira- The Young Voice of Cuban Music, Nicole Mitchell- African Rising, Raiza-Latino Soul and her self titled demo, Coco Elysses, Wildflower. Coco has performed musically with Nicole Mitchell, Hamid Drake, Corey Wilkes, Yuri Hevia, Maia, Hector Silveira, David Boykins, Bethany Pickens, Maggie Brown, Ann Ward, Shanta Nurullah, Shawn Wallace, Mother Tynnetta Muhammad, La Negra Graciana, Santino and many more.
Coco leads El Corazon Negro an Afro-Latin Jazz ensemble.
I'm here soaking up the culture and beauty and wanted to send some Hawaiian sunshine your way! I hope you had a glorious weekend and that you had the opportunity to get out and feel the sun on your face!
Thirty-seven years ago today, on April 20th 1972, the Apollo 16 landed on the moon.
Wherever you are today, and whatever you're doing, I wish you a happy and safe landing!
Hey, I’m sorry you haven’t heard from me in a while. I was busy finishing my debut album (feat. Take 6, K. Whalum, A. Laboriel, V. Colaiuta, P. Jackson Jr.). Now that it’s done, I’ll be on a US pre-release tour, playing in CHICAGO @ Katerina’s (1920 W Irving Park Rd) next Wednesday, Nov 19, 8.30 pm.
I’d love to see you there! Greetings from your Swiss brother, God bless you,
Vlada
PS: You can pre-order the CD here, http://www. vladamusic. com
Yo, I just arrived in Chicago last night and hope to see you at Katerina’s (1920 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago) tonight (Nov 19, 8.30 pm). It’s my first official show in the US so I’m more than happy to see someone familiar there ;))
Greets from your Swiss brother,
Vlada
NO TE PIERDAS EL ULTIMO VIDEO MUSICAL DE SANTINO, “NADIE ES COMO TU”.
MILES COPELAND, MEJOR CONOCIDO POR HABER SIDO MANAGER DE THE POLICE, LE PIDIO A SANTINO ADAPTAR “EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE” DE STING EN ESPANOL, ASI ES COMO “NADIE ES COMO TU” FUE CREADA. A STING LE GUSTO LA NUEVA VERSION DE SU CANCION Y SE ALEGRO CUANDO SANTINO LA INCLUYO EN SU ALBUM “INDIOCUMENTADO” EDITADO EN LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS POR MILAN/WARNER.
CHECK OUT IN EXCLUSIVITY THE NEW AND HOT MUSIC VIDEO OF "NADIE ES COMO TU" BY SANTINO!
MILES COPELAND, WHO IS BEST KNOWN FOR MANAGING THE POLICE, ASKED SANTINO TO ADAPT STING'S "EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE" IN SPANISH, THAT'S HOW "NADIE ES COMO TU" WAS CREATED. STING LIKED THE NEW VERSION OF HIS SONG AND WAS HAPPY THAT SANTINO INCLUDED IT ON HIS ALBUM "INDIOCUMENTADO" RELEASED IN THE US ON MILAN/WARNER.
Hey, thanks so much for the add and the friendship, I truly appreciate it! I’m back in the US to finish my debut album (feat. Take 6, K. Whalum, A. Laboriel, V. Colaiuta, P. Jackson Jr.). I’ll keep you posted :))
Greetings from a Swiss brother in Nashville,
blessings,
Vlada
http://www. vladamusic. com
