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Let me introduce to you Otis Monroe! Born in Jamaica, grown up in New York, and now living in Berlin. A fascinating singer and Songwriter, who is combining on his debut "Introducing Otis Monroe“ with the greatest ease the best from Reggae, Rhythm & Blues and electronic music. His warm and passionate voice follows unmistakable the great interpreters of Soul. The music created by the Berlin Producer Jens Ballhorn consists of beats and soundscapes breathing HipHop- and Electro influences. As a combination from programmed sounds and live instruments they bring together tradition and modern trend, between current sound of the new capitol Music-City Berlin and even the future! Between the middle of 2005 and the end of 2006 they have been working on about 30 top-class songs from which only 12 passed the strict selection for the album.
Nomen est omen? For Otis Monroe his destiny showed up in early stage. The mother a fan from Otis Redding, his father admired Marilyn Monroe. Did they knew, that their son would become an artist? But being diplomats they had other plans for their son's future. Otis Monroe was born on Jamaica. He was six years old, when his family moved to New York. There he attended high school and the well known Pace University. He studied finance and Investment Banking - more and more unwillingly. The whole "dry stuff" as he says retrospectively. Already too big his passion for the theatre and performing arts, too big his desire to express himself as an artist. "my parents were not enthusiastic, and I decided to end my studies." He laughs: "they flipped out!
1997 Otis Monroe visited Berlin and immediately fell in love with the people and the city. He moved to Berlin and dived into its nightlife. "Clubs at this time, for instance the Tresor, had been so different as the clubs I have known from New York." Grown up with the Gospel and Soul, of Otis Redding, Millie Jackson, Smokey Robinson and Jesse Norman and the Reggae of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff, Otis Monroe meets the pulsating scene of new electronic music, which affected him deeply. "I wanted to combine Soul with the elements of electronic music"; Otis Monroe explains the central idea of his debut album. Meeting Jens Ballhorn he found the perfect musical partner. Since 2003 Jens Ballhorn's label Future Nomads combines electronic-acoustic music with a cut edge range of Pop/ TripHop/Rap and Disco. Jens had a fusion out of R&B, HipHop and electronic music in mind, which works in clubs and you can chill out at home. "In a melodic way - a bit like the Notwist." Stylistic it is hard to classify a hybrid like "Introducing Otis Monroe". Categories like "Soul" and "Electro" can only describe a rough working term, listening to the album you find elements out of Blues and Pop flirting with decent Break- and Dance beats. The fascinating lyrics round the whole thing off. Otis Monroe proves himself as a thrilling storyteller. "these are very personal songs", confesses Otis. "when I listen to the album I can hardly believe that these words come from me. In New York, I only performed compositions which where written for me. Jens gave me the opportunity to write on my own. I would not have thought that the result would become so intimate." His listeners thank him. It is a pleasure and an acoustic treat to listen to this album.
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