Musician (piano, synthesizers, trumpet, drums, drum programming), producer, singer, songwriter, composer, and musical director
Affiliations: Masters at Work, Elements of Life Band, The Free Radikalz
RECENTLY BEEN COLLABORATING WITH:
M1
Waajeed
Ali Shaheed Muhammad
DJ Spinna
Louie Vega
Raheem DeVaughn
Kenny Dope Gonzalez
Influences
Herbie Hancock
Miles Davis
Quincy Jones
Prince
Depeche Mode
Joni Mitchell
Stevie Wonder
Dido
Bob Marley
Human League
Jimi Hendrix
D'Angelo
Patrice Rushen
The Beatles
Coldplay
U2
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sting
Weldon Irvine
Leon Ware
Frédéric Chopin
KRS-ONE
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Michael Jackson
Bjork
Nirvana
John Williams
Fela Kuti
Radiohead
James Brown
Marley Marl
Rakim
Big Daddy Kane
Teddy Riley
Jay Dee (J Dilla)
Seal
Nina Simone
Sounds Like
MY NEW SINGLE "IN 2 THE LIGHT" FEAT. M1 OF DEAD PREZ IS FEATURED ON THE NEW FUSICOLOGY COMPILATION:
I RECENTLY CO-WROTE 4 SONGS ON THE RAHEEM DEVAUGHN ALBUM, LOVE BEHIND THE MELODY:
I PLAYED ON THE LOUIE VEGA REMIX OF CURTIS MAYFIELD'S SUPERFLY THAT WON A 2006 GRAMMY
HERE'S SOME MORE RECORDS I WORKED ON AS A SINGER, SONGWRITER OR PRODUCER:
"Selan is a true genius."
- Louie Vega, Grammy-- winning producer & remixer
"Selan's singing comes from the heart...
you feel every ounce of soul, every smidgen of emotion.
He's a great talent."
- DJ Spinna, hip-hop producer & remixer
"The choices Selan is making as a young musician
separate him from "the norm" and keep him reaching for a place
that we should all reach for - the pursuit of the very best of us."
- Leon Ware, singer/songwriter/producer,
Marvin Gaye, Quincy Jones, Maxwell
SELAN
An in-demand keyboardist/songwriter for new school stars like Rihanna, Ashanti and Raheem DeVaughn and old school veterans like Roy Ayers, Leon Ware and Roberta Flack, Selan is transitioning to an alternate universe: Solo Artist. His upcoming EP The Selan Sessions is an unmistakable blend of retro soul, futuristic production and irresistible pop hooks.
Raised in Queens, NY, Selan (pronounced "salon") was born to a Jewish-American father and an Indian mother from Trinidad. Even before Selan was born, his parents had become attracted to the pacifist ideology of the Jehovah's Witness faith and decided to convert. Young Selan was cultivated as a rising star in the ministry - but fate yanked him in a different direction. Having taught himself to play the piano at age three, Selan was blessed with perfect pitch and total recall (the ability to play any song instantly from memory).
"I loved going with my dad to music stores, where I would play on all sorts of display keyboards. Crowds would always gather in amazement at the maturity of my playing. My dad would always whisk me away, probably in fear that the attention would go to my head and take me away from religion."
Barely out of his teens Selan was recruited to play keys for the hit TV show New York Undercover. Demand for his prodigious talent snowballed. He became the musician of choice for Louie Vega and Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez of Masters at Work as well as DJ Spinna. His electrifying keyboard solo on the hit MAW remix of Nina Simone's "See-Line Woman" helped rocket the Verve Remixed compilation to worldwide popularity and his contribution to Louie Vega's remix of Curtis Mayfield's "Superfly" netted a 2006 Grammy--. Selan has played, sung live or recorded for everyone from Lenny Kravitz, David Byrne, Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott to DJ Jazzy Jeff, Pink, Jessica Simpson and Usher.
While he completes his forthcoming full-length debut, Selan is bridging the gap with The Selan Sessions EP, featuring Minneapolis throwback "Back 2 U" and the vintage Off the Wall-esque "Into the Light" featuring M1 of Dead Prez. ""I've enjoyed recording and collaborating with so many artists, and getting to travel the world," says Selan. "But now I need to express myself fully as a singer, songwriter and producer. It's time."
SELAN'S SOLO RELEASES - ALBUMS:
The Selan Sessions EP, forthcoming Summer 2008
SELAN'S SOLO RELEASES - SINGLES:
In 2 the Light feat. M1 of Dead Prez
(Selonius Records, 2008)
from forthcoming solo album
Alwayz Sumthin (DJ Spinna mix) 12" single feat. Phonte & Sage
(Up Above Records, 2006)
Versions also appear on: Fusicology 2006 Sound Sampler CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE
I Can't Imagine by Dennis Ferrer feat. Selan
from The World As I See It
(Defected Records / King Street Records, 2006)
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE
Back 2 U by DJ Spinna feat. Selan
from Intergalactic Soul
(Papa Records / Shanachie / Columbia Japan, 2006) ..
Bring Your Rhythm by Mr. V feat. Selan
from Welcome Home
(Vega Records / Defected Records, 2006) CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE
Washed Away by The Rooftop feat. Selan
from A Live Shot
(The Rooftop Music, 2006) ..
Gravity 12" single
(Vega Records / Defected Records, 2005)
Versions also appear on: Soul Heaven presents MAW In The House; Vega Records Vol. 1 ..
Stevie Wonder
Roberta Flack
Roy Ayers
Alejandro Sanz
Shakira
Miley Cyrus
Leon Ware
Terence Blanchard
Bobby Brown
Asha Puthli
Patti LaBelle
Joe
Usher
Pink
Jessica Simpson
Angie Stone
Amel Larrieux
Kelis
Lina
Faith Evans
Heather Headley
Michelle Williams (Destiny's Child)
Rihanna
Ashanti
Trey Songz
Bobby Valentino
Sara Devine
Chico DeBarge
Dwele
Carl Thomas
Toshi Kubota
Blackstreet
Kenny Latimore
Groove Theory
Eric Roberson
Lizz Fields
Angela Johnson
Vikter Duplaix
Dewey Redman
Nuyorican Soul Band (Masters At Work)
Elements Of Life Band (Louie Vega)
Cirque Du Soleil
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Guru (Gangstarr)
Busta Rhymes
Chuck D
Queen Latifah
Doug E. Fresh
Dres (Black Sheep)
Mystikal
Shanice
Stephanie Mills
Freddie Jackson
JT Taylor (Kool & The Gang)
Allyson Williams
Jody Watley
Bebe Winans
Jocelyn Brown
DJ Spinna
Vinia Mojica
Wunmi
Lisa Lisa
Boyz II Men
Ashford & Simpson
N'Dea Davenport
Carleen Anderson
Les Nubians
Afu-Ra
Kyle Jason
Divine
Tami Davis
Men of Vision
Karina Pasian
Raul Midon
SELAN HAS RECORDED WITH/FOR:
Kanye West
Platinum Pied Pipers
Waajeed
Raheem DeVaughn
Curtis Mayfield
Leon Ware
Lenny Kravitz
Earth, Wind & Fire
D'Angelo
Lauryn Hill
Jill Scott
Stevie Wonder
James Ingram
Roy Ayers
Erykah Badu
David Byrne
Brian Transeau (BT)
Afrika Bambaataa
Run DMC
Black Eyed Peas
Roy Hargrove
Q-Tip
Mos Def
Phonte (Little Brother)
Pharoahe Monch
Louie Vega
Elements Of Life
Blaze
Cirque Du Soleil
Vikter Duplaix
DJ Spinna
The Free Radikalz
Amel Larrieux
Leela James
Stephanie Mckay
Musiq
Rahsaan Patterson
Anita Baker
R. Kelly
J-Lo
Tamia
Aaliyah
Spice Girls
Agent K
Carleen Anderson
Chronkite
Bebe Winans
Stephanie Mills
Tania Maria
Thievery Corporation
Sergio Mendes
Candido
Mark De Clive-Lowe
Dynas
Masta Ace
Complex
Goapele
Lizz Fields
Kenny Bobien
Stephanie Cooke
Toshi Kubota
Moses McLean
Champion Soul
Al Jarreau
Allison Crocket
Roni Size
Jocelyn Brown
Bob Sinclair
New Sector Movement
Reel People
Angela Johnson
Playgroup
Malena Perez
DJ Gregory
Dimitri From Paris
Misia
The Ananda Project
Blackbyrds
Sara Devine
India
Ashanti
Jeff Timmons
Todd Terry
Tony Humphries
Roger Sanchez
Frankie Feliciano
Alix Alvarez
Mr. V
Franck Roger
Louis Benedetti
Betty Carter
Billie Holiday
Jazztronik
Bah Samba
Tom Jones
Jimmy Sommers
Gordon Chambers
Alma Horton
Kim English
N'Dea Davenport
The Brand New Heavies
Pushim
Mike Phillips
Ursula Rucker
Jody Watley
Eamon
Bah Samba
Selan and Louie Vega (above)
Selan and Herbie Hancock (above)
Selan and Quincy Jones (above)
Selan and Waajeed of PPP, at his studio, NYC, March 2007
(ABOVE) Louie Vega, Sara Devine, Mr.V, Mike Ciro & Selan performing in Johannesburg, South Africa on April 5, 2006
(ABOVE) Selan and Waajeed in the studio, March 2007
(ABOVE) DJ Spinna, March 2007
SELAN. Call Selan: 1 (718) 618-5452's Friend Space (Top 18)
SELAN. Call Selan: 1 (718) 618-5452 has 11769 friends.
WHERE R U? lol its been a hot minute. i bumped into geology and wajeed a few days ago and he thought i moved from ny. so im lettin u know im still here and where are u? haha :)
On May 20th, in the year 1310, shoes were made for both the right and left foot.
In honor of this day, I urge you to place your right shoe onto your right foot and your left shoe onto your left foot. Then, place one foot in front of the other and go and pursue your dreams!
May your two feet carry you to wherever your heart desires!
Hi Selan whudda wicked sound you've got...Props each and every time, just showing some love and hoping you'll check out my new batch of tracks I just posted....on the hiphop/soulful side...Peace!
We just stopped by to show some love we love your work be sure to check us out we are a new female pop group let us know what you thing ... thanks in advance muah :-)
Psa 131:1 O יהוה, my heart has not been proud, Nor have my eyes been haughty. Neither have I concerned myself with great matters, Nor with those too wondrous for me. Psa 131:2 Have I not calmed, and kept my being silent, Like one weaned by its mother? My being is like one weaned. Psa 131:3 O Yisraʼĕl, wait for יהוה, Now and forever.
I hope you are doing well today and if not, please send me a prayer request and I will pray for your need. Thank you for being my friend!
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