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Contact/Booking info
| Name |
Janice Mitchell |
| Phone |
716 946 7568 |
| E-mail |
janicemmitchell@hotmail.com |
| Misc |
http://www.janmitchell.com/contact.htm |
|
Description
Jazz and blues vocalist, formerly a backup singer for Ray Charles, now based Buffalo-Rochester area.
Janice Mitchell is available to perform as a duo or with her quartet |
Roster
Jim Beishline - piano
John Bacon - percussion
Jim Kirzdorfer/Buddy Fadale- bass
Janice Mitchell - vocals |
Influences
| Anita Baker, Lizz Wright, Ray Charles |
History
After working with her first band, Bridge, Janice Mitchell sang with Alive and Well, a group which also featured Tony Galla and Jimmy Calire of Raven. After the group broke up, Janice moved to New York City, where she met, producer and songwriter Eugene McDaniels, who became a "spiritual brother" and agent to Janice.
Her credits of the 70's and 80's appear as Afreeka Trees a former stage name given to her by producer Gene McDaniels. Janice has done studio backup singing for an endless list of artists, whose names include Nancy Wilson, Melba Moore, Les McCann, Bobby Womack, and Robbie Krieger of the Doors.
A solo performed by Janice on organist Jimmy Smith's album, "Sit On It", resulted in an offer for a recording deal with his record company and also in a personal call from Stevie Wonder inviting her to perform with him in Washington D.C. in concert for the Congressional Black Caucus.
Among her movie credits is a singing appearance in Sidney Poitier's "Uptown Saturday Night"and Taylor Hackford's "The Idolmaker".
In the 80's Janice spent 5 years touring the world. 9 months at a time, with Ray Charles as a Raelette. She sang backup vocals on his recordings of America and also on his Christmas album.
Janice accepted a year's contract entertaining on Celebrity Cruises. Each week she would sail between NYC and Bermuda performing with the production show. In 1995 she decided to move back to the Buffalo-Rochester area to be with her family. This is when she met her new partner in life and in music, Jim Beishline and began working with the Jim Beishline Trio. They enjoy playing as a quartet and also as a duo.
Janice is now in the process of recording a tribute to Ray Charles, which will incorporate some of her original music dedicated to Ray along with special arrangements of Ray's hit tunes.
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