Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Fans of the Sun Messengers may recognize Big Will (William Elijah) as the band’s trumpeter. Will is also a vocalist who, drawing creative inspiration from the loss of his son’s mother and his own mom within six months, recorded Crowd Pleeza.
Will’s style is reflective of his musical influences, which range from Michael Jackson and Luther Vandross to P. Diddy and the Neptunes. Pleeza attempts to cover all the ground from these eras, mixing his smooth baritone with occasional raps and jazzy horns. Although the cuts “Don’t Stop” and “Teddy Bear” have hit the top-40 rap chart on mp3.com, I wonder which audience Will is actually going for — the young one, the older one or all of the above.
The lead song (also the title track) has a mellow groove with easy bass. The production is reminiscent of a mid-’90s sound.
Will is a talented songwriter, however, and funk oozes from most of his tracks. Even those with seemingly dated production quality tend to be followed by tunes with more complex sonic arrangements. .
Crowd Pleeza ultimately appeals to the 29-40 year age bracket. Nevertheless, it is a solid effort with enough diversity between up-tempo grooves, hip hop and soul ballads to keep listeners satisfied.
- Metro Times
Discography
1992-Sun Messengers Sun Boyz Groove -EP
Songwriter/trumpeter songs: Sun Boyz Groove
1997-Sun Messengers LATE NIGHT CRUISE-CD
Singer/songwriter/trumpeter songs:Real Man,What You Been Missing,Who's Got Da Skillz(Pistons song)
2002-Big Will solo CD Crowd Pleeza(3B Entertainment records) -songwriter/producer/vocals
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
WILLIAM ELIJAH A.K.A.
BIG WILL
Has been on the Detroit music scene since the age 16 playing trumpet in big bands like the Jimmy Wilkins big band, the Sam Sanders big band, the Teddy Harris big band until August of 1987 landing the gig with the SUN MESSENGERS (BAND FOR THE DETROIT PISTONS) while there finding his niche as a singer/songwriter/
Producer/performer.
William has worked and learned from the best talent Detroit has to offer his credits reads as follows:
Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Martha Reeves, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendrick, Mary Wells, William along with Sun Messengers were featured on several WDIV channel 4 in Detroit specials one a documentary about the TEMPTATIONS where they along with 3 other Detroit acts had the chance of a life time to record where all that great music was made STUDIO A or (the PIT) as it was called at the historic MOTOWN Museum was turned into a studio once more with the aid of a remote digital studio unit no one had recorded there since 1974 the program was aired before the nationwide broadcast of the TEMPTATIONS mini series the Sun Messengers contribution was the classic POPPA WAS A ROLLING STONE also A CHRISTMAS IN GREENFEILD VILLAGE. Following that awesome event the Sun Messengers horns starred in the LYRE LYRE episode of XENA WARRIOR PRINCES playing music written by Joe Luduca.
William along with the Sun Messengers have a long history together backing and playing with a number great musicians such as Johnny Adams, Thunder bird Davis, Earl King, the writer of MUSTANG SALLY Sir Mack Rice. William has been the musical director for legendary vocal group THE PLATTERS he has played keyboards for another Detroit super group ENCHANTMENT whose songs GLORIA and HELLO SUNSHINE were top 10 hits across the country. William has traveled to play in the MONTRUEX SWITZERLAND JAZZ FESTIVAL in 1983,85. As a songwriter and producer William has written and performed commercials for MCDONALDS and SELECTCARE HMO. Big Will’s music can be found at www.bigwillonline.com William has sold CD’s internationally in JAPAN and Germany, Italy and the UK thru this site. He influences are too numerous to name they range from Miles Davis-P.Diddy to Garth Brooks
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