SOLO
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SOLO

New York City, New York, United States | Established. Jan 01, 1995 | INDIE | AFTRA

New York City, New York, United States | INDIE | AFTRA
Established on Jan, 1995
Band R&B A Capella

Calendar

Music

Press


"SOLO Blis.fm Interview with DJ HEAT"

January 17, 2015

Pre show interview with SOLO before they hit a set at Ben's Next Door in Washington DC. - BLIS.FM


"The Big Apple Indie Music Series brings first class musicians to New York City"

...The third group, was the guest group of the evening. Solo received a resounding applause as soon as their name was mentioned. They were soulful male singers with a jazz basis and while they had a boom in the 90s, they were making their comeback at this TBAIMS event which included their first new release in 16 years called Gone.

This group was definitely the highlight of the night. Not only was their singing superb but the choreography and interaction with the audience set the room afire with enthusiastic support. - Examiner.com


"SOLO Returns With Same Sweet R&B Grooves"

Sixteen years have passed since SOLO stormed R&B charts on the backs of memorable hit singles like “Where Do U Want Me to Put It” and “Heaven”. Since then, they’ve all remained close to the music industry in one way or another, but it was only at a child’s question that they considered even coming back. Fortunately it was the right question, and a brand new EP is bringing SOLO to where they belong -- in the ears of the fans that have been asking for them since last time.

Sixteen years is a long time. It’s likely impossible to summarize everything in that time, but have you guys been involved in music in the time between albums?

Dan: Yes, we have continued to be involved in music in various ways. I worked behind the scenes writing and arranging for up-and-coming artists. I even produced an a cappella jingle for a series of commercials for Bazooka Bubble Gum. Darnell continued to sing and travel the world performing on cruise ships and at various other corporate events. Rob has a history in construction and stayed close to music by working for Steinway Pianos building pianos. He also continued to play Jazz with this band. So we did not stray too far from our first loves.

What brought you back to this point?

Darnell: Our fans brought us back together by popular demand. We started noticing how passionate they were in their responses on YouTube and other websites and blogs on the Internet. They would leave comments wondering what we were doing and would even say, “Come back. Music needs you!”

Dan: I would also hear from friends and family around the globe that radio personality Tom Joyner of the “Tom Joyner Morning Show” was asking about us. [Laughs] My response would always be, “What?” They’d reply that he always asked, “I wonder, what ever happened to those guys?” Hopefully one day soon we will get a chance to answer him in person.

What was the turning point that made you guys think about joining up? Was there an event or idea or spark of some kind?

Dan: The real turning point or event that sparked the idea was an unplanned birthday celebration for Darnell’s daughter, Dominique. She came to town for her birthday and I had not seen her since she was a little one. Darnell, Dominique, and I went out for her birthday and after we finished eating she asked both Darnell and myself if we would ever consider getting SOLO back together.

Believe it or not up until that point, I had not actually considered it until she asked. But right there in Dave and Buster’s on 42nd St, we were both forced to consider what the perfect situation for a SOLO reunion would look like and if it was possible!

Rob: Originally we just wanted to get back out there and do some live shows every now and then.

Darnell: But fans and promoters kept asking for new music.

Dan: When we finished up the new music, we realized we had no record company to help market and promote it. So it hit us to just do what we have always done when we sang on the streets of NYC -- to take the music directly to the people, only this time from the streets to the “cloud” and join forces with Pledgemusic. It seemed like it was a no-brainer. It felt kismet.

When you look back at the success from your debut and the tours, albums sold, and experiences, is there a highlight that’s more surreal or dear than others?

Dan: For me there were several moments, like meeting, working with and bonding with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, meeting and singing for Michael Jackson, and having Janet Jackson stop by your dressing room just to wish you luck and give support was a crazy and humbling moment. And I will never forget singing an Isley Brothers’ tribute concert seeing Whitney Houston bouncing, singing, and cheering us on. She was with her then-husband Bobby Brown and their young daughter Christina was sitting on his lap.

Darnell: Meeting Michael Jackson was a surreal moment for me as well as being the opening act and meeting the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin!

Rob: Playing on stages like The Apollo and Wembley Arena.

When you began to get back together and sing again, how familiar did it feel?

Rob: It felt like putting on an old shoe. It just felt so right and so perfect.

Did it feel foreign at first?

Dan: The only foreign thing was the nervousness of not knowing what to expect. We had spent so many years singing together that you had to wonder if we still had the blend and timing, or even if we each remembered our parts. But from the first note we kinda fell back into our respected places. It was like music muscle memory.

You decided to partner with Lifebeat. Would love to hear more about your charity of choice. Can you tell us more?

Dan: I was familiar with Lifebeat because one of the acts I used to do vocal arrangement and songwriting for had a long musical affiliation with them. Lifebeat is a great nonprofit dedicated to educating about HIV/AIDS prevention through concert venues, music festivals, clubs and other events.

In the past, SOLO has performed at a few of their residential facilities – and will continue to as long as they have us. Feeling good is what our music is about. From singing on the streets we knew how much singing could change someone’s mood, so we felt this was a great way to give. - Pledgemusic.com/blog


"New Video: Solo “Gone” + New EP Trailer"

Solo are currently working towards the release of their new EP “3.0 Rebooted”, and have just released the new video for their single “Gone”. The group is looking for fans to pledge their support of the EP, and in return can join them at their release event in NYC. - Youknowigotsoul.com


"Share68 Tweet29 They're Back! Party With Veteran R&B Group Solo in New Video 'Gone' ."

Sixteen years after their last album 4 Bruthas & a Bass in 1998, New York R&B group Solo is back with a new single “Gone” from their EP 3.0 Rebooted.
In the video directed by Kofi Okai and filmed in Brooklyn, NY, Solo members Dan Stokes, D Nell Chavis and Rob Anderson all show their sensitive sides on date night with their special ladies, which then turns into a flat-out party!
“The video is exactly what we wanted for our first single! It's a fresh take on that classic SOLO feel good music our fans love us for,” they said. “The video doesn't even show all the fun we had shooting it….at the end of the 18-hour day, everyone was still parting to the song even asking, ‘where is the after party?’ It was the vision of director Kofi Okai who brought our music to life and great editing and styling from friends Bobby Yan and Stacey Jordan.”
The group on a mission to bring R&B back to the forefront with their Pledgemusic campaign “Drop a Dollar in the Box”. It's an opportunity for fans and supporters to pre-order the new EP 3.0 Rebooted, secure gifts, and experiences exclusives to investors (Backstage Passes, Digital Downloads, Vintage Vynyl, VIP Performance and more...). For more info, visit pledgemusic.com/projects/SOLOthegroup.

Read more at http://singersroom.com/content/2014-11-26/Theyre-Back-Party-With-Veteran-RB-Group-Solo-in-New-Video-Gone/#U4wV2DdV1Hh36zkz.99

Read more: http://singersroom.com/content/2014-11-26/Theyre-Back-Party-With-Veteran-RB-Group-Solo-in-New-Video-Gone/#ixzz3XIbG7KOJ - Singersroom.com


"VIDEO: Solo - Gone"

Hit 90's R&B group SOLO is back with a new feel good music video. The single is off their upcoming EP 3.0 Rebooted, which can be pre-ordered on pledgemusic.com. This is their first album in 16 years. - Digibuzzmusic.com


"SOLO: Keepin' The Dream Alive"

Welcome Back! Now first things first, please introduce for me the members of SOLO...

Dan; Smooth Tenor, D Nell; Raspy Tenor (and) Rob; Upright Bassist.

So, where have you all been? And, what exactly have you all been up to, from both a personal and professional stand-point, during this lengthy musical hiatus?

Well, personally, we have been living! Some of us have married, had children, divorced, gotten Master's Degrees, and reconnected with life. In addition, we each remained connected to music in some way. For instance, Dan worked behind the scenes with up and coming artists; doing music, arranging vocals and commercials...D Nell continued touring the world, as a featured vocalist on cruise ships, and Rob continued with his jazz band, as well as worked for Steinway Pianos building pianos.

Why did you all opt to remain absent from music for such a long period of time?

Unfortunately, we got caught in the music industry restructuring that occurred in the late '90's, and were released form our contract with then A&M Records. Music trends had changed so much, many started saying our type of music was over and we started to believe them. We did not decide to come back until we started hearing internet chatter from our fans. They wondered where we were and why we vanished from the industry.

It appears that you all have FINALLY returned to making music again -- Please lemme know how SOLO '15 measures up to what you all are already both known and loved for circa, say, 1995?

We are definitely back and committed to keeping our brand of R&B alive and well. We feel that the SOLO 2015 remains true to our roots of R&B soul. We wanted to take the essence of our debut and bring it to this decade. We asked ourselves what would SOLO sound like if we came out today. For us, that meant lots of feel good, soul stirring music, that referenced our musical history of R&B, but was solidly based in contemporary production and feel. We think that we succeeded in building from the foundation that Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis established, and hope that it makes them proud.

As an extension to that last question, how have you all [SOLO] either changed and/or evolved since your whole inception into music?

We have evolved a lot since our last album '4 Bruthas and A Bass.' We no longer feel like abandoned little boys - like the cover photo on that album - but today we are accomplished men with some great stories to tell. We've learned by living and necessity. We've grown personally and musically, and those things are present in our songs; helping to make this album authentic, personal and honest.

You all titled the EP, 3.0 Rebooted -- Conceptually, what does that name represent both to and for you all?

'3.0' is a direct reference to the fact that we are now 3 members and no longer 4. One of the founding members of the group quit for a 3rd time - since its inception - sighting health reasons and dreams of pursuing other aspirations. We hold no hard feelings and wish him the best. This time, we chose to continue without him and give our fans what they wanted by pressing on.

...The word "Rebooted" is an ode to the digital era of music and rebooting our careers in this digital age. Conceptually, '3.0 Rebooted' together means we restarting, refreshing, our careers and our type of R&B. It means we are open to the new-ness and creativity of the time we live in now. It's almost like everything is new again.

What can you all reveal and/or divulge about the new material(s)? Producers? Favorite track(s)? Etcetera?

This album is fun, uplifting and full of feel good music, with the harmonies we are known for. It also has some sexy bangers to get the mood started and finished. We called on personal relationships from some of our closest friends, family and band members, to make the music on this project as personal as possible. We worked with great producers; like Maurice "Majik" Reed, Jonathan "Bonkaz" Howard, Lez Lemon, J.P. DeLaire and Maurice Anderson. We also wrote and arranged every song on this EP...Some of our favorite songs are "MF Keeper," the good man's anthem! ...Everybody needs a sexy beggin' song like "Stay the Night," and we even have (an) uplifting song called "OK," that most will not be able (to) resist singing along to. There is something for everyone on this album.

How does 3.0 Rebooted either differ and/or compare to previous SOLO efforts?

It continues to be inspired by the shoulders of giants that we - and everyone after them - continue to stand on. Giants like The Temptations, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, The Jacksons, Babyface...We could go on and on. '3.0' is meant to keep the dream of R&B alive, connecting us and those who may enjoy our music to our collective past, while pressing on toward our unknown futures. It's our attempt to continue the R&B legacy for decades to come.

Let's retrace your musical roots, when did you all first become interested in music?

Our roots are interesting...Dan first became interested in music because his mom and her sisters had a singing group called The Imperialettes. I recall being a toddler looking up at them from the floor as they rehearsed in a circle. That's where I got the love of harmony. D Nell's mom was also a singer, and in her teens she recorded music professionally. D Nell is also a distant cousin to Sam Cooke. So, you can say music is in the blood.

And, with that being said, how did you all even come together to form SOLO?

Solo was formed with D Nell and two other founding members, (who) met in California, and decided to hitchhike across the country to sing at The Apollo's Showtime at the Apollo. They made it across country, only to start singing in the streets and subways to survive. Rob met the group while singing in the subway, and decided to offer to add his upright bass to the classic harmonies. Dan was later introduced by a mutual friend of the group, and was invited to join after hanging out and singing dozens of songs with the group on a New York street corner. We did make it to The Apollo, but as a guest artist.

Where does your moniker, SOLO, originally derive from?

The name SOLO means "One" in Spanish. When we harmonize, we sing as one! It also was meant to recognize that each one of us could stand alone as a SOLO artist.

What particular string of events led to your initial hooking up with Jimmy Jame & Terry Lewis, ultimately inking to their now defunct Perspective Records imprint?

Jimmy and Terry were both in New York City...We were singing on the corner of Prince Street in SOHO - an artsy section of N.Y.C. - Terry Lewis and his, then, wife Karyn White, first saw us as they were shopping on foot. They gave us money and a card asking us to call him. Later in the day, Jimmy Jam was in a taxi that happened to be stopped in on the corner we were singing. He was really impressed! That evening, Jimmy mentioned his experience to Terry. Once they both mentioned the upright bass, they realized they had saw the same group of guys. They flew us out to Minneapolis and the rest is history.

Longevity, what do you all attribute yours to?

We attribute our longevity to the fans of R&B, who have inspired and uplifted us and our talents. They truly sustained us through moments of self doubt. We also attribute it to fortitude, belief in our talents and to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, for establishing a solid foundation of classics from which we could build. They truly gave us songs that are lasting the test of time.

Do you all have any other outside/additional aspirations, maybe even completely away from music?

Sure, we have dreams of establishing the SOLO brand to other areas outside of music; areas like (a) legitimate fashion brand, writing a book about our story, maybe a movie or a Broadway play...We are interested in beverages, radio and or correspondents shows, business, and even music education.

To date, what has been your biggest career moment(s)?

Some of our biggest career moments were working with Jimmy and Terry, singing for Michael Jackson, being nominated for a Soul Train Album of the Year (Award), performing for/or with legends like Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Gerald Levert, Quincy Jones...And, seeing people's mood change from the sound of our voices.

On a more serious note, are you all happy with the current state of R&B? And, where do you all "fit in" when it comes to the overall sound-scape of today's musical trends?

We are not happy with the current state of R&B, but we are not sad about it either. R&B is alive and is still influencing music today, but in a different way than when we were out. We disagree with those who perpetuate the notion that R&B is dead. We know that music trends tend to be cyclical. R&B will have its day in the sun again, and we would like to be there when it does.

Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years down the line, where do you all see yourselves?

We see ourselves with several NEW chart-topping albums and singles under our belts, having a few Grammys on our mantels, being ambassadors of R&B in some respect, touring when we want and having established a multi-medium brand, that is as timeless as some of the giant legends whose shoulders we proudly stand on.

As for the immediate, what's next for SOLO?

Next, we finish mixing and mastering the new music and we release the EP in April. We also look forward to releasing a second single and video, and plan to be performing the new music; touring in some capacity this year.

Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention? And, any "last" word(s) for our readers? - Thehypemagazine.com


"The Rhythm with AMC: EP 19 - Chatting with Solo!"

Hey Soulsters!

I was basically busted during this show. I am not even going to tell you what it took to get this show together! Anyhow, we kept it at a minimal and Sean went IN on the old school R&B and soul. To take it one stop further, I chatted it up with R&B group Solo (they're back!), and we had a blast!

Press Play on the goodness!

BTW - Have you subscribed to my newsletter? Please do so here: http://ow.ly/kUjHy

Hear y'all soon...

amc
DJ Sean Sax - The Rhythm with AMC


Discography

ALBUMS

Solo (#8 R&B, #52 U.S.)
4 Bruthas and A Bass (#25 R&B, #123 U.S.)

3.0 Rebooted EP, (May, 2015)

3.0 Rebooted Deluxe, (May, 2015)

SINGLES

Heaven (#7 R&B, #42 Pop)
Where Do U Want Me To Put It (#8 R&B, #50 Pop)
He's Not Good Enough (#50 R&B)
Touch Me (#26 R&B, #59 Pop)
Wonderful Pain (Digital Release, 2011)

Gone (Digital Release, 2014)

Photos

Bio

SOLO BIO

Hailing from New York City, SOLO is the collaborative effort of Daniele Stokes, D Nell Chavis and Rob Anderson.

Making music since the ‘90s, SOLO was discovered by producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in New York’s Soho district. Soon after, they signed to Perspective Records and released their debut self-titled album. 

With vocals from Stokes and Chavis and bass from Anderson, the trio are best known for creating R&B soul and neo soul music, a genre they’ve coined as “new classic soul.” Their distinct voices set them apart from other soul artists, with a seamless combination of smooth and rough textures, perfectly complementing one another.

SOLO cite their main musical influences as Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Womack, Otis Redding and The Funk Brothers. 

“We are often like a bull in a China shop when we are writing, but more of the time it starts with a melody, a beat or chords,” they said. 

SOLO has opened for a variety of artists, including Michael Bolton, R. Kelly, Biggie Smalls, Aretha Franklin and more. They have garnered two spots in the top 10 R&B charts with “Heaven” and “Where Do You Want Me to Put It,” as well as several other accolades for their music.

In May, SOLO plans to release their anticipated 3.0 Rebooted EP accompanied by a lyric video and new single.