Performers For BLACK MECCA
Nolan Shaheed, Trumpet:
He is a trumpeter and producer born in Pasadena, California, also previously known as Nolan Andrew Smith.
He began his career in the late 1960s/early 1970s after attending college and doing his military service and in 1974/5 became a studio musician in Los Angeles and took on a two-year stint with Marvin Gaye as his Musical Director. He moved on from there to take on the position of Lead Trumpet with the Count Basie Orchestra for the years 1976 to 1979 and from there he worked continually with a string of acclaimed artists and musicians that include Anita Baker, Natalie Cole, Phil Collins, Earth, Wind & Fire, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Gap Band, the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and many more.
The albums he has appeared on are countless and include his own Lamentation from the Middle Passage, Golden Years by Count Basie, City Life by The Blackbyrds, Dangerous by Natalie Cole, Live from the Nation’s Capital by the Buddy Collette Big Band, Take It To The Limit by Norman Connors, Who’s Been Talkin’ by Robert Cray, Dingo by Miles Davis & Michel LeGrand, All This Love by DeBarge, Knee Burns by David Byrne, Faces and Illuminations by Earth, Wind & Fire, Best of My Love by The Emotions, Classy Pair by Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie, The Gap Band, Live at the London Palladium, In Our Lifetime and Here, My Dear by Marvin Gaye, Pleasure One by Heaven 17, Simple Things by Carole King, Burnin’ by Patti LaBelle, S.O.S. by The S.O.S. Band, It Only Takes a Minute by The Emotions, Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards by Tom Waits, Whisper in Your Ear by The Whispers, Hotter than July and Conversation Peace by Stevie Wonder.
In the 1990s he changed his surname to Shaheed and nowadays he is also a music producer and has his own recording studio. He is also a master athlete having won countless championships worldwide in track events.
The Gap Band Recordings.
Baby Baba Boogie (Lonnie Simmons/Charlie Wilson).
Marvin Smitty Smith, Drummer:
Marvin Smith is an American jazz drummer and composer. was born in Waukegan, Illinois, where his father, Marvin Sr., was a drummer. "Smitty" was exposed to music at a young age, receiving formal musical training at the age of three. After graduating from Waukegan East High School, Smith attended Berklee, graduating in 1981. Smith has recorded 200 albums with various artists, as well as two solo albums. He has toured with, among others, Sting, Dave Holland, Sonny Rollins, Willie Nelson, and Steve Coleman. He is a former member of The New York Jazz Quartet, and was the drummer for the Tonight Show with Jay Leno band, led by Kevin Eubanks, from January 30, 1995 until the show's end on May 29, 2009. Smith was also the drummer for the Jay Leno Show band in 2009-10.
Theo Saunders, Piano:
Pianist, Keyboardist, Composer, Arranger Theo Saunders has been on the international jazz scene for more than 55 years and performed and recorded with a dizzying array of Jazz artists from Slam Stewart to Carla Bley. His career also includes extensive work in the musical spheres of Latin Jazz, R&B, Funk, Musical Theater, Dance and Opera.
Ricky Woodard, Saxophone:
Rickey Woodard picked up early experience playing in a family band. After attending Tennessee State University, Woodard joined Ray Charles in 1980. In 1988, he moved to Los Angeles and then recorded (both as a leader and as a sideman) for Concord Records, has led quartets, and been a member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.
Tony Dumas, Bass:
Tony Dumas born in Los Angeles California. By the age of 14, he started playing bass and studying in the high school orchestra and went on to study music at Pasadena City College.
He first started playing professionally with Organist Johnny Hammond Smith then went on to play with Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard.
He has toured, played, and recorded with the likes of: Herbie Hancock, Carmen McCrae, Sarah Vaughan, Joe Williams, The Manhattan Transfer, Chick Correa, Etta James, Mariah Carey, Bill Cosby (playboy jazz festival band), Patrice Rushen and the list goes on and on.
Brittany Daniels, Dancer:
Brittany Daniels began dancing ballet at the age of eight and later studied hip-hop, jazz, modern, and ballroom at the age of 14. She completed Cecchetti examinations 1–5 and earned international honors for her last examination. Some summer dance intensives she attended are Cecchetti USA (nominated for an award in her division), American Ballet Theater, Ballet Magnificat! (full scholarship), and LINES Ballet (scholarship). She was awarded the most promising dancer in her home city, Temecula, California, by ODC modern dance company, as well as offered a full scholarship to their dance intensive. She was offered an apprenticeship to the modern company, PGK Dance Project when she was 18. She traveled and danced in Washington D.C., New York, Italy, and Cuba with Dunamix Dance Project. She was honored with many opportunities to perform, serve, and teach dance at places that served underprivileged children, abused children, individuals with HIV/AIDS, and individuals who are homeless. Brittany led the dance program at Maranatha High School for 3 years and currently teaches dance at The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks. Brittany joined Lineage in 2018.
Sylvia MacCall, Singer:
Sylvia MacCalla is one of the founding members of the R&B group LivinOutLoud, Sylvia and her brother wrote/produced several records. The UK embraced their sound early on. Sylvia is an all-genre music writer and lover. She has spent the last seven years going back and forth to Nashville from LA to co-write with a variety of great writers.
Sylvia has also had the honor of working alongside the incomparable Artie Butler who is best known for his award-winning song Here’s to Life made famous by Shirley Horn and Barbra Streisand. And his arrangements on songs like What a Wonderful World. Sylvia and Artie have written over 1/2 dozen songs and are still going strong.
She is currently working as a vocal coach to a few of the industry's top pop Artists as well as writing for early-stage talent helping them fine-tune their Vocals and Artistry.
Part of the Broadway community, Sylvia has cuts with Eden Espinosa’s, Yvette Cason, Chester Gregory, and Terron Brooks’s name a few.