Joel Holmes
Joel Holmes attended the acclaimed Peabody Conservatory of Music at
John Hopkins University. He gained popularity with his fellow students
playing impressive performances at various festivals and venues.
Joel has studied with Bobby McFerrin, Roy Hargrove, Gary Thomas, and
a host of other respected musicians. He has also taught music and theory
at the Rock Junior Academy, the Baltimore School for the Arts and has
over 15 private students.
A recent Bachelor of Arts graduate from the Peabody Conservatory in
Jazz Performance, Joel’s accolades include a gold medal in the Act-so
Competition of the NAACP, a silver medal in the Local and National
Levels, an honorable mention in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition,
a finalist in the 5th annual Independent Music Awards, a recipient of
the Maryland State Arts Council Grant, and an honorable mention in the
Vh1 song of the year awards.
Now at 25, Joel composes his own style of music blending an array of
traditional and contemporary jazz, gospel, R&B, soul, hip-hop, neo soul,
funk, classical and pop. His states, “My music is a direct expression of
musical influences, spiritual freedom and personal interpretation.” In
addition, he plays a repertoire of over three hundred well-known tunes
He has opened for The Temptations, The Manhattans, Tonex, Regina Bell
and Phil Perry.
Joel has had the honor of performing at The Kennedy Center, Meyerhoff
Symphony Hall, The Litchfield,Hartford and Columbia jazz festivals, as
well as the Morgan State University’s tribute to Baltimore Legends. The
group is currently getting radio airplay at Mosaic Online, a popular
online jazz radio station, 88.9, Morgan State University jazz station.
Because of his increasing popularity, Joel Holmes is touring
extensively throughout the East Coast. In September 2005, he performed
in Taiwan and Singapore. Joel Holmes was a Finalist in the
5th Annual Independent Music Awards in the Song Category under Jazz
Originals. You can find it listed in the “Musician’s Atlas 2006
Magazine.” Joel Holmes has also been selected to receive a
Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award!His Album has also
received a nice review in the Baltimore Jazz Alliance Newsletter.
DaNica Shirey
Hello, my name is DaNica and it's pronounced DA NEE KA. I'm a singer
with a soulful voice and true passion for music! I've been singing since
I very young and winning every school competition I ever entered.
Along with outside contests as well, m y first big successful win was at
the world famous "APOLLO THEATER" in NY at the age of 14. Afterwards,
along with opening up some doors in the music industry, I flew to
California where I worked with BIG SYD and HOLLY to record my first CD
Demo. Then the shows started coming in!
I've sang all over the states from Wash DC for the president of Serra
Leone at a special event to raise funds for their country to performing
benefits for my hometown Mayor and company. I sang our National Anthem
for the Philadelphia 76ers and was invited to come back and sing in
their club. I won the very first "Lancaster Idol" along with coming back
each year as their special Guest singer.
This opened more doors for me, and I was asked to sing at the "World
Cafe' in Philly! They asked me to return two weeks later as their
featured singer. I was also a featured singer on a website called "hitquarters.com"
Later that same year I entered the largest online singing contest ever
thru totalopstar.com and after flying to California to compete, I won
the contest. It was a recording contract and prizes worth over
$150.000.00. Since then, I've moved on to sing and record with some top
folks in Long Island, New York and book quite a bit of shows with
several wedding bands throughout MD, Philly and NY.
My recent accomplishment has been the opportunity to be hand selected by
David Foster to compete in a contest he was holding throughout the US.
David Foster asked me to sing in Madison Square Garden’s for the evening
with Rubin Studdard. Peter Cetera, Michael Johns and many others. I won
that competition and was asked by David Foster to join them in Vancouver
Canada for the final David Foster and Friends tour. All I can say is
WOW! We had a blast, and what an amazing chance to sing with the best!
I'm currently working with Santana Entertainment, and I’m fulfilling my
passion everytime I have the opportunity to perform!