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| Jesse Dee to headline Salem Jazz and Soul Festival’s spring fundraiser, April 27 Dee will be supported by Salem-based System Soul, who will play DJ sets throughout the night. As a youngster in Arlington, Dee was fascinated by the doo-wop groups and rhythm and blues artists he heard on the oldies stations. Since then, the singer/songwriter has drawn inspiration from everywhere he can; the raw and righteous Stax legends and the steam rolling electric grit of the Northern soul icons have ended up front and center. He and his band, an all-star gathering of Boston's best talent, have toured the United States and Canada and are in high demand on the European festival circuits. A tireless performance schedule has earned Dee a steady following. His stage presence and stamina are simply undeniable. Some of Dee's heroes have picked up on his raw attack: He has performed with the likes of Al Green, Solomon Burke, Spencer Wiggins, Bettye Lavette, and his personal favorite, the late Etta James. Having shared the stage with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, James Hunter, Raphael Saadiq and Nikka Costa, Jesse is also recognized as an important player in soul music's modern era. As a songwriter, Dee is able to channel real emotion and poetry into a workhorse strut. With a list of legendary influences fueling his honest-man's delivery, Jesse carves out a vocal identity that's purely his own. Whether he's crooning it or belting it out, the beauty of Dee's music is that it's charged up with a perfect mix of raw energy, class, and heart stealing forces. It works well in every environment, from posh jazz sit downs to sweaty rock clubs to big festival stages in front of 10, 000 people. You can dress it up as easily as you can drag it through the mud. write your comments about the article :: © 2013 Jazz News :: home page |