Music Style Anything and Everything

Musical Influences Sting, Bob Marley, Van Morrison, Paul Van Dyk, Paul Oakenfold, Steel Pulse, U2, Sublime, The Police, Thelonious Monk, BT, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, NOFX, Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Sade, Marvin Gaye, John Lennon

Artist History Jesse Chong started his music career ar the age of 13, playing his first paid shows in the Williamsburg area. However it wasn't until his arrival on the Virginia Beach scene that his music began to take shape. Jesse quickly found himself entrenched in the area's hardcore/punk scene, playing in numerous bands while building a name for himself. At the age of 15, Jesse began to gain a loyal following playing in a band known as Duh-Blow 7, a band which would become the predecessor to the next generation of the area's pop-punk bands. In his later high school years Jesse's musical tastes began to shift. Becoming unsatistfied with the artistic limitations of punk, Jesse decided to move onto new musical ground. He formed a band called The Special Blend, mixing up his punk background with his new influences of reggae, ska, and funk. The Special Blend was the sonic experiment that Jesse needed to expand his songwriting and musical ablilities. However after working with the band for a little over a year, Jesse's life began to take another turn. Becoming fed up with the constant partying and inconsistency of the band's shows, Jesse began isolating himself from his peers. He took a greater interest in the study of spiritual traditions and started a daily yoga practice. The Special Blend was disbanded shortly thereafter and Jesse was left to ponder his next move. Jesse's spiritual interests led him to the Cayce school of massage, where he enrolled in the summer of 1999. While in school, Jesse found himself in the right environment to grow creatively and expand his influences once again. In addition to learning massage techniques, Jesse also was learning about the spiritual power of music. He found new inspiration in the holistic philosophies that Cayce's school taught. It was during this time that Jesse dedicated himself to recording his first full length album with the help of Mastersound Studios. With the guidance of his producer, Dave Hummel, Jesse's music evolved once again. Jesse started using samplers and synthesizers in addition to his traditional instrumentation and became saturated by the electronic music that his sister was constantly spinning. That electronic influence is found throughout the album and is tastefully mixed with his traditional songwriting. The album was finished shortly after Jesse's graduation from massage school, a project that took two years to complete. The album is called "Social Studies", due to the various social topics that the songs address. The album is the summation of all of Jesse's work from high school up to that date. Shortly after the album was completed, Jesse moved to upstate New York to learn the ropes of professional musicianship. It was during this time that Jesse gained a greater sense of professionalism. Most importantly it gave him blues music. After studying blues, jazz, and old R&B, his musical vision became complete. Jesse's singing, songwriting, and guitar playing reached new levels as his musical roots grew deeper into the fertile soil of old blues. However, Jesse's musical journey is far from complete. Jesse has already played a few shows in the area with great success. His audiences are captivated by his stage presence, and the quality of his music is infectious. Jesse is quickly claiming the ears of the locals while building a following. With the upcoming year, Jesse plans to release an album called "Digital Divination". The album is a collection of the electronic music that Jesse has been making for the past two years, and is already becoming a hot commodity on the internet. Jesse also has plans to return to the studio to record some of the new songs that he has written since releasing "Social Studies". Now at the age of 20, Jesse is proving himself to be an eclectic and uncompromising musician. As much a songwriter as an entertainer, he is ready to bring his music to the masses. Whether programming synthesizers, playing blues leads, or singing with an acoustic guitar, Jesse is a true musician.

Group Members The Band: Casey Hynick- Drums, Dawn Elijah- Keys/Vocals, Tony Sawyer- Bass/Vocals

Instruments MPC 2000, Roland XP-80, Roland VS 880, Takamine Acoustic, Peavey Electric

Albums Social Studies, Digital Divination (Coming Soon!)

Location Virginia Beach, Virginia - USA

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