When singer/songwriter Maya Azucena released her solid, soulfully funky, debut CD, aptly titled Maya Who?!, it was meant to playfully address how many responded to hearing her exotic surname for the first time. However, after hearing her music or seeing her perform that question was quickly spun to echo those keenly wanting to know, who this strikingly talented new artist on the scene was. They were no doubt quick to discover what has been described as her passion, sass and been there authenticity and a voice that’s diva strong and compelling. “I sing what I mean and what I feel from the bottom of my heart,” says Maya with an undeniable tone of sincerity and it undoubtedly comes through in all she does as it has earned her streams of love, admiration, respect and opportunity. CDBaby.com, the well-regarded online music store where Maya’s internationally acclaimed and popular CD remains in the Urban/R&B Top Sellers list, was encouraged to say This soul/R&B/hip hop album is a fantastic launching point for a young woman with a bright and long career ahead of her.

“Junkyard Jewel is album that I can identify with for many reasons, says Maya, one of them being that it is my second-born and I was able to convey my experiences from the first album, traveling around the world and to where I am now”, expresses Maya. The album is fueled by the guitar work of Ver Halen and a solid band consisting of percussionist Ivan Katz, bassist Jason DiMatteo, violinist Tarrah Reynolds and cellist David Gotay. Maya’s expressive voice shines in the midtempo “Set You Free”, “Runaway Blues” and “Like No Other”. “Ballads such as “Wash Over” and the title cut “Junkyard Jewel,” put Maya’s soulful voice above the rest. Her rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” has been a fan favorite at shows and now, finally recorded, is notable, inspiring and hair-raising.

The attractive Brooklyn , NY native fueled by an obsession for crafting riveting tracks and stirring up faithful audiences with spirited live sets has since taken on “hardest-working” status. Not only has a burgeoning résumé of impressive accomplishments been the result, but also a resounding buzz often reserved for those touted as a star in the making. The range of those accomplishments is a reflection of the truly creative artist she is and the enormous ability she possesses proving the buzz is certainly warranted. AllHipHop.com recently named the one time aspiring actress “Best Alternative Artist of the Year, while Soultracks.com has touted her as a “Best Female Vocalist of the Year” nominee.

Maya Azucena has shared stages or been on bills with legendary artists, vets and newcomers from the worlds of R&B, Soul, Hip Hop, Jazz, Rock and more. Artists such as Roberta Flack, Bilal, Martin Luther, Jaguar Wright, Joss Stone, Leon Ware, Richard Bona, Lupe Fiasco, Big Daddy Kane, the Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight, Anthony Hamilton, Platinum Pied Pipers, and John Legend. In addition to crisscrossing the US with riveting performances she’s toured cities in Canada, Italy, England as well as Stockholm, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Croatia where Croatian superstar, Gibonni enlisted Maya’s vocal talents for a track on his latest CD named, “Andejo U Tebia” (”Angel In You”). As a result their collaboration garnered 2 Croatian Grammy awards and a stellar performance at the televised ceremony.

Maya is also featured on Grammy-winning producer/songwriter and son of the legendary Bob Marley, Stephen Marley’s track, “Let Her Dance”, from his latest Universal/Tuff Gong release Mind Control. Maya currently has the #3 spot on BILLBOARD’S Hot Dance chart with the single, “Make It Happen” on Kult Records. And there is still a long list of collaborations with notable producers such as Devo Springsteen, Rich Medina, DJ Bob Sinclair and Jonathan Peters, among others. In addition to her voice grabbing your attention through national NAIR commercials in “The Less You Wear” campaign and others for Icy Hot, Macya’s INC, Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Longhorn Steakhouse, Maya is an activist in her own right. She has sung on Washington DC ‘s historic Mall at the Save Darfur rally against genocide in the Sudan , in solidarity with national activists and celebrities such as Barack Obama, Al Sharpton, and George Clooney.

All that Maya Azucena has done thus far is indeed impressive. Not merely by the amount of things there are, but because of the realization of something taking place that means far more to her. That something is growth. On the back cover of her debut CD she then wrote, “I am a work in progress.” This was both a refreshing and revealing statement. For one, she was being incredibly modest for even then she displayed great ability, poise and professionalism that immediately hoisted her among the premiere artists to watch on the soul scene. But is was also a declaration from the start that she is a sincere, creative artist first, driven by the desire to move an audience emotionally and physically “ challenging herself each time to explore ways to do it differently- do it better.

ARE YOU READY TO EXPLORE THE “JEWEL” THAT IS HIDDEN INSIDE?

* Song collaboration with Croatian Superstar, Gibonni, just won 2 Porin (Croatian Grammys), (April 23, 2007) in the category of Best Song Collaboration and Song of The Year for “Angel In You” (Andeo U Tebi).
* “Make It Happen” holds the #3 spot w/ a bullet on Billboard Hot Dance Chart.

* Maya Azucena’s cameo appearance on NBC’s comedy 30 Rock, featuring Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan and Special Guest LL Cool J. Maya’s indie music video, TOO MUCH, directed by Jason Fisher, was posted on a large flat screen TV in a scene that takes place backstage at the SOURCE Awards with the captions: BEST MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR “ MAYA AZUCENA.

* Maya’s vocals were chosen for the recent JOHNSON & JOHNSON and NAIR National TV/Radio campaign (currently airing now).

* Song collaboration with Stephen Marley, “Let Her Dance”, is generating huge buzz at radio.

* Best Female Vocalist of the Year nominee “ Soul Tracks Readers Choice Awards

* Best Alternative Artist of the Year WINNER“ AllHipHop.com

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Travel back in time and its clear how reggae’s influence soon made itself known via the genre’s adoption by both skinhead culture and the punk revolution. From early Ska and Rocksteady right through to Dan cehall, the spirit of Trojan is very much alive. The sound and impression of reggae can be found in modern music from the likes of Sean Paul to No Doubt to Radiohead to Shaggy to Sublime.

So how do you celebrate forty years of all that musical goodness?

Kicking it all off is a unique release from the undisputed Godfather of reggae himself, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. Selecting his favorite tracks from his own prolific and highly experimental career, Perry takes us on a journey through reggae that includes chart topping hits, collaborations and his own personal high points.

Perry’s jukebox collection is just one in a successful, curated series. DJ SPOOKY PRESENTS paved the way last summer followed by JONNY GREENWOOD IS THE CONTROLLER from Radiohead’s discerning guitarist and the upcoming FURRY SELECTION, LUXURY CUTS OF TROJAN CHOSEN BY A SUPER FURRY ANIMAL (bassist Guto Pryce). Later this summer we’ll see a double mix collection by The Orb featuring unreleased material by the Mad Professor.

In addition to Trojan’s Jukebox Series, Trojan has mined numerous Definitive Collections and Anthologies, over 60 eye-catching Trojan Box Sets and a host of seminal Classic albums. Coming this summer are great classics by I Roy, King Tubby, and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s original Jamaican mix of SUPER APE will finally make its US debut.

To continue in the festivities, Trojan Records has also entered into a partnership with Starbucks for a compilation to be available in all stores across North America as of August 1. With a forward written by Lee “Scratch” Perry, this collection will celebrate Trojan at its best and most accessible.

The influence that reggae has had both musically and culturally is world renowned, with the Trojan label playing host to some of its most legendary performers such as Bob Marley, Toots and the Maytals, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Dennis Brown, Desmond Dekker, Horace Andy and Gregory Isaacs. This year will be devoted to TROJAN 40, a celebration of not only the music and the artists, but the history that has made Trojan Records the foremost reggae label in the world.

SHR and Livingroom Johnston Pair Up in “Write on Bros.”
Joint Show at Eyejammie Opens on Wednesday, May 9

The artist/writers Sacha Jenkins SHR and Livingroom Johnston are
teaming up to exhibit their works in a show entitled “Write On Bros.:
Paintings and Words by Sacha Jenkins SHR and the Legendary Livingroom
Johnston.” Hosted by the Eyejammie Fine Arts Gallery, the show will begin
with an opening night reception on Wednesday, May 9, 2007, from six until
nine o’clock. It will remain up through Saturday, June 2, 2007. The
Eyejammie Fine Arts Gallery is located at 516 W.25th Street, Suite 306,
in Manhattan.

“Write On Bros.” will be devoted — in Jenkins’s words — to works
exploring “New York, slavery, clandestine emancipation, and the notion that
God is one of us.” For the most part, these works will be paintings on
canvas (Johnston) and on wood, canvas, and corrugated plastic
(Jenkins.)

Jenkins is variously known as the editorial director of Mass Appeal
magazine and co-founder of the ego trip collective, whose most recent
product was the reality television series “The White Rapper Show” for VH1.
His first show at Eyejammie, “Writers Convention: A Collaborative Study
of Pigments,” took place in November and December of 2005.

Johnston is a pioneering skateboarder, self-published novelist, and
painter. In 1989 he became the first black man to grace the cover of
Transworld magazine. Since March of 2004 he has written six well-received
hand-made novels, beginning with “Harlem Remembers the Bronx.”
Johnston’s first one-man show of paintings occurred in New York in July of
2006.

Cey Adams’s “Untitled: An Exhibition of Original Skateboard Art” will
remain on display at Eyejammie through Saturday, May 5.

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