Cezar

CEZAR: Artist Bio

“There are some people who refuse to be boxed into any particular category, who rail against any labels, people who refuse to wear the straitjacket of conformity. People for whom the word 'genre' is anathema.” This is how the Jamaica Observer chose to describe the music, style and sound of Cezar. With his genre fusing brand of reggae soul taking influences from a multi faceted spectrum, he has emerged as a truly multi dimensional and multi talented artiste. With an uncanny ability to expertly straddle the different sonic sound scapes emanating from Jamaica he has evaded simple singular description & earned a reputation for great lyric writing & a wonderful voice. In an age of genre specialists and genre specifics, the focus in Cezar’s case has shifted to him, that voice, his pen & his guitar. All the while bridging genres & perceptions of how & what Jamaican music “should” be.

Born with Maroon heritage to musically inclined parents Rupert & Sonia Cunningham, Cezar’s father co-founded Ashanti & Bamboo Records in London. The labels produced reggae geared towards the large West Indian population in the UK & aided in fostering & fuelling Europe’s long standing love affair with Jamaican music. At less than a year in age his family returned to Jamaica, concerned about securing their son’s cultural identity. Though the marriage would dissolve by the time Cez was 3, his closeness to his parents remained & he would divide his time between them throughout childhood, spending academic months in Jamaica & holidays in Houston, Texas following his father’s relocation there.

Poring over his father’s record collection as a child he discovered & became hooked on the sounds of Marley, Tosh, Cliff, Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Armstrong, King Cole, Redding & a myriad of others. The voices on those records were his babysitters while his father was at work, & through their stories & emotions he learned early lessons about life. Considering his lineage, it’s no mystery why Cezar today is already generating more than passing interest with his own stories, emotions & music.

His personal journey musically speaking began while he was at university in the US. Having sung since childhood he joined a fledgling band of talented Jamaican youngsters called ‘Earthvibes’. Though the band’s members – among them Jeffrey Moss Solomon (now of Roots Underground) & Andrew Seaga – also studied outside of Jamaica, they would coalesce on summers to perform at small shows in Kingston. Cez would later go on to teach himself guitar after attending a Lucy Pearl concert & finding a guitar pick that lead singer Raphael Saadiq had thrown into the crowd. “I thought it was a sign” he says, “I still have it”!

After earning a degree in Architecture from Howard University, Cez returned to Jamaica in 2003 & set about achieving his musical goals. It wasn’t till 2004 though that things really began to take shape. In January he impressed audiences playing the feature stage at the Air Jamaica Jazz ‘n’ Blues Festival. His eclectic style & vocal abilities turned heads and opened eyes & ears. His first release ‘Sexyways’ on the ‘Thundaclap’ rhythm garnered much airplay as did the video for the single. With its release on the Greensleeves Records compilation, it was put into rotation on BBC radio’s reggae & dancehall show in the UK. Other releases followed. ‘Knockin’ at your door’ produced by Steven “Gibbo” Gibbs was a bold declaration that he had arrived at the doorstep of the world. He won’t be knocking for long.

‘Lay u down’ yet another release, became, & remains very popular on the international hit ‘Stepz’ rhythm produced by Renaissance Productions. Cezar’s co-production in the form of his guitar playing is also featured on the entire compilation. ‘Stepz’ has launched hit after hit including Sean Paul’s hit single “We’ll be burning”. The collaborative success of ‘Stepz’ continued into Renaissance’s latest hit rhythm – Icebreaka! Once again Cez’s guitar is prominent throughout & his single ‘Irresistible’ is taking his sound deeper into the hearts of those who already love it.

His other collaborators include legendary producer Tony Kelly, Steven ‘Lenky’ Marsden, Flabba, Al’borosie, noted dancehall producer ‘Blaxx’, Stephan Schulmeister of Bush House & producer David Kennedy, with whom the internationally awarded “Keep On” was recorded. It’s a shot to watch! Among his other releases ‘Take the Fall’ produced by Zero Gravity, is a lilting ballad about letting go of one’s fears & giving into the vulnerability of being in love. Lyrically & stylistically it’s a stand out hit in the making. The accompanying video was shot in NYC by directors Nadia Sampson & Tim Naylor & is now broadcast globally on BETJ & VH1 Soul! ‘Wasted Seasons’ another single is the type of song that moves the listener almost to the point of tears lyrically, yet the rhythm structure imposed by producer Andrew “Preggs” Thompson offsets any feelings of darkness. It’s an oxymoron of sorts, like the term ‘new-classic’, but Wasted Seasons is destined to become one.

This singer-songwriter & talented producer in his own right, has made enormous strides in a very short time. He has written for other artists such as Tami Chynn, Wayne Marshall and Machel Montano. That writing ability has gained him second place in world music in the 2006/07 International Songwriting Competition for the masterfully penned ‘Keep On’. Out of 15,000 songs from around the world, Cez’s sole entry has risen to the top of the pile. He is steadily doing the same. With his videos in heavy rotation & regular performances, his fan base continues to grow significantly. He has many new releases – including work on the UNI Japan released ‘Singerz’ album series - & appearances on such events as Air Jamaica Jazz n’ Blues ’04 – ‘07, Bob Marley Caribbean Festival, opening for the late, great, Lucky Dube in Brazil’s Salvador Reggae Fest 07, RE High School Tour, Antigua Splash, Miss Jamaica Florida, the Hon. Portia Simpson-Miller’s Inauguration Ball, Temptation Live, The E-Spot and performances at Weekenz, The Village & other local & international shows. He has been covered by major local newspapers & local and international magazines. With the digital explosion of music, Cezar’s fan base is now growing globally.

There are no limits to what Cezar will accomplish. He remains devoted to his mission of taking his music to the world. He has the tools. He has drive & talent. He has the image. Most importantly, he has the heart. Open your ears, turn up the radio, listen out for & request Cezar.
BOOKING+MANAGEMENT FOR CEZAR PLEASE CONTACT:RODNEY HILL -RHH MUSIC CORP ROJAT69@GMAIL.COM

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