Jayaughn + Musician in Baltimore, MD

SEEKING

ABOUT

Jay M. DeVaughn is a native of Goldsboro, NC. Born in 1980, His foundation in music was first nurtured in his home church, St. James Church of Christ in Goldsboro, under the pastorship of Reverend V.H. Johnson. He was very active in the Church Choirs, particularly Voices of Saint James under the direction of Miss Regina McCall and Mr. Leon Cole. He held complete and utter fascination in the complex harmonies of groups like Boyz II Men, Commissioned, Take 6, Xscape, The Clark Sisters, and Mint Condition. He graduated from Goldsboro High School and attended Shaw University, where he studied under the baton of Dr. James Abbington and under Ms. Nikita Shah Pace. This was the turning point in Jay's life, because he, under the intense study of counterpoint and theory, began to composing symphonic pieces, R&B tunes, and Gospel music. He graduated from Shaw University with his Bachelor's in Voice. He then, under the late Dr. Nathan Carter's advisement and after much soul searching, moved to Baltimore, Maryland to attend Graduate School under the wings of mentors Dr. Marilyn A. Thompson, Mr. Vincent Dion Stringer, Dr. Lonieta Thompson Cornwall, Mrs. Sherrell Dameron Bloom, and Dr. Eric A. Conway, all of them concert musicians, conductors, and vocalists in their own right. He earned his Master of Arts in Music from Morgan State University where he was highly active as lead soloist and baritone chorister in the world renowned Morgan State University Choir.

He has composed music for the Shaw University Choir, The Martin Luther King All Children's Choir in Raleigh, NC (under choirmaster Randy Shepard), Anointed Lights Ministries (under Margie Williams) with their hit single Relying On You, Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church Youth Choir, and for The One Love Alliance Gospel Group at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church where he serves as organist under minister of music, Bruce Henderson. He is now Minister of Music of the Historic Payne Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore, Maryland, where Reverend Dr. A. Qismat Alim serves as pastor.

His highlights were

* conducting the 150 voice MLK Children's Choir for the noon day service on January 15, 2004

* performing as guest soloist for St. James Male Chorus CD Debut

* performing an original composition with a select group from the MLK choir for the Evening Celebration (with over 2500 people in attendance)

* performing as soloist for the Shaw University Founder's Day Convocation where the O'Jays were in attendance. Performed Odell Hobbs' "I Got A Robe"

*Performed as soloist under the baton of Drs. Nathan M. Carter, Roland Carter, James Abbington, and Eric Conway.

*Performed as chorister in Morgan State University Choir and Shaw University Choir onstage with such greats as Wintley Phipps, Jennifer Holliday, Melba Moore, Regina Belle, Stephanie Mills, Bill Cosby, Richard Smallwood, Shirley Caesar, and Ray Charles.

*Amateur performer and winner of the Showtime at the Apollo on tour at the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference in the Landmark Theater in Richmond Virginia.

*Amateur performer at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY.

*Performed as soloist and chorister with the Broadway cast of Lion King in a Benefit Concert called Pride and Praise.

*Performer for the U.S. Marine Corps Band (Catfish Row)

* Guest Soloist for Jeff Jacobs' live recording at Bethel AME Church in Baltimore, Maryland.

*Singing solo in "Battle Hymn of The Republic" for the tribal chiefs and kings during the Historic Morgan State University Choir Tour of the Country of Ghana, Africa in August 3-13, 2007.

*Singing duet with Baltimore Gospel Legend, Sherry Hunt, for the Seventh Day Adventist Church Benefit featuring Miracle Temple Mass Choir under direction of Dr. Eric Conway (on the same bill as Wintley Phipps) *Currently writing a book "The Successful Church Choir" a candid how to on handling the church choir.

He is available for bookings as guest recording artist, classical baritone, chorister, back-up singer, songwriter, actor, playwright, conference choir director, and musician.

Screen name:

Jayaughn

Member since:

Dec 23 2007

Active over 1 month ago

Level of commitment:

Very Committed

Years playing music:

12

Gigs played:

50 to 100

Tend to practice:

2-3 times per week

Available to gig:

6-7 nights a week

Most available:

Nights

Influences

God, My Family, My Church (St James Church Of Christ), The Hawkins Family (grew up listening to them), James Cleveland, The Famous Caravans, Daryl Coley, Smokie Norful, Jeff Jacobs, Richard Smallwood, The Clark Sisters, Shirley Caesar, Take 6, Chaka Kahn, Bette Midler, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, The Supremes, The Temptations, Charles Albert Tindley, Thomas A. Dorsey, William Dawson, William Grant Still, Ludwig von Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Robert Schumann (I Love the Piano Concerto in A major!), Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelssohn, and others.

EQUIPMENT

Korg Triton LE