A. Deep Live: Shady Grady Thomas

02/21/16 • 118 min

A. Deep Aries Live! The show that plays multi-genre music, notable interviews

A. Deep Live Presents: Grady Thomas is a former member of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. Thomas lives in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Thomas started out in the late 1950s as one of The Parliaments, a doo wop barbershop quintet led by George Clinton.In 1977, Thomas (along with original Parliaments Fuzzy Haskins and Calvin Simon), left Parliament-Funkadelic after financial and management disputes with Clinton. In 1981, the trio caused confusion when they formed a new funk band that they also called Funkadelic, and released an album called Connections and Disconnections. After a return stint with George Clinton and the P-Funk Allstars in the nineties, Thomas, original Parliaments bass vocalist Ray Davis, Haskins, and Simon founded "Original P" with whom Thomas currently performs.

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A. Deep Live: Maxayn

There are singers and then there are Vocal Architects. Maxayn Lewis is the latter - not only a coveted session and touring vocalist but a passionate and conscientious instructor and coach for people in all walks of life to use their voices to their maximum capacity. Just call it "The Max Factor!" The resume of Maxayn Lewis is an impressive one that includes recording with artists ranging from Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross and Celine Dion to Michael Jackson and Madonna. She has toured with Quiet Storm greats Brenda Russell and Gino Vannelli, jazz legend Les McCann and renowned blues man Bobby "Blue" Bland, as well as many superstars in the Japanese pop world such as Omega Tribe, Toshinobu Kubota, Anri, Akina Nakamori, Sanno Motoharu and Namie Amuro. Maxayn (pronounced max-ann - the "y" is silent) grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma as Paulette Parker, a region renowned for producing great musicians - from rocker Leon Russell to funk masters the GAP Band (both of which she has worked with). She came upon her vocal gifts naturally from her mother, C. Lorene Parker, who was a fantastic gospel singer but, more practically, a chef by trade. Maxayn cites her as well as the incomparable Nina Simone as major inspirations. She sang in a classical conservatory and later honed her chops in jazz nightclubs and the particularly demanding Marshall amplified music of rock clubs. Her big break arrived when the legendary Tina Turner blew into town and recruited her for a world tour. On this tour, Maxayn wowed critics and musicians alike including English rock royalty David Bowie and Mick Jagger, who referred her for gigs.

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A. Deep Live: Actress/singer Indira Milini Khan!

Indira Milini Khan was born in Chicago and grew up in Los Angeles and New York City. The sultry young singer comes from a musical family; her mother is the legendary Pop/Soul icon Chaka Khan. Indira's musical influence stems from performers of varied genres such as: The Artist (Prince), Aretha Franklin, Minnie Riperton, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Sarah McLaughlin and Sheryl Crow. Indira began her professional music career at a young age. From the ages of fourteen to seventeen, she was the founding member of the Motown Records group Pretty in Pink. Indira was responsible for co-writing the majority of the groups material. After her stint with Pretty in Pink, she went on to record with Atlantic Records recording artist Miki Howard, Indira is known in the music industry as a prolific songwriter. It is her deeply personal songs and passionate writing that is true to her heart. Always striving as a singer and performer, Indira has toured extensively most recently with the Daughters of Soul and Rufus, both in the United States and Overseas. A benefit of Indira's travels with her mother on the road is her perspective on how music is a powerful influence in the lives of all people. Though she considers her music mainly R&B, don’t be surprised to hear some funk, rock and jazz spicing up the tracks in her forthcoming release. Despite the many comparisons to her mothers legendary voice, Indira pulls out all the stops when it comes to her own unique style. She expresses her individual diva-tude with humility, grace and power! - For more information on Ms. Khan, please visit www.daughtersofsoul.com