Sean Jones The Classic Crooner; Becoming Sean Jones

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

There is something about R&B (Rhythm & Blues), which has captivated the heart and soul of Africans and Caribbeans living in the diaspora for many years. It could be the fact that R&B songs deal with emotions and themes of pain and suffering, or it could be the fact that some R&B songs focus on the pursuit of freedom, happiness and of course, love. Something captured Sean Jones from a very early age, and his passion has allowed for him to sing over 200+ live renditions of soulful ballads, popular R&B melodies, and has inspired him to create his own original material that leaves his audiences wanting more. Jones has enjoyed his journey through the industry, and he took some time to speak with Toronto Caribbean Newspaper about his genesis, and how his hard work has granted him the awesome privilege of performing on the shores of Monaco, in the islands of Hawaii, at London’s historic Trafalgar Square, at New York’s Carnegie Hall and at The Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Centre. Toronto Caribbean Newspaper would like to present to you the Classic Crooner, Sean Jones.

“I can remember dancing at weddings as a child,” Sean told me. His family had him performing any chance they could; I am sure they saw something in him long before he did. “I was in the ninth grade when I finally took it in that I could sing; my mom was the one that confirmed it for me. Once I really took it in, I would sing everywhere. One thing I knew for sure was that singing definitely got me some attention from the ladies, and in high school, that is everything,” Jones chuckled. “I will never forget when things really took off at school; I was asked to come to the front of the class and sing the song “Kissing Game” (Hi-Five). Word spread quickly, and from that, my popularity grew.”

Jones then hooked up with a good friend of his Michael Pope who also went to his high school (Father Gates), and they started singing together. The twosome soon turned into five (Dru, Pops, Smooth, Que and Touch) and just like that, In Essence was born. The group In Essence became very popular and their album “The Master Plan” won both R&B video of the year at Much Music, and R&B recording at the Juno’s in 2004. The album took off not only in Canada but also in Germany, Europe, and the Caribbean.

On March 4^th, 2004, Sony Music Entertainment, and Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) merged and In Essence remained with the company. The group knew that it was time to get back to work and produce a new album; they had ridden their last album long enough. They worked on the second album, only for it to sit in limbo; Jones knew that things had come to an end. This was made even more real when he was told that if he wanted to go, he could go, but the music was not going anywhere. Jones had to cut his loses; you know what they say, all good things come to an end.

A change happened in 2002 when Jones was attending a Prince concert; he was so inspired by what he saw, that after the concert he signed up for guitar lessons. He knew that it was time for a change; he had songs building up inside of him, and he wanted to write songs that felt good to him. In order to do this, Jones locked himself away for six months; it allowed time for him to sort his thoughts and really be creative. It turned out to be one of the best moves he had made in his career.

One day he was out and he bumped into an associate who had worked at Sony. She had left Sony and was doing business with a new company called Wide Awake Entertainment. She invited Jones to meet the owner, and at that time he was open to new experiences. The owners of W.A.E were impressed with him and signed him in 2008. It was great for Jones because now he was getting paid monthly; unfortunately, this was also not a great move because he realized that there was some shadiness happening within the company. I was surprised to hear that during this time, Death Row Records was for sale, and W.A.E bought it for 18 million dollars. This put W.A.E in the middle of legal issues, and all the while nothing was happening musically for the artists that were signed, which of course included Jones.

This now became painful for him; he was making suggestions in regards to his music, and it seemed like it was falling on deaf ears, so yes it was nice to be getting a paycheck, but he wanted to move forward with what he loved; music. That moment came when he found a loophole in his contract, and he knew that this was his time to move; he was going to start creating music the way that he wanted to. It was at this time that his solo career began to really take off. Between 2011 and 2012, Jones began to tour with the Tenors, he also continued to work on and perfect his songwriting. It was after the birth of his daughter Savannah that Jones really took stock of his life. He was fortunate that he had been blessed with the opportunity to do what he loves, and at the same time provide for his family.

What is Sean Michael Jones up to now you ask? Every Monday from June 3^rd – August 26^th, you can enjoy a stunning view of the city, the majestic castle, and the beautiful estate gardens, all while enjoying the beautiful voice attached to the man we all know as Sean Jones, accompanied by the seven-piece band, the Righteous Echo. It is wonderful to see that regardless of the ups and downs he has had to endure creatively, Jones has managed to maintain his decorum, and this is what makes him, a classic man.