New York, NY (Top40 Charts / Universal Music Enterprises) KISS co-founder & frontman, best-selling author and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer PAUL STANLEY has spent the last few years developing a project close to his heart. Soul Station is a band gathering some of today's leading musicians to pay tribute to the greatest artists and songs from the R&B and soul catalog in addition to new original songs to keep this vital music current. While a surprise to many, Stanley's early pivotal roots in this music has quietly turned this passion into a celebrated touring and recording band. Stanley's 17-piece ensemble group has toured the U.S. and Japan, as well as spending recent time in the studio recording songs for a forthcoming yet-to-be announced project.
Until today, the group had yet to release a video and had primarily excelled in the live venue setting, playing smaller, intimate clubs - a setting where Paul Stanley would reflect on those classic hits that were his early inspiration, playing the songs with a reverence and respect for how he and the band believe they should be performed and heard. But with quarantine casting a long shadow over live music, Stanley and his Soul Station cohorts wanted to reach out to each other and everyone else in need of songs and messages that might calm and bring back those feelings we shared in the past.
"These are challenging times," said Stanley. "Long before I ever heard the great British bands, I grew up listening to Philly Soul, Motown and so much more. I was lucky to see Otis Redding and Solomon Burke among others. That music and its storytelling gave me strength and hope even in some tough days. The great classics of that era are magical medicine for most and I felt myself drawn back to that era for some sorcery I think we could all use. While it's hard to connect physically, some of Soul Station decided to reach out make a virtual and emotional connection on a great Motown and
Smokey Robinson classic, Ooo Baby Baby."
Updated Soul Station information can be found at www.paulstanley.com
Stanley's legendary band members will include: Rafael "Hoffa" Moreira (guitar & backing vocals), Sean Hurley (bass), Alex Alessandroni (Musical Director, keyboards), Ely Rise (keyboards), Eric Singer (drums & backing vocals), Ray Yslas (percussion), Gavyn Rhone (backing vocals), Crystal Starr (backing vocals) and Laurhan Beato (backing vocals) and Jon Pappenbrook (lead trumpet).
Reviews from Soul Station U.S. shows:
"Paul Stanley of Kiss found some genuine emotional power in a set of classic Sixties and Seventies…" - Rolling Stone
"Stanley and company crackled life into more than a dozen soul and Motown classics in versions that featured arrangements mostly faithful to the studio versions while gaining an additional edge played live. Stanley not only hit those lofty notes, but delivered the songs with authentic emotion that gave the overall performance an artistic sense of purpose that more than justifies future outings from Soul Station." -
Orange County Register
About Paul Stanley:
As co-founder of KISS, Stanley has piloted the band's music and business through its 40-year career as one of the biggest bands in the history of rock. In addition to 100 million in world sales, their 30 U.S. gold albums make them the #1 American band for most certified gold albums. Stronger than ever, the KISS legacy continues to grow, generation after generation. In celebration of 40 years, the band released KISS 40, a 2 CD set featuring forty tracks spanning KISS's incredible forty-year recording career. Stanley has further established his legacy when his memoir Face The Music: A Life Exposed debuted at #2 on the New York Times best seller list upon its April 2014 release and was followed by his second best seller Backstage Pass.
Soul Station Band Members
Alex Alessandroni (musical director & keyboards)
Alessandroni has performed, directed and/or recorded with artists such as Babyface, Whitney Houston,
Christina Aguilera, Pink,
Nelly Furtado, LeAnn Rimes, Faith Evans, Tony Braxton,
Bobby Brown,
Natalie Cole, Mike Patton and many more.
Rafael "Hoffa" Moreira (guitar & backing vocals)
Moreira has performed and recorded with the likes of Pink,
Christina Aguilera, Steven Tyler, Backstreet Boys,
New Kids On The Block,
Sheryl Crow and
Stevie Wonder in addition to being featured on television shows The Voice, American Idol, Rockstar INXS and Supernova.
Sean Hurley (bass)
Hurley is an LA-based recording and touring bassist for
John Mayer and many others including
Robin Thicke,
Annie Lennox and Ringo Starr.
Ely Rise (keyboards)
Rise has performed on television shows like The
Ellen DeGeneres Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live! in addition to having written and produced for acts such as Adam Lambert,
Macy Gray and Mike Posner. He stands as the go-to session player for some of today's biggest producers.
Eric Singer (drums & backing vocals)
Singer has been a member of KISS for over 20 years, recording and touring worldwide to millions of fans. He has also toured with Brian May,
Black Sabbath, Lita Ford and Alice Cooper.
Ramon Yslas (percussion)
Yslas is one of modern music's most accomplished in his field, having done world tours and performances with platinum artists including
Christina Aguilera, Bonnie Raitt,
Jennifer Lopez and the Backstreet Boys. He has made numerous network television appearances with the likes of Stevie Nicks,
Martina McBride and
Carlos Santana on shows such as Saturday Night Live, Oprah, American Idol, The
Tonight Show, Late Night with
David Letterman and is currently a touring member of Chicago.
Jon Papenbrook (Trumpet)
Papenbrook has played lead trumpet with
Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin,
Paul Anka and Frankie Avalon to name a few. He has also played lead with the Harry
James Orchestra, Louis Bellson Big Band,
Buddy Rich Big Band as well as performing on various TV shows, film dates and recordings.
Gavyn Rhone (backing vocals)
He's toured/shared the stage with Pitbull, Nick Jonas, Stevie Wonder, Trey Songz, Justin Timberlake, Usher,
Babyface and is currently the lead singer for The Gap Band. Gavyn is also featured on 7-time Grammy nominated Keyshia Cole's hit single "Party Ain't A Party."
Crystal Starr (backing vocals)
Starr has backed artists such as
Jessica Simpson, Stevie Wonder,
Kanye West and
Ariana Grande in addition to competing on American Idol and starred on Broadway's Baby It's You. Starr has also been a background vocalist on The Voice.
Laurhan Beato (backing vocals)
A veteran of the Los Angeles music scene, Beato's credits include shows from The Video
Music Awards to The Academy Awards with artists and artists ranging from Tori
Kelly to John Legend.
