The international jazz funk collective Output/Input signs a two single deal with Expansion Records and will release on the 8th April 2022, its latest single “Here We Go Again”, its first label signing.
“Here We Go Again” is a favourite amongst ardent soul buffs who recognise the Isley Brothers song, faithfully updated for a 21st Century audience. The song features vocals by Audrey “I’m Yours Tonight” Wheeler-Downing and Brent Carter of the Average White Band and Tower of Power.
Output/Input was formed during lockdown by Melvin Lee Davis a Californian native and a skilled master bassist, composer, producer, and educator who is in high demand and is also Music Director for the “Queen of Funk” Chaka Khan. He has worked beside, toured, and recorded with some of the music industry’s most distinguished artists, including Lee Ritenour, George Duke, Gerald Albright, David Benoit, The Russ Freeman Project, Jeff Kashiwa, Diane Schurr, Will Downing, Lalah Hathaway, Patti Austin, Ledisi, and Angie Stone. Davis is also one of two writers of “Soul Train’s A Comin’ for Don Cornelius’ weekly television show “Soul Train”. Nick Mead (trumpet), Jacob Shaw (saxophone) and Patrick Hayes (trombone), are also founding members, known as Triple H Horns which is in demand as a horn section for artists, composers and producers worldwide:
Their credits include: Chaka Khan, Christina Aguilera, Chromeo, Disciples, A-Trak, Dave Taylor: Switch/Sarah Ruba (Diary Records), FKJ, Sir Tom Jones, James Arthur, John Newman, JP Cooper, Tyler Bates, Joe Hertz, Jamie Woon, V Festival, Netflix, ITV Studios, BBC TV, BBC Radio Live Lounge, Channel 4, plus many studio recordings for library music and jingles.
The ensemble is completed by members Jay Williams (drums), Adam Kovacs (percussion) Kanghyun Bu (Guitar), Kaeun Kim (Keyboard), and Jesse Milliner (keyboard). Notes For Editors: Output/Inputs’ previous release was “Soul Deep”, an original release featuring Hamish Stuart of the Average White Band which was well received. It was also written by him. Hamish featured in the Sunday Express and was interviewed widely.
What Bruno Mars is doing some members of Output/Input have been doing long before he was born!
About Audrey Wheeler-Downing:
The stunning Audrey Wheeler-Downing started her Music Career in NYC in the early 80’s as one of the lead vocalist with the music group Unlimited Touch, whose hits include “I Hear Music In The Streets” and “Searchin’ To Find The One”, which got her noticed and she began getting calls to sing background vocals for various artists including Kurtis Blows’ “Basketball” and “AJ”; THE FAT BOYS “Fat Boys”; Freeez’s “AEIOU” and Gwen McCraes’ “Funky Sensation”
Audrey then became one of the most sought after background singers! Audrey currently tours with Chaka Khan and has done so since 1990!!! She has also toured with Madonna, Mary J Blige, C&C Music Factory, Bryan Ferry, Mariah Carey, Billy Ocean, Amy Grant, Jeff Lorber, Cher, Johnathan Butler, Freddie Jackson, and added background vocals to “The Color of Love” by Celine Dion. She lives in central New Jersey and is happily married to RnB singer Will Downing.
About Brent Carter:
Brent Carter is a native New Yorker, and he has been the lead singer for both R&B super bands Tower of Power (TOP) and the Average White Band (AWB) since 1994. He was a featured background singer for Regina Belle and BeBe & CeCe Winans, and he sung the leads in Maurice White’s Broadway musical “Hot Feet” featuring the music of Earth Wind & Fire. He graduated from the famed Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York where he studied theater, and Suny State College NY at New Paltz with a degree in social work. In between T.O.P. and AWB into the present, Brent has continued to do Broadway, touring musical productions and gospel plays. Currently he is focusing on his project Brent Carter & Friends where he collaborates with great musicians and vocalists that have influenced him and his career.