leee john

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“Feel My Soul” opens up a new musical chapter for Leee John who first formed Imagination in 1981 with bassist Ashley Ingram and drummer Errol Kennedy. Born in London, Leee spent some of his formative years in New York, exposed to the R&B and soul music of the ‘70s. He signed his first record deal as part of a duo with family friend Russell Fraser but it was after working with Grammy award-winning producer Trevor Horn on the track “Got To Be Good” with his new group Imagination that Leee came to the attention of producer Tony Swain who encouraged Leee to complete the lyrics and melody for the song “Body Talk” which would become Imagination’s first Top 5 single.
Subsequently, Imagination recorded seven albums, toured the world and established itself as one of the most popular dance, funk/soul and pop acts in contemporary music throughout the ‘80s. By 1991, the original line-up had changed although Leee continued to tour globally throughout the ‘90s and beyond (with stops in India, Sri Lanka, Angola, South Africa, the Middle East, the Far East, Russia and France) in the process hosting his own British television chat show, “Leee’s Place.”
Leee also worked with producer Arthur Baker on his Back Beat Disciple album “Give Into The Rhythm,” and scored a major dance club hit in the UK and US in 1996 with the anthem “The Mighty Power Of Love.” In 1997, using the pseudonym Johnny X, Leee enjoyed another UK dance hit with “Call On Me” and he ended the decade as a roving reporter and interviewer for VH1 as well as performing throughout the UK and France.
Leee’s acting credits include roles in “Dr. Who,” “The Chinese Detective” and “Stepping Out,” and he has appeared in the musical “The Hot Mikado,” performed in Tahiti. He starred in “Reborn In The USA” which took him from coast-to-coast in America on sold-out shows in major U.S. cities. The recipient of numerous silver, gold and platinum discs, and a Diamond Award, Leee’s list of career accomplishments includes performances for Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, dinner at the home of Nelson Mandela, and a rare “Soul Train” appearance in which he sang to the legendary Marvin Gaye.
His ever-popular group, Imagination, catapulted Leee to international recognition and fame in the early ‘80s with the major hit, “Just An Illusion”, which was recently sampled by Mariah Carey as part of a duet with rapper Nelly for her multi-platinum 2005 album, “The Emancipation Of Mimi.”
But for all that he’s achieved in a career notable for its consistency and longevity, Leee is most proud of his much-anticipated solo debut, “Feel My Soul,” released on Candid Records. “A whole new world is opening up for me in doing this album and I’ve already started doing shows with this music. In some ways, I feel like I’m ‘walking the plank’ because I don’t know how people will respond and I know some might say that if I’ve spent my career in pop music, I don’t have the right to be doing jazz. But I’ve paid my dues musically. I’m walking through a new door, and I’m singing with more confidence than ever.”
Bold, creative, and a musically-satisfying experience, “Feel My Soul” is just the start of a new and exciting chapter for Leee John, ever a pioneer, as he steps out with a compelling album that is intimate and truly made with heart -- and much soul.