Rado

Rado is a singer/songwriter in the San Francisco Bay Area making waves with his unique blend of soul, pop, funk and jazz . His sound is a rare blend of singer/songwriters' angst, 70's-pop sensibility, cultivated lyrics, and a healthy dose of home-grown groove.
Shades of Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, and even the Beatles can be heard in the rare anthems of this original artist.
Born on the beautiful island of Madagascar, Rado comes to the musical table armed with a rich and diverse story, [full] of unique and different influences.
"One of my earliest childhood memories is of running around the house in my underwear playing guitar on a tennis racquet, listening to Elvis..."
Arriving in New York City's Greenwich Village from Madagascar at an early age, Rado has been exposed to a diverse array of musical influences since childhood. "Because my parents were trying to soak up the American culture, we listened to anything and everything in the early days... from Motown and Stevie [Wonder] to the Doobie Brothers and Roberta Flack, Burt Bacharach, the Beatles, Sly and the Family Stone... You name it, and it was probably on our stereo at some point... And when my parents weren't trying to 'assimilate' into their new culture, they were nostalgically blasting Malagasy folk music all day long [laughs]. It wasn't until I got older that i realized just how lucky i was to be raised in that environment ... "
This early exposure to music led Rado to develop an early ear for music. He began hearing and singing harmonies long before learning his ABC's, or how to read and write. This came in handy later when studying piano at age six, and when he began writing his first songs on the guitar age 14.
He further developed his talents, studying classical and contemporary voice with Michele Offerman in Philadelphia, and developing his skill on guitar studying jazz guitar with Philly legend, Joe Federico, and Dave Manley, Jill Scott's 6-string sideman.
Rado spent several years in Philadelphia, where he became a fixture in the bustling Philly music scene. He wrote and played in many bands and developed a love for many styles including fusion, funk, pop, indie, rock, neo-soul, and jamband; playing with artists and bands such as: Monique Mosee (Billboard's Top 100 RnB artists of '98), Eye Level (indie-rock act signed to Red Engine Records-NYC), and fusion-funk jamband Kaligata. His songwriting ability also landed him a contract writing for cable TV, contributing the theme song for cable TV pilot's, "A Mom's Life." And since his move to San Francisco, Rado has been invited to score short films for San Francisco's indie film co-op Scary Cow, and has provided music for sit-com, web-series pilot, "All But Certain," indie comedy, "S is Psycho", and dramatic film short, "Echoe's Wonder". (www.scarycow.org)
Rado also found success as an original member, guitarist , and co-songwriter in Fooling April. Fooling April recorded and toured extensively, opening for such acts John Mayer, Fountains of Wayne, Beastie Boys, Dido, and Ari Hest. While with Fooling April, he found several of his co-written songs receiving airplay on several independent radio stations across the country. Also while with Fooling April, Rado was managed by Clear Channel Executive Vice President, Neil Jacobsen. Rado remained with Fooling April, writing and touring for 5 years before moving on to embark on a solo career.
Today, Rado is currently writing material for his debut solo album, "Opium Den of Remembrance." The music is a unique combination of soul, pop, and various 70's flavors, lots of groove, and a sprinkle of jazz sensibility. The disparate artists among his influences are Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Curtis Mayfield, Simon and Garfunkel, East African folk hymns, James Taylor, and Sly and the Family Stone to name a few. His sense of harmony, color, and chord choice is immediately recognizeable, and his addiction to groove is compelling. Rado's guitar playing is mature and expressive. And his bari-tenor vocals sling catchy melodies, poignent lyrics, and campy jabs in equal measure. In all, his music aims to defy the idea of "genre" or"category" making his a truly original voice in music today.
RECENT BANDS: Fooling April (Indie Rock, www.foolingapril.com), Natural Flavor (Funk/Fusion), Grand Connection (Funk/Fusion), Yedface (Jamband), Monique Mosee (RnB).
FAVORITE ARTISTS OPENED FOR: John Mayer, Fountains of Wayne, Ari Hest, the Clarkes, The Beastie Boys (who graduated from my high school in NYC, Stuyvesant HS. word... go Peglegs!!), Teddy Geigert, Nellie McKay, Matt Wertz, Dave Barnes, Tommy Conwell, others...
FAVORITE PLACES PLAYED: (Philly) The TLA, The Tweeter Center, Khyber, Northstar, (NYC) The Knitting Factory, Lion's Den, The Living Room, Bitter End, (Chicago) Schuba's, Nevin's Live, Wise Fool's Pub, (San Francisco) Hotel Utah Saloon, Rockit Room.
COLLEGE TOUR: Notre Dame University, Marquette University, Michigan State, Beaver College, University of Maryland, Villanova University, Elizabethtown College, Millersville University.
BANDS CURRENTLY PLAYING WITH: Kaligata (Jazz/Funk) www.myspace.com/kaligata. And also, Eyelevel (Indie/Rock) Signed to Engine Company Records (NYC). www.myspace.com/eyelevel.
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