Album Notes

“Reel Jem defies categorization. Monica Leigh and her cohorts bring a potency to their blend of neo-soul and do-it-yourself indie rock attitude. The group stamps out their own place in today’s musical landscape while paying homage to influences Alicia Keys and Jeff Buckley”
—Janine Schaults, rock critic

Reel Jem is an R&B/rock/neo-soul band from Chicago. They fuse the grit, authenticity & emotion of old school R&B with the danceable hip hop beats and modern rock intensity of today. Reel Jem is unique as a band in that they draw from many genres of music to help define their sound including classical, blues, jazz, rock, urban, gospel, Latin, Brit pop, new wave, and classic alternative. Reel Jem is currently preparing to debut their first full- length album consisting of only original material due out in June of 2007. A CD release party is also in the works. Reel Jem is also working on promoting their music on a national level. In the meantime, Reel Jem can be seen playing locally at various Chicago venues.

The band was formed in early 2004 by lead singer Monica Leigh and it was originally planned to be a back-up band for her solo material. But soon Reel Jem morphed into a full fledged band writing its own original material. The current line-up of the band is Monica Leigh on lead vocals, Mike DeMars on bass and Renee S. on guitar, piano, and backup vocals. Reel Jem gained local exposure by performing at the semi-final round of the 2005 Emergenza Festival at the Double Door. The band's fan base has blossomed greatly since the band's inception. With the release of their debut album, Reel Jem plans to tour nationally and eventually internationally. The band's goal is to create more of a buzz and to get signed to a label.