Album Notes

Fresh out of a top-10 U.S. Adult Contemporary Radio-charting single and Sirius XM Coffeehouse Channel hit, "I Like You", SJ pre-released his first fully produced commercial LP, "Coffee" on May 31, 2011.

The album “Coffee” blends folk and rock arrangements with a soulful voice and catchy melodic hooks to create an acoustically soulful sound. Coffee resonates of a classic crisp Nashville sound paired with a Miami percussive pulse. Coffee channels hints of productions by Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz and Dave Matthews with SJ’s personal touch as a co-producer on the album with Oszy Carmona and Peter Finley (and Derek Olds for the Top 10 US Adult Contemporary Radio charting single "I Like You"). Multi-platinum and Grammy Award Winning engineer Bob Rosa (Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Prince, Whitney Houston et al) mixed the album and Ryan Smith (James Taylor, Rufus Wainwright, Beyonce) of Sterling Sound mastered it, and Carlos Alvarez (7-time Latin Grammy and 3-time Grammy Award Winner - Rolling Stones, Kelly Clarkson, Julio Iglesias, Alejandro Sanz et al) mixed and mastered the single "I Like You".

Miami-based acoustic singer-songwriter SJ blends melodic folk, a chill vibe and diverse arrangements creating an acoustically soulful groove and sound. SJ’s music draws on similarities from artists such as Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz and John Mayer, while blending a spectrum of sounds from acoustic/folk to soul, and lighter pop to modern rock. Connecting his influences, an array of styles and his own personal touch, SJ is best described as an acoustically soulful folkster.

On the acoustic soft rock and alternative sides, SJ counts as his biggest influences the Dave Matthews Band, the Counting Crows and Coldplay. His music is most often likened to the music of Jack Johnson and to the acoustic releases of Jason Mraz and John Mayer, and he listens to those guys a lot. On the folk and folk alternative sides, SJ identifies most closely with Nick Drake, Paul Simon and John Martyn. That said, SJ notes that his musical influences, tastes and inspirations are quite broad, and difficult to pinpoint.

Although SJ has played music as a hobby since he was 15, the Cleveland-born, Miami-based singer-songwriter has been working in the legal field for the past decade. A few years back, when family and close friends heard a demo recording, they encouraged him to share his music with others. The shift from lawyer to singer-songwriter had begun.

SJ’s legal background and musical creativity give him a broader perspective in today’s rapidly changing music industry. Approaching the business and creative aspects of his career with the same commitment and effort, SJ is taking his previous day job skills and applying them to his dream job. As SJ follows his creative goals and vision for his place in today’s music world, he also wants to be a benchmark and role model for younger artists on the rise. By example, SJ is showing how to mix and maintain the creative and business sides of being a successful, independent self-sustaining artist in today’s music business.