Fade2Black: Talented Young Band on the Oakland Scene
A phenomenal group of performers emerged on the Oakland scene in 2010. This up-and-coming band, Fade2Black, deserves recognition for its talent and sophisticated sound, not to mention the fact that its members are still in high school!
Fade2Black’s lead singer, Deja’nae Parks, is a senior at the Oakland School of Arts, and she can deliver Anita Baker’s complex melodic turns like a pro. Deja’nae isn’t a cover artist; she writes her own songs and is currently working on a gospel album. If you closed your eyes and listened to senior Tracy Fitzsimmons on the trumpet, you would think you were hearing a seasoned pro.
With the addition of bassist Amina Michele Scott, singer Brendan Foster, drummer Ayinde Webb, and pianist Matt Wong, Fade2Black is in fact quickly growing into a seasoned bunch. They’ve already sold out a Yoshi’s show and performed at various events, including Mayor Jean Quan’s Election Party and Inauguration, the Oakland NAACP Youth Leadership Conference, and Alameda’s Island Festival.
Each member boasts an impressive list of personal achievements and a growing professional resume:
-Amina, who received Bishop O’Dowd’s James Barbagallo Scholarship for music and academic excellence, writes music, including the tunes for the musical "Another Kind of Christmas."
-Tracy received an award for Outstanding Soloist at the Monterey Jazz Festival with SF Jazz.
-Ayinde is a member of UC Berkeley’s Young Musicians Program and is currently writing the music for an upcoming play, “A Little Piece of God,” with Tracy.
-Matt received the 2010 Dick Conte Piano Scholarship.
-Brendan has had two years of experience singing for the OSA concert choir.
And that’s just the beginning of a long list of credentials. As a group, their combined talents are just beginning to show their potential.
Check out Fade2Black on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN5laoY4QxA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjzd7L3Q330
Catch a local performance and send a shout out to Fade2Black. Somehow between their gigs and practice, they manage to get good grades, too.
Posted on Jul 12, 2011 by Renee Rutledge
