Origin: Los Angeles (USA)
JEFF PARIS
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| Jeff Paris |
Race to paradise - 1986
Wired up - 1987 (with lyrics)- Jeff Paris first picked up a guitar at the age of 8, although he had been playing the piano since he was 5. Prior to hooking up on tours with the likes of DAN FOGELBERG and BILL WHITHERS, Paris had kept a low profile studying music at college. Paris gained a deal with the band PIECES, touring with Stanley Clark, George Duke and A TASTE OF HONEY after the demise that act. Paris met Jeffrey Osborne and wrote songs for his early solo albums and also contributed 'Go Now Before There's Trouble' to an album by KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND. Stanley Clark and George Duke also recorded tunes emanating from the prolific Paris pen.
With a Mercury deal in his pocket Paris duly delivered his 'Race To Paradise' debut in 1986. Produced by David Thoener the album features Roger Fiets on bass and future MR. BIG man Pat Torpey on drums. Ex-THE STRAND vocalist Moon Calhoun sings back-ups.
A second album, the Tony Platt produced 'Wired Up', found Paris working with a new band line-up. Included were bassist Gary Moon (later to join NIGHT RANGER for the 'Feeding Off The Mojo' album), drummer Matt Sorum (who would find more fame and fortune replacing Steven Adler in GUNS N' ROSES) and the noted session guitarist Michael Thompson. The latter already having achieved co-write credits on 'Race To Paradise'.
During 1987 Paris toured in the States on a 'Double Thunder' co-headlining package with the Canadian outfit REFUGEE.
Having been dropped by PolyGram in 1987 Paris settled to work as a songwriter, the all girl band VIXEN recording four of his songs with Paris also offloading tracks to the likes of MR. BIG and the Canadian group ALIAS. The man also found time to produce the sole album for OUTLAW BLOOD.
VIXEN's rendition of 'Cryin'' was a top 20 hit in America and 'Waiting For Love' by ALIAS, which Paris wrote with Brett Walker also scored big. The song had originally been conceived by Paris who had offered it to the likes of NICK GILDER, PAT BENATAR and erstwhile BABYS bassist Ricky Phillips with no joy until he hit it off with Walker
Paris worked for a period with former THE STRAND vocalist Rick 'Moon' Calhoun in the aptly titled MOON OVER PARIS and dallied with a part-time R&B outfit with session guitarist Michael Thompson called VINTON'S FAMILY. During 1992 Paris worked with guitarist JENNIFER BATTEN then toured Japan in early 1993 with Michael Sembello.
Paris' comeback album, 'Lucky This Time', was essentially a collection of demos that Now And Then Records felt were too good to just leave lying on a shelf. The tracks included featured 'Wrong Side Of Love' and 'House On Fire' - both written with MR. BIG, 'Jump The Gun' (co-written with KISS man PAUL STANLEY), 'Baby Break Mine' (penned with SKIN guitarist Myke Gray), 'State Of The Heart' (with VIXEN's Jan Kuehnemund) and tracks co-written with the likes of Brett Walker, Rick 'Moon' Calhoun (from the MOON OVER PARIS sessions, presumably) and Todd Meagher. The title track itself had previously been recorded by MR. BIG for the 'Lean Into It' album having originally been tapped by John Kalodner for FIONA's first album for Geffen.
Paris made his debut live appearances at the Now And Then organized Gods Of AOR events in Milton Keynes and Manchester in 1993 utilizing the Swedish AOR band STATE OF MIND as his backing musicians.
1997 found Paris promoting his 'Smack' opus with a short batch of acoustic dates in Germany on a bill including HEARTLAND and BRAZEN ABBOT. In mid 1998 the Japanese label Bareknuckle issued a brand new Paris album entitled 'Freak Flag'. The record found the man back on track, offering a selection of songs very much in the vein of 'Lucky This Time'. Guests included BABYLON A.D.'s Derek Davis, Australian AOR man Juno Roxus and SKIN members Myke Gray and Neville MacDonald. -
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