THE ARTIST: ALAN PRATER
Florida-born Alan Prater.
Talent, and an unwavering dedication to honing skills.
In 1998, he performed at the famous Montreal International Jazz Festival with his group CoSoul and was voted "Best Outside Show." The following year, CoSoul received the Martin Luther King Jr. "Achievement Award" for Best R&B Soul Band. In 2001, he was invited to play the festival again, once more earning the critics' "Best Outside Show" verdict again with the group Cafe Soul. That same year, his graced the festival's official poster, literally becoming the "poster boy" of the festival.
In 2004 he released his first solo project, Aka Soulo's "Confession" which brought him to the world stage again.Writing and singing has become his passion.
In 2009, he performed the American National Anthem at the NHL All Star Game. Televised in 100 Countries around the World.
He has performed and recorded with some of the world's most respected artists. Michael Jackson, Millie Jackson, The O.J's, Cameo, on the world's most famous stages –Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Madison Square Garden, and Hammersmith Odeon in London, England. Yet, despite having toured the world many times, he has always had Love for Montreal, where he now lives.
Alan also spends time independently writing, singing and producing for TV, Film, and Sound tracks.
He is a Singer, Songwriter, and Producer.
To sample Alan's sounds and hear what the fuss is all about, be sure to listen to Confessions, his soulful CD, on iTunes or visit him at www.myspace.com/akasoulo, www.reverbnation.com/alanprater.
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LIFE OF THE ARTIST: AKA SOULO
There is no thats it; Im done for an artist. We spend our lives reaching for that next level, shares Alan, earnestly reminiscing his years of living music and after that next level is attained theres always another within grasp.
Every artist has a unique starting point, beyond the five ws of where he or she was born, how his or her talent was discovered, who While these details do contribute to an artists individuality, the core of his or her story, la raison dêtre, is about creation.
Florida-born, Alan first became acquainted with music in grade five when he learned to play the violin and, coming from a family with a mother and father who were gospel signers, he had plenty of encouragement. Yet it wasnt until his high school years when Alan began to explore music independently, his first step to join a marching band. Playing the drums was one thing, though; seeing how intensely music performance could move people was the real hook for Alan.
Next on the list: the trombone. The most challenging instrument he had worked with yet (and still in his high school years), Alan learned it quickly and was voted one of Florida States top trombonists. Music helped Alan discover how to communicate with people on a more soulful levelhow to touch them from a hundred feet away, how to harmonize with their energies. Never letting his development as a musician slip to third or fourth priority, and especially never letting it wilt in the background. .
As Alans career grew so did the scope of his talents, his appreciation for his talents, invitations to perform at more known venues, opportunities to meet and even work with some of his inspirations (Michael Jackson and the band Cameo , to name a few), etc. He collaborated with numerous other musicians, traveled from city to city for weeks on end, and so lived the fabled high-life that touring performers supposedly live. How does one cope with being on the road for ten hours at a time with one-day stopovers at hotels giving just enough time for a catnap before sound check and then the concert, and then packing up and driving to the next city (if you think that sentence is draining, imagine the reality). There are bound to be some tense moments, especially in a bus filled with creatively-driven individuals. The answer, Alan says with a demure smile, is that music became the fruit of our friendships. Somethinglike creation for the purpose of creation rather than for fame and fortunethe mainstream music industry seems to have lost touch with. ~
April Ford,
