M.E. Exposed

Growing up in Jamaica with Bob Marley pretty much a fixture of my musical life as I know it, I never understood his impact until I was older and until I left the country.  Then I saw how people responded to the power of not just his reggae music, but the genre of reggae music.

I personally want to wish Bob Marley a blessed earthstrong, and we miss his presence on the earth, but I’m sure he is still singing in another world.  I particularly have to extend my gratitude because many a Bob Marley song has guided me to places I never imagined I would go - Berklee Performance Center stage at the prestigious Berklee College of Music (Boston), Final round of un-televised X Factor auditions in NJ, the final round of Amateur Night at the Apollo in Harlem, NY, the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival small and main stage, and to many other stages across Jamaica and the USA.  To Bob I say thank you once again on this day, your birthday, and I share with you some of my most memorable Bob Marley experiences:

Singers Night, Berklee Performance Center - Turn Your Lights Down Low

JA Jazz & Blues 2010 - Could You Be Loved (Arranged by Djenne Greaves, Mario Evon and Ellan Neil)

Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar, NY - Redemption Song (ft. Serghio Jansen on guitar)

Redemption Song - Bob Marley (Mario Evon ft. Serghio Jansen) from Mario Evon on Vimeo.

Thanks Bob, and big up yuself every time!

No new year should begin without recalling the great and wonderful things that happened in the previous year.  As we plan our future, and enjoy living in the moment, we must also cherish the beautiful and monumental memories of the past. In no particular order here are some of my highlights from 2011:

1. Made it to the Final Round of Amateur Night at the Apollo

2. Successfully Funded a Kickstarter Project to record my debut album, ‘Reggae Soul Volume 1: M.E. On Love’ - Set a goal of $6,000, and made $8,725 :D

3. My blog post, ‘Are you a Gracious Musician’ was published by the popular Music Industry blog Music Think Tank.

4. Work with amazing artists like Rajdulari Barnes and the wonderful musicians in my personal band (Enrico, Serghio, Jonathan, Shane, Shawna & Simone); My GB band Downtown Fever (Jaclyn, Cara, Wade, Randy, Swift, Jon, Clynt and Trevor); Smax and Mel. I apologize if I accidentally left you out, but I love and appreciate you all.

5. Co-writing and recording my very 1st reggae duet with the wonderful Aisha Davis, ‘Love of A Lifetime’, and working with producer Trevor Forrest of SecretChunez Productions.

6. Read some inspirational and life-changing books - ‘The Alchemist’ (Paolo Coelho), ‘The Five People You Meet in Heaven’ (Mitch Albom), and ‘The Surfer the saint and the CEO’ (Robin Sharma).

7. Performed in Texas for NYE 2011 at the Gaylord Texan’s $150/person ball.  This was my 1st time working as a musician on NYE.  Was cray!

8. Made it to the final audition rounds of X Factor 2011 in New Jersey

9. Made it to the final audition rounds of the Essence R&B Star competition 2011.

10. Performed at cool venues/events in NY and established cool new fans and friends :D - The Sugar Bar, The Studio at Webster Hall, the Highline Ballroom, Sullivan Hall, The Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival.

BONUS: Truly learning the purpose of my life, and that is to seek my passion, and then use it to help and inspire others, and to be the best M.E. I can possibly be.  Live hard, love harder and respect and be present in the moment, because it is all we have.

I have been so blessed that I’m sure there were many more than 10 amazing things that happened to me in 2011, but 10 is a nice round number to leave you with.  I’m looking forward to many more blessings in 2012 and I wish the same you to you all.

Blessed love,

Mario

Performing on the legendary Apollo stage is one of those things words can’t really describe, and I fortunately got to do it four times.  The best performers of the year would face off to see who would win the coveted prize of US$10,000, and become Apollo’s Super Tog Dog.

I definitely had visions of what I would do with the money if I won it, but I also knew that I was more grateful for the experience, the exposure and the new friends made, if I didn’t.  Here is a recap of the journey in reverse, from Round 4, to 3, to 2, to 1, and the audition.  Again I’m just really blessed to be di lickle Jamaican bwoy who followed his dream and is actually making it happen.  Laughing at the Sandman tap dancing people off a stage via a TV connected to a satellite dish in Havendale, to actually rubbing the tree of hope myself.  It will always be hard to wrap my head around, but I’m living it, and I’m loving it, through the good and the bad.

Round 4 - Leave it all on the stage

Round 3 - The tie for 3rd

Round 2 - Did I really win again?

Round 1 - I Won

The Audition

And my final words as always are to live life as if it were your last day, that way you can have no regrets.  I truly believe this now.  We were placed on this earth for a reason and with a specific purpose, and part of our journey is to discover that purpose then live it.  It is only then that we can be of service to others.  Thank you Apollo for an amazing journey and thank you supporters for believing in me and losing your voices for me for a few days.  Mi luv unnu!  Oh forgot to say that I didn’t win, but I had a great time!

Belinda Munroe, M.E. and Marisela

M.E. & one of the winners, Unknown Lyric (they tied for 1st place with Moses Harper - M.J. Impersonator)

These Kids were a dope dance team with suits with lights

Then we celebrate!!  M.E. and my amazing friends, who always show me mad love and support!

Like Usain Bolt, my winning streak was broken, but thankfully not from a false start.  I made it out of the blocks and tied for 3rd place this time around, and for this I am so grateful. 

Though the song remains the same, the experience and its value never changes.  Mario the doctor, who became a full-time singer, from little Kingston, Jamaica, is in NY rubbing the tree of hope he saw contestants rub as he watched Apollo on TV as a child.  At the end of the day I have conquered 3 of 4 rounds on one of the toughest stages known, and I’m going on to the final round to vie for Super Top Dog on October 26, 2011.  All in all it’s pretty mind blowing…And maybe some of James Brown, Michael Jackson, Etta James and Luther Vandross’ skin cells are still on that tree of hope, lol, and will bring me great fortune in my future…Wishful thinking.

This night was tough!  The audience was rigid, as was the competition.  Moses Harper won the competition with her MJ impersonation, 2nd place went to the guitar-violin duo, ‘Unknown Lyric’, and I tied for 3rd place with the wonderful raspy singer/songwriter, Marisella.  No night at the Apollo is predictable, and winning depends on so many factors.  That said I think the best woman won on this night, but thankfully I have one more opportunity to come back and lay my heart on the floor.

Round 3

Round 2 (click link to read blog post)

Round 1 (click link to read blog post)

In closing I encourage you to have a vision.  Make that vision become as tangible as possible in your mind, and make small steps towards that vision.  Dreams aren’t real, but passion and desire can actually manifest.  Many times we fool ourselves that certain things are not attainable, crippling ourselves and stifling our creativity.  I wish for you to imagine yourself performing at the Apollo, as I did, and search for the audition date online, and go and audition.  I wish for you to see yourself on the Jamaica Jazz and Blues main stage and have it happen because you performed on the small stage the year before, which you auditioned for.  I want you to say that you are going to go to the best contemporary school in the USA, maybe the world, and get more and more scholarship money through hard work, and make it a reality.  Sometimes this ‘dream’ is not as difficult to attain as you think. 

I was about to say make your dreams a reality, but stop dreaming, and start to make things happen.  I’m living proof that if you have a passion, some talent, and are willing to work hard, the rest can be attained.  Live hard.  Work Hard.  Pray hard.  Plan carefully, and love hard.

Details for the final round of Apollo (which you should come to with every single family member and friend you have, to scream for M.E.), can be found at http://www.apollotheater.org/amateur-night-events/details/91-amateur-night-super-top-dog

Link to Round 3 FB Photo Album: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150293110221962.341636.16497476961

FB Event for Round 4: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=205341489528945

Thanks to all the friends and supporters who have been coming not only to my Apollo performances but all my performances.  Those who tweet, retweet, create Facebook statuses and text and call their friends to tell them about their reggae-soul friend Mario.  I appreciate you more than you ever know, and there is no M.E. without you.  I will keep working hard to deliver great music and entertainment to your ears and souls, as you continue to support me on this journey.

Blessed love.

Just overwhelmed by the honour of gracing the Apollo stage once, I was fortunate to get to grace it a 2nd time, only 2 weeks later.  This time would be even more special.  It’s funny how I have to compete with the same song every time, but the experience always feels so different.

For those just logging on, I auditioned for Amateur Night at the Apollo.  I came 1st in Round 1 of 4 on July 6, 2011.  I competed in Round 2 on July 20, and…

The competition was clearly a lot stiffer.  Stronger singers, a dance group, some spoken word and a MJ impersonator.  Def sounds like an Apollo night.  Let’s fast-forward to me being the last person on the line up.  The Apollo is packed to its 1500 capacity.  I have about 20 supporters that I knew were coming.  Everyone else is basically a stranger.

This performance was dedicated to my home, Jamaica.  I’m announced by Capone.  I rub the tree of hope, and I prepare for my opening line as the introduction plays.  I sing ‘Turn Your Lights Down Low…”.  The mic is off.  The audience is hot, and ready to boo people home.  “BOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”  I remain composed, but this is probably the 1st boo i’ve ever received in my life, but I stay focused.  The MC, Capone sends me off stage and tells the audience it wasn’t my fault, and asks them to calm down.  I get a second chance.  This time I’m taking no prisoners, cuz M.E. doan go out like dat! Ha.

The performance starts, the performance ends…I don’t remember what happened.  Just like the first one.  I call it the out of body experience of performing.  That is how you know it’s good.  You lose yourself in the experience and your body just does the rest.  They like it…a lot, and they make me the winner of Round 2.  I am tremendously shocked and overwhelmed.  I had only planned on placing.  Now I shall go on to the ‘Top Dog’ competition on August 31, 2011, with two first place wins (Details: http://www.apollotheater.org/amateur-night-events/details/83-amateur-night-top-dog).  If I place there, I go onto the final round, ‘Super Top Dog’ (Oct 26), to compete for some big money. 

Again I’m just really grateful to have gotten this experience, and I thank all the friends and family who have come to make the experience that much more worthwhile.  I really couldn’t do it without you guys, no lie.  Thanks. Thanks and more thanks.

Some Jamaican Support: (L-R) Hugh Douse (Director/Conductor of Nexus Performing Arts Group). Actor Karl Williams, Singer/Songwriter Mario Evon, Andrew Clarke (Actor/Singer/Director of Braata Folk Singers), and John Paul Pierre (Singer/Fashion Designer)

Check out the Facebook album:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150256740741962.331246.16497476961&type=1

Check out the performances from Round 2 and Round 1 below:

ROUND 2

ROUND 1

‘I hope the band rehearsal goes well’.  ‘You know you have to look right, because if you look wrong Apollo will not mince to boo you’.  ‘Work the stage’.  ‘Rub the Tree of Hope’.  These were just some of the thoughts I had before gracing the stage that so many legends have graced - Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, Patti Labelle and Lauryn Hill, to name a few.  I don’t think the magnitude of the experience has hit me yet, but maybe one day next week I will slap my face and start laughing really hard in disbelief.  And if it doesn’t happen in a week, it will surely happen on Wednesday, July 20, 2011 when I return to compete in ‘The Show Off’, which is Round 2 of the Amateur Night competition.  The June and July winners will face off in this round to see who moves on to the 3rd round, ‘Top Dog’, and the final round ‘Super Top Dog’, will determine who wins Amateur Night at the Apollo for this run.

So my going to Round 2 means…I won round 1.  Wow, I won round 1.  I’m still in shock.  With my mind on the fragility of life, I had 17 y.o. Khajeel Mais (young Jamaican male killed in a road rage accident) in my thoughts, as this performance was in his honour.  A weird parallel, or probably nonparallel, was that I was also thinking about someone I wanted to give good good loving to, especially since I was singing ‘Turn Your Lights Down Low’.  So somewhere between appreciation of life and focusing on the lyric of my song, I was very centred, and just grateful to be in the Apollo Theater, that I only watched on tv as a child.  It really was quite surreal for me.

The Auditions

The Win

Highlights of the experience: 1. I enjoyed every moment to the point where I don’t even remember the performance (and they not providing any more footage than what you have seen here), 2. The contestants were really cool, 3. I get to come back and go hard again and 4. I’ve always wanted to do this, and never believed I’d ever get the chance to :D

It is really important for me to say thank you to everyone who has ever believed in me, and who came out from far and wide to support.  Thanks to the new believers.  Thanks even to the haters, because you always fuel me.  This is only more of the beginning of a journey that I plan to continue on for a while.

M.E. and Averil and the amazing sign she made (yes I could see it from the stage)

Look out for the Round 2 blog post in a few weeks, and if you are in the NY/Tristate are, come help M.E. get through to the next round.  Details can be found at the Apollo website.

And what better way to close than with a quote from the Apollo Certificate of Performance:

“Mario Evon performed from the stage of the World Famous Apollo Theater as an Amateur Night contestant, and is worthy of inclusion in that body of fearless people of great strength and self confidence, and belief in their own talent, so as to dare to appear before the heralded Apollo Theater audience, with its reputation for being a tough and demanding audience and strongly demonstrating its approval, or disapproval, of a performers efforts.”

Check out the full picture album on FB: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150245535436962.328020.16497476961

Learn more about M.E. on my about.me page: http://about.me/MarioEvon