Twist & Shout: The Music of The Beatles – A Symphonic Experience

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Paul Loren has always been steeped in the classic American songbook. With his earlier work channeling 60’s R&B, Brill Building pop and even big band-era crooning, Paul’s voice, tailored sense of style, and twinkle-in-his-eye personality has won over fans and devotees from coast to coast. Loren launched his solo career with a string of sold-out shows in New York City at famed venue Joe’s Pub at the Public with his ‘One-Night Only Band’ in early 2014. His first solo single, “All By Myself,” released in 2015, was supported by radio stations Lightning100 in Nashville, SiriusXM’s The Pulse, WCOO/Charleston and KPND/ Spokane, among others.

A six-song debut EP came in 2016, Paul Loren Is…Available!, featuring swing-era covers of classic songs by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, the songwriting team behind Sinatra’s classic 50’s run. 2017 saw the release of the single and video for the original song, “I Know A Place,” inspired by Civil Rights-era anthems and “evoking the somber hope of Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World.” (HuffPost) A slew of singles followed, including the 50’s-inspired “(Gonna Take) A Little Time,” with its accompanying whimsical video filmed at Brooklyn’s The Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club and premiering on Parade.com. During this time, Loren was personally selected by Jennifer Lopez to perform at her Birthday Gala in Las Vegas; appeared on “The Tonight Show” starring Jimmy Fallon, partnered with The Ryan Seacrest Foundation; performed at the legendary STAX Museum in Memphis Tennessee; and recorded in the world-renowned Sun Studio. He has opened for and supported touring artists including: The Temptations; singer-songwriter Brendan James; American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks; folk singer and guitarist David Bromberg; British soul singer James Hunter; and has shared the stage with Paul Shaffer, Queen Latifah, Christie Brinkley and food personality Giada De Laurentiis.

With his 22-song collection Betwixt & Between, Paul has pivoted in a new and exciting musical direction. The songs, while retaining his knack for melody and timeless songwriting chops, traffic in a depth and brutal honesty not found in his earlier material. There’s a connective thread in the new songs reminiscent of Elvis’ early Sun Studios recordings, spun fresh with Americana and folk influences. “While his earlier material put him on the map, Loren’s heightened, and at times devastating, lyricism set against an upbeat groove-based sonic backdrop sets the LP as a career milestone.” (American Songwriter). Through it all, he ties together the more profound lyrical territory with a blazing rhythm section that feels rearing and ready to hit the road again.

With a career spanning over 20 years, Irish born Colin Smith has led a musical life as varied as it is impressive. With his former band Mrnorth, while on RCA, Smith toured extensively with the likes of The Who, Van Halen, Sheryl Crow and Journey, among many others.

As a solo artist, songs from his two records have been licensed to movies and TV alike. Smith has been seen in live collaborations with Alicia Keys and has worked multiple times on Saturday Night Live as featured vocal talent. Smith has most recently been seen touring with Christina Aguilera, duetting with her on the Grammy® Award-winning “Say Something” to audiences across the globe, as well as performing background vocals for the show.

Rick Brantley made the move to Nashville, TN where he established himself as one of the most in-demand young writers on Music Row with cuts ranging from Meat Loaf to David Nail. An artist and dynamic performer as well as a songwriter, Brantley has toured nonstop all over the world, opening for everyone from John Hiatt to Kiefer Sutherland to Zac Brown and Brandy Clark, as well as headlining his own solo shows.

Brantley continues to add to his impressive portfolio, producing acclaimed records with artists like Rob Baird and Justin Halpin and directing music videos in his down time.

Oscar started producing and engineering at Russell Street Recording in 2013, and soon after began collaborating with Zach Jones. Since then, the two have played in each other’s bands (Albis and Zach Jones & The Tricky Bits) and have co-produced records for artists such as Jenny Owen Youngs, Elizabeth Wyld, Hannah Winkler, Talay, Jesse Dylan & The Scaredy Cats, and A Great Big World. On his own, Oscar’s production credits include Jukebox The Ghost, Jon The Guilt, and Rikki Will. He’s also written and produced hundreds of songs for the YouTube Audio Library, the Facebook Sound Collection, Marmoset Music, Premium Beat, and is a co-founder of the music/media collective Track Tribe.

Born and raised in New York, Brian Killeen has had a healthy obsession with music since as early back as he can remember. By the time he picked up a bass guitar at the age of ten, he was certain of a career as a musician. Grasping every performance opportunity and seeking the tutelage of the best educators available, he quickly found himself immersed in the worlds of jazz, rock, and everything in between. At the age of 18, the great Avishai Cohen would take him under his wing, leading to performances in New York City’s most noted jazz clubs, including The Blue Note, Birdland, Small’s, and Sweet Basil. Simultaneously, Killeen would enroll in William Paterson University’s famed jazz program, where he would learn to actively double between upright and electric basses. Out of college, Killeen would go on to tour extensively with experimental funk stalwarts ulu, funk/ roots rock outfit the Josh Dion Band, and guitar legend Chuck Loeb, leading to unforgettable performances in the US, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, and Japan. As Brian settled deeper into NYC, he embraced freelance life, backing up a variety of artists including Rachel Platten, A Great Big World, Liz Longley, Barnaby Bright, Caleb Hawley, Robbie Gil, Joe Sumner, Bill Evans, and Jim Campilongo. Killeen continues to back up a host of performers, often joined by long-time collaborators and NYC throwback-rock mainstays Brooklyn Sugar Co.

Brian feels equally at home in orchestral and theatrical settings. He has been the long-time bass chair holder for the Big Apple Circus, where he learned to welcome the unexpected. He also had the pleasure of joining many performances, including a feature on the Today Show, with the Broadway production of The Cher Show. Brian has been accompanying Schirmer/Greenberg Artist productions since 2019, and thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to play some of the world’s finest music alongside the country’s most acclaimed conductors and symphony orchestras.

Native of Houston, Texas, Grammy and Latin Grammy nominated drummer Jordan Rose has performed throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Asia, and the Middle East. He now resides in Brooklyn, New York where his talents as a session and touring drummer have given him the opportunity to collaborate with musicians such as Jacob Collier, SZA, Kirby, Charlie Hunter, Tori Kelly, Joe Louis Walker, Ruel, Cory Wong, Charlie Puth, Theo Katzman, Louis Cato, Caleb Hawley, Darren Criss and many others. Jordan also performs on Broadway for hit musicals such as Dear Evan Hansen and & Juliet.

From 2007-2010 Jordan fought a battle with a growth in his right ear which caused him to lose almost all hearing. Due to modern medicine and miraculous healing, his hearing was restored. From this three year period of trial and uncertainty, Jordan gained an even deeper love, appreciation, and excitement for music and a greater understanding of the intense power it has to impact lives. As he shares his talents in drumming, he hopes that he can bring the same life-changing positivity to the world that music has brought to him. Jordan can be found on social media @JordanRoseDrums.