“Seek this music out and your soul will be shakked and baked” -PowerPopaholic“…humor, wistfulness and universality that would compare well with some of the best of Ben Folds or Beck.” -Los Angeles Times
If you go to the movies or watch TV, you've heard the music of Roy Shakked, who also answers to the nickname of Holmes. Heavily influenced by the standards (and that means The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Prince, ELO, Queen, and, OK, Harry Nilsson), it's not surprising that Hollywood has picked up on Roy’s tunes, placing them in programs and features such as CSI Miami, Sex and The City, The OC, Nip/Tuck, and The Devil Wears Prada.
Holmes’ road to Hollywood has been a windy one. Born in Israel, Roy started playing piano at the age of six. A family move to Boston opened up a new world of sounds and young Roy soon became a mix-tape junkie. By the end of high school, Roy knew there would be no turning back from a music career. But, there would be quite a long pause.
See Holmes Live on August 13th at The Hotel Café in Los Angeles (w/ band members Chris Bruce [Seal, Meshell Ndegeocello] and Brett Simons [Brian Wilson]).
Right before Roy turned 18 the family decided to move back to Israel and Roy came along -- a huge decision as it meant a mandatory three-year stint in the Israeli army. Roy only had his old Walkman to get him through. As a lover, not a fighter, Roy soon headed back to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music.
Now, transplanted to Los Angeles and working in the cozy studio located in his Silverlake house, stacked with just enough vintage recording gear to please his ears, Holmes thanks his lucky stars for good friends. Musicians Lyle Workman (Beck, Sting), Chris Bruce (Meshell Ndegeocello, Seal), Michael Jerome (Blind Boys of Alabama, Better Than Ezra) Brett Simons (Brian Wilson) and Zak Schaffer (Pete Yorn), to name a few, all participated in the creation of Holmes.
Now, with the Holmes record complete and ready for the world, Roy has been spending some time producing and mixing other people’s records including those of Sarah Vaughan, Jimmy McGriff, McCoy Tyner, Carmen McRae, Shihan and Ursula Rucker. He also spends time taking care of his aging dog Jazz, staying up late, and listening for himself on the TV.
Artist: Holmes
Title: Holmes
Label: Groove Gravy Records
Release: August 11, 2009
“Not A Political Song”: mp3
“Let Go”: mp3
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