Independent Voices International

Dr. Alvin McKinney

The Rev. Dr. Alvin McKinney is a Power Alto Saxophone player promoting his musical talents and sound on his debut solo CD “A Spiritual Journey.” A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. McKinney has been performing since the age of four. For over 25 years he’s performed on Alto, Tenor and Soprano saxophones professionally. Additional musical skills and talent include flute, clarinet, midi wind controller, keyboards, drums and percussion. His musical background includes such styles as Classical, Jazz, Gospel, Blues, Dixieland, R & B, Soul, and Funk. He’s a song writer/composer, arranger and producer with a history of projects in production, musical director, acting and choreography. He graduated from University of Memphis with a Bachelor in Music Education (B.M.E.) and concentration in saxophone performance. He studied under the Professor of Saxophones, Mr. Allen Rippe; and won the Woodwind Concerto Competition in 1987. In the University of Michigan’s Masters Program, he studied saxophone performance under Mr. Donald Sinta and taught jazz styles as a graduate assistant under Ed Sarath for one year.

Over the years Dr. McKinney has performed as a Featured artist, Guest artist, worked as a Music Director and/or Toured or recorded with such artists as: Rufus Thomas and Carla Thomas, B. B. King, Johnny Adams, Lazy Lester, Latimore, Louie Bellson, Clark Terry, Lou Rawls, Kirk Whalum, Ron Brown, Billy Preston (saxophone and horn arranger), Phil Upchurch, Howard & Darius McCrary, Syreeta Wright, La Rita Shelby, Stafford Floyd, Tumi Ansa, Kurl & Paul McKinney, Bobby Rodriguez, J. P. Myles (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia), DN’A (Martinique/Caribbean Islands & opening act for Darryl Coley & Vanessa Bell Armstrong), Bugsy Wilcox’s “The Message”, and Rick Joswick & Joz Swing Band. With the Crenshaw High School Elite Choir he toured annually as the featured Saxophonist throughout the US, France, Monaco, Switzerland, Andora Spain. He’s also ministered with Minister Stephen James-music director/vocalist/producer, Wayne Linsey-music director /keyboardist for Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Gerald Albright, American Idol, etc. In 1997, Dr. McKinney worked with Conrad Bullard- producer/director/ writer/promoter, as the music director for the television pilot, “Zero to Hero” and music producer on a soundtrack for the movie, “Unconditional Love.”
n the country of Ghana, he performed in the Panafest 2005. He was the Music Director for Spiritual Journeys, an AT&T Broadband Cable Show and has produced for film and radio projects.

He recorded and toured nationally with Nashville recording artist Todd Bradley & Next Level for 5 years. He left the group in 1995, then rededicated his life back to Jesus Christ. Dr. McKinney has also ministered on events sponsored by: California Green Work’s Earth Day Festival at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza; KJFJ FM Gospel Music Internet Radio Station events; Time Warner and KJLH (Stevie Wonder’s Radio Station) Variety Stage of the 2007 Long Beach Jazz Festival; the African Market Place & Cultural Faire and the 2008 Community Day Event in Los Angeles; and Summer Christian Music Workshop-Drs. Harold & Delores Johnson. He also performs the National Anthem for the MLS Club Deportivo Chivas USA Soccer Organization in Carson, CA., the City of Inglewood, CA.-Annual Fourth of July Celebration 2008, and the 2008 Holy Convocation for the C.C.C. Dr. McKinney also volunteered and ministered with Praisefest Ministries’ “Cruise for a Cause 2008” (www.praisefestministries.com), assisting in bringing 10,250+ people into the Body of Christ in the Bahamas; and by invitation, also ministered in music with Jason Crabb and The Crabb Family and Pastor Andre Crouch.

He has also ministered in music and prophecy in the Azusa Street Festival 2009; the AGAPE International Spiritual Center, and the 2009 Long Beach Gospel Fest-Antioch Church of Long Beach, CA.

Dr. McKinney graduated from the Global Evangelical Christian College & Seminary where he received his Doctor of Ministry Degree in Sacred Music and his Master of Divinity Degree in Religious Community and Economic Development, Wetumpka, Alabama, 2005.

He serves as the Assistant Pastor/Prophet & Minister of Music for Redeemer Church of Christ-Power of God Ministries, Bellflower, CA (www.redeemercoc.org).
Dr. McKinney’s CD was produced by TVAfrica and is promoted in Ghana. Dr. McKinney is happily married to his Pastor, Dr. Elizabeth A. McKinney.

PERFORMANCES:
Gospel jazz rendition of the National Anthem performed at a MLS USA Chivas USA soccer game at the Home Depot Stadium in Carson, CA. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOawcRgn75M)

FOR BOOKING AND MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Prophetic Management & Entertainment
9047 Cedar Street
Bellflower, CA 90706
562.278.2438 Office
562.366.8642 Fax
323.697.3781 Cell
AlvinMcKinneysax@aol.com

http://www.blackgospelpromo.com/press628.htm

Healing Time

Josh Charles

By Janice Frame
Contributing Writer

Our Independent Voices show featuring Josh Charles and “Healing Time” was totally awesome! If you did not hear the show you really need to listen to it (Click on the BlogTalkRadio Player).

Josh has a heart for the people of New Orleans and the hurt they still feel and endure in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina four years ago.

After hearing the show I can so easily see how he has such a heart for the people of New Orleans. He saw the devastation first hand.

He was born in La Jolla, California and he grew up in Kansas City. At the young age of 8 he started piano training in classical music, while listening to a blues station and found out he loved the sounds of the New Orleans music. In High School he visited New Orleans several times fell in love with the city and it’s people, Josh had the opportunity to meet Dr. John who subsequently became a longtime friend and mentor.

In August of 2005 He was making plans to move to New Orleans and was there to start a recording project, but instead had to evacuate the city on one of the last buses of evacuees just before Hurricane Katrina hit on August 26, 2005. On trips back to New Orleans in the aftermath, he saw just how bad the storm was and how it had changed the lives of so many people.

During last four years he gave a lot of thought about the people of New Orleans, and the devastation and destruction that they experienced, and are still experiencing daily. This was the inspiration for the song “Healing Time.

In support of “Healing Time”, all proceeds from the sale of this song will go towards the rebuilding of New Orleans and can be downloaded for only .99 cents.

To quote Josh, “Rebuilding a house starts with a single brick, so why not rebuild America’s most Musical City one song at a time?”

Go to his website www.joshcharles.com and there you will find the link to www.amazon.com and www.itunes.com to -download the song. “Healing Time” has been placed on the ballot for consideration for nominations in 3 Grammy’s categories, Best Song, Record of the Year, and Best New Artist.

At some point in the near future Josh Charles plans to make New Orleans his home, as he loves the city and it’s people.

Once again I encourage you to go download this song and help the people of New Orleans in their rebuilding and of the lives Katrina touched.

You can make a difference!

New Orleans Facts:

Founded: La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans) was founded May 7, 1718, by the French Mississippi Company, Napoleon sold the territory to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

Prior to the Storm
I want us to get a really up close and personal look at what happened and who the people are that still need our help.

The 2000 Census showed New Orleans City, with a population of 484,674 people of which 46.85% were male, 53.15% female, (just about half and half) there were 22.47% between ages of 1-19 (children), 54.81% - Between the ages of 20-59 (Those in the work force) and 15.13 % were over 60 (headed to or in retirement). Median age was 33.1 - 73.3% of the population was over 18. The racial composition was - 28.05% White - 67.25% Black or African American - All others 4.70%.

There were 188,251 total Households among those 60% were families with an average of 2.48 members, 30.82% were married-couple family , 24.53%
Single women, 33.16% lived alone, 9.68% were over 65 years old.

Housing Occupancy
There were 215,091 total housing units 87.52% were Occupied of those 46.53% were Owner-occupied housing units 53.47% were renter-occupied

- New Orleans was home to one of the largest and busiest ports in the world. - The New Orleans region accounted for a significant portion of the nation's oil refining and petrochemical production.
- New Orleans was a center for higher learning, with eleven two- and four-year degree granting institutions.
- Metropolitan New Orleans was a major regional hub for the health care industry
- Held a globally-competitive manufacturing sector, and a rapidly growing, entrepreneurial creative industries sector.
- And was renowned for its cultural tourism.
- The largest coffee-roasting plant in the world, operated by Folgers, was in in New Orleans East.

By August 26, 2005 Hurricane computer models had shifted the potential path of a major hurricane 150 miles westward from the Florida Panhandle, putting the city of New Orleans directly in its center creating the possibility of a potential catastrophe because some parts of New Orleans and the metro area are below sea level. The storm’s surge was being forecast at 28 feet, emergency management officials in New Orleans feared major flooding; the chances of a direct hit were 17%, with strike probability rising to 29% by August 28.

On August 28, shortly after the storm was upgraded to a Category 5, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin made history ordering the first mandatory evacuation of the city, in preparation of "a storm that most of us have long feared. " Refuges of last resort" including the Louisiana Superdome, which sheltered approximately 26,000 people were made available for citizens who were not or could not leave the city.

In on the morning of Monday, August 29 2005 a Category 5 storm hit southeast Louisiana leaving cataclysmic destruction along the Gulf coast which spanned from Central Florida to Texas. The most severe loss of life and property occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana, as 80% of the city flooded.

The World now refers to that storm by the name “Katrina”

As we all know the effects of the storm were far-reaching.

By April 2006, 8 months later the Bush Administration sought $105 billion for repairs and reconstruction

Damages were seen in the economy, environment, industry and certainly population:

- Interruption of the oil supply,
- destruction of the Gulf Coast's highway infrastructure,
- exports of commodities interrupted.
- Destruction of 30 oil platforms caused the closure of nine refineries;
- loss to the forestry industry exceeded $5 billion.
- Hundreds of thousands of local residents were left unemployed
- Over one million people from the central Gulf coast were redistributed, becoming the largest Diaspora in the history of our country.
- Beaches eroded- islands were actually moved,
- 217 square miles of land was transformed to water by Katrina and Rita
- The Flood waters that covered New Orleans were pumped into Lake Pontchartrain. The process took 43 days to complete.

In September 2007 US Postal service estimated about 70% of the pre-Katrina population received mail.

Archived Just For You!

Here are some of our featured guests. Check our archived shows for interviews with our previous guests.

About... Trey Forbes

•What I believe:

"God is always Himself, no matter what any one believes.

He sends rain upon the just and the unjust.

He says, “Do good that good may come of it.”

All things were made through the word of God, and without him, nothing was made that was made.

He is the true light that gives light to every person who comes into the world.

We ourselves are made in the image of God, therefore it is natural for us to receive Christ, because He is the creative inspiration of God who made us and calls us His children.

The message of the gospel is the most positive thing I have heard, anywhere, at any time. The message is that we may recover from our short falls, and that we may continue to grow in love and goodness, as is the inspiration of God.
As for the ‘do-not’s, or rules of God, they say do not steal, and do not lie. God is wise. He knows how to live forever."

•What was it like to grow up with schizophrenia:

"The diagnosis was like a band-aid that no one ever had to look under. I suffered with many troubles and fears. I was lonely a lot. I had difficulty with social paranoia. I heard voices. And the media seemed to be ridiculing me.

I kept faith in God and life, even though I was at times, covered up in illness and could not see life or the goodness of God. But I still believed. And God continued to inspire me. My delusions and fears all related to the media, and my faith in God.

In 1985, and also in 1989, I experienced the delusion of having lengthy phone conversations with celebrities. I communicated with them through my interpretation of the clicks and tones that I heard on the empty phone line. I felt really good about the conversations. It was a nice feeling that so many people cared about what I had to say.

I was in a mental hospital in Atlanta in late 1985 through early 1986. I was enjoying the delusional idea that I was Jesus Christ. The idea was good, because it gave me the right to love people. Actually, we all have the right, we just can’t always see it.

But as I wondered if I was Jesus Christ, a troubling thought occurred to me. Jesus will return from on high, and not as another person from earth. Therefore, as I thought, I became terrified that I myself was the anti-Christ and would be thrown alive into the flaming pit of hell, to be tormented day and night forever.

As I thought over these things, I talked to God, saying, “I do not want to mislead people.” And as I considered my eternal destiny, I said to God, 'Use me anyway.' "

•What is my music:

"My music is that thing I prayed for. It is the inspiration that kept me going through painful and difficult times. My music is in response to the Rock-n-Roll albums that I enjoyed so much when I was growing up. Albums were some of my favorite things. The lyrics of my favorite artists are part of my life’s education. It is now a pleasure to have written albums for other people.

In late 2003, I heard a voice say, “They are going to call again. This time, don’t hang up.” I spent the next six or eight months conversing with voices in my house. I was off my medication for a while during those days, and I had a lot of unresolved feelings to recon with. It was a difficult time. Some of the dysfunctional aspects of my personality surfaced as well.

I went to the state mental hospital in mid March of 2004. Having had undeniably spiritual experiences, I paid no attention to the intake staff. I was looking for Jesus Christ. Then, my eyes became fixed upon a wooden door. I saw Jesus’ eyes, tears streaming all the way down. Then appeared His forehead and His hair. Then a guard, as of an old battle helmet, appeared covering His nose. The guard seemed to symbolize a mysterious, hidden, or unknown aspect of the vision. Then, a skull appeared on the left side of Jesus’ face, below the cheekbone. The skull lingered for a while. Then a woman, dressed in black appeared, dancing on solid ground above Jesus’ head, also on the left. Then I saw a city grow into Jesus’ face. And I looked again, and the city grew further with greater detail.

In my time after seeing the vision, I have been a very prolific songwriter. The maturity of the music I had prayed for was written. I hope to perform the music of my life’s calling, and to fulfill the mystery of the vision that was given to me."

Grace,
Amen

(Submitted by Trey Forbes, Singer/Songwriter, Musician)

Sean Hardin - Songwriter

Sean Hardin is a young man that's "Doin' It!"

From Singer to Songwriter, to Video Artist, he is setting himself apart from the crowd with the determination and enthusiasm
that says there is nothing but success ahead for him. He is the music behind award winning gospel singer Deitrick Haddon,
having performed on the Stellar Awards, and having co-written an impressive list of songs.

Watch out for Sean, he's doin' it!

Visit Sean Harden at www.blogtalkradio.com/sean-hardin

Jamba - Singer

Hear Jamba on Independent Voices Radio in January

Jamba Comments: "The first time I sat at the piano, it was literally like something magical happened. Maybe it sounds corny, I don't know; but it was one of those life-changing experiences for me. I knew I had to do this for the rest of my life."

Jamba is a very impressive all around musician, his music is simply infectious. With melodies that will make your heart sing. Visit his website at myspace.com/jambajamba for project and tour information.

Photo by: Noe Marinelli
"Noticed Photography"

"Jamba (a.k.a. Jammes Castro) born in a small town in Brazil, just outside Sao Paolo, to a musician father and hairdresser mother. He is in his mid 20s, the New York based singer/songwriter/musician has amassed the kind of credentials seasoned artists twice his age would be proud to have on their resume."

"Its a real blessing to be able to wake up every day and make music, express yourself and love what you do.... by the way I love the fact that when you're doing music, whether its writing, playing, performing, composing or singing, everyday is a challenge because theres always room to improve." Jamba

(quotes taken from www.myspace.com/jambajamba website)

Website: www.jamba-jamba.com

Nate N-9

Nate-- What Makes Him Different

Born Nathanial Grant Jr. in Los Angeles, California, (the show biz capital of the world). Nate says "I was intrigued with entertainment at an early age. When all was said and done I was singing to it, or dancing to it."

Nate’s musical influences are reflected in his music, from Gladys Knight to Yolanda Adams, the late Phyllis Hyman and Luther Vandross to Pastor Donnie McClurkin, Janet Jackson to Whitney Houston and BeeBee and CeeCee Winans, Maxwell, El Debarge, Andre Crouch, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond and many others. "It was these influences that inspired me to step up to the plate, discovering who I was musically." Nate combines aspects of all his musical influences into a style all his own, which makes his sound uniquely distinctive.