From jazz to R&B and soul and from Patio Jams to finishing an album, Devin Bing and his band are trying to break into the music scene.
Senior Devin Bing provides the vocals, lyrics and plays the keyboard while students Eric England plays the bass, Andrew Fisher the keyboards, Dave Palma the tenor sax and Neal Wehman the drums.
“I’m out of the pop-jazz and transitioning to R&B and soul,” Bing said.
The band kicked off the semester with a performance on August 24 at CocoWalk and within the next few months they plan on completing their album and have a schedule of performances lined up, including Patio Jams and the Rathskellar.
Although a band, Bing is trying to break into the industry as a marketed solo artist. “I am planning on having them as my core band. I am approaching it as a solo artists but they are like my family and are very important to me; they believe in the music,” Bing said. “They help me creatively and bring the music to life.”
Born and raised on Long Island, New York, Bing began playing the piano and singing at six years old. At eighteen, he headlined his own jazz trio which toured around Long Island and later left the group to attend the University of Miami’s jazz program. The band members are all city boys coming from New York, Philly, Chicago and Miami and each bring their own city’s style and sound to the music. Bing says Miami has a [music] flavor all its own, but he’s a “New York guy at heart.”
“I’m trying to hustle my way through it all. My main goal is to tour the world and play my music,” Bing said. “We want something that can grow and be something when we leave.”
Shaped by musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel and Jamiroquai, Bing tries to emphasis the soul and jazz in the music, and for the past three years Bing has been focusing on writing, trying to write at least one-two songs per week.
“I really love making beautiful songs. With my lyrics, I’ll just start playing chords and the feelings I get from that will shape the song,” Bing said.
Bing’s lyrics are a proclamation to his individual growth as a college student and the experiences he’s been through.
“[My lyrics] are my own little autobiography. I want people to feel good when they hear my music,” Bing said. “I hope people can relate, otherwise I haven’t done my job.”
For more information about Devin Bing and his band and sound clips of his music, visit http://www.myspace.com/devinbing.
Bari Lieberman is the EDGE Editor and can be contacted at b.lieberman@umiami.edu.
Upcoming Shows:
September 21, 2006: Rathskellar, 5pm
October 26, 2006: Patio Jams
November 30, 2006: Rathskellar, 5pm