Jay
Isaacson Musical Biography
Jay Isaacson is a multi-talented singer,
keyboardist, entertainer, writer and arranger of various styles
of music. Music for Jay is a passion, and this level-headed guy
isn't about to stop making it!
Jay was born and raised
in the Detroit, Michigan area, where he started
singing along with Glen Campbell LP's as a 3 year-old. He took
piano lessons from the age of 7 through high school. At Thurston
High School in Redford Township he was keyboard player for the
jazz band, played clarinet in the honors and concert bands, and
was also involved in musical theater and barbershop quartets.
In 1984, his senior year, he received the John Philip Sousa
Band Award and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, and
sang the class song at his graduation ceremony.
Jay received the Evans
Scholarship (for
golf caddies) and attended Michigan
State University
in East Lansing. During his years there, he directed the Folk
Group at Martin
Luther Chapel,
arranging and conducting contemporary music for church services.
He was also keyboardist for the Lansing-based Rich Astalos
Big Band for a year.
Songwriting was a major
activity for awhile in the late '80s, and Jay distributed copies
of songs he co-wrote with others to friends and family. In early
1987, the love song "Lonely", sung by Jay and written
with friend Jim Simos, was aired nightly for a month in Detroit
on the Alan
Almond show on
WMJC-FM. After graduating from MSU with a general business degree,
Jay performed Christmas songs on live radio during the Jimmy
Launce Morning Show in December of 1988 on WJR-AM Detroit.
In 1990, Jay got married
and moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his wife. In
1991 he was keyboardist/vocalist for the blues/classic rock band
Aces & Eights for a year.
Also while in Milwaukee,
Jay has been involved with the music program at Immanuel
Lutheran Church
in Brookfield, and in 1994 was chosen to direct and coordinate
the new Contemporary Choir. Jay functions as a choir director,
music arranger, and selects songs with his pastors. He also accompanies
the Family Singers, a church singing group composed of
2 local families who've sung for worship services in the area,
and also for banquets and nursing homes.
Since 1995 Jay has been
singing on radio and television commercials, and so far his voice
has been heard on over a dozen small-market commercials in 6
states throughout the Midwest.
Jay currently sings for
wedding ceremonies, and provides dinner music for receptions,
parties and other events, and since 1996 has been keyboardist/vocalist
for the wedding/variety band Rumor in the Greater Milwaukee area.
He is in the marketing department at Interstate Music , Wisconsin's largest musical
instrument retailer. He' s involved with marketing and advertising
activities for print, radio, and catalog production for the mail
order side of the business.
What lies ahead in the
future for Jay's music? He wants to continue providing music
for weddings, leading and orchestrating contemporary music at
his church, along with the occasional songwriting and producing
of music. Not known necessarily as a "rocker" (except
for singing certain tunes with "Rumor"), he'd like
to really explore more jazz vocal and piano stylings. "I
sometimes wish I'd taken the time to really study jazz piano
when I was younger," he states.
It's a busy and full
musical life nonetheless, but Jay wouldn't have it any other
way, for music has been the key for opening many doors along
the way. If he were to make a record, it would be a Christmas
CD ("...what else would I do that anyone would buy?"
he says) of a variety of musical styles, with the "musical
friends" he's made over the years.
Jay is thankful to God
for his music, for he knows this all comes from Him. He realizes
he's been blessed with unique abilities, and he wants and needs
to share the music inside him with others, whether it's at church
or in other venues. His passion for "all things musical"
has led him into a variety of musical situations, each containing
their own challenges, yet each handled adequately by his depth
of talent.
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