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About Me

Basic Information

Gender

Male

Birthday

09/04/1979

About me

Looking forward to the past, Street Corner RENAISSANCE defied the odds and did what many thought was either crazy or impossible. The group’s founder, Maurice Kitchen, was an accomplished but frustrated 25-year insurance industry claims professional when he decided to quit his job and join forces with Torre Brannon Reese, a community youth advocate and founder of a successful mentoring program, Kwame Alexander, a former Seventh Day Adventist Minister/Pastor, Anthony (Tony) Snead, an itinerant legal assistant and Charles (Sonny) Banks, a city transportation worker on the verge of retirement. These five distinguished gentlemen banded together to form a professional a cappella Doo Wop group. All five members had deferred their dreams while they dealt with life’s responsibilities. With a determined changed mind, their fantastic voyage began. (I just didn't want to die, a claims adjuster, says kitchen. That couldn't have been the last thing on my resume.)S. C. RENAISSANCE was born, creating a unique and consistent sound that has delighted audiences at venues throughout the country, including theaters, performing arts centers, elegant cruise lines, colleges and clubs. “We felt honored to have been invited to participate in UCLA’s week-long Festival of African American Music Symposium, right out of the gate,” said Kitchen, referring to an early engagement in the group’s infancy stage. He went on to explain that the festival was a comprehensive event hosted and produced by world-renowned guitarist Kenny Burrell, where S.C.RENAISSANCE shared the stage with accomplished performers such as Nancy Wilson, George Duke, Patty Austin, Freda Payne, Linda Hopkins, Lalah Hathaway, Dianne Reeves, Gerald Wilson and Patrice Rushen, just to name a few. Following that debut they opened for the a cappella group, Take Six, at Debbie Allen’s “Smile Festival”, performed on-air (in studio) with the legendary Stevie Wonder and the renowned poet, Nikki Giovanni.“To have started out performing with such a stellar lineup was all the encouragement we needed. We took it as a resounding endorsement that the music we’re committed to had a valid place in the broader cultural and musical landscape,” remarked group historian, Torre Brannon Reese.If the group wasn’t convinced by the reception they received at the festival, then the overwhelming response they garnered for “Meet Me on The Corner”, their debut recording venture, should have removed all doubt. Then in an unprecedented move, Promoter Roland Betts invited them to perform at the prestigious “Jazz at Drew Festival” where they wowed the audience and made festival history as the first a cappella group to be booked at the perennial event. In a bold show of support for their talent and their mission, Betts positioned them to open on consecutive nights for the venerable Impressions and popular funk band, Lakeside. Other acts on the bill included Hubert Laws, Jerry Butler, Sheila E., David T. Walker, The Mighty Clouds of Joy and other cross-genre luminaries. Opening for The legendary Chuck Berry in Utah, Kool and the Gang in Texas and the top selling Male R&B singing group of all time, Boyz II Men, in San Bernadino California, are among the experiences Kitchen lists as "highlights" in S.C. Renaissance's short but impactful existence.These cats can flat out sing and their infectious energy is highly entertaining as they transport their audiences to another space and time. Not just another singing group, Street Corner RENAISSANCE transcends categorization by intertwining social and cultural awareness themes into their music, offering “food for the spirit as well as the soul”. Whether it’s a soul-stirring tribute to the legendary Sam Cooke, Street corner crooning for the ladies, Black History themed conscious music or a rousing Gospel celebration, their superb vocal skills shine through.“We’ve closed the generation gap for vibrant Baby Boomers who dare to dream the impossible dream yet again. We want to be the poster children of a new revolution to reclaim our culture from the age of innocence and unbridled ambition. Hence; Street Corner RENAISSANCE. Says Kitchen. Charles Sonny Banks, the elder spokesman of the group smiles and nods in agreement,

Music

Band I'm Playing With Now

Street Corner Renaissance

Primary Role In A Band

Lead Vocals

Instrument

nine

Single Or Taken

single

Years Playing

50

Contact Information

City / Town

Los Angeles

State

Ca

Zipcode

90001

Country

AMERICA NORTH: USA: California (CA)

Twitter

http://twitter.com/stcornerdoowop