Michelle & Shea collected LA’s finest vocalists and musicians to see their vision through. The "ARMS FREE" gang! In order of appearance: La Mer vocals Richard Tanumi vocals LaMont Dozier Jr. vocals Michelle Coltrane vocals/songwriter Shea Welsh producer/guitar/bass/songwriter Abe Lagrimas drums Ty Bailie keys Leela Ladnier kids chorus vocals Ellison Thomason kids chorus vocals Sadie Radinsky kids chorus vocals Nathan Jimenez kids chorus vocals J. Slamm Soundwell Studios engineer MICHELLE COLTRANE & SHEA WELSH BIO As the daughter of parents that include one of Jazz’ most Iconic figures, John Coltrane, and a trailblazing woman in the Jazz world, Alice Coltrane, Michelle grew up surrounded by as strong a musical legacy as there is humanly possible. Shea’s journey into the Jazz sphere was a bit more circuitous, winding through all genres of great guitar music, but eventually culminating in a Masters Degree in Jazz from The University of Southern California. They met at a Los Angeles jam session held at a mutual friends studio that they would both continue to frequent until Shea asked Michelle to sit in with his own band, which has a Thursday night residency at a Hollywood club, Pips on LaBrea. Michelle was a hit and was asked to do her own Wednesday night residency, where Shea naturally became her musical director. Thus their collaborative partnership was born. For their latest record project, Michelle and Shea have set out to write songs and create a sound that both represents their reverence for the rich Jazz legacy that has been laid out before them, as well as incorporate elements from other genres of music that have permeated their lives as world citizens of a planet that continues to grow smaller and share all forms of great art. Their composition “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” would have sounded at home in a Harlem Nightclub circa 1952 as it contains familiar Tin Pan Alley song structure and classic love song lyrics . But then their next offering, “Out Of The Shadows”, might seem more at home at a 21st Century Hollywood Night Club with more contemporary funk elements as the bed for lyrics intent on trying to solve world problems through a higher consciousness. Then their version of the classic standard “My Favorite Things”, with a connection to the famous rendition by Michelle’s father John, through his transcendent nature and envelope pushing energy, shows their ability to cross all genres and tap into their inner sources of creativity to construct their own unique presentation. The indelible impression that you will leave one of their shows with, is that Michelle and Shea’s joy of creating, and deep respect for each other as musicians, human beings and friends permeates all of the music that they endeavor to perform.