Jimi Shawndi Gives Euro-Pop Spin to His Song "Surrender”

By MICHAEL HANDLER
Contributing Music Editor
Event City Creative Magazine

A nice update to the dub or chill 90's sound, Songwriter Jimi Shawndi who penned Surrender offers a vocal and instrumental outing with understated guitar parts, synth and percussion.  All these work together quite well and I can see this as a big hit on the club/dance circuit and it immediately received my attention to hum along, but the song could be longer to really let folks get into the undeniable groove.  The artist's considerable blues voice is missing from this track, but his hand is firmly in the overall production.  

The singer on Surrender, Brianna Musso, is "a 21 year old newbie with an incredible natural vocal ability" according to Jimi, who has played music since he was a youngster and certainly has an ear for talent as he is constantly searching for musicians, vocalists and producer types to collaborate on his 600 plus song repertoire. 



Jimi has established himself as a Bay Area musician playing since the 1980's. He had some early career success with a Glam Rock Band - Christine Christine, and Rock'n'Roll Radio legend Tawn Mastrey was a big fan of the band. Jimi's diverse musical tastes from mainstream rock, R&B, ethnic, jazz and big band, to Euro-pop is quite prevalent when you listen to his music. This reporter only had time to review one of his songs, and it was a difficult choice indeed. 

Jimi has begun to place his tunes online via Facebook and YouTube, and even entered a song into the Today Show's new theme contest last year. He has written two Musicals, one of which made it to the stage about three years ago - GRADUATION. It was fully produced, a video was made from the production, it ran for two weeks in Redwood City California and was actually profitable. 

Jimi is currently working on a large online project as a Partner and Music Director assisting in developing a unique form of combining music, publishing and advertising to help monetize the songs and musical projects created by unsigned artists. Go Jimi!

Contributing Editor Michael Handler is an accomplished Musician,  Songwriter, Journalist with an extensive Radio background (Announcer and Commentator). He has appeared in several films and has received several awards as well. Active as a musician from 1966 to the present, Michael’s Bands include Crystal Palace Guard - Denver, Rhythm Doctors - Oakland; Just Six - East Bay Area; the Cool Papa Band and James Anthony Cotton Band - Bay Area; and the Country Blues Revue (founding member), Santa Fe, NM

 He has appeared on several recordings playing harmonica, percussion and guitar, including 3 CDs with the Country Blues Revue. He was on the Board of Directors for Bay Area Jazz Society, Loft Jazz and Jazz in Flight.

He was also a featured extra in the films True Grit (2012), and Brothers playing a Taliban fighter alongside Toby McGuire who played a US Marine.                                                                            
 His extensive Broadcast, DJ and on air talent career spans from 1970- 2014 and listed below is a partial collection of the media outlets where Michael displayed his talent:
KTHO-FM, Lake Tahoe, Nv., Transmitter Engineer; KNLT-FM, Kings Beach, Ca., DJ; KMMT, Mammoth Lakes, Ca., Founding Staff member, DJ, Music Director; KOZZ-FM, Reno, radio DJ; KOLO-TV, Reno, broadcast engineer, voice talent, camera; KGRL-FM, Eugene, Or. DJ; KVAL-TV, Eugene, Or., Broadcast Engineer; KLCC-FM (NPR), Eugene, Or., DJ and Music Director; KZEL-FM (State Rock of Oregon), Jazz DJ; KJAZ, Alameda, Ca., jazz DJ and on-location host; KCSM-FM, San Mateo, Ca., jazz commentator; KSFR, Santa Fe, NM, substitute jazz and blues DJ, voice talent.
 
Editorial
Editor, Writer, Music Journalist and , contributing photographer - 1981-Present
Print: Jazz Now, SF Bay Area; Downbeat Magazine, SF Bay Area Correspondent
On Line: Jazz West, Event City Creative Magazine and Event City Premier, Jazz Santa Fe


Awards
Michael Won or placed in several Jammie Awards, Best Harmonica Player (Bay Area, early to mid- 90’s), consistently placed in Best Harmonica Contest, Socorro, New Mexico last three years; won Best Country Song of the Year, 2012, New Mexico Music Awards; nominated for Best Country Song of the Year, 2013, New Mexico Music Awards (awards given May 31^st, 2014, Albuquerque, NM.)


Michael received a BA in Radio & TV awarded 1970 from San Jose State University