Ju-Taun

JUTAUN (pronounced zha-táwn) is a genre-defying band that began as a multi-cultural R&B male vocal group of high school friends from the Williamstown section of Monroe Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Brothers Jake and James Evans teamed with former talent show competitors Anthony "Brian" Lewis, Peter Garcia and Samoeun Cheng in the Spring of 1999. The group's vocal coach and mentor was the father of Jake and James, musician Jake Evans, Jr. who incorporated their sound with influences of classic R&B acts like The Temptations, Take 6, and Earth, Wind & Fire. In 2014, Jake, James, and Samoeun recruited current members Stephen Honsberger, Carter Fox, and Butch Serianni.

Biography

JUTAUN performed at talent shows and shopping malls in the Philadelphia and South Jersey area.^[1] In 2003 the group members quit their day jobs to pursue music full time. They signed with friend and manager David Still and formed Climax Entertainment still based in Camden, Nj. The group met at diners and parking lots to develop their marketing plan. JUTAUN performed at waterfront venues, festivals and shopping centers selling more than 100,000 self-produced CD's. They followed every major concert tour performing outside venues and selling their album. Soon promoters began booking them to open for established artists. Their earliest promotional appearances include the Ebony Family Reunion concerts, Crest Latin Shows, and the "Pantene Total You Tour 2006".

JUTAUN's radio singles including a remake of Enchantment's "Sunshine"; "Go Slow", "Let Me In", and "Beautiful" charted on internet and non-commercial stations first, generating interests of mainstream audiences. JUTAUN was booked on the national BET Black College tour in the Summer and Fall of 2008 in support of educational outreach to minority students.^[2]

In the summer of 2009 JUTAUN appeared at B.B. Kings Blues Club & Grill in New York City's Times Square and won "Best Male R&B Group" at the Underground Music Awards.^[3] The same year they were voted R&B Showcase Magazine's "Artist to Watch" and Billboard Magazines "Top 10 New R&B Artist."^[4] Most recently Ju-Taun was selected to perform for MTV's Top Pop Group hosted by Mario Lopez.^[5] They competed against thousands of contestants to finish second among nine finalists. Their latest album is Love Changes Things released in 2009.

In 2010, the group appeared on NBC Philadelphia's 10! Show (the NBC local affiliate morning show) multiple times, promoting new music and a sound they had been refining from their R&B days. The group spent the next few years working with various musicians while developing a new sound to break out of their pop-R&B past.

In 2012, JUTAUN announced their partnership with legendary producer, songwriter, and music industry icon Leon Huff, with whom they began production on their new CD with.

In 2013, the group, now a full band, released the single "By the River", executive produced by Huff, which currently exceeds 100,000 views on YouTube, has been spun on terrestrial radio across the world, and peaked at number 87 on Billboard's AAA charts as a release on the independent label Climax Entertainment. ^[6] The vocal group, now made up of Jake, James, and Samoeun, decided to continue exploring and expanding their sound and formed a full-band featuring Stephen Honsberger on piano, guitar, and background vocals, Carter Fox on electric and upright bass, and Butch Serianni on drums and percussion.

On October 14, 2014, JUTAUN released the single "Come Closer." On May 8, 2015, the band released "Who Am I," the first single from their forthcoming EP, "Back to Life". The second single, "Let It Die", was released on November 8, 2015, premiering on WXPN in Philadelphia.

Discography

Band members

Awards

• Billboard Magazine's "Top 10 New R&B Artists 2009"
• "Best Male R&B Group" at the Underground Music Awards 2009
• R&B Showcase Magazine's "Artists To Watch 2009"
• "MTV's Top Pop Group Personality Award"
• "Best Male R&B Group" at the Underground Music Awards 2005

References