Jeff Kent: BIO

Jeff Kent Biography

Composer/Lyricist/Arranger, Award-winning Producer, Vocals/Keys/Guitar, Creative Consultant

Dreams
In 1970, Jeff formed his first successful recording band Dreams as a power trio that included Billy Cobham (Mahavishnu Orchestra) and Doug Lubahn (recording bassist for the Doors and Billy Squier). Dreams augmented their sound with a horn section consisting of the legendary Barry Rogers (Eddie Palmieri, Saturday Night Live Band), Michael Brecker (Paul Simon, McCoy Tyner, The Brecker Brothers, and Grammy award-winning Jazz solo albums), and his brother Randy Brecker (Average White Band, Horace Silver, BS&T, and The Brecker Brothers). Jazz legend John Abercrombie also played guitar and Eddie Vernon sang on lead vocals.

Dreams earned its place in the history of rock/jazz fusion with two legendary Columbia albums that featured a majority of Jeff’s compositions. The vinyl versions of the albums are now highly sought collectors’ items.

Jeff Kent Songs list from DREAMS.

1. Devil Lady written by: Jeff Kent, Doug Lubahn
2. Try me written by: Jeff Kent
3. Holli be Home written by: Jeff Kent

4. Dream Suite:
a ) Asset Stop written by: Jeff Kent,
b) Jane written by: Jeff Kent
c) Crunchy Grenola, written by: Jeff Kent, Doug Lubahn

5. New York written by: Jeff Kent

6. Calico Baby –2nd album written by: Jeff Kent, Doug Lubahn

(Calico recorded on the Album –Imagine My Surprise – Produced by Steve Cropper)

After Dreams, starting in 1973, Jeff focused on song writing. He wrote the song, music and lyrics for Bette Midler “Daytime Hustler” on her debut entitled “The Divine Miss M”, the Everly Brothers recorded “Del Rio Dan” on their Stories We Could Tell album, Blood, Sweat & Tears recorded “Almost Sorry” and “Velvet” and their No Sweat and New Blood albums, and The Saturday Night Live Band recorded “Lost in a Wonderland”.

1. Daytime Hustler written by: Jeff Kent
2. Del Rio Dan” written by: Jeff Kent, Doug Lubahn, Holli Beckwith
3. Lost in a Wonderland written by: Jeff Kent, Georg Wadenius

4. “Velvet”   written by: Jeff Kent
5. “Almost Sorry”   written by: Jeff Kent, Doug Lubahn

Jeff also composed for movies, including The Groove Tube, which includes the Dreams song NEW YORK, and he wrote music for numerous nationally broadcast television commercials. Jeff was also commissioned for a Broadway synthesizer adaptation of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, performed at the Lyceum Theater in New York City by the world-renowned Murray Lewis Dance Company.

Jeff’s second band, Pierce Arrow, recorded two albums for Columbia Records in 1977-78. Pierce Arrow consisted of Jeff on lead vocals, guitar, and keyboards; Doug Lubhan on lead vocals and bass; Robin Batteau (Tom Rush and two solo albums) on lead vocals, guitar, mandolin, and violin; David Buskin (Mary Travers, Tom Rush, and two solo albums) on lead vocals, guitar, and keyboards; Werner Fritzsching (Cactus; Hall & Oates; Lou Gramm) lead guitar; Bobby Chouinard (Billy Squier; Cher; Alice Cooper) on drums; and Jack Sonni (Dire Straits) on rhythm guitar.

Jeff Kent Song contributions on the first Pierce Arrow album:
1. Still I love you written by: Jeff Kent
2. You Gotta Believe written by: Jeff Kent, Doug Lubahn
3. Stargazer written by: Jeff Kent
4. If I could be with you written by: Jeff Kent

Jeff Kent Songs contributions on the 2nd Pierce Arrow Album
1. Mony Sail written by: Jeff Kent
2. Angel Eyes written by: Jeff Kent

During the Pierce Arrow period, Jeff was also signed as a staff writer for April-Blackwood Music, now CBS/SONY. His producing and arranging skills were quickly discovered and led to the release of two of Jeff’s compositions for Jimmy Ienner, then president of Millennium Records. Jeff produced 2 songs for a single by the artist Susan Collins.

1. Falling for you written by:   Jeff Kent, Susan Collins
2. Don’t cheat on my heart written by: Jeff Kent, Susan Collins

In 1981, Jeff was introduced to legendary songwriter Ellie Greenwich (Be My Baby; River Deep Mountain High; Chapel of Love; Leader of the Pack; Da Do Ron Ron; Do Wa Diddy). Ellie was impressed with Jeff’s skills as a producer/writer and they were soon writing together. Their work included songs for Cyndi Lauper who recorded the song “Right Track, Wrong Train”, which was the B-side to “Girls just wanna have fun”; Nona Hendryx, who recorded “Keep it Confidential” & “I want you”; Clarence Clemmons who recorded “Jump Start my heart”; and Ellen Foley (Meatloaf’s first female lead vocalist and star of TV sitcom Night Court) who recorded: “Boys in the Attic”, “Run for my life”, which all culminated in co-writing for the Broadway Show, chronicling the life of Ellie Greenwich’s songs, entitled “Leader of the Pack,” still performed in multiple road productions worldwide.

1. Right Track Wrong Train written by: Jeff Kent, Ellie Greenwich, Cyndi Lauper
2. Jump Start My Heart written by: Jeff Kent
3. Keep Confidential written by: Jeff Kent, Ellie Greenwich
4. Boys in The Attic written by: Jeff Kent, Ellie Greenwich
5. Run For My Life written by: Jeff Kent, Ellie Greenwich, Ellen Foley

Jeff had co-written with Ellie Greenwich,” Rock of Rages” included on the Sound track album of the Broadway Show Leader Of The Pack, continued as a national road show for years. The song “Keep it Confidential” originally chosen by Nona Hendryx for singles and videos. “Keep It Confidential” became a dance hit. Jeff and Ellie also wrote” I Want You”, “A girl like that” for Nona’s second album, with additional covers by Irene Cara (star of the film Fame) who recorded “After the Twilight”, produced by Giorgio Moroder, and wrote for Robin Clark’s debut album. Robin Clark (of Simple Minds) and titled her album Surrender after Jeff’s song “Surrender.”

1. Rock Of Rages written by: Jeff Kent, Ellie Greenwich
2. After The Twilight written by: Jeff Kent, Ellie Greenwich, Cyndi Lauper
3. Surrender written by: Jeff Kent, Ellie Greenwich, Kenny Hairston
4. I Want You written by: Jeff Kent, Ellie Greenwich

Jeff’s producing work during this period-included Single Ballet Theory, for Nemperor Records and Lulu Temple for Columbia Records.

In the early 1980s, a song casting session with producer Hank Medress led to the formation of a new partnership and the production company Double Vision Productions. This new venture began with The Weather Girls album featuring Martha Wash (Big Girls Don’t Cry) for Charles Coppleman’s CBS label, The Entertainment Co/SBK, ultimately becoming EMI. Double Vision Productions also served as pre- and post-audio producers of MTV’s highest rated live series, entitled Rock Influences. This unique television program featured live performances by David Gilmore, Brian Setzer, Jethro Tull, George Thorogood, Lou Reed, Bob Weir, Dickey Bets, James Brown, The Thunderbirds, and an MTV award-winning audio mix of the late Stevie Ray Vaughn and countless others all recorded live at the legendary Capitol Theatre.

In the mid 1980s, Jeff signed another exclusive publishing contract with MTM Music (a division of Mary Tyler Moore Enterprises) and secured a major film cover with the song ”Soul Star “ in the Columbia Pictures film Roxanne, starring Steve Martin and Darryl Hannah.

Soul Star written by: Jeff Kent, Terri Cox

Jeff also produced the legendary live Blues Night at the famous New York nightclub Under Acme. As word spread of this special weekly evening event, musicians and singers, including Cyndi Lauper, Phoebe Snow, John Waite, Carol King, Buster Poindexter, Julian Lennon, Charlie Musselwhite, David Clayton Thomas, Miami Sound Machine Horns, The Uptown Horns, Willie Deville, and countless others came to jam until the early morning hours.

During this period, Jeff also co-wrote and co-produced a track for the Paul Pesco album (guitarist for, Madonna, Steve Winwood, C&C Music Factory, Annie Lennox) entitled “Rebecca” for Sire Records.

1. Rebecca written by: Jeff Kent, Paul Pesco

Jeff also produced and performed live in an on-air musical theme production for HBO/Cinemax with the renowned New York blues band the Hudson River Rats.

In the late 1980s, Jeff was summoned to London, England to co-write with Robin Beck for her debut album “Sleeping with the Enemy”, to the follow up hit she had entitled “The First Time” , as well as other songs produced by Desmond Child.

Jeff Kent songs written for & with Robin Beck projects were.
1. Sleeping with the Enemy written by: Jeff Kent, Robin Beck
2. A Heart for you written by: Jeff Kent, Robin Beck, Terri Cox
3. Jealous Hearts written by: Jeff Kent, Robin Beck
4. Gonna Take A Lifetime written by: Jeff Kent, Robin Beck,

He also wrote with Desmond Child and Paul Stanley for the Kiss album Animalize. Jeff also co-wrote for the debut album of Company of Wolves Call of the Wild, on Polygram/Mercury Records. These writing sessions yielded three powerful songs; “Hells’ Kitchen” , “Company of Wolves”, and “I Don’t Wanna be Loved. “

1. Hell’s Kitchen written by: Jeff Kent, Steve Conte, Kyf Brewer
2. Company of Wolves written by: Jeff Kent, Steve Conte, Kyf Brewer
3. I Don’t Wanna be Loved written by: Jeff Kent, Steve Conte, Kyf Brewer

Jeff continued writing and producing music for DHMA Music (headed by legendary Orchestrator /Composer David Horowitz) working with advertising clients and freelancing for radio and TV production companies such JSM, Crushing Music, Sutcliffe Music, Ruggeri Music, Russo/Granthum, Sicurerlla & Associates, Music Partners (WWF) World Wrestling Federation, and HBO/Cinemax. Jeff’s work included countless songs, underscores, and productions for products such as Disney, Coca Cola, AT&T, Sprite, Pepsi, Hanes, Budweiser, Molson, the US Army, the US Postal Service, Pizza Hut, Blockbuster, Cheerios, Burger King, Diet Coke, ITT, Crest, Sasson, American Airlines, L’Oreal, Gillette, General Motors, Northrop Corporation, and scores of children’s toy commercials.

In 1992, exactly 22 years after its original release On Columbia Records, Jeff’s first album Dreams was digitally re-mastered and re-released on CD, again for CBS/Sony. Dreams took its rightful place in history under the Columbia Jazz Masters Series.

In 1992, Jeff Kent Management Inc. was formed to use his experience in the music industry by discovering, developing, guiding, and managing new young careers. His first client was songwriter, producer, arranger, and programmer James Greco, then working with Daryl Hall, writing and producing the artist Corina (dance hit Temptation), doing remixes for Jade and Redbone, co-producing with Kenny Hairston (writer/producer of Vanessa William’s hit single, Runnin’ Back To You. Jeff also signed Ray Contreras, formerly Chrysalis recording artist. Ray teamed up with James Greco and started JimmyRay Productions (India, Carlos Santana, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion).

Jeff also was creative consultant and co-manager with Peter Leeds (X-Blondie/Debra Harry Manager). Jeff and Peter secured a recording contract and single video for the Latin crossover artist Jillian on RMM Records with her first single Telephone co-written and produced by James Greco and Kenny. Jillian’s work with legendary percussionist Johnny Almendra yielded the Cuban band’s first bilingual release of the album Jovenes del Barrio. Jeff also co-wrote the Latin single “Hechicera” with Spanish poet Doris Eugenio, and “Compasion” with Jillian for Jovenes del Barrio.

1. Hechicera written by: Jeff Kent, Doris Eugenio
2. Compasion written by: Jeff Kent, Jill Armsbury

Angels - The Gathering is Jeff’s ongoing pet project, which began in the late 1990s. This work is a culmination of all his music industry experience and is unlike anything else he’s done. Angels - The Gathering is a musical vision that was composed, arranged, produced, and performed by Jeff with James Greco contributing additional programming and sound design production.
Angels – The Gathering is a combination of multiple mediums; music, dance, and performance art, all told in an allegorical and panoramic scale for the Broadway stage; a pure vision.

Song list of Angels CD ~ soley written by: Jeff Kent
1. Descending
2. Expectancy
3. Compassion
4. Surrender
5. Power
6. Faith
7. Harmony
8. Transgression
9. Forgiveness
10. Seduction
11. Earthbound

At the end of 2003, Jeff reunited with long standing friend, co-writer, ex-client, and Grammy nominated writer/producer for the artist India, (Seduce Me, which was Grammy -nominated for Tropical Song of the Year). James Greco is also in the process of launching his own Web-based independent recording label Airgomusic.com.

James Greco and Jeff Kent are committed to the development, sale, distribution, and mentoring of new and gifted artists for co-writing and music production projects . Working with an extremely talented pool of up and coming pop, rock, R&B. Latin, and multicultural artists, producers and songwriters, their efforts have been yielding innovative recording, film, animation, television, underscoring, sound design, and songwriting projects.

Jeff spent the summer of 2005 writing 10 songs for the new HOUSE OF LORDS album, have been released by Frontier Records May 19, 2006. Check out Melodicrock.com for reviews!

The following is the list of the House of Lords “World Upside Down” songs:
1. MASK OF ETERNITY - Overture No. 1 JEFF KENT
2. THESE ARE THE TIMES JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
3. ALL THE WAY TO HEAVEN JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
4. FIELD OF SHATTERED DREAMS JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
5. YOUR EYES   JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
6. I'M FREE JEFF KENT JIMI BELL
7. MY GENERATION JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
8. SOS IN AMERICA JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
9. ALL THE PIECES FALLING JEFF KENT, JAMES LEWIS, WERNER F.
10. GONE JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL, ROBIN BECK

Jeff has also finished co-writing Robin Beck’s new solo CD with her and Tommy Denander mostly entitled “Livin’ On A Dream.” Additional Robin Beck songs were co-written with and for her by James Christian, Jimi Bell, BJ Zampa and Jeff Kent.

The following songs are on Robin’s new 2007 CD “Livin’ On A Dream”

1. Seventeen Forever JEFF KENT, ROBIN BECK, TOMMY DENANDER
2. Always JEFF KENT, ROBIN BECK, CHRIS PELTZER
3. Livin’ On A Dream JEFF KENT, ROBIN BECK, TOMMY DENANDER
4. Love Me Like A Man JEFF KENT, ROBIN BECK, TOMMY DENANDER
5. Show Me The Way JEFF KENT, ROBIN BECK, TOMMY DENANDER
6. Nothing’s Gonna Change Your World JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
7. Love Lies JEFF KENT, SCOTT MUSMANO
8. It’s Magic JEFF KENT, ROBIN BECK, TOMMY DENANDER
9. Can’t Walk The Line   JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
10. Can’t Get Enough Of Your Heart JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL

2007 started the next new CD for HOUSE OF LORDS. This new CD will be the follow up to “World Upside Down” which is getting 5 star reviews on Amazon.com, Melodic Rock.com, iTunes, and Rockhaven.com., just to mention a few. House of Lords “World Upside Down” is now in heavy Rotation on XM radio in America as well as selling in Europe where the band is toured again February and March of 2007 before coming home to finish writing, and recording the next House of Lords CD started at the beginning of February 2007.

Jeff’s new writing teams have yielded a powerful crop of new songs for House of Lords, Robin’s Beck new solo CD “Livin’ On A Dream”, released July 7, 2007, as well as have created the foundation for many future projects starting with the 2nd House of Lords CD scheduled for release Christmas 2007. As of July 6, 2007, Jeff has written 11 songs on the new House of Lords CD “Come To My Kingdom” and working to finish the entire 13 song CD. This CD will be Released In March 2008.

1. "PURGATORIO" Overture No.2 … JEFF KENT
2. COME TO MY KINGDOM … JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
3. ANOTHER DAY FROM HEAVEN … JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
4. I DON’T WANNA WAIT ALL NIGHT … JEFF KENT JIMI BELL
5. ONE FOOT IN THE DARK … JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
6. I NEED TO FLY … JEFF KENT, TOMMY DENANDER
7. IN THE LIGHT … JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
8. THE DREAM … JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
9. IN A PERFECT WORLD … JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
10. LOVE CAN’T SAVE US … JEFF KENT, TOMMY DENANDER
11. ONE TOUCH … JEFF KENT, TOMMY DENANDER
12. I BELIEVE   … JEFF KENT, TOMMY DENANDER
13. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MADNESS … JEFF KENT, JIMMY BELL (Japan only)

Sky Rider written and produced by: Jeff Kent

Shadow Of The Guru gave Jeff a chance to execute a life long dream in another entertainment arena, the Documentary film Genre. Jeff worked as Director, Musical Supervisor, Co-editor, Creative Consultant, Still Photographer, Sound engineer and Sound Designer. He was asked to be Co-Producer with the originator, Joan “Radha” Bridges”. More at www.shadowoftheguru.com

Jeff will also be writing most of the original music for Shadow Of The Guru, as well as continuing to act as Musical Supervisor selecting only the very best compositions relevant to the vision of the documentary.

Jeff is also in the process of producing the largest multi entertainment event of his career. This ORIGINAL project is a virtual “live” allegorical fantasia; Ala … Cirque du soleil meets the ballet on a Broadway stage at a Pink Floyd concert, with “live” 3D holographic effects, a full symphony and choir, in powerful “state of the art” surround sound.

For more information about the Jeff Kent’s Gothic Melodic Rock Opera/Ballet he can be contacted at the address, emails and phone numbers on page one …

2011/2012 Jeff has been writing all the lyrics and melodies working with Tommy Denander, Jimi Bell and James Christian for the new JAMES CHRISTIAN Solo CD, to be followed up by again writing all the lyrics and melodies for the next House of Lords CD to follow their 2012 European Tour.

2012 - JAMES CHRISTIAN SOLO CD entitled: “LAY IT ALL ON ME”

1. LAY IT ALL ON ME … JEFF KENT, JAMES CHRISTIAN
2. SACRED HEART … JEFF KENT, JAMES CHRISTIAN, JIMI BELL
3. SINCERELY YOURS … JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
4. LET IT SHINE … JEFF KENT, JAMES CHRISTIAN
5. ANOTHER SHOT IN THE DARK … JEFF KENT, TOMMY DENANDER
6. YOU’RE SO BAD … JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
7. EVERY LITTLE LIE … JEFF KENT, TOMMY DENANDER
8. WELCOME TO THE FUTURE … JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL, JAMES CHRISTIAN
9. SHE’S ALL THE RAGE … JEFF KENT, JIMI BELL
10. DON’T COME NEAR ME … JEFF KENT, JAMES CHRISTIAN, JIMI BELL

And this is just the beginning … BIO to be continued …

Jeff Kent

jeffkentmusic8@gmail.com

BIO

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