Composers
Songwriter, Joan Randall, founder and president of Composers Unlimited, Inc.™, finds the inspiration for her poetry and music in everyday observances and life experiences. Joan’s passion for music, combined with her extensive business experience, enabled her to create Composers Unlimited, Inc.™ with the ultimate goal of giving talented artists the opportunity to be discovered in today’s music world.
Producer/songwriter, Robert “Bob” Yen, Jr., is the owner and operator of the Musicians Development Institute/MDI Productions (MDI) in Plymouth, MA. In addition to his many other talents, Bob has the unique ability of painting a musical picture from a songwriting idea. Bob’s musical career began at a very early age and has expanded from performing and songwriting to music production, engineering, and running a world-class album production facility.
Performers
James, “Chip” Allen, Jr., lead vocalist and band leader, started his musical career in his teens as a vocalist in various singing groups and in church. He studied piano and organ for a few years privately. At the age of seventeen, he attended The Berklee College of Music in Boston, majoring in piano performance and arranging and composition. After Berklee, he perfected his craft by playing gigs in local Boston bands. In the late seventies, Chip formed “The Midnight Stars.” “The Midnight Stars” became a very successful touring band, performing countless engagements throughout the U.S., Europe, and Canada over several years. The group changed it’s name to “Skyline” in the late eighties and shared concert stages with The Pointer Sisters, George Clinton and the P Funk All stars, The Village People, and Peabo Bryson, just to name a few.
In the early nineties, Chip was hired by “Next Plateau Records” and “Famous Artist Agency” in N.Y. as the musical director for international recording artist “Sybil”. His band (Skyline) performed the “Don’t Make Me Over” tour with Sybil throughout Europe and the States. Chip served as musical director, keyboardist, vocalist, and choreographer for the tour. “Sybil” had a string of hits in the nineties. – “Don’t Make Me Over” – “Guaranteed Love” – “Walk On By” – “Loves Calling” – and – “Crazy For You”, a song that also featured rap pioneer’s and label mate’s “Salt and Pepper”.
During the Sybil tour, Chip became more involved with the recording and production side of the business and evolved into a music producer / songwriter / engineer. He built his project recording studio, “Dream Suite” in the early nineties and worked on productions with Kevin Antoons (Musical Director for ‘N Sync and Britney Spears) and several other local artists. Chip has composed songs for ESPN, commercials for JAMMIN 94.5, and Dunkin Donuts. He has, also, trained numerous vocalists around the area over the past ten years.
Currently, Chip works as a vocal producer/vocal coach at MDI productions with producer Bob Yen, Jr., founder of M.D.I. (Musicians Development Institute/MDI-Productions). Chip performs weekly and is the bandleader/ lead vocalist of “The Manhattan Touch”, a nine piece corporate/wedding function band.
Chip Allen FB
Songwriter and vocalist Liz Solomon has been a popular entertainer in Southeastern MA. Liz is a highly recommended performer known for her gorgeous vocals, engaging personal style and professional demeanor. Liz’s debut album “Imaginary Girl”, is a collection of 12 adult-contemporary songs co-written with songwriter/producer Bob Yen at the Musicians Development Institute in Plymouth, MA. The songs on “Imaginary Girl” provide an insider’s personal view of domestic abuse. Liz is proud to be a part of the NCADV’s Voices Against Violence campaign and will use her music as a platform to further public education about domestic abuse.
She holds a degree in Musical Theatre & Dance performance from Dean College and is a trained vocalist, actor and dancer. She has studied voice with Debra Perry of the Vocal Development Studio, Chip Allen of the Musicians Development Institute and piano/guitar and songwriting with Kevin Murphy of the Musicians Development Institute.
Liz’s performances include:
South Shore Women’s Center 2nd Annual Golf Tournament for Domestic Violence Awareness
Guest Soloist at Dean College’s Library Learning Commons Dedication
Cape Cod Melody Tent for the 106 WCOD 28th Annual “Chowda Fest”
Asnuntuck Community College performance for Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Dean College’s Women’s History Month Coffee House
Dean College’s 140th Commencement Activities
Cape Cod Melody Tent for the 106 WCOD 27th Annual “Chowda Fest”
New Bedford, MA, Mayoral Inaugural Gala
Plymouth Waterfront Festival
Home Front Hero Rally Plymouth 2006
National Anthem Opening Day of the Hyannis Mets Cape Cod Baseball League
Cape Cod Melody Tent for the 106 WCOD 26th Annual “Chowda Fest”
Cape Cod March of Dimes Annual Telethon 2004,2005,2006,2007,2008
Hyannis Area Chamber of Commerce Annual holiday “Village of Lights Stroll” 2003,2004,2005
National Anthem Hyannis Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner 2003
Beta Sigma Phi Cape Cod Convention Mistress of Ceremonies guest performer
Beta Sigma Phi New England Area Convention. Guest performer
Liz Hachey Soloman FB
McVie Productions FB
Born and raised in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Elizabeth Alves realized at a young age that singing was her joy. She would sing around the house, in the car and for anyone who wanted to listen.
While still in grade school, Elizabeth was given lead singing roles and performed for hundreds of people when she joined the historic Priscilla Beach Theatre. (The country’s oldest summer-stock playhouse, known for the famous stars who have performed there in their early days including Paul Newman, Jean Seberg, Rob Reiner, and countless others.)
After graduating with an Associate’s Degree as a paralegal from Fisher College, Elizabeth joined her first band and has not stopped singing since. She has performed with some of Boston’s hottest bands including Night Shift, Legit, Match, Soho, After Dark, and many more. Elizabeth has also lent her voice to many songwriters looking for someone with her talents to sing their songs and has done numerous jingles and radio commercials.
In 2008, Elizabeth won Cape Cod Idol in Hyannis, Massachusetts and continues to prove herself as a truly talented diva.
Tim Colleran graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell with a Bachelor’s Degree in music performance/classical guitar. For the past 13 years, Tim has been the lead vocalist for the successful Cape Cod rock band Glasstown. Glasstown has performed throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire and is currently playing clubs across southeastern Massachusetts.
Tim has studied all styles of music from Renaissance, Classical, and Jazz to spiritual, pop, and theater. He was a tenor in the Cape Cod Community College chorus and chamber choir where he participated in the performances of Westside Story, a Renaissance Christmas play and a Holocaust remembrance concert. Tim also spent a summer with the Cape Cod Academy of Performing Arts in their production of “A Little Night Music” at the Orleans Playhouse.
Tim has been quoted as saying, “My most memorable performance was singing “Light a Candle in the Wind” with a children’s choir on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC. It was a very moving and inspirational moment and one that I will never forget.”
Composers Unlimited, Inc. was very fortunate to share the event with Tim. Tim’s grand performance created an emotional experience that will long be remembered by all who attended the event.
GlassTown FB
Cheryl DeVaux is a singer/songwriter from Cape Cod, Massachusetts and music has always been a part of her life. Cheryl’s widely diverse vocal performances range from performing as a church soloist and singing in church choirs in North Falmouth and Canton to performing at the House of Blues in Las Vegas.
Cheryl has performed at numerous open mics at The Cape Boulevard in Bourne and McGann’s Pub in East Falmouth with Tim and Greg Simpson. Performing in local venues such as the Cape Cod Arts Festival in Falmouth and the Toys for Tots Telethon in Marshfield is one of Cheryl’s specialties. Cheryl’s outstanding vocals are always a crowd pleaser.
Cheryl studied guitar and songwriting with Kevin Murphy and voice with Chip Allen, both of the Musicians Development Institute. She has also studied voice with Debra Perry of The Vocal Development Studio.
In addition to her featured performances for Composers Unlimited, Inc., Cheryl performed guitar and vocals on “Love is the Answer”, a song produced by Bob Yen, Jr., and has also performed background vocals on various CD’s, including that of Bill East. Cheryl pours her heart and soul into her music, which is evident in her CD, “That’s How It Works For Me,” co-written and produced with Bob Yen Jr.
Bob Yen, Jr. is a producer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist (Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Brass and Woodwinds) songwriter, and so much more. Highly respected in the industry and by his associates, Bob is the driving force behind the success of Musicians Development Institute/MDI Productions (MDI). Sharing his extensive knowledge of the music business, gleaned from engineering and producing bands all over the country since 1980, Bob’s passion is his dedication to his staff at MDI and to his production clients.
He has worked with exceptional producers/engineers including: Geoffrey Workman (known for his work with Journey, Queen, The Cars, etc.), Felton Pilate (known for his work with Cunfunkshun, Hammer, etc.), Jean-Pierre Whitecloud, (known for his work with Willie Nelson, James Burton, Bob Mosley, Ray Cooder), Bob St. John (known for his work with (Extreme) and Stuart “Dinky” Dawson (legendary live sound engineer for Fleetwood Mac, The Kinks, Steely Dan, etc.) just to name a few.
Bob has worked with some of the finest musicians anywhere, such as: Tony Bird (Folk Hero from Africa), Denny Dias (guitarist of Steely Dan), Larry Franklin (Grammy Awards and Country Music Awards, violinist for Shania Twain, Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, etc.), Terri Gonzalez (Co-Writer of two #1 Billboard hits), Tom Hambridge (drummer for Roy Buchanan, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Thoroughgood and Susan Tedeschi), Keely B (Billboard Hot 100 charting artist for 2005), Bobby Keyes (session guitarist for Luther Vandross), Dennis Brockenborough, Kevin Lenear, Brian Dwyer (Horn Section of The Mighty-Mighty Bosstones), John Morelli (drummer for Cyndi Lauper’s “Blue Angels”), Denroy Morgan (of the “Morgan Heritage” fame), Larry Paxton (Bassist for Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rodgers, Roy Orbison, George Jones, etc.), Jack Pearson (guitarist for the Allman Brothers, Jimmy Buffett, Delbert McClinton, etc.), Joe Pet (drummer for The Joe Perry Project of Aerosmith fame), Cheech & the Reggae Bubblers (Radio charting Reggae band); and the list goes on and on.
While Bob is familiar with all current computer based digital recording formats, he remains an avid supporter of the “old school” analog sound and recording process and continues to lead the way in his current on-going projects with his innovation and devotion.
Musicians
Owned and operated by Bob Yen, Jr., Musicians Development Institute/MDI Productions (MDI) is a world class album production facility, music education and artist development center located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. At the forefront of change in a rapidly – and radically – changing industry, MDI’s mission is to empower musicians and artists by giving them all the ingredients necessary to compete and survive in today’s music industry.
MDI’s in-house production team and engineers have amassed a long list of engineering and production credits that includes Platinum sellers and Billboard charting artists, Grammy and Country Music Award winning musicians and bands, independent and signed musicians and singer/songwriters.
MDI is Southeastern Massachusetts’ independent music resource for musicians, artists, singers, songwriters, bands, and music lovers everywhere.
Visual/Graphic Artists
Infehnite Design is a graphics company based south of Boston that specializes in cutting edge computer graphics, as well as traditional art mediums. For over six years they have been merging their love of art and technology to create distinctive designs and eye catching graphics to compliment all of their client’s artistic needs.
The Infehnite Design team has worked hand in hand with Composers Unlimited, Inc. to put a “face” to the music. As each song has its own sound, so each card has its own art style. From soft and flowing to upbeat and bright, the artwork and partnered music evoke different feelings for the person experiencing them.